Chapter 10: Assault on Fort Shinigami
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Warfang: Pool of Visions Resting Chamber
Cecil ran his index talon across the brailed contents of the letter. Which was sent from Hera, the leader of the Empire's Medical Corps who was stationed in Tasangot, one of the independent city's of The Dragon Realms. She had just sent a hawk that had delivered the letter. The Messenger corps received the letter, and delivered the letter to Cecil, whom was in the middle of a meditation. Cecil had thanked the messenger, and began to "Read" the brail on the letter.
To say that he was shocked and furious at what he'd read…would be an understatement. In the letter, he learned that Tasangot's leading Politician, a dragon by the name of Mendax, had aligned himself with The Forsworn.
He had allowed The Forsworn to release a plague within Tasangot, which was now ravaging the city. As soon as he reached the part of the letter regarding the politician's history…it was revealed his personality type was the exact type The Forsworn loved to use for their attempts to control the politics of governments. He felt disgusted about the dragon's personality.
Cecil heard the door to the Pool of Vision's resting chamber open. He recognized the footsteps of Typhoon.
"Lord Cecil…" The Water guardian said. "The meeting is about to start."
Cecil nodded his head and looked in the Water Guardian's general direction.
"Typhoon," Cecil said, emotionlessly. "I've received word from Hera…and learned about the cause of the plague in Tasangot…and what I've learned is disturbing…"
"What has the Medical corps discovered?" Typhoon asked curiously.
"The plague was never bacterial…not like the original." Cecil explained…slowly his claws dug into the ground. "It was created…and released by Tasangot's own leading politician…Mendax himself is also aligned with The Forsworn and released the plague."
"What!" Typhoon exclaimed furiously. "You mean he put all of the people in Tasangot's lives at risk! All for power…"
Cecil nodded. "There are those who believe it is their 'birth right' to have all of the power in the world…and that the lives of others are only prices to be paid…unfortunately, that is not how life works…lives are irreplaceable…they are each a story book…each one uniquely written…how many lives have people like Malefor and Mendax killed? How many stories have the burned?"
Typhoon nodded.
"What do you suggest we do?" Typhoon asked.
Cecil closed his eyes. "We wait until the plague is cured…and then we make our move, and reveal to the people of Tasangot of their leader's treachery. Until then…we wait."
Typhoon nodded. "I'll inform the others." Cecil nodded as Typhoon left the room.
Slowly, Cecil rubbed his temples…but soon felt surge run through his entire body. Cecil suddenly gasped as his eyes widened, and his misty irises and pupils began to glow gold…he was having a vision of the future.
Through a flash of images, the young prophet of Spectra saw a world…a world of darkness, red lightning flashed through the sky, and the undead guarded the halls of a temple. He saw the silhouette of a figure in the distance, holding a crystal ball. Cecil saw a pair of glowing eyes stare straight at Cecil…but soon the vision ended, and another took it's place.
Cecil saw Mendax walking through the hallways of a building, his eyes were furious as the overweight dragon walked through the halls. Soon, the vision flew past Mendax…and now Cecil saw Persephone and Oculos, sitting in a dining hall, seemingly waiting for Mendax. Cecil noticed that when Mendax entered the room, Persephone looked to Oculos, and slightly nodded.
The vision then ended.
Cecil gasped lightly when the vision ended. Slowly, he rubbed his temples lightly.
Cecil's eyes opened…he didn't understand the visions…but he knew Persephone had plans for the disgusting politician…and whatever she had planned…Mendax would not like it.
…
Fort Shinigami:
Hunter pulled out his knife, and cut Luna's bounds. As he lowered the wolf girl to the ground, he heard Luna begin to mutter something in her people's language with her eyes still closed…she was still unconscious…and judging on her tone, she was trying to calm herself.
Mentem kneeled next to the cheetah and Luna. He heard what Luna's words…but he couldn't translate all of them.
"What's she saying?" Mentem asked. Hunter looked to the fear dragon.
