The Legend of Spyro: Shattered World
His army was wiped out, Hunter was wounded, and his enemy stood tall and unscathed.
Spyro was lying on his side on the ground, his armor battered and his scales torn. He felt his wounded belly with his paw. He brought it up in front of his face and saw crimson dripping from it. Distant sounds of muskets firing dominated the otherwise silent battlefield where the booms of cannons and cries of war were silenced. Smoke from the ignited gunpowder continued to linger in the air, mixed with the smell of blood.
Next to Spyro was the body of a fallen cheetah soldier whose head was lopped off and was lying face first in a pool of blood next to a broken halberd. A banner of the Alliance Army - the symbol of hope and recovery - burned next a pile of crates that stored gunpowder. Burning embers flitted about in the air, dancing to the soft easterly wind that blew away the smell of blood and gunpowder. Spyro struggled to get up but when he got back on his feet, he swayed a bit and fell on his side again. His vision was getting blurry and his head was dizzy.
"Is this the end?" he asked himself softly. "I've failed my duty…to recover this world from darkness."
Through his blurry vision, he saw Hunter drag himself across the ground with his sword. He tore off his helmet and threw it aside. The helmet rolled down a small slope and came to rest on a pile of dead moles and cheetahs. Another figure came into his field of vision, this time a large dark slender silhouette the shape of a dragon. It walked past Hunter, not bothering to finish off the wounded cheetah warrior. He was too weak to fight back and the dragon knew it. It walked towards Spyro instead and it approached him menacingly.
"What is there to fight for now? The Alliance is broken…and you've betrayed us," Spyro said as the dragon picked him up by the armor's collar with one claw and brought him to face level.
Spyro found himself staring at a pair of glowing white eyes. It had a familiar look to it yet that familiarity was surrounded by an aura of feral and darkness. He struggled to keep his eyes open. Blood continued to flow from his open wound and it dripped on the headless cheetah's body. The dragon growled at him but Spyro was not afraid. He held his head up and gave the dragon a mournful look.
"Please, I don't want to…fight you…it's…too painful…to remember," Spyro said, his speech getting slurred as he began to lose consciousness.
"My master has plans for you, Spyro. Soon…we will be united again and this realm is ours to rule. You said you cared…now is the chance to prove that. Join me," the dragon said.
Spyro gave a weak laugh and coughed out a bit of blood. "You must have me…mistaken…Cynder…I love you…but…being evil can only get our…relationship this far."
Cynder's eyes furrowed but she grinned, showing two rows of razor teeth. "I can take it further and you don't have to worry about doing all the work. Sleep tight…my love…I will see you when you're awake."
She engulfed Spyro in a dark shroud and Spyro's eyelids finally closed. Before he lost consciousness, he heard renewed gunshots and that slowly faded into nothingness as he slipped into a coma.
Chapter 1
12 months earlier
New Warfang was the site of a great celebration. It was the 10th year since Spyro and Cynder saved the world from destruction and creatures from all across the realms came to celebrate the heroism of the two young dragons and to commemorate those who fell during the war against Malefor. It was also the time to celebrate the complete reconstruction of Warfang. When the world broke apart, it tore the city up as well. It took the moles, cheetahs, and dragons a long time to rebuild the city but now, with the last stone laid on the Citadel's domed roof, there was much to celebrate for.
The streets were packed with the survivors of the cataclysm. Dragons, cheetahs, moles, atlawas, manweersmalls, and host of other sentient races came to the city to celebrate. It was officially declared by the Alliance Council as Barud Viir, Victory Day. The city's plaza was a place of celebrations with streamers and confetti flying around everywhere. Twenty-One moles and cheetahs musketeers stood in front of the citadel, firing off their muskets amidst the loud cheering and whistling as dragon soldiers clad in full armor marched into the plaza. They were followed by cheetah warriors and mole soldiers, each wearing the armor of their respective races. The band played a song of victory with drums rolling and trumpets sounding alongside the oboes and horns. The soldiers marched to the beat of the band and displayed spectacular coordination. Behind the marching band were the flag carriers and in their hands, they carried the flags and banners bearing the symbol of a circle with five spokes, the symbol of a united realm.
