Redwolfless has limited the viewing of this artwork to members of the DeviantArt community only.
You can log in or become a member for FREE.

Deviation Actions

Redwolfless's avatar

A Shadow Dakotian's Wraith

By
Published:
324 Views

Description

A short story on how Archen Died, and how Slice (Dakota's father) got his name.
~~~A Shadow Dakotian's Wraith~~~

Archen, the most powerful known shadow dakotian, most of his life was a mystery, but how did he turn evil? How did he become this way, what defeated him?
   Midnight, twelve twenty five: Archen had been experiencing emotional problems for weeks almost a full month now. His power kept acting up, much to his displeasure he actually liked letting the legendary power consume him. He felt unstopable, no one could stand against him! Archen kept having these mood swings, riddled with fury one minute and desperate sobbing to the next. To his surprise he could no longer change back into his normal form, stuck in this state, between concern and under contentness. Walking down the halls he, kept his head low, lumbering in a lazy sadistic fasion. Red eyes glowed 24/7, forever souless and pupiless. He was king, and his mate Armata; the heaven dakotian, was his queen. She was getting more plump by the day, and she knew that was qlueless as to why. Armata felt the need to keep this information from him, but it appeared the situation had gotten worse, now she feared he'd overreact to this sudden announcement. Archen was keeping his distance from everyone, his impulsive behavior was getting in his way. Many challengers seeked to rid the kingdom of this evil harsh turning king, of course Archen beat all of them. The shadow dakotian killed all of them, which was against the rules, if a king were to be defeated he was no longer in charge, and he would be given a new role in the kingdom if the new king saw him fit for that. The king was the strongest dakotian in the world, you had to be tough, unforgiving, and must know when to show mercy, but Archen was loosing mercy for anyone.
Armata strollled down the elegantly carved white walls of the castle, her posture was almost normal, with  a small waddle mixed in, she had eaten more than normal to acomidate for her soon to be child. She also stopped training and fighting, she had to be careful. Armata's fear had doubled between this being her first child and her mate's recent behavior, it made her nervous. The role of heaven dakotian was to keep the shadow dakotian in check, even kill him, but she loved him so how could she? Suddenly she felt something happen to her plump belly, her wings unfolding to help keep balance. Whatever was happening felt like horrid cramps, a sense of a mother's intuition told her it was time. Quickly she hurried down the halls, using one of her wings to balance off the carved walls. She dearly hoped she did not run into Archen, he'd surely find out quickly. She called out gently to her nurses as she entered a bedroom that was sterile,clean and had plenty of space along with possible medical items. A light cream golden female perked her head gracefully towards the queen. "You're majesty, is everything alright?" The female spoke softly, power elegantly. Armata was starting to break a sweat, panting while leaning against the door way. Armata nodded her head as the female looked up as if asking permission to stand. "I-it's t- time." Armata studdered to say with worry. The female took this as permission to rush over, catching the queen quickly as she started to falter. "I'm her your majesty, quicly lets get you on the bed." The female spoke softly. Armata chuckled, closing her eyes as she was lead to the small and low bed. "T-thank you Val." Armata strained to say calmly. Val was very young, but she was exellent in the art of medical and delivers, which is why Armata hired her to live in the castle and make daily checkups. "Archen still doesn't know ma'am?" Val said, resting Armata on the bed, pulling up some blankets and a drink of water. "No, I was worried he'd act badly." Armata said starting to chuckle, gasping at the sudden pain. "Yes, I need to go find the others, don't worry Archen won't be coming, no males allowed." Val said quickly, before leaving as Armata gave the okay nod. Laying there waiting for Val's return, she was worried ,but Val knew what she was doing.
Archen strolled into the throne room, seeing if anymore foolish challengers dared to face him. What he say was the staff of the castle hurring around, speaking nonsense that he could care less about. 'Stupid staff.' Archen snarled internally in his mind. They appeared to notice him, seemingly stopping to take a bow before continuing in a group down a hall. Rolling his red pupilless eyes before sitting on his tall throne. The throne a shadow black, parts of it engraved with white kingdom symbols. It sat there for perhaps an hour, halfway through a challenger, younger than most had foolishly dared to take his place. Archen did not like that, he was so young, but still a threat. The young challenger was killed quickly as Archen was in a good mood and didn't want too much blood staining his elegant marble floors. Now he was busy cleaning the blood off his black hide, when a servant came in, looking tired and covered with blood, why blood? The black dakotian craned his head, narrowing his earie glowing eyes. "What