Legends of: Shadowcrawler

Heyo, it's me again. You can read this book without having to have read the Threat of the Shadowcrawler series beforehand, though I recommend you do.
==Prologue ==
Two dragons were sitting in a dark cave, discussing somthing, somthing evil.
"What may I do for you, Princess?" The hooded dragon asked in a hoarse, rasping voice. The other dragon, a bejeweled, Nightwing with white underscales fidgeted, conflicted. She took a deep breath and smiled sweetly.
"Oh, darling, call me Liberty. Don't bother with all that 'princess' this and 'princess' that nonsense." The other dragon laughed loudly.
"I'm not a darling, I'm an assasin." The dragon flicked out his tongue, tasting the air like a snake. Liberty scowled at his manners.
"Well, my sister is the heir of the throne, you see, and my mother is gravely ill...my sister is healthy and beautiful, the whole tribe adores her but she wouldn't be a good Queen...."
"Ohhh, I see what you mean...hmm, I even like Clarity, so there'll be a heafty cost..." At that, Liberty slammed a knife she had hidden in the pocket under cape into the wooden table the assassin was sitting behind, barely missing the assassin's talon.
"I do not need to pay you! You are at my service, I am the next Queen of the Nightwings!" She hissed.
"You made a mistake there, missy. Never anger an assassin, I could kill you anytime of the year. Watch your back 'cause I just might..." The assassin dislodged the knife from the table and slid it back to Liberty.
"You and what army? I heard assassins work alone...and you see, I have an army." She snorted. The assassin seemed to have just realised that.
"Very well, Princess, I will do as you have asked..." The assassin sighed. Liberty turned to leave, but just before she did, she took out a velvet purse and slid it to the assassin. When it reached him, he greedily tore it open, revealing jewels, coins and other presious items.
"Do a good job." She said to the assassin as she walked out the cave.
== Chapter One ==
=== Shadowcrawler ===
Shadowcrawler was practising his new song, 'The Ruby on the Battlefield'. He was humming the tune as he wrote the notation so he could share it with Opaleyes, the old Nightwing pianist that smelled of turkey. Shadowcrawler was the musical progedy of the best tribe in Pyrrhia. He was two when he discovered his talent in piano. He was famous across the whole of Pyrrhia for his music, one of his favourites was 'The Fourth Moon'.
"Hey, Shadow! It's me! Your BEST FRIEND!" Shadowcrawler sighed, it was Tropical. The magenta and orange hybrid came running into his room.
"Can you stop calling me 'Shadow'? My name is Shadowcrawler." He said wearilly.
"Sure thing, Shadow!" Shadowcrawler sighed again, Tropical wasn't trying to annoy him, they were just...stupid. In fact, he couldn't even tell whether Tropical was male or female.
"Tropical, could you please just leave? I'm trying to win the Queen's favour with this piece..." Tropical looked confused for a moment, but suddenly, they gave Shadowcrawler a knowing look.
"Ohhhh, you have an eye on one of her daughters...I see, Prince Shadow." Tropical said slowly and annoyingly.
"No, I've been asked to create music about the battles we've been having lately. If the Queen, my Queen, likes it, I'll be her eldest daughter's piano tutor." Shadowcrawler was excited about the idea of teaching a royal piano. So far, he'd only taught a couple of peasants a few basics, but someone noble, like Princess Clarity...
"And then you get to marry a princess! And you will always value your best buddy, Tropical, even more for an amazing friendship." Tropical's strange voice cut across his his thoughts.
"I do not want to marry a princess! I don't even want a wife yet. I'm only five, Tropical, I have decades to worry about all this love nonsense everyone's caught up in. Why are you even here Tropical? You have two other tribes you can be in, the tribes split ten years before we were born, Queen Purity has already told you your not allowed to be here." Shadowcrawler had tried to explain this before, but as always, it went over Tropical's head.
"I like it here, the Nightwing villages are nicer than the other kingdom's. Besides, the Rainwings think I'm annoying and I can't breathe underwater to annoy the Seawings. I can only do this..." Tropical lit up all their aquatic scales at once and flashed their scales different fluro colours, which caused Shadowcrawler to stumble back, shielding his eyes.
"Argghhh! Tropical! Just stop, you're making my head hurt!" Shadowcrawler yelled, his eyes closed.
"Hehe, okay." He heard Tropical say. He hesitated for a moment and blinked open his eyes.
"Please Tropical, go away." Shadowcrawler said, not meaning to be rude. But Tropical didn't look remotely offended, of course.