Perhaps the icing on the cake was the appearance of the two saviors of the world: Spyro and Cynder. They too were clad in colorful ceremonial armor, seated on a beautifully decorated cart drawn by two dragon guards. They waved to the crowd, their smiles were wide as well. Ten long years of labor to rebuild what was lost all accumulated in this glorious moment. The crowd went wild as the two young dragons took to the skies to display their aerial prowess, impressing the crowds with sharp twists, turns, and near misses. Fireworks exploded above them and illuminated the night sky in a spectacular display of colors. On the ground, the moles fired fireworks rocket from their iron rocket launchers. Big ones, small ones, long ones, and short ones. All were fired in sequence that created a symphony of colors and sounds.
With the military parade over, it was immediately followed by a speech from Terrador, who was newly appointed Grand Councilor of the Alliance Council. The crowd went silent as the last soldier fell in line. From his podium on the citadel's tower, he spoke to the crowd in a loud voice. Spyro and Cynder took their place in the middle of the crowd and they sat next to an orange bandicoot that was busy eating a fruit. The bandicoot offered Spyro a fruit which the purple dragon politely declined. Behind Spyro and Cynder, several young cheetahs wanted to get close to them so they could see the two saviors. They were elated when Cynder turned around and gave them the sweetest smile.
"My fellow inhabitants of this realm," Terrador said in a booming baritone voice. "We've labored for the past 9 years to rebuild our lives. Many have lost their lives before and during the cataclysm and we were uncertain whether we would make it past the Day of Judgment. Alas, the gods smiled upon us. We lived, we were saved, we were given the task of bringing forth a new Age. We owe our eternal gratitude to the two young dragons, Spyro and Cynder, who went beyond basic heroism to defeat the Dark Master and his armies. They labored with us to bring back our lives and for more than 9 years, we struggled but it has all come down to this day when we let out our triumph and joy in this wonderful day! We not only celebrate this day as the day we triumphed over evil, we also commemorate those who were killed during the war and cataclysm. They shall forever be remembered in our hearts and let our survival be a comfort to their souls, letting them know we're continuing their legacy and goals for a better life. Therefore, fellow inhabitants of Dragon Realms, I bid you all a great night. Go, be at peace with each other and enjoy yourselves. May the Ancestors watch over us all."
Terrador turned away from the podium as the crowd cheered loudly and the band resumed playing the victory music. Cyril and Volteer were there to greet him along a newly appointed fire guardian, Ignisia.
"Quite a speech you've given there, Terrador. Was that all ad lib?" Cyril asked when Terrador approached them.
"I've lost the script so I had to make up a speech," Terrador said. "This ceremonial armor's getting very itchy," he complained while trying to scratch his back.
"You've done a good job at that," Volteer remarked. "I've never seen a leader come up with such an impromptu elaborate speech. Why, not even Ignitus can pull that off."
"I'm sure he could," Terrador muttered while he removed his ceremonial headpiece. "Ignisia," he said and turned his attention to the new guardian. "I know we didn't go through a formal initiation ceremony for you as the newly appointed fire guardian due to time constraints so would you like to have one tomorrow?
Ignisia waved her paw dismissively and said, "It's no big deal, Terrador, I'm not one for ceremonies and formalities. To be honest with you, I hate them."
Terrador smiled. "I guess that saves us more time. We need to have a council session in a couple of days and we need all the time we can get. There's much to be done around here and we need to start enforcing the northern borders as well." His expression turned grim and he said, "I don't know how it's possible but the Apes have established a kingdom in the northern reaches and Dante's Freezer. They've not made any moves yet but I want to keep an eye on them just in case."
"I thought the lot of them got cursed by Malefor," Cyril said softly. "How did some of them survive that curse?"
"I have two hypothetical theories to that answer Cyril," Volteer interjected. "My first theory, is that, due to the curse the Dark master bestowed upon them, it might of been possible that the curse may been uplifted following his defeat, returning them to their standard selves. My second hypothesis is that other Ape clans from the East have travelled across to our regional area. Quite possibly, they sailed over to form their own independent kingdom. Worst case scenario, the cursed Apes were restored to their normal selves and joined up with their eastern kin."
Cyril rubbed his icy chin and thought about it. Ignisia, on the other hand, stepped forward and said, "We must strike now. The longer we wait, the more time they have to muster their forces. We have the numbers."
