Remember Me
Chapter 10
The fire before Spyro and his son crackled, sparked. Though it was dying quickly, being snuffed out by the falling snow. With the snow came the wind, and with the wind came the ice.
Spyro laid the blanket out on the hard ground. "Hope it's big enough".
Ignitus looked at the blanket, sizing it up. "I think I'm gonna fit".
"I meant for the two of us".
A sudden look of confusion took over his son. "But you're an ice dragon. Don't you like the cold"?
"Great, he thinks just like his mother. Yeah, but even I have my limits".
"Fine. Whatever. Just try to stay on your side. The last thing I want is to smell like another male". Ignitus laid in the middle of the blanket, leaving Spyro the edge.
The purple dragon pulled the blanket over them as they slept back to back. Night fell beyond the wall, even making the white snow disappear in the darkness. The cold wind howled between the branches, giving the silent forest an otherworldly feeling.
The trees groaned in response to the tension put on their trunks. To these noises, Ignitus cowered. "Nivalis? Nivalis"! Spyro mumbled some inaudible words as he turned over and embraced his son, acting as a protective shield against the horrors of the night. Ignitus squirmed, trying to escape his grasp. "Nivalis"!
Spyro came out of his deep sleep just enough to give some coherency to his words. "Shhh. Don't worry, daddy's here. You're safe now". His words trailed back into light snoring.
The young drake's squirming stopped, his father's words shocking him. The wind picked up, sending chills down his spine. Ignitus found himself backing further into his fathers embrace, even flipping over and returning it. He began to feel at ease, a certain safety calming his fears, and soon managed to fall asleep. His dreams were peaceful, despite the place of rest they had found.
The light of dawn cracked Spyro's eyes open, and to his surprise he found his son, cuddled up to him like he had always imagined. What made things odd however, was the constant pressure against his inner thigh. A quick yank at the covers uncovered a large insect crawling up his leg.
He jumped out of bed, scaring his son as he fought to get the long, disgusting creature away from him. His squeals brought laughter to Ignitus, who stood by as the ice dragon flailed erratically.
Once the intruder had been dealt with, Spyro faced his son, who had been rolling on the ground in his laughing fit. The purple dragon found it hard to contain his own laughter, and soon joined in, furthering the bond between them.
They laid on their backs, staring up at the sky and watching the clouds roll by. "I can't remember the last time I laughed like that". The purple dragon caught his breathe.
"You do realize I was laughed at you, right"?
Spyro nodded, smiling at the ordeal. "Doesn't change the fact that it was funny". Spyro stood as his breathing steadied, ready to push on and get back home. "Are you good to go"?
The drake began rolling up the blanket. "As I'll ever be. We are flying, right"?
Spyro flapped his wings, disturbing the accumulated snow. "Looks like a yes".
The two dragons packed what they had and took to the skies, flying high above the trees. The wall was much closer than what walking had made it seem, and soon they ascended in the lift. The top of the wall was barren, not a single guard patrolled. This put both dragons on edge, and they decided it would be best to fly down to the town.
Just as the wall above, the town was silent. The dragons landed in the center of town, looking around for any signs of life.
"Survived the night"? Came a voice from the shadows of an alley. "I'm surprised they didn't find you". The dragoness who contracted them stepped into the light, her blue scales now tinted with shades of black, purple and red.
"What happened here"?
"The beast hunters happened. They sent out a hit squad, and according to them we were in the way. I don't know how many of us survived".
"Where are they"? Spyro was audibly angry.
The dragoness shook her head. "NO! You have to go! Get back and tell them of the treachery done here! The treachery to you. Don't risk the young ones life any further".
The dragoness was right, it would be wrong to endanger Ignitus. If he was to keep his promise he would have to stay alive. "What's the fastest way back"?
She looked relieved at his answer. "The train. But it's not very secure. If you decide to travel to Asling, be ready for a fight. Either on train or in city".
"I understand, thank you".
"Don't thank me. I could very well be leading you to your deaths".
The two didn't stay long, making sure to use the shadows to conceal their movement. They soared above the trees, over the chasm and following the path nearly devoid of snow caused by Qyysus.