"I can't leave yet. I just traveled across Pyrrhia and moons I'm tired. Why do you Nightwings stay awake at night? Oh right, your NIGHTwings, I get it. I'm sooo tired, I could just fall asleep..." Of course, the Rainwing/Seawing suddenly collapsed into Shadowcrawler's bed mid-sentence, asleep. Shadowcrawler shrugged and continued writing down piano notes.
== Chapter Two ==
=== Clarity ===
"Clarity! Come here. NOW!" Queen Purity ordered. Clarity yawned in her room. Of course she could here her mother's screeching from three rooms away, the Queen's voice could literally be heard from the other side of the palace.
"Your majesty, I recommend you see your mother immediately." The classy voice of Duskshine said. Clarity turned around and saw the dark form of her fiancé at the doorway. She liked Duskshine and all, but she didn't want to marry him, her mother chose him for her, she had no say.
"Hi Dusky." She said, trying to sound excited to see him.
"Hey Beautiful, anyway, go quick. Before my ears get blasted out!" Clarity let out a strained laugh and hurried to where her mother was. As she went down the elegant, curved staircase, she saw her mother standing with one wing lightly around an unfamiliar dragons shoulder.
"PRINCESS CLARITY! GET YOUR-Oh good, darling you're here, finally." Her mother bellowed. As Clarity got closer, she noticed how handsome the dragon mother had was, he had pure midnight black scales, unlike Duskshine's scales, which were fake black. The stranger's eyes were deep purple and his build was muscular and strong. He'd look intimidating if he didn't keep shifting awkwardly, probably because the Queen had her wing around him. The dragon's thoughts sounded nervous, she quickly stopped listening to them, it was rude to intrude someone's mind.
"Hello mother." Clarity said politly, "Who's this?" She stared at the newcomer, who noticed and blushed.
"This is Shadowcrawler, your new piano tutor." Her mother explained. Eww, Shadowcrawler, what a horrendous name. Of course she didn't say that aloud, instead she said,
"Shadowcrawler. That's a.....an interesting name. Did you say he is my piano tutor? Oooh, I've heard about Shadowcrawler, famous progedy, right." Shadowcrawler seemed to blush even more. Clarity thought he was kind of cute, of course she couldn't get attached, she was betrothed to Duskshine.
"H-Hi- I mean- Greetings, Your majesty, Princess Clarity, heir to the Nightwing throne, Duchess of-"
"Oh, don't worry honey, you can just call me Clarity. That's the name I was given." She saw Shadowcrawler blush again.
"Of course. I've heard of your beauty but now I've seen you properly, I see it's an understatement." Now it was her turn to blush, how was she not meant to fall for this dragon?
"Mother? Can I get piano lessons?" Liberty appeared out of nowhere. Of course her younger twin wanted everything Clarity had, she still loved her sister of course. She met Liberty's eyes and her sister looked away. Clarity could tell her sister was up to somthing.
"So, Shadowcrawler. I believe you are up to my daughter's first lesson?" Queen Purity's voice brought her back to the current conversation. Clarity had to stop herself laughing aloud, their mother had ignored Liberty, as always.
"Yes, your majesty." She noticed Shadowcrawler's look of releif as the Queen took her wing off him. She smiled at him and Shadowcrawler blushed...again. Honestly, Clarity could call him Shadowblusher. This was going to be fun.
== Chapter Three ==
=== Shadowcrawler ===
Shadowcrawler followed the Princess into a large room full of instruments. He walked over to the grand piano, which was of course much larger than his. Clarity looked at him, the silver scales next to her eyes glinted. Shadowcrawler had never seen such a beautiful dragon.
"Oh, thank you. You're not bad looking yourself." Princess Clarity said, seemingly replying to his thoughts. Of course, he remembered the silver tear drop scales meant she was a mind reader, crap. He blushed, alarmed thoughts whirring through his head.
"Uh-" He started.
"It's fine, it's fine. See this?" Clarity pulled out a gold necklace.
"Yeah..." Shadowcrawler said uncertainty.
"I got it animus touched a few years back, so I don't invade everyone's thoughts. I can't help it sometimes..." He watched the Princess clip it around her neck.
"I wish I were Moon Born..." He sighed.
"I wish I was a progedy." Clarity replied, teasingly. "Here, try this guitar!" Suddenly, an ebony black guitar was flying towards him. He strummed the strings one at a time, then all at one, testing the notes.
"The E string is out of tune..." He murmered to himself and began tunning the guitar. When he was happy with it, he gave each string one more try and played the introduction of one of his tunes on it, before giving it back to a stunned Clarity.