"Yes, Ignisia, we have the numbers but we don't have the intelligence. To strike now without knowing what they're up to is a death sentence for our army. If they've prepared an ambush for us, the army we've worked so hard to build up would be routed. I'd still like to think of them as tactless rabbles with no sense of coordination but that would be a dangerous assumption to make," Cyril said.
"No doubt about that," Terrador chipped in. "We'll wait and see how things go but for now, let's relish the day and celebrate."
The plaza was not the only place in New Warfang that had a large crowd. The market district was also a hive of activities and many creatures were buying foods and souvenirs in the night market. There were stalls that sold meat and fruits, some sold trinkets and hats. The night market was alive with the sounds of merchants shouting the prices of their wares and customers haggling with them for cheaper prices. It was the first time in so many years that Warfang's economy boomed. The new Age seemed to usher not only peace but the prospect of a better economy. The Alliance was already coming up with an agreement to create a standard monetary unit that everyone in the Realms would use. For now though, gems, gold coins, and crystals were accepted.
Having escaped the crowded plaza, Spyro brought Cynder to the market to enjoy some food. They had removed their armor and stored them in a nearby armory. Walking around in full armor was not only cumbersome, it attracted too much attention and they already had enough of that. Walking down the cobblestone streets, Spyro and Cynder looked around for something fancy to eat. They had eaten a lot of mutton and beef so they passed up on stalls that sold them. However, one stall caught their fancy with a fine selection of sea foods that ranged from mackerels and dragonfish to cuttlefish and deepwater lancer meat.
"Welcome to Jacque's Fresh Sea Foods, Spyro and Cynder," the stall's owner, a mole, greeted them merrily with a heavy accent. "Jacque's my name and you have my thanks for saving the world."
"It's no problem," Spyro said with a smile.
"Ah, no problem for the young dragons. So full of life and energy, yes? Must have some good food to refill all that energy," Jacque said and he turned around and threw a mackerel onto a grill. "So, what can Jacque serve you?" he asked as he used a pair of chopsticks to grab and flip the fish.
The two dragons were looking at the menu hanging from the stall's zinc ceiling. They contemplated on what to eat. Cynder, curious about what the deepwater lancer was, asked Jacque about it.
"So…what is a deepwater lancer? Is it some kind of swordfish?" Cynder asked.
"A swordfish? My young friend, a deepwater lancer is far harder to catch than a swordfish," Jacque answered enthusiastically. From a container full of ice, he took out a silver-blue fish with razor fins and red eyes and showed it to her. "This is a deepwater lancer. See how it's shaped like a lance? Narrow head, broad rear. Best catch from the ocean and extremely fast. Tastes like salmon and best eaten raw. Good when smoked too!"
"I suppose it's called deepwater lancer because it's from the deepest part of the ocean?" Cynder asked while looking at the fish.
"Oui, that's correct, Madame Cynder," Jacque said and returned to his grill. "If you like, I cook one up for the both of you, absolutely free!"
Spyro quickly said, "That's not necessary, Jacque. We can't let you give it for free. You need to make a living."
It was as if Spyro's concern had offended Jacque. The mole pointed his chopsticks at Spyro and said, "You underestimate me, monsieur. I am Jacque and I'm known throughout the realms for being the best fisher. I get paid a lot to catch rare fishes and waiving a few hundred gold coins is hardly a concern. I insist that you take it for free."
Since he insisted, Spyro and Cynder took Jacque's offer and they were given a whole bag of smoked lancer meat. They were amazed at his cooking style for he was unlike any chef they've seen. Even without looking at the grill, Jacque could accurately throw a fish onto it. His dexterity with the cooking utensils and the chopsticks was amazing as well. Oddly, while Jacque claimed he was known throughout the realms for his fishing skills, the two dragons never heard of him. Maybe his exploits were well-known before the Temple Invasion, before the two were even born.
"Thanks, Mr. Jacque. We really appreciate the free food," Cynder remarked while Spyro helped himself to a slice of smoked lancer.
"No thanks required, missieur," Jacque said with a bow. "I'm only happy to serve the realms' greatest heroes."
The lancer meat was surprisingly tasty. Even though it did taste like salmon, it had a bit of crab meat taste to it as well. The texture was just right and the fishy taste was very light. It was obviously a fresh catch and a damn good catch too. The fish had little fat in it so it didn't make them full as fast as eating salmon would. With a bag of food in hand, the two dragons could enjoy the sights and sounds of the festival and they did so from the top of the citadel's tower to avoid getting mobbed by those who were overenthusiastic to meet them and ask them for autographs or for them to draw on their clothes.
