Flame burst into Treen's office with enough force to make the RainWing jump back, blue and green appearing temporarily on her scales as she reeled back.

"Flame!" She called, rushing to his side as she saw him half and curl to the floor, shaking. She stopped before touching him. Flame guessed she knew that wouldn't end well.

"Would I hurt her like I hurt Ardor?" He wondered as he clenched his claws. "I don't think so. But my talons have a mind of their own right now, and I don't think I'd have the strength to argue with them."

"What happened? Can you tell me?" She asked, lowering herself to move closer to him.

Flame felt his head rush through everything. He felt just like he did when he got scarred, and when Viper died. He guessed the word for that feeling was "on edge", as Rail had suggested when they had talked on their flight back.

But somehow, he felt more than that right now. Someone was still trying to get him incriminated. Rail and the others (he didn't dare think of them as potential friends anymore) seemed to have become like everyone else who believed he was a vicious backstabber and murderer.

He felt just like he did at Jade Mountain Academy, as the dreamvisitor was being ripped from his satchel, his claws still covered in Stonemover's blood as dragons stared at him with the bewilderment of someone who had just been betrayed.

But he hadn't been in control.

Or had he been?

Was Darkstalker right?

Was he really... the "darkness of dragons"?

—/—

Treen stayed next to Flame for what felt like centuries before he unfolded from his wings again.

He was still shaken, his eyes wet with the tears he'd tried to fight back but later accepted. And judging from the RainWing analyst's expression, he must have looked as wrecked as he felt.

"Hello, Flame," she said softly, so as to not startle him. He looked back at her but felt no desire to answer back.

"Flame... can I do anything for you? Anything at all?" She offered after a few moments, tilting her head as swirls of blue appeared on her wings.

"Sadness. Is she feeling bad for me? Still?" He realized as he read her scales, fury overtaking him for a second at the thought of the RainWing feeling pity for him.

"No." He growled, ripping his glance away from hers and standing up slowly, his talons feeling heavier than usual.

"Well, whatever brought you here, we can talk about it," Treen offered again, without moving. "I do have a meeting in a few minutes, but I can move it, or ask someone to help you out-"

"I don't need your help!" Flame snarled at once, twisting to face her, pain raging through his mind and body.

If Treen was taken aback, she didn't let it show. Her body was anchored in position, her scales the usual muted brown and purple.

Her eyes were like deep pools, unreadable and placid. But Flame knew that his eyes were probably as blazing with rage as the rest of his body felt.

"What happened to you, Flame?" She asked again tilting her head.

So many things had happened. He didn't have time to think about any of them. He couldn't feel any of them at this moment.

"Nothing happened," he spat, his voice low.

Seeing that Treen was unmoved by what he said, he faced her once again, raising his snout.

"I didn't need medics fussing over me, or friends worrying or hating me, or mind-pokers asking questions," he paused, before hissing, "I don't need help from anyone. I don't need help at all."

Treen looked at him for a moment, before saying, "but your friends care about you, Flame." She paused, taking a step forward before adding, "and I'm here to listen to you, and to try to understand you. You asked me that."

Flame felt a lot of things. He felt lucky to not be a RainWing, or his scales would be all sorts of messed up at this moment.

"You don't know me," Flame growled, narrowing his eyes at the analyst.

"Then let me get to know you," Treen said, extending her talon, "let me try to help you. Whatever happened, we can face this. You can face this"

Flame wanted to say yes. He knew it would be the easier, more obvious path to take. It was standing right in front of him. He'd said yes to Ardor asking him to stay, to Placoid wanting them to talk, to Rail offering to go to Sanctuary with him. He'd even said yes to Treen, when she'd previously given him a chance to try facing his past, together.

But right now, that past was staring back at him. Viper's death was looming over him once more. And he could hear Darkstalker's voice slithering through the webs of his mind.

"No. I can't," he declared, turning the other way, and taking a step towards the exit to Treen's office.

The enchanted earring felt heavier as he walked, reminding him once more of what he was being accused of.

"Why did you come here?"

Treen's question surprised him. He didn't expect her to try stopping him from leaving. Or to be blindsided by a question in a moment like this.

"What?" he asked, turning towards her once more.

Treen's ruff had white spots over it now, a color he'd rarely seen on any RainWing scales before. Except for when they were in pain.

"Why did you come here, to my office?" she asked, once again. "Why here, instead of anywhere else in Summit Central?"

"Because it was the place I felt the safest in," his mind whispered.

"It was closer than my cave. I needed somewhere quiet to... ground myself. To stop me from bursting," he stammered, half-lying as he flicked his tail impatiently, "but I especially didn't need your help... mind-poker."

Treen raised her snout as he hissed the last words, her expression looking different from usual. Something had hit her, and he could see it from how quickly her ruff turned from white to orange.

"Fine," Treen said, and she grabbed a few scrolls from her desk. "You can stay in this room if you wish. But I have a meeting, and I won't stick around to be called names."

She walked past him, her steps quiet and calculated. Flame couldn't help but notice that she was limping quicker than usual, almost as if trying to leave faster.

"Did I mean what I said? I did. Maybe. No. She isn't bad. You're bad. Dangerous. Dark," he thought. "This is your fault. You break everything you touch. You don't let anyone close. And eventually...they all leave."

"I hope you figure everything out, Flame," she said, stopping at the exit. "I hope you face what troubles you. I hope you free yourself from your demons. And if I can't help you, if nobody can help you... then I just hope you can help yourself."

And with that, she was gone.

Leaving Flame to feel hurt, upset, and alone.

"Treen said to face my demons," he thought, bringing a talon up to his scar. He brushed his claws past it, feeling his scales leave way to the torn tissue. He traced the claw downwards, feeling it draw a downwards line.

Until it reached something he couldn't feel. Something that wasn't scales or bone or flesh.

Something that was made of metal and gemstone.

The amber earring sent cold chills through his talons, as he held it still.

He paused, before letting his talons walk him towards his cave.

Flint, Morrowseer, Viper, Darkstalker - everyone who'd hurt him.

It was time to get rid of his demons.

"It is time to get rid of it all."