The Black Wraith

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The Black Wraith 	The Black Wraith
 	
Artist 	IllusionTheDreamWing
Background 	Background
Creator 	IllusionTheDreamWing
Attributes 	Death, destruction, darkness, fear
Color(s) 	Charcoal black, blood red
Voiceclaim 	
(Temporary) Vader, Rebels--
Animal(s) 	Great rhino beetle/diabolical ironclad beetle
MBTI 	ISTJ-A
Alignment 	Lawful evil
Quote 	"I have no use for excuses, I have use for results."
Character information	Character information
Aliases 	
*Corvus Darkslayer (full name, informal)
*The Black Wraith (nickname)
*The Grim Reaper (nickname)
*The Queen's Enforcer/Fist (nickname)
*The Specter/Shadow of the Battlefields (nickname)
*The One Man War (old nickname)
*Lord Darkslayer (formal)
*Supreme General Darkslayer (formal, rank)
*His Lordship (nickname/formal)
Tribe 	SkyWings/NightWings
Age 	39 DY (hatched in 4,973 AS)
Pronouns 	He/him or it/its
Gender 	Non-binary
Orientation 	
Relatives 	
*(†)Unnamed Mother
*(†?)Unnamed Father
*Kinglet "Darkslayer" (half-sibling)
Occupation 	Supreme General of the SkyWing army
Residence 	SkyWing Kingdom
Goal(s) 	
*Keeping order in the SkyWing Kingdom (ongoing)
*”Purifying” the higher ranks of the ambitious and power-hungry (ongoing)
*Protecting Kinglet from any conceivable threats (ongoing)
Hates 	
*Society at large
*Creature comforts
*Politicians and royalty
*Weakness
*Slavers/slavery
*Obnoxious/power-hungry individuals
*IceWings
*Meetings
*Politics
*Pirates
*Lies
Abilities 	
*Standard SkyWing abilities
*Minor cosmic perception/sixth sense
*Telekinesis
*Telepathy
*Mind reading
*Mind probing
Weaknesses 	
*My way or the highway mindset
*Severe trust issues
*Impulsive/reckless
*Very short temper
*Impatient
*Confrontational
*Often doesn't think things through
*Mild pyrophobia
*Kinglet "Darkslayer"
Allies 	
*The SkyWing Kingdom army
*Kinglet "Darkslayer"
*Six-claws
*Queen Ruby (until further notice)
*Situational
Enemies 	
*(†) Ex-Queen Scarlet
*Situational
__TOC__ 
==Introduction==
The Queen's Enforcer, spectre of the battlefield, scourge of his enemies. A merciless, bloodthirsty monster. 
Mass-murderer. 
Criminal. 
Slave.
Many are his titles, countless are his sins, and those who dare whisper his name in the shadows do so with dread.
Beware the Black Wraith.
==Description==
The first thing one should notice about the Black Wraith is his size. With his proud stance, he easily towers over any SkyWing in the kingdom, standing twofold the size of your average adult dragon. The second noteworthy aspect is, of course, his eyes. A pair of ever-staring bloodshot-red eyes, spelling bloody massacre, look out from coal-black sockets. Despite the glowing intensity of the glare, it has a distinctly cold and calculating quality, freezing rather than scorching.
A pair of elegant, enormous ash-black wings stretch out from his sides and trail in his wake like shadows. With membranes thick yet tattered at the tips from past battles and aerial dogfights, and a gaping gash running the length of his left cheek. The Wraith's scars speak volumes to his bygone victories and few defeats. 
Nevertheless, the most peculiar aspect of the entire scene is undoubtedly the noticeable absence of an organic limb; in this case, the Wraith’s right arm, a subject of gossip among troopers of the lower barracks in the army. Where a forearm once was, there now resides a poorly fitting prosthetic hook, hanging heavily above the ground in an eerily threatening fashion.
The artificial limb operates using a simple flexion and extension mechanism, tightly secured around the upper arm with a sixfold-stringed cuff and pins inserted mercilessly deep into the bone of his elbow. This setup has often proven to be the source of constant discomfort alongside prominent phantom limb pains, yet the Wraith has never complained.
The Wraith's horns can also be considered prosthetic or aesthetic. They appear deceptively organic but feel oddly smooth and are removable, revealing a pair of roughly trimmed stumps.
Putting aside amputated limbs and old battle scars, one might also take notice of the Wraith's odd colouration. From the scalp up, his scales are painted entirely in charcoal black, giving his head the deathly impression of a dragon skull sharply carved out of polished obsidian. From the head down, his scales turn into a dark shade of red, darkening around the underscales and giving the impression of being completely soaked in blood from the neck to the tip of the tail.
