To Kill a Dragon Sheep: The Resurgence
Chapter 1
Lightning flickered through the clouds, illuminating the obsidian sky. An eerie stillness loomed over the land. The wind had died a couple of hours ago, and no signs of life seemed to be present. The only sound that could be heard was the small "pitter-patter" of the cloaked figure's footsteps, echoing through the empty forest. Through the trees, the figure could see a clearing about 100 yards ahead. As she reached the edge of the clearing, she pressed herself against a tree, listening closely for signs of life. When she was satisfied that nobody was around, the figure crept out into the open space. Peering out from beneath her hood, she surveyed the surrounding area. Trees lined three of the four sides. The fourth side dropped off to a raging river far below. This was it. This was the plateau that Spyro, the infamous Dragon-Sheep had fallen to Austin, a general of the Twitch Resistance. In the middle of the clearing stood a stone monument. It was said that it was from this rock that General Austin delivered his victory speech to his troops. When the war had ended, the survivors decided to carve the names of their fallen allies into the stone so that their sacrifice would never be forgotten.
The figure walked forward, mesmerized by the history that was in front of her. Kneeling softly, as not to make a sound, she reached out towards the stone, running her fingers over the small grooves that were carved into it. Slowly, she stood back up, and reached into the bag hanging at her side, pulling out a small leather pouch. She gently removed the drawstring that held the bag closed and poured a fluorescent green powder into her hand. Clenching her fist, she began to sprinkle the powder onto the ground in a circle around her. As the powder fell into place, the figure began chanting. "Claimed by the shadowy hand of death; Fallen into the abyss; Here is where you drew your last breath; Scratched off the reaper's list." As she chanted, the powder circle began to glow, casting an eerie green light upon the rock. "I summon you now from the depths of hell; Awaken from eternal sleep; Reclaim your throne atop this land of Twitch; Oh dreaded Dragon-Sheep."
As she finished the chant, a gust of wind blew in from the south, swirling around the glowing circle, picking the powder up from the ground so that the air pulsed green around her. A fissure opened in the monument, sending a loud CRACK reverberating through the forest. Purple mist spewed forth from the fissure, fogging up the clearing. The hooded figure backed up slowly in the circle, staring into fog. For the first time, she felt fear rise up in her chest. An instinct told her to run as far away from here as she could, but she knew that if she left her circle before the summoning was complete, she would be pulled down into the abyss along with the entity being summoned. It was then that she noticed two green eyes glaring at her from the mist, piercing her soul and sending a chill through her bones. "Who dares to summon me from the depths, as if I am some pathetic Ghoul?" Slowly, the figure reached up and pulled back her hood, and staring into the glowing eyes she hummed, "My name is Doxy, and I have a deal to offer you."
…
Chapter 2
The alarm clock blared, cutting into the silence of the room. Light filtered in through the blinds, reflecting off of the dust lingering in the air. A hand shot out from beneath the covers, and with a loud groan, Caps flipped off the alarm. Swinging her legs over the side of the bed she eased herself up and took off towards the bathroom. After a quick shower, she returned to her room to find her uniform folded and waiting for her at the end of her bed. As she got ready, she stared into the mirror, making sure her uniform looked tidy and perfect. Today was Selection Day after all, and appearance was everything.
Selection Day was an annual holiday where all of Twitch's military academy graduates were assigned a General and a team. After Spyro, the Dragon-Sheep, had tried to take over Twitch, the people had decided it was time to set up a military so that they would be ready should evil once again show it's face. It had been ten years since General Austin had slain Spyro and under his guidance and leadership, the land has prospered. However where there is prosperity, there is always evil.
Far to the north, in the wintery lands of Twitch, a band of thugs were beginning to amass a force. Their leader, the great Northern Lion, had been a captain in the Dragon-Sheep's forces during the Great Twitch War. When Spyro had been slain, he lead a group of his men to the snowy peaks of the north where they stayed in hiding until they had the army necessary to take their revenge for their fallen leader. Austin had sent a team to try and negotiate with them in an attempt to avoid a fight, but none of the team had returned. Due to the threat Northern Lion posed, the Twitch military was on high alert. The Generals expected an attack any day, which made this Selection Day extremely important. And they were right. This would turn into a Selection Day they would never forget.
Alongside Austin were General Khaos and General Nick. Khaos was one of the heroes of the Great Twitch War when the resistance had slain Spyro. In the ten years since the war had ended, he has become one of the greatest tacticians in the land of Twitch. And then there was Nick. During the last war, he had been a simple foot soldier, however; after the war, the military found themselves in need of a general and his skills with a spear were top notch. All three generals were talented, but Caps hoped to be drafted by Khaos. He wasn't the hero that Austin was, but he was brilliant. Since he had become the head tactician of the military, they had yet to lose a battle.
Caps entered the arena in which the selections would take place. Up on the stage were the three generals. Nick was wearing his usual outfit: A simple beige button-up shirt with brown slacks. His long hair was pushed to the side, so that it covered his left eye. Khaos looked like he was trying to win slob of the year. He was wearing a black, sleeveless shirt with grey, ripped jeans and a pair of black Converse shoes. In his defense, he had been slaving away the last few days coming up with as many strategies as he could for the upcoming battle with Northern Lion, but Caps couldn't imagine Austin would be very happy with how he looked today.
Speaking of Austin…Caps' breath left her. Austin was talking with Khaos, most likely discussing the latest strategies he had come up with. Austin looked like royalty. He was wearing a burnt orange, sleeveless tunic with a thick brown belt wrapped around his waste. The belt was decorated with a bronze head in the shape of a Dragon-Sheep. On his left shoulder was a heavy leather pauldron with a bright red cape descending down his back. His wrists were decorated with heavy leather braces. He looked every bit like the legend people said he was.
"Caps!" a voice yelled. Caps spun around to see her friend Dennis sprinting towards her. About halfway into his run, he slammed into Iron, the local hobo, and hit the ground face first. In case you're wondering why the hobo is called "Iron", it's because he has his jaw wired shut so that all you can see of his mouth is a giant metal bar. Because he can't speak, nobody knows his true name, thus the nickname "Iron" was born.
"Ooooooooooouch," Dennis moaned into the dirt. Caps walked over and helped Dennis to his feet. They had been friends since introduction day at the academy. He had been getting pushed around by some of the older recruits and Caps had stepped in to put a stop to it. See, Dennis was brilliant. He had come up with strategies so out of the box that even General Khaos had worked them into his battle plans. However, Dennis lacked physical prowess, so having Caps around had really helped him through the academy training.
"You had better hope Khaos picks you," Caps said with a grin on her face. "You won't last one second in actual combat if you can't even evade a drunk hobo." Dennis' face turned a bright red color. "I can't help it," he mumbled, "I'm just really nervous." Looking down at his shirt Caps said, "Yeah I can tell, is that vomit on your shirt?" Dennis frantically brushed at the stain on his uniform and said, "At one point, that was my mom's spaghetti. It was a lot better going in than coming out." Caps rolled her eyes. "Come on, she groaned, it looks like it's starting." Together, they made their way to the stage and lined up with the other graduates.