In the darkest of nights, there was no trace of malice in the air. The evil that weighed so heavily on the denizens of Dragon Realms was banished since the dawn of a new Age. Even when the twin moons eclipsed, the Night of Eternal Darkness felt very much different from the past. It was like any other ordinary night, albeit slightly brighter due to the eclipsing moon giving off a soft glow. The stars twinkled brightly, as if celebrating Victory Day with them. Fireworks went off high in the sky, producing vibrant shades of colors.
"It's the first time I get to spend time with you like that, Spyro," Cynder said while leaning against him. "We've worked so hard…and now it paid off."
"We made it back alive, we helped rebuild Warfang, and we conquered hardship. It paid off more than we can ever imagine," Spyro said as he turned his gaze towards the eclipsing moons. "If only Ignitus was here to see it."
Cynder nuzzled him and said, "We all know he'll be proud of you. Ignitus may have sacrificed himself but you made it so that his sacrifice was worth it. He couldn't ask for a better gift."
Spyro remained silent and continued gazing at the moons, deep in thought about the fateful day when he and Ignitus were forever separated. He already had avenged his mentor, the evil that killed him was defeated, yet his heart pounded with anger and sorrow. Even to this day, he couldn't help but blame himself for what happened to the fire guardian. Spyro felt that someone should pay but who? The Apes? They weren't present when Ignitus died. The Destroyer? Sure it was the Destroyer's fire that killed him but there was no way to kill a golem that magnitude no matter how powerful he was. Malefor? He was responsible for all the evils but he has been banished for good.
There was no true evil left in the Realms. The Apes at the northern reaches were probably nothing more than marauder bands and without Malefor teaching them how to harness the power of the gems, they were as harmless as cockroaches. Still, Spyro had some suspicion about them because they were gathering in force. He had personally flown to the northern reaches a few times to spy on them. Spyro saw the Apes building siege machines and coming up with new weapons of war. He even witnessed them building steam-powered tanks of ironwood and steel, armed with a cannon that fired an explosive-filled cannonball. Though clumsy looking, they were still dangerous.
Yes, perhaps they were worth punishing. After all, they had once served the Dark Master and no sin in the world could amount to serving him. Thinking about it seemed to have opened something dark within Spyro as Cynder noted a black aura emitting from his body. It was not until she called his name several times did he snap out of his anger and the dark aura dissipated.
"Spyro, forgive yourself, please," Cynder said softly. "It wasn't your fault. Don't let it consume you."
"I know…I can't help it," Spyro muttered. "Whenever I think about it, I just feel so angry that my insides want to explode."
"I know how you feel but you can't feel guilty forever. You know Ignitus's sacrifice was not in vain. Let that be comfort to us all… and for you as well."
Spyro turned his attention to Cynder and saw her looking at him with her emerald green eyes. It seemed to sparkle a bit under the moonlight and her smile was indeed quite comforting. He brought her closer to him with his wing and wrapped it around her. Cynder offered him a bite of a lancer and he obliged by gobbling up the whole piece. While the two dragons enjoyed their meal and gazing at the heavens, on the streets, Hunter was busy discussing some matters with Cyril over a meal in a restaurant.
"The scouts are still keeping an eye on the northern border. So far, activity is minimal and the Apes have not intruded past the Mitrial Islands," Hunter said and popped a piece of meat into his mouth.
"That's awfully close to the shores," Cyril asked with a worry-laced tone. "Are they building anything on that island? Watchtowers? Outposts?"
"Nothing so far. The dragon scouts have scoured the island a few times today and they've found no traces of building foundations," Hunter said. "Some trees were missing but I think they've cut them down for wood."
"Doesn't sit well with me," Cyril muttered. "I like the Apes as much as I like those vile lava worms. Whatever they're up to in their little fief in Dante's Freezer, they can freeze and die there for all I care but I don't want any of them setting foot on Mitrial Island."
"What do you want me to do, Cyril? I've talked to Terrador about putting troops on the island but he's not going to commit to that idea. He said it'll risk open warfare and he's being cautious about it."
