Rescue Three: Terrador

Upon arriving at Boyzitbig, Spyro and Iseras were amazed. There were machines everywhere! The duo didn't spend much time sightseeing, as they needed to find Terrador.

The pair traveled through the volcano until they came across one of the locals. "Man, he is small." remarked Spyro. Iseras nodded.

"Wha-who' there?"

"Relax, we're not going to hurt you." The manweersmall took a few sniffs and said, "One of you doesn't carry the stench of Cynder's forces so you must be a friend, but I'm not sure about the other one."

Iseras cast his gaze downward, "I was, but I'm not anymore. That still doesn't give forgiveness for the things I've done."

Spyro decided to break the discomforting conversation by asking, "Who are you?"

"I am Mole-Yair, leader of the manweersmalls. But I'm not much of a leader anymore." Mole-Yair pointed to several manweersmalls.

"These are my people, forced to mine the metal for Cynder's forces, scared out of their little wits, waiting for Boyzitbig to blow!" The volcano rumbled in testament.

"Which shouldn't be long now."

"Have you seen our friend around here?"

"Is he mighty dragon?"

"Yes."

"Then I have seen him. He was taken to a camp where my brother Exhumor toils away. He will know where they took your friend."

"Iseras, we need to free the manweersmalls while we search for Terrador."

"On it."

The two dragons set to work. Iseras would kill off the apes while Spyro freed the manweersmalls. after freeing them, the two dragons continued on. They continued through the extensive system that crisscrossed the entire volcano. They came to an area where an ape commander was waiting for them. The duo fought hard, killing several apes. Iseras attacked the commander, but was hit by the commander's hammer. Iseras grunted as the air left his lungs and he skidded across the floor. The commander came up to him and was about to deliver the killing blow when Iseras took a deep breath and let loose a torrent of flames.

The ape stumbled back and fell into a pool of lava. Iseras got up as Spyro finished off the last of the apes. Spyro walked up to him and asked, "You okay?" Iseras groaned and held his left side.

"I think a rib's broken, but otherwise I'm okay." Spyro looked around for a red gem, but couldn't find any. Iseras grunted and said, "Don't worry about me. We'll find a red gem as we continue."

But to their dismay there were no red gems to be had. Iseras was having trouble keeping up with Spyro due to the pain. But finally they made it to the camp. They found another manweersmall, who turned and looked ready to fight. Iseras stood on the opposite side of Spyro.

"We're here to help."

"More possibly like spies for the Conductor, or that flying beast Cynder."

"No we're not, Mole-Yair sent us."

"My brother's alive?"

"Yes. Though I must say, he's the nice one in the family."

"I'm sorry. With all the happenings it's hard to be sure who's a friend and who's not."

"Indeed." remarked Iseras, who had moved to Spyro's other side now, closer to Exhumor.

"I know that voice." Without warning Exhumor delivered a punch right to Iseras's broken rib. Iseras screamed in pain and his legs gave out. Iseras clutched his broken rib while Spyro exclaimed, "He's with me! He's on our side!"

"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't know." Iseras grunted, "Yeah, don't worry about it. It's not the first time."

Spyro went to go free the manweersmalls in the camp, but stopped and asked, "Aren't you coming Iseras?"

"Spyro, I have a broken rib. I can't fight very well if simply breathing causes pain." Iseras stayed with Exhumor while Spyro freed the manweersmalls. After he finished, Spyro returned to Exhumor and Iseras. Mole-Yair was walking up and Sparx said, "Well I see you two crazy kids found each other."

"Yes, thanks to you."

"We're just sorry that you didn't leave any fun for us."

Exhumor told them where Terrador was being kept.

"I couldn't find any red gems Iseras, sorry."

"You mean one of these?" Exhumor pulled out a red gem and handed it to Spyro, who immediately pressed it against Iseras's broken rib. Iseras absorbed the gem and his rib was fully healed.

"Consider it an apology gift."

Iseras thanked Exhumor and the pair ran off to find Terrador. They came across and old bell and Sparx dared Spyro to ring the bell. When Spyro did, the bell fell on top of him.

"Spyro!" yelled Iseras. He searched desperately to find a way to get the bell off when it began to shake. The bell shattered and Spyro was standing there, unhurt.

They continued on and Iseras too learned the Earth Breath when he knocked another ape commander off a ledge with it. Eventually they came across the Conductor, and a wild chase began through railway tunnels. Spyro and Iseras managed to get to Terrador first, but the Conductor showed up again. Spyro and Iseras fought the Conductor until they finally destroyed his locomotive and killed him.

Spyro and Iseras approached Terrador, who saw Spyro and said, "The purple dragon…lives."

"Yes, I'm Spyro. We need to get out of here before Cynder shows up." But Cynder came bursting out of the volcano and took the gem. Terrador tried to fly after her, but she easily knocked him down. Several pillars came down, but everyone dodged them.

"Go! Fly Spyro, fly like you've never flown before! I'll go back to the Temple for help!" Cynder then looked at the pair, and Iseras's blood turned to ice.

"Come on Spyro!" said Iseras as he took off. Spyro quickly followed suit and a wild chase ensued through the mountain. The two young dragons flew as fast as they could while dodging Cynder's fireballs. They burst out of the volcano with Cynder hot on their heels. Cynder almost had Spyro when Ignitus attacked Cynder. A brief aerial fight occurred before they fell out of sight.

"Ignitus!" yelled Spyro. After being talked out of going back to the volcano, the three dragons returned to the Temple. Once there, Terrador saw Iseras standing next to Spyro. At first he didn't recognize him, but when Iseras walked over to the Pool of Visions, Terrador finally recognized him.

Terrador launched an Earth Blast at Iseras and sent him flying into a wall. Iseras groaned as he groggily tried to get up. But Terrador's paw stopped him. Slowly, he began to press down, crushing Iseras.

'This is it. Ignitus isn't here to stop Terrador. I'm going to die.' thought Iseras as Terrador crushed the life out of him. Cyril and Volteer both yelled, "Terrador stop! He's a friend of ours!" The pressure didn't ease, but it didn't increase either.

"Don't you recognize him? He's our enemy!"

"He was Terrador! Ignitus found him two years ago, changed! He's not evil anymore! His size says that!" yelled Volteer.

"And he helped young Spyro free us! Ignitus trusts him!" added Cyril. The pressure disappeared off of Iseras. Iseras groaned as he stood back up.

"And I just healed that rib." grumbled Iseras as he clutched his side again.

The Guardians got a red gem for Iseras, and Terrador trained both Iseras and Spyro in the Earth Element. When they finished, Iseras took a look into the Pool of Visions while Terrador talked with the others. As he gazed, he saw Ignitus covered in an energy field, amid a building in black with a storm raging overhead. He saw Cynder there as well, and her presence seemed to cover everything.

'I know this place. Cynder's Lair at Concurrent Skies!' thought Iseras as he heard the same thing come from Terrador.

"I overheard the Conductor say that Cynder's final preparations would take place at her lair. I am certain that's where she's taken Ignitus."

"It is Terrador. I just saw him there." Terrador looked at him, "And how do you know that?"

"I saw it in the Pool of Visions."

And so, Spyro and Iseras flew off to get Ignitus back and face Cynder.

To be continued…