After a few minutes of silence, Austin walked up to the microphone and addressed the crowd for the first time. "Greetings and welcome to the tenth annual Selection Ceremony. I am proud to announce that this year we have the highest scoring graduates that we have ever had in the ten year history of this event." Austin paused and waited for the cheering to settle down before continuing. "This year's Selection Ceremony could not have come at a better time. At any time now we are expecting an attack from Northern Lion and his bandits. Have no fear though, Khaos has come up with a strategy to counter any attack should that happen. And with the new recruits we add this year, our defenses will only get better. Before the selections begin, I would like to have Khaos address you all on the plan, should an attack come."
As Austin backed away form the microphone, Khaos took hold of it. He sounded exhausted, but there was a look of determination and even pride in his eyes, as if this plan of action was his greatest yet. "As most of you know, ten years ago this town was just a small sanctuary surrounded by four crumbling walls. After the war with Spyro ended, Austin and I decided to make this into a sanctuary that we could be truly proud of. Underneath the city we discovered a maze of catacombs which all lead to the plateau that the final battle took place. After filling in most of the tunnels, we decided to leave one escape route, in the case that we are attacked. Should that happen, all non-military citizens should make their way to the nearest shelter. From there we will have designated troops lead you into the underground shelter and to the plateau. Follow all of their instructions and you will make it out ok. Have no fear. We will not let our beloved city fall to a group of overzealous bandits. This is, and always will be, our home." After another bout of applause, the Selection Ceremony was officially underway.
Chapter 3
Doxy was on top of the world. The shot of adrenaline she felt during her first encounter with Spyro was nothing compared to what she felt now, soaring through the air on the back of the now-fully-reformed Dragon-Sheep. Had she not been scared that Spyro would eat her, she would have even let out a "WooooHooooo." Before long, they were circling over the ruins of what looked like a small village, deep in the mountains. As they descended, Doxy was able to make out a large white mansion with a red-shingled roof. Surrounding it were a bunch of smaller copies of the house. Searching through the memories of her Twitch History classes, she recalled that this had been the home of The Ohm Wrecker, before the Scumlord Jsmith had slaughtered him. Doxy had an idea of why they had come here.
As Spyro touched the ground, Doxy slid off of the Dragon-Sheep's back. "Now," Spyro crooned, "Before we talk business, I have a prerequisite." Doxy looked at the ground. "I know what you want," she mumbled. "You want me to bring back the Scumlord." A crooked grin appeared on the Dragon-Sheep's face. "Well aren't you smart. Do that and we will talk about your place in my regime." Doxy sighed. She couldn't help but think that Spyro was using her, but if she wanted power, this was the only way. She brought out her powder of rebirth and began chanting. "Scum whose blood was spilled upon this earth, the time has come for your rebirth, awaken now from icy slumber, oh great Scumlord I call your number!" For a second, nothing happened. Doxy wondered if she had said the incantation wrong, but just as she was about to try it again, a shrill laugh echoed through the air. Lightning struck a nearby tree, splitting it in half with a loud CRACK, and shooting smoke into the air. As Doxy pulled her arm down from her eyes, she saw a man slowly walk from the opening that had been made in the tree. She gasped. "This man is beautiful," she thought.
Jsmith strolled to a stop in front of Spyro, and with a smirk on his face, bowed his head. His voice was silky and glorious, but after each word, one could hear the venomous tone that followed. "Greetings, Lady Spyro." Spyro raised her tail and smacked him across the face. "I suppose I deserve that for dying on you," he said, his words laced with sarcasm. Jsmith glanced to the right and seemed to notice Doxy for the first time. "And you must be the lovely necromancer who returned me from the land of the dead. I suppose I should thank you for that." Lovely. He had just called her lovely. She wasn't the kind of girl to get flustered over a man, but in this case, she made an exception. The Scumlord was 5'10" of handsome. His face was home to the greatest beard she had ever seen, and he had the physique of a Greek god. She really wanted him to take his shirt off, though it would be pointless since she saw another shirt underneath. "My pl-pleasure," she stammered.
"Ok Spyro" Doxy began, "Now it's ti-"
"SILENCE", Hissed the Dragon-Sheep. "You will address me as Lady Spyro. If you ever take that tone with me again, I will devour you. Furthermore, you do not demand things of me. If I see fit to grant you your request, I will do so."
"We had a deal," Said Doxy, slowly reaching her hand behind her cloak.
"Ah yes," Spyro cooed, "Power is what you wanted is it not?" Jsmith leaned up and whispered something into the Dragon-Sheep's ear. A sinister grin slowly formed on Spyro's face. "Very well, you shall have your power. I will grant you the position of head slave." She cackled. "While you are locked away with all of the others, you will be able to brag that you are my favorite." The Scumlord let out a booming laugh at the treachery of his master. "Rule number one," he grinned, "Never think that you can order Lady Spyro around. Doxy began to slowly back away. "Rule number two" Spyro hissed, "If you are going to summon something as powerful as I, make sure the terms are set before the summoning is complete." With that she spit out a column of white-hot flame.
Doxy dove to the side just in time to escape the fire. Her cloak wasn't so lucky. She frantically ripped it off and threw it to the ground a few feet away. Within seconds it was just a pile of smoking ashes. Her long brown hair fell into her eyes. She silently cursed herself for not putting it up before she left. "Get her," Spyro ordered Jsmith. "When you are done, meet me at the old base, we have plans to make." With that, she took to the air and flew off into the distance. After a few seconds, the Scumlord turned back to Doxy, and with a sigh, snapped his fingers, propelling two curved blades from his sleeves into his hands. "I really don't like to have to kill a pretty thing like you," he whispered, a sneer forming on his face, "but orders are orders."
Doxy pushed the hair out of her eyes, chewing nervously on the ring in her lip. She knew she had to think of a plan quickly or else she wouldn't live to get her revenge on the Dragon-Sheep. "We don't have to do this," she lied, stalling for time. "Oh?" Jsmith raised his eyebrow suggestively, "And what could we be doing?" Doxy no longer found this man to be the Adonis she had originally thought him to be. In fact, now she saw him for the Scumlord he was. Nevertheless, she put on her best smile and said, "We could both turn against Spyro. If we enlisted a little help, we could kill her and then the land of Twitch would be up for grabs. Don't you want to get out from the Dragon-Sheep's shadow?" The entire time she spoke, she snuck her hand into her jean pockets, grabbing a handful of she hoped was the powder she needed. "I like the position I am in right now actually." Jsmith replied, edging closer to her. "Now be a dear, and don't struggle." As the last word slithered out from his lips, he lunged.
