Ho! Ho! Ho! Merry Christmas! Well everyone, hard to believe another year has gone by and we will soon be in another new year. You know something? I'm beginning to not want to watch the news everyday since most of what is reported on is bad. You almost never hear of anything good these days. Still, I'm keeping my positive outlook on things and seeing the new year as a chance to better myself and help those around me. Like my father says:
"No matter how deep or how low you are, keep diggin' and you will eventually get somewhere. It might not be the place you want but you never know what's around the corner."
Hmmm...might just put this on profile and let whoever wants it copy it to theirs...
Anyway, here it is, my Christmas present to you all at Fanfiction: Aegis Arcanum: Infiltration of Egratz! (sorry about the change in title, the chapter would be too long if I placed all the parts in one upload)
DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING OR ANYONE IN THE SPYRO UNIVERSE, ONLY MY OCS. I ALSO DO NOT OWN ANY PROPERTY IN THE NORTH POLE AND OWN NO REINDEER.
Chapter 9: Infiltration Of Egratz
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Spyro grimaced as the combined scent of unwashed ape, rotting meat, mildew, swamp gas, and other unmentionable scents filled his snout. Beside him, Cynder had actually covered her snout and was breathing through her mouth. Tempest put on a brave face and acted like nothing was wrong, meanwhile Psijic and Rehne were on the opposite side of the hill emptying their stomachs. At least Arden had wrapped a rag around his nose and mouth and now stood beside Rehne patting her lightly as she hurled yet again.
Spyro fought back the erge to do likewise and turned to Tempest.
"Has the fortress always smelled like this?" Tempest grimaced and nodded.
"Yes, although the smell is not as strong when you are a few hundred feet above it...I'm beginning to think the apes let this place smell as to ward off our attacks. Dragons, as you well know, have incredible senses of smell, sight, hearing, touch and taste. This stench fowls up our scent so we can't smell individual apes, also our tongues can also pick up traces of the scent and thus the stench can incapacitate us with, er...voiding our stomachs. Some dragons I knew couldn't eat for days after coming here on a raid. You won't hear me say this but for once I am envious of the humans dulled senses, at least he is not suffering like the others." Rehne lifted up her head and gasped as she finished.
"I've smelled rotting undead, burning bodies, all manner of other things on the field of battle, even Master Valden's sorry attempt at cooking, why does this affect me so?" Arden shook his head sadly.
"I wish I knew Rehne, but unfortunately I don't. Maybe I should go in alone? One person might stand a better chance of getting in rather than a group of ill dragons." Rehne immediately looked at him and hissed.
"You just try that and see if I don't pin you to the ground! I almost lost you once due to your recklessness and I'll be, as you humans say, damned if I let you walk into that cesspool alone!" Tempest cleared his throat which got her attention as well as her dagger-like glare.
"Maybe he's right? It seems this Blood Covenant has made itself known, so one more human wouldn't cause a scene." Rehne bristled in anger until Arden tapped her shoulder.
"Rehne, maybe you could come with me? Provided you shift that is. I heard from Master Valden that golden dragons can shift forms at will between human and dragon." Rehne stood slackjawed for a moment, then lowered her head in defeat.
"Alas I cannot, I...I never learned how to shift. I know I have the ability but I lack the knowledge to use it. B-Besides...the ability is just as much magic as body, it will manifest itself when I...when I find a suitable mate." Arden nodded his understanding, Psijic looked at Rehne's embarrassed expression curiously but said nothing.
"Well then, I suppose there is no option. Arden will have to go alone into the fortress." Rehne immediately went wide eyed with worry, Arden on the other hand put a hand to his chin in thought.
"Maybe not...I seem to recall a water spell that can purify any source of water no matter how badly contaminated. Maybe there is a similar spell for the Wind Seal?" Rehne thought for a moment and nodded excitedly, Tempest on the other hand huffed.
"We have no time to hope that you pull one spell out of your addled mind. I thought you said rescuing this elder of yours is vital, thus it needs to be done swiftly."
Arden didn't hear him as he sat cross-legged in a strange, yet familiar, pose. He closed his eyes and allowed darkness to envelope him.
