Chapter 6: The Guardians
It seems my previous assumption that the Dragon Temple was connected to the cemetery was actually quite accurate, as the temple was right next to it. On the way there, Cynder began to ask me about my life as Jason, I wasn't sure if she was just fishing for things to talk about or just genuinely curious how I had been spending the last three years, but whatever the case, she seemed amazed by this whole other world that up until now, she had no idea existed just out of reach of her own.
However, eventually, the subject of my nightmare came up, part of me didn't want to tell her about it, out of fear that what her dream self said had some truth to it. But of course, "So, was I in that dream?" she asked me.
I felt an uncomfortable pit in my stomach, knowing I had to tell her the truth, I had promised myself I was going to be as honest with Cynder as I possibly could, as some kind of repentance for leaving her for three years. "You were… you were so angry with me, accusing me of abandoning you to a world that hated you, and that I didn't really care about you, I think your exact words were that you were "Just a lost puppy in need of rescuing in" in my eyes, "My little pet project", did I really make you feel that way?" I asked.
Cynder sighed, "I can't lie to you Spyro, there were days where I did feel that way,"she admitted, causing me to feel another ping of guilt, "But deep down, I knew that wasn't true, you legitimately cared about me, otherwise you would have just left me in Convexity," she added, "It wasn't me saying those things Spyro, it must have been some manifestation of your own guilt, some subconscious need to punish yourself, I've experienced something like that myself," she added.
I raised an eyebrow, "What do you mean?" I asked. I knew she had some inner guilt over whatever it was this Malefor guy made her do, but something about the way she worded it made it sound like I wasn't the only one having guilt based nightmares.
Cynder sighed again, "I have nightmares too sometimes, I'm always in an empty, burnt forest, being scolded by all my victims from my "Terror of the Skies" days, they only got worse after you "died", as you joined their numbers," she explained. "You always told me it was my fault you died, that you wasted your time trying to help me, that if it weren't for me you wouldn't have had to sacrifice yourself… and I believed you," she said.
I shook my head, "I don't think that at all," I said, "I admit, I don't remember sacrificing myself, let alone the circumstances leading into it, but there's no way it could have been your fault," I said, trying my best to help her like any good friend should.
Cynder smiled a little, "I knew you'd say something like that," she said, "Despite not remembering a thing, here you are still trying to help me ease my guilt," she continued, "But still… it was how I felt," she added, however, she quickly shook her head, "But that doesn't matter now, you're back, you're okay, that's all that matters," she said.
I didn't like the idea of her blaming herself for my sacrifice, I admit, I didn't remember as much about Cynder as I would have liked, but from what I've seen, there's no way she could have done any of this to me on purpose. But it was clear she wanted to drop the topic and I didn't want to push too hard. "So… what are we doing now?" I asked, giving her that change of subject she clearly wanted.
Cynder seemed to appreciate the gesture, shooting me a little smile, "We're going to tell The Guardians you're back," she told me, I should have figured that, it was what I was planning on doing before stumbling upon Cynder.
However, I figured Cynder knew The Guardians better than Karius did, so I think it might be a good idea to ask her about them, "Someone told me I might have known them, who were they?" I asked her.
Cynder stopped and turned to me, "Right, I forgot for a second you had no memory of your life here," she admitted with a nervous chuckle, "There were once four of them, Volteer, Terrador, Cyril, and Ignitus," she explained, "However, Ignitus died the same day you did, or… so we thought apparently," she added, Ignitus' involvement had been one of the things I had mentioned during a previous conversation, apparently according to her he had become what was known to the people of this world as "The Chronicler", some kind of mystical being who watched over time, kinda like The Watchers from the Marvel Universe I guess, god I'm such a geek. "There's only three of them now though, we toyed with the idea of bringing in a new Fire Guardian, but… none of them liked the idea of "replacing" Ignitus, so we never did," she added. "After you and Ignitus were lost, all four of us kind of grew a bit closer, especially me and Volteer, he seemed to be the one who wanted the hardest to pick up where you left off, trying to help me come to terms with not just your passing, but with my own past as well, becoming something of a father figure, like Ignitus used to be with you," she explained.
