Chapter 4: An End to Innocence


May 7, 1965 | 3:14 PM [Local Time] (1514 Hr MLTY)

Temple of Our Ancestors, Dragon City of Arcantheus

Subj. Malefor Age: 13 -3 Years Before Anomaly


"Yes that's it, feel the energy flow through you… feel it's power… allow it to fester, build… Control it, harness it, but don't let it consume you. You control it, and in turn, you are the master of yourself… Let this lesson ring true to yourself young Malefor…"

Malefor breathed in, his eyes closed. He could feel the energy… flowing through him… it was… great, powerful, amazing… He could feel the power flowing around him, but he could control it… he could harness it. He opened his eyes, seeing his body glowing as energy flowed around him. He took in a deep breath, bringing his paws up to his chest. The energy flowed to his paws, coming together in a sphere of fire, rotating softly as it gave off a low glow.

"Very good, very good indeed young one!" Aurelius said as he stood nearby, smiling at the young dragon. Malefor smiled but tried to keep his focus, his face lighting up as he was amazing himself.

"Very good Malefor! You know that took me years to master, yet you did it in a few days… Very impressive." Guardian Berylsythe said in amazement, sitting nearby.

"Now, unleash the power young Malefor, let your mind, your being control it…" Aurelius said. Malefor nodded, pushing his paws back before shoving them forward, thrusting the fire out before him.

Malefor kept his paws out, flexing his talons as he tracked the sphere, still able to feel the power, feel the connection. He guided the fire around the room, using his mind to steer it. It was hard… to maintain this connection, but he tried his hardest to maintain it.

"This technique allows for you to guide the element, send it wherever you command rather then an unguided stream of energy. Now you can hit any target, any foe…" Aurelius walked around the room as he spoke, watching the fire dance across the room, narrowly avoiding some of the dummies that sat within the dojo.

Malefor grunted, feeling the difficulty of guiding the element. As it got farther, it was slower to take his commands… he tried to compensate but it was so hard… and well…

Oops.

Malefor blinked, lowering his hands as he realized his sphere had collided with Guardian Berylsythe, colliding into his chest. The impact left a small scorch mark on his scales that slowly dissipated. Malefor's eyes went wide, backing up a bit.

Berylsythe just laughed, shaking his head.

"Think nothing of it Malefor, I am unharmed." He said, smiling at Malefor. Malefor gave back a nervous smile, still a little weary from it all.

"I think that's enough for today, go rest young one, you've earned it." Aurelius said, smiling at Malefor too.

He smiled, thankful. He had been working hard for these past few weeks… trying to master Fire and all. So far he'd done well, learning much of what Berylsythe had to teach him, even though it took him a lifetime to gain all his knowledge and prowess with the element. It was astonishing everyone…

Except Malefor, even though he had amazed himself by this, he knew he could do better, do more. He always knew he could do more… and could do much better. If he didn't, he felt like he'd let everyone down, especially Aurelius, who held Malefor so highly…

He was grateful though, in the aftermath of his little… adventure a few months ago… that Aurelius and the other Guardians had now allowed him to freely access the Temple and see the others, not restricted to being here in the dojo, and his quarters up above. He now got to hang out and be with his friends like Nalus, Ulric and Vesinianne. They even spared with Malefor in the dojo, which normally would have been forbidden, but Aurelius thought it be wise that he was able to practice skills on those his age and size. Even though no real combat was happening, it was a way to hone his skills, and keep Malefor on his toes. He hadn't lost a match yet to any of them, but Vesinianne was getting close, as well as Nalus a few times…

Only a few times.

He did go easy on them after all…

"That is enough for now Malefor, we'll train later. There is a matter I have to attend to."

Aurelius said before walking away, heading towards the exit of the dojo. Malefor nodded, the other Guardians walking out towards the end of the dojo as well. He watched them, seeing their forms disappear behind the doors, leaving him alone in the dojo. He took in a deep breath before running off to the doors to. He didn't want to be late for lunch after all… not this time…

The doors opened for him, he entering the central hallway. He could see the Guardians further down the hall, speaking with a few important looking dragons in another chamber. He smirked, turning to the left, seeing another chamber at the end with a pool in it. He could see a figure sitting in the pool, doing something. Smiling, he trotted off in that direction.