Doxy had expected this. Just as his feet hit the ground, she yanked her hand from her pocket, and threw the powder to the ground with all of her might. As it hit the ground, she shielded her eyes, and readied her herself to run. The powder exploded into brilliant white light as it made contact with the earth. She heard a muffled yelp as Jsmith was momentarily blinded. She knew that the effects of the powder would only last for a few minutes and she took the time to sprint into the forest. She knew she wasn't in the clear yet though. In the distance she could here the Scumlord hurling obscenities as his blades made contact with nearby trees. She knew she had to escape; knew she had to get help if she were to get revenge on Spyro. But where could she go? Who would help her defeat the evil that she was responsible for bringing back into the world? It was then that an image formed in her head. Only one man would be strong enough to slay Spyro. She made a sharp right at the next clearing and set off for the fortified walls of the Sanctuary.
Chapter 4
Caps was speechless. The arena had erupted in cheers but all she could hear was a soft ringing in her ears. There was no way she had heard correctly. She looked around to see all of the graduates staring at her: some in envy, others smiling. She looked back up to the stage to see Austin staring at her, as if he expected her to move. "I said, with the first selection of this year's ceremony, I choose Capsatmau. If you would be so kind as to make your way to the stage to receive your uniform…" Caps looked over at Dennis, who was nodding his head towards the stage, eyes wide. Caps' legs began to move on their own, propelling her towards the stage. She slowly climbed the steps and paused in front of Austin, whose hand was outstretched in an attempt to shake hers. "Are you okay?" asked Austin, a worried look on his face. This was impossible. There was no way Caps had been selected first, and by General Austin nonetheless. She shook her head, snapping herself out of her daze. Slowly, she reached up and shook Austin's hand, a smile beginning to overtake her confusion. "Sorry," she said, feeling the blood begin to rush to her face, "Thank you very much for this opportunity." And then, just as quickly as she had been called, she felt herself moving across the opposite side of the stage, and taking her place back in line, a fresh grey uniform in her hands.
Khaos selected Dennis with his first pick. It really came as no surprise to Caps. He had already been using some of Dennis' ideas in his strategies, and Dennis complimented Khaos' style perfectly. It also didn't surprise Caps when Dennis tripped halfway across the stage. The arena erupted in laughter, and Dennis was quick to grab his black uniform from Khaos and return to his place in line.
Finally, it was Nick's turn to pick. Rumors had been flying around the academy about whom they thought Nick would pick. There had been speculations that he would pick Caps. That obviously couldn't happen anymore. To everybody's surprise, he selected a soldier who went by the name of RPG. RPG wasn't a bad choice by any means. He was very fast, and very agile. However he didn't have a lot of strength, which made him an odd choice for Nick's physically based strategies. Nevertheless, RPG sprinted up the steps and with a heart-warming smile, accepted his uniform.
After two hours of selections, most of the graduates had been assigned a general. Those who hadn't been chosen still waited eagerly for their names to be called. Khaos walked slowly to the microphone as if pondering which of the remaining graduates would fit best with his troops. He gripped the microphone, and in a tired voice said, "With my final selection for this year's ceremony, I select-" his voice trailed off. His eyes were narrow and he seemed to be staring off into the distance. Caps turned to look in the direction he was squinting. Far off on the horizon, a small black dot could be seen flying in the sky. He shook his head snapping his daze and continued his selection. "With my final selection, I choose-" Horns blared all around the Sanctuary, cutting off his selection yet again. This time however, he did not fall into a daze. "Austin" he yelled, "It's time. Plan Alpha is a go."
Austin immediately understood and he and Nick began barking out commands to their troops, both new and old. Khaos pulled the microphone free from its stand and yelled, "Northern Lion is upon us! This is not a drill. All civilians are to make their way to the nearest shelter immediately." With that he threw down the mic and turned to his troops. A group of about 20 soldiers began moving the crowd towards the shelters. The Sanctuary's walls would provide enough of a distraction to get the civilians safely to the shelters that lead underground. There were also a good amount of soldiers standing guard at the wall specifically for this reason. This wasn't like 10 years ago. This time, all of the soldiers were trained for combat.
"Nick", Khaos yelled over the blaring horns. "Take your troops to the wall and provide backup to the troops already there." Nick nodded and he and his troops sprinted off towards the walls. "Austin, when Northern Lion shows his face, take him out. If we stop him, we stop this attack." Austin nodded.
"Alright", yelled Austin, "This is how it's going to go down. Nick has his forces meeting them in a head on assault. Merc, I want you to take half of the group and flank them from the right. I'll take the rest and flank from the left. It is imperative that we don't let Northern Lion separate us. Khaos will have his troops provide ranged support from the walls." Throughout the entire explanation of the plan, Caps felt a mixture of both excitement and fear. This moment right here is what she had trained for her entire life. At the same time, this was real combat. There were no more safety nets. No more blunt weapons. This time, when she struck somebody, they would actually die. She had been selected to stay with Austin, and soon found herself making her way towards the west end of the Sanctuary.
As soon as they reached the walls, sounds of combat could be heard. Caps pulled her crimson rapier from her belt, and readied herself to charge. She had always liked the way a rapier felt in her hands. It was light, but deadly. Though it was not a defensive weapon, its point was small enough to pierce any chink on her opponent's armor. She had decided early on in her training that this was the right weapon for her. "Alright," said Austin. "Don't be intimidated by whatever you see out there. Remember, our hearts are stronger than theirs. When those barbarians fight, they fight for blood. We fight for honor, and for our home. We fight for those who are unable to fight for themselves. Let us not forget that, and we will always strike true." Caps, raised her sword in the air and cheered alongside the rest of the force, and then, as one, they charged.
Nick's force had done a pretty good job of jamming them at the wall. In fact there was a good ten-foot gap between the wall and the nearest soldier. Nick himself had led the charge and could be seen sweeping his spear in circles, taking out large numbers of enemies in a single swing. "What a badass," Caps thought. From the east side of the battlefield, Merc led his assault. The two sides collided at the same time, sending a crunch reverberating through the battlefield. Up on the wall, Khaos was running back and fourth, barking out orders. Each time a volley of arrows were launched over his head, raining down on the mass of enemies. Caps immediately found herself surrounded by three soldiers. How Northern Lion had amassed such a force was astounding, but now wasn't the time for her to think about that. She ducked a blow and drove the tip of her rapier into her enemy's heart. Sweeping her leg out, she was able to knock another of her assailants off balance and in an instant, finished him off. Unfortunately the last one took the opportunity to get behind her and raised his club. Caps didn't have the time to dodge as the club came sailing down upon her. Just as it was about to make contact, a loud thwap echoed in her head and she looked up to see a black-feathered arrow protruding from his head. Caps looked up at the wall to see Khaos standing with an empty bow in his hand, pointed in her direction. With a smirk and a quick wink, he turned back to giving his troops orders. Caps let out a sigh of relief before tightening her grip on her rapier, and running back into the fray.