"Have you ever played guitar?" The Princess asked.
"My dad owned an instrument shop once, naturally a played around with a guitar a couple of times but I never really enjoyed it too much." He explained to Clarity.
"How about violin? Have you 'played around' with one of them before?" Clarity asked.
"Oh no, my father never even let me touch one!" He replied. Shadowcrawler watched as Clarity reach behind herself and took a violin. It was made of beautiful, shiny mahogany wood. He took it and swiped the bow across it. It made a horrible screetching noise that set his teeth on edge.
"Right, I hold the bow like this." He said to himself. He, more hesitantly, did the same as before and a beautiful sound came out this time. He played 'Flight of the Sandwing' on it and gave it back to an impressed Clarity.
"How? I've been playing for two years and you're already better than me!" The princess said.
"You play violin?" He asked. Clarity nodded.
"I have a great idea. Let's play a game of: 'let's find out if there's any instrument Shadowcrawler can't play'." Clarity said with a grin. He smiled back. The two went and tested out what appeared to be every instrument in the room. The only instruments that Shadowcrawler struggled with were the brass instruments, especially the french horn. After a few hours he had to leave.
"Goodbye Princess." He said as went out the palace gates.
"Farewell Shadowcrawler, perhaps we can do some actual piano lessons next time?" He laughed at Clarity's words. What was the strange feeling he had in his chest?
== Chapter Four ==
=== Clarity ===
"Okay, now play me the C major scale." Shadowcrawler said in his deep, rich voice. Clarity gingerly pressed the white keys of the piano, one after the other. She had been learning piano for a week and was slowly making progress.
"How was that?" She asked Shadowcrawler.
"Perfect." Shadowcrawler replied. Almost as perfect as you. Oh no, she had forgotten to put on her necklace. She pretended she couldn't hear Shadowcrawler's thoughts, not wanting to alarm him.
"Can I learn something new?" She asked. Shadowcrawler looked like he was about to reply when her fiancé burst in.
"Oh good...Sorry Shadowcrawler, you have to leave now, it's three AM..." Duskshine had a triumphant gleam in his eyes. Clarity grew curious and suspicious, Duskshine had interupted all their lessons so far. She started delving into his usually heavy guarded mind and found a chaos of emotions. Haha, Shadowcrawler! You will never get my princess, she's mine! I will be king, not a peasant like you. Then I will be in control of the kingdom, I only have to kill six dragons and fix a law. Clarity looked and Duskshine and felt her face turning hot with rage.
"Bye Shadowcrawler. I have a fiancé to talk to..." Shadowcrawler looked at her oddly and said,
"Okay...see you later then..." She felt Shadowcrawler nudge her shoulder and walk off.
"Hey Beauti-" Duskshine began.
"Oh, don't you 'Beautiful' me. You are planning to kill me. To over ride the laws and become ruler of the Nightwings. Why? For power? For revenge?" She asked, making sure each quesion was like being stabbed with a dagger.
"I-I-I don't know what you mean, Sweetheart." True fear showed on his face.
"Oh yes you do. I heard your thoughts." She glared at him. Duskshine looked scared.
"I thought I told you not to intrude on my thoughts! Besides, I was thinking that you were so beautiful that some would be jealous and want to kill you and your family. And that then I would try save you but then you save yourself and become the ruler of the Nightwings."
"Oh, don't try sweet talk me! You only say that about me because you want power. You're a pathetic, weak, moon forsaken slug!" She spat. Duskshine advanced towards her.
"How dare you! No, who would love you? You're a-" Duskshine was abruptly stopped as Clarity smashed a guitar over his head. That should shut Duskshine up. She watched Duskshine stumble to his feet and leap towards her, clawing her cheek. She felt her own warm blood drip down her face. Perfect, he seemed to have forgotten she was one of the best young fighters of her age.
== Chapter Five ==
=== Shadowcrawler ===
Shadowcrawler was standing in front of the music room door. He knocked once, then twice. Clarity's voice called from the other side of the door.
"You can come in!" He opened the door and stepped inside the room. Clarity smiled at him. The side of Clarity's face was covered in a tattered, blood stained bandage and bruises patteren her arms.
"Three moons! What happened?" He exclaimed, rushing over to her.
"I was teaching..." Clarity said.
"What? Teaching someone how not to use a sledge hammer?" He asked sarcastically.
"I was teaching Duskshine why you shouldn't try fight one of the best fighters in the tribe!" Clarity had a massive grin displayed on her face.
