Chapter 20: Convexity Convenes
This will likely be a confusing chapter. Questions will be raised, answers will be few and far between, and apes will be slaughtered by the hundreds. Well… the last one would happen anyway, since dragons, cheetahs, and moles have no love for apes.
If you must know, Mithril will be the focus of this chapter. No, he will not be a light clone of Obsidian, partially because he has his own personality, but mostly because of the way he fights. You'll see what I mean if you keep reading.
Anyways… enjoy!
(Mithril's POV)
I just heard the news. Firana and Obsidian are safe, if a bit emotional right now. Good. That frees me up to concentrate on the siege. The apes are preparing… something. I'm not sure what they're preparing, but it fills my stomach with dread. Among other things, like anger.
A group of apes, shielded by a giant wooden board, walk up to the gate. I can barely hear what is going on down there… but I do manage to hear this: "Leav convexiavausan molva inavo avhe ciavy, agh deukavroausan avhe hope gith avhaav iuk kulkodar"
It doesn't take long for me to realise what is happening. I glance at our soldiers behind the gate. Organised in a pike wall, and dangerously close to the gate. If I'm right…
"GET CLEAR OF THE GATE!"
The soldiers forming the pike wall barely have time to react. The gate blasts open, a massive, purple energy blasting its' way from the gate in a spectacular explosion of power. I recognise this energy from the games. Convexity.
I jump out of the gatehouse just as the convexity energy melts it. I manage to land amid the scattered moles and cheetahs, instead of IN FRONT of them where I was aiming to land. I would say 'thus, is the folly of me' but that's Obsidian's line. Oh well, make do with what you have, even if what you have is a one-way ticket to hell its ****** self.
A group of armoured apes charge me and the downed soldiers, intent on capitalising on our sudden weakness. Not on my watch. I open my maw, and launch a stream of blinding, silver light at the apes. While I can only keep this up for so long, since my element is mana-based unlike Obsidian's, I should at least be able to buy the soldiers some time to retreat.
When I run out of energy, I risk a quick glance behind me. Most of the cheetahs and moles have retreated, but a few are standing loyally with me. I can tell, they're afraid, but their loyalty somehow outweighs their fear. Kind of shocking, but I'll roll with it.
I turn my head back towards the apes. The first apes to enter have been reduced to smouldering piles of ash, but that was only about 40 apes, hundreds more are pouring through the now-open gate. I ready myself. This is going to be a long and bloody battle, and I'm more than ready for it. Obsidian, with his dark flames, was able to single-handedly hold back half the ape army for three days. I'm probably not that capable, but I'm certain I can hold back the ape flood long enough for everyone to retreat. The cheetahs and moles at my side… not so much, but if I can hold the apes back for a minute, then these loyal soldiers can double that time.
When the first ape reaches me, I plunge my claws into his neck. I don't bother checking the size of the ape, instead reacting to the ingrained impulses I gained from the two days of training given to me when the siege started. The second ape to get within range of my claws finds himself lacking lungs. The third…
And it went on, and on, and on. Every limb I had, every single natural weapon at my disposal, killed at least twenty apes. I kept fighting long after the cheetahs and moles at my side fell. I don't have armour, so the wounds I received were many, but at the time I didn't care. All that mattered to me at the time was holding back the convexity. This was exactly like that one dream I had. The apes have turned convexity into a weapon, and I couldn't, can't, let them use it on innocents.
I must have fought for hours. My elemental energy ran out half-way through the fight, but I didn't care. I was feral at this point. In the back of my mind, I knew what I was fighting for, but at the front of my mind, all that mattered was the blood on my scales. All that mattered, was how many apes I could kill before I joined the ranks of the deceased.
Eventually, my energy began to wane. At the time I didn't notice. I just thought the apes were getting faster, but the truth was that I was getting slower. My limbs weren't responding as quickly as they were at the start of the fight. I got wounded more often. My claws eventually broke, so I swapped from slashes to punches. My tail got too badly damaged to use, so I started using my wings as weapons. Eventually, it became too much, and I collapsed.
The apes tried to capture me. They almost succeeded too. Fortunately for me, it was at that moment that the Guardians arrived. They had promised to help in the siege, and here they were… I'm almost disappointed, but gratitude won out.
When the last of the apes were driven back, Terrador turned to me.
"You alright, Mithril?"
I manage lift my head off the ground long enough for me to reply.