The Wraith carries himself with a heaviness that makes him seem bulkier than he is. His strife strikes as elegant and eerily predatory, yet heavy and ponderous, causing each step to resound menacingly on the floor. Surprisingly, his prosthetic does not seem to hinder his stride or carriage despite him having to walk using only three of his four limbs.
==Personality==
Dragons might have heard whispered tales of the Black Wraith, a cold-blooded killing machine, a bloodthirsty mass murderer that could care less for the lives he takes. Regardless, no sane outsider would suspect that the glorified lapdog of the Queen could have as wide a range of emotions as any other thinking dragon in Pyrrhia.
The Wraith could not be less apathetic about how the SkyWing propaganda portrays him. Whether he is depicted as a dark, twisted demon straight out of a nightmare or the Queen's animus (which he is not, to his knowledge) weapon, he sees it as an advantage. The more the public is terrified of his image, the less interference he faces in doing his job as he sees fit. The politicians and royals get what they want, and so does he, win-win.
In the few interactions he entertains (with terrified dragons, no less), he tends to lean into a cold, obscure manner of speech, with as stiff a tone as possibly conceivable, only switching to a more aggressive and predatory tone the moment one fails to keep their poise when facing him. Yet, he finds some internal amusement in the waves of fear emanating from those who have the misfortune of being in his presence, as well as the fabricated horror stories circulating in the barracks. (A personal favourite is the rumour that he once liquefied an officer with his "secret animus psychic abilities" in a fit of rage, which he did not do. Thank you very much.)
He doesn't care about recognition or fame. Instead, he uses his position to give his utmost and ensure the SkyWing army and kingdom function as he sees appropriate. Unlike his predecessors and some higher-ranking officers regrettably still alive, he does not think of the ordinary soldier as a pawn, having been one himself. Though his rank states that he may only oversee conflicts, he often enters the battlefield to fight alongside his troops. Of course, the public sees such an act of support as his infamous "bloodthirst" and “sanguinary nature”. It also speaks volumes about his willingness to adhere to protocols, among other things, if anything.
He believes that suffering should lead to anger, and anger should lead to strength, a lesson that he has learned well enough. Thus, he allows himself almost no relief from the constant source of suffering that is his prosthesis. This has led to him being deceptively tolerant to pain, neglecting or even forgetting about any injuries he receives in battle (if at all). In addition, more often than not, he does not even wear standard steel battle armour, claiming that it only serves to restrict his movements, but instead opts to wear a suit of his own making.
The Wraith does not tolerate any form of weakness, including abandoning the battlefield at the expense of fellow soldiers, begging for one’s life, struggling to maintain professional behaviour under tense conditions, failing to carry out orders or refusing to do so, and so on. Some say he can sense any hint of weakness as sharply as sharks sense blood underwater from a mile away, and there is some truth to this belief. How he deals with such failures is a different matter entirely, and not one that officers like to openly discuss. The outcome of his "punishments" is well enough known either way.
More than anything, the Wraith values loyalty and hard work in the long term, and it is not unheard of for the Supreme General to reward those who execute their jobs to their best ability. Much less unprecedented is the outcome of his short tolerance for ambitious and glory-seeking officers, whom he is much more inclined to deal with swiftly and effectively through choking or other related means at the first traces of failure or insubordination, rather than simple degradation. Despite its violent nature, this has proven to be a quick and efficient system of promoting and maintaining order within the ranks. Nevertheless, it has contributed to worsening his reputation, if it wasn’t already bloody enough before.
Darkslayer's mind is as dark as a pit, maliciously cunning, and constantly working like a ticking clock to plan out his next steps. He is extraordinarily obstinate and he won't stop at anything to get what he wants. Not even the threat of losing everything he cares about can falter his resolve, as his rage and thirst for revenge usually get the best of him. His impulsive nature is explosive, much like a storm, and it has led him to commit fatal mistakes time and again.
His firmest belief is that fear makes for a good enough motivator for those who listen to nothing else, but it is inefficient and redundant when it comes to motivating those who do the duties and often do them well. 
Anyhow, it has been several years since he last cared about anything at all besides work, and has since shut himself from society. All he expects from his underlings is loyalty and enough dread to know how to address him properly - no more, no less.
==Abilities==
The Wraith’s abilities alone are a mystery, something he himself admits not knowing the limit of. He knows he is not animus, but rather something else entirely. Yet he cannot shake the feeling that he may have forfeited his soul long ago.
He knows he can perceive the emotions and thoughts of dragons like waves washing over him. Their fears, guilts, the lies they tell themselves, and their hidden agendas are all laid bare before him. He can feel their movements in the space surrounding him, and the very air seems to shout warnings of hazards and assaults yet to unfold.
