The Fiery Depths of Munitions Forge

The Trio flew on for hours on end desperate to get to their destination as fast as they could for when they remembered they were told there was a Volcano present to where they were going they knew time would be of the essence and if the Volcano would erupt while they were there or before they arrived searching for the Guardian, Terrador, would make it even more difficult.

Soon the sky was starting to look red as dark clouds covered the once blue sky. The Air was becoming thick with smoke and smell of ash that the Dragon, Spyro had to fly lower to give himself and Adir some slight clear air to breath.

"Something tells me we are close." Adir coughed trying to speak but where they were the air was still thick as, Spyro, flew lower.

"Are talking about that?" Sparx pointed in the distance to see a massive Volcano in the middle of an island that already seemed to be on the brink of eruption as molten magma spewed from its top covering the air with the thick smoke and ash that festered the trio's lungs.

The Group eventually found a spot to land that was next to railway with a large pipe that was leaking a river full of lava into the sea nearby.

"Munitions Forge is an island dominated by Boyzitbig, an unstable volcano that makes life on the surface very dicey." Spyro explained what Ignitus told them before.

"Dicey, indeed." Adir agreed coughing again as the surface was not too much different than the skies above as the smell of brimstone and the forgery filled the surrounding parts.

"The locals, who live underground, have been force to mine the metals that Cynder uses to forge her army's weapons." Spyro continued.

"What were the locals called again?" Adir asked.

"They are called Manweersmalls." Spyro answered.

"Right." Sparx sighed "Do I need to write that down?"

Spyro shot Sparx a glare before continuing "Rumor has it that Cynder is holding Terrador somewhere in the mines. We know she's using him to power the last of the crystals she needs to open the portal. We must free him before she gets the chance."

Sparx took another look at the Volcano. "Boy is it big!" He gasped.

"It certainly is." Adir agreed.

"Boy it's big." Spyro said. "No time for sightseeing, Sparx. Time to get serious, let's move."

"Oh…not again." Sparx groaned as he set off with the Dragon and Human.

They encountered a group of apes that were sleeping next to the railway that lead into the mine. Adir draw his sword and killed one of them as its deathly cry woke the others.

Spyro used his ice breath to turn the apes into frozen balls and Adir took the opportunity to kick them into a nearby lava pit burning them instantly.

Suddenly another group of apes lead by a medium sized one came from the entrance of the railway and charged the duo.

Adir switched his sword into his spear and battled each of the small apes using his electric power to make him zoom around each one killing each ape with one swipe of his spear before they could make another move as Spyro shot as shards into the medium sized ape killing it with several shards pierced into him.

The Trio moved up into the entrance of the railway. They moved down a small tunnel that lead away from the railroad and eventually came up to a small mole creature with a long white mustache, a walking stick in hand and a hat with a lit candle on top of it.

"Man he is small." Spyro whispered but it wasn't quiet enough as the mole turned around and looked at the group holding his stick high threatening

"What's that?" He cried out in a thick accent "Who's there?"

Adir put his hands up assuring. "Hey! Calm down, Sir. We are not your enemy."

"Its, it's me, Spyro." The Dragon said in an assuring voice. "This is, Adir." Pointing his wing towards the Human who smiled.

"…and the former god of Tall Plains, Sparx." Sparx quickly introduced himself with pride making both Spyro and Adir roll their eyes in annoyance.

"You don't carry the stench of Cynder's beasts, so you must be friends." The Mole man sniffed the air and sighed glad that he didn't run into any more of Cynder's apes.

"Your correct, Sir." Adir kneeled down to him. "Who are you, may I ask?"

"I'm Mole-Yair, leader of the Manweersmalls." Mole-Yair looked down sadly after introducing himself. "But I'm not much a leader anymore. Those of my people who aren't mining for Cynder are holed up in the caves, scared out of their little wits, waiting for Boyzitbig to blow."

Suddenly a loud tremor shook the ground heavily making Adir and Mole-Yair almost lose their footing. "Which shouldn't be long?" Mole-Yair continued. "If you can help me free them, perhaps there's something I could do for you?"

"We could give you a hand but …" Adir said "…we are here to rescue a big friend of ours."

"Is he a mighty Dragon?" Mole-Yair asked.

"Yes, why?" Spyro replied

"Because I know where he is being kept." Mole-Yair said triumphantly. This made Adir gasp along with Spyro hearing that. "In the mines near a large labor camp, where my own brother, Exhumor, toils away. We can help each other."

"Well…which way do we go?" Spyro asked. "What should we do next?"

"Oh, it's simple enough, but we've got to hurry." Mole-Yair replied "Boyzitbig is getting more unstable by the minute. We must clear these caves before we can help your friend."

Sparx turned to the human and dragon. "You're asking him for directions?" Sparx said. "Wow, talk about the blind leading the blind."

