Chapter Two
Lost Contact
-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-
"Miss? Miss, are you okay?"
Caem frowned, and blearily opened her eyes. "Oh good. Miss, are you okay? What are you doing here?" a voice next to her asked. Caem turned her head, and jumped back.
It took her addled brain several seconds to come to the realisation that if a dog was kneeling down and talking to her, that meant she was in a different part of Skylands from the Citadel.
Oh, no. This was not going to be happening today.
The dog must have seen the irritation on her face, because he cocked his head to one side and looked worriedly at her. "Miss, what's wrong?" he asked, and Caem groaned.
"Help me up, please," she said, though it sounded a bit more like a command than a request.
The dog stood up and reached out a hand. Caem took it, and the dog helped her up. Caem steadied herself on the wall she hadn't noticed she'd been resting on. The dog watched, then spoke, "Miss… may I ask what you're doing here? Normally people don't appear out of nowhere. Do you think you could explain to me what has happened?"
The dog was so well mannered that she almost opened her mouth straight away to reply. Caem frowned, though, and thought. She had no idea what had happened, or whether she should be telling this seemingly polite dog anything. Eventually she sighed, and gave in.
"Look, I'm a Portal Master, and I don't know why I'm here," she told him.
She thought some more, and added, "Where exactly is here, anyway?" Caem asked him. The dog looked around in alarm, then inched just a little closer.
"You're on a pirate Skyland. In fact, you're on one of the main port islands," he murmured, eyeing her carefully.
Caem took a good long look at the dog now. He had dark brown fur, and cream sock colouring, stretching up to his elbows and the end of his feet. He was swishing his large, wolfish tail to and fro, and his pricked ears were torn and nicked in all sorts of places. The dog wore an old blue sleeveless vest, which was unbuttoned, and his long baggy pants, fastened by a tattered red sash, were so faded they were no longer the original colouring, but a washed out, patchy grey. He looked the part of a pirate.
But it was the medallion he wore around his neck that should've clued her in the most. It was small, but heavy gold, and in the shape of a pirate symbol, which was a spiralling shell when looked at from the right angle. But he wore it hanging by the point so it looked more like a spiral in the shape of a teardrop. And from the centre going outwards along the spiral line were black spikes, small and inlaid into the medallion. The dog wore it on a ragged cord, and it sat pride of place on his bared chest.
The dog caught her looking at it, and stared at her, frowning, "Wait, miss, why are you still here? I thought you would just portal out when I told you where you are. Quickly now, it isn't very safe for you here," he said, looking puzzled then urgent.
Caem nodded, and reached for a portal. She found nothing. Nothing. Caem barely kept from panicking. "I can't. It's gone… I can't portal out," she said, proud of how calm she sounded. Caem didn't scare easily, and was highly regarded amongst the Skylanders for her ability to work under pressure. But this had her spooked now.
"Miss, don't worry about that. I promise I'll help you out of here, okay? I know ships that'll take you where you need to go. On my honour," he said, holding out a paw. Caem raised a slender eyebrow.
"Pirates have honour?" she said, watching him curiously. The dog smiled at that, withdrawing his paw.
He cocked his head, then replied, "Well, Miss. Looks like you're going to have to figure that one out for yourself. Now, if you'll follow me?" He smiled again, and walked a few paces away, then glanced back.
Caem snorted, but followed him. She couldn't portal out of here, and it wasn't like there was anyone else who was willing to help, now was there? So what did she have to lose?
-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-
"Ash! Ash, where are you?" Spyro called, racing through the volcano grounds, home base of the Fire Element Skylanders, kicking up clouds of dust and ash as he swung his head around, peering through the smog.
"Spyro?" A voice called. Spyro spun around, and growled when not Ash, as he'd hoped, but Eruptor stepped of the murk.
"Spyro, calm it. What's wrong? Why do you need Ash?" Spyro flared his nostrils, and pawed at the ground, staining his claws grey.
"Eruptor, all the portals are missing. So are the Portal Masters, and the Portal Anchors. I need Ash. He'll be able to tell me if anything came in or out and took them, Kaos didn't see and I doubt Spy Rise or Mesmerelda will find anything, you know how they are," the purple dragon panted quickly, as he looked around, searching wildly.
Eruptor stared at him in shock, "Blaze… Spyro, I last saw him by the hot springs." Spyro dipped his head in thanks and began to race away.