Without the need for spells and enchantments but only of the twitch of a claw, dragons find themselves seized in his unyielding, phantom grip, hoisted high above their talons squirming and begging for their lives, clawing at their throats, until inevitably they are no more. This much he knows.
He believes that pain is ineffective as a motivator when it comes to interrogating war prisoners. Regardless, compared to the outcome of his methods, namely probing one's mind, pain should be a grace (at least according to eyewitnesses). Dragons subject to his "treatment" are not expected to live to tell the tale, as most suffer either irreversible brain damage or find catharsis shortly after their release. All he has to do is tear apart their mental shields, skim through their memories, ripping and slicing apart barriers and gates to find his answers with cold, calculating precision while obliterating a dragon's mind like it means nothing.
Fortunately, prisoners usually give in out of sheer terror before it becomes necessary.
Just as he can forcefully breach his way into the gates of an unwilling mind, he also has the finesse to gently brush against one's soul with his dark presence, influencing their intentions, and thoughts, even subtly nudging their emotions in the desired direction. Regardless of how much care he places in utilizing his abilities, his presence is always accompanied by a deep sense of dread within those he exerts his influence on. 
He is conscious of his ability to move objects and living beings solely through the force of his will, harnessing his anger and hate to manipulate their forms and control their movements. He can bend and twist the elements, defying gravity at his command.
He can carelessly snuff out a dragon's life with the twitch of a talon. He can mutilate and dismember entire platoons with so little as a shred of gore staining his cape. He can slice apart minds to find his answers, and then move on to the next task on his list.
He is a monster, and he knows that much.
==Trivia/headcanons==
*On 06/09/24 a poll was held to decide Darkslayer's final color scheme.
*Darkslayer was originally supposed to be called Corvus Khazak or Corvus Darkstar. He was also about to be named Red Wraith due to his blood-colored scales, but I quickly decided against it in favor of his current title.
*Corvus was originally supposed to be a particularly skilled mercenary living in the Scorpion Den, but that concept was discarded and the character was rewritten sometime later.
*As far as the public is concerned, Darkslayer was born with a rare genetic condition which affects his pigmentation. There are only plausible THEORIES of the Wraith's NightWing heritage, but nothing is confirmed.
*The Black Wraith is believed to have a body count of approximately 20,500-25,000. However, there is uncertainty regarding whether it may be exaggerated due to propaganda or if it is even the whole number.
*Absolutely, utterly, wholly loathes pirate jokes for obvious reasons. Anyone with proper survival instincts would do well to keep that in mind.
*The Wraith's most loyal companion is, of course, his sword. In this case, a claymore sword which goes by the title of "The Executioner" or simply Executor.
*Having served under three Queens, the Wraith is something of an old family heirloom, if he is to be further objectified.
*Has a patience bar instead of a health bar.
*As Supreme General, Darkslayer not only leads the SkyWing army and oversees major operations in war times, but has clearance to make military policy, plan strategy, manage the budget, equipment, and personnel, and enforce the law across the entire Kingdom (hence the title of "Queen's Enforcer"). This makes him the second in command of the Queen and heir to the throne in the event that the entire royal family is wiped out for one reason or another.
**If such a convenient tragedy was to transpire and he to inherit the crown, his rule would be strict, but not tyrannical. Due to the fact that he cannot be bested in a "fair" combat, the throne would be secure in his talons for as long as he lived. He would dismiss having to marry to be King. He would likely expand the Kingdom towards the east and reorganise it into the first SkyWing Empire.
*Likely has no idea what a healthy coping mechanism is.
*Darkslayer was named so because he was supposed to slay that which is dark and corrupt. In a way, he has kept that promise by purging the military ranks of corrupt officers and lowering criminal rates throughout the Kingdom. At the same time, however, he walks down a dark path of his own.
*The neck chain holding his cape together could be interpreted as the chains imposed by Scarlet binding him to his fate of walking down said dark path.
*Much as SkyWing propaganda likes to paint him, the Wraith is a powerhouse of action and duty, which of course implies that he is severely sleep deprived and rarely gets any rest at all.
**On the other hand, Lord Darkslayer has perfected the art of sleeping upright with his eyes wide open, a skill that has repeatedly proven crucial for his survival as the Supreme General of the SkyWing army. To his knowledge, no soul has ever caught him in full slumber from start to end of meetings (ranging from diplomatic to budget management) but instead attributed the Wraith's (thankfully) taciturn presence to his dark and eerie nature.