"You and Duskshine had a fight?" Shadowcrawler asked. Clarity was only a year older than himself and could probably take on five full grown dragons and win.
"Yes. I gave him lasting scars to remember me by, somthing he failed to do to me. Oh, he's going to be sad that he is no longer going to marry into the royal family." Shadowcrawler felt his mouth shape itself into a grin matching the princess'.
"Let's get started on your piano lesson, shall we?" He suggested.
Shadowcrawler arrived back to his house after a long lesson. He was more happy than usual as he walked up to his porch. He knocked on the door, expecting hus father to answer and was greated by an orange face.
"Arrgghhh!" He yelled, stumbling back.
"Hey Shadow! How was your meeting with the Princess? Did anything special happe-" Tropical began.
"TROPICAL! WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN MY HOUSE!?! GET THE MOONS OUT!" Shadowcrawler bellowed, furious that Tropical just saw it fit to waltz on into his home.
"Whoa, chill out Shadow. I came to visit you and you weren't home. The door wasn't locked and I felt tired and hungry after my journey, I knew you wouldn't mind if I-"
"You're lucky my dad isn't home yet! Why can't you just live with the bloody Rainwings? Or live on one of the islands in the Sea Kingdom?" Tropical blinked their green eyes.
"Well, wouldn't it be boring living by myself on a island?" Tropical stated.
"Get your family and friends to join you, or just live in the Rainforest Kingdom."
"My parents left me at an orphanage and you seem happy here so...oh, and the Rainwings chase me out of their village with pitchforks and torches everytime I go there." Shadowcrawler felt the stirrings of pity for this hybrid, and for everyone else who had to deal with them.
"Urg, fine. You can stay until you find yourself somewhere else to live...but you can't live in my bedroom, set yourself up in the basement." He prepared himself to regret this decision.
"Yay!" Tropical hugged Shadowcrawler while he tried desperately to pry them off. This was already the worst decision he'd ever made.
== Chapter Six ==
=== Clarity ===
Clarity was lying down on her bed when the door creaked open. She lifted her head up and saw Liberty step into the room.
"Sister?" Clarity said. Why did Liberty look so guilty, like she'd done something wrong? Liberty's eyes suddenly welled up with tears.
"I-I've done somthing terrible...I'm s-s-sorry Clarity...It's alll m-my fau-fault..."- Clarity's heart skipped a beat, what had her twin done?
"What have you done? Liberty! Tell me what happened!" She demanded, her voice echoing. Her sister just shook her head and covered her eyes.
"I can't..." Clarity attempted to search her sister's mind, and was met with a barrier stronger than anything she'd ever encountered.
"Libby." She said, lowering her tone. "What did you do?"
"I'm sorry..." Clarity watched Liberty run out her room. She quickly got up and went after her.
Clarity ran down the stairs, chasing after her sister like she did when they were dragonets. Only this time it was far more serious.
"Liberty!" She called out. "Liberty, come back!" She watched Liberty run into the kitchen and went to run after her when she heard a familiar voice behind her.
"Clarity?" She quickly turned her head and saw Shadowcrawler.
"Shadowcrawler?"
"What's wrong?" Shadowcrawler asked. Clarity didn't want to distress Shadowcrawler, so she lied.
"Nothing. My sister and I were just playing. You know, where you have to chase after someone and catch them?" She tried to make herself sound happy.
"But she was....nevermind. I need to tell you somthing Clarity." Shadowcrawler said Clarity snapped to attention, what was it? "I-I-I-I..." Shadowcrawler trailed off. Clarity didn't need him to finish, she heard it in his mind. I love you.
== Chapter Seven ==
A few minutes earlier....
=== Shadowcrawler ===
Shadowcrawler stept past the palace gates and into the castle. Everything was so polished and gleaming, as usual and the curvered marble staircases had a new blue runner going down them. He was about to go find Clarity when a smoke grey, bejeweled dragon ran passed him. He recongnised them as Clarity's twin sister Princess Liberty but why in the moons was she crying? Another dark coloured dragon followed Princess Liberty.
"Clarity?" He asked. Clarity stopped and turned her beautiful, still bandaged face to him.
"Shadowcrawler?" He noted the distressed expression on Clarity's face, somthing had happened.
"What's wrong?" Shadowcrawler asked softly.
"Nothing. My sister and I were just playing. You know, where you have to chase after someone and catch them?" Clarity said quickly, not quite meeting his eyes.
