Wings of Fire: Rogue Power

Chapter 23

(Trying out a new art style on digital, seems to make drawing my dragons easier so far! Soon, I'll put up the one I did for Darkstalker, since he's going to show up in not too long ;). Hopefully I can get his personality correct)

My map leads me to the large cracks in the ground, the ones full of caves. I was a bit surprised. I was almost sure a dragon as important as him would live in the castle, especially since Clearsight was there it seems.

I eventually land inside the one marked on the map, and the inside surprises me a bit. 

It's walls are grey, but, only because of the lost time. There's also decor that looks like icicles and white rotting fur rugs on the floor. In it's prime, I'd say this was a very nice place to live, seeing as these were probably expensive. Strange that a Nightwing home would have an Icewing themed place, especially since this was during war with said Icewings.

I walk through the oddly decorated home carefully, noting the many half faded paintings of Icewings flying with nightwings. So odd. 

I come upon what I assume to be Darkstalker's parents room and that's when I see it. 

A family portrait hangs between two stone beds.

An Icewing and a Nightwing with their two dragonets standing in front of them.

One is black and white, obviously a hybrid, and a girl. The other...

I clutch my head and wince at the flashes I get from seeing it. It's definitely Darkstalker. 

His father was an Icewing? How did that even happen? I don't remember Stonemover mentioning that-

"The first ever Nightwing Animus...mad with power, killing his own father..."

Animus power. Only Icewings had animus's other than the Seawings at that point in history. Maybe that's how the war began. 

It's like everything I learned starts to click in place as I think about that. Including the few things Void told me. Wait. Only the royal family had magic, and Void's mom was queen during the war so... his brother is Darkstalker's father.

That's... interesting. I guess. Void will never know now.

Grahhhhh. Thinking about him is not good for me right now. 

Trying to ignore my now full of Void thoughts, I try looking around everything. If Darkstalker's father was also an Animus, he might have left Animus touched items here. 

I don't find anything particularly magical, but, I do find a stone slab with words carved into it. 

After wiping it off, I can read it clearly.

Dearest Arctic,

Must be Darkstalker's father's name I guess. I keep going.

We want you to come home.

You must have realized your mistake by now. You must be growing to hate that insidious Nightwing, the source of all your misery. You know she was only sent here to tempt you away. But now you have seen through her, haven't you? You're starting to realize that your mother was right all along.

Ok, yep, I don't like this queen one bit.

So, I'm giving you one last chance to take it all back.

Come home.

We'll call a truce with the Nightwings. The war can be over. You can return to my palace, rejoin your tribe, and all will be forgiven.

So, it was about Animus magic and the royal family. I wonder a bit about Darkstalker's mom, and how she met Arctic. Must have been really important for both of them that they had a war over it.

And we have only one condition. One small, easy request that can save so many lives- and give you back your destiny.

It is this: kill your dragonets.

Maybe this is why Darkstalker killed his dad?

Kill them, bring us proof, and you can come home.

A small price to pay for your life back isn't it?

I love you Arctic. Despite your poor choices and terrible mistakes.

I hope to see you soon, back in the tribe where you belong.

Queen Diamond

...

...

Well, she's full of herself. Insulting him several times and blaming him for everything, and yet she asks him to kill his kids, and come back to 'his destiny's whatever that is.

If Arctic had any braincells left, he wouldn't have agreed to this.

Giving the room one final glance, I head farther down to the next door. 

This one is more small and simple. The walls, like the living room, are full of those paintings. This must be Darkstalker's sisters room. It's odd I never heard any mention of her before.

Her room also turns out to be empty, but for lots of art supplies and a small wooden sculpture of scavenger on top of the stone bed. 

Leaving the bare room, I head to the last one. The one that belongs to him.

I enter the room hesitantly, pushing open the rotted and dusty wooden door. Weird his room has a door, but not the others. 

Much like the others, the room is mostly bare. A stone bed with old blankets, and a wooden desk.

I walk over and impulsively lay on the bed a moment.

I wonder how he felt, knowing he was the first Animus in his tribe. Scared? Excited? Angry? 

I know what I feel about being an Animus. Afraid. He must have felt the same at some point as he traced the futures ahead, trying to find the best one for him and his family. That's why I don't believe he could be completely evil. From what Clearsight mentioned about him, he seemed a bit full of himself, but patient, and kind. He was the kind of dragon that lit up a room, and stole all the attention. He seemed to know that too. 

Would he be disappointed in me if he saw me now? Laying on this old rock, pondering his daily thoughts?

Probably think I'm wasting my time- huh. Odd.

I squint at the wooden desk a moment longer, and notice it's off. For some reason it's not completely parallel to the wall, like it's been moved away on purpose. 

The small oddity pulled me out of my thoughts instantly and I went over to inspect it.

Pulling it away more, I'm surprised to see what looks like a small compartment. 

Reaching one talon in, my claws hook onto something small. 

I pull it out to see a small corner of a scroll. Odd. He must have kept something in here that was important. Maybe a diary of some kind? Or a list of his spells? It could even be different futures he wrote down like Clearsight did.

Hmm'ing about it, I put the scrap back, and leave the house slowly, making sure I didn't miss anything. This got me nowhere, but still, it was a bit thrilling being in the same place the first Nightwing Animus lived. 

Tomorrow, I'll begin reading those scrolls I copied more, and finish with the library. Darkstalker's story could already be there and I wouldn't know unless I made absolutely sure. 

I can continue my search for the stalker of darkness later.