Storm Hawks: Blackest Night (The Dark Aerrow Saga)

Chapter Thirteen - Into The Mirror

Lark soon woke up in a warped reality. She felt cold as she was surrounded by pitch black darkness. She readied her Energy Blade as she walked through the void. She soon heard the voice of Dark Aerrow. 

Dark Aerrow(Voice): I never expected to fight you. At least fight this version of you. Though I must be honest, I expected more.

Lark: I won't let you unleash the Blackest Night! I'll stop you!

Dark Aerrow(Voice): If only you knew just how ironic your words are. I think it's time you faced the mirror.

As Dark Aerrow said this, a female shadow stands over Lark. Her face is veiled in darkness. Something about her seemed familiar. 

Lark: There's something...wrong about you...I...I know you somehow.

The shadow veil soon vanished, revealing the face of Master Cyclonis. Upon seeing her face, Lark's heart immediately stopped.

Lark: No....this isn't right! This has to be some trick! You're just another illusion cast by the Dark Aerrow!

Master Cyclonis: Lark no longer exists. There is only Cyclonis:

Lark: No, no, no, no, NO!

Master Cyclonis: This is your permanent fate. The Cyclonian Empire will soon welcome you as it's ruler. You will conquer Atmos. It is your destiny.

Dark Aerrow watched with sadistic glee as Lark was faced with her dark counterpart. Lark felt a heavy burden placed on her shoulders as she stared at a possible future. It was a future Lark desperately wanted to avoid. 

Lark: I will not give in to you! Ever!

Master Cyclonis: You cannot escape your destiny, Lark. Embrace it. This power can be yours. Only through me can you achieve a power greater than any living being on Atmos. 

Lark: I won't become like you! Not now! Not ever!

Master Cyclonis: Then you shall die. 

As Cyclonis said this, Lark barely dodged an attack from an assailaint wielding a Two Handed Crystal Blade. Lark soon gazed upon the face of her attacker and was shocked to see the face of her mentor Ace. 

Lark: Ace?! 

Master Cyclonis: Kill the girl....Dark Ace. 

Dark Ace: As you wish, my master.

Dark Ace began attacking Lark with everything he had. Lark was heartbroken to see her master become a servant of the Cyclonian Empire. It hurt her even greatly as she was forced to fight him. 

Lark: You'll pay for this, Dark Aerrow! You hear me?!

Dark Aerrow simply laughed as Lark continued to rule with Dark Ace. Lark found herself on the defensive as Dark Ace battered her with powerful attacks. As Lark dueled Dark Ace, she remember a conversation she had with Ace after a mission. 

Ace: I'm proud of you Lark. You've proven to me that you're a far better Sky Knight than I ever was.

Lark(Past): That's not true Ace.

Ace: I'm afraid it is, Lark. I'm the last of the Storm Hawks. I allowed my comrades to die. My failures as a Sky Knight led to this.....this madness.

Lark then placed her hand on Ace's shoulder, remembering all that he had done for her since rescuing her all those years ago. 

Lark(Past): You....you did everything you could. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't be here. I'd still be a slave to my grandmother's will. You saved my life Ace. I am forever grateful for everything you've done for me. 

As Lark reflected on that memory, she found her resolve to keep going. Despite fighting the form of Ace, she knew that this was only an illusion. She knew that Dark Ace was not her Ace. 

Lark: You're not Ace. No matter what you say, you're not Ace. Ace is a Sky Knight. As am I. No matter what happens, I will always fight for those who cannot fight for themselves. You may have his face, you're not Ace. 

Dark Aerrow was amused by Lark's resolve to keep going. In his mind, it was all meaningless.

Dark Aerrow(Voice): Try as you will, it's all meaningless. In this reality, the only truth is ad infinitum. Whatever you do in your world has absolutely no consequences in the eyes of reality for the opposite decision has already been made in another Atmos. Whether you choose to remain Lark or become Cyclonis doesn't matter. 

Lark continued to duel Dark Ace while both Dark Aerrow and Master Cyclonis continued to mock her. 

Dark Aerrow(Voice): Reality is a cacophony of meaningless decisions marked by the illusion of free will. To believe in an ideal, is to be willing to betray it. It is something no living being has ever truly learned. When one relies on sight to perceive the world, it is like trying to stare at reality through a crack in the door. No longer will I allow this madness to continue. The definition of insanity is doing something over and over again expecting the outcome to be different. Soon, the Blackest Night will destroy all of reality and all shall be silent. Just as it should be.

Lark: I won't let that happen!

Dark Aerrow simply laughed as she continued to duel Dark Ace. With the Blackest Night drawing nearer, it's only a matter of time before Dark Aerrow unleashed his plans to wipe out all of reality. With time running low, the Storm Hawks as well as their allies from the Multiverse must fight through the Dark Aerrow's illusions in order to confront and defeat him before he could unleash the Blackest Night and destroy all of reality. But fighting the Dark Aerrow would not be easy.