It has been a while hasn't it? Well this chapter was originally going to be massive and include the battles in the Celestial Caves, but I decided to make that its own chapter. This chapter pretty much is leading up to the battles. Enjoy and please R&R. I know people are reading but no one is reviewing save two people, maybe.
Chapter 7: Prepare for War
The Great Guardian left the chamber and exited the Temple of Time. Once outside he focused on his element of light and he slowly rose a few feet above the ground. After a moment a blast of light exploded from his form and shot into the sky creating a pillar of light.
Guardians and spirits of the White Isles gathered to the light knowing that the greatest among them was rallying all he could for a defense against the darkness that grew outside of their world. The other creatures of this world failed so they were left to deal with the coming storm of darkness. Each spirit and guardian knew this and all gathered around their leader.
The Great Guardian ceased the flow of light and lowered to the ground again. The guardian looked at those gathered and he knew it was time to defeat the coming evil.
"Come and help me defend our master," was all that the Great Guardian said before making his way to where the enemy would land.
Several days had passed since Mt. Malefor and Spyro was standing in front of the army which was making camp near the shoreline. Cynder was next to him also looking out at the ocean. Neither spoke as they both were thinking of what would and could happen when the conflict started.
An orc warrior, large for his race, and covered in dark colored stone armor approached and reported, "General there are a large number of ships in the town a few miles to the east. I have a group waiting to take the ships and bring them here. We should be able to set sail with our forces by midday."
"Good," Spyro said coldly hoping the orc would leave him be.
The orc did as he hoped asking no more questions, turned, and headed back to the chaos of the camp.
Spyro sighed, "Why is it that they always need our approval for everything?"
"Because master killed those commanders that failed to do as he willed or did something without his knowledge," Cynder replied, "They're just trying to keep their lives. Sad isn't it. I don't even know why master even uses them."
"A warlike race is the best soldier," Spyro replied, "For someone who is desperate to conquer lands quickly."
"Well we know who would need that," Cynder chuckled.
"That we do," Spyro said, "That we do."
Hunter was on a ship that he commandeered from a port town that was attacked. He would have stayed and fought with the town's defenders, but there were far too many for a victory to be dreamed of. Hunter heard news in the town of Warfang's fall. He had tried to find the White Isles earlier but failed and decided to return to assist Warfang in any way possible. It was far too late now for that though.
He and a group of follow Avalarians took the ship, Sea's View. The ship was a small but fast which was exactly what Hunter was looking for. They left port half a week ago and were off the regional maps sailing blindly to where they hoped to find refuge.
It was this night that Hunter received a message from one who could help.
Dream…
"Young warrior," a voice called, "Hunter of Avalar."
"Who are you?" Hunter asked as he examined the world he was in.
The world around him was dark with a blue tinge to everything. He stood before an ancient ruined temple much like the temple the guardians guarded. He entered the temple after getting no response from the voice.
"Hello?" Hunter asked, "Who was talking to me?"
"I was," the voice said from behind the Avalarian.
Hunter turned around and saw the Chronicler approach him. The ancient dragon looked down at the Avalarian and smiled.
"I have known of your quest to find me," the Chronicler said, "I gave Spyro a vision of him killed in battle and told him that Malefor would get rid of him once he had no need of Spyro which will come to pass soon. I hoped this would cause him to break the siege of Warfang and so I prevented you from finding the White Isles."
"Spyro is moving to attack the White Isles," Hunter replied, "I escaped a town that was being attacked by a group from his horde. The town was doomed and so we fled to find you."
"A storm is coming your way do not try to avoid it," the Chronicler instructed, "Let the storm take your ship to where it will go and you will find White Isles."
"Thank you great one," Hunter replied.
"Until we meet again young warrior," the Chronicler said, "May the Ancestors protect you."
Dream end…
Hunter woke up and quickly got up from his cot making his way up to the deck of the ship.
"Everyone below deck right now!" Hunter shouted through the growing wind.
"But sir we'll lose the ship," a warrior cried back, "There's a storm brewing."
"I know just get below," Hunter called back, "I'll explain once we are under."
A large wave hit the ship throwing it onto its side. Everyone on board began to throw themselves overboard to escape the ship's destruction which finally tipped over all together mere moments after the last Avalarian hit the water.
Spyro watched the growing storm from the ship he was on. Cynder joined him at the front of the ship.
"That storm isn't natural," Spyro stated, "The Chronicler is trying to prevent our attack."
"It appears so," Cynder commented, "What should we do?"
"We can't waste anymore time by going around it…" Spyro said thinking aloud, "I'll disrupt the storm so we can pass through it when the time comes."