"It's a prayer…" Hunter said. He began to translate what she was saying. "The Goddess loves her creations…protects them, looks after them…gives them strength…gives them hope…even in the darkest night…she is our light…when we go into the eternal sleep…she awaits our arrival…and sings to us when our spirits reunite with her…"
Mentem turned his head away lightly. Feeling slightly annoyed at hearing about "The Goddess."
Hunter noticed this.
"You know her belief in The Goddess is the reason she's survived this long…" Hunter commented. "Whether she is real or not, Luna's faith kept her alive."
"Yeah, sure." Mentem muttered.
Hunter shook his head lightly, and pulled out a rag and rubbed it over Luna's cheeks, rubbing off paint markings across Luna's cheeks…most likely the markings were placed there over her cheeks by Forsworn grunts as a stereotypical insult to Luna's people and race…which disgusted both Hunter and Mentem that The Forsworn would insult Luna like that.
Suddenly, Luna's eyes began to open…for a brief second, she looked up at Mentem and Hunter blankly…her eyes adjusting. When they had fully adjusted, Luna looked at the two in fear. She suddenly let out a growl and raised her left paw up, engaging her claws and was ready to attack her saviors. Hunter quickly grabbed her paw. Luna began to squirm in his grip.
"Luna!" Hunter hissed, trying to calm Luna.
"Luna it's us…" Mentem said as quiet as he could.
"No! NO!" Luna screamed. She then screamed something in the wolf language.
Hunter quickly grabbed both sides of Luna's face and stared at her dead in the eyes.
"LUNA!" Hunter yelled.
Suddenly, Luna began to stop squirming, and began to relax. She slowly looked at Hunter and Mentem and began to recognize them…
She stared at Hunter and sighed. "Oh great…it's you…Hunter."
Hunter smiled lightly.
"Pleasure as always Luna," Hunter said.
Luna merely smiled lightly and, to Mentem's surprise, pressed her lips to Hunter's cheek. Luna then looked to Mentem, and smiled lightly.
"Hey…partner…" Luna said. Mentem smiled lightly.
"Hey Luna…you alright?" Mentem asked.
Luna nodded.
"Have had better weeks…damn Forsworn grunts have done a lot to me…including doing things I'd much rather not talk about…" Luna said, her fist clinched, she then muttered. "Damn perverts…they're dead the next time I see them…"
Hunter slowly placed one arm around her, and helped her stand.
"Luna, I know you've just gotten free, but now is not the time to rest…nor are we safe yet." Hunter said, urgency in his voice. "We have to get you out of her."
"Oh," Luna began, Mentem knew she was about to say something in a smart aleck tone… "You are always the observer Hunter. Did you just figure that out?"
Hunter rolled his eyes lightly while smiling…she had just been freed from being tortured…and was now throwing fun little insults around…she never changed.
Hunter slowly reached for something strapped to his back. He then pulled out a crossbow and bolts; the craft of the crossbow was the same as the ones her tribe used. Luna smiled and took the crossbow.
"Thank you," She said.
Hunter looked to Mentem.
"I'll support Luna, can you take point?" Hunter asked.
Mentem nodded. "All over it." The Fear dragon said, confidently.
Slowly, the two began to walk out of the cell. Mentem was crouched down in a combat stance while he walked forward, ready to attack any Forsworn nearby.
As the group walked forward, Luna noticed the corpses in the cells…and felt saddened and disgusted that The Forsworn didn't have enough respect for the dead to even give them a proper burial…disgracing the dead, in her tribe, was a crime that her people did not take lightly.
The group began to exit the cellblock, exiting through a different area that Mentem and Hunter had not come through.
As the group walked through the dimly lit halls, now exiting the prison block, Hunter spoke up. "Be careful, there may be undead in these halls…I encountered several through the way I came in."
"No wonder you smell pleasant…" Luna muttered. Hunter shook his head lightly; Mentem couldn't help but laugh lightly at the small quip.
The group soon came to a large entrance that had a locking mechanism…which included tuning forks.
"I could use my siren scream to activate the tuning forks." Mentem said. Hunter nodded.
"Do it…" Hunter said.
Mentem took a deep breath, and let out two quick siren blasts, which sure enough activated the forks and began spinning. Soon, the giant wooden door slid upward, and opened for the group to enter. The group walked forward into the next chamber…and they seemed to enter an underground stadium…with rows and rows of stone seats in the stands, and at the opposite end of the arena, in the stands was a throne.
