(Yeah, I know I'm late. Been busy, blah, blah, blah. But, schedule will proceed as normal. Enjoy!)
CHAPTER 26: EMOTIONS GET IN THE WAY
Ice stayed with her brother's frozen body. Ward was gone. The last member in her family was gone. She never felt so alone. She never cried so much in her life.
Everyone else had gone out to the walls. The entire village was on maximum guard.
But she couldn't. Her hopes for seeing Ward again were all that was getting her through everything. Now all she could do was stare at his frozen, empty body.
Volt walked into the room and sat next to her. He looked at Ward's body, empty and frozen.
"Hey," he said.
"Volt, shouldn't you be helping the others with the defenses?" Ice asked.
"You need me more than they do right now," Volt said.
"The city's in danger," Ice held her head down. "That's more important right now."
"Don't be ridiculous," Volt protested. "I'm here for you, and I won't leave you."
Ice sighed. The last thing she wanted to do was argue with someone who she trusted. Someone who really wants to be there for her.
Volt put his paw onto hers, and she leaned against his shoulder.
"I left him, Volt," Ice began to cry. "I left him in the village… I could've helped him."
"Don't blame yourself for this," Volt said. He looked straight into her eyes, which only stared straight ahead. "This is something none of us could've seen."
"None of this would've happened is we stayed and fought," Ice argued.
"But then we'd all be dead," Volt insisted. "Then we would all just be another pointless story. Ward was strong. He was able to resist the Dark Master."
"But he killed himself," Ice said.
"To protect us," Volt continued. "Your brother was brave. Not many dragons are willing to risk their lives to save the world."
Ice buried her face into Volt's shoulder, unable to escape her sadness. Within seconds, Volts arm was soaked with Ice's cold tears. "Why did it have to be him?"
Volt hugged her tightly. She was destroyed, and there was nothing he could do. For the first time in his life, Volt felt useless.
"I'm sorry," Volt said, tears forming in his own eyes. "I'm so sorry. I wish I could do something to ease your pain."
"You can't ease pain that you've never felt, Volt," Ice said.
"But I have felt this pain," Volt responded. "My family is gone, too. All of them were massacred just over three years ago. I lost everyone and everything that I loved."
"Oh, Volt," Ice said sympathetically.
"For years, I was depressed and alone," Volt continued. "I felt like there wasn't a point in moving forward, like life wasn't worth living. And then I met you."
Ice didn't respond. She sat up, and continued to look straight ahead, as she always did.
"Ice, I-"
"Shh," Ice interrupted.
Volt sighed. "Ice, I was just…"
"Volt, I'm serious," Ice interrupted him again.
"Ice, I'm trying to…"
"Shh, wait…" Ice said. "Do you feel that?"
Volt concentrated, but felt nothing. "What is it?"
"The vibrations…" Ice said. "Hundreds… No, thousands of people marching. The humans are coming."
Terrene appeared in the threshold behind them. "Volt! Ice! Get out here!"
"I think they're already here," Volt got up and headed for the door, but stopped when he looked back and saw Ice exactly where she was.
"Do you need time?" He asked as he approached her again. She faintly nodded in response.
"I'm coming back for you," Volt said and hugged her once more. "I promise."
Volt and Ice shared a small kiss, and then Volt dashed out of the room. He took off into the air and flew over the village. He saw Spyro and Terrene on the wall to the west, and landed next to them.
"What are we up against?" Volt asked them.
"See for yourself," Terrene gestured into the distance.
Volt looked out to the land, which was now covered with thousands of humans raising swords and spears lusting for battle. Catapults and other war machines were rolling towards the village walls.
Spyro took in a deep breath. This reminded him of the battle of Warfang. Malefor's forces marched by the thousands towards its great walls. But this time it was worse. This village was built with the impression that it will never be attacked. This time, they were defenseless.
"Stop thinking like that," he whispered to himself. He needed to be stronger for everyone around him, and himself.
Emotional strength means nothing as long as your physical strength is powerful,
the voice said.
"You think so?" Spyro replied. "It's not worth fighting if you don't have emotions to back up your cause."
Oh, stop with the sappy stuff,
the voice scoffed. It's emotions that keep people from fighting.
"Is that so?" Spyro asked. "What about anger?"
Well, that's a negative emotion. Those are exceptions.
"Well, what about pride?" Spyro offered.
Usually leads to a downfall.
"What about hope?"
Only when it's false hope, which counts as a negative emotion.
"What about love?"
The voice chuckled. Oh, Spyro. Soon, you will learn that love is the most negative emotion of all.
"What are you saying?" Spyro asked.
Love never lasts. Not even for a pair like you and Cynder.