As soon as Austin had hit the line of enemies, he went into Zen mode. He still used Zen's Scythe that he had killed the Dragon sheep with, all those years ago. It was the biggest blackest scythe Caps had ever seen. He charged straight through their line, leaving a pile of heads behind him. Pretty soon he had been completely surrounded by the enemy with not an ally in sight. And that was just the way he liked it. He had learned from Zen after all. He swept his scythe back and fourth, mowing down hoards of enemies. Every once in a while and arrow would find it's way into the back of a nearby bandit. That was Khaos' way of telling him that he wasn't alone. But for the most part, Austin had things under control. At one point, the enemy began to push back, but that was immediately stopped thanks to a barrage of arrows form Khaos' troops. Everything was going well, until Caps heard the horns.
They sounded off in the distance at first, but each time they rang out they had gotten closer and closer. "Brace yourselves!" Austin yelled before sweeping away another wave of enemies. Up on a nearby hill a single shadowy figure could be seen. He was sitting on the back of what looked like a giant animal. And then, with a single wave of his arm, a hoard of fresh new troops came pouring over the hill. As the last of the enemy's reinforcements charged, the man on the back of the animal charged too. As he ran into the light, Caps got her first glimpse of him. He was a very large, well built man with scars covering the majority of his face and torso. His lack of hair made his head so shiny, caps actually had to squint to see his face. He rode in on the back of a gigantic Sabre-Tooth, swinging a ball and chain above his head. Over the chaos of the battlefield Nick yelled, "Northern Lion has arrived! Everybody regroup on me. Get ready to charge." As the enemy poured over the hill, Khaos jumped down from the walls and yelled, "Austin Go! Take care of NL." After unsheathing a katana from his belt he added, "I'll take care of the tiger." Together they charged towards the oncoming force.
The crunch of the collision was so loud; it actually made Caps' ears ring. Nick and Merc had taken control of the forces as Austin and Khaos had gone after NL. Off to the left, Caps saw Dennis surrounded by three bandits. Halfway there, a large man, carrying an even larger axe, interrupted her. He lifted it over his head and swung, forcing Caps to dive to the side. Rolling up to her feet she stabbed her rapier at him, but he was fast for a big guy. He stepped to the side and sent his fist slamming into Caps' chest. Caps picked herself up off the ground, breathing quickly in an attempt to catch the breath that had rocketed out of her. She was mad now. With a mighty roar, she charged at the big man. She feigned a strike to the left, and when the giant man lifted his axe to parry, she ducked under it and, spinning, sent the tip of her rapier through his leg. The man howled in pain as he clutched his leg. Now that he was distracted, Caps was able to finish him off quickly with a slice at the neck. As the man's head fell to the ground, she looked over to see Dennis standing on top of a pile of corpses, a wild look in his eye. Caps was stunned. Who would have thought that inside Dennis was a warrior all along.
Over near the hill, Austin and Khaos stood back to back. Both of their weapons were raised in the air as if they were expecting NL to strike at any second. NL sat on the back of his Sabre-Tooth as it slowly stalked around them in a circle. Every once in a while, the tiger, which NL called Donger, would lick its lips, as if it could taste the meal it soon hoped to have. "So," Northern Lion scoffed, "What do you think of my Donger? He's one of a kind." Austin rolled his eyes and whispered to Khaos, "This cocky son-of-a-bitch thinks he has already won. When the chance presents itself, we strike." Khaos just nodded and tightened his grip on the hilt of his sword. Donger stopped circling the two and with a loud snarl, he leapt.
"NOW!" Austin yelled as both he and Khaos dove to the side. The tiger's claws sailed just over their heads separating a few hairs in the process. Austin hit the ground and rolled to his feet. Just as he stood back up, Donger swiped again. This time Austin had no choice but to try and deflect the blow. The tiger's paw hit the handle of Austin's scythe, sending its claws deep into Austin's shoulder. A wince passed across his face before he let loose a kick straight into the tiger's nose. Donger let out a roar and jumped back, separating himself from Austin's shoulder. Blood trickled down Austin's arm, but if he noticed it, he didn't seem to care. Instead, he took his scythe, and spinning it in the air, started walking towards NL.
NL responded by hopping off of Donger's back and raising his ball and chain into the air. Spinning the ball and chain around his head, he began to walk towards Austin. While the two men continued their extreme staring contest, Khaos began to sneak towards the tiger's back. Unfortunately, Donger had a good sense of smell. The tiger let out a low growl and spun around to face Khaos. Donger hunched his back and slowly stalked towards him, a toothy grin showing on its face. This time, Khaos didn't wait for the tiger to make the first move. Unsheathing the spare knife strapped to his leg, he flung it straight at the tiger's face. Donger hadn't been expecting that. The giant cat flung itself into the air, just avoiding the tip of the dagger. Khaos jumped into the air after it and with a spin, struck his foot hard onto the cats stomach, propelling it towards the ground. Unfortunately, a sabre-tooth tiger is still a cat. Just as Donger was about to hit the ground, he twisted in the air, landing on his feet. With a snarl, the cat jumped. Donger was lightning fast. His outstretched paw slammed into Khaos' chest, pinning him to a nearby tree. The force of the impact had sent his sword spinning from his hand, landing a few feet away. It might have been from the force of his head slamming into the tree, but Khaos could have sworn he heard a woman's voice chanting nearby. The low, throaty growl of the tiger snapped him back to reality. Donger had pulled back his gums, showing his razor sharp teeth. Slowly, the tiger opened its mouth, drool pouring out the sides. "This is it," Khaos thought, "This is how I die." With a sigh, he closed his eyes. If this was his fate, then so be it. With one final snarl, the tiger lunged his head straight at the general's open throat.
There was a loud crunch of bone breaking, and then…silence. Khaos opened his eyes. Lying motionless, about a foot away, was Donger. His head had been completely smashed. Standing over him was a man with long brown hair. In his hand was what looked like a wooden club. Upon further examination, Khaos saw that it was in fact, the branch of a tree. There was even still a nest lodged in the end of it. The man slowly turned around and with a grin said, "Why is it that I always need to swoop in at the last second and save your ass?" Khaos' mouth dropped open. "Careful," the man said, and pointing to the bird's nest said "If you keep your mouth like that for too long, these birds are going to use it as their next home." Khaos shook his head, thinking the hit it took earlier was a little more severe than he had first thought. When he opened his eyes again, the man was still there. He couldn't take it anymore. "GREEN?!" he shouted. "How the hell are you-". Green held up his hand cutting him off. "NO!" yelled Khaos. "The last time you cut me off like that, you went and got yourself killed. This time I am finishing what I am saying whether you like it or not."
Green raised his eyebrows. "Well, well, well," he said in a mocking tone. "Look who finally went and grew a pair." Khaos shook his head, a smile showing on his face. "I'll explain everything when this is over." Said Green, "But first, how long have they been doing that?" Khaos looked over to where he was pointing. Austin and NL were still spinning their weapons in the air and circling each other. "That has been going on for a solid five minutes," Khaos said.
"Geeze", Green rolled his eyes, "At this point they might as well just whip them out and measure."