He walked up to the fountain, seeing that it was indeed Vesinianne sitting in its waters, her paws raised in the air as she seemed to concentrate on a blob of water. She managed to hold it suspended in the air but after a few seconds it dribbled down into the water. She sighed, trying away, trying to focus on the waters. She was trying to mimic the technique Malefor had just learned… This brought a soft smile to his face, he just sitting back and watching her. She was doing very well, managing to get another blob of water to lift itself from the water and suspend itself in the air. He could see the extreme concentration in her face as she moved her paws over the orb, trying to hold it stable. After only a few seconds it fell apart and plopped back down into the fountain. She grunted, letting out a defeated sigh.

"You know, it takes years to master that. You've really got a good head start on learning it." He said, leaning in closer. She shot up quickly, almost doing a complete 180 in the air before landing back in the water.

"What the, how long have you been there?!" She yelled, backing up a bit. Malefor laughed.

"Only a few minutes." He said. She panted still before relaxing. She laughed a bit too, shaking her head.

"I've been practicing for months actually… off and on… I saw Master Lietus do it earlier, and I wanted to learn. It's… a lot harder than it looks…"

"Oh yeah, don't get me started…" Malefor said, shaking his head. "I can't tell you how many times it burst in my face trying to control that thing, kind of hurt a bit."

Vesinianne laughed at this, bringing a paw up to her mouth.

"Yeah… I can imagine that…" She said with a giggle.

"Hey… it did hurt. You're lucky you're only using water. That doesn't hurt it if pops in your face."

She simply stuck her tongue at him. He shot back with an annoyed face, which only got a giggle from her.

"Anyway, you want to grab some lunch?" She asked.

"Sure!" Malefor responded.

She smiled, leaping out of the fountain and drying herself off. Malefor brought up an arm to shield himself, making her laugh again. He grumbled, shaking his head. Smiling, she motioned towards the end of the hall and started walking. Malefor lowered his arm and started off, not wanting to miss out on that food… training could make you so hungry…

"So you hear all the fuss about that meeting in the city?" She asked as they walked, passing by a few other students.

"Meeting? What do you mean?"

She stopped, facing him.

"You mean you don't know? The meeting between the Realms, Avalar and the Islands!"

"Oh! You mean the Council of the Realms? I completely forgot about that…" He almost hit himself, how could he forget?! Of course the Council of the Realms would be everything anybody talked about, it only happened every 10 years! Every 10 years all the Dragon Elders, the 3 Kings of Avalar and the various representatives of the Islands would meet in an agreed upon location to discuss anything related to affairs between the bodies. Usually, long standing treaties came out of these agreements, or in some cases… war.

The big talk revolved around the Realms and Avalar. Historically, they had not always gotten along. Several wars had broken out between the two, and was chiefly responsible for the construction of the Dragon Temple to the south and the creation of the Order of the Guardians. Many had forgotten the military significance of the Guardians since there hadn't been a major war in nearly 100 years. Relations between the two had improved but… well, there was still some room to improve. Avalonians simply didn't trust the Realms or the Dragons. Understandable… but they weren't the most trustworthy of the bunch either.

Then there were the wild cards… the Islands. The Islands lay south of the Realms and Avalar, and composed of several independent states or tribes. The largest ones sent representatives to these meetings, and it was mainly due to the Islands that this type of meeting was held at all. While the Realms and Avalar were rivals, the Islands were constantly in a state of conflict. This kind of meeting was held in the hopes that they could force alliances and one day possibly unite the Islands. However… that… was a far off dream. While the northern Islands were the most civil, it was the southern Islands that kept everyone on edge. Malefor hoped this meeting would bring some… resolution to the matter… but he wasn't so naïve.

"There's a big buzz about, I think they've heard about you."

"Who? Me?"

"Yes, you. Who else is some mysterious purple dragon who suddenly arrived here out of nowhere." Vesinianne said with a laugh. He shook his head.