"But she was....nevermind." Shadowcrawler didn't want to invade her privacy. He suddenly needed to say somthing, somthing he didn't want to do. "I need to tell you something Clarity. I-I-I-I..." He bailed out of what he was going to say. What if she didn't like him back? The look of shock that Clarity displayed made him remember somthing. Moon rot, Clarity was a mind reader! He braced himself for heartbreak, no way could a princess like him, a commoner.
"Oh, Shadowcrawler...I love you to."
"I knew you would say tha- wait what?!?" Shadowcrawler couldn't believe his ears, Clarity couldn't love him, could she? Clarity blushed, then he blushed...great, they were both blushing. Clarity smiled the warmest smile he'd ever seen, he tried to match it.
"I believe it's time for your piano lesson, Princess." He said, tying to sound full of the confidence the soldiers had.
"I believe you are right, my dashing prince." Shadowcrawler felt his cheeks grow warmer than his heart, he couldn't believe what had happened.
== Chapter Eight ==
=== Clarity ===
Clarity was sitting on a grassy hill with Shadowcrawler. Her face had healed and she had decided to put on jewelry, including her gold necklace. The autumn trees swayed in the breeze, it was quite a nice night. It was nice to get out, she was quite distressed with the current events, the Rainwings had joined the Skywings in battle, leaving the Nightwings and Sandwings against the rest of Pyrrhia.
"You will be my king oneday. I don't care if mother betrothes me to some random, I only want you." Clarity whispered, half to herself. Her mother had been talking about her marrying again, now that Duskshine was imprisioned.
"Don't worry, nothing will seperate us, Clarity." Clarity didn't feel reasured.
"Speaking of mother, she wants you to write a music piece on our war with the Skywings and Rainwings. I suggest somthing triumphant, she wants to believe that we will win." She explained, looking into Shadowcrawler's deep purple eyes.
"Anything you wish, my beautiful princess, a gift from the moons would barley be worthy enough for you." Shadowcrawler said softly, making her blush. Moons, Shadowcrawler was cringy, but cute. She intertwined her tail with his, feeling at peace. Suddenly, Clarity heard a whisper of a shout, so quiet it was almost unnoticeable.
"NO!" A sharp pain in her back followed those words. Her eyes fogged over and she felt herself get thrown aside. Agony was all she felt, she felt her scales screaming. She looked up with teary eyes and saw Shadowcrawler charging at an ominous hooded figure with a yell. The hood fell to the ground, revealing a Sandwing. But SandWings were on their side!
"Stop!" The Sandwing commanded. "She's as good as dead. I laced that knife with poison, she'll be dead in a minute or two. Touching her will only result in your death. Leave now and I'll spare you." Shadowcrawler looked like he was about to argue but thought better of it. Clarity watched him grab the murderer's hood and fly off, the SandWing went in the opposite direction. Clarity layed on the ground, unable to move. She was paralysed, she could barely breath. She felt her blood spilling out around her, she saw it drip into her eyes, staining her vision red. She was abandoned, she was dying. Her breaths grew heavy, she knew that was the poison. Her heart ached, knowing it was taking it's last beats, knowing her love had abandoned her. She took one last, shuddering breath and her mind went into oblivion. She half heard an owl hooting somewhere in the distance.
She died alone.
== Chapter Nine ==
=== Shadowcrawler ===
Shadowcrawler landed. Before he knew it, he was crying...what had just happened? Tears silently dripped down his face and he let out a choked sob. He didn't care if someone saw him, he just needed to comprehend what had happened.
How long Shadowcrawler sat there, he didn't know. He wiped the tears off his face and dunked his head in a nearby pond. He walked to his house and opened the door.
"Hiya Shadow! Why are you so wet?" The familiar voice of Tropical sounded. Shadowcrawler felt boiling rage, so he took it out on Tropical.
"GET OUT OF MY HOUSE! YOU'RE NOT MEANT TO BE HERE, THE RAINWINGS AND SEAWINGS BOTH OPPOSE US, AND YOU'RE BOTH OF THEM! JUST LEAVE! GO SOMEWHERE WHERE YOU'RE WELCOMED, THOUGH I DOUBT ANY DAMNED DRAGON GIVES CRAP ABOUT YOU! NO ONE LIKES YOU!" He bellowed. For the first time ever, he saw Tropical turn blue and green.
"Oh, okay then Shadow..." They suddenly turned red. "You know, I've always hated the way you treat me, like garbage! I pretend I don't care but you really hurt me! I'll leave...but I'll find somwhere where I AM welcomed!" Shadowcrawler saw Tropical turn back to magenta and orange as they waked out the door. Shadowcrawler watched Tropical walk right into the centre of the village. A group of guards were suddenly upon the hybrid and swiftly speared them in the chest. He felt his stomach drop, this couldn't be happening. His love, Clarity died and now Tropical? He ran to the guard who was hauling Tropical's body over their shoulder.