Green and Khaos walked up to NL and took their places, forming a circle around Northern Lion. When Austin saw Green, his surprise was enough to make him lower his weapon. His eyes looked like they were about to pop right out of his head. He quickly shook off his daze and said, "It's over Northern Lion. You're outnumbered in this fight three to one. Surrender and face prison time, and you will get to keep your life." NL let loose a cackle that would have made a Scumlord proud. "I would rather die than surrender to you." With a sigh Austin said, "So be it." And he raised his scythe into the air.
Under Nick's guidance, Caps and the rest of the soldiers had pretty much cleaned up what was left of NL's bandits. From the looks of it, Caps estimated that they had lost only about thirty of their people. That was pretty good when considering how few of them had actually seen any real action. Whatever was left of Northern Lion's forces had been gathered into a little group and surrounded. They quickly dropped their weapons and surrendered. Caps looked over to where Austin and Khaos had been fighting NL. They had him surrounded as well and it looked as though Austin was about to deliver the final blow. It was then that Caps noticed the third man with them. "General Nick," Caps called out, "Who is that with Austin and Khaos?" Nick turned to where Caps was pointing and his face paled. "There's no way…" Nick mumbled. "That... That's Green!" Caps turned back to where the three men stood, eyes wide. In fact, everybody was so mesmerized by the once dead general, that nobody saw the threat looming in the distance.
The tip of Austin's scythe was raised far above his head. He didn't like having to be the executioner, but his father once told him that the man who passes the sentence, must swing the sword. And so, without a further thought, he swung down hard upon Northern Lion's neck.
Before his scythe even got halfway, a loud screech broke the silence. Everybody's heads shot up in time to see a large flash of purple swoop down and grab NL. The blur shot back into the air before gliding down to a halt on the crest of the hill. Austin's face went white. "No…" he stammered, "It's not possible". Up on the hill Spyro raised her head into the air and shot a jet of white-hot flame into the sky. Off of her back slid Jsmith. When he saw Green and Khaos he sneered. "Look Lady Spyro, I found some rats." Khaos took a step towards him but Green held him back. "Not yet," he said, though his eyes were saying otherwise. Spyro lowered her head, looking Austin in the eye.
"I have returned to reclaim my throne," she said. "Because this fight was not mine, we shall retreat and regroup. But be warned, come sunrise three days from now, I will lead an assault unlike any you have seen before." With that she turned, allowing Northern Lion to climb onto her back. Jsmith backed up, still staring down at Green and Khaos. "I look forward to our rematch." He cackled, raising his hand in the air. Spyro grabbed his wrist and took off into the sky. As the Scumlord was flown off into the distance, he raised his hand in the air, waving his middle finger to all that could see it: a proud smile lingering on his face.
Chapter 5
"How the hell is she back?" yelled Austin to nobody in particular. After Spyro had flown off, any of NL's force that remained was either locked up if they surrendered, or put down if they tried to run. The three generals, or make that four now, had locked themselves in the council room of the war hall immediately after, discussing what had transpired.
"Ten years," said Austin. "Ten years we have been at peace and Twitch has prospered. And now we find ourselves once again facing destruction and slavery at the hands of the Dragon-Sheep."
"I know this is hard-" Green began but Austin cut him off.
"Not that I'm not happy to see you, I mean really, I am… but how the hell are you even here right now?"
"Well if you wouldn't keep cutting me off…" replied Green. Over in the corner Khaos snickered. Both Austin and Green spun around with angry looks on their faces. "Sorry…" Khaos mumbled.
"Like I was saying," Green began again, "I know this is hard, but there is a way we can beat her again." Green motioned to the door. "The reason I am here is waiting outside that door. She has an idea of how we can take down Spyro, but she wants to be sure that she will have immunity from her crimes."
Austin's eyes narrowed, "What crimes?" Green just shook his head; "I think it would be better if I let her explain."
The door opened revealing a small, cloaked figure. The figure entered the room and stood next to Green, as if he were to be her shield for the anger that was soon to come. She reached up and pulled down her hood, revealing her long, dark brown hair. "My name is Doxy, and I am a necromancer." She paused and looked around the room. Austin seemed to understand immediately. He could barely contain the anger that showed on his face. Khaos' arms were folded, and his eyes had closed. "He must be deep in thought," she thought to herself
"What. Did. You. DO?!" Austin said, putting extra emphasis on his last word.
Doxy sighed. "I wanted power, but the academy refused to accept me. They said I was too petite. So I learned the art of necromancy instead. I summoned Spyro in the hopes that she would help me, but she tricked me into summoning her Scumlord instead."
Austin clenched his hands. "Give me one reason I shouldn't throw you in jail on the spot." Green stepped in front of Austin, raising his hands. "I was mad at first too," he explained, "But hear her out."
Peaking out from behind Green, Doxy continued, " I have enough rebirth powder for one more summon. I can provide you the help you need to take her down. You just need to give me a chance."
"And why should we trust you?" Austin countered.
"I brought you Green didn't I?" She fired back. "Austin, look into my eyes. You'll see that it is the right thing to do."
Austin unclenched his hands and sighed. "What do you think Khaos?" Over in the corner, Khaos' eyes were still closed. A small rumbling noise was coming from his nose. "KHAOS!" yelled Austin. His eyes shot open as he jumped to his feet. After about twenty seconds of looking around he said, "Who's she?" Green let out a snort. Pretty soon, the entire room was laughing. Who knows, maybe it had been the stress from the day, or maybe they had finally cracked, but for the first time all day, everybody was genuinely happy.
When everyone had settled back down, Doxy explained to Khaos who she was and what had happened. To her surprise, he didn't seem angry at all. "Maybe it is because I brought back his old general," she quietly thought to herself.
"Well," said Khaos, "What's done is done. Now all we can do is find a way to counter it. If what you say is true, and you have enough powder for one more summon, then I know just the person. What do you need in order to perform it?" he asked.
"All I need is enough time spent where the person last was alive to commune with their soul." She said. "When that's done, the summoning can be made. However, the stronger the person is, the longer it takes. It took me a week before I was able to successfully summon Spyro."
"Then we had better get a move on," smiled Khaos.
The rest of the night was spent making a strategy to fight the Dragon-Sheep. Khaos had only told Doxy whom he was thinking she should summon. The rest of the Generals were in the dark. According to Doxy, it would take three days to commune with the spirit meaning they would most likely have to hold out against Spyro for a little bit without her help.
The plan Khaos had come up with was very similar to what had happened 10 years ago. Nick would be in charge of the troops. They were his to command against the grunts of the Dragon-Sheep's forces. Green and Khaos were going to take down the Scumlord. Ten years had passed and they were still bitter about what he had done to Peng. Austin would be fighting Spyro. As far as Khaos was concerned, he was the only one who could beat her. After a long night of planning, the generals went to bed to get some sleep for the walk that would come the next day.