"I've got a bad feeling about this…" Hunter mutters.
"You always have a bad feeling, Hunter." Luna said.
As the two approached the center of the arena…the torches in the stands suddenly lit up. Mentem tensed and crouched into a defensive stance, Hunter quickly drew his knife while still holding onto Luna.
Soon, Forsworn warriors began to appear in the stands and through other gateways similar to the one the group had come in from. Mentem silently swore, realizing that they had walked right into a trap…
Soon, the group saw a grey dragon appear next to the throne at the head of the stands.
It was Oculos.
Oculos stared down at the three and tilted his head lightly.
"Well…it seems you've freed your ally." Oculos called out from the stands. "However…you weren't who we were expecting, Mentem."
Mentem glared up at the grey dragon.
"So," Oculos said. "You felt the need to leave your friends and attempt to save your partner? How noble, I will admit…but very very foolish."
"I don't need their help…" Mentem said.
Oculos shook his head. "And yet…here you are. Standing in the middle of a trap. Don't even attempt to fight back; I have archers ready to shoot you all where you stand by just a single snap of my fingers." Oculos said, holding up his left paw, to literate his threat. Mentem noticed Oculos stare at him with pity in his unnatural yellow eyes. "I actually pity you…Mentem. You never had the chance to tell Tula you were sorry, didn't you?"
Mentem tensed. Luna looked at Mentem curiously, not knowing about what had happened at Warfang days ago.
"Your own father has abandoned you, Mentem." Oculos said. "Personally, I can't really blame him for what you did; after all…you hurt his last surviving daughter…and his actual only child."
Mentem glared up at the death dragon, whose eyes remained calm, and filled with pity.
"I'm afraid this is where your road ends, all three of you. Lady Persephone ordered me that if Spyro didn't show…then I would have to kill the friends who came without him…" Oculos said. "I am truly sorry…"
The Archers put tension on their bows and aimed for the group.
The three tensed and were ready for anything. But right as Oculos snapped his talons, an explosion came from the stands. Everyone in the arena turned to the smoke that had kicked up.
From the stands, two dragonesses beat down several Forsworn dragons, and began to engage the other Forsworn in the stands. Mentem, Hunter and Luna recognized the black dragoness and the yellow dragoness.
"Cynder? Electra?" Mentem said, shocked.
Cynder quickly jumped into the air and flew above Mentem, Hunter and Luna, and blew out shadow flames at the stands, The Forsworn attempted to evade the oncoming black and purple flames, but some were not so lucky.
Electra blew an electric stream at several wolves and cheetahs, the electric stream connected from one Forsworn to another, electrifying her enemies until they dropped to the ground dead.
Soon, more explosions could be heard in the stands. Electra and Cynder were soon joined by Spyro, Blaze, Soturi, Mori and Hera respectively.
Oculos watched from the stands as the group engaged his subordinates. He felt amused really, seeing the unlikely group working together.
Luna suddenly let out a cry in agony, clutching her chest when she felt her heart throb.
"Luna!" Mentem and Hunter called out as Luna began to collapse to the ground.
Suddenly, the poison dragoness Hera flew towards the group after dosing several Forsworn with burning acid like poison. She landed next to the group. Mentem recognized the dragoness as a medic and stepped out of her way as she ordered Hunter to lay Luna on the ground. Hera placed her paw over Luna chest.
"She's been poisoned…" Hera announced to the others, she looked to Hunter. "Watch my back, you, Mentem I believe, cover us from the air!"
Mentem nodded and took to the air, and joined Cynder.
Hunter readily prepared to attack the oncoming Forsworn, but before they could, he heard a roar from the air; he looked up to see, to his surprise and shock, a gargoyle land in between him and the oncoming Forsworn. The young Gargoyle's bat like wings extended as he drew his hatchet and charged at the Forsworn and began to decimate them. Hunter turned to see Spyro fighting several Forsworn dragons in the stands, and merely smiled.
"You never cease to amaze me, Spyro." Hunter said, amazed that he had a gargoyle in his group.