"NOOO! Why did you do that!?!" He looked straight at the female guard leading the group.
"It's protocol lad. The Rainwings are against us now." The guard shrugged. "One less Rainwing is one less to their majority."
"But they lived here! They weren't with the Rainwings!" Shadowcrawler exclaimed.
"Well, sorry? We were given orders by the Queen to kill any other tribe apart from the Sandwings on sight. I'm guessing this Rainwing was your friend, lad?" Shadowcrawler nodded glumly. The guard gave him a sympathetic look and ordered the patrol of guards to go. He watched them leave with Tropical's lifeless body. Life was unfair, Shadowcrawler knew this now. He told himself to toughen up as tears threatened to come. He went inside.
== Chapter Ten ==
=== Liberty ===
Liberty sat on her bed. A few days ago, her sister had disappeared...and then the guards found her bleeding corpse. Of course, the assassin had done his job, the job she had given him. Why did she feel so guilty?
Liberty's younger siblings came home from bording school early to morn for Clarity. Integrity was crying, Liberty watched as tears welled up in her young sister's eyes. Her brother, Calamity, on the other talon, showed no sign of sadness.
"Are you two okay?" She asked softly. Integrity just shook her head and launched herself into Liberty's arms. All she could do was comfort her, and tell her it was all right.
"Libby? Will I ever be happy again?" The young dragonet in her arms looked up and blinked those big, grey eyes.
"We will be fine Inny. Clarity was only a dragon." Calamity said briskly. That just made Integrity sob even more. Liberty hissed at her younger brother. She placed Integrity down and walked towards Calamity.
"How dare you! She was our sister!" She spat.
"The sister you sentenced to death?" No, how could he know? Liberty slapped her brother, the moment her talon touched Calamity, Liberty had a vision.
A power hungry dragon, laughing at his dead familiy. A larger, darker dragon with purple eyes. Pyrrhia in ruins. Two kings bringing the tribes into chaos.
Liberty gasped, it was Calamity. Calamity and an oddly familiar dragon, the prodegy.
== Chapter Eleven ==
=== Shadowcrawler ===
"What's wrong?" The soothing voice of Shadowcrawler's father asked. Lightchaser, his father, had found him crying.
"It doesn't matter..." Shadowcrawler said.
"It does." He looked at Lightchaser and decided to explain.
"You-You probably heard that Princess Clarity died...I was her piano tutor, you see, I knew her. I-I liked her...I...I loved her. I saw her die and I didn't try save her...It's all my fault!"
"Oh, my son, don't blame yourself. I'm sure there was nothing you could do. You weren't the reason she died, right?" Lightchaser looked at him, sympathy showing in his lavander eyes.
"I feel like it was though..." He looked at his father. "Even if I couldn't have saved her, I could have been with her while she died...I could have tried!"
"Do you want to tell me how she died?" Even though it felt like something was lodged in his throat, Shadowcrawler obliged.
"It was a-an assassin...he ca-came out of nowhere..." His father nodded.
"It's okay to grieve." Lightchaser wrapped his wings around him. Shadowcrawler felt tears drip down his face.
"I-I-I also killed my friend, T-Tropical. That hybrid that was li-living h-h-here...I sent them away and-and they we-were killed by g-guards..." He sobbed.
An hour later, somthing had gotten Shadowcrawler thinking. Why was he blaming himself, he wasn't the one who killed Clarity. It was the assassin. It was all the SandWings' fault, the assassin was of that tribe. While it was possible the SandWings hired the assassin, Shadowcrawler didn't think so. Somthing was telling him it was a NightWing, someone on the inside. A traitor, a back-stabbing traitor who had taken away his Clarity! A NightWing would die, along with the SandWings. Shadowcrawler smiled. He may be broken beyond repair, but this made him stronger. The old Shadowcrawler was gone.
== Chapter Twelve ==
=== Calamity ===
Calamity watched his older sister, Liberty, out of the corner of his eye. Oh, Liberty definitely knew what he was up to, he could tell. Then again, he knew all about what she had done. He and Inny were meant to go back to school soon, they had finished grieving for their dead sister. This meant he had to act now.
Calamity stood outside an old dragon's house. This dragon was who Shadowcrawler, the piano prodegy, gave piano songs to. Calamity knocked on the door, in opened a few seconds later.