"No…"
And it was at that moment that death decided to have a swing at me… thankfully, he must have missed, because I fall unconscious instead of dying.
(Time skip)
Ow… why does everything hurt so much? I can barely recall what happened. I was fighting apes at the gates… there's a large blur of movement… I'm on the floor… the Guardians arrive and save my life… what?
Suddenly, my memory completely rushes back to me. Damn… did I really manage to hold off those apes for so long? It felt like minutes… holy hand grenade…
Slowly, and painfully, I open my eyes. The light, for whatever reason, doesn't hurt to look at. I blink a few times, since my vision is blurry, before fully opening my eyes.
"…in to bad a state for you to see him now, young dragoness, so I'm afraid you'll have to wait for him to wake up."
What? Oh, they're probably talking about me.
"But he's the closest thing I have to a real friend right now!" I recognise that voice… Lightna! "I can't just-"
I try to get out of the bed, but my legs don't respond as intended, and I end up faceplanting. Yay4me.
"What was that?"
A mole opens the door and walks in. Unfortunately, thanks to my faceplant, I am in the most embarrassing and uncomfortable position possible.
The nurse/doctor takes one look at me, before leaving while covering her eyes. I hear some incoherent mumbling, before a yellow and black dragoness walks in. Lightna! Please, quickly, avert thine eyes, I am being the dumb, don't look, please, for both our sakes, don't even think about-
"Great Ancestors!"
And… there goes all my remaining self-esteem. Thank you, fate, aren't you just the kindest? You aren't though, case in point!
"Well…" Somehow, my vocal chords respond even though my legs won't. "This is awkward." I try to reposition into a more… comfortable position, but my legs are moving too weakly and sluggishly for that. "Could I have a little help here? I seem to be stuck in this position."
Lightna somehow manages to avoid looking dumbstruck, credit to her, and moves over to help move me. She manages to rotate my face away from the ground, but for whatever reason she pauses halfway through the manoeuvre. I'm not entirely sure why. Fortunately for me, Lightna resumes moving me after about one second of I'm assuming catching her breath. After another couple of seconds, I'm standing on my own… paws again.
"Thanks. I'm not sure what happened, my legs just wouldn't work properly."
"Don't mention it." I open my maw to say something. "Ever."
Is Lightna being playful or serious here? I'm not entirely sure, but if the blush on her cheeks is anything to go by, it's playful.
"Alright, we'll do it your way. For now."
I swear, the giggle Lightna gives… universe, no thanks. I don't need that right now.
(Time skip)
"So, you're saying that the apes used a convexity blast to destroy the gate?"
I shift uncomfortably in my seat. Both the General and Obsidian are staring at me with disbelieving looks in their eyes.
"That about sums it up, yes." I'm still not sure what Black Speech has to do with any of this, so I left that part out. "They used some form of… incantation when they created the blast. Either it is a spell of some sort, or some ape tradition. I'm betting the former."
The General and Obsidian both share a look of worry. I mean, I know those two are practically friends, but still!
The General is the first to snap out of his disbelief.
"In that case, I suggest you go get some rest. Obsidian will do what he can to slow the apes' advance, but chances are that we're doomed. Rest up, you've earned it."
I leave the room immediately. I am tired, stressed, and wounded. I need the sleep.
"Hey."
Lightna, how do you simply appear out of nowhere?
"Hello."
An awkward silence follows. Which is a damn shame, all things considered. Lightna is quite pleasant to talk to.
"How did it go?"
I sigh.
"Not very well, as you can see."
I almost collapse.
"Easy there, Mithril. Come on, let me take you back to my room. I've got some red and green crystal patches there."
I nod. Lightna starts to lead me to her room. I'm not sure why, but I am oblivious to the smile on her face.
(Lightna's POV)
"Easy there, Mithril. Come on, let me take you back to my room. I've got some red and green crystal patches there."
Mithril nods his head, and I start to lead him to my room. I can't believe that went so perfectly. It's true, I intend to use the red and green crystals there to help fix him up, but I've also got an ulterior motive. I would solve the problem myself, but the library is in the city, not the Castle, so I can't search for a way to deal with these… urges.
When me and Mithril reach my room, I kindly (and a tad evilly) open the door for him. Mithril seems too far gone at this point for him to be able to do anything. I could probably relieve myself in front of him, and he wouldn't notice.