Chapter 6
The troops took off the next day, led by General Austin. The sun had just begun to rise, leaving the sky painted red. Single file, they marched through the woods. The only noise was the crunch of their boots on the falling leaves. In three days the Dragon-Sheep would once again be upon them. It was no surprise that they were heading towards the plateau. Spyro had already fallen there once, so why not again? A chilled gust blew through the trees, bringing with it low hanging, misty fog that seemed to be wrapping them up: suffocating them. Next to Austin was Doxy. The generals had decided to keep it a secret that she was why Spyro was once again in this world. It would do no good to have the troops take sides. In the back of the line was Khaos. He and Green were in deep discussion. Most likely deciding on a strategy for the fight to come.
The plan was simple enough for Caps. She would once again be under the command of Nick. She liked that. The more time she spent in his training, the more she respected how skilled he truly was. Since the fight with Northern Lion, Dennis had become a completely new person. This would be the first time that they truly got to fight back to back, though she knew that for the most part the fight would not be over until either Spyro or Austin fell.
As they reached the clearing they began to set up camp. A fissure jutted across the clearing, making the ground uneven. "That wasn't there before," Caps thought to herself. When she asked Nick about it, he got all shifty eyed and said it must have been an earthquake. Nick was a horrible liar. Whatever caused this fissure, Caps had a feeling the generals knew all about it.
Doxy walked to the very edge of the cliff and sat down. She crossed her legs, closed her eyes, and began to hum. Soon, she had completely stopped breathing. Khaos walked up and said, "Is this the right spot?" Doxy didn't answer. "Hello?" Khaos said again. Again, there was no answer. He picked up a stick, poked her arm, and jumped back, ready for a barrage of curses. Nothing happened. Slowly he reached down and opened her eye. To his surprise, her pupils were gone, replaced by a brilliant white light. Doxy's hand shot up from the ground and clenched around his wrist. Khaos jumped back, a high, shrill scream flying from his mouth. "Stop it." Said Doxy. Austin ran over, sword in hand. "What's wrong? He said, eyes darting back and fourth, looking for a problem.
"Erm, nothing…" Stammered Khaos. "She, uh.. saw a spider and screamed." Austin sheathed his sword and walked away, rolling his eyes.
"Sissy," mumbled Doxy. Khaos stuck his tongue out and walked away.
And so, three days passed. Each day, a white light grew stronger and stronger around Doxy. The troops trained and prepared for the fight that was ahead.
Chapter 7
The sun rose on the third day, illuminating the plateau. The water down below smashed against the cliff, casting a salty spray into the air. Nick lined his troops up at the edge of the clearing in an attempt to jam Spyro's forces. Behind his line of troops stood Austin, Green and Khaos. The three of them were ready for whatever spilled out from the trees. Further back sat Doxy. The white light that had grown around her had dimmed considerably over the last few hours. Khaos hoped that meant she had made a connection and not that she had lost it. After a few hours, a buzz could be heard through the trees.
"This is it!" Yelled Austin. "Soon the Dragon-Sheep's forces will be upon us. 10 years ago, a small group of about thirty-five stood on the very ground you stand upon today. They fought for freedom. Their very lives depended on it. Today we stand here with close to two hundred troops. Each of you has been trained for this situation. Today we do not fight for freedom, but instead we fight to keep the freedom that so many have sacrificed themselves to attain. This is no longer Spyro's land. It is ours. We are not the heroes Twitch needs right now, but the ones it deserves!" The roar Austin's speech sparked in the troops was enough to match the roar of the oncoming force. 10 years ago, the people stood on this plateau fighting out of desperation, fighting to survive. This time, they stood fighting to protect what they had so rightfully earned.
Chapter 8
At around ten, Spyro's forces arrived. They came sprinting through the trees led by none other than Northern Lion. "At least he's not riding a giant cat this time" Nick mumbled under his breath. They slammed into Nick's troops without hesitation, forcing the front line back a few feet. "PUSH" Nick yelled. Caps dug her feet into the earth and pushed back against the force with all of her might. At the moment, neither side was making any ground. Just then, one of the enemy troops went flying overhead, landing in the middle of their line. The enemy died immediately, but it had been enough of a distraction. Northern Lion surged ahead with an angry roar, completely demolishing whatever was left of their front line. Enemy troops poured into the clearing and began to surround Nick's men.
"Nick!" Yelled Green.
"I'm fine!" he responded, "stay focused, she's coming!"
Sure enough, within the next minute, Spyro blasted through the trees. Standing on her back with the tip of his sword aimed straight at Green was none other than the Scumlord, Jsmith. Spyro began to circle towards the ground, hovering a few feet above Austin. With a cackle, Jsmtih jumped off of her back, landing near the edge of the trees. "Well", said Khaos to Austin "That's our cue." Green reached out and shook Austin's hand. "I didn't get the chance to say it last time," Green said, "But good luck." With that, Green and Khaos ran after Jsmith, and into the forest.
Spyro hit the ground with a thud, kicking up a large dirt cloud. Her tongue flicked in and out of her mouth, a toothy grin on her face. "It's like Déjà vu," she said, tilting her head in Austin's direction. "Only this time, you're on your own." For the first time, Austin understood Khaos' plan. He smiled and said, "Indeed it is. And like last time, I will once again put you down." Spyro flicked her tail in anticipation, and Austin charged.
Northern Lion released the ball, sending the eighty-pound chunk of metal hurdling towards Nick's head. Just as the ball reached him, Nick pulled some mad Matrix shit and leaned back just in time to see it go flying over his head. As he straightened back up, he readied his spear. Aiming the tip at NL's heart, he launched it. A direct hit! Or at least it would have been had one of his troops not gotten launched into him just as the spear was about to strike. Instead, both Caps and NL hit the ground, and the spear sailed harmlessly overhead, sticking into a tree. Caps got up with a groan and brushed the dirt off of her shoulder. It was then that she looked down and for the first time noticed NL. Northern Lion shot to his feet and jumped back to assess the new situation he found himself in. It was two on one now, although one of them didn't seem to have a weapon. As for the other, well she was just a girl no older than 20. From the looks of it she was pretty green as well. He could deal with this.
Grabbing his weapon by the chain, NL began to spin the ball above his head. A sneer broke on his face, as he turned towards Caps, ready to launch at any moment. Nick didn't have much time to react. He sprinted in Caps' direction just as NL released the chain. Caps was completely mesmerized by how fluently the ball moved in the air. It took a second to realize that it was now flying towards her. By the time she realized it, it was too late to dodge. She could try to block with her sword, but that would most likely just break her arm. Just as the ball was about to reach her, Nick plowed into her, forcing them both to tumble to the ground. "Are you ok?" Nick asked as he helped Caps to her feet.
"I'm fine." She responded. Her face was bright red. How could she just stand there like that? She swore that she would make it up to Nick.
Nick reached up and dislodged his spear from the nearby tree. "Since you're here," he said, "we might as well do this together." Northern Lion reeled in his chain and said, "It makes no difference the number. I am stronger than you both. There is no chance of victory."