"Didn't know I'd be that interesting to them. Where'd you hear this from anyway?"

"Everyone's talking about it. My parents were talking about it to me last night. It's no secret the biggest topic coming out of the Council is you. They're… well…"

"What? They're what?"

"Concerned about you."

"Concerned? About what? I'm not doing anything!"

"No, no, they're just… well, worried they tell me. They've never seen or heard of a dragon like you is all. You know how the Islands are… Even the Avalonians too."

"But… you make it sound as if they think I'm a monster, or something terrible."

"No, no I didn't mean that! I'm sure they're just cautious is all…" She frowned, seeing Malefor look at the ground. She walked closer to him, putting a wing across his back.

"You know… I've always wondered why I'm the way I am…" He looked up at her, both fear and worry in his eyes. She looked back at him, seeing his uneasiness. He broke the gaze, looking back at the ground. "How is it, that no other purple dragon has ever been born… or learn an element as fast as I can… am I just some sort of freak…?"

"No… no… You're just special…"

"Yeah… special alright…"

"Look…" She brought a paw up, resting it on his chest. He brought his gaze back up to her at this, looking into her eyes. He saw… a calming look in her eyes, something soothing. "You are special Malefor, and none of us believe you're dangerous or a threat. You're just Malefor to us, a great friend." Malefor smiled at this, bringing his own paw to rest on her own before lowering it quickly. She also lowered her paw, backing away slightly. Malefor quickly turned away, not seeing the soft blush that had crept onto her face. She chuckled uncomfortably, but managed to look back at Malefor, who did the same.

"Sorry, it's just something that I'm constantly thinking about…" He said.

"It's alright, glad to help."

"Thanks…" She hugged him for a second before leaning back.

"No problem." He smiled at her, she returning it.

"Malefor!" Malefor heard another voice, turning to see Master Aurelius walking over to him.

"Master Aurelius! What is it?" He asked.

"The Council of the Realms, they want to see you." He said, walking over quickly. Malefor gulped before nodding.

"Y-yes…" He said. He turned to see Vesinianne who managed a weak smile, a little embarrassed but trying to be reassuring. Malefor smiled nonetheless, she returning it back to him again. He turned, walking off with Aurelius.

"Why do they want to see me?" He asked as they walked off.

"They're… concerned. The news of a Purple Dragon has them alarmed, some worried. Tales dot all over telling how the Purple Dragon is supposed to be the Vanguard of the New Age. Some… aren't as happy as others."

"What do you mean…?"

"The Council just wants reassurance. They just want to speak to you."

"Alright…" Malefor now felt a little sick. What did he mean, "some aren't as happy as others." What was that supposed to mean? They exited the temple, walking out onto the city streets of Arcantheus. Mushrooms and trees dotted the sides of the road as numerous dragons and other species shuffled past them, going their different routes. Aurelius kept Malefor close, walking along the main route. The Temple Malefor had been training at was the central piece of Arcantheus, but it was at the Temple at the top of the city where the Council itself resided. It was there that they were heading. They climbed numerous flights of stairs, ascending level after level until they arrived at the top. Malefor turned, not having been up here before. From here, he could see the valley that Arcantheus was built in. He could see as buildings and homes were built against mountainsides and hilltops, any place they were able too. Bridges connected outlying areas as they got closer to the central city itself.

Built into the sides of three large mountains, the city was located on a large plateau, which was separated from the rest of the land with a wide chasm. This location was chosen because of how defendable it was. It was said that no army had ever breached Arcantheus' defenses. Malefor could see why… That chasm effectively denied any type of land army access without having to use the bridges or scaling the walls into the city. There wasn't even a need for a moat it was so deep.

He turned back, moving quickly to catch up to Aurelius. Together, they walked onto the steps of the Great Hall. Statues of great dragons served as pillars, holding the ceiling up as they got to the doors. Each dragon was a past Guardian or Elder who did something extraordinary for the realms. One central statue located before the doors was of Arcanthes, the founder of the Realms and the Grand Elder. It was he who lead the dragons here to establish their kingdom so many generations ago… The city held his namesake in honor of him. There were statues of him all over the Temple where he trained, he knew so much about him.