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"Wind is no simple manifestation to summon, nor should it be summoned at will. To some wind is life. A ship needs wind to sail right? A dragon uses wind to fly, correct? However, wind is also death. For if the wind turns into a typhoon, the ship can founder. If a dragon flies into a tornado, they risk having their wings ripped off. There are multiple uses for the wind seal. Let's start with the basics Arden, create a small breeze." Arden looked to his teacher.
"Master Valden, why only a breeze?" Valden chuckled lightly.
"Because it is summer here and I'm so blasted hot right now in these robes and Rehne refuses to flap her wings until I apologize for that little fiasco at the lake. In all honesty how was I supposed to know that Watts was teaching some electric dragons the conductivity of water nearby? And besides, what was she doing trying to fish with her tail anyway?" Arden laughed at this.
"I'm afraid Levinas was telling her some of his tall tales again. I believe it was the one about him being stranded on a desert isle and surviving by catching sharks with his tail. She wanted to try a smaller, less toothy, fishing trip." Valden rolled his eyes.
"Well, anyway if it's fish she wants, try the western banks, I hear the tuna out there are spectacular to taste and of extraordinary size. One full grown tuna would be able to sate even the collosal appitite of Corrigor. Now where were we, oh yes, wind. Now then, we no longer need to bother with walking you through the incantations so simply conjure the breeze."
Arden nodded and felt the flow of mana through his body.
"Embrace the Third Seal: Seal of Wind: Breeze!" Almost immediatelly, he heard a wooshing noise around him, a shout of surprise, and a sound like fabric ripping and then flapping away. He then opened his eyes and stood dumbstruck as Valden stood there tapping his staff irritably.
"Oh bother...Well, congradulations Arden, you just blew my robe into the next century with that gust of yours. Since you know now how to conjure wind and I do have to punish that little mishap of yours, I will teach you the air purification spell. Once you know how to use it, and also help me find my robe, we will proceed to the council chambers and you will renew the air spell in there. Grandmaster Calver said it was getting rank in there."
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With a shudder, Arden opened his eyes, got up and looked at Rehne.
"I remembered the wind seal and the air cleaning spell and a few things I wish I hadn't. Now then, all of you stand together. Alright, Embrace the Third Seal: Wind: Purify Air!"
Almost instantly, the air around the group lost its foul stench and the smell of fresh flowers and cherry blossoms filled the air. Rehne took a deep breath and sighed happily.
"This scent...I remember it from Aryeonnes Castle. Ah, such a wonderful scent."
Indeed the other dragons looked relaxed as well. Even the taciturn Tempest was grinning as he breathed the fresh air. Arden gave the dragons time to clear their lungs of the bad, rotted air before clearing his throat.
"Rescue mission, remember everyone?" Rehne snapped out of her daydream and flushed with embarrassment. Spyro and Cynder looked at one another and nodded.
"Alright so, Cynder, Tempest, and I will remain out here to act as reinforcements right? Meanwhile, you, Rehne, and Psijic infiltrate the fortress." Arden nodded.
"Correct, the larger the group, the more likely we'll be found out. Also, I'm afraid Tempest is too big to act stealthy and you two are too easily recognizable. As a human I may be able to blend more easily, Rehne can conceal herself using a spell and Psijic can just mentally convince the weak minded that he is not there." Psijic chuckled.
"What do I suggest to them? 'These aren't the dragons you're looking for?' A little draconic mind trick?" Arden smiled.
"As a matter of fact, yes. In fact, when we reach the gate do just that." Psijic rolled his eyes and started down the hill with Arden and Rehne.
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The two apes on guard duty at the gate were as sullen as you would expect. Demoted to guard duty just because a stray blast caused a huge slab of rock to come down crushing several grublins. To make matters worse, the slab also brought down a piece of rock that landed directly on the Master's head. Even though he was still embedded in crystal, there was little doubt he felt the impact. Reguardless, they supposed they were lucky to have escaped with their lives.
Bored, one of them decided to doze off but was abruptly punched in the nose by his companion.
"Wake up, you miserable lout! If we're caught sleeping on the job it'll mean the pit for the both of us. Look sharp, someone's comin'."
A tall human came forward leading a very strange looking dragon. Still though, the apes raised their weapons as they didn't seem to recognize the human's face.
