Darkstalker's Goodbye: A WOF Au

~Chapter 7~

Darkstalker glared down at the creature that had come out of the lava with wide eyes. Once again he had felt like the helpless dragonet he had been many centuries ago. Lava dripped down the creature's smudged snout, and blank eyes stared with roars.

"YOU," The creature snapped at last, as if it was struggling to stay out of the lava, "You ruined my rule on the Night Kingdom!" Darkstalker narrowed his eyes. As the voice sounded ancient and in pain, it was familiarly annoying. Now that he realized, the creature was in the shape of a dragon, a NightWing in fact. A lava dripping NightWing.

Darkstalker tried to look as calm as possible. "I didn't ruin anyone's rule, Vigilance," Darkstalker spoke with such innocence, "You ruined your own."

Vigilance let a ear-splitting screech of anger. "YOU tried to kill me! YOU scared your tribe, including your girlfriend. YOU led the NightWings to their doom!" She roared, making lava splatter everywhere in front of Darkstalker's feet.

Darkstalker had enough blame. "I didn't do any of that. I just wanted the best for my tribe!" He hissed, "You were first to attack me with a pathetic Assassin. How was I supposed to let an idiotic queen rule over a prideful tribe as the NightWings?" He closed his eyes in pain.

Vigilance let out a spiteful laugh. Darkstalker stiffened as an attempt to control his fury. "Oh Darkstalker. You're fortunate to not have died," She hissed, "You would have been a boiling pit of lava just like me. An empty abyss that feels nothing but constant pain and misery." Vigilance laughed; however, it was sad and broken.

Darkstalker widen his eyes in fear, refusing to believe her. "You killed dragons for glee!" He protested, "You tried controlled your subjects, including me! You took advantage of everyone else's powers as you yourself were powerless!" He grinned, watching Vigilance's droopy face curl into an ugly snarl.

"You refuse to believe that you too were ambitious?" Vigilance snickered, "King of all tribes! That's definitely not ambitious at all!" She snapped then bursted into laughter. Darkstalker was unsettled.

Darkstalker turned away. "You don't understand... H- how i- i- it is to feel that everyone's gone, dead by thousands of years. T- That you m- mi- missed so much time to spend with them. T- That they thought.... No. T- They couldn't trust me. Because of this big dream, this... Big goal I had," It felt like claws were peirced inside Darkstalker's thought, making talking hard and breathing harsh, "T- They only way to k- ke- keep going is... To continue to walk towards that goal. And hope the ones around you don't... Disappear for thousands of years too..." Everytime Darkstalker inhaled, it seemed like the magma itself ran through his nostrils.

He looked back at Vigilance briefly. Her eyes showed pity, perhaps amusement. "I regret the bad things I've done too, Darkstalker," Vigilance said, looking down at the lava pool she was burned into, "This is my punishment. It is too late for me. But perhaps not for you. Start over, let everything go. The past always remains the past. Get used to it, scrum." Darkstalker looked at the lava she was within. He couldn't imagine remaining in there forever. Living in constant agony.

Perhaps starting over is a good idea, Darkstalker thought with sorrow. He sat down, looking at the coal ground. Vigilance let a small growl of triumph before the lava flow dimmed and faded. Darkstalker was in pitch blackness. It reminded him of the time he had spent under the mountain with nothing but the friendship of darkness. All that time he had been mourning of the past, livid of what had been done to him, wishing he could go back to that moment he had met Clearsight. Where everything was fine.

He promised himself he would not let that happen again...

Darkstalker layed down, his wings pinned to the ground awkwardly, he didn't care. He was motionless, his ancient bones cracked with age and pain. No noises to bother him, no light disturb him.

He was at peace.