Chapter Five:
Emergency Exit
The moon was full tonight, and everyone had fallen asleep after a long day of training. Well, most everyone. My 'team' gathered in my room to review the route and to copy the final plans at the island onto parchment. While I did this, Cynder read the route out loud. We didn't have a set time or date as to when we had to be there because it was hopefully going be a surprise attack. We were even going to get any supplies we needed along the way. However, supplies cost gold, and that is something we are lacking. Small jobs for citizens might yield rewards, but we may have to resort to thievery if that doesn't work. Together, we had about 200 gold. Not enough for decent weapons or armor, but I hoped that it was enough for two balanced shortswords. Once we get shields, I can teach them how to use them expertly, even though we are four-legged. Swords alone will only get you so far.
I packed up a small bundle of items into my back, making sure I had my basics: emergency smoke bombs (kept secret for so long), a copy of the world map that I drew our route on, and a few snacks. My sword was sheathed and held by my waist and I was ready. I knew that Spyro and Cynder didn't have this kind of bag, so I had crafted two, one for each of them. I did, however, have to make them out of animal hide and strong leaves. They're similar to mine, but I got mine years ago and I have no idea what it's made of. I slung my pack on and walked out, closing my door behind me and hiding it behind a wall of earth. I didn't want to chance a Janus search and have them find the old assault plans. Let alone put the Guardians in any danger.
As I was walking down the hallway, I could hear a muffled explosion in the distance. I stopped immediately and listened. Nothing. No Guardians awake, and no boom. I could be paranoid, but that is beside the point. I know I heard something. I turned into the training room and heard a lout bang on a door behind me. Spinning around, I was just in time to see a cloud of smoke and dust fall from the door opposite the one I entered. A third and final bang brought the doors down and I could hear claws scratching on stone, so I knew whoever it was, was coming fast. I dove into the plants that circled the training room and listened.
"Who's there?" Terrador boomed. I couldn't see him, but his voice echoed throughout the temple halls.
"The better question is who are you?" a threatening female voice replied. I couldn't believe my ears, but I knew that voice. I snuck a quick peek from behind the door to see a silhouette of a dragon with a glowing necklace that illuminated her chest and face. As frightening as it looked, I was looking at the face of my mother, Tiamate.
"If you are from that Council, then we will remind you that whatever dragon you are searching for is not here! After all this time-" Terrador started.
"I am not here from Janus," Tiamate interrupted, "nor do I support them in any way. They shot down my son in this airspace and have given up their search. I'm seeing if it is true, and if it is…" I hoped that Terrador would not give me up, and I held my breath, waiting for what he would say.
"We did find a dragon a while ago, but we do not know if he would be your son. Would you like to see him?" NO! I mentally screamed. I hoped it wasn't loud enough for her to pick it up, but a sudden tap on my shoulder nearly caused me to jump out of my scales.
"We need to go." Cynder said, sounding rushed.
"I know, my mom is here and Terrador is taking her to my room. I hid it behind a wall of earth, but maybe it won't work for him. It is my magic, after all." I replied.
"Then we need to take off now. If we can get at least to the first island, we'll be able to lie low until morning."
"Sounds good; it's the island the Guardians go to for supplies, right" I received a short nod and followed her to Spyro, who was waiting for us on the balcony. Without a word, we leaped off the balcony, instantly airborne. I could feel the wind beneath my wings as we soared close to the tops of the giant mushrooms. It wasn't long until we were flying over the sea where a slight tailwind pushed us further. With these two with me, the journey home should be utterly simple. But this was only the first step. For now, staying hidden was the second.
The sudden chirping of birds startled me enough to get me up right away. For a second, I thought I was going to wake up in the Temple, thinking that all this was just a dream. I looked around and stayed prepared for any kind of attack before I realized that it was safe. The adrenaline waned and I became tired again. The other two were sound asleep and resting near the trunk of a rather large tree. We were rushing to find a spot for our cam, and quickly hid our belongings in a couple bushes. It was all so fast, what happened the night before, and I hoped that I would get use to it.
As I was more awake, I had a disturbing thought. This was the village the Guardians go to for supplies and food. If Spyro or Cynder are seen around the village, then the Guardians might be notified. We were lucky to be deep in the forest, about half a mile from the village. From what I'm told, no one goes this deep into the forest. I really didn't know why.