They reached the two double doors that lead deeper in, the two guards standing on either side stepping away and opening the doors for them. Aurelius nodded to each of them as they entered, proceeding quickly down the hall. Malefor followed, but couldn't help but be in awe of the ornate structure before him. The halls were carved with marble and other stones, solid gold lining some of the stones and pillars. It was so beautiful…

"Stay close Malefor." Malefor snapped from his gaze, quickly moving to follow Aurelius. Several dragons dressed in ornate or elaborate garbs walked past them, moving throughout the various hallways that branched off from theirs. He wondered just how far these halls went, or how many chambers there were.

"Master Aurelius, there you are." Thaklor, the Earth Guardian as he stood by another pair of massive double doors.

"Thaklor, how're things in there?"

"So far, it's hard to tell. They're demanding to see Malefor, and they won't proceed any further until they do."

"We need to get him in there then…" Aurelius turned to face Malefor, he nodding to him.

"I'm ready Master." He said simply to Aurelius. He smiled and nodded to Malefor before turning to Thaklor. The Guardian in turn brought his massive claws up, opening the doors for them. The doors quickly slid open, revealing a massive chamber beyond. Inside the chamber sat a massive dome, pillars lining a circular room. On the far side, sat five dragons, presiding over a large group of delegates from every corner of the realms, all gathered in the center surrounding a large pedestal which Malefor guessed was used to address the room and the elders.

It was… well, he was in awe…

As he entered, Aurelius lead him past each of the delegates, all watching him. All eyes were on Malefor, unblinking, all watching. Malefor gulped, not sure what to think at this moment. Aurelius lead him to the pedestal, facing the elders on the far wall. In the center pedestal, Malefor could see that the dragon was very much like the dragon who had been there when he first arrived in the city. That dragon was watching him, possibly more then any of the others if that was possible. He could feel his eyes moving across his body like a laser, inspecting each inch of him.

Many of the delegates rushed over, pushing their way through the crowd to get a chance to see Malefor. At that moment, it felt like the entire world was watching him.

"Aurelius, we are pleased you were able to make it and present us this young dragon. Tell us young dragon, what is your name?" The lead Elder said while looking at Malefor, never breaking his gaze from him.

"Malefor, sir." Malefor managed to say. He wasn't even sure if he said it. His body went through the motions… he was just so nervous at this moment.

"Very good. Master Aurelius, tell us, what has young Malefor been up to during his stay here in the Dragon City of Arcantheus?"

"He has been training and training hard within our Temple. We are teaching him all we know, him hopes that he is indeed to become the great Vanguard of our people and the realms. This dragon will lead us into a new, golden age." Aurelius said, addressing the entire crowd.

"How do we know the dragons will not squander this gift…?" One delegate asked.

"We know what we have, and we are not going to disappoint."

"Why is it the dragons get this mighty gift, so you can dominate us more?" Another asked.

"We have no desire to control your Island representative. We only wish to create a better world for our children. We believe in Malefor, we can do that."

"If he is ever to represent all of the realms, he should be allowed to train in other regions, and learn all the techniques. He should be allowed to travel the realms, not stay cooped up within the temple here in Arcantheus."

"I understand your concerns and I believe that would be a great idea to help Malefor train, but right now he is still young and we have yet to teach him all we dragons know."

"If he's cooped up in the capital here, how do we know you're not just training him for war?"

"Like I said, we have no desire to dominate any of you or your islands. We only wish the best for Malefor." He said while looking down to Malefor. Malefor looked back up at him before looking around at the crowd. He could see in front of him three kings, a faun, a cheetah and a mole. They were the kings of Avalar! He had heard so much about them… now they were here, standing before him.

"Well Malefor, do you have something to say to them?" The elder asked, snapping Malefor's attention back to the situation. He gulped, nodding to the elder before stepping forward on the pedestal.