It was relieving to know someone was trying to pick up my slack, help Cynder deal with her personal demons, "But it wasn't the same, Volteer, bless his heart, didn't have the same connection you and I did, you seemed to understand me more, I guess it was how close we were in age, I don't know," she explained. "Back then, all six of us, we were like a little family almost, well seven if you count Sparx, but you two were already sort of family" she said.
So Karius was right, I did know the Guardians, very well it seemed. I couldn't lie though, it made me kind of hesitant to meet them, I still remembered how poorly Cynder reacted to me at first, she only calmed down when she realized I had no memory, I didn't know if I'd be so fortunate with The Guardians. "Cynder, be honest with me, how do you think The Guardians will react, you know, to me being… ya know… not dead?" I asked.
Cynder frowned a little, "I can't lie to you Spyro, they may not react well, Volteer probably will, but that's just the kind of dragon he is, it's almost impossible to upset that little electric ball of sunshine," she explained. "It's Terrador and Cyril I'm worried about, they both didn't take your death very well, Terrador tries to act tough, hide his pain, but his eyes always gave him away, I can tell he still misses you and Ignitus, Cyril also tries to hide how much he hurt, but he wasn't nearly as good at it as Terrador was, I've caught him a few times talking to your grave and the statue of Ignitus outside the temple," she explained.
Crap, well at least I had some idea of what I was dealing with here, I still felt horrible about doing this to my friends, I still felt like I was toying with their emotions, despite how much I wanted to reconnect with my life here, part of me just wanted to leave them alone, to not hurt them anymore. But I couldn't run from my past, I had to confront it, even if it hurt.
Eventually we found the entrance to the temple, sure enough, the statue of Ignitus Cynder had mentioned stood at the base of the steps leading into it, I wonder how The Guardians would feel knowing Ignitus became The Chronicler? Probably about as well as they would knowing I had been alive the whole time they've been grieving, as in, not too well.
We entered the temple, despite it's rather lavish exterior, the inside of the temple was rather simple, stone floors and plain walls, lined with brass linings with intricate symbols molded into them. Each rounded hall was lined with lit torches and lead into circular rooms, one was rather large, with piles of straw dummies bound in rucksacks and twigs for bodies, Cynder told me that it was known as the "Dragon Dojo", apparently The Guardians used it to train young dragons to use their elements.
Eventually she lead me to a long hall, which ended with a room filled to the brim with lines of bookshelves, a library of some sort, inside the library however was someone sorting the books while humming a little tune to himself.
I recognized the dragon instantly as the yellow one from my nightmare. My previous theory that every dragon I encountered in that nightmare being someone I knew was proving to be quite accurate so far. Although here he seemed to be far more upbeat, merrily sorting through his ludicrous amount of books.
I went to approach, but Cynder stopped me, "I think I should ease him into it, it might be easier on him," she told me. Yeah, that was probably a better plan in fairness, the last thing I wanted was to freak the poor guy out. After all, if you saw your friend who you thought was dead for three years suddenly walk up to you and say hi, you'd probably freak out too.
So I let Cynder approach the yellow dragon, hiding myself behind the bend of one of the halls for good measure. The yellow dragon noticed Cynder almost instantly, "Ah! Cynder, how are you holding up? I know this day can be quite trying for you, I do hope you're in better spirits than the previous two times this sorrowful day passed us by," he greeted her, his speech was kind of quick, almost hyper, like he had just downed several Red Bulls and thus bursting with energy.
Cynder fidgeted a little, possibly unsure how to approach the subject she had wanted to discuss with him. "I am actually," she said simply.
The yellow dragon seemed pretty pleased by this, "That's very good to hear Cynder, I always worry about you on this day, I know Spyro and Ignitus' deaths weigh heavily on your conscience," he said.
Cynder sighed, "Yeah, about that," she said before turning to me, jerking her head slightly, signaling she wanted me to approach.
