Having long risen above the cloud layer far below them, Cynder is flying only a few meters below Spyro, once again supporting him with her wind magic. Once again they arrive at Tall Plains; the warm lush region that is dominated by the towering spires where the Atlawa people live. Unlike the inhabitants of Dante's Freezer the Atlawa's are a proud race of goat people that peacefully worship nature, when Spyro had arrived here long ago many of the inhabitants had been captured and required rescue from Cynder's forces. After they had all been rescued he had destroyed their corrupted guardian; for his actions Atlawas wanted him to become their new protecting deity, unfortunately he had to refuse.
Spyro was worrying about whether the people would try to venerate him again when Tall Plains finally comes into view. Whereas before they had been standing above giant stone pillars before; the land is now suspended magically above the cloud layer bellow. Unlike other land formations they've found Tall Plains seems to be largely intact, there are even still wooden bridges connecting the islands, although many do look worn and falling apart compared to when he was here last. Flying above the land the pair look down upon the beautiful natural scenery bellow them; tall thick rain forests are cut through with many slow flowing rivers as well as the occasional overgrown footpath.
Last time they'd both been here Cynder's forces had taken the entire Atlawa people hostage and it had been up to him to save them all; this time however there's no dark invading army, nor Atlawa's to greet them. "There's no Atlawas" Spyro points out as they fly over yet another quiet island, there's no one maintaining the now falling apart homes either.
"No one seems to of been here for a while" Cynder examines a decrepit stone house as they fly over. Although the Atlawas may have been plentiful once they appear to of fled this place.
Landing upon a clearing the two stop to discuss what's going on, "where do you think they've all gone?" Spyro asks. There doesn't seem to be any signs of battle, the area around them seems to merely be in a state of disrepair, as if no one's been here for a while.
"It has been over three years since either of us was here, such an area would have been indefensible against Malefor's armies, so it's possible they simply left. If there's still someone here they'd be at the shrine," Cynder points outs the shrine.
"Kane's stubborn enough he'd rather die than leave, it'd be nice to see a familiar face again after so long," Spyro suggests as the two take off towards the shrine. Ignoring the rest of the floating lands as it's quickly become clear that there's little to see besides abandoned homes and crumbling stone.
When the unremarkable shrine comes into sight over the green treetops, they also spot a figure standing at the other end of the bridge from the shrine, which turns to greet them as they land. He looks the same as when he had visited the place before, even if he's lacking his usually stern demeanor.
"It's good to see you again purple dragon, I had heard some awful rumors about your fate," Kane greats. Even from the way he stands one could tell how he's changed, gone was the determined stern look that persisted on his face; for once he seems genuinely happy to see him. "And who is this with you… I recognize those markings…yet such a thing is impossible…" Kane crosses his arms in thought.
"This is…"
"It's complicated" Cynder warns prompting a puzzled knowing look from Kane.
"Hmmm… if you wish to conceal your identity than you'd better become a better liar" Kane chuckles. There's no sense of accusation in his voice, only a humbled statement of truth.
Giving Cynder a nervous look Spyro decides to change the subject, "what's going on here, where is everyone? This place seems abandoned, besides you that is?" Spyro asks indicating the area around them; despite the decrepit abandonment of the rest of Tall Plains this area and the shrine do seem to be in rather pristine condition.
Crossing his arms and putting a paw to his chin Kane explains, "Well it's been years since you've been here hasn't it? Without our guardian deity many lost faith in the protectors of this land, and without many ties anymore everyone left, not that they lost their connection with nature of course. In fact I've heard many have brought their worship to new lands and have even found new adherents. So now I'm all that's left, a chieftain without a tribe," Kane shoulders slump a little as he sadly finishes.
"But why'd you stay… if there's really nothing left for you here why'd you stay?" Cynder inquires.
"Hhha," Kane chuckles before looking over at the shrine "I suppose I had to protect my people's homeland, and what kind of chieftain abandons his homeland?"
Cynder follows his gaze and narrows her eyes at the shrine, "has anything… strange happened at the shrine recently… has the Stone Sentinel reawakened?"
Giving her an odd suspicious look, "why yes it was some years ago it reappeared, how could you possibly of known…"
"Consider it a lucky guess, tell me what it did" she suddenly presses him for answers.
"Well, there was a large crack of thunderous magic over here and it had suddenly appeared. Thankfully my offerings were able to appease it, despite being killed by you all those years ago, it seemed as alive and well as when I was born. I tended to the Sentinel and kept its rage in check for months… until she came…" Kane trails off.
"She?"
"At least I think that's what it was, it came in the night. A big battle must have ensued between the two, it was loud stirring me from my sleep, I arrived quickly only to find the Sentinel dead once more, but its body simply crumbled to stone like a golem, it didn't disappear like it had in the past. Yet again my tribe has lost its guardian, and yet again I'm here alone again" Kane sadly explains.
"If you didn't see it what makes you think it's a she?" Cynder asks.
"Unlike say either of you it had to leave on foot, she shoved past me on the bridge over, it looked bipedal and was covered in fur much like a Cheetah, couldn't see much more under the cloak though..." Kane stops as the two give each other a knowing look.
