Animus magic

Template:SpoilerToPAnimus Dragons are born with magic powers over physical objects, and if they put in enough energy and are desperate enough, small animals and other dragons. SeaWings, NightWings, SandWings, SkyWings, and IceWings have been confirmed to have (or have had) animus dragons. Qibli said SandWings and SkyWings haven't had animus powers in many years, hinting that they might have had animus dragons once. SkyWings once had animus dragons, but they were proclaimed to be too dangerous and the bloodline was killed off. In Darkstalker Legends, Princess Sunset claims that they kill any animus dragons in the SkyWing tribe, because they are too powerful to live. IceWings lost their animus bloodline with the supposed "kidnapping" of Prince Arctic, their last animus over 2,000 years ago. There has been no inclination that RainWings or MudWings can have animus dragons, although it is said to be genetic by the IceWings. Sandwings did have an animus once a young dragonet name Jerboa who ran away in court after reviling his or her secret and was either a fugitive or dead. They also have one now who appeared momentarily in Talons of Power when Darkstalker summons all animus' to his throne room, but they quickly dissappeared.

Abilities

Animus dragons can enchant objects to do nearly anything. Some examples include levitating, creating an object that can visit someone's dreams, forcing an entire structure to collapse, finding a specific dragon, to even controlling another dragon's movement and thought, even if the animus dragons themselves aren't fully aware of their powers. However, every time an animus dragon uses his or her power, they lose an increasing bit of their soul and risk losing their minds, and going insane.

Animus History

• Albatross: A SeaWing animus dragon named Albatross built the SeaWing pavilion in the Summer Palace over the course of a decade before going mad and trying to kill everyone in sight including his family. This event was known as the Royal SeaWing Massacre.
• Princess Anemone: Anemone, a daughter of Queen Coral used her magic for various things, including, but not limited to, a spear to find Whirlpool and spell on Auklet's harness. She was enchanted to be an animus dragon by her brother Turtle.
• Prince Arctic: Darkstalker's father, an IceWing prince that fell in love with a NightWing named Foeslayer, and he knew he could never be with her unless he ran away from his tribe. He used his animus power to enchant an earring that would keep Foeslayer warm in cold climates and safe from danger as long as she wore it. A few days before his "Gifting Ceremony", Foeslayer and Arctic slipped out of the Ice Kingdom together. He used his power again to help Foeslayer escape with him. The two ran away to the Night Kingdom, and they had two eggs: Darkstalker and Whiteout. Darkstalker claims that his father used his power behind the backs of the other IceWings and was already insane. He also claims he had no choice but to kill him.

• Chameleon: Though not actually an animus, he used Darkstalker's Scroll to change himself and other dragons forms. Chameleon was formerly the companion of Ex-Queen Scarlet.

• Darkstalker: A half NightWing, half IceWing animus, born also with strong powers of mindreading and seeing the future. Although he put all of his animus power in a scroll, or talisman, he also created the three dreamvisitors, and eventually became obsessed with power and attempted to take over the tribe as king. He killed his father, Prince Arctic by enchanting him to follow his commands and then ordered him to disembowel himself. His beloved, Clearsight, and his best friend, Fathom, tricked him with an animus-touched bracelet and was put into sleep for 2,000 years. In Moon Rising, he attempted to show Moon that he wasn't evil like how everyone else thought of him.

• Queen Diamond: She created the chains to Foeslayer's prison. She also gave the IceWings the gift of healing. She created five narwhal horn spears that, if touched to a frostbreath injury, would heal it. She was an IceWing Queen that ruled approximately 2,000 years ago. She enchanted Foeslayer's chains so that she could be killed multiple times over and over again. The chains could be set free though, but only by the frost breath of a member of the royal IceWing family.