Caps circled around to his blind side, waiting for Nick's cue. Again, NL began to swing his ball-and-chain above his head. "Now!" Nick yelled. He and Caps charged. Northern Lion released the ball in Nick's direction. As Nick dove out of the way, Caps took the opportunity to swing at NL's head. NL had been ready for it however, and spun a kick straight into Cap's arm. Caps felt her arm break as her weapon sailed from her hand. While she was in a daze, Northern Lion grabbed her broken wrist, twisting it behind her back and forcing a dagger to her throat. Nick stopped in his tracks. "Do you see now?" asked NL. "I'll kill her, and then I will kill you. There is no hope." While Northern Lion continued his rant, Caps stared Nick in the eye. "Do it," she mouthed. Nick narrowed his eyes in denial. There was no way he would harm one of his troops like that. However, Caps wouldn't take no for an answer. With a heavy heart, Nick readied his spear. He would only get one shot at this. With a roar of both anger and sorrow, he launched his spear directly at both the heart of Northern Lion, and the heart of Caps.
Caps wasn't ready to die. She had just graduated from the academy. She had her entire life ahead of her. It was the fire inside of her that propelled her through the academy, it was because of that fire that she had been picked number one overall, and it was because of that fire that she found the extra strength she needed. Just as the spear was about to reach her, she kicked off of the ground, twisting in the air and landing beside Northern Lion. Her already broken arm was ripped completely from the socket, but the adrenaline she felt at the moment was enough to cover the pain. The spear tore through NL's chest, sticking out the other side. Northern Lion's eyes were huge and his mouth hung open in shock. He looked down at the spear now protruding from his chest. Frantically he turned his head back and fourth between Nick and Caps, as if he was completely confused as to why there was a spear in him. "Shit.." he sighed. He was dead before he even hit the ground.
Back near the cliff of the plateau, Spyro and Austin were locked in fierce combat. "This isn't the same as when you fought me last time," Austin shouted over the roar of the water below. "I have trained for ten years in the event that something like this should happen again." Spyro responded by smacking him in the chest with her tail. Austin hit the ground and slid to a stop a few yards away. Getting back to his feet he mumbled, something about her tail and it being OP.
Spyro flew off into the air, blasting fire down on Austin. He spun to the side in time to avoid the flames, and unclipping a dagger from his belt, launched it up at Spyro. The tip clipped the Dragon-Sheep's wing, forcing her to land. Austin was already halfway to her by the time she hit the ground. Jumping in the air he came down with a hard slice, aimed directly at her neck. Spyro had been waiting this whole fight for him to go into the air. As soon as he left the ground, she shot her tail into the air and blindsided him, sending him crashing into the ground. The scythe spun out of his hands, landing over near Doxy. Austin sat up, blood coming from a gash in his head where he hit the ground. "Anytime now would be great Doxy." She still hadn't moved from her spot on the cliff. The light had faded when she began to chant, but still nothing happened. A sneer showed on the Dragon-Sheep's face. "Well," she hissed, "It's been fun." Slowly she raised her tail in the air, aiming its tip at Austin's heart. "Doxy," he pleaded, "Now would be a REALLY good time." Still nothing happened. Spyro's tail shot like an arrow towards Austin's open chest. A loud crack filled the air as a large cloud of dust appeared between Spyro and Austin. Austin looked down to see Spyro's tail just inches from his heart. As for Spyro, her eyes were filled with malice as she stared into the dust cloud. Slowly, the dust faded and the air began to clear. Standing in between them was a man so muscular, Austin had to shake his head to make sure he was seeing things right. Clenched in his hand was Spyro's tail. Slowly, the man turned his head to Spyro, revealing what had to be the deepest, blackest eyes she had ever seen. Instantly she knew who was standing before her. Her lips curled back, "Hello Zen." Zen looked into the Dragon-Sheep's eyes and growled, "Round two Motherfucker."
Chapter 9
Jsmith had run a mile into the forest before he stopped to face the generals. By the time he had finally stopped running, the sounds of the battle behind them had been completely silenced. "So you finally decided it was time to stop running?" Green panted. The Scumlord smiled, "Just wanted to make sure there wouldn't be any surprise guests this time." Slowly he faced the two of them and with a snap, his two blades slid out of his sleeves and into his hands. "Now then," he smirked, "Shall we?"
"You go left, I go right?" Green suggested.
"Yeah," Khaos said rolling his eyes, "Because that worked out so well last time."
"Ok sass master," Green retorted, "you got a better plan?"
Jsmith had apparently heard enough. While Green and Khaos bickered, he ran forward and stabbed at the both of them. Luckily, they noticed just in time to jump back and ready their weapons for the next strike. "There ya see?" asked Khaos. "It worked itself out." Green rolled his eyes and said, "Focus."
Not long into the fight, Jsmith started resorting to his Scumlord tactics. His favorite seemed to be throwing dirt. Every time Green or Khaos would strike, he would simply dance out of the way and with a cackle, pick up a handful of dirt from the forest floor and throw it into the face of his next attacker.
"Is it just me, or has he become a little bit more…." Khaos started.
"Insane?" asked Green. "Yeah, the abyss will do that to you."
Jsmith leapt in and with another cackle, attempted to separate Green's head from his shoulders. With every move he made, he was starting to remind Khaos more and more of the Joker. "Khaos!" Green shouted, snapping Khaos out of his daze in time to deflect a blow. "Hahahahahahahahaha" squealed Jsmith as he threw yet another cloud of dirt. Khaos spit little pebbles out of his mouth. "Can we end this please? I'm starting to get REALLY annoyed." Green smiled, "Go left."
Both Green and Khaos began to circle around the Scumlord. Jsmith smiled. "Oh, this silly tactic again." Green ran forward. This time however, Khaos stayed back for a second. This seemed to confuse Jsmith. He was able to turn just in time to parry the blow from Green before he realized that Khaos was now above him, sending his sword straight at his face. Digging his heel into the dirt, he spun around and was able to deflect Khaos's blade, however it was enough to open a small cut in his shoulder. Green and Khaos began to circle the Scumlord again.
This time however, Jsmith made the first move. He jumped towards Khaos sending the tip of his blade towards Khaos' stomach. Khaos easily deflected the blow, but Jsmith had expected it. Spinning around he launched his foot into Green, sending him flying back to the ground. Green hit the ground hard, the force cracking his ribs. He curled into a ball and gasped. Jsmith turned back towards Khaos, his head tilted to the side. Khaos reached down and unbelted the dagger at his side. He held it up just in time to block the incoming attack from Jsmith. Both of the scumlord's swords clashed again and again with Khaos' two blades. Khaos was just able to parry the blows but he wouldn't be able to keep it up for long. Already his arms were getting heavy. This needed to end quickly.