***The Wraith's opinion of meetings is two-fold: 1) they are unnecessary, and 2) a workforce which calls unnecessary meetings needs reducing. As such, the only times the Spectre of the Battlefields makes an appearance at meetings is with those higher-ups foolish enough to consider themselves essential to the Kingdom's functioning. And when he does, unless the express purpose of the meeting requires the General's input, Darkslayer remains wholly silent throughout them all — not out of fear of sharing his opinion, of course, but simply because, as stated previously, the arguably most powerful dragon in the SkyWing Kingdom is thoroughly out of it.
****And then again, his Lordship has made a habit of this, which directly implies that the dragon in charge of leading the entire SkyWing army has not paid attention to a meeting in over 17 years.
*****And he doesn't read summaries, either.
*The Wraith is inadvertently very fond of lists. In fact, he has a mental list for nearly everything that he does, has done, or will do. 
*Darkslayer refers to his abilities and anything related to them as the "Shine" (yes, this is a tribute to the Shining).
==Biography==
Roughly 4,973 AS - The beginning
 I'm not scared. Are you scared? 
Darkslayer was born in the poverty-stricken settlement of Northwood under Queen Firestorm's reign, right on the borders of the SkyWing Kingdom.
Raised by his SkyWing mother in the absence of a father figure, his earliest years were marked by loneliness, fatigue, and malnourishment as a result of the deliberate limitation of the village's resources set by Firestorm and the general bigotry against hybrids. Life at the settlement was rough, and many died of starvation or illness before reaching dragonethood.
He was considered odd by the few dragonets strong enough to survive and, having to prove himself from the start, he found himself tangled in more brawls than he could count to earn a shred of safety from the savagery of his peers. 
It wasn't only his appearance that set him apart - he had gradually become aware of his innate connection to the world around him. He could sense trouble stir in the air, move small objects with his mind, and hear voices in the back of his head
 whispering. 
The flabbergasted looks he received every time he called other dragons out on their lies didn't help either, so he began questioning himself and his gift. The shine, he called it. A special talent.
But he didn't feel special. He felt... wary of himself.
----
Roughly 4,979 AS - The invasion
 You will pay. 
Undefended by the government, the remote village of Northwood fell victim to a pirate assault. Darkslayer vowed to his mother that he would shield his sibling from all harm no matter what, and as he hid helplessly, two IceWings brutally froze and beheaded his mother right before his eyes. Narrowly escaping with his brother's egg, Darkslayer fled to a SkyWing outpost and sought help from the authorities, only for his plea to be dismissed as redundant. 
Feeling shaken and devastated, he followed his instincts to a grand doorstep near the palace. Placing his brother's egg there, he entrusted it to whoever resided within, knowing that they would nurture and protect his half-sibling better than he could in his conditions.
Fueled by unbridled wrath, that same night he returned to the settlement in Northwood. One by one, executions were carried out with calculating precision, uncaring whether it be friend or foe, dragonet or full-grown, as long as the price for the crime committed that day was paid tenfold. Out of fear or supremacy, many of the perpetrators began fleeing, and at dawn, the once-dusty streets of the village were painted red.
Darkslayer vowed to etch the events of that day deep into his memory, swearing to someday restore order and justice to the Kingdom. Shortly after, lying about his age, he started his career in the army as a simple soldier at only six years old.
----
4,981 AS - Rise of Scarlet
 Fate has a sense of humor. 
 
In the year 4,981 AS, Scarlet rose to power as the new Queen of the SkyWings, defeating her own mother, Queen Firestorm, in a challenge for the throne. Darkslayer found himself quickly adapting to the new rules and expectations that came with Scarlet's reign. 
In that period, SkyWings were known to be openly bigot towards other tribes, so it was no big news when hiding his NightWing ancestry and hybrid status became a necessity.
However, Scarlet's reign did have one silver lining. She was willing to increase the resources available to surrounding villages and protect the Kingdom from external threats, something that had never been seen under Firestorm's rule.
During this time, Darkslayer felt like little more than disposable fodder for the Queen's army. But he managed to carve out time to refine his abilities, all while grappling with the aftermath of the Northwood attack. Life in the SkyWing barracks was ludicrously similar to his old village life — a constant struggle for survival, where it was kill or be killed, and fighting for rations was the only way to avoid starvation.
And yet he was still shining. Still brimming with youth and hope.
And foolishness. 
----
4,981 AS-4,992 AS - A time of peace
During his formative years from 8 to 19, Darkslayer quickly ascended the ranks of the SkyWing army, attaining the positions of Captain and then Colonel and leading various missions to success. For once, life finally seemed to be on an upward trajectory for him. He enjoyed every second of it as long as it lasted.