• Prince Fathom: an Animus SeaWing, best friend of Darkstalker until he tricked him into an enchanted sleep. He swore to his sister never to use his powers after the Royal SeaWing Massacre, but used them once to stop Darkstalker, and another time to save his other best friend, Indigo, although he was fearful about using his power due to the effects it might have on him.
• Princess Frostbite: An IceWing princess that made the Moon Globe Tree, the Gift of Light. However, she was only mentioned, so there's no explanation of her history.
• Jerboa: Jerboa, a SandWing from the time of Darkstalker was the first known SandWing animus. He ran away after he was sentenced to death by Queen Scorpion because of the lack of knowlege on animus dragons.
• Princess Orca: An Animus SeaWing, she had enchanted one of her sculptures of herself to kill other female dragons in her bloodline, so she could rule forever. After challenging her mother, Queen Coral, for the throne, she died. Queen Coral put her enchanted sculpture in the underwater Royal Hatchery, where it proceeded to crush the Queen's eggs.
• Penguin: An animus IceWing who created the gift of diplomacy.
• Stonemover: A NightWing animus, Stonemover, figured out a way to transfer the soul loss into his scales, gradually turning them into stone. He described it as "turning the magic upon itself". However, he was already weak from creating tunnels that lead to the Kingdom of Sand and the RainWing Kingdom. Stonemover enchanted a fox named Dinner to bring him the food he needs, for he is too weak to do it himself. He may have created the Obsidian Mirror, and did something to it when he left so that it didn't work as well.
• Prince Turtle: Keeping his powers a secret like his deceased sister, Orca, he claimed he only enchanted small things, like for instance a river stone he enchanted to heal flesh and muscle wounds in Escaping Peril. In Talons of Power Darkstalker takes away Turtle's Animus power.
• Unknown: In Talons of Power, Darkstalker summoned all animuses, one of which was a female SandWing who disappeared before Darkstalker could see her.

Effects

Albatross died after he went insane and was stopped by a spear to his chest, the spear was said to be enchanted by Prince Fathom. Stonemover enchanted his body to slowly turn into stone when he used his powers instead of him losing his soul. It is unknown if Thorn has noticed that he is dying. Orca partially proved her insanity and hunger for power when she enchanted her statue that was supposed to kill any female eggs and female dragons of royal blood so she could rule forever.. Princess Anemone went completely insane in book nine, although she is fine again thanks to Turtle. Dragons going insane were described to have "hooded eyes" right before their soul breaks. Although there are many examples of animus dragons who remain sane after use of Animus magic. Prince Fathom seems to remain entirely sane after saving Indigo's life and enchanting Darkstalker's bracelet. The number of enchantments an animus dragon can make before going insane may vary, shown in case of Princess Anemone and Prince Turtle.

Known Animus Dragons

• Albatross (SeaWing)
• Anemone (artificial animus) (SeaWing)
• Arctic (IceWing)
• Darkstalker (NightWing/IceWing hybrid)
• Diamond (IceWing)
• Fathom (SeaWing)
• Frostbite (IceWing)
• Jerboa (SandWing)
• Orca (SeaWing)
• Penguin (IceWing)
• Stonemover (NightWing)
• Turtle (SeaWing)

Trivia

• Animus genes run in the royal family of the SeaWings, and used to in the IceWings. This is likely because royal families are better protected and when the first Animus dragons appeared, they were the ones who could command others because of their power and their subjects' fear of it.
• The actual definition of animus is motivation to do something (enchantment of objects in the books), a hostile or ill feeling (The effect of the use of powers on an animus dragon), and a term for the masculine part of a woman's personality.
• The IceWings genetically bred animus magic into their dragons and set up a system so every animus only uses their powers once so they don't go insane. Queen Diamond did not follow this law.
• Animus dragons often feel a tingly feeling in their claws as shown by both Darkstalker in "Legends", and Turtle in "Talons of Power".

Gallery

• File:Darkstalker.JPG
• File:Orca headshot.png
• File:Prince albatross01.png
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• File:Stonemover&sunny.jpg
• Stonemover
  Stonemover
• Queen Diamond
  Queen Diamond
• Turtle
  Turtle
• Darkstalker
  Darkstalker
• Darkstalker as seen in history scroll
  Darkstalker as seen in history scroll
• Albatross as seen in history scroll
  Albatross as seen in history scroll
• 
  Fathom
• 
  Darkstalker, Fathom, and Arctic are Animi. By Sahel.
• Anemone
  Anemone