Eruptor called after him, "I'll round up anyone here and we'll get back to the Citadel. I'm pretty sure there's Giant active who can help us if the islands aren't connected." Spyro dipped his head again, in acknowledgment, and ran faster.
The lava monster muttered to himself, "I hope this isn't too serious… no. Things are getting serious. Now, where did that dragoness and dog get off too?" he muttered, hurrying off in the other direction from the dust cloud that was Spyro.
Spyro ran though the gorge, and slowed as he reached the lava pools. Long ago, a mighty river had flowed through the gorge, and rammed into the volcano. Over the years, the torrent had dried, but not before it had left a large depression, a bowl shaped cut out of the ground and the volcano's base.
Spyro slowed down, and entered the steamy cloud that signalled the start of the hot springs, and shivered in spite of himself. It was nice and hot, and Spyro liked it hot.
"Ash!" the dragon called, swing his head around. He spotted movement in one of the pools, and went over.
"Spyro," a smooth voice called, and a horse emerged elegantly from the pool. He was small, only a head taller than Spyro, and his charcoal coat gleamed with water. His black mane, normally wild and spiky and covering one side of his face, was plastered down against his short fur, as was his dripping tail.
It was Ash. His usually white forehead blaze and the patch over his eye was now dyed a dark grey, and the large, elongated heart shaped colouring on his chest had stained into a deep red. It was normally a bright magenta. Two upside down teardrops, their points facing towards the heart's tip, sat inside the round parts of the heart, and were now a black colour instead of a dark blue. His underbelly was usually the same magenta as his heart, but it was now burgundy, as it had clearly been sitting in the water for a longer time.
Ash shook himself, spraying droplets everywhere. He then looked to Spyro, and asked, "Do you mind if I light it up? Only it takes my coat an awfully long time to dry, otherwise."
Spyro shrugged, indicating he didn't mind. Ash stamped his shiny gold hooves, and fire rippled along the stallion, showing his true colours and returning his mane to its wild state, before it vanished and left him completely dry.
Spyro opened his mouth now, and said in a rush, "Ash, someone's taken the Portals and the Portal Anchors and the Portals Masters. Kaos didn't see it, so he can't help. Mesmerelda and Spy Rise are looking into it right now, but I don't think they'll find anything. Can you see if you can?"
Ash blinked, shock passing over his face. He struggled, then regained his cool composure. "Spyro, you didn't even need to ask. Blazes, we're in trouble. Come on, let's go," he said, taking a step towards the gorge. Spyro smiled breathlessly at him, and ran through the gorge mouth.
Ash cantered after him, splashing though the pool and into the gorge.
Cynder yawned, snapping her jaws shut, and glared at Eruptor. "I like my sleep. Spyro knows this. You know this. So give me one good reason why I shouldn't electrocute you," she growled, standing up and jumping off the rock she'd been sleeping on.
Eruptor swallowed. The black-purple dragoness had always scared him, just a little, even though he knew she probably didn't eat lava monsters. He opened his mouth, closed it again, then cleared his throat.
Luckily, Hot Dog saved him. The fire hound barked at Cynder, who redirected her smouldering blue eyes at him. Hot Dog didn't even shrink back.
"Spyro said it was urgent. Really urgent. He isn't stupid, no one wakes you unless they have to," the hound said, staring at the dragoness.
Cynder snorted, scowling, "So, what's the big news? Is the Citadel on fire? Is Hugo being attacked by sheep again? Is Flynn stuck up his-" She paused, and rounded on Spyro, who'd just run up, trailing Ash.
"Spyro. Why did you wake me?" The words themselves sounded nice enough, but it was the way Cynder ground them out that made them anything but.
Spyro wasn't in the mood for this, "The Portals are missing. The Anchors and Portal Masters are gone as well. We think they've been stolen," he said sharply, looking at the dragoness.
Cynder's scowl slipped, and she stared at Spyro, in shock. Hot Dog barked his disbelief behind them.
Cynder blinked, and blinked again, then said, serious now, "Tree Rex is by the beach. I'll get him to connect the islands around there, and we'll bring everyone in. Look for Hot Head in the lava tunnels."
Spyro nodded, and Cynder ran to the edge of the island, and leapt off. A few seconds later, she appeared, pumping her wings. Spyro took off again, heading towards the tunnels.