Paranoia kicked back in as I heard a rustling sound behind me. I spun around with a paw on my sword hilt, ready for combat. That was soon stopped when Cynder smacked it off.
"No need to freak out over that. Save the sword for the real fights." she said.
"Real fights?" I asked, unaware that we would willingly jump into some random battle.
"Yeah, our route crosses several hostile areas. The creatures that live in those areas aren't used to trespassers and deal with them in their own ways."
"What fun, now while we move to Janus, nature will be trying to kill us along the way." I replied sarcastically.
"Don't' worry about it, we'll be fine. Now I don't know about you, but I'm hungry. I know this place in town that sells-" she started.
"You guys can't go into town!" I blurted. Cynder raised her brow challengingly.
"Oh really? And why is that?"
"Because they know you. If the Guardians ask around town, you'll be easily recognized. I haven't been here, but it would be safer if I went in alone."
"These lone wolf tactics better not become a habit, but fine," she said after a few seconds, "but I'll tell you where to go and what to get."
"Deal, now, what were you saying before? About the place that sells something?"
"Well, it's unnamed, and it's just a small stall, but it sells the best fruit you could ever find in a forest. I can't even describe it, but that is definitely the best place to go for a morning meal." Without warning, she rushed over to our hiding bush and pulled out a small scrap of parchment and started writing on it. About five minutes of waiting passed before she came back over to me and handed the paper to me. "This is a list of what to get. If I counted right, you should have at least fifty gold when you come back.
"What about weapons?" I asked.
"Swords aren't sold here, but shields are. I put it on the list, just go and get the stuff! I'm starving." When I tried to open my mouth again to speak, she held a paw up and pointed in the opposite direction. I sighed and turned that way and started walking. The half of a mile didn't take as long as I thought, and I was able to see some of the buildings in about ten minutes. I had half a mind to believe that Cynder was planning something to surprise me, but I pushed that thought out of my mind.
For the next couple hours, I roamed the village. It felt so stupid to have to either ask directions in a small village or to just look around like a tourist. When I had found everything on the list, I headed out of the village via the south exit. However, as I passed one of the houses, a cheetah stopped me.
"I'd be careful in that forest; wolves have been ambushing any creature that travels alone." He warned.
"Thanks, but I think I can take a few wolves." I replied. It was true, too.
"These aren't your ordinary wolf, boy. Werewolves hunt in packs and are much more dangerous than their weaker kin."
"Okay, thanks again, I'll be careful, but I'm not in the forest for that long anyway. But thanks for the warning." Before he could say anything else, I turned tail and walked as fast as I could with an oversized pack. I thought about what the cheetah had said about the werewolves. I knew they were far and few in Draconia, but if they reside in this forest in large numbers, they might just be a problem. I also knew that if they were nearby, I'd sense them, but I'd be an easy target with all of the weight on me.
Luckily, I made it back to our camp and quickly set the pack down in front of the two waiting dragons. After that, I simply fell onto my side. I wasn't use to this kind of labor. It's not like I'm pampered, I just don't do real work other than training and fighting.
"Anything special happen in town? Any questions?" Cynder said as she opened the large bag.
"Mostly odd looks and 'are you lost?' questions. But uneventful at best. This one cat warned me of werewolves in the forest, though." I replied lazily. I leaned my head over and saw Spyro look at me quizzically.
"Cat?" he asked.
"A cheetah, probably a hunter. Apparently it's not all too safe in this forest. I recommend we leave as soon as possible. Early morning maybe." I said with a yawn.
"Then we were lucky not to be harmed last night." Cynder added.
"That is true; now, if no one objects, I'm going to go take a nap." I announced, walking over to a shady area. Laying down once more, I quickly fell asleep without the slightest bit of worry.
Chapter Six:
Dreaming of Rescue
I lost all track of time in my dreams. The infinite realm I go to in sleep shows me some of the strangest stories. Many years ago I once dreamt that I was one of the Creators as they were making the world. What made it strange was that it felt more like I was viewing the scene from a third-person point of view because I couldn't see myself like I normally do. I didn't see a muzzle or paws, and it felt weird. This time, I saw myself being kidnapped by shadowy creatures. It was unclear and obscure, but it was different than anything I've ever dreamt.
It was stopped short when I felt myself fall on the ground, hitting my head on a hard rock. The falling really woke me up, and the rock reminded me of it. Right away, I had a headache and looked around. It was nearly pitch black except for a few rays of sun coming through a poorly built door. I blinked a few times, adjusting to the minimal light and taking in everything around me.