"I… I accept this humble honor and will train hard. I've learned a lot in these few months here with the Guardians and I hope that I can continue to learn and train and one day embrace this Vanguard role. I do not wish to disappoint anyone." Did he really just say that? Oh man, he could feel his lips move, his mouth form these words… but he could feel his heart throbbing the entire time, his blood surging through his veins as he couldn't think of anything else at the moment.

"Very well said." Aurelius said to him, smiling. Malefor managed a smile back up to him, still feeling his nerves exploding within him.

"I look forward to seeing what kind of dragon you turn out to be, young Malefor. Aurelius, what is the next step for his training?" The lead elder said, looking at Malefor still, finally breaking his gaze to look at Aurelius.

"We intend to keep training here at the temple within Arcantheus." Aurelius said.

"I think it is time Aurelius to show Malefor to the Dragon Temple to the south. I believe training amongst all the Guardians and with other gifted individuals would give him a great boost."

"I don't know if he's ready for that elder."

"From what I've seen he is ready for the next phase. He's learned his first element, and now is ready to receive more advanced elemental abilities."

"As you wish Elder." Aurelius said, turning to Malefor.

"Looks like you're going to be moving again soon." He said.

"Where to?" Malefor asked.

"To the Dragon Temple to the south of here, near the city of Warfang. You've heard about it before. Time for your training to escalate." Aurelius said before turning and walking back out, ushering for Malefor to follow. Malefor leapt down from the pedestal, following Aurelius out of the chamber. The delegates continued to mutter, talk to each other as all eyes were still on him.

"When am I going?"

"Tomorrow morning. Ready your things, we'll head out first thing tomorrow."

Malefor stopped in his tracks, feeling a pang of sorrow.

"Tomorrow…?"

"Yes, will that be a problem?" Aurelius turned, looking at Malefor. Aurelius carried a bit of… concern, even annoyance. This was really the first time Malefor could see this in his face.

"No Master…" Malefor said, looking at the ground.

"Good, let's go then." Aurelius turned quickly, walking back to the temple. Malefor sighed before following. He was angry for sure, at him he wasn't sure of that yet. Did he feel the Elder was meddling in his training plans? Was that annoying him? He sure seemed pretty quick to have Malefor go to the temple… Malefor didn't even think he was ready. Sure he had learned so much in these past few months he… he just didn't feel that he was ready for the next step.

It wasn't long before they reached the Temple again, entering through a large side passage. While walking Malefor saw Vesinianne sitting on a nearby bench, watching him walk up. She smiled when he got closer, leaping down onto the ground and trotting over to him.

"Hey Malefor! How'd it go?" She asked.

He only looked at the ground, not answering. He looked up at Aurelius who was still walking towards the main dojo. Without saying a word he went to follow, leaving Vesinianne sitting there, silent as she watched him leave. She frowned, lowering her head before walking away, joining a mass of students who walked through the halls, going to their sessions.

/Transitioning.../

[Done]

Malefor sat, looking up at the sky. It wasn't often that he came here, came to the gardens near the edge of the temple. He only came here when he just… wanted to escape it all. Tonight it was a very clear night, only a few clouds out. Stars dotted the sky, forming various patterns. Malefor always enjoyed looking up at the stars… he enjoyed making pictures out of the stars, it soothed him.

Tonight was a great night to see both of the moons too. They were so large on this night… and were slowly getting closer to each other. The Night of Eternal Darkness was approaching, Aurelius had talked about it. Though… it wasn't really a big deal. In the old days, this was a night to be terrified… the forces of darkness would come on this night… Now? It was just another festival for the young ones to play in. The actual cycle of the moon's alignment was actually pretty erratic. Malefor thought of it as random, though the older dragons seemed to know a pattern in it. It was to happen this year, then again in 3 years, then it wouldn't come again for almost another 50. That was such a long time… he guessed it just made sense to some people.

"Malefor?" A new voice rang through the gardens, prompting Malefor to turn, seeing Vesinianne walking out from the temple and into the gardens.

"Oh, hey Vesinianne. I didn't know you'd be here." Malefor said, smiling as she walked up.

"Neither did I. You know what time it is?" She asked, looking up at the moons.