"Gotta love Cynder sometimes. Tell her something like that and she'll be a perfect little soldier, obeying orders to the letter. Waste her time and she'll rip you limb from limb," Ash remarked, his galloping strides digging into the ground and throwing up clods of dry earth. Hot Dog snorted dirt out of his nose and moved closer to avoid this.
Eruptor, who was following behind them all as a slithering puddle of lava, formed a mouth just long enough to say, "It's alright for you to laugh, she likes you. She doesn't try to scare you, nor does she non-so-subtlety suggest she might eat you."
Hot Dog laughed. Spyro winked at Ash, who smiled. Eruptor made a gurgling noise, that may have been a mumbled word.
Hot Dot cocked his head to one side, and asked something that had just occurred to him, "Spyro, why aren't you flying? You'd reach Hot Head much quicker."
Spyro had heard this before, and replied, "Unfortunately, the ash in the air weighs down my wings. I'd have to jump off this island to take flight. Good thing I like to stretch my legs," he grinned at the hound, who nodded back. Spyro looked back ahead, and saw something moving in the distance, just before where the ground sloped down and the tunnels began.
"Hot Head!" Spyro yelled, staring at the hulking shape on the horizon.
The shape moved, and turned to face Spyro. "Yes, Spyro?" The purple dragon sighed in relief, and slowed to a stop. It was Hot Head.
"I need you to connect these islands to the Citadel. It's an emergency, I'll explain it to you on the way," Spyro asked, sitting down heavily. Eruptor flowed back into his normal shape, and Ash and Hot Dog stayed standing, neither looking very exhausted.
Hot Head nodded. He didn't question. All the Skylanders knew that the job came first. So long as they knew what they were doing, they didn't need to know anything else. Or at least not until the emergency was over.
Hot Head grabbed at one of the large, heavy chains connecting the volcano island to a smaller connecter island. He heaved, and the small island shot forwards. It stopped at jumping distance before them, and they all clambered on. Hot Head tugged at another chain, this one connected to the Citadel docks, and they shot forwards. They crashed into the main island, and rocked with the impact.
"Woah!" shouted Ash, as he staggered with the island's motion, and nearly fell, his hooves unable to dig into the ground. Hot Dog leaped onto the docks before the island stopper moving, and Eruptor burped nervously.
"There you go. Watch your step, gentlemen," Hot Head announced grandly, as he moved onto the large island.
Spyro darted across to the Citadel island. Ash and Eruptor joined him and Hot Dog, who was already clawing at the ground impatiently.
Then they all took off towards the Citadel proper.
-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-
"Gadgit, any response?" Roller Brawl asked. The fox shook his russet head, the classic golden bronze aviator goggles pushed up on his brow bouncing slightly. Gadgit smoothed out a wrinkle in his muted orange armour, which felt deceptively cloth-like, save the outer ribs of coppery steel, and shook out his oil stained pants that were held up by a leather belt. He scuffed his worn brown boots on the grass, and pulled at his grey fingerless gloves impatiently, waiting for the small holographic display in front of him to load.
On his left hand glove was a round, black circular button, and he pressed this once the display finished, and the circle glowed red. "No good. There must be some interference," he informed the vampire, who had begun to skate restless circles around him.
Roller Brawl groaned. "Looks like we're stuck here for the time being, unless you've got signal enough for a map," she complained, flopping down onto a rock and propping up her chin with her hands. Gadgit sat down too. "About that map… hmm. It might work… let me see…" he mused, sliding his finger around the button's rim.
A larger holographic screen appeared in front of him, and a keyboard appeared with it. "I love these things," Roller Brawl said, reaching out to touch the screen.
"Will you not?" Gadgit asked testily as Roller Brawl waved her hand through the keyboard several times, while involuntarily pressing keys.
Roller Brawl stopped, rolling her eyes. "Thank you," Gadgit said, and pressed a key. Both keyboard and screen melded together to become a floating compass. Instead of showing where north was, however, the needle appeared to be pointing west.
"Your compass is broken." Roller Brawl pointed out the obvious, getting back to her feet and flipping her pink braid back over her shoulder, "Look, it points west," she said. Gadgit sighed, grabbed the compass and stood.
"It's supposed to, okay? You should know that by now," he said, and shot a look at her.
Roller Brawl yawned widely, clearly not caring, "Come on, let's get moving then," she said, pushing him forwards. "I'm going," Gadgit muttered sourly, and began walking. Roller Brawl began circling him again. "I'm not that slow!" he shouted.