Cyril scratched his chin and said, "I suppose he does have a point there. If we attack them, I'm very sure they'll try to retaliate. A tit-for-tat and everyone loses. Alright, here's what we'll do. Have some dragon scouts circle the island and if they show up again, have them warn the Apes not to set foot on the island."
"So we're just going to send them off with a warning that they probably won't heed?"
"It's the best I can think of right now. I need to talk to Terrador about this. As much as I despise them, I'm not willing to risk open warfare. For now, just do as I say until the Council can decide on a better option."
"As you wish, Cyril, I'll see to it."
While they enjoyed their meal, Hunter turned his gaze out of the window and saw two particularly unique fireworks go off in the night sky. They exploded into the shape of a dragon and a slender dragoness. They were obviously paying homage to Spyro and Cynder and Hunter couldn't help but smile at that. With those two around, everything should be fine. But deep down in his heart, the cheetah knew that peace won't last very long. The Apes rebuilding and rearming themselves was a bad omen and even if they hadn't invaded the mainland yet, they might do so in the near future. It was Hunter's task to assign troops to watch the northern borders.
Ever since the dawn of the Fourth Age, Hunter hoped to put down his weapon and finally get some peace that was long denied to him. However, with Chief Prowlus becoming one of the Alliance Council ministers, there was no one more experienced in combat than Hunter. Naturally, he was appointed to become a general despite his refusal. With the lack of any real danger though, Hunter could rest whenever he wanted. Now that period of peace seemed to be coming to an end. If the Alliance went to war with the Apes, then all the peace they've fought so hard to attain was for nothing.
Perhaps that without the guidance of Malefor, the Apes would be nothing more than a tribe of barbarians who wouldn't know much. After all, it was only through Malefor's power and knowledge of the gems that they became a threat. Maybe they weren't in mortal danger after all. The Apes could turn out to be a minor nuisance easily swept aside.
After their meal and meeting, Cyril and Hunter parted ways. While Cyril returned to the Council Hall, Hunter went exploring. He saw Spyro and Cynder seated on the citadel's tower and decided to join them up there. He climbed the walls swiftly and quietly, his claws digging into the grooves of the tower's brick wall. Hunter liked climbing buildings the unorthodox way. It was a good way to practice his reflexes while travelling to his destination. When he reached the top of the tower, he caught the whiff of cooked lancer and he smiled. He tried to sneak up on them but Spyro heard him when he stepped on a puddle of water.
"Nice try, Hunter, but you're gonna have to do better than that," Spyro joked.
"Practice makes perfect I suppose," Hunter remarked and took his seat beside the couple. "Is that smoked lancer I smell? Odd that Jacque would sell something so highly prized as that."
"He gave it to us for free. It's good eating," Cynder said. "Want a bite?" she asked as she offered him a piece.
Hunter waved his paw and said, "Thank you but I just ate."
While Cynder ate the last piece of lancer meat, Spyro looked at Hunter and asked, "Hunter, do you believe that…" he turned his gaze to the moons. "Something's up there?"
Hunter followed Spyro's gaze towards the two celestial bodies. They were separated now and Spyro seemed to be gazing towards Rheia, the larger of the two moons.
"I don't know what made you say that but when I was younger, my mother used to tell me stories about Rheia. She said that even before the First Age began, Rheia was home to many creatures. Legend has it that it was our first home until something happened to it. I find it impossible that we lived there once. Must've been quite a journey," Hunter said.
"It's odd because I read a book once about such a legend. Rheia sounded like a paradise until darkness engulfed it," Spyro said.
The more they looked at Rheia, the more it looked like as if something was there. Hunter thought it was fascinating but alas, stories were stories and they served nothing more than entertainment for the young and curious. All he knew was that the moons caused unspeakable evils when united. There was no way paradise can come from darkness unless one is a follower of the dark powers who relish in misery and suffering.
"Makes you wonder, doesn't it," Hunter muttered.
Spyro and Cynder nodded their heads slowly, wondering if the stories were true. At the same time, a dark cloud rolled in front of Rheia and hid it from them. The Night of Eternal Darkness was over but the energies it created stirred a dark force that still lingered in the world.
It was weak but it still pulsated with life. Unseen by the citizens of New Warfang, this dark force gathered in the skies and dispersed stealthily.