"You're lying," Spyro said.
What?
"It wouldn't be the first time."
Oh, really? Is that what you think? Was it not me who warned you that this path was dangerous? Did you not just have weeks of recovery from injuries that should have taken months to heal? By the way, you're welcome for that. And was it not I who warned you that you could start a war if you did not leave? Did you not lose a close friend of yours because of this?
Spyro thought to himself. He thought about Hunter. He had saved Spyro and Cynder so many times, and now gave his life to do so again. Spyro never got the chance to thank him, or say goodbye… or save him. Spyro felt tears forming in his eyes.
See? That's what I mean. Emotions get in the way. Focus on right here, right now. This is what is important right now. Stop dwelling on the past.
"That's where you're wrong, too," Spyro said. "You make it sound like I can't move on without forgetting the past. But the past defines us. It's the reason why we're here right now."
I'm not here to argue philosophy and morals with you Spyro.
"Then why are you here?" Spyro asked.
To help you!
"Spyro!" Terrene pushed him out of the way of a flaming rock soaring through the sky. The humans fired a catapult, and Spyro was too deep in thought to realize it coming straight for him. The rock flew straight into a building… where Ice was.
"No!" Volt screamed.
"Volt, go!" Spyro told him.
Without hesitation, Volt sprang off of the wall to the ruined building.
"Ice!" Volt yelled.
"Volt?!" She screamed back.
"Ice, I'm coming for you!" Volt promised.
"Hurry! Please, Hurry!" Ice yelled. She was completely barricaded in the building. She would have searched for a way out, but… you got it. She's blind.
Volt thought as quickly as he could. He ran around the building, and noticed a small crack in the wall. He peeked through, and saw Ice backed up against the wall.
"Ice! There's a way out to your left!" Volt told her.
Hold it, Ice,
the voice said just before she took off. That archway is about to collapse with crashing concrete. Move to the right instead.
"Why are you helping me?" Ice asked.
As much as I love trivia, we don't have time! This building won't last long!
"Volt!" Ice said. "The voice tells me that way isn't safe!"
"Alright," Volt said without any time to think. "Do as it says!"
Ice went to her right. As she stepped in that direction, she felt the archway that was behind her collapse as the voice had said.
Volt waited for Ice with his heart pounding. "You had better be right about this."
Trust me, she will make it out alive. She has to for the sake of the prophecy.
"Is this war part of the prophecy?" Volt asked.
No, this war was a result of the purple dragon's foolishness. But now that it's started, I have to make sure that all of you make it out alive.
"Volt?" Ice called. Volt was able to locate the point in the wall where Ice was standing.
"I'm here," Volt answered.
"Hey, there's a weak point in this wall right where I'm at," Ice explained. "You might be able to bust through it."
"Got it," Volt said. "Stand back."
Volt took a deep breath in, and exhaled a powerful volt of electricity that incinerated the wall. Behind the cloud of dust, Ice stood unharmed.
"Come on, let's get going!" Volt said.
"No, we have to go back for Ward," Ice insisted.
"No, Ice, listen to me," Volt regretfully denied her request. "We can't. That building will collapse any minute."
He's right, leave him behind.
"I can't," Ice said. "I'm going back."
"Ice, I'm sorry, but you won't be able to find him," Volt reminded her. "That place is too devastated for someone who's blind."
"Then I suggest you come with me," Ice said.
Volt sighed, "Alright, but we have to be fast. And I mean really fast."
Together, they went back towards the collapsing building. Volt scanned the structure, and saw a hole in the roof that was big enough for them to get through.
"Come on," Volt said. "We have to fly up."
"I'll follow you," Ice said.
Volt flew into the building, and directed Ice to follow him. Once inside, Volt was caught off guard by an unexpected sight.
A human stood in front of Ward's body, holding a dark purple crystal. He spoke to Ward's frozen corpse.
"Return to me, Malefor," he said. "I shall find you a new host."
On those words, a strange aura emitted from Ward's body, and into the crystal. The crystal glowed with dark power with Malefor's soul -his very existence- within. THe man turned, and noticed Volt and Ice.
"Ah, so you've come here to witness the rescue of your master?" he said.
"He's no master," Volt said. "And you won't make it out to rescue him."
Volt lunged towards the human, claws ready to strike. But the man merely held up the powerful crystal, and Volt was frozen. Not in ice, but in time. Ice was unable to move as well. But the human was unaffected. He walked up to Volt, so they were face to face.
"The thing about purple dragons," the human chuckled. "They weild the power of time. The effect will wear off soon enough for you to die. Enjoy your last few seconds."
The human walked away with the Dark Master in the palm of his hand.