Again I find myself in a weird position, posting a chapter after a tragedy...A terrible outbreak of tornados in Oklahoma.
I feel so bad for the people of Moore, OK. This is the same spot that was hit by the strongest wind ever recorded on Earth, 14 years ago. The path of this 'finger of god', crossed the same neighborhood as the one from 1999. At a staggering two miles wide, it left nothing recognizable in its wake.
I pray for those that lost the most, and praise the ones that will open their homes for those that lost everything, showing their compassion towards others in the face of such devastation, much like our favorite heroes
Chapter 37 Shadows and Skylanders
"I'm going to kill him, Flash!" Nina remarks with a deep anger, held in the hind paws of her grandson. The green dragonfly's eyes locked on the huge cloud of pure carnage, destroying the mushroom village she called home for nearly three decades. Tears begin to flow from her face, and she looks to her husband, in Sparx' other paw.
"I swear...I'm gonna kill him!"
"I don't think he had a choice, honey..." The larger blue dragonfly replies, turning his head to his wife, and showing her the same depression. "...you know full well he would not destroy the place he grew up with his brother for ten years, if he had another way!"
Nina closes her eyes, and nods her head softly.
"I'm just upset at all the memories we lost..." She remarks, sobbing more uncontrollably. "...every single picture of our boys together...are gone!"
"Not really Grandma!" Sparx remarks, overhearing the conversation coming from his hind paws. "Dad had me go back to the house, while he was talking with Gaven, and I sent a bunch of things through a portal to our home!"
The two-toned purple and gold dragon smiles slightly, as a sigh of relief comes from both his hind paws, and then turns around to look at his grandparents.
"Dad was sure the village would be destroyed, and I grabbed all that I could..." Sparx returns his eyes forward, looking over the top of Catarina's head, still held tightly in his forearms. "...I just hope I did good, because I was unable to get everything!"
Nina turns to her husband, and looks at the three whelplings held firmly in his front paws.
"Don't worry Sparx..." She says with pure contentment. "...you grabbed what was important!"
Flash smiles at his wife, then returns his eyes towards his son, following behind in the distance. The blue dragonfly, suddenly becomes worried, watching Spyro drop out of the sky.
"Where is he going?" The concerned father remarks, however he is surprised by the one who answers him.
"I hope he's going to kill that black dragon we just passed over!" Catarina replies with anger in her voice.
She was looking down for her father, and noticed Blanca as they flew by, quickly recognizing the dragon that was angry with her mother and father, then turning his hatred towards her.
"Why would you say that?" Nina barks, hearing the rage in such a young girl's voice.
"He yelled at my sister!" Nicholas cuts in with anger himself, answering for the dragoness that is still holding him tightly alongside his other sister.
"He called Catarina a fool, then yelled at her for going out in the storm!"
"Be quiet Nick!" Gianna remarks to her brother, feeling Catarina begin to shake from emotion.
"No it's OK, Gianna!" Catarina replies, using her wings to tighten her grip upon her brother and sister.
"I was a fool!"
"No Catarina!" Gianna barks hearing her sister take responsibility again, however, the soft blue-green paw of Catarina covers her muzzle, and she lowers her head to her sister's ear.
"It was foolish for me to blame myself for so long!"
A smile fills Nicholas' face, and a look of shock appears on Gianna's, as her older sister releases a great deal of tension in one sentence.
"Well you're right!" Flashes voice remarks from behind. "You are not to blame, and I hope you truly understand that!"
"I think so..." Catarina says, turning her head to look at the blue dragonfly. "...but I still believe I need tell you...I'm sorry!"
Flash begins to cry, along with his wife, and he answers her with the same response that Nina was ready to give.
"You never need to apologize for that, Catarina..." He says, wiping the tears from his eyes. "...my son did what he thought was right, and we couldn't agree more with his decision..."
Flash pulls himself from Sparx' rear paw, flying as fast as he can to pass his grandson, and stares into the eyes of the young dragoness he is carrying.
"...but, if you truly feel you need to make up for that...then I will ask only that you live your life!" The teary eyed father continues, lowering against her muzzle, and hugging the young dragoness like he hugs his large purple son.
"I know Sparx would not be happy if the life he saved, was lost to depression and regret!"
Catarina stares at the large dragonfly hugging the bridge or her nose, and grips Gianna and Nicholas tighter.
"I promise...I will try!" The young dragoness begins saying, showing Flash her sincere admiration.
"I will make you proud of his choice!" She continues to herself, and Gianna smiles, feeling a calmness in her sister, she hasn't felt in a year.
"SPYRO!" Nina suddenly yells, watching her son take off in the other direction with the black dragon Catarina saw.
Everyone in the flying group is startled, but none more than Sparx as Nina pulls herself from his paw, forcing him to stop his charge towards the city.
"Where is he going, with that Shadow Clan jerk!" The now angry dragonfly barks, turning her head towards her husband and grandson.
"Why is YOUR SON flying alongside that dark hoodlum!"
"MY SON!" Flash remarks, but he and Sparx are shocked further as the green and pink dragonfly suddenly takes-off towards Spyro and Blanca.