So I did, timidly walking over to the yellow dragon, weary of how he would react to seeing me alive, it didn't take long for him to realize who I was, one look at my purple scales and face told him exactly why Cynder was feeling better on this particular day. "Well I'll be…" he said as I finally reached him.
He then out of nowhere scooped me off the floor, embracing me in a rather tight hug, "Spyro my boy! You're alive! Everyone thought you deceased but I always had faith! Oh this is wonderful! Stupendous! Enthralling! Marvelous!-" He said, listing off as many synonyms for "good" as he could come up with. There was something strangely endearing about it, like it was this cute little quirk of his. However, he eventually managed to stop himself, "Where have you been my boy?" he asked me.
However, in his excitement, the dragon seemed to forget how strong he was, "Dude… too tight… can't breathe!" I winced. The dragon quickly apologized after releasing his death grip on me. I took a few minutes to catch my breath, still fully intent on answering his question.
But Cynder stepped in for me, "He's been living in this other world while The Ancestors repaired his body, I found him in the cemetery with no memory at all, he doesn't remember anything about hi life here, but he's alive Volteer!" she said, revealing this yellow dragon was Volteer.
Volteer turned to me "Is that true? You don't remember anything?" he asked me, I tried once more to force any memories back to my head, but once again failed, so I shook my head. Volteer began to pat me on the head, "It's quite alright Spyro, I'm certain you will regain your lost cognitive recollections eventually," he said, why he felt the need to use such big words instead of just calling them "memories" was a mystery, I guess this was just another one of his little quirks. "But the important thing Spyro, is that you're here now, you're safe," he reassured me.
So far I was two for two in successfully reconnecting with my old friends. But then again, Cynder did say Volteer was difficult to upset, so I don't know how much comfort I could really take in that.
However Volteer then turned to Cynder, "Cynder, if I may, I'd like to speak with you in private for a moment," He said suddenly, Cynder turned to me, as if silently asking my permission to go with Volteer, I didn't see the harm in it so I nodded, the two dragons then walked deeper into the library.
I don't know what it was that Volteer wanted to talk to Cynder privately about, but I trusted Cynder, whatever it was that Volteer wanted to talk to her about, I'm sure she'd tell me eventually. However, the halls of the temple were strangely quiet now that I was alone, almost unsettling, to be honest, I still didn't trust this world very much, the only things I remembered about it were the things revealed to me in that strange flashback I had in the cemetery, but Cynder's days as a brainwashed foot soldier didn't exactly help me understand this weird realm any better than I had before the headache.
However, I then heard the sounds of scraping claws against the stone floors, "Volteer? Are you here? Cyril's having troubles with the rebuilding efforts and I need-" A booming voice called, I recognized it instantly as belonging to that green dragon from my nightmare.
I dared a glance behind me, I was met with the shocked expression of the green dragon from my dream, still as stone save for his green eyes that darted up and down my form. "Uh… h… hi?" I said awkwardly, not entirely sure how to proceed here. Of all the times for this guy to find me, it had to be after Cynder left me alone right?
However things suddenly went south when the dragon quickly lowered his head, blowing onto the ground, it was only when a rock formation suddenly trapped me did I realize he was using his breath element on me, which was earth apparently. "IMPOSTOR!" He roared.
I began to panic, the rocks were pressing very tightly against my ribs, threatening to crack them at any moment. It was painful, almost unbearable, I wanted to cry out, scream for Cynder to come help, but the pressure was too tight to even allow for a desperate call for help.
The dragon slowly began to approach, "You must have some nerve shape shifter, taking on Spyro's form within these walls! Who are you? Some leftover abomination of Malefor's I assume?" He inquired. He seemed to be under the assumption I was some kind of doppelganger, which didn't bode well for me, because it was clear he had no qualms with killing me. Hell, I couldn't even prove I was Spyro, I had no memories to call upon to convince him, and I doubt he'd buy the "I used to be human" story.