"Yes, you are," came her reply.
-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-
Tessa groaned. When she opened her eyes her vision swam, and when she sat up, pain lanced through her body.
Typical, she thought.
When her eyes had stopped playing tricks on her, she saw she was sitting on a small stone platform. In a wide, gaping chasm, full of more platforms, only most of them were wooden and rickety looking, with the occasional cracked stone platform dotted around.
Typical. Freaking typical.
Tessa wondered occasionally if her life was amusing to someone else out there, because she always seemed to be the butt of a hidden joke. Why else on Skylands would she be sitting in a giant pit with dodgy platforms everywhere? And of course she would be expected to get out.
Why couldn't she have been portaled into hordes of enemies or something instead? She could fight with the best of the Skylanders, even though she technically wasn't one. She didn't even bother to question why she had woken up in this place. Something must have gone wrong, again.
Tessa pushed herself up shakily, and staggered as she straightened. Her head… Darkness take her, it felt like the worst hangover she'd ever had. And she'd had a lot of hangovers in her time with the military, and then the Skylanders. This felt like that time she'd been persuaded to drink Red Death by her old squad mates-
A rushing noise sounded, and Tessa cried out as she was blown off the platform, her hand flying out and just catching the edge. A ferocious wind blew over her head as she desperately hung on.
And then the wind whipped her right off the platform, tearing her hands free from where she clung so tightly.
Down, down she fell. The last thing she saw was the ground rushing up towards her before she blacked out again.
Someone sighed.
And caught Tessa as she fell, bending the wind around her falling form to slow her drop.
-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-
Ink watched as the fox-like feline woman stirred slightly. Okay, so maybe she'd broken the rules a little, but she had a feeling this woman was meant to survive. And she'd just send her on her way again, no harm done. She wouldn't even remember she'd met Ink. A simple spell could easily take care of that.
Tasting rebellion on her tongue, she smiled and studied the woman, determined to remember her face forever, the one thing she had managed to change.
The woman had beautiful, fiery orange hair up in a high ponytail, and her large tail was the same colour as her hair. She had light brown fur, speckled with a few, selective dusky brown spots. Her ears were also that same shade of brown, and what Ink could see of her chest… err, underbelly was a dirty, brownish beige, while her muzzle was a paler beige that faded to the woman's regular colouring.
The woman was wearing a dark emerald tee, and khaki pants with a lot of pockets. She also had a very nice army styled jacket made of leaves.
Ink stifled a small laugh, because making a jacket out of leaves was certainly taking camouflage to the next level. She supposed it was a gift, probably a leaving present as she could see the woman was a soldier.
She was probably from the Skylanders division as well, if her cloaked crystal amulet was anything to go by. The crystal was fascinating, and Ink could see why they were such a closely guarded military secret. They were a both a communication device, a health monitor and a portal anchor… the last one was especially impressive. But what a large Portal Magic signature that the crystal could generate... wait, this woman's crystal wasn't generating the portal magic.
She was the Portal Anchor. Darkness take her, why hadn't she realised? No wonder she'd felt she was important.
Ink opened her eyes to the Sight, and tried to find out more about the woman. Maybe because she was hasty, maybe because she was cursing herself for being so incautious in her rebellion, she forgot to put up her mental barricades first.
Ink couldn't contain the scream that burst from her lips as her head was flooded with millions of future paths, future scenes, flashing sporadically. And as the visions flashed through her eyes, she was reeling, clutching her head as the overloading images caused great pain tore her apart.
-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-
Tessa was up and crouching by the woman's side before she even knew what was going on.
She didn't feel the stiffness that lashed across both her sides as she shouted questions, asking if she was all right, even though she knew she wasn't. It was something they'd drummed into her at the academy, and as soon as she realised this, Tessa quickly changed tactics, asking what was wrong. All the woman did was whimper and screw up her eyes more as she convulsed.
Tessa could do nothing but watch as the woman writhed in pain. She hated this hopeless feeling, that she could do nothing to help. For the hundredth time she wished she had the powers that came with her element, the healing abilities of Life she could never use.
And then she watched as the woman slipped fitfully into unconsciousness.
So Tessa picked her up, barely thinking about anything except helping this person who had clearly saved her life. And Tessa was determined to return the favour.