From there they found the inn, and thus the train station. Spyro purchased the tickets with the remaining coin Eiyel had given him, and they sat on the platform, waiting for the metal beast to show.
The beast hunters found Warfang to be a rather peaceful home, if not for the constant questioning.
Yheia walked the hallway to the room that had been given to them as they waited for the two they had framed. She opened the door to see Eiyel, laying on the bed and watching the recording on the crystal, he was much further than they had gotten the first time.
She threw her hands in front of her face, keeping the picture out of her mind. "The hell's wrong with you"?! She questioned angrily.
Eiyel shrugged, tilting his head to his companion. "One must be able to admire their creations, no matter how ugly, if they wish to admire them self". His head faced the scene again, the sounds very clearly describing what was going on.
"Shut it with that philosophical bullcrap. No one should be proud of this. It isn't right".
Eiyel stopped the recording and faced Yheia head on. "Neither is killing, but we all do that. I did what I had to. I figured you would understand that better than anyone". His hands found their way to her hips, a shutter and obvious discomfort showing in her body language.
Yheia swatted his hands away, grasping herself with her own. "That was a long, long time ago". Her attention focused on the crystal. "But this... this isn't right. We could have done anything else. Why frame him for raping his own son"?
Eiyel chuckled. "It wasn't rape. I made sure his son wanted it".
The huntress shook her head in disgust as she turned out the door. "You're a monster".
Eiyel merely rolled his eyes, fell back on the bed and raised the crystal. "Now, where was I"?
The train's warmth was a welcome change to both dragons. They sat back in their cabin, a knock on the door jolting them from their peace. The sliding door opened, revealed an elderly couple of fire dragons, whose faded red scales gave away their age. It was the chocolate makers, a bag strung over their backs and box in the dragoness' claws.
"Oh my". Said the dragoness, crossing eyes with Spyro. "I'm sorry, we thought this cabin was empty". The male stopped her from leaving just yet.
"Isn't this the ice dragon that bought that dark chocolate"?
His mate eyed Spyro over. "You're right! What a coincidence to see you here. How was the chocolate"?
The purple dragon smiled, still somewhat curious as to why they were there. "They seemed to like it".
The elderly dragoness noticed his lack of horn, and was quick to worry. "What happened"?
Spyro jerked his head away from her touch. "Eiyel and I sort of had a falling out. We've patched things up though".
She nodded. "We had seen them crossing through Asling. They explained everything".
He swallowed a lump in his throat. "R-really? What did they say"?
She leaned in close. "That you could use some chocolate"! Her usual smile took over her features, calming the purple dragons nerves. She placed the box on the seat beside him. "I'll just leave it here. I had planned to meet you up north, too bad. Wasting a ticket like this".
Spyro raised an eyebrow at her words. "But... this train is southbound. Why are you on this train if you planned on meeting us up there"?
Her smile faded into a look of disappointment. "I really wish you wouldn't have caught that little mistake". From the bag around their backs she pulled a red crystal. "Death before life, brother". The male laid a claw on the stone, and the two began filling it with fire, causing it to glow an ominous red. The box next to Spyro took on the same red glow.
"BOMB"! The purple dragon reached for his son, and slammed his way out of the window. They tumbled through the air, managing to catch the explosion as it sent the train to it's tracks, and then to the ground
Father and son careened through the air, desperately trying to balance themselves. What balance they had managed to acquire, was used to direct them into a lake, lessening the damage to their bodies.
Ignitus gasped as he broke the waters surface, looking around frantically for his friend. Shortly after, Spyro surfaced, matching his son's erratic breathing as he tried to find him. The two swam to shore, still in shock.
"Perfect"! Complained Spyro, coughing up water with his son. "Guess we have to fly". He fell to his side, still coughing once in a while.
Ignitus found himself at his father's side, looking into the forest before them. He pulled his tail in close to his body, thinking the worst. "They worked for the beast hunters, didn't they"?
The purple dragon sighed. "Yes".
"And they just... killed themselves. Just like that. How long before we find another one of their 'allies'? What chance do we stand"? His tail curled inward to his body.
"Quit thinking like that. I know it may seem tough, maybe impossible. But we'll make it. I promise". Ignitus smiled. "Now then, let's get going. Can you fly"?