There was a small jug next to an empty plate by one of the dark walls. Based on the soft ground I was on, I assumed I was in some sort of cave. Wherever I was, it was definitely not at camp.
I stood up, cringing as a flash of pain seared through my head. A short groan escaped my muzzle and I heard a couple of low growls from the outside of the door.
"Who's there?" I asked, "Where am I?"
"Silence, Prisoner!" was the reply. It was a deep, snarling voice which brought me back to the cheetah's warning. Then it dawned on me; I had been captured by werewolves. That would mean I'm in their camp, and that there was a small chance that Cynder and Spyro were still at camp and have realized I'm gone. Hopefully, the wolves left footprints or some other indication that they took me. But to be captured by werewolves without me knowing it, that was just sad on my part.
I wondered whether or not if it was a good idea to try and fight my way out. I took a few moments to think about it, and focused so I could sense the aura around me. Immediately, a tidal wave of energy returned and I knew right away that there was no way to fight all of them. Dozens and dozens of foggy silhouettes dotted the area, with three outside my door. My only hope was to wait for rescue, and gods know how long that will take. Accepting my fat, I laid down at the back of my 'cell' and put my head on my front paws. If someone saw me, I'd probably look like a bored dog.
I waited, and waited, but no help came. I guess I just expected someone to magically appear, because I only waited for about five hours. No one came into the cell and I heard no voices. I had nothing to do in my solitude, and the only positive thing was that I had everything with me. I had my bag and sword because the wolves can't take them off of me unless I will it, and they didn't bind me, either. I forget how long I was laying there, just that it was long. Failing in one of the most important rules of survival among the enemy, I fell asleep.
Tiamate once gave me a lengthy lecture on the subject of dreams and what they show. She said that dreams can show us premonitions, fantastic places, or our innermost desires. I was also told that there are some dragons that are able to telepathically view other places of the world as a vision. The one who realize this train themselves to willingly view places in any dream. They are able to stay in complete solitude, and know anything and everything that is going on in the world. In contrast, there are dragons who can sense, even see, these dream walkers.
This can explain the sudden deaths of many hermits and outcasts, and verifies the urban legend: if you die in your dream, you die in real life. I had no idea of my other powers, but I now think that I can add dream-walker to that list. Unless it was one of my innermost desires to see my friends on their way to rescue…
I saw Cynder running ahead of Spyro through dense trees. They had purpose in their step, and confidence in their eyes. Or was it anger, I couldn't tell. They knew what had taken me and they were on their way right now, following fresh, muddy paw prints.
"Are you sure it's werewolves?" Spyro asked between breaths.
"Absolutely, see the paw prints? You can even smell them, primitive beasts!" she replied. They did not slow their step until I saw them start heaving for breath. At that point, they stopped. Even though they were tired, I watched as Cynder raised her head and stood still. Without any kind of warning or sound, four grey werewolves leaped from the bushes and they were surrounded.
This was the first time I have seen these two fight for real. Spyro created an orb of earth around him and rolled right over two of the wolves. Meanwhile, Cynder spat poison at the other two, and sent them flying with a swift, but powerful, shadow strike. With all four dazed and disoriented, Spyro let loose a long current of electricity all around, barely missing Cynder, but finishing off the weres. It seemed that I was not the only one aware of dragons roaming the forest.
I wasn't sure how close they were to reaching the camp, but when I saw smoke above the trees, I knew that they were only minutes away. Maybe I could make my escape when they breach the camp… It was a risk I'd be willing to take, so I continued to watch, not knowing whether this was a real vision or not.
Spyro and Cynder had just arrived in front of the camp when I saw a group of about a dozen wolves, one adorned with jewels and feathers, waiting for them. This wolf walked forward, brandishing a rather large staff.
"Why do you trespass on our land," he began, "when you have your own village in the clearing?" Before Spyro could replay, Cynder stepped forward.
"Why do you think it is okay to take our friend?" she shouted forcefully. A couple of wolves took a step back in fear.
"What friend do you speak of? All we have 'ere are us werewolves. Not a dragon among us!"
"He wouldn't be 'among you', he'd be locked away in a cage somewhere!" Spyro shouted back.
"Well wherever your friend is, he certainly is not here."
"Then you wouldn't mind us searching around."
"Actually, we would. Now, I am going to ask you to leave."