Adir gently pushed the dragonfly aside and smiled at the leader of the Manweersmalls. "Forget him, Mole-Yair. We're in!"

The Group traveled down some tunnels until they came across a group of Mole-Yairs people that were chained next to the walls with their ankles held with an energy chain that was attached to a gem. The Guards noticed the intruders and went on the attack. Mole-Yair and Sparx stayed next to the entrance to let the human and dragon deal with the guards.

Spyro and Adir managed to fight off the guards giving them a brief moment to destroy the gems that held the captive Manweersmalls. They ventured down more tunnels and encountered more prisoners and guards along the way.

The Duo managed to defeat the guards and freed more prisoners. They came across two passageways that lead in separate directions. Spyro took one entrance and Adir took the other for the faster they free the prisoners the more time they would have to find the Guardian. Soon they both met up at the end of each tunnel seeing how it connected with another that led outside both of them were then greeted by Mole-Yair who was overjoyed to see his people free.

"You did it, you did it!" Mole Yair cheered. "A thousand thanks." He suddenly grabbed Spyros head and peppered his cheeks with kisses.

"It was no big deal." The Dragon said pulling his head back.

"No problem at all." Adir chuckled watching the scene with amusement.

"That's not the kind of praise id want." Sparx whispered in Adir's ear remarking Spyro's thankful kiss's making Adir chuckle some more.

"Well…you did your part, now I'll do mine." Mole-Yair said. "Your friend is being kept in the center of the volcano, past the labor camp where my brother, Exhumor, is working. Find him and let him know we're friends, and he'll tell you how to proceed."

"How will we know Exhumor?" Spyro asked.

"Yeah, all you Man-are-we-smalls look the same to me." Sparx pointed out agreeing with the question.

This made Mole-Yair laugh. "Oh, you'll know him. Trust me. He's the most cantankerous hardnosed Manweersmalls around. Whatever you do, don't get on his bad side." He warned.

"Point taken." Adir said. Mole-Yair left the group to tend to his freed people and the Group ventured forth deeper into mines to try and find the labor camp with Exhumor in it.

The Group went forth and they encountered not only more apes but deadly worms that emerged from pools of lava. Adir was in middle of battle two of them as Spyro was trying to deal with more apes that attacked him with his friend preoccupied.

Adir grunted as one of the worms managed to strike him on the side since they were attack his front and back. He kept turning trying to meet them both but he could only block one attack and try to dodge the next one as the worms were relentless.

He used his spear to hold one of the worms arms from coming down on him but Adir sank to one knee as the other was coming up behind him to give a deadly blow. Adir wished in this moment he had another weapon with him that he could stop the strike from coming. On Cue his spear came apart and while still holding on part where it was holding the worms arms he used the other to quickly thrust into the oncoming worm killing it and used his free weapon to kill the one he was holding.

He stood back up and examined his new accessory. His spear just turned into two swords! Apparently just like Ignitus said back in the temple. The Weapon was made to form into any weapon that he needed it to be. As in this case he needed another weapon and his sword which could be a spear than became two swords.

"Oh yeah!" Adir beamed realizing what he had now and turned to a group of apes that came to reinforce the ones that were attacking Spyro. Adir ran in front of them and twirled his two swords around for a moment getting a quick feel for them. "You guys are in so much trouble." He warned with a smile of confidence.

Adir made quick work of the apes as he ducked and rolled from their attacks and quickly dispatched them with one swipe after another with his new two bladed weapons. His sides were covered and even if one ape deflected or blocked one attack they couldn't stop the next one with Adir having a second sword in hand and finished them off with ease as Spyro finished the ones he was dealing with.

"Adir, are you alright?" He asked her looked at Adir's two new swords. "Did you make those?"

Adir smiled. "Yes! Apparently I can turn my spear into two swords now. Just like, Ignitus, said with my sword being a unique weapon that I can turn it into anything I need." Adir slowly put the bottom pieces back in place and a small sound was heard of something attaching. The Swords became a spear again and to Adir's silent will one blade disappeared making a sword once again.

"I love this weapon!" Adir beamed putting his sword back in its sheath.

"Yeah…alright great, let's get moving." Sparx said impatient just standing around and wanted to get out before more trouble shows.

The Group moved down through the mines and encountered massive, ferocious Buffalo Beetles with Ape riders on them. They were tough but Adir and Spyro used teamwork to maneuver around them and deal heavy blows on them as the Samurai jumped upon it killing the rider with one sword and used the other to pierce the top of giant creature killing it as well.

Eventually the group made it to a clearing where a large bell hung over a platform. A long pull hung down as they came up to it.

"This is odd." Adir scratched his head. "What's a bell of this size doing here?"

Spyro went up to it and took a sniff at it as he slowly reached for the pull then Sparx decided it was a good time to be annoying again.