I had to try something though, anything to convince him I wasn't a shape shifter, "Stop!… I'm… I'm really… Spyro..." I struggled, talking was very difficult with these rocks pressing so hard against my ribs, hell even breathing was proving to be very difficult. I wasn't going to last long trapped like this, or god forbid if he felt the need to tighten the rock prison!
The dragon didn't buy it, smacking me right across the face, "Spyro died three years ago! You must think me very thick impostor! Now talk! WHO SENT YOU?!" he roared, my head was spinning from the blow, this dragon was definitely as strong as he looked, hitting me with the force of a professional boxer, it was hard to think clearly, I think he might have even given me a concussion! "ANSWER ME!" he screamed, he clutched my horn in his claws, and began to twist, I could feel the horn shifting unnaturally from the force, threatening to tear itself from my skull like a grape from a vine. The pain was excruciating, I couldn't stop myself from screaming, the pain… oh god… make it stop! "The only one who prolongs this is you doppelganger! Ever since we lost Spyro and Ignitus I've taken the safety of my loved ones very seriously! If you think I'm above killing you painfully and slowly, you are sorely mistaken! So you'd best talk now, before I lose my patience!" He growled.
Suddenly I heard more claws clacking against the stone floor, but the green dragon's grip on my horn didn't let me turn to see if it was Cynder, Volteer, or another guardian who would be more than happy to help the green dragon beat the crap out of me. It was only when I saw Cynder begin to tug at the green dragon's arm did I realize it was her, "Terrador stop! Let him go! You're hurting him!" She pleaded.
However the green dragon, who was apparently Terrador, just simply snorted, "As if I care for the well being of this impostor!" He growled. Please oh god let Cynder be able to talk him down! I don't know how much longer I can hold out here, my horn felt like it was going to snap at any moment.
Cynder seemed to notice this, as she quickly began to pull at Terrador's claws, trying to loosen his grip on my horn, "This isn't an impostor! This is the real Spyro! Let him go!" she pleaded.
I saw Volteer began to try to pry Terrador off of me too, "Terrador stop this at once! You're going to rip his horn off! He'll bleed out!" he said, Terrador however seemed unwilling to listen, if anything he started to twist even harder. I began to whimper, terrified, pathetic, just wanting him to stop.
But he would not, "This isn't Spyro! Spyro is dead Volteer! This is nothing more than a shape shifter trying to toy with our emotions! Prey upon our grief for our lost friend! I won't have it!" he growled, he strangely seemed to be more trying to convince himself of that more than Cynder and Volteer. Was he in denial? I was in way too much pain to really tell, I was surprised my horn hadn't completely given way yet, but I could feel it was getting close.
Suddenly Volteer threw Terrador off of me, thankfully not taking my horn with him, as the force finally made Terrador let go, "Enough!" Volteer roared, "I find his sudden re-appearance suspect too Terrador! But this is nothing short of madness! Would a doppleganger show this much fear? Surely if he were a creation of Malefor's he would have tried to fight back!" He snapped.
Terrador shook his head, "If he were the real Spyro, he would know not to fear me!" he retorted as he got back up to his feet.
"He has no memory Terrador!" Cynder snapped, "For all he knew, you were some crazed dragon trying to kill him!" she added, making it a point to keep herself between me and Terrador.
Terrador however, just simply snorted in response, "How convenient," he scoffed.
Volteer just shook his head in disbelief, "Terrador what has gotten into you?! This is so unlike you! You're usually so level headed, so rational! This… this is bordering on rampant paranoia!" he said, he wasn't wrong, as valid as his distrust in my legitimacy was, he was showing strong signs of being in denial, completely unwilling to listen to two of his closest friends.
Cynder began to work on freeing me, some kind of mist shot from her mouth, after a while I began to phase through the rock prison like a ghost, I don't know what that was she just did, but I wasn't going to look a gift horse in the mouth, I was just glad my ribs weren't being crushed anymore. "Spyro? Are you okay?" asked Cynder as she helped me up.