"Yeah I know. It's the perfect time to be here." He said, looking at the moon as well. She laughed.

"Yeah, guess you're right." She conceded.

"So, what brings you here?" He asked. She turned to him, her smile having vanished.

"To check on you. How did it go out there…?"

"It… I…" He looked at the ground, sighing softly.

"I am to be the Vanguard of our Age…"

"That's great! I told you it would be alright…"

"They want my training to be escalated…"

"What do you mean?"

"I… I am to be leaving for the Dragon Temple tomorrow morning."

She sat silent, opening her mouth to say something but quickly closing her mouth, looking at the ground too.

"I see…" She finally said.

"Yeah…"

"When will you be back…?"

"I… I don't know. They were talking about sending me all over the realms, visiting every region and every people to learn their secrets so I could become a true Vanguard… it may be years…"

"I… see…" He could hear a break in her voice, it drifting off before she even finished. Her head drifted up softly, a smile on it.

"I guess that's good… for you to be taking on this role… I know you can do it." He returned the smile, though it feeling fake more then anything.

"Thanks… I just…"

"You what?"

"I'm going to miss you… miss the guys… this place." He looked up, seeing the two moons again. "It's become like a home to me…"

She brought a wing over him, comforting him.

"I'm sure you'll be back. And we'll be waiting here for you. I know you'll be great one day Malefor, I just know it."

He turned to her, his smile becoming more genuine.

"Thanks… I… I'll try my hardest. I'll come back one day, and I'll make damn sure I'm the best I can be."

"That's all anybody can ask of you." She said, leaning more into him without realizing it. He hadn't realized it either, he himself bringing his wing up onto her as well. It took a few moments for them to realize it, they both immediately retrieving their wings and looking away, embarrassed.

It was a little bit before any of them saying anything, she finally breaking the silence.

"I'll miss you too Malefor, you've been such a good friend." She said, relaxing a bit. This was enough to make him relax too, letting out a soft sigh.

"You too… I…. I'd probably still be cooped up in the dojo if it hadn't been for you and the others…"

"You're welcome." She said, giggling softly. He smirked, shaking his head.

"Thanks."

She leaned in, giving him a kiss on the cheek.

"Don't mention it…" She said softly. This made him go wide-eyed and lock up, only unfreezing when she giggled. He was still blushing but he suppressed it.

"Just make sure you come back, we'll be here for you." She said.

"I will…" He turned, looking back up at the stars. She turned, looking at the stars as well.

"It's so beautiful…" She said, looking at all the dots that lined the sky. They could a brilliant celestial aura that drifted amongst the stars, creating a scene of wonder and beauty. They both looked up at it, seeing the two moons light up the area.

"You know, you could just get lost like this. Looking up… It's pretty amazing." Malefor said, not taking his eyes off the sky for a second.

"I know what you mean… I wonder what it's like…"

"What do you mean?"

"What it's like, going to each star, what's over there… I've always wondered what's out there…" She said, tilting her head slightly. Malefor chuckled a bit at that.

"I don't think you'd find anything… They're so small and far away, don't think you could ever go there…"

"Oh, you just need a little faith. One day, I want to go out there, to the stars." Malefor broke his gaze finally, looking at her. He swore, she had the brightest smile ever, just looking up at the sky.

"You can't be serious."

"I am serious… I want to go out there one day, and nobody can stop me."

He shook his head softly, looking back up with his own smile.

"Well, be sure to save a seat. Now you've got me curious." He said.

"Deal." She said, giggling a bit. Malefor sighed contently, not wanting to break his gaze from the stars, or even think of what was going to happen in the morning. For now, he was at peace. He was at peace with his duties, with his friends and his life. He wished it could always be like this…

But he knew it wasn't that easy.

Dysnc…

Complete

Reconnecting…


Dragon Realms, Uncharted System

September 30, 2204 [UER Military Calendar]

1:34 PM [local time] (1334 Hr MLTY)

Cave within the Mushroom Forest


It had been almost a week now since Malefor had arrived at the cave, and had been recovering from his injury. He hadn't gotten much chance to move much, but thanks to the herbs and the food Eatherine was giving him, it was feeling much better. He was able to get up and walk earlier and he felt confident that he was now able to move unsupported on his own. Eatherine had been... well, gracious enough to give him food. Gracious in other aspects, not too much.