"I bet you can't ring that bell." He teased making, Spyro stop and look at him.

"Why would I want to?" Spyro asked.

"Oh you're scared!" Sparx teased slowly flying around the Dragon as Spyro eyed him.

"I'm not scared." Spyro defended.

"Oh, the big special dragon is scared of the mean old bell." Sparx mocked. "Oh I didn't know, I'm sorry, oh no, I'm sorry baby, why don't I get your pillow all laid out." The Dragonfly continued to mock.

Adir stepped up to him. "Sparx! Will you knock it off?" He said angry of the little bugs mockery.

But to appease Sparx and stop the nonsense, Spyro, went up to the pull and rang it making large dinging sound from the bell above. Rocks started fall around the group and the bell came off its light holding and fell right on top of the Dragon.

"Spyro!" Adir and Sparx gasped the whole bell fell on top of the Dragon and he was nowhere in sight as Adir tried to lift the bell off.

"Nice going, Idiot!" Adir spat at Sparx trying desperately to lift the bell off.

"Spyro! Can you hear me?" Sparx yelled hoping that Spyro was alright. "Are you okay, buddy?" He flew around the bell as Adir was doing what he could to lift it off. "Hey listen, forget about those cracks I made about your fatness and your being purple and stupid and fat, all right?" Sparx sobbed "Just get outta there! Please, Spyro, don't be dead!"

Suddenly the bell shook that made, Adir, back off. The Whole bell was shaking like it was being hit by something hard till suddenly a blast of green energy emerged from inside shattering the whole bell that came from, Spyro's mouth showing he was alright and apparently he had a new ability.

"Spyro!" Adir cheered in relief giving the Dragon a quick hug glad he was okay.

Spyro laughed at Adir's show of relieve then looked at Sparx with a strange look. "Did you say something?" He asked as he did hear Sparx's apology for everything in the bell and decided to try to get back at him for it.

"Me?" Sparx replied. "No. No. I was talking out loud. Thinking of my day, I gotta do…" He slowly flew away as Spyro gave him a smirk knowing he was lying.

"Oh, just thought I heard something before I blasted my way out." He inquired.

"oh, that's funny." Sparx muttered "Yeah no must be hearing things."

"By the way, what did you do, Spyro?" Adir asked for that green energy Spyro spewed shattered that heavy bell after a few hits.

"I'm not entirely sure." Spyro replied.

"Must be yet another power." Adir said wondering if that means the same for him as well seeing is how every time Spyro and he got in a situation they seemed to have gained something.

Either way they would figure out the new ability later as the group continued down the mines hoping to find some way to get to that labor camp and save the rest of the Manweersmalls and then make their way to, Terrador.

Adir then heard something. Sounded like voices. "Guys." He whispered as the Dragon and Dragonfly followed Adir to a nearby cave entrance as they peered around the corner to what looked like a station with large podiums raised on either end. There were train tracks running to another tunnel and standing next a mighty steam engine were three apes and one of them was wearing a large conductor's hat with a scarf around his neck waving a shovel in one hand.

"Come on, you worthless waste of flesh, let's go!" He yelled at the other two apes. "We've got to hop on Steam and get back to that flea-bitten dragon. The crystal should be almost ready and the volcano is right on the brink."

The Conductor hoped onto the Steam engine while the two apes went inside the caboose of the train and Steam Engine was activated and quickly went down the tunnel as it chugged away.

"Well I can bet you that Conductor is the one who is running this place and He said he was heading back to the Dragon." Adir pointed out.

"Come on! We got to catch them!" Adir nodded as they ran to the station to follow that steam engine but the apes that were left to guard activated three switches that shut a massive door that blocked the tunnel.

The Group knew they would have to get that door open if they were going to go after the Conductor.

"Ill get switch by the tracks." Adir said drawing his sword. "You get the switches on the podiums."

"Alright, be careful." Spyro said as flew into the air to get on top of the podiums as Adir advanced to the switch on the side of the tracks. Each of them were engaged by a good number of apes. Adir managed to cut through some with ease as Spyro unleashed a wave of ice upon the podiums instantly freezing some guards on top and finished them off with a fireball.

Adir was getting close to the switch until a large ape stood in his way wielding a large mallet that was used to pound on forging weapons. Adir lunged at the large figure but stepped aside and brought its hammer down as Adir dodged the swing and slashed onto the apes arm but it had a shield which deflected the swords blow and the ape brought his arm back a bit and hit Adir hard enough for him to fall back and drop his swords.

Adir groaned as the ape came upon him holding his mallet high ready to pound Adir down like a nail. Adir felt something in him charging up. Knowing he had once chance since he was without his sword as the mallet came down. Adir threw a punch up to the mallet as his fist glowed green and connected with the mallet and surprisingly it shattered it!

