King of The Dragons (Wings of Fire X Monster Hunter)

Part 1: Chapter 5 & 6

(3rd Pov Starflight)

It made sense. Fatespeaker had powers and Starflight did not. He'd failed to follow Morrowseer's orders more than once. He was a useless NightWing and a useless dragonet of destiny.

"Wow," Fatespeaker said, finally noticing his expression. "You look like someone just ate your only walrus. Are you all right?"
"I -" Starflight began. "I just thought-"
They came around a bend in the tunnel and nearly stepped on Morrowseer's tail. He gave them a glare and that shut Starflight up in a hurry.

Fatespeaker, however, was undaunted.
"Labs," she read off the door in front of them. "Oooo, what does that mean?"
"It means don't touch anything," Morrowseer said grimly. "We are here so Starflight can meet his father. If we're very unlucky, he'll have time to give us a tour of all the experiments he's working on." He hissed. "Let's get this over with."

The door swung open to reveal a huge room, more brightly lit and cleanly kept than any other part of the fortress Starflight had seen. They were standing on a balcony, there was a level above them and a level below them, and a crisscrossing network of strange pipes stretching across the space in front of them.

"No, no!" cried a voice. A whip-thin black dragon shot down from the top level and hovered in front of them. He wore an odd helmet over his head with only a few small holes poked in it for him to see out - rather like the queen's council screen, Starflight thought. "I must not be interrupted! This experiment is a critical juncture! And Greatness says I might be shut down at any moment! Everyone please leave!" He flapped his front wings and front talons at them.

"Mastermind," Morrowseer said coolly. "It seems you were right all along. The dragonet from Farsight's egg is apparently your son, and he's here now, so I've brought him here to meet."
Starflight tensed, expecting the other dragon to shrug and shoo them away.
But instead Mastermind reached up and removed his helmet, revealing a snout pockmarked with little scars and curious bloodshot eyes.

"My son?" he said, and Starflight felt a happy shiver at the tone of wonder in his voice. Mastermind landed on the balcony beside them, set his helmet on the floor, and took Starflight's shoulders in his talons. "Three moons," he said. "What a handsome dragonet. He does look like me; I knew he would. As I suspected, this jawline is genetically dominant." He gestured to the same spot on himself and Starflight. "Ah, and yes, see the way the star scales spray outward, like a splash of water, whereas Morrowseer's, for instance, curl inwards, more like a snail shell. He flared one of his wings and then reached for Morrowseer's, but the larger NightWing batted him away with a snarl. "All theories at this point, of course," Mastermind said, and Starflight found himself smiling back at his father's toothy grin. "A larger data set would naturally be essential for proving anything, but one is much better than none; entirely wonderful, in fact, especially compared to most of the rest of the tribe. Including yourselves, right, Morrowseer? Legendseeker? No dragonets as yet?"

Morrowseer's face indicated he did not intend to dignify that with a response. Legendseeker simply turned his head and made a weird backward-flipping growl noise.

"But I have a son," Mastermind smiled proudly. "I, of all dragons! Let's see Strongwings laugh now! Just wait until everyone sees my handsome offspring!" He clasped Starflight's shoulder again. "So strong and healthy! You can be the assistant I've been waiting for. What are you interested in, son?"

Son. Starflight's knees felt as if they might not hold him up very well for much longer.
"Um, everything," he stammered. "Scrolls. I like scrolls."
"Fantastic!" Mastermind said. "I have lots of scrolls. How about desalinization? Know anything about it?"
Starflight perked up. "A little - taking the salt out of seawater to make it potable, right?"