However Terrador didn't give me a chance to answer, "Have you all gone mad?! Have you forgotten that Spyro is dead?! We held a memorial! Had a statue build! I wrote his epitaph!" Terrador said, revealing he was the one who wrote the epitaph on my grave. "This "dragon" is nothing but a fraud! A lie! A deception meant to toy with us and make us let our guard down! He's not Spyro!" He roared.
Those last three words began to echo in my head, "he's not Spyro"… they repeated over and over, for whatever reason those words really stung, I felt like I was being rejected, that I wasn't good enough to be Spyro. At this point, trying to argue I wasn't Spyro was ridiculous, but still… was I though? I mean, I still didn't know where Jason ended and Spyro began, which parts of who I am were really me. I know that's not what Terrador meant when he said that, but it still made me question myself.
However, Terrador picked up on my self reflection instantly, "See?! Look at the way he reacted! He knows I figured him out! Go on doppelganger! Reveal your true self! You might as well!" He said, misinterpreting my moment of doubt as an admission of guilt.
However, I suddenly began to feel another headache coming on, made all the worse from the injuries Terrador had already inflicted upon me. I began to sway, struggling to stay on my feet, no doubt horrifying Volteer and Cynder, I began to see flashes of moments I had with Terrador, thanks brain, could you have done this a little sooner maybe?
However once the flashes stopped, I noticed everyone staring at me, even Terrador, but he still kept his distrusting glare, "I… I remember you," I said, more to myself than Terrador, "I… I rescued you from the Munitions Forge… you stopped me from going after Ignitus when Cynder captured him," I said, I could see Cynder uncomfortably look away a little when I said this, no doubt reliving some painful memories. "You always used to tell me you admired my strong will," I added.
Terrador's eyes widened upon hearing this, however he quickly forced them shut, "It can't be true! It just can't!" he said, I didn't know if I managed to get through to Terrador or not judging from that reaction. But I was glad he at least wasn't trying to kill me anymore.
Volteer walked over to his friend, "Cynder, I think it might be prudent to take Spyro somewhere else for a while, Terrador and I have… much to discuss it seems," he said, I wasn't going to argue, after that fiasco I kind of want to be as far away from Terrador as possible.
Cynder nodded and motioned for me to follow her out, to say my meeting with Terrador went badly would be an understatement, I honestly don't think that could have gone much worse short of Terrador actually managing to kill me. My ribs and horn still hurt like hell, just simply breathing was painful for me right now.
Once we got outside, Cynder stopped and turned to me, "Spyro I'm so sorry! I never should have left you alone in there! I never thought Terrador would react like that, it was so unlike him!" she said.
I groaned slightly from the pain I was in, "It's alright Cynder, but if it's all the same to you, can we maybe take a break from meeting with Guardians? Or… anyone that can feasibly injure me? Ow!" I winced.
Cynder sounded with a giggle, "Deal," she agreed. "I think I may know someone who won't be as capable of horrifically injuring you as Terrador is, but I'll warn you now, it's a bit of a walk, you up for it?" she asked me.
I thought about it, Terrador did some damage sure, but nothing that wouldn't heal with a little time, I think I could manage to walk, "Yeah, I think so," I said, I don't know who it was Cynder had in mind when suggesting who I meet next, but hopefully whoever they are doesn't have deadly earth powers… knock on wood.
A/N: This chapter is probably the one I've changed the least in terms of events, Terrador's reaction to Spyro was basically the same, although I think I made it play out a bit better here.
This was also the first chapter in the original I did a perspective shift from Spyro to Cynder, I debated doing the same here, but ultimately decided it would be better if I kept the story fixed to Spyro's perspective, since it's his story and all, and it adds a bit more mystery to the story.
Cynder's conversation with Volteer was why I did the perspective shift in the original, so if you've read it, you probably already know what it was they discussed, I will reveal it in this version later, so don't you worry gentle reader.
I also want to point out that the thesaurus feature in LibreOffice is quite helpful when writing the very wordy Volteer, I consider myself to have a pretty decent vocabulary, but not as good as our electric friend's so the extra help is quite appreciated.