"Halt! Who're you and what buisness have you here? The fortress is expecting an attack, not more prisoners. All humans are to be inside preparing." Psijic waved a claw in front of them.
"We are not your enemy." The taller ape turned to the shorter one.
"They are not our enemy." Psijic smiled.
"We can go about our buisness here." The ape nodded and faced them.
"You can go about your buisness here."
"Open the gates." The ape turned and looked up over the fortress.
"Open the gates!" Psijic smiled once again as he got an idea.
"You two take a rest, you've more than earned it."
Almost at once, the two apes nodded off, dead to the world except for some snoring. Concealed, Rehne looked at the creatures and growled lowly.
(Disgusting creatures. The next time I hear someone call Arden 'ape'. I'm going to give them a hot foot they won't soon forget.)
Once inside, Arden was amazed at the number of apes and humans here. Almost immediately, Psijic scowled and looked disgusted.
"Good grief these humans have dirty minds. Not that the apes are any cleaner mind but still."
A human wearing leather armor came up to Arden and looked at him and then to Psijic.
"Prisoner eh? I'm amazed that one man took down a single dragon." Arden grinned cockily.
"The dragons here are nothing compared to the ones back home. The ones here are not used to the way we fight, this one was a pushover." The man laughed broadly and clapped his hand on Arden's shoulder.
"Good lad. The dungeons are down the main keep and...oh shit! Colver! You stupid sack of shit! You decide to hoist a cloud THERE?! You peckerhead! You're sitting on enough blasting powder and dynamite to blow the fortress off its foundations and make us nothing but black smears!"
He proceeded to punch Colver across the face and then repeatedly kicked him in the ribs calling him more increasingly obsene things with each kick. Disgusted, Arden turned and stalked towards the keep. Psijic looked no less disturbed.
"I thought you humans had better self-control than these apes, yet it seems these humans here are no better." Arden nodded sadly.
"Most humans have self control, however, there are some that revel in simple brutality. These men here do not represent the human race as a whole." He heard Rehne snort.
"I should say not, otherwise we golden dragons would not dare socialize with you." Arden chuckled and continued towards the keep. A large ape eyed him warily but then nodded and opened the large gates to the prison. With that, they decended into the bowels of the fortress.
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Outside the fortress, Cynder and Spyro watched the fortress for any sign of alarm or trouble. Tempest took the moment to study the layout of the fortress, the keep, and even the bulwarks. He nodded as he focused on something.
"There. Spyro, Cynder. You see the crack in the wall there? If the alarm is raised we will focus our attacks there so as to aid in the other's escape." Spyro nodded and began thinking of ways to bring the wall down quickly. However, his concentration was broken when Cynder tapped him on the side.
"Spyro, Tempest, down there! Apes!"
Spyro looked down and saw a group of apes coming up towards them. Atthat moment, a horn blared in the fortress and the open gates sealed shut. Deathwings took to the air and war cries filled the air. Spyro turned to Cynder and Tempest.
"How did they know we were here?"
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Inside the fortress, Rehne heard the horns and abandoned her invisibility and Arden abandoned all pretenses of being one of the apes allies. While Psijic used his power to shatter the minds of the more weak willed apes, Arden and Rehne went after the larger ape commanders as they blitzed their way to the dungeon.
When they reached a certain cell, Arden stopped and with a swing of his sword, cut the hinges and the door fell forward with a loud clang. Inside, shackled, was a man who was a farcry from the man Arden had met in his vision. His hair had turned silver while here and dirt and blood streaked his clothes and face. He wearily looked up at him.
"A-Arden?" Arden nodded and moved to unshackle the sage but instead, the man grew frantic.
"No! You must not! Rehne, get him out of here! It's a trap!"
"Too late old man." Arden, Psijic, and Rehne turned to see a human in blood red clothes smiling wickedly from inside the door.
"Welcome Sterling Blade of Phyziin. Welcome to Egratz Fortress...and your tomb."
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Hello everyone, sorry again for the shortness of the chapter but as I stated earlier if I uploaded the entire chapter at once it would be too big. So, I leave you instead with a cliffhanger and the promise of a longer chapter next time.
As always, please rate and review and have a Happy New Year!