Adir took the moment without thinking as the Ape stood dumbfounded at the loss of his weapon and connected a very heavy punch under its chin with the same glowing green fist on his other sending the large ape flying a good distance right into a pile of dynamite which exploded on impact making every stick erupt simultansly.

The Samurai was in awe as he watched his fists start to lose their glow and went back to normal. "Wow! That was…" Adir was amazed by his new power. Just like Spyro he too had new power and he was certain that they will learn about it when they rescue their friend.

"Did you see that?" Adir called up to Spyro as he hit a switch causing one lock of the gate to open.

"I did!" Spyro replied. "That was amazing!"

Adir smiled as he activated the switch by the tracks unlocking another lock as Spyro flew to the last one unlocking it while Adir picked up his sword.

When the last switch was activated the door to the tunnel was open and they were free to enter. There was a nearby mining cart nearby and if they were going to catch up with the train it would be the best option.

Spyro was the first to hop on and Adir got on right behind him. Sparx flew up next to them. "You don't know how to drive this thing." Sparx cried out.

"How hard can it be?" Spyro asked as he grabbed the handles on the cart. "It's on rails."

"Oi, famous last words." Sparx groaned.

"Come on, we got a train to catch!" Adir said as Spyro pushed down on the handles and off the mine cart went into the tunnel, in pursuit of the steam engine.

Within a matter of minutes the mine cart caught up with the steam engine since it was not going at a high speed since they were not expecting any trouble to come from behind.

The Apes inside the caboose noticed that they were being pursued as they quickly gathered dynamite and started to throw lighten fused sticks at them.

"Watch out!" Adir called as the group shifted their weight on the mine cart to dodge one stick after the other. The Apes on the Caboose tried to nail their pursuers and they showed no sign of letting up.

"Get us close to that Caboose!" Adir yelled as Spyro nodded picking up speed on the mine cart. They dodged another stick of dynamite and suddenly hit the end of the caboose. Adir jumped over and landed inside the caboose where the Apes looked at him jumping in front of him.

"This is where you get off." Adir said as one ape lunged at him as Adir fell backwards before he was grabbed picked his legs up kicking the ape out of the caboose falling onto tracks outside and Adir used his new ability to punch the next ape so hard he went flying out of the front of the Caboose straight into the back of the Conductor of the Train.

He growled as the pursuer's interference was really becoming annoying. "Last stop, everyone off!" Adir shouted at the Conductor before sending a streak of flames inside the Caboose lighting every last stick of Dynamite ablaze and blew up as Adir hopped back out on the mine cart as Spyro back off the throttle to give them some space from the explosion.

"That will take care of him." Adir smiled as he held onto Spyro watching as the Caboose was blowing up and it would take the whole stem engine with it. The Tracks on the rails suddenly split as the Steam engine went right and mine cart stayed going straight.

The Conductor kept his train in motion as he hopped down from his seat and cut off the Caboose before it blew up entirely that would have taken him as well.

"Oh Man!" Adir groaned as his plan almost worked if it wasn't for that quick thinking of the ape.

"You tried, Adir." Spyro assured them but then suddenly they watched the Steam engine slow down as the Conductor laughed.

"What is he…?" Spyro had no time to finished as the tracks suddenly linked back up as they headed down the tunnel. Adir had a very bad feeling about this seeing how they were now ahead and he could hear the toots of steam engine.

He looked back to see the Steam Engine coming straight at them at high speed. "Spyro, he's going to ram us off!" He screamed pointing to behind as the Steam Engine was coming close.

The Dragon quickly pushed down on the throttles making the mine cart move fast as they were staying just ahead of the steam engine as it chased them down.

The Chase went on though the tunnels as the Conductor laughed manically chasing down the mine cart. The Group was somehow staying ahead until in the distance a fork in the tracks was seen and whooshing past the heads of Adir and Spyro a shovel hit a switch causing the tracks to switch just as the cart went through the right tunnel.

"End of the line." The Conductor chuckled as he and his engine went down the left tunnel.

"What did he mean by that?" Sparx asked as the cart hit through wooden blockades and suddenly emerged out of the tunnel and zoomed off the tracks with it going at the speed as it was.

The Group screamed as they flew through the air as they were about to land in a lava pit. Spyro quickly flew up as Adir grabbed his legs right before the mine cart fell into the magma and quickly incinerated.

Adir let go of, Spyro's, legs when they got close to the ground as the Dragon landed next to him. "Boy that was way too close." He panted.

"No kidding." Adir agreed taking a sigh of relief.

Sparx chuckled nervously. "I really hate trains now."

Both Spyro and Adir nodded as they had the same feeling as their friend. They looked to see another track above them taking empty mine carts into a tunnel in the distance.

"Those empty carts must be heading towards that labor camp." Adir said.

Spyro nodded. "Let's go." The Group headed off to find that labor camp. Hopefully they would not have to deal with anymore railway issues.