It was during a diplomatic summit that he first crossed paths with Six-Claws. Competent, practical, actually productive and surprisingly faithful to Queen Oasis. Through following off-duty encounters and shared missions, a companionship began forming between them, grounded in shared views and a mutual disdain for the SandWing Queen's heirs, politics, and more than a few off-duty shenanigans in SandWing taverns. After ensuring a vow of secrecy, he entrusted Six-Claws with his most guarded secret, namely his abilities, and was relieved when his friend honoured this even after joining the Out-claws.
All was good, and yet he couldn't shake the feeling that something horrendous was bound to happen - and soon.
----
4,992 AS-4,993 AS - The SandWing War of Succession
 All I'm surrounded by is fear and blood. 
After the untimely death - or rather, assassination - of Queen Oasis and the beginning of the SandWing War of Succession, Darkslayer's distaste for politics couldn't be more palpable.
In one of the most brutal battles against the IceWings - if not the most - the winning tide had turned in favour of the enemy. Darkslayer was overcome with blind fury at the sight of the increasing number of casualties among his troops, and unexpectedly he was back at Northwood - back to frozen bodies, bloodied blades, to dragons pleading, begging for mercy, to feeling dozens of lives destroyed and standing there helplessly, and to the blind flailing panic that had risen in his chest- 
For the second time, he'd launched himself headfirst into battle, seeing red, wielding only his wrath, and a wild, gnawing thirst for revenge because HOW DARED THEY?
Troops recounted seeing a fleeting shadow, a raging spectre with fire for eyes dashing down the battlefield. They told of enemy soldiers turning on each other and spears coming to life to pierce their wielders, entire platoons heaved into the air to be thrown and crushed to a pulp against boulders by unseen forces, dragons crying out in fear and agony as their scales liquefied and melted onto their flesh-
The Black Wraith, they called him. In battle, he'd earned a gaping gash on his cheek, and his once glorious wings were now tattered from the hopeless attacks of his opponents - or rather, his prey. Yet, those were mere scratches compared to the havoc he wrought. The havoc that the Wraith had wrought. 
Despite his dispassionate acceptance and thanks to his horrendous, disgusting "heroic" actions, Darkslayer ascended to the rank of General and watched helplessly as rumours of the massacre spiralled from tales of recklessness to heroism, and eventually, to monstrosity.
It was no surprise when Queen Scarlet herself requested a meeting at the royal palace. 
He could see beyond her lies; her cordial demeanor made him sick, and her signature was like a splotch of ink poisoning everything it touched. Something about the monarch made him want to lash out, to scream his disapproval, to run away and hide until the world forgot all of the Wraith.
But the Queen was no fool trying to sway him with charm; She knew exactly what she was doing, and the buttons to make it happen. She knew of his past, of his oath. Moons, somehow, she knew (informants and old scrolls, he sensed).
In return for his freedom unwavering loyalty, she would promote him further, if it were even possible. She assured him he could fulfil his deepest ambitions, and that she would spare safeguard his pet project from meeting a grim demise. Not that he had a choice. Scarlet held the reins to his entire life's work, with the power to obliterate all that he held dear at a moment's notice. His life's work, the only family he had left, all gone.
The Queen proposed a threat deal.
And the Black Wraith obliged.
----
4,993-4,995 AS - Sealed away
 What is thy bidding? 
Shortly after sealing the deal with Scarlet only a year later, the public was dumbfounded when the new so-called "second-in-command" of the Queen arose from the ranks. It was a new position above all other ranks in the military, only outranked by the Monarch. 
The "Black Wraith", they called him. He was a stranger to the eyes of the public, a shadow that would soon be known as the Specter, the Grim Reaper, a hazard to the eyes of other tribes. He was the Queen's new plaything, a relentless force she could destroy and rebuild at will as many times as she wanted. A mindless, loyal servant with eyes only for her.
And unknowingly, he resigned himself to play her games. At least at first. 
The word spread fast about the new Supreme General, yet he couldn't care less about the superstitious rumours. Finally, he had the chance to make a difference, an opportunity to bring much-needed peace and security to the SkyWing kingdom, to finish what he had started so long ago. 
So why did he feel like he had just sold his soul?
And even if he hadn't, he knew it was too late to turn back. He was a monster and had always been. He didn't care. He shouldn't care. He wasn't supposed to, you see. 
The first thing he did as the Wraith was strangling an officer to death, alongside another six high-ranking dragons. 
There had been no alarmed cries from the witnesses, yet he could taste their terror as they stood watching idly by. And there was no denying the shudder that had run over the collective crowd of lieutenants and soldiers when their superiors - previously strolling about and craving on about expenses - had been heaved into the air, clutching desperately at their throats as if throttled by an invisible force, only to go hideously limp moments later. 