His son spread his wings, seeing no signs of damage. "I'm all good. You"?
His father did the same. "Nothing that won't hold up. Come on". He took to the sky, gaining height over the trees.
Eiyel walked the streets of Warfang, conversing over a crystal with an unknown contact. Yheia followed close by. "You're sure?... Great... Just, forget about it. We can get them here... No, don't engage. You wouldn't stand a chance. Keep an eye on them and check in once in a while... Alright, thanks".
"I take it your little 'bomb' didn't work"?
"Oh no, it worked. It just didn't kill them".
"So we're just gonna intercept them here"?
"That's the plan. We can advise the guardians that we located them heading back, and that we should prepare to capture. Make sure to muzzle them so they can't make any noise".
Yheia shook her head. "That train's gonna cost us a lot".
Eiyel waved her off. "Please, we have the money. Let's go tell everyone the good news". Yheia nodded, following his lead to the council chambers.
Cynder watched on as a cheetah sharpened the headsman's ax. She had picked it out herself, and made sure to have it nice and sharp. Ember landed beside her, ready to talk about the whole ordeal.
"Not very lady-like to pick out weapons".
Cynder continued to stare coldly ahead. "I know why you're here, and I don't want to hear it".
"But come on! You know Nivalis! You know he wouldn't do anything of the sort. Why believe them"?
The black dragoness jerked towards Ember, making her jump. "I believe because I watched my son get taken advantage of. I even went back and watched everything. So before you try to tell me that I don't know my own son's face, go screw yourself". She was about to take off, but Ember managed to garb her wing, stopping her leaving.
"You can't seriously be this stupid! People forge evidence, it happens. What amazes me is you aren't the least bit suspicious".
Cynder ripped her wing from the pink dragoness' grasp. "I'm sorry if I choose my family over playing detective. Last I checked the beast hunters weren't our enemies".
"And neither is Nivalis! Listen to yourself and tell me you aren't just thinking angrily".
"You don't understand what it's like to have a family, what it's like to devote your life to protecting someone. If anything attempts to hurt them in any way, I will not rest until it pays the price". Cynder left Ember alone to absorb her words.
"Spyro wouldn't do this". Her mind fell on the only option left. "I'll tell them the truth if I can't convince them. I'm sorry, Spyro". She followed Cynder's flight path, ready to shed light on the situation.
"Hey, Nivalis? Can we land? I haven't ever flown this long and could use a break".
"Sure thing". Spyro scanned the ground, a nice clearing in the dense forest below catching his eye. "Down here". They landed on the soft ground covered in moss. A river of clear water ran beside the clearing.
The water was refreshing, cool and best of all, clean. The two dragons drank their fill, when a wind blew across them, giving them a whiff of each other.
"You could use a bath". Snickered Ignitus, covering his nose with a paw.
"You're one to talk"! He picked up his son, and threw him into the water. Ignitus emerged as Spyro jumped in, a sizable splash further drenching the drake.
"I'm gonna get you for that"! The young dragon began splashing Spyro as he broke the surface.
"We'll see about that"! The purple dragon hid behind his wings, taking shots at his son.
The splashing stopped as Ignitus slipped underwater. He swam hidden by the glare of the sun to his father's tail. With yank, he dragged him under, wrestling like only family members could.
Spyro looked down underwater, expecting to see his son but being treated to the sight of Ash, standing in utter darkness. His head tilted upward, meeting Spyro's eyes. "Not conventional, I know, but this is important". The purple dragon felt the water rush into his maw as he tried to speak. "This is one way, unless you want to drown"? The water around them rippled, bringing them to the center of Warfang, where Eiyel and the others spoke to Cynder. "They're framing you. For what, I don't know. But it's got the city pissed, so don't expect a warm welcome". The focus shifted to Ember, who hid behind a corner and watched the hunters. "She's your only ally right now. I'm still working on getting out, so don't count on me. Ignitus? Maybe". Spyro cast a sphere of ice, creating a bubble for him to speak. "Or you could just do that".
"What about Cynder"?
"She's the angriest. Whatever they said you did really got to her. If you want to fix this and keep your head, you have to tell them the truth. Sooner rather than later".