did you do?" The king questioned curiously. The sight of this female covered in fresh blood made him sneer, no females shouldn't fight in Archen's opinion. She bowed quickly, hmm she was out of breath too. She spoke still staying in a bow, keeping her eyes off the king, she knew he was strict about these whole bowing rules "My king,  my lady;queen Armata seeks your presense. She has a surprise for you." Val spoke gently, she was obviously a bit scared of Archen. Raising a brow Archen looked genuinly surprised, but went into a more hostile expression "You didn't hurt her did you?" He questioned skeptically, lowering his head to glare at this female. "No, my king, but she has a surprise for you, I'm sure you'll feel your greatness and pride will go up tremendously!" Val ensured hopefully. "hmm, alright you may stand." Archen said boringly, standing taller and looking away. When Val stood up, she started to walk, leading her king towards where Armata was.
Armata let a few tears of both joy and pain escape her soft eyes. in her wings and paws was a baby, such a beautiful cub. "You're so handsom my son." Armata whispered in her cub's ear. The cub was muscular, his features were broad and powerful. The newborn flapped his wings with power, which made Armata chuckled, along with the other nurses. Her head lifted up to see Val in the doorway, a small unsure smile showed when Archen became visable. Her mate walking in with strong confident strides, his red eyes locked on Armata, who was keeping their child hidden behind her wings until Archen showed signs of gentleness. "Archen, I have a surprise for you." The queen said still slightly out of breath. Archen craned his head closer to his mate,his queen. "What could th-" Archen cut himself off as Armata unravled one of her wings, revealing the best possible surprise a male could ever hope for, a child, his child, his flesh and blood. Something snapped within Archen something that should be forbidden to see in his offspring. No, this child was male, and would surely challenge him, the mighty Archen for the throne. The king's face turned dark, his black fur standing on end, energry simmering off his hide. Archen did not see his son, he saw a threat, he saw an enemy, and he would make damn well sure no one would steal his throne, and this cub surely would be able to, with it's parent's blood running inside of him. Armata saw this, jerking off the bed, still holding her child in her paws just as Archen's claws went straight for her baby. "What are you doing!" Armata snapped, stepping away from her mate, fear was obvious. Archen snarled viciously, advancing towards his mate and the threat to his throne. The nurses that helped deliver the child were in defense mode, most being conflicted in attacking their king and saving the prince. Val rushed in front of Armata, spreading her orange wings, blocking her king's path. Oddly Archen said no word, he just laughed, unfolding his wings so they spread far and wide, smoke rising off his hide. Oh this felt so good to Archen this power, this no more attachment to his mate, who produced this danger to him, he now saw her as a threat. "My queen please let me handle this, I will keep both of you safe." Val said, turning her head to face her majesty in all her heavenly glory. Val was surprised to see Armata in her heaven dakotian form, the child clinging to the white fur. "Val, you won't be able to fight him, please take the prince." Armata said, gently handing over her child to Val, who seemed worried as the queen standing in front of her caretaker and child. "Archen this is your child, our child, how dare you attack him." Armata snapped, she had to protect her child, this instinct was forcing itself to act for her. Archen chuckled, which caused the bystanders to step away, only a few stepping closer, snarling, no one said they can't protect their queen, let along the new prince. The shadow dakotian wasn't going to put up with that, he spun around lunging at the closest nurse, tackling and pinning her to the ground. The trapt female screamed in terror, her life was about to end, and her king was the one to do it. Archen raised a paw up, quickly letting loose his claws to the dakotian's neck. A snap of bones sounded along with the squish of blood, the life quickly left the eyes of the now dead dakotian. The emotional moment of seeing the death of a fellow nurse flashed on all of them, but it was short lived, before they knew it Archen was executing all of them. One of two managed to fight their fear and run to Val's side, checking on the child carefully before beging  the queen to retreat for it wasn't safe. Armata watched in horror, her mate was acting so odd, and she must protect her subjects and newborn. She too would surely get punished for interfering and getting in the king's way. Archen turned to face his mate, any love he'd had for her was now gone, and with that he lunged.
Hours and hours passed, the clean sterile birthing location  that took place in a bedroom was now filthy with blood and bodies. Armata's blood and fur was everywhere, and so was Archen's. Val had offered to take off with Armata's child but Archen was not allowing anyone to leave, so Val held on tight to the prince, moving into a corner far away from the fight. One of the nurses that had escaped the first massaqure was dead, she had rushed in to help her queen, fearlessly meeting her end. Archen landed a strong blow to Armata's chest, claws plunging mercilessly into her chest, leaving a gaping hole asArchen's red claws retracted. No Armata wouldn't go out like this! She stood up quickly, making her way backwards towards Val and her baby, she couldn't die, she couldn't leave her child motherless, but fatherless was just as bad. "Archen Stop!" Armata cried out desperaty, still her mate dared not to speak a word, letting a manical chuckle escape his jaws. "HE'S A THREAT!" Archen roared out, causing the windows of the room to shatter into a million peices. Armata shook her head, denying that her mate has turned apon her, the kingdom, their family! "No.." She whimpered, tears sliding down off her cheeks. "Yes.." Archen snarled, lunging towards her with no mercy. Armata was poisoned by such a simple word, she couldn' t move, she couldn't do it. To kill her mate was a sin so great it would never be lifted in her mind. Armata looked behind her, seeing Val, frozen, eyes widened  in fear, clutching the child closely to her chest, the baby's eyes opened and on it's mother, and father, curious yet pure innocenes was all Armata saw. "Stay strong, this is just the slice of life..." Armata said deadly calm, her blue eyes widening as she felt a fatal stroke diving into her heart, at the hands of Archen. She gasped for air. 'This is it...' Armata thought, clutching Archen's paw, tears rolling down her hide. She turned from white to golden, eyes glazing over. "Stay strong my child." Armata spoke, falling to the floor, those innocent eyes devoid of any emotions, the cub knew not what was happening. Val gasped, holding her breath, she clutched the prince even closer brining him up to her neck, using her wings to hide his eyesfrom the horrid scene. Archen jerked away his paws, letting his now dead mate's to fall to the ground. The red eyes turned from his mate Armata to Val and his offspring, he grinned, strutting over with utter slowness. "Y-you monster... MURDERER!" Val started to say shakingly, before roaring out at the end. Putting down the cub she stepped aside, snarling and crying at the same time. "Oh please." Archen said, focusing his attention on the cub who was wobbling trying to go to his dead mother. Val charged the king, coming within inches of him, he didn't seem interested in Val, leaping out of the way. Archen turned his head towards Val, who missed him entierly, making his way towards the helpless cub, he's helpless now,  but he won't be when he is older. Val roared at him, her roar no where near the strength of the mighty king's, she was making her way to him. "Enough!" Archen spoke in a narssasistic voice, grinning like a sadistic beast. Spinning around Archen used his wing to knock Val back, hearing such a nice grunt and a snap of a bone. Val reeled back. one of her shoulders was broken, her wing and leg of the same side drapping to the floor. Archen smiled at her, turning around to look at his son, what? The cub had made his way to Armata's corpse, nuzzling his body against his mother's face, crying out as any baby would for their mother. Archen frowned, he couldn't believe he'd killed his mate, but at the same time it felt liberating, no one could stand against him now. No one! Soon the cub will join his mother. Letting loose a roar, the shadow dakotian charged his son, who was now looking him dead in the eyes. The king hesitated when eye contact was made, so innocent, so clueless... what was he doing? Archen started to let tears appear on his cheeks, quickly shaking the sinful heavy emotion and it lifted into one of joy, laughing loudly as a cloud of black smoke became more visable. The next second Archen lunged, he felt so powerful, more power than he'd ever thought imaginable, it was... consuming. Wait it was consuming him. Archen felt his body becoming a shadow itself. 'NO!' he thought, 'Just a little longer!' he thought. Almost upon the cub now, a single claw of his cut straight through his eye in a horizontal cut. The cub yelped, hiding under the wing of his mother. Archen was just about to finish him off as the thick cloud suddenly acted on its own, swallowing the shadow dakotian whole. A boom sound was heard as Archen vanished into smoke, the remains of the cloud disapaited slowly. Val froze up, trying to figure out what was happening. Quickly deciding her king was gone, she rushed over, picking up the cub, touching his wounded eye squined shut, the cut would surely scar. "A slice of life..." Val mumbled Armata's final words under her breath. The cut was a clean slice across his forehead down to his cheek. "Slice... youre name shall honer your mother." Val spoke softly, tears coming out once agan, she ran her paw along his head with pure gentleness. Val felt pure pity for him, only hours old and watched both his parents die, if Archen ever really did... She new she had to step up, try to be a parent figure for him. Val named him to honor his mother's last words... they were Armata's favorite words of wisdom, a slice of life.
Image size
2900x3400px 410.47 KB
© 2016 - 2024 Redwolfless
Comments1
Join the community to add your comment. Already a deviant? Log In
Redwolfless's avatar
Shh I might use this portrait for Ask Archen Anything xD I love his expression so much! I must keep practicing!