It had reminded him of the primal fear he'd sensed in the air on that one battlefield not so long ago. The same fear he'd wallowed in at Northwood. Nevertheless, the six souls taken that day had been strong enough a message, and his resolve rattled throughout the higher and lower ranks of the army.
Scarlet was amused.
The second thing he did was to significantly increase security throughout the kingdom with strategic outposts and patrols. The growing crime rates and pirate assaults in the outskirts of the realm had been on his mind for a long time, and for good reason.
He couldn't allow what had occurred at Northwood to happen again. Scarlet had sworn such a tragedy would never again occur.
The Queen could lie.
----
5,004 AS - The sin
 Please, keep me sane. 
Pain was all he knew for years.
As time went by, Darkslayer grew to understand Scarlet's preferences in great detail. He noticed how she often used the word "thrilling," learned about her likes and dislikes, and became familiar with her preferred method of enforcement: using burning coals to keep him in line. Scarlet was meticulous, however, only ever scorching the darkest of his scales. She was determined to maintain Darkslayer as her pristine "trophy weapon," for Moons forbid the public to detect any hint of weakness in the Queen's attack dog.
Surprisingly, Scarlet hadn't yet had the thrilling idea of testing his durability with her Champion.
Darkslayer didn't think about it much, or at least didn't want to. The pain and anger only fueled him further in his resolve. Ages prior, he'd sworn to protect his sibling. He had sworn an unbreakable vow. And he would see to its completion, whatever the cost.
He was a monster. He deserved to suffer.
(TBD)
----
5,011-5,014 AS - Release (present)
 You're here. You're safe. 
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Vivamus libero dui, gravida ac faucibus quis, congue id eros. Praesent et efficitur enim, at placerat nulla. Aenean nec lobortis nisl. Proin nec sem magna.
----
==Relationships==
- (negative/terrible) + (positive) -+ (neutral-positive) +- (neutral-negative)
===Canon===
<tabber>
|-|=
|-|Queen Scarlet (-)=
If there was ever one dragon he loathed and feared more than himself, it was Queen Scarlet. She was the first to sweep in on him after his powers were exposed in the IceWing battle of 4,993 AS, and she wasted no time exploiting them as soon as she saw an opening.
Whenever the ex-Queen is brought up in a conversation, his whole demeanour becomes noticeably much more rigid, and he actively tries to dodge and dance around the topic, if not act downright intimidatory towards the speaker.
Their dynamic was much like a high-stakes game of Cat and Mouse, with one playing the role of Master and the other the Slave, a Queen and her blind Servant. Despite growing increasingly broken and hollow as her manipulative control spread over him like poison under feigned freedom, he never dared to defy her rule, fully aware of Scarlet's unyielding power. He was aware of the looming threat of the Queen's knowledge of his brother's identity and understood full well that his sibling would pay the price for his actions if he committed even the slightest infraction against her Highness's commands.
Darkslayer was often paraded by her side at diplomatic meetings, ceremonies, and even in arena fights, symbolising her authority. She took great pleasure in witnessing the fear that emanated from the dragons in their presence. Whenever she grew bored, she would casually order him to slay innocent dragons picked out at random, and resignedly, he would carry out her wishes with a simple twitch of his claws.
Scarlet had deployed expendable undercover agents (which often didn't last longer than a couple of months) to monitor Darkslayer's every move and decision, which made him feel even more restricted. He was well aware of the unspoken terms of his contract with Scarlet. If he had informed Kinglet about the impending threat to his life, he would have been hunted down, and there would have been no way to protect his sibling from harm.
This also meant that any act or hint of defiance was ruthlessly punished - the hidden scorch marks under his wings are evidence of that. Scarlet's preferred method of enforcement, or rather torture, was smouldering coals. For years, these smouldering coals left hidden marks not only on his wings but also on his core.
Since Scarlet vehemently opposed the inclusion of non-pure-blood SkyWings in her army, Darkslayer had initially attributed his darker colours and odd eyes to a rare genetic condition. This convenient explanation was deemed passable in the face of his "remarkable" achievements.
From the start, Darkslayer harboured a deep hatred for Scarlet because of her racist beliefs and her passive stance on Burn's oppressive actions, her infamous arena games, and mistreatment towards him. To make matters worse, she was the one who spearheaded the SkyWing propaganda campaign on him, turning him from a simple high-ranking General into the feared and abhorred "weapon" of the SkyWings. Even though he could sense her life force and knew the declaration of her death to be a blatant lie, he couldn't help but feel gleeful when she was officially declared dead, and infinitely grateful to the dragonets of destiny for putting an end, though momentary, to her reign. He was particularly down-crested when Ruby impeded him to hunt down the Queen himself.
|-|Peril (-+)=
The Supreme General would never have expected in a thousand years to be approached by a dragon looking to strike up a casual conversation and make friends, especially not when you're in charge of leading the entire SkyWing army, among other things. His reputation certainly didn't lend itself to casual chit-chat either, so the last thing he thought would happen was a dragonet, of all things, attempting to befriend him.