In the background, Khaos saw Green begin to stir. Green pushed himself to his feet and looked at Khaos. Immediately an understanding passed between them and Green readied his weapon. Jsmith continued to hammer away at Khaos. With each hit, Khaos began to feel his arms weaken. He knew he had to do this quickly. The Scumlord struck out at his right arm. This time, instead of parrying it, Khaos spun to the side, dodging the blow, and sent his foot straight into the Scumlord's ribs. Jsmith's other blade came down, cutting a gash in his leg, but the deed was done. The force of the kick sent Jsmith sailing back, and straight into Green's waiting blade. The sword stabbed right through Jsmith. His eyes went wide, an eerie smile appearing on the Scumlord's face. "The Jetporks" he whispered. Khaos thought he had misheard so he leaned in closer. Blood began to trickle from his mouth. "The Jetporks," he coughed again, "They'll avenge me." As he finished his sentence, his body fell limp. "The hell is a Jetpork?" Khaos asked Green. Green just shook his head and said, "It's better if you didn't know." Khaos shrugged and the two men began the long walk back to the plateau.
A column of flame shot over Zen's head as he and Austin retreated back to the cliff where Doxy sat. "What took you so long?" Austin asked. Doxy sighed, "I told you you would have to hold out for a little bit didn't I?" Austin rolled his eyes and picked up his scythe. He held it out to Zen and said, "I've been holding this for you." Zen smiled and pushed it back towards Austin. "Consider it a gift." He said. Spyro flung her tail at Zen, forcing him back even further. "Sorry to break up this little reunion," she hissed, "But if you wouldn't mind dying so I can reclaim my throne, that would be greeaaat." Austin turned towards Doxy. "Thank you for your help, but unless you can summon yourself a sword, you may want to run." With that, Austin and Zen turned back towards the Dragon-Sheep.
The two warriors approached Spyro from different directions. When he had found the angle he liked, Austin ran in towards Spyro. Avoiding another ball of fire, Austin readied his scythe to strike. Spyro, seeing what his plan had been, tried to whip her tail around. However, when she went to lift it from the ground, it wouldn't budge. She spun around to see Zen pulling it. With a roar she shot a fireball at Zen. Turning back towards Austin she saw that it was too late to avoid the attack. Instead she shielded herself with a wing. The scythe cut though it like butter, tearing the wing from her body. She jumped backwards with a roar of pain.
Next it was Zen who made a move. He charged at the wounded Dragon-Sheep, preparing to launch himself onto her back. Faster than lighting, Spyro spun around, slashing her tail towards Zen. This time however, it was Austin's turn to take the hit. He plowed into Zen, knocking him from his feet and taking the full force of the attack. He flew backwards and hit the ground hard, tumbling to a stop near the edge of the cliff. "No!" Zen roared. He turned towards Spyro and began to sprint. This time he was ready for the tail. As it hurdled towards him, he jumped into the air, just barely clearing it. He hit the ground running and slammed full force into Spyro. She wailed in pain as she tumbled backwards. Zen jumped into the air and landed on her back. He wrapped his arms around her neck and held her there, pinning her to the ground. Zen turned to Doxy and yelled, "The Scythe! Hurry."
Doxy looked down at the ground. Sure enough, Austin's scythe had landed just to the right of her. Slowly, she reached down and picked it up. "Hurry!" Zen shouted, wrestling with the Dragon-Sheep. He was already getting tired. His grip on Spyro had loosened considerably. Doxy walked up to the two, scythe in hand, and raised it above her head. "WAIT" yelled Spyro. "You know what will happen. If you kill something you summoned, you will be dragged down into the abyss with it. Drop the scythe. I promise you, if you betray these fools, I will give you a real spot of power." Doxy had to admit, that was tempting. But how did she know she could really trust Spyro's words. "No," she said. "Summoning you was wrong. If getting dragged into the abyss is what it will take to right that, then so be it." Doxy raised the scythe above her had and with a mighty swoop, she plunged the tip into the Dragon-Sheep.
"NOOOOOOOOOOO" Spyro screeched. A green light began to glow from the cracks appearing on Spyro's skin. The ground beneath her began to swirl as a fissure opened in the rocks. Zen jumped off of Spyro's back just in time. All around the battlefield the Dragon-Sheep's hoard began to get sucked into the fissure. Spyro herself was slowly melting back into a fog-like state. "You are a fool!" she yelled. "And now you will spend an eternity with me in the abyss." As the last of her hoard was sucked in, she too began to sink. With one more blast of fire, the Dragon-Sheep was pulled into the fissure.
It was then that Doxy began to feel a tug. Slowly but surely the sensation got stronger until she was beginning to slide along the ground in the direction of the fissure. In the distance, Khaos and Green emerged from the line of trees. "No!" they both shouted. But Doxy just smiled. "I have done wrong, and I will accept my fate. Thank you both for putting your faith in me during this battle." As Doxy reached the edge of the fissure, she looked towards the sky. It was a beautiful day. The sky was blue and there were no clouds. Doxy smiled again and whispered, "No matter how dark the Abyss is, I will always keep this picture in my mind. It will be my light." She closed her eyes, and fell backwards, into the hole.
A hand shot out and grabbed a hold of her wrist. She opened her eyes to see Austin, clinging to a rock and doing his best to pull her out. "What are you doing?" she yelled. "You're going to get yourself pulled in too!" Austin just shook his head, determination on his face. "Look into my eyes Doxy!" he yelled over the gust of the wind. "I will not let you fall. As far as I am concerned, you have paid for your sins. I can't do this alone!" Doxy felt adrenaline surge through her. Maybe he was right. Maybe she didn't have to accept an eternity in the abyss. She gripped his hand with all of her strength and kicking off from the side of the fissure, jumped into the air. As soon as she was airborne, Austin pulled with all of his might. Doxy sailed through the air and hit Austin sending them both to the ground. The fissure snapped shut.
Epilogue
It has been twenty years since the Dragon-Sheep returned. After the fissure closed, The generals led everybody back to the Sanctuary where a mighty feast was held for both the soldiers and the citizens. At the end of the night, Austin, Green, Khaos, Zen, Mallory and Nick walked outside of the walls. It was time to say goodbye. Afterall, Zen and Green no longer belonged in this world. With their parting goodbyes, a white light slowly began to overtake their bodies. Before long, they had disappeared completely.
Austin- Many more battles were fought before Austin stepped down as General. Because of his leadership and guidance, Twitch went on to become a land of peace and prosperity. He decided that in his retirement he would travel the world to see what life was like outside of the Walls of the Sanctuary. He and his traveling companion still visit the Sanctuary every now and then to see how things are going.
Khaos- After his fight with Jsmith, Khaos decided to leave the military in order to go in search of these "Jetporkers" the Scumlord had been talking about. He was never seen or heard from again.
Mallory- When Austin retired, Mallory decided to become his travel buddy. After all, she owed her life to him. Had he not been there, she would be rotting in the abyss with a very cranky Dragon-Sheep. She and Austin lived happily ever after.
Nick- Nick became the leader of the military when Austin and Khaos stepped down. Under his guidance, they became the most known military across the land of Twitch. The Sanctuary was never again targeted.
Caps- Caps quickly rose in the ranks of the Military. She soon found herself to be a general and her troops were the best-trained soldiers in the lands.