"I raised him better than that!" She scowls, however, Nina gets only a few feet before Sparx plucks her from the sky.
With a gentle but firm grasp, the young dragon cages his grandmother, against the palm of his foot, with his talons.
"I have to take you with me Grandma..." Sparx remarks to the tiny dragonfly, fighting to break free from his grip. "...I was given an ORDER!"
Nina stops wrestling, and her voice becomes sharp and agitated
"What do you mean an order?" She demands, and Sparx stops short, looking back at his father, flying away with Blanca.
"Gaven made me an honorary Skylander, and My Father just gave me my first order..." Sparx replies with a note of pride in his voice, and Nina shows a slight smile. The adoptive parents are proud of their son's heroism, and how Avalar has benefited since Spyro's involvement with the Skylanders. The planet has never experienced such technological progress, and it is because of the dragon they call their own.
"...I have to follow it Grandma!" Sparx continues, then looks at his grandmother, opening his talons to let her from his grip. His eyes show concern, but his voice remains stable and calm
"Even though I want to go help him...I will not disobey my father, ever again!"
Sparx turns towards the city, and opens his left rear paw. Nina quietly grabs his middle talon, and Sparx closes a softer grip around her, like the one he has on his grandfather. She could not be prouder of her grandson, and sees the same spirit of protection she and her husband instilled in Spyro.
"Then what are you waiting for, Sparx?" Nina remarks with a kind sarcastic tone, showing him a smile.
With great haste, the two-toned hybrid dragon, follows his father's order, getting his family behind the shelter of New Warfang's high walls, but not knowing the danger that is awaiting inside.
"That just can't be!"
"I'm telling you, Spyro...there are at least a million of them!" Blanca repeats to the purple dragon's reply, flying side by side with the Hero of Avalar.
"I don't believe that, Blanca..." The purple and gold dragon remarks. Spyro lowers his brow, showing the dark dragon of shadows he does not trust him.
The Hero of Avalar has had several tense moments with Blanca in the past, because of the friends he keeps, going as far as having a fight with the entire Shadow Clan itself. However, their leader only got involved physically when the purple and gold dragon started losing ground against the large group. Spyro was quick to notice, Blanca was the one to stop the fight, when he was not fairing well at the end.
He also is willing to listen for another reason, knowing his wife and children personally. They are good friends to Cynder, and helped her a lot while Spyro was away.
"...I really hope you're just trying to annoy me again."
"If you don't believe my words..." The Shadow leader remarks with anger, then places a paw on Spyro's shoulder. "...I will show you the army that's gathering to the east, so you can see it with your own eyes!"
Both suddenly disappear in a poof of black smoke.
Spyro takes a deep breath, feeling the chilling cold of the Shadow realm, but does not lose his composure like most. This is not the first time he has been in the dark realm, since Cynder has taken him into this lifeless expanse many times herself, however, it is still cold, even for the purple dragon.
"I hate this place, Blanca!" Spyro remarks with a chatter in his teeth. "You better not be messing with me, or you will not like what I'm going to do to you!"
Suddenly, the light of Avalar's suns return, shinning through the branches of the tree Blanca has perched them on, forcing Spyro to blink several times just to get his sight to refocus.
"Hey!" The purple dragon yelps, and Blanca places a paw on Spyro's mouth to quiet him. However, as his pupils disappear and the scales on his face change as black as his own, Blanca removes his paw from around Spyro's muzzle.
"Sorry I didn't mean to...but you need to be quiet!" The shadow dragon whispers sheepishly, showing an embarrassed and fearful smile, hoping Spyro doesn't pummel him for doing that.
Dark Spyro continues to stare at Blanca with his glowing white eyes, but the noise from bellow catches his attention, and he looks down.
"BY THE AN..."
Again, Blanca is fast to cover his mouth with a paw.
"Do you mind!" The black dragon whispers a little louder, and this time with anger in his voice. "I'm trying to keep us alive here!"
Blanca then notices several hundred apes looking up in their direction. He grabs Spyro tightly, and both dragons disappear into the shadows, as several dozen arrows fly harmlessly by. In a matter of seconds, Spyro and Blanca reappear high in the sky, out of range from their rudimentary weapons.
"So, Great Hero of Avalar..." Blanca remarks sarcastically, releasing Spyro to hover on his own. "...do you believe the Shadow Clan Leader now!"
The black and gold dragon turns his pupil-less eyes towards Blanca, and lowers his head. Spyro's purple color returns, and suddenly speaks to a dragon, he is not friends with, in a tone that shows how humbled he is.
"I have learned a lot this past month about those I have called...my enemy, Blanca!" He remarks, looking back at the Shadow Clan Leader with sincerity. "I may have been a bit...harsh, towards you and your friends in the past, because I never really got a chance to know this shadow dragon before me."
Spyro looks back down to the ground watching the mass of gorillas swarm from under the trees, looking up with their evil red eyes.
"I would have never noticed this army, until many of my friends were lost. Dragons that I thought you didn't care about..." The purple dragon