Darkstalker

Darkstalker returns home and broods over how easily Indigo could have killed him. He decides to enchant his scales to protect himself, but he fears that Clearsight will disapprove. He slips the enchantment between two older spells in his scroll to hide his actions.

Darkstalker enchants his scales to make them invulnerable, self-healing, and protected from any death threat. Although he considers making himself immortal, he decides to wait. Curious, he tests the enchantment and finds that it is shockingly effective. He then wonders if he can extend such enchantments to other dragons.

Darkstalker joins Clearsight for an audience with Queen Vigilance. Clearsight warns the queen about an imminent IceWing attack. Impressed by Clearsight’s directness, Queen Vigilance immediately hires her. Allknowing, the former head seer, calls Clearsight a traitor. Clearsight feels overwhelmed by dark visions involving Darkstalker and the queen, but she forces herself to focus on more hopeful futures.

Afterward, Clearsight meets Fathom and greets him warmly, forgetting momentarily that they have never met. Indigo blocks her hug, and Clearsight apologizes.

Later, Darkstalker shows everyone his latest invention: a soul reader. The device measures a dragon’s good and evil by the amount of black and white sand inside an hourglass. Clearsight feels shocked by the amount of white sand, representing evil, in her soul reading, expecting all black sand (good). Darkstalker’s reading contains slightly more white sand than hers, but not much.

Although Indigo protests, Fathom insists on testing the device. His soul contains about a quarter white sand, similar to Darkstalker’s. Tension builds between Indigo and Darkstalker, and Clearsight silently vows to protect Indigo.

Fathom relaxes slightly after spending time with Darkstalker and Clearsight. Darkstalker sends him the soul reader with a note saying that he can use it on him whenever he wants. Indigo immediately suspects that he enchanted the soul reader to make himself appear better. Darkstalker snaps at her for the accusation.

Darkstalker, Fathom, and Indigo visit Clearsight, who is working on her new tasks from Queen Vigilance. Darkstalker argues that her assignment to track IceWing movements for the next year is impossible. He insists that they take Clearsight hunting for her hatching day.

During the hunt, Fathom envies the closeness between Darkstalker and Clearsight, wishing that he shared something similar with Indigo. They celebrate Clearsight’s hatching day with food and laughter, although Indigo remains distant, focusing on her duties as Fathom’s bodyguard.

Fathom feels guilty for not having a gift for Clearsight. Indigo helps him search for wood, and they reminisce about the octopus, Blob, that Fathom once carved for her using his animus powers. Fathom carves a small DarkWing figure, which Clearsight says looks like Listener. Darkstalker asks for a SeaWing carving next.

Darkstalker gives Fathom, Indigo, and Clearsight a sapphire each, which he has enchanted to be dreamvisitors that allow dragons to meet in dreams. Fathom feels uneasy that Darkstalker’s soul shows no change despite his continued use of magic.

Suddenly, Clearsight has a terrible vision: Queen Diamond has launched a trap against Foeslayer. Crying, Clearsight warns everyone that Foeslayer’s life hangs in the balance.

Clearsight’s visions show Foeslayer in the Kingdom of Sand, separated from her troop and surrounded by IceWings. However, Clearsight cannot determine exactly when the danger will happen.

Darkstalker and Clearsight rush home, where they find Whiteout wailing in distress. Arctic shouts that she has been doing this for an hour but refuses to offer much information. Darkstalker reads Arctic’s mind and learns that he and Foeslayer previously argued. During their argument, Foeslayer removed the enchanted earring that Arctic gave her—the one he enchanted to protect her from danger—and threw it at him.

Using his enchanted map, Darkstalker confirms that Foeslayer remains in the Kingdom of Sand. He realizes that Queen Diamond enchanted Foeslayer to fly into a trap, and without the earring, she has no protection.

Darkstalker blames Arctic for everything. However, Clearsight tells him to stop, knowing that Whiteout is already suffering. Darkstalker broods over creating enchantments to help his mother. Clearsight warns him that killing Queen Diamond would lead to an even worse future where Diamond’s heir, Snowfox, wipes out the NightWings. She insists that Darkstalker must wait seven years for a safer opportunity.

Whiteout hugs Darkstalker, tearfully warning that only one of them will ever see Foeslayer again.

Clearsight studies animus magic to understand how it affects future outcomes. Queen Vigilance demands answers about why, with three animus dragons, the NightWings have not won the war against the IceWings. Clearsight explains that she has not yet calculated futures involving animus power, as animus power is generally not used in wars due to the possible repercussions. The queen insists that Clearsight begin immediately looking into the use of animus power in the war and summons Darkstalker.

Darkstalker offers several strategies, including killing every IceWing or creating bombs that target only IceWings. Clearsight warns that these plans would cost Darkstalker too much of his soul. When her warnings do not sway him, she describes futures where other tribes unite against the NightWings in revenge. Darkstalker ultimately suggests a new plan: creating a shield that kills any IceWings from entering the Night Kingdom. Queen Vigilance likes this idea.

Afterward, Clearsight scolds Darkstalker for becoming too bloodthirsty. Darkstalker admits that he only wants to scare the IceWings into returning Foeslayer. Clearsight and Darkstalker both confess that they have not seen a future where Foeslayer returns. Darkstalker has tried multiple enchantments and dreamvisitor searches, but none worked. Despite his growing darkness, Darkstalker begs Clearsight to continue believing in him.

Fathom worries about Darkstalker, who has become increasingly distant. He reflects on an earlier conversation with Clearsight about how dangerous great powers can become.

Darkstalker invites Fathom to join him on the Royal Tower to watch a thunderstorm. Fathom gifts him the SeaWing carving he made. In return, Darkstalker gives Fathom a sea-glass goblet that he bought at the market.

Fathom fills the goblet with water, but before he drinks, Indigo shoves him and shatters it. She accuses Darkstalker of enchanting the goblet. Darkstalker denies using animus magic on it, but the trust between them weakens.

Fathom is upset and leaves Indigo behind; instead, he takes a different bodyguard named Wharf to the tower. While showing Fathom the earrings he bought for Clearsight, Darkstalker drops some rocks from his pouch into Fathom’s room.

When they return, Indigo is missing. They search frantically but only find a letter from Indigo saying that she has returned to the Sea Kingdom. Devastated, Fathom asks Darkstalker if he can keep the SeaWing carving because it reminds him of Indigo. Darkstalker agrees, and Fathom silently mourns her loss.