Darkstalker's Goodbye: A WOF Au

~Chapter 2~

"Arctic!" Darkstalker glared down at the body of his father. It remained exactly like how he remembered. His eyes wide in fear, no tongue, motionless dead body. Darkstalker let a grin, remembering the horrified looks on the NightWings that have watched him. I was to be respected... And now, I'm powerless.

Then, he remembered the conversation Qibli and him had. Darkstalker complained how Arctic had been a terrible father, killing him was the right thing to do. Darkstalker angered as he remembered the times his IceWing father argued with his mother, considered to control Darkstalker, and kidnapped Whiteout (Darkstalker's sister) to betray the NightWings. The death of Arctic was also what lead to Fathom and Clearsight to betray him.

"You ruined everything!" Darkstalker roared at the body, "You could have done better! This would have never happened!" He dug his claws on the ground below him. I asked to see Clearsight, not Arctic! Darkstalker growled in his mind, before sniffing.

You could have used your magic to make him a better dragon... Qibli's words echoed through Darkstalker's mind, or at least how the NightWing remembered them. Maybe the SandWing was right, there was a few instances where Arctic actually cared, Darkstalker remembered reading Arctic's thoughts. It was like flying over mountains of emotions, going up and down hill. Back then, Darkstalker didn't believe any of them one bit, decided on what Arctic actually said (which weren't very nice words) rather than how he felt. Besides, Arctic's mind was so confusing it gave Darkstalker constant headaches, and the NightWing eventually blocked him out. Darkstalker also remembered chasing Arctic with his soulreader, that cursed thing, trying to read how evil was Arctic really. It was hilarious, at least for Darkstalker, and they did have a great bonding moment. Yes. They were bonding, although not quite well, they were having father to son time. Now, Darkstalker wished he had more time like that.

Darkstalker felt a lump on his throat. It was confusing, a feeling he had never felt before made his chest hurt. Was is guilt? Sorrow? Regret perhaps? He had never felt those emotions strongly. It was painful, he hated it. He laid down besides Arctic's body, giving his wing a slight nudge with his snout. "F- Fa- Father," Darkstalker whispered, his voice was so quiet and broken, like a dragonet that was just learning to speak, "I- I'm sorry..." His chest relaxed as he said those words, and apparently so did his tears. He watched them fall to the ground, mixing in with the pool of IceWing blood. He brushed off tears, this was ridiculous. He was saying sorry to a corpse that had been empty for thousands of years.

"Darkstalker..." A voice called out from behind.

The NightWing twisted around, so suddenly it made his head hurt. Darkstalker winced as he saw white scales against a sandy yellow terrain.

"Arctic..." Darkstalker said before thinking over it again, "Father."

Arctic looked younger than the corpse Darkstalker had just seen. He also seemed to let a small glow. "I forgive you Darkstalker," Arctic's voice was soft, "And I hope you can forgive me." Darkstalker rubbed his eyes, was this real?

Darkstalker sat down with his head low. "I should have been a better son," he muttered.

"And I should have been a better father," Arctic replied, "Perhaps all of this could have been prevented. If I didn't argue with Foeslayer constantly, if only I had seen you internally."

Darkstalker lifted his head. "We can start over, right? You must still have Animus magic, if you're alive. You can make us go back in the past, the moment before mother was kidnapped. We can start over! We can..." Darkstalker stopped as he noticed Arctic's eyes were dim.

Arctic shook his head, to Darkstalker's disappointment. "It's too late, the past could not be undone," Arctic replied, "However, you, will start a new future."

Darkstalker frowned. "But I don't want a new life!" He complained like a grumpy SkyWing dragonet. Sand began to fly in the wind. It gave Darkstalker a chill feeling.

"Goodbye, son," Arctic said. Darkstalker shook his head, the sand below him began to rise. No, he was sinking.

Darkstalker struggled to climb out of the quicksand. "No! Let me stay here!" He growled, thrashing to dig himself out of the dirt. Almost his whole body was under the sand. Arctic seemed frozen in time, his eyes now lifeless.

Darkstalker realize his head was the only part of him out of the sand. "N- No!" He roared before he closed his eyes and the sand consumed him whole.