"What? Who are you?" The dragon's scales were a strange grey-brown and her breath smelled of turkey.
"Greetings Opaleyes." Calamity said in what he hoped was a smooth, charming voice. "You have been selected to go to the annual tournament for dignified elders."
"I'm sorry young one, I am well past my-" Calamity cut Opaleyes off.
"In this tournament, you knit, play bingo, share stories and..." He paused dramatically. "At the end of the day, their is a competition for piano, there will be a great prize, mind you."
"Oooh, that does sounds splendid! Where is it?" Damn it! He hadn't thought that far through!
"Um, 24 Camel Street, Sun Town in the Sand Kingdom. It's hard to miss, bring a map and a guide." Calamity attempted to keep up his business tone and didn't know if he succeded.
"Yes, yes. I'll go get my daughter and I'll go! Thank you, dragonet." Opaleyes croaked, hobbing away. Perfect.
A while later, Calamity saw Shadowcrawler walking up. Not letting a moment pass, he walked up.
"Shadowcrawler." He declared.
"Wh-Prince Calamity?" The prodegy stopped.
"Let's not waste any time. You know who killed Clarity? It was Liberty. She hired an assasin because she wanted the throne. She must be stopped from becoming queen." He said quickly.
"Wait what? It was Liberty?" The look of shock on Shadowcrawler's face satisfied Calamity.
"We have to go stop her. She's evil. She will destroy the NightWings with the help of the SandWings."
"NO I WON'T!" He turned around and saw Liberty charging towards them. "Calamity, stop! I saw a future, one where you became evil, one where you became crule. Don't become what I saw...please."
"But you see Libby." He said with a grin. "That is what I want to happen." He lept forward, aiming his talons at her throat. Liberty turned at the last moment, of course. No, fate was definitely not in his favour tonight. His sister held him down and whispered in his ear.
"I'm sorry brother, this is the only way." He felt Liberty's claws penetrate his throat. The last thing he saw was Shadowcrawler staring at them in horror. Darkness closed in.
== Chapter Thirteen ==
=== Shadowcrawler ===
Shadowcrawler stared at Liberty in disbelief, what just happened?
"Look, Shadowcrawler, I can ex-" Liberty started.
"You just murdered another of your siblings...who's next, Princess Integrity? Queen Purity?" He cut in.
"It's not like that! Calamity was going to destroy the Pyrrhia we know!"
"What about Clarity? Yes I know all about what you did." Silence followed his words. "I feel sorry for the NightWings if you ever become queen. When you're the one destined to destroy us all." He prepared to fly off when,
"B-But Shadowcrawler. You're destined to take controll over Pyrrhia..." For the first time, Shadowcrawler realised the similarities between Clarity and Liberty. He then remembered Liberty took Clarity away from him.
"But maybe it will be better that way."
Shadowcrawler didn't know where he was going but after a few days he was in a forest. He found the forest cover to thick to fly through, so he began to walk. A small, wooden cabin came into veiw. Shadowcrawler suddenly realised how long it had been since he had eaten for drank, so he almost ran to the door. He knocked one, then twice, and just when he thought no one was home, the door opened. A SeaWing with light blue scales and bloodshot, hooded eyes stepped into view, her oddly sharp teeth were exposed in a rather off putting smile.
"Ahhh, welcome to the Animus Lodge. How may Hydra help you today?" She said in an obviously mocking voice. Was this dragon an animus, could she help him get revenge.
"Are you an animus?" He asked. The SeaWing let out a psychotic high-pitch laugh.
"Of course Hydra is sweety! Hydra can do any spell you like, death, love, revival....the list goes on." This dragon seemed dodgy, he probably couldn't trust her...but what if he could get Clarity back? No, that was probably impossible.
"Umm...Hydra? Could you possibly do an enchantment to help me get revenge?" He asked cautiously.
"Sure, Hydra can do that. Hmm, you don't seem like the revenge type but whatever. Hydra can do another enchantment if you wish." That hoarse whisper and the way Hydra spoke in third dragon was really getting on his nerves.
"Um, ok. Maybe having future sight would be cool..." Hydra nodded enthusiastically at his words.
"Okay, are you gonna pay Hydra by soul?" Hydra asked innocently. Shadowcrawler was shocked.
"What? My Soul? No, no, no! Why would you want my soul?" He said quickly, slightly flustered.
"Hydra looses a bit of her soul everytime she enchants. You don't have to pay Hydra by soul, Hydra does other options. How about flesh?" The way she said that and the way she licked her lips made Shadowcrawler realise she was a cannibal. He had to get out of this situation, but he had to try one last thing.