The Great Guardian watched as the ranks of guardians and spirits formed up into groups which then left to defend different positions of the White Isles. A great host of guardians and a handful of spirits stood before him. They were the ones that were to guard the Temple of Time itself from the creatures of evil and darkness that were to siege these sacred islands.
The dim blue skies of the White Isles would have casted a gloomy feeling onto mortals, but the Great Guardian embraced it. The great being had not the time or even the emotion to see or comprehend it for more than a second.
The Great Guardian entered the Hall of the Celestial Caves. The portals to each cave where active and opened for rapid deployment of guardians and spirits. He stepped onto the pad in the depression in the floor. The pad lit up and white energy gathered around him. A moment later he disappeared from the Hall of the Celestial Caves and reappeared within the Plain of Spirits.
The space around the disc of crystal which he stood on was empty. Stars could be seen but were too far away for even a being like himself to reach. The being drew his sword which pulsed with white energy. He swung the blade around reacquainting himself with his tool of death and destruction.
Long it had been since he last used this sword. Countless ages ago he defended this island from a horror darker than the one that dominates the land now. That was an evil time, a time of chaos and war, whole civilizations disappeared during this time that would have survived to this day if it wasn't for the situations of the time. The dragons were lucky to have survived. At the time they were a young and rash race without the wisdom that made them strong like today. If it wasn't for the Chronicler at the time the dragon race would be long gone.
The Chronicler of that age directly opposed the darkness and drew his forces to the White Isles. These forces were heading to the Sanctuary of Dragons, a land where the dragons grew and lived. The Ancestors took note of this and admired the courage and selflessness of the Chronicler and sent many of their own brethren to ward off the darkness.
The Great Guardian was one of those Ancestors who willing descended from the heavens to defend the living. He was one of the greatest of the warriors who defended and eventually after slaying the darkness itself he was named the Great Guardian. Ever since that day he has guarded the White Isles from possible attacks.
He had waited millennia for a battle like the one he was about to engage in and he hoped for its arrival very soon. He had been waiting for untold years and now he was ready to unleash a fury of vengeance that had been stored up for that untold time. The enemy would regret their actions only after it was too late.
A day had passed since Hunter's contact with the Chronicler and he found himself along with his peers washed up on a beach of grey-purple sand. He looked around and found just about everything around him was the same color. The sky was a glowing blue color, clearly artificial, but he had no idea how it was constructed or why. All around him were ruins of a civilization of a distant past.
"Is anyone injured?" asked Hunter standing up.
"We are all ok," one replied.
"Ok, let's get moving," Hunter replied, "Spyro's fleet wasn't far behind us."
The group quickly made their way into the ruins passing under archways and through ancient halls. They came to an open area with a small pond in the middle. Half of the clearing was surrounded by a cliff and no bottom could be seen. The other half was closed off by the rock face of a mountain whose top disappeared in the blue twilight above.
A series of small round platforms lay on the ground in a semicircle. Hunter inspected one of these stone platforms. The one next to Hunter began to light up and he turned his attention to it.
A guardian suddenly appeared on the platform and Hunter quickly put distance between him and the guardian. The other platforms glowed and a guardian appeared on each. The guardians stepped down and took several steps forward creating a wall of stone shields.
Hunter and his crew prepared their weapons for the possibility of a battle. The guardians stopped a good twenty feet from the group and just stood there. A bright light illuminated the area and the group was blinded for a moment. The light faded away and before them stood a great and ancient dragon.
"We mean you no harm friends," the dragon said.
"Who are you?" asked a warrior.
"I am the Chronicler," the dragon replied, "You are here for shelter and to assist us is that not correct?"
Hunter stepped forward and said, "That is true. I thank you for bring us here safely."
The Chronicler simply nodded in response. He closed his eyes and a moment later the dragon and the Avalarians were standing inside the Temple of Time.
"You may stay here until the battle begins," the Chronicler replied.
"Get the warriors into the ruins and quickly," Spyro ordered.
The warriors got out of their boats, waded through the waist high water, and ran from the shore to the cover of the ruins. Spyro and Cynder were already in the vast maze of ruins and were preparing to head out to conquest.
"This way and stay close," Spyro ordered.
The mass of orcs followed him as he ran through the ruins that littered the landscape of the White Isles. They entered a large clearing where a series of platforms sat beside a pond in a semicircle.
Guardians suddenly appeared and stepped off the platforms and as they did so another series of guardians appeared.
Spyro glared at the quickly assembling army of encased spirits and growled, "I killed you before and I'll do it again."