His semi-mentorship with Peril first began when the 6-year-old dragonet boldly initiated a conversation with him, and he found himself half-heartedly responding. He doubtless wasn't intimidated by the fiery fire-scaled dragonet, and neither was she of the dark, eerie figure that was the Wraith even at the start.
As he delved into her mind, he was certain that Scarlet wasn't pulling the strings this time, and that was enough for him to open up and concede Peril a chunk of his time at the Palace, bonding over kill counts and battle chronicles. He would even, later on, playfully state that he would never wish to face someone as formidable as Peril, but still wouldn't miss the chance to spar with an equally lethal opponent once in a blue moon, for a change.
Darkslayer always saw Peril as a dragonet brimming with talent, and it saddened him to see her squander her potential by aligning herself with insignificant dragons the likes of students at Jade Mountain Academy. He couldn't deny that he missed their lighthearted discussions about combat strategies, but knowing that she had finally broken free from Scarlet's tyranny brought him a light sense of relief.
He might have shared a few pointers with her and engaged in the occasional sparring match, always making sure to keep it discreet, far from prying eyes and ears (not that anyone would have survived if he had caught them eavesdropping), and for as long as the other would not melt her tenth blade.
His disgust knew no bounds when he discovered Scarlet's cruel treatment of the somewhat innocent dragonet. In his wrath, he had longed to expose the Queen's lies, but as countless times prior, his talons were tied when he was reminded of the threat posed by the monarch.
He felt powerless to aid Peril, but despite being away on missions the majority of the time, even in his absence, he made sure to reassure her mind whenever he sensed her hurt simmering along the borders of their bond.
As time went on and Scarlet's oppression broke his mind, he began to distance himself from the bond he had with Peril. He went out of his way to push her out of his life. He doesn't know whether it was because he didn't want Scarlet to use her against him, because she was not safe from his wrath, or because he felt he deserved to be alone.
|-|Queen Ruby (-+)=
(TBD) 
The Wraith initially perceived Ruby as a submissive dragon and unfit for the throne, but her first decisive actions as Queen gradually earned his respect. Particularly, her focus on fortifying the Kingdom's defences and withdrawing from the war.
Darkslayer's compliance with Ruby's late mother was marred by fear and hatred, rather than genuine respect. However, the newly crowned Queen, in granting him unprecedented freedom of choice and refraining from controlling his every move, besides killing Scarlet off for good, has earned his unyielding allegiance.
Shortly after Scarlet's final demise, during a ceremony celebrating Ruby’s coronation, loyal guards to Scarlet’s reign launched an attempted assault on the newly crowned Queen, presenting her with a dragonflame cactus concealed as a "gift". Darkslayer sensed that something was not quite right in the air, and detected the traitorous plot seconds before the explosive could detonate. Reacting swiftly, Darkslayer shielded Ruby from the blast. The explosion left him partially blinded and cost him his arm, which was nearly blown right clean off, but he could at least save the monarch's life.
(TBD)
|-|Six-Claws (-+)=
Read (backstory > A time of peace) for more information
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|-|Kinglet "Darkslayer" (+)=
Unknowingly both the half-sibling and favourite of the eldritch famously omnicidal second-in-command of the SkyWing Kingdom.
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|-|Imperial (-+)=
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</tabber>
----
===Fanon===
Relations throughout the wiki
Status: open
<tabber>
|-|=
|-| Guide/note=
*The Wraith is first and foremost an important political figure. As a result, he is most likely to meet influential dragons such as politicians (much to his dismay), royals, ambassadors, officers and so on. Based on this, it is unlikely that he would encounter a commoner (e.g. artists, travelers, merchants, etc.) unless it is during an armed conflict. Choose your character well.
**He is not above recruiting assistance to get what he wants, either, so relationships are also compatible with assassins, mercenaries, etc.
***He is not biased when it comes to hiring members of other tribes besides SkyWings and is surprisingly open-minded about it (unless it's IceWings. He hates IceWings.) 
*Please keep relationships neutral, leaning towards either good or bad. If your character is safe from the Wraith's omnicidal tendencies (e.g., royals, influential/powerful dragons the Queen might have an interest in, etc.), having a negative relationship at arm's length is secure. Positive relationships are VERY unlikely to be accepted (mostly because I want Darkslayer to suffer but yk...)