"Not until we get our friend back!" Cynder yelled, stamping her paw on the ground. The chief only nodded as he raised his staff. The wolves around him charged, and I watched as he immediately ran away once the fight began. The vision faded just as Spyro let loose another current of electricity.
I was disappointed my 'dream' had to end so soon, but I knew what I was going to do. Frantic voices grunted and growled outside my door.
"What do we do now? Those dragons are going to get here once they've finished the others!" one cried.
"Pull yourself together, we have to be ready for when they do get here," the other replied, "besides, this dragon is going nowhere."
This wolf just made his last mistake, taunting an armed dragon during an ongoing fight, which was now confirmed to be real. He had no other ally to back him up, either.
"We'll see about that, furball!" I shouted back to him. Before he could say anything else, I burst open the door with a kinetic bolt. I was going for fire, but I guess my body continues to surprise me all the time. He must've been standing right in front of the door because the it now lay on top of a groaning wolf. I glared at his cowardly friend who, with one low growl, ran off. I could still hear shouting and commotion nearby, and followed it. Sure enough, Spyro and Cynder were there, fighting off a seemingly infinite number of werewolves.
I charged in blindly, igniting my body, while bellowing a war cry that all could hear. The shocked expressions that the wolves and my friends held was priceless, and I chuckled to myself.
"Why'd you start the fight without me?" I asked comically, smacking away two wolves in the process.
"Great to see you alive, but how'd you get out?" Spyro replied.
"I'll tell you later, but I think now that we're all together, shouldn't we leave?" I asked as another were flew over my head.
"You'll go nowhere!" a voice growled from behind. As I spun around to see the source, I realized that we had been surrounded. Where do all of these wolves come from? I asked mentally, half expecting an answer from some supernatural force. The chief was standing among the circled wolves.
"The prisoner escaped? Why has no one told me?" he bellowed.
"Excuse me, but the prisoner escaped," I replied, receiving many angry growls, as well as a couple laughs from my comment, "but I think it's hard for wolves to speak when they're asleep or deserting.
"And here I thought we could at least talk over lunch instead of all this carnage." My sarcastic remarks were met with more growls and barks from the werewolf horde.
"You will have plenty of time to talk after we turn you into Earnari!"
"So the paranoid Council still searches for me! I'd be flattered if that didn't worry me. This I just cannot let go."
"Too bad, dragon. All three of you will fetch us a great reward. Brothers, sisters, attack!"
The surrounding werewolves all came into the center of their circle, claws ready and teeth ready to bite. I didn't even have time to count all of the wolves attacking us, but I would have guessed about twenty at the most. Even with all of the attackers, my target was clear; I was going for the chief. I charged toward him, swatting and head butting any wolf in my way. A sharp, searing pain crashed through my skull as I got closer. The staff that chief had must've been magic because I still feel jolts coursing through my body. Ignoring the pain, I charged again, ready for another swing. True enough, he swung the staff again, but I jumped over it, barely missing the sharpened tip. I landed and jumped again, using my wings to lift me higher. At my peak, I shot a stream of fire at his face. He cursed as he stumbled backwards. I landed again, out of breath, and looked back at my friends. The werewolf fight was one we were winning, and I would have to wrap this up quickly. This look left me defenseless, and I received another blast of pain as his staff connected with my side.
"What, no snappy remark? You must be slipping, dragon." He mocked. This made me angry, and I glared at him. However, no sign of intimidation came across his face. I stood up and cracked my neck before preparing for another charge. As I was running, I concentrated my earth energy into a spiked helmet, aimed at the werewolf in front of me. He wasn't ready for the impact, and neither was I. I collided into his chest and he flew back a few feet. I landed on two feet, stumbling slightly, and got rid of the earth helmet. The chief also stood up, and was using his staff to stay up. I took the opportunity and ran over to him, swiping his feet from underneath him. He fell with a loud thud, and I kept the momentum with my tail going and swung it down hard. Were it not for my sense of mercy, I would have landed my tail-blade right on his throat. Instead, it lay embedded into the ground not three inches away from his head.
"Stay out of my business and stay away from The Janus Council. Oh, and you can start running. If I hear you've told them about our little 'encounter'," I started, leaning into the were's face, "I will hunt you down and kill you personally." As I got up, he did as well, and without a word, he turned tail and ran into the forest. I nodded in satisfaction and turned to my companions.
"So," I started, "where to next?"