Wings Of fire: Shadowstalker

Chapter 20: Betrayal

At the end of the night Shadow was sitting in his bedroom with Mindwatcher. They'd spent several hours together as he tried to calm down. His message had been delivered and Nighthawk fled undetected. The scroll he had enchanted returned to him and confirmed it. The giant lie on his back with his wings stretched out.

"I'm glad he's okay.." Shadow mumbled and glanced at Mindwatcher. "Nighthawk is a good dragon, and he would never harm an innocent dragon.."

"And if he is guilty, then what?" Mindwatcher asked skeptically. "Because his scroll told the truth, it's in the name. Your father knows what he's doing." She said with a huff.

"My father was going to frame his friend and kill him." Shadow huffed and sat up. "I wasn't going to let that happen. Nighthawk has been loyal to him since he came out of the mountain."

"I just think maybe we should listen to the king instead of come up with silly ideas."

"It's not- look I'm not gonna argue over this. How about I do my own scroll of truth. Perhaps my father's was enchanted to write what he wanted." Shadow stood up and got off the bed before heading to his shelf. He grabbed a blank scroll and spread it flat on the floor. "Okay, scroll. Tell me who hired the assasin that killed Brighteyes tonight." He spoke clearly and carefully. The scroll began to do its work and soon enough, the name he was hoping for appeared on it.

"Bloodstrike. See? Nighthawk is innocent! All I have to do is show it to my father and everything is clear!" He smiled. That was when his door busted open and he looked up to see Darkstalker, even more infuriated than when he found out about Brighteyes. The king's mouth had smoke pouring out of it as he grabbed Shadow by the neck faster than he could comprehend. He was then thrown into the hallway before being pinned down, yelping in shock and fear.

"What is this!?" Darkstalker roared, holding the scroll to his face. "Using your magic against me!? I taught you how to use it!" He snarled a bit and lashed his tail violently.

"It's the truth father! I know he is innocent!" Shadow growled and rolled out from beneath his talon. "And so do you! You can't do this to him, he's been a loyal friend and advisor for almost a decade!"

"A loyal advisor who wants to betray me and stop me from saving the world!" Darkstalker hissed and crumpled the scroll up in his talons with a snarl. "And now even my son, my flesh and blood wishes to help him too.." He growled and paced towards him slowly. Several guards appeared behind the prince, trapping him between his father and a wall of spears.

"You complain about me, yet here you have your soldiers armed and pointing weapons at your own son." Shadow growled with a small wince, being angry and hurt. "What kind of father does this?"

"I'm doing what I have to. Take him to the dungeons until I decide what to do with him.." Darkstalker hissed and snapped his claws. His guards obeyed, all but one. Starhunter moved between the guards and Shadow, growling deeply. "What is this?" The king rumbled, slightly amused.

"I am following your orders, your majesty. To protect my friend at any cost. Even my at own life." Starhunter said in a determined voice.

"Really now? I suppose I did tell you that. Fine. Kill him." Darkstalker hissed. His guards all lunged for Starhunter. Out of a sudden panic, Shadow did the only thing he could think of doing. In a quick, sudden flash he and Starhunter were no longer within the Nightwing palace. The two had been transported to the middle of the desert. The skies were clear and bright with the light of the three moons.

"What just happened- did I die-?" Starhunter gasped and looked around. "Holy moons where are we.?" He mumbled while digging his claws into the sand. Shadow looked down at him, still panicking and panting. "Shadow.?"

Shadow sat in the sand, panting a bit shocked and in disbelief of what just happened. Starhunter nudged him and the prince snapped out of it.

"What- Starhunter..oh you're okay.." Shadow whimpered and dug his claws into the sand slowly. "He.. he was going to imprison me.. and kill you-"

"Alright, alright.. deep breaths big guy. We have to protect ourselves." Starhunter grabbed his talon and held it for a moment. "Look at me.." He said calmly. Shadow glanced down at him, huffing and taking rapid deep breaths. His tail lashed occasionally as he tried to focus on his friend. Thanks to his help he had calmed down. His breathing slowed and he led down in the sand, panting and shaking a little.

"You need to do a spell to block his magic and hide us." Starhunter pat his neck, making Shadow flinch. "Easy now.."

"I can't believe I just did that- I can't believe- holy moons.." Shadow flopped on his stomach and groaned for a few seconds. "Holy moons.."

"Mm.. Alright, Shadow. Spell, come on. I hate to pressure you but we need to be safe." Starhunter said quietly. Shadow glanced at his friend and quickly wrote a spell in the sand while still breathing rather heavily. Once it was written, he spoke the words just as he did with the scroll.

"Do.. do you feel any different..?" Shadow asked with a small wince.

"No, but it should work.. wow.. I never knew your father could be such an ass.."

"Neither did I.." Shadow mumbled and rolled onto his side, groaning a little bit.  Starhunter sat beside his head and looked around. All they could see was dunes and sand for miles and miles.

"What are we going to do..?" Starhunter said calmly. Shadow opened his mouth to speak, but he wasn't sure. He closed it and rest his head down in the sand. There was only one thing he could do now, and he knew what he had to say.

"We need to find Nighthawk.."