Oculos watched as Blaze incinerated several Forsworn with a low powered fire fury, and began to kill The Forsworn close by with his fiery claws.
Oculos slowly turned and began to walk out of the stadium…but stopped when he heard two dragons land behind him.
"Stop!" Oculos heard Cynder's voice call out. Oculos turned and saw Spyro and Cynder, in combat stances, ready to fight him.
Oculos shook his head lightly. "I don't want to fight you two…but if you insist on fighting me…" Slowly, Oculos' eyes glowed yellow. "Then I will show you the reason why I am called, the Dragon of Death."
Spyro and Cynder lunged forward, but before they could strike the grey dragon, the part of the stands that the two of them stood suddenly started to crumble, and the two fell to the arena bellow. Spyro and Cynder staggered to their feet as they looked up to see Oculos standing right where the part of the stands had almost fallen apart. Oculos smirked lightly, his eyes glowing again. Spyro quickly blew out a fire ball at Oculos, but the fire ball struck a piece of falling debris that just so happened to have fallen in between the fire ball and Oculos.
Oculos then dropped down to the arena, and began to engage the two in combat.
Oculos merely blocked the two younger dragon's blows skillfully. No matter how fast the two tried to strike at him, he would simply parry the blows. Plus, with debris from the ceiling falling towards the three, it made fighting Oculos slightly more difficult.
Spyro was beginning to feel irritated that not a single one of his, or even Cynder's, attacks were making contact with Oculos…and that it seemed as luck was seemingly always on Oculos' side, since none of the debris that were dropping from the ceiling were not hindering his attacks…it almost seemed intentional actually.
Spyro fired a jet of scolding hot water at Oculos…and once again, it was blocked…a Forsworn Fire dragon attempted to blast Blaze with a fire ball, however it missed, and hit the ground in front of Oculos, causing several pieces of rock to take the blast. Oculos smirked lightly, seeing how the two dragons were already growing tired.
Oculos slowly rubbed his eyes lightly and looked back at the two.
"Is that the best you can do?" He asked.
Spyro gritted his teeth and stood up. Oculos smirked again, his eyes glowing.
"Behold my power." Oculos said.
Suddenly, Spyro felt his chest tense…and begin to burn.
"Spyro!" Cynder yelled out for her mate, and attempted to charge at Oculos, only for Cynder to collapse to her knees, feeling the intense burning in her chest as well.
Oculos slowly stepped up to the two dragons.
"You still don't get it? Do you?" Oculos asked. "I'm not called the dragon of death for no reason…right now, your body is not receiving very much oxygen from your heart…you are literally at my mercy." Oculos leaned forward to the struggling purple dragon. "I told you before, I don't want to kill you…but my loyalty is to Persephone, and he wish is if I can't persuade you to join our cause, then I would have to kill you."
"I…" Spyro struggled to say. "Will…not join…YOU! OR PERSEPHONE!"
Oculos sighed. "I expected much…you can't live with the fact that you'd be betraying your own grandmother…I understand, but unfortunately…it is not enough for me to stop." Oculos said. "I promised Persephone I would finish the job, and that is something I intend to keep."
"You're so loyal…" Cynder yelled, Oculos' attention turned to Malefor's former slave. "But would Persephone do the same for you! I know all about her history! Promising people power! Promising to make the world a better place! In the end…her 'followers' are found in a sewer, dead! What makes you think she won't stab you in the back and leave you for dead!"
Oculos chuckled lightly.
"Believe me Cynder, I understand what you're saying…after all, you served Malefor before. I'm aware of what happened to other servants who Persephone deemed unworthy…but I will say this," Oculos leaned forward to Cynder. "They did not have the will to continue their work, I, however, will not abandon Persephone…whether she views my usefulness is no longer needed…I will accept that."
"You think you know everything!" Cynder retorted. "What makes you think Persephone's completely in control!"
Oculos eyes Cynder with annoyance, and suddenly, Cynder cried out in agony.
"Cynder!" Spyro yelled out. "Stop! Leave her alone!"
Oculos ignored the purple dragon, and intensified his power over Cynder. Soon, Cynder began to cough blood.
"STOP!" Spyro roared.
Suddenly, he heard her…Spectra's song. Spyro quickly summoned up the strength, and raised his paw, and slammed it on the jewel of his necklace. Suddenly, a golden flash surrounded Spyro. Oculos stopped using his power on Cynder, and turned to see Spyro in his golden armor…but was no longer under Oculos' power.
'Impossible!' Oculos thought shocked. He tried to use his power on the purple dragon…but when he attempted to instantly kill Spyro with his power…he felt as though he hit a brick wall…but in his mind…he saw a pair of eyes, which glowed various colors, staring back at him.
Oculos gritted his teeth, feeling blood role down the side of his mouth.
'That armor…it's...The Goddess is protecting him!' Oculos thought in shock.
Unbeknownst to Oculos, while he was shocked and focused on Spyro, he lost focus on Cynder, who was now standing up, she slammed her paw on the jewel of her necklace, and summoned her armor in a silver flash.
Oculos spun around in time to just barely miss a blow from Cynder's scythe tail blade. Cynder now stood next to Oculos. The two adopted combat stances and were ready to attack the death dragon. Oculos glared at the two of them, his eyes glowed again. But, Spyro finally deduced Oculos' powers…and how every time something happened, such as the debris taking the blows for Oculos, it happened when Oculos' eyes glowed…to the surprise of both Oculos and Cynder, Spyro blew out a whirlwind of sand from his mouth.
Suddenly, Oculos was blinded by Spyro's sand breath, Oculos shielded his eyes. But Cynder took advantage of the moment, and struck Oculos across the chest, and finished her combo with kick to Oculos' chest. Oculos staggered, his eyes opened, he attempted to use his power, however, Spyro appeared before him and kicked the dragon in the jaw, and then breathed an earth shot at Oculos, which the force of the shot sent the dragon flying across the arena...and landed on the ground with a thump.
Oculos stood up and glared at the two dragons. The two dragons were ready for whatever he threw at them. He knew that the two had deduced the weaknesses and strengths of his power…he was aware this was a fight he couldn't win…meaning it was time to retreat.
Suddenly, his eyes began to glow a strong unnatural yellow aura, stronger than before.
"This!" Oculos began. "Is not over!"
Suddenly, Spyro and Cynder began to feel the entire arena…no…FORTRESS shake! The group turned to see their allies calling them to follow them, but before they left, they turned to where Oculos once stood…and no longer saw him…he had vanished without a trace. Knowing now was not the time to wonder, the two quickly followed their friends as they all quickly escaped the fortress that was, literally, falling apart around them.
…
The group quickly escaped through the main hall and through the main gate…as they got out of the fortress, the entire fortress, and cliff side, began to fall into the sea hundreds of feet below. Spyro quickly grabbed onto Hunter's shoulders while Mentem grabbed onto Luna took to the air, along with the others.
When they were out of the radius of where the fortress collapsed…the group looked at the destruction that was caused…about a half a mile of land was destroyed…from just Oculos' unnatural power.
Spyro and the others landed…and breathed in relief.
"Wow…" Mori commented, the earth dragoness looked at her friends. "You guys see some weird stuff…"
Spyro smiled lightly and nodded. Spyro noticed Mentem walking up to Hera, who was looking over Luna, whom was unconscious.
"How is she?" Mentem asked.
The poison dragoness looked at the hat wearing dragon.
"She will be fine, but I need to develop an anti toxin to properly heal her." Hera said. Mentem nodded, and looked to Spyro, who nodded in agreement.
"Come on…" Spyro said. "Let's set up camp…"
A/N: And so Luna's been rescued! The group's back together again...but tensions still exist.
Also, the reason Oculos was unable to kill Spyro and Cynder directly with his power, was due to the Spectral Ore that Spyro and Cynder's armors are made of. The ore, as the name suggests, is connected to The Goddess. Meaning when Oculos attempted to kill Spyro with his powers, The Goddess protected her grandchild through the armor, along with Cynder. However the armor doesn't protect the two from all of Oculos' powers. So Oculos is still a threat, meaning Spyro and the others must battle Oculos with vigilance.