"What if they don't believe me"?
"You've got a point. Ember's an alibi sure, but you've got it in your heads that she's got loose lips. No, you have to convince Eiyel to tell everyone".
"How would I do that"?
"He's out for your soul, make a bet. If you can beat him in a fair fight he tells them the truth".
"Do you really think I can beat him? I mean, I beat him before sure. But I wasn't limited by a body".
"Then break those limits. It's like you said; he bleeds like a mortal". The water rippled, fading the scene before the purple dragon and returning him to the river.
"So as you can see, Nivalis is on his way here. If you wish we can intercept and capture, reduce the risk of injury". A crystal laid before the guardians, projecting Spyro and Ignitus' location in real time.
Ember shook her head to Eiyel's proposal, getting her word in before anyone else. "No. They should arrive in good health in their own time. Then we will put them on trial where they can speak their peace".
"You forget that they went against us, against me. Their lives are automatically forfeit".
"I'm fine with that". Cynder interjected.
"We can't just kill someone without a fair trial! We are not savages"!
Terrador spoke against Ember, siding with Flame and Cynder. "But he is! We have law for a reason, and those laws come with punishment. We have overwhelming evidence against them. Meaning the most they could do is deny it".
"So we let them! Everyone has a right to defend them self. Out of all, I thought you would understand this the most, Terrador".
"If this were your children, how would you react"?
"I know I wouldn't stand for it". Said Cyril, shocking them all slightly
"I would not kill without questioning". Started Volteer, "What do you think Spyro would do if he was here"?
"He would put Nivalis in the ground without hesitation". Cynder stood against the old electric dragon, something odd for her.
Volteer shook his, a smile across his lips. "Your rage causes you to forget your mate, young one. Spyro would seek justice, not vengeance. And I believe that is how we should go about this".
"I know Spyro better than anyone, and he would not stand by and wait. He would take action as soon as possible".
"You confuse Spyro with Ash".
"Don't you dare compare them! He took Spyro from us. And I'll be damned if I let anything happen to our son".
Volteer stood but inches from Cynder's face. "Ash did not take his life! He took his own knowingly"!
"If not for Ash, he would still be alive"!
"If not for Ash he would have died in the desert! People change! You've changed! We all have". His tone became sad as his realization hit everyone. Volteer turned to Flame. "As a guardian, you must look past yourself and judge objectively on all matters". He moved on to Terrador, whose gaze did not meet the electric dragons. "If Ignitus were here, what do you think he'd say? Would you ba able to look him in the eye and tell him you've killed someone without a trial? Could you honestly"?
The earth guardian shook his head. "I could not".
"Then why do you say it now? Why have you forgotten what he stood for so easily? The lot of you. Did his lessons matter so little"? All present fell silent.
Eiyel tapped his foot impatiently as the electric guardian turned his new-found allies from his goal.
"Now then, we will await their arrival and put them on trial. Meeting adjourned". He left quickly, not wanting to further the arguments.
Eiyel met with his companions in their room, pacing back and forth as he came up with a plan. "That stupid dragon, messing up our plans. Do you know what'll happen if they have a chance to speak? This city's stupid, but it's stupidly loyal too".
"We have Cynder. Why do we need the others"?
"Because without the support of the guardians, our votes are null. A unanimous innocent from them is enough to shut us out completely. We have to sway one. The fire guardian's our best bet".
"What about the pink one"?
"Leave the queer to me. You can handle her".
"What do you plan on doing"?
Eyiel stepped through the door as he spoke. "Sweet talk him, of course".
The world above the clouds was like nothing below, the light shone purely without obstruction. The air was always cool and clean. And the view, the view left all breathless.
Shadows raced across the cloud tops, fleeing some unseen enemy. Volleys of fireballs came from underneath, aimed well enough to force both dragons into evasive maneuvers.
"And we were making such good time too"! Spyro banked left, avoiding a fireball. He then fell into a nosedive, piercing the clouds and rushing to the assailants.
"Come on, Tacca! Load more rounds"! The voice came from a familiar snow leopard as he yeeled to the much smaller female.