They hadn't spoken much, only a few times here and there... but he could tell something was troubling her. When he asked, she would just yell him down, and walk away. It probably had to do with whatever she was talking about with the person who had wronged her. He sighed. Only time would tell, though he knew it was coming soon.

Another thing that had been on his mind, these memories... they kept creeping in every night, reminding him of a past he could not remember. Just how long ago were those times? A year ago, few years? He looked himself over, his form and build a little bigger then in the memories... couldn't be any more then 3 years difference between them.

He wondered where his old friends were, or what they were doing. He hoped they were fine, though it seemed that where they were was much better off then where he was now. This place, this forest... something was wrong. It seemed as if some great event had happened and now everyone was in a state of recovering. This... Dark Master? The dragon back there, Cynder, kept calling him the Dark Master, but there was just no way. He would never do that... nothing on the level of what he had heard.

Whoever the Dark Master was, he must've been a troubled individual, one who had been pushed to the very brink... with only malice and hatred in his heart. He... he cared about people, there was just no way. This Cynder was mistaken.

Malefor heard a sound, above him. It must've been Eatherine, doing whatever it was that she did up there. He grunted, slowly standing up. He walked over to the rocks he had see her climb numerous times, slowly making his way over each rock. Carefully, he placed his injured leg against a rock, checking to see if it would hold. So far it did... so he preceded up. He placed his claws at the top of the ledge, peering over.

The chamber above was a little larger then the one he had been in. It extended far back with a small pond occupying the rear of the cave. There was an opening in the cave, facing the Mushroom forest. From there you had a pretty good view of the surrounding areas, and you could even see a city in the background. It was also pretty well shielded, a mushroom obscuring its existence from the outside.

There, in front of the hole sat Eatherine. She seemed to be holding something, but just what it was he could not say. He watched her curiously, she seeming to be stroking the object softly and lovingly. She had a fondness to this object... that was for sure. He got a better look at it now... it being an arrowhead of some kind? It was definitely a talon shaped rock. He could see her eyes, they low and in deep thought as she looked at this object. She seemed to be remembering something... He wondered what she was remembering, kind of feeling a little jealous that she could recall any memory that she wanted... but he could only remember what was selectively revealed to him in his dreams.

His foot slipped a bit, kicking a rock that rolled to the base of the chamber. It let off an echo that startled Eatherine, she quickly turning to see Malefor and hiding the object she had been holding.

"Hey! How long have you been there?!" She asked, almost in a panicked yell.

"I just got here! I was just trying out my leg, seeing if I could climb up..." He lied, trying to calm her down. This only seemed to annoy her a bit more, seeming to have touched on something.

"You liar... " She shook her head, walking over to a sack of some sorts and setting the object inside.

"Guess that little rock means a lot to you..." He said lowly, expecting her to snap back at him.

"It does... mean a lot to me. It brings back a lot of fond memories." She admitted, not turning to face him as she closed the flap to the little sack.

"Memories of loved ones?"

She merely nodded.

"It must be great... to remember whatever you wanted... what's it like?"

"Not as good as you'd think. Not all these memories are great." She said, turning to face him again. "Still don't remember a thing?" She asked.

"I'm remembering more and more... I know that I came from a village in southern Artisans, and that I was training in Arcantheus for a while."

"Southern Artisans, that's where I'm from too. Don't think I ever saw you there amongst the Lower Ring."

"Ever visit a village named Argus?" Her eyes went wide at this.

"That... place was destroyed years ago. Burned to the ground by the Dark Master himself long ago. I didn't know any trace of it was left..." She said, a little astonished by his claim.

"What? No... I remember the village as clear as day. It was a great place, there were no worries, nothing about this Dark Master either. I don't know what you're talking about."

She continued to look him over again, starting to become really confused.

