PROLOGUE – PART I

AVALAR

Just one more hit! One more and he's down!

Ripto flew rapidly around Spyro, mounted on his robotic pterodactyl. Green balls of destructive energy, flailing from his staff towards Spyro. Spyro dodged them, evading left and right, up and down, breathing devastating balls of fire from his mouth in Ripto's direction.

"YOU CAN'T STOP ME LITTLE DRAGON, THE RULER OF RIPTOPIA FALLS TO NO ONE!"

"Bring it on, shortie," Spyro muttered under his breathe. Sparx the dragonfly was flying close to Spyro's head, doing everything he could to prevent Ripto's attacks from hitting Spyro.

"Another one coming!" he said to Spyro, Spyro took a quick sharp turn to the right, just dodging the ball of energy.

"ARGH!" Ripto shrieked in anger, "WHY CAN'T I HIT HIM?" While he was having a tantrum, Spyro seized the opportunity, and send what felt like the hundredth fireball in Ripto's direction. With a powerful explosion and a shrieking wail, Ripto was knocked backwards off of the robotic bird, which was now in pieces, tumbling down into the pool of lava.

"CURSE YOU DRAAAGON-" the final words of Ripto shrieked, as the lava consumed him.

"Spyro, up there!" Sparx shrieked. Spyro looked up, spinning in the air only meters above him was Ripto's staff. Spyro quickly and shakily caught it in his mouth. "Nice catch," Sparx laughed, "let's get out of here." Spyro nodded, and together they flew towards the opening to the arena, and touched back down.

Spyro dropped the staff onto the concrete with a clunk, and instantly, the golden wood that held the large red gem shattered, and evaporated. The red gem rolled across the concrete in front of Spyro's feet.

"Well I guess we can't use that,' Spyro laughed, but just as he finished, the gem began to hover, along with Spyro's guidebook that Elora had given him. The two objects collided, and a shockwave of light erupted around them, disappearing through all of the walls of the arena. "Come on Sparx, the other will be waiting outside."

Following the shockwaves direction, Spyro and Sparx headed back out the main entrance to the top of the Winter Tundra castle stairs. The Ripto banners burst into flames, and the Seasonal Realms banners evaporated through the brick walls above the city, back to their shining glory.

Spyro looked down and saw Elora, Hunter, the Professor and Moneybags all waiting for him and Sparx in front of the Super-Portal. He charged down to greet his friends.

"I don't think we can ever thank you enough, Spyro," Elora cheered, leaning over to give him a big kiss on the cheek. "I suppose you have to go now?" She said disappointingly.

"Yeah, I better, they'll be missing me in the Dragon worlds," he said, thinking of his family and friends. "And anyway, I've still got a vacation to take. I need it more than ever now."

"Before you go, I think Moneybags has something that he wants to give you," Elora said, squinting her eyes towards Moneybags.

"Hmm?" Moneybags grunted, "I most certainly do not."

"Hunter?" On Elora's command, Hunter leapt over to Moneybags and tackled him over, Moneybags' large sack of gems tumbled out of his grasp, sprawling the stunning treasure all mover the concrete. Spyro could have sworn he heard a whimper of despair coming from Moneybags' direction.

"Spyro, Moneybags is very sorry he made you pay so much on your journey, isn't he?" she said loudly.

"Hmm, I s- suppose," Moneybags half-whispered.

"He wants you to keep the gems as a reward for helping us here."

"Wow, thanks Elora. Sparx, can you grab 'em?" Sparx nodded and quickly picked up the hundred of gems from the floor, blowing a particularly satisfying raspberry at Moneybags as he did so.

"Now, onto the important things," The Professor squeakily said. He marched over to the side of the Super Portal, and lifted up a hidden latch revealing a little control pad. "Let me just type in the new co-ordinates," he mumbled, looking back and forth between his clipboard and the control pad. "There, all done! Spyro, you can now go to Dragon Shores." A pearly, blue and purple colour-palette morphed within the massive arch, forming the portal to Dragon Shores.

"Hey, why don't you guys come with me?" Spyro said hopefully to his friends. "I bet you could use a holiday?"

"I'd love to, Spyro! But I'm afraid we can't. Ripto may be gone but he caused a lot of damage in his short stay, we're going to be cleaning up for weeks! Just remember that you can always come back to Avalar through Dragon Shores if you wanna visit."

"Aw okay, well come on Sparx, we've got a lot of vacation to catch up on!"

"We'll let you know if we need anymore help, Spyro!" Hunter called.

"Have fun," The Professor said.

"Bye Spyro, we'll miss you!"

Spyro and Sparx ran forwards towards the portal, the familiar feeling pouring over them, as they glided through to Dragon Shores.