*Expect a lot of questions (don't worry, I don't bite!) and come up with an idea in mind. Relationship requests with no plot whatsoever besides "they kinda dislike each other" are not passable (because I like overthinking lore.)
|-|Pyxis (-+)=
Pyxis and Darkslayer could be defined as partners-in-treason. 
Darkslayer considered Pyxis a valuable asset in his plan for revenge against Scarlet. He felt a slight twinge of sympathy for her, but his heart had been hardened by the Queen's abuse, leaving him consumed by hatred towards other dragons. Despite understanding Pyxis's past and situation, he could not bring himself to care about others' suffering, as he was now living in a reality where torment had become the norm.
Their alliance started with a significant telepathic communication during one of Scarlet's birthday celebrations, while the Queen was giving a speech. Darkslayer sensed Pyxis's potential and her strong dislike for the Queen. Trusting that they could find common ground, he revealed his own plans to overthrow Scarlet. As he'd hoped, Pyxis eagerly indulged in his intentions, and together they strategized and began recruiting allies.
The plots of Pyxis and Darkslayer were short-lived due to the intervention of the Dragonets of Destiny, who accidentally succeeded in deposing Scarlet. Since both Pyxis and Darkslayer were satisfied with Ruby's rise to power, they saw no need to continue their schemes or plan further treachery. Instead, they settled into a state of idle but positive companionship.
With Scarlet's oppressive control waning, Darkslayer felt emboldened to finally publicly align with Pyxis, caring little for the public's opinions. While he doesn't consider her a direct confidant, she undeniably ranks high on his list of potential allies.
Character belongs to Raindrop0704
|-| Ember (-)=
Darkslayer would have since put Ember and his entire genealogical tree through a slow and agonizing death if he had not been strictly ordered not to by not one, but two Queens, namely Scarlet and Ruby.
The Wraith's seething disdain for the former royal executioner runs deep, his contempt for the executioner rivalling even his intense hatred for Scarlet, a sentiment that has festered over time. Ruby's intervention in preventing him from exacting revenge against Scarlet and Ember has only succeeded in stoking the flames of his fury to an unprecedented degree.
While Darkslayer might be infamous for his questionable morals and a long trail of bodies from his merciless killing sprees, Ember, on the contrary, appeared to rival him in terms of tyranny through public executions and enjoyed it throughout, as well. 
He remained keenly aware of Ember's apprehension towards him, relishing every sign of unease emanating from the dragon. Caution didn't seem to stop the executioner from committing the average insubordination, however, the kind that would usually lead the Wraith to consider permanently "demoting" one of his subordinates. That is... acting utterly insufferable. On a particular episode, after several torment-induced headaches (totally unrelated to Ember), he may have momentarily lost control of his powers and exerted very slight pressure on the dragon's pharynx... an imperceptible incident, but a satisfying one, he believes.
Being around Ember felt like wading and breathing through a thick pool of ink for him, much like Scarlet's presence. The sheer malevolence and twisted purpose emanating from Ember were overwhelming even for him. Darkslayer often found that he could not stand to be in the same space as Ember for too long.
Overall, Darkslayer sees only murder in relation to the former royal executioner. He holds a strong personal conviction to pursue Ember and is fervently in favor of personally tracking him down, and has repeatedly expressed his desire to take action and go after Ember given the opportunity.
Character belongs to Dusk
</tabber>
==Notes==
*The Wraith has been present on the wiki for 6 September 2024 23:00:00
*The Wraith is loosely inspired by and based on the iconic character Darth Vader/Anakin Skywalker from the Star Wars franchise.
*Feel free to share your headcanons or leave a comment - all contributions are greatly appreciated!
*Canonically, the Wraith has only somewhat recently become an amputee, so it doesn't matter if he is drawn with or without his prosthetic.
==Gallery==
File:Fafafafa.jpg|The Wraith according to a painting on display in the halls of the SkyWing palace.
File:Black_White_Beige_Grey_Minimalist_Simple_Modern_Photo_Collage_Instagram_Post.png|Moodboard
File:Reference Darkslayer.webp| Reference V1
File:Reference Darkslayer V2.webp| Reference V2 (prothesis + accs)
File:Fafa2.jpg|Final fullbody concept
File:Choking hazard.jpg| Ability demonstration 
File:Frontal headshot Darkslayer.png| Frontal headshot
File:Screenshot (934).png| Amazing song lyrics by PhantomHeroJ, TY!
Category:Hybrids
Category:SkyWings
Category:NightWings
Category:Inspired by Fiction
Category:Males
Category:Status (Celebrity)
Category:Content (IllusionTheDreamWing)
Category:Occupation (Soldier)
Category:Characters
Category:Status (Legend)
Category:Disabled
Category:Status (Leader)
Category:Occupation (Government)
Category:Occupation (Assassin)