"I take it that must be Umbra" Spyro offers.
"Must be" Cynder agrees.
"What do you think she was after?" Spyro turns back to Kane, "maybe the crystal at the shrine?"
"I'm not sure, she didn't take anything, nor did she stop to make her intentions clear, and there was no crystal… wait its crown, its crown had a glowing blue crystal shoved inside it" Kane continues explaining. Sighing Kane turns around, "instead of talking about it just follow me to the shrine."
Following Kane down the bridge Cynder turns towards the horizon, "there's a storm coming, looks like a bad one too." Sure enough deep black clouds are gathering in the distance, she might be a good flier herself but supporting Spyro while combating a storm would be impossible, even for her.
Bringing them back from their distraction the two look upon the shrine where Spyro had confronted the Stone Sentinel so long ago, it's just like it had been left, mossy stone blocks dot the area with the more intricately designed ones in the back of the shrine. This time however there's another pile of stone blocks in the center of the arena, only it wasn't just any pile of stone blocks, the body of the Stone Sentinel lies in rubble before them. It looks just like it had when Spyro had faced it before, except crumbled in pieces while logged into its stone crown is another familiar deep blue crystal.
Walking up beside the pair, "I take it you two know what this crystal is, is it responsible for our guardian's reemergence?" Kane asks.
"We think so, Spyro? Wanna try touching this one, it might restore your ice powers" Cynder offers standing beside the crystal.
"Wait is that really a good idea…" Kane crosses his arms as Spyro approaches the crystal.
"Just stand back, these things seem to contain Spyro's powers" Cynder explains as Spyro walks over to the lifeless Sentinel. Giving Cynder a nervous look Spyro lays his forepaw against the crystals smooth side, once more just like before there's a momentary pause before the crystal begins to glow. A slight jolt startles him before the crystal begins to emanate a cold fog that swirls around him, Spyro's breath comes out in a mist and the cold quickly invades his scales and chills him to the bone. Cringing in surprise at his sudden chills Spyro tries to calm his breath as his body finishes absorbing the last of the mist; breathing deeply Spyro finds a confused Kane and a relieved Cynder.
When he's finished Cynder walks over and lays a paw onto his scale, "your… you're so cold, are you okay?"
"Yeah, I would assume I reabsorbed my Ice powers," Spyro assures rubbing warmth back into his extremities.
"Your Ice powers? What exactly is going on here?" Kane asks crossing his arms in confusion. Sighing Spyro explains to Kane what had happened to him, even going so far to explain what had happened since they had last meant.
As Spyro finally finishes his tale Cynder checks in on the approaching storm, it's only a few hours away, but they could still avoid it if they left soon. With the wind steadily rising at their backs the group decides to start back across the bridge when Kane finally responds after Spyro's story is over, "that's quite the story purple dragon, you've had quite the eventful life. Not to keep you for too much longer, knowing you I bet you're on another journey of your own, but the Shattering happened some time ago. Yet you and your companion have not grown and you speak of the Calamity as if it were mere days ago?"
Looking at each other in concern, "last time we were in danger like that and I used my Time powers we were stuck in a crystal for three years, are you saying we were trapped for some time again?" Spyro asks.
"Hmmm… living alone for some time the days do tend to blend together, these past weeks have been the only excitement I've had for years now, it has been many years since anyone else has accompanied me here. It's been at least eight years since the last of my people left Tall Plains and it had been some time ago the Shattering struck the land before that".
"Eight years?" Spyro moans depression deep in his voice, they'd expected to of been gone for a few years again, but nearly a decade ago they had faced Malefor? Who knows how the world's changed since then, Spyro and Cynder had stopped on the bridge after hearing the news.
Looking at Kane a little closer it's easier to see this change on him, although his fur had been white before, even the more colorful colorations on his neck and limbs have dulled into the surrounding whites of his fur. Looking back at the pair Kane takes on a serious look before giving the two some advice, "I may be a little out of the way around here so I don't know what may be befalling the world, yet still I am certain that you will continue to do good for the world. I'm certain that you will be needed in due time." Although his appearance may of changed little it does seem his personality's improved a little, his time as chieftain and the fall of his tribe seems to of taken a toll on his hardheadedness.
Looking upon the quiet solemn pair Kane peers at the horizon, the dark clouds had quickly closed in on them threatening to consume the island, "you'll need to leave here soon if you hope to be on your way today, I trust staying until that storm passes is not in your best interest?" Kane points toward the storm.
"Thank you for all that you've been able to tell us" Cynder tells him as she rises into the air.
"We'll be back if we have time in the future," Spyro says as the two prepare to take off again, Cynder once again supporting Spyro with her wind magic.
Kane watches as the small purple hero and his dark companion fly off away from the quickly approaching storm, as the great storm's winds begin to buffet his fur Kane walks back into the ruins that he had made his home for the past years. Looking over his meager crumbling home Kane considers something he thought of for the last eight years, "maybe it's time for this tribe to end, maybe it's time for me to go on a journey of my own…."