"Can I-Can I not pay?" The SeaWing in front of him blinked and said,
"Of course." Shadowcrawler let out an internal sigh. "Hydra enchants the NightWing outside her house to go into the future where he can get his revenge. Hydra also enchants five dragons in the future to be able to stop him. As a cost of this enchantment, Hydra enchants him to appear to age, not extremely but enough to make his good-looks ruined. This dragon, Hydra also enchants to have future sight" Hydra finished with an insane laugh. Shadowcrawler felt the air start to shift. It felt as if he was being sucked into nothingness.
"NOOOOO!!!" He bellowed. It was too late.
== Chapter Fourteen ==
One year later...
=== Liberty ===
"Libby, my darling daughter, I am dying...You must take the kingdom..." Liberty watched her sickly mother, as much as she couldn't stand the truth, Queen Purity was dying.
"M-Mother...I ca-can't." She stuttered in stiffled sobs.
"Inny is far to young, she's only a dragonet...you, my darling daughter, are the heir of the NightWing throne. I know it's been hard the past year, with your brother and sister dying, I apologise if you're not ready to lead. I am going to see Clarity and Calamity again now, and so will you...oneday..."
"Mother...please..." Liberty whispered.
"I will always be with you sweetheart...always." Purity put her lightly against Liberty's chest. Liberty felt tears sliding down her face.
"B-But Inny can't take another family member dying so soon. Mother...if I'm queen now...then I order you to stay alive." The dying queen chuckled.
"You're not queen yet Libby..." Her mother suddenly looked up at her, eyes wide. "Goodbye Liberty...."
Liberty didn't know how to tell her little sister that their mother died. She knew, deep down that Integrity would have to know. She sighed, why had this happened? The answer quickly came to her. Heartbreak. Purity had suddenly got so ill because of the despair that must have been felt wh r n two of her dragonets died. It was all Liberty's fault, she had killed her siblings, therefore killing her mother.
"Hello, Princess Liberty." A voice, softer than the silks she and her sisters had been forced to wear on special occasions, said behind her. She turned and saw Duskshine, Clarity's former fiancé, standing there, scars visible on his shoulder and wing.
"Duskshine? A-Aren't you meant to be imprisioned for attacking Clarity?" She asked.
"Shouldn't you be imprisioned for killing Clarity? Exactly." Duskshine flicked his tail.
"But how do you kn-" She began.
"Calamity told me...we were friends. Anyway, I'm impressed, you don't seem like the killing type." Liberty looked down, regretting everything she'd done. "Hey, Beautiful, I didn't say that was a bad thing."
"Beautiful...?" She said skeptically.
"Yeah...you are beautiful." Liberty felt a strange stirring feeling in her stomach. King Duskshine didn't sound too bad...no, what was she thinking, this dragon was a criminal, but so was she. She felt Duskshine wrap his wing around her shoulders. She held her head high, she couldn't worry about the past, only the future, she had to do her duty. Her duty as queen.
== Prologue ==
=== Shadowcrawler ===
Shadowcrawler felt his hind talons touch the ground. He collapsed, a screaming headache fading his vision. He clutched his forehead for a moment and looked up. Even though his memories were blurred, he could tell something wasn't right. Suddenly it came to him, he was in the future.
Shadowcrawler quickly found a small cave some minutes later. He found a small pool of clear water inside, perfect. He went to drink some of the water and saw his face had winkles etched in it. Oh well. He remembered that he was a seer...how could he get that to work? Shadowcrawler concentrated for a moment and found a strange web of events happening in his mind. Some appeared more faint, while others looked clear as the pool of water in his cave. He started to look at each event in detail.
Shadowcrawler flew over the ocean. Two events branched off that.
Shadowcrawler found the Lost Continent and he took controll over it.
Shadowcrawler turned and after a while found an island that was the home of all the NightWings. He then met a beautiful dragon that almost looked exactly like Clarity. Her name was Eclipsemoon. The second event sounded more appealing. He started flying to that island, wherever it was...
Shadowcrawler quickly remembered the dragons destined to defeat him. He looked into the future and found the event, which was alarmingly clear.
Five young dragons, Flow, Sparks, Phenomena, Shrew and Jeweldancer. An animus, a fireless, an AllWing, a theif and...his daughter?
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Whoo, whoo, another book finished! 
Good job
Category:Fanfictions
Category:Fanfictions (Semi-Canon)
Category:Content (KittenQueen15)
Category:Genre (Romance)
Category:Genre (Tragedy)
Category:Fanfictions (Completed)