If he were pressed, he would not be able to say why he returns to this place time and again. Those with no understanding would claim it is because it is a home to him. The place of his birth. Familiar in a way few other places can be. But that would be a lie. It is not sentiment that draws him. He is not a sentimental creature, and it would be foolish to mistake him as such. It would attribute to him a softness that does not exist.
Familiarity, perhaps, but even that is only a vaguely distant reason. He holds familiarity with many places.
The closest perhaps, is the power of this place. It is kin, in a way. Closer than anywhere else he has found - and he has found many. But the barren, near desolate wasteland before him? It is a reflection, mirroring something deep inside that he cannot hope to put words to. So long as this place exists, he will likely return. Even so, it could crumble into the ocean just as it had risen from it, and he would not feel grief or loss. It is not that kind of place to him, nor would it ever be. But it is kindred, and for a creature as fickle as Darkling, that is enough.
He is alone as he walks across the cracked, inhospitable land, dark eyes scanning the landscape, murky despite the moon glowing above. A single figure, stepping with the weight of familiarity and confidence of a creature who knows no fear. But then, he is never truly alone, despite the deceptive appearance. It’s impossible for him to be alone. Not when he carries armies in his own shadows.
As he nears the river, he realizes he is not the only one. His attention shifts, a single shape disconnecting from a nearby shadow before scrambling forward. The creature climbs with ease along a craggy cliff. When it reaches the top, it scrambles forward in unnatural silence until it reaches a sharp overhang, eerie yellow eyes peering down at the stranger passing beneath.
Further down, Darkling continues, his steps unchanging until he rounds a bend and finds himself face-to-face with the other stallion. He eyes the stranger, a faint grin twisting his lips. Yet, he says nothing. Instead, he stares, head tilting slightly, as though waiting for something more.
you're burning up the sky, you're a constellation
I think that I could die for this revelation