"I'm trying, you old cat"! She placed a fire crystal into a chamber on a large four barrel cannon. The cannon was attached to the wagon that once housed their crops. She fired the shots in rapid succession, nearly semi-automatic.
With a wave of his arm, Spyro pointed the barrel of the cannon down as it fired, sending the wagon and leopards a ways into the air. It rolled over as it landed, breaking apart and trapping the old cat underneath. "Tacca! Help me"! He screamed as the flames spread over the wood, nearing him.
"Just a second"! From a satchel attached to the side of the wagon, the feline pulled a gun. Similar in design to Yheia's, only this one was a pistol. "Let's see you dodge this"! She aimed high and fired. Spyro recognized the shot as a seeker.
"Shit"! He rolled to the left, narrowly avoiding the payload. The shot fired split apart behind him and arced back, locking onto him without failure. "Oh come on! Why does everyone have one of these"!? He dove down, aiming for the forest of floating mountains. "Thirty six! Geez, why does it have to be so many"? He banked right hard, nearly scrapping his back against the rock and losing five of the projectiles.
In front of him hung an arc of stone connecting two drifting boulders. "I hope this isn't important. Fall"! With a wave he brought the bridge down behind him, losing some eleven of the shots. The purple dragon pulled up and reversed his direction. The rest of the shot still followed close by, slowly catching up for their explosive finish.
Spyro caught a hole in the corner of his eye, and turned toward it sharply. A massive floating mountain housed a narrow opening which fit the drake perfectly. Two shots impacted the edges of the cave, allowing more to enter the cave system. As he flew through the narrow maze, shot after shot slammed against stone that jutted out from the walls.
As he turned a corner, he saw a light. The exit was smaller than the entrance and forced him to fold his wings and suck in his gut to pass through. Behind him the mountain collapsed as the explosions weakened it sufficiently. One shot blew open the exit, leaving room for the final two shots to continue their relentless follow. "Oh come on"! He complained as he retreated back to the clouds.
Upon breaking the surface, he slammed into his son, whose safe height was quickly becoming very dangerous. "Watch where you're going"! The shots pierced their fluffy blanket and rushed towards the two.
"Split up"! Ignitus nodded and dove down, one of the shots locked on. The shots got closer and closer, leaving no time to go back to the stone jungle. Spyro screamed to his son as loud as he could. "Mirror me"! Ignitus nodded and mimicked his father to a tee.
They headed toward the wagon, which had been jacked up by the smaller female. The male cat was gravely wounded and could not move out from under the raised wagon. Spyro and Ignitus arced out, coming at them from both sides. "Tacca! Get out of here"!
She did not move, and instead embraced him. "Together till the end". He returned the embrace as the dragons passed each other through the narrow triangular hole. They dodged each others pursuer and looked back as the wagon lit up in a large explosion. The shots had ignited the rest of them.
Both father and son heaved in exhaustion as the adrenaline caught up to them. The two landed on one of the mountains, collapsing in the sun. "Well... that was... fun". Ignitus said between breathes, bringing a smile to both their faces.
"Yeah... fun. Screw dangerous. It was... fun". They caught their breath, still looking to the sky and watching the clouds roll on.
"I wouldn't have guessed they were working for the beast hunters. Can we really trust anyone"?
"I wish I knew. But one thing I do know, is that we have allies. The guardians, Ember"...
"And mom! Don't forget mom. She'll fight for us. I know it".
Spyro thought back on Ash's words. "What did Eiyel tell them"? They rested for a while, pointing out the shapes of clouds.
"Hey, Nivalis"?
"Yeah"?
"When we get home, do you think we could play some clawball"?
Spyro smiled, and rubbed the drakes head with a hand. "I'd love to. Don't expect me to go easy though".
"You better not! I'd hate to win because you let me".
"You think you'd win? I'll show you". Spyro tackled his son playfully, pining him to the ground and laughing as he struggled to push the larger male off of him.
Ignitus managed to roll back and force his father off the mountain. "Nivalis"! He yelled as he looked over the edge, where no dragon was in sight.
"Looking for me"? Ignitus jumped at the voice that came from behind him. They laughed off the scare quickly. "We should get going. Hopefully make it to Asling before nightfall".