"Then you said you trained at the ancient Dragon Capitol...? That's also impossible... that place is just a wreck now. My parents spoke of it being a place that raiders and gangs ruled, a death zone."

"No, I remember it, it was fine! My friends, Vesinianne, Nalus and Ulric are there, and they're fine too!" Malefor said, astonished at her claims. They were fine! He knew it!

"If they're there, then they're dead. Anything north of here is death. There used to be life there 3 years ago but after the Dark Master returned, everything was destroyed by his armies. There is nothing north of here."

Malefor growled.

"You're a liar..." He said. I saw that place, it was fine! There was nothing wrong there! So what if she said 3 years ago it was fine... he knew nothing had happened!

"Suit yourself, but your friends are probably dead now, and you'd be too if you had stayed there..." She said turning around to look out of the hole again. Malefor sighed, calming himself down before walking over to join her.

"You sure these memories aren't just ones from long ago? Another person perhaps?" She asked, looking at him.

"No... I know these memories are true... They're so clear, so vivid. And my friends... Vesinianne... I know they're alright."

She turned to him, seeing him looking down at his paw, his eyelids drooping as he recalled his friends.

"Sounds like you had an attachment to her."

"She was a good friend... I just wish I knew what happened to her..."

She smirked but it turned into a frown, looking out once more. Malefor joined her, lowering his paw to the ground.

"So who's this you're going after anyway?"

"I'm looking for an Ape, who when I was younger killed my family."

"An Ape?"

"Yes, they were soldiers for the Dark Master. This one in particular was high ranking, and when he found me and my parents years ago up north, he ordered them butchered before my very eyes." She turned to him, malice raging deep in her eyes. "I heard he had escaped the fate of many of the Apes that served the Dark Master, and is how in hiding in Warfang. I'd like to pay him a visit..."

Malefor gulped, hearing the hatred in her words.

"And then...?"

"We'll see what happens after that." She turned back to look at the city in the distance. "I'm going to head out tomorrow morning for Warfang and find him. You'll help me find him... and confront him."

Malefor didn't have much choice in the manner, he was in debt to her for her medical treatment and the food...

"Alright... I'll go with you first thing in the morning."

"Good, rest up then." She walked over to the pond, drinking from it. Malefor sighed. Tomorrow was going to be a very busy day.

End of Chapter 04


-[]-

Open Chat link secure channel SIERRA_10

Link Established

D: Hey, I know this is really last minute but I did find some intel reports on that planet you were talking about

-Let's hear it

D: When I tried to access the files I kept getting walled out, seems the system is sealed pretty tight

-And?

D: Well, I found several entries, the most notable coming from a black op that was run in 2189, apparently on this world

-What? In '89? Did we even know the world existed back then?

D: Apparently UNCI did, there's detailed reports coming from here, including a whole other network of files and databases related to this black op. There was also a CIA document dating from 2015 related to this world, that file is impenetrable, I think they yanked it from the network.

-If it's pulled from the network, there's nothing we can do about it. We might be able to find a physical copy of it though in records, maybe H can help us with that. Any specific names to be looking for?

D: Just the keyword "Troy"

-What about this black op and these databases? Have you found anything interesting about them?

D: I managed to crack the encryptions on a few databases and I'm finding references to an operation being run out of a UNCI/military base on Desmal and Earth. There are also some sort of experiments going on, though I need more time to crack the encryption on these files.

-Do it, I think we're onto something here

D: Alright I'll look into it, I'll need some way to infiltrate the network at Desmal though for better results. There may be more files there we can sift through.

-For now we'll have to settle for what we can dig up here. I'll search the physical databases and keep monitoring these data pulls.

D: Right, closing connection

Link Terminated

[Connection Closed]

Author's Comment: Hey guys, NewLegend1 here, hope you guys are enjoying the story so far. If you guys like it, please leave a review so I know if you guys like it or not. I appreciate any criticism =D. I am also thinking of launching another series here on FF, another Spyro fanfiction. I have concept art on my deviantART gallery if you guys are interested in checking it out. Username's the same as here, NewLegend1.