Wings of Fire: Rogue Power

Chapter 18

This is my uncle. The brother of my mother, who passed on the Animus gene to me. I never imagined seeing anyone else from my real family after that night.

All we can do is stare at one another till one of us speaks first.

It happens to be him.

"So she had dragonets. For some reason I never thought she would, especially since she hated the nightwings for trying to force her" 

It feels like he's talking to himself more at this point. I decide to fill in the details, the little bits I know.

"She had three. Me and my brothers. Our father was a seawing who helped her escape the nightwings. When my dad realized I was an Animus... He abandoned me in the desert, so that my mother wouldn't kill me"

Thinking back, why did he leave me in the desert? Why not the forest? Or the ocean? Why bring me to the hardest place to survive.

"So, then, you know the dangers of Animus magic?"

"Of course, it shaped my entire life so how could I not. I already took care of that problem though" 

He looks at me wide eyed, as though my words caused me to grow a second head.

"You don't just 'take care' of Animus powers and their dangers! Sure, your soul is safe from your magic let's say, but how can you be sure your using it right hmm? That it won't kill someone one day?!"

The thoughts I had a long time ago echo in my head. Sure I had them, but as soon as I made my soul spell I was sure it wouldn't be a problem anymore.

Was I wrong?

"Look! Look what magic has done for me! Made me run away to save lives, live alone, give up my chance at a family-" he chokes on the last part, coughing up... Dust????

Looking closer at the skinny and now furious dragon, the grey on him looks odd. Not like grey scales but...stone.

"I had to put together a spell to keep me from being tempted by my powers. You should have one too"

Now I understand. His scales are turning into actual stone. He must have connected it to his magic use somehow. What a terrible way to live.

The thought, of being like him, afraid forever, literally turning to stone..... no.

"No. I won't be like you. Or any other Animus before me. I'll be better. Make better choices. I will be different"

The look in my eyes and the forcefulness of my words tell Stonemover all he needs to know. I won't listen to any of his advice right now. 

"Fine. Do what you want. But don't come back here once you end up like the Darkstalker"

His last comment causes a bell to ring in my head, as though I've heard it before somewhere.

"The Darkstalker? What is that?" I ask.

He chuckles darkly, fighting back another cough. His greyish eyes meet mine with a deep sadness.

"Not a what. A he. The first ever Nightwing Animus, Darkstalker was supposed to be a savior, hope in the war against the Icewings thousands of years ago. But he went mad with power, killing his own father and trying to kill our queen. He disappeared, but the fear of his return was such that the nightwings fled their kingdom to somewhere new. Now the old kingdom is lost somewhere"

Darkstalker......

"The point Rogue, is that no Animus, no matter how smart or how powerful, can ever truly be good. They always turn eventually. I won't let myself become that. It's up to you how you live the rest of your life"

Darkstalker?

Darkstalker.

Darkstalker.

DARKSTALKER.

My mind explodes suddenly, much like the day I met my new father, but painfully like when I met Void.

I collapse on the rough cave floor, barely feeling the bruises on my legs from the fall as images flash in my eyes.

A pink tree.

A painting of a Nightwing.

Blue blood.

A dragon made of bones.

Endless ocean.

The three moons shining again.

"Rogue?!"

Stonemover's confused and slightly panicked voice reaches me, but just barely. I just do a small nod to him. 

Sometimes my visions are a lot. But this was the most strange one so far. I can no longer see anything I just did, back to more regular things. Like tomorrow's weather.

Once my pain recedes, I sigh in relief.

"Sorry. His name triggered my visions"

"VISIONS??!" He yells out.

Oops.

"I have the gift of prophecy, as well as mind reading. See, I am different. I can make things right" 

Confidence returns to me, confidence I haven't known I'd lost.

But Stonemover just looks more upset and panicky.

"So did he! He had a girlfriend and another Animus trying to guide him, yet, he still betrayed them! You-your just like him! No! I won't be part of this! Leave!" 

He suddenly growls deeply, and I see the darkness in him through his eyes. He won't listen to me. Not now. Not ever. He's to lost in his head.

"Goodbye then uncle. Don't worry, I won't bother you again" 

Lifting out of the cave as lightly as I can with my sore wings, it feels like a jab at my heart again. 

Even the only other Animus in my family doesn't want me around. It shouldn't hurt, not at this point, but yet it does.

I can't believe him.

I'm going to learn more about this 'Darkstalker' and what happened to him. Maybe then I'll have the answers I need.

"Wind, guide me to the old night kingdom" sure enough, it begins to blow me somewhere in-between the rainforest and the sand kingdom.

Soon I will have the answers I need.

(Note: Alright, so, to those reading I'm changing the description because I made a few decisive changes to the plot of this story so it makes more sense. One: Darkstalker going to be a less prominent character. He's still going to be in it the entire story, it's just not about him as much. Two: originally Rogue's goal was going to be restoring the night kingdom but I don't want this to mess with the original series. It's supposed to be like what's happening behind the scenes a bit. So yeah. That's about it. Just wanted to warn anyone reading this)

Thank you!