"Lead the way".
Flame walked the hallway to his room, thinking over what Volteer had said. "I can't just let this slide! Anyone who takes advantage of an underage drake should be put to death. Would Nivalis really do this though? It sure doesn't seem like him". His door creaked open, revealing his room, now occupied by the leader of the beast hunters. He stood at the end of the room, going over the things that laid about. "You aren't permitted here. Leave". Flame demanded strongly, using the weight of his title as pushing power.
Eiyel didn't move, and instead kept looking through his things. "If I'm not allowed here, then by all means, force me out". Flame did not move. "There's a smart fire guardian. Now sit, we have things to discuss".
The drake obliged him, taking a seat on his bed with the beast hunter. "What do you want"?
Eiyel shrugged. "Immortality, limitless wealth, someone to lay with at night".
"Don't play stupid. Why are you here"?
"Not much for fun, huh"? Flame glared at him silently. "I noticed that the old dragon's words might have affected you slightly".
"Why do you care"?
"Because I want justice over all. And he... well he's blinded by what was. We need someone who can focus on what is. The now. Times have changed, and those old world views are gonna drive the guardians into the ground. Don't you agree"?
"Volteer is a very intelligent dragon. He knows what's best".
"Even the most intelligent dragons can still be fools. Besides, he doesn't know what it's like, to be taken advantage of like that, does he"? Flame hesitated in shaking his head. "So how could he possibly relate to how Cynder feels? He isn't you". He placed a hand on Flame's shoulder reassuringly. "We need a new electric guardian".
"If not Volteer, who"?
Eiyel smiled under his bandages. "Why not Avantador"?
The mention of his name spurred Flame's inner being into excitement. "He could be a guardian"?
"Of course! With my recommendation I can guarantee him the title".
Flame smiled, his inner excitement starting to show. "R-really"?
"Certainly. I do have a seat on the high council afterall".
Flame shook his head. "But guardians are forbidden to form romantic or sexual relationships with one another. How would that"...
"I can pull some strings, get the law revoked".
"You'd do that? For me"?
The beast hunter tilted his head, smiling warmly. "I'd do it for both of you. You have my word".
"That's amazing! I don't know how I could ever repay you"!
"All I ask of you, is that you do the right thing. Put monsters where they belong, y'know"?
Flame nodded. "I understand. You have my support".
Eiyel raised his arms in celebration. "Fantastic! I bet you can't wait to tell him the good news"!
"He should be here soon. This is going to blow his mind! Thank you, Eiyel".
"Hey, I value our friendship above all else. I even brought you a gift". From the ground behind the bed he lifted an old looking bottle of booze. He handed it to Flame and stood to leave. "I want you and Avantador to enjoy it. Nothing to get you in the mood like a warm glass of finely aged brandy, huh"?
Flame looked over the bottle, the amber liquid inside refracted the light so perfectly. The accents on the gold label only added to it's expensive look. "This must have cost a fortune".
"Nothing that isn't worth true love. Don't worry about paying for it, it's a gift". He walked around the bed and to the door. "Remember who your friends are. They can make you a very happy guardian".
I didn't realize how many times I swapped the point of view until editing. Geez. At least I have more to work with that way. We get some more political themes this chapter, so that's fun.
I got to use Volteer! He's been rather silent this story, and last story. I guess he's just annoying.
Speaking of using others, how about all the allies the beast hunters have? The chocolate couple seemed rather obvious, but the snow leopards? I think they could have handled those wolves with little effort. Still, puts into perspective how many are willing to kill for a chance at a longer life.
A bit late on updating. mainly due to the fact that I rewrote this chapter like four times. I have a good amount of deleted scenes from this one alone. It originally ended with them arriving at Warfang and getting shoved into irons right away. Basically the pacing was garbage.
Fun fact; Lizard hands are called claws, or hands. So I don't have to use paw anymore. Not sure why I hate paw, but I do. Talk about coming up Milhouse.
This chapter was brought to you by 90s rock (Sponsor Me) and convincing others to kill their best friends because you lied (Sponsored). Same thing as before, tell me what you think and if there are any problems with the story. Also the good parts, I like hearing about those too.