Mithril sits down on my bed. Not what I had planned, but I'll go with it. I walk over to the red crystal patch, tear off a couple of large chunks of crystal, and throw them over to Mithril. In his tired state, he doesn't manage to catch them. Instead, both chunks hit him on the snout. I would laugh, but I'm in too bad a state right now. Partially because of the time of year, but mostly because of the state I saw him in. Face on the ground, hind legs straight as a pole, forelegs unable to support any weight… I should probably save these thoughts for after Mithril has taken his crystals.
I walk over to the green gem patch, and break off a small chunk of crystal for myself. I've had a tiring day, after all, and I'm going to need a lot of energy for what I have planned.
The green crystal flashes in my paw, before disappearing. I get that familiar rush of energy I'm so hooked to. I know, I shouldn't be using green crystals so much, but I've always had difficulty sleeping, and the tiredness the after-effects of green crystals bring me is more than enough to knock me asleep.
I break off a larger chunk of green crystal, before throwing it over to Mithril. This time, since he's healed up, he manages to catch the crystal in his paws. It flashes, disappearing in a familiar flash of light. Mithril jumps up on the bed, full of energy.
"WOW! Boy, that's much better. Thanks, Lightna."
"No problem."
"Well, I suppose I'd better be going."
Mithril jumps off the bed, and starts walking towards the door.
"Hold up." Mithril stops. His right eye widens in a questioning way, but he still stops. "I've been meaning to ask you something. Well, a couple of things, actually." Mithril nods for me to continue. "The first one… well, I was wondering if… you would like to, you know… go out with me?"
My cheeks redden faster than a tomato ripens while outside of time.
"Erm… I was not expecting that question." Well… I was expecting this answer. I brace myself for the worst. "But yes, I would like to. I just haven't had the guts to ask you out myself."
A massive smile appears on my face, and my heartbeat quickens.
"Great!" Both Mithril and I are smiling at this point. "The other thing I have been meaning to ask you." I steel myself for this. I would use the library, since this is a… sensitive subject… but the library isn't in the Castle, so I can't visit it right now, and since Mithril is a walking library… well… "I've been getting… urges… lately. I'm not sure how to make them go away."
Mithril's eyes widen in surprise.
"Describe these 'urges'."
I was kind of hoping he would know what I meant without needing clarification…
"Erm… well… let's just say that they've gotten worse today since I saw you in that… humiliating position, and that they're usually related to you."
Mithril's silver cheeks turn a bright red in a matter of seconds.
"Oh… those kinds of urges…" Yeah, the kind that no-one talks about publicly. "I can't really help you with that one, since I don't know much about it." Well… that's a bit of a problem. "If it helps, I've been getting similar urges for the past few days, about… you know where I'm going with that." Mithril's cheeks somehow go a brighter red. "Well, err… goodbye?"
"Goodbye."
I'm disappointed, but I have no idea why. It isn't as if there is any-
"Wait!"
Mithril turns around, still looking flustered.
"Could you… err… stay with me tonight?"
(Obsidian's POV)
I'm observing the current situation with the siege from the top of Warfang castle, and it isn't good. Tomorrow… that is when the apes will make the big push. We are outnumbered, outgunned… our only chance is to go for their leader. Magath. From what I've seen, he holds his ego very high. I suspect that he would fight me in single combat if I proved myself… but he's also cunning. I doubt he would go into a duel unprepared. He'd probably have some backup archers ready to kill me, or worse, should the duel go in my favour.
Slowly, but surely, a plan formulates in my head. I allow a smile to cross my face. They have us outnumbered… in trained soldiers. WE have the numerical advantage. We just need the right kind of push… an inspiring speech, an act of heroism, and/or a martyr. We have our hero, Spyro, the dragon who quite literally saved the world. We have our martyr, Ignitus, the fire Guardian who sacrificed himself to get Spyro and Cynder through the ring of fire. The only thing left, is the inspiring speech…
…and, thank you Monolith Productions, I have the perfect one in mind.
Well… that took longer to write than I intended. And before anyone asks, whatever is implied is exactly that. Implied. It does not mean anything happened. I'm leaving that up to your imaginations. Your weird, twisted, and in some cases, perverted imaginations. No offence intended.
The next chapter will be the highlight of act 3. You can expect almost exclusively action, with a very small amount of romance, and, if you're lucky, I may even decide not to leave a cliff-hanger! Even though there will be one anyways, because we have a whole other act to get through before I can wrap this fanfic up and call it finished.
Until next time… the very weird, twisted, and bloody next time…