Dododex

ARK: Survival Evolved & Ascended Companion

Creatures of Nightmares

Chapter.. 23?

Well, this is after Astra and Apollo were hanging out.

The group of five wolves had just been chasing each other when the stopped and sat down in a circle.

“This is tiring, but it’s nice to not feel stressed for a couple days,” Pax said.

Everyone else nodded, out of breath.

“So this is what the five brave wolves are doing? Sitting around playing games?” A voice sneered.

All the wolves turned to see Shadow.

“Why do you always chase us around?” Prince snarled. All the wolves had stood up. Shadow circled around them until he sat across from the wolves. The cliff was on his right.

Prince wanted to step forward but Apollo stopped him. “Astra needs you.” He whispered in Prince’s ear, then stepped forward.

“You want them, you get through me.”

Shadow laughed. “You can’t beat me.” But Apollo could, in a way. Then he ran toward his son, snarling. Astra and the others watched, Prince and Pax ready to make sure she didn’t run in to stop Apollo. Even Reign was ready to stop Astra.

Apollo dodged his father and clawed his left shoulder. Shadow pulled him off angrily, making Apollo’s back bleed.

Shadow used his manipulation to create matter. Flames suddenly danced around the two, but Apollo didn’t care. He knew they were an illusion.

Apollo jumped on his father’s back and sunk his teeth into his neck. Shadow roared in pain and anger, and threw him off his back.

Shadow tore at his son’s chest, and after a few swipes Apollo, in pain, rolled away and jumped back on his father’s back. His blood drenched his father’s black fur as he bit his shoulders.

Shadow threw him off his back again, this time going too far. Apollo skidded across the cliff rock, and his back legs dangled. His claws scrambled, trying to find a hold. And then he stopped, barely holding himself up to look at Astra.

“No!” She yelled and tried to run toward him, but was stopped by the other three wolves. Tears rolled down her cheeks.

Shadow looked at his son, with a slightly scared expression. “Astra..” Apollo whispered. “I.. I.. love.. you..”

With one last breath his claws slipped on the cliff and he fell down, his body landing on hard rock below it with a crack.

Shadow ran to the edge of the cliff. “No.. no, no..” he whispered.

Astra sobbed.

Shadow’s fur changed to a brown lighter than Pax’s. He was younger and smaller. When he was Shadow, Ridley hadn’t aged.

Before Adira had left, she had Apollo. Apollo was the only thing keeping Shadow alive.

So he had to die. Apollo had to die to find the fifth prophecy wolf. Ridley.

“Don’t you understand, Astra?” Prince whispered. “The Night was never Shadow.. it was always Adira.”

Astra became furious and threw herself out of the wolves’ grasp. “You knew?!” She spat angrily. Tears still rolled down her white face.

The three wolves nodded. “When you were off with Apollo, the Power of the Beyond informed us. He couldn’t tell you. You would’ve done anything to stop it.”

Astra fell to the ground and sobbed. Ridley still sat at the cliff edge, looking at Apollo’s bleeding body.

And then his body was floating up to the cliff and went past Ridley and the other wolves. Astra sat up and watched.

A glimmering purple paw touched Apollo’s back. “Ah.. the powers of manipulation.. what a nice touch.”

It was Adira. With her magic, she thrust Apollo’s dead body to the side. “Isn’t it funny how someone’s death can make two lovers young again?” She chuckled.

“Shut up,” Ridley said, still looking down at the cliff. “You were the reason I became Shadow.” He turned. “I became a monster because of YOU! I ruined so many people’s live and you just watched!”

Adira laughed to herself. “Oh, Ridley. I made you a better version of you. Come on, look at my magic. I’ve got my fire, manipulation now, and I’ve even gotten those Ice powers and the other power to control.. what was it? Oh yes. Vines.”

“I presume you killed wolves to get them?”

“Oh, Shadow.. sometimes we have to make a sacrifice.”

“Don’t call me that!” He roared.

Adira ran straight for him when Pax slowed time and made the five wolves disappear, along with Apollo’s body.

Adira snarled in anger.

###

The five wolves were transported under the ice bridge Astra had been to so long ago. And then her gaze went to Apollo. “I figured we should bury him,” Pax said quietly. Ridley and the other wolves nodded and began digging.

A few hours later, they lowered Apollo’s dead body into a hole, and covered him with dirt and snow.

Astra’s swirls on her back and sides glowed, creating an ice tombstone that said:

Here lies Apollo, the hero

who made a great sacrifice.

May he rest in peace with

the Power of the Beyond.

All the wolves lowered their heads. “Should we say something?” Prince asked, his voice cracking.

Astra nodded and began to speak.

“Apollo.. this all started when you suddenly contacted me just to tell me some information. But you became my friend.” She paused and laughed sadly. “I got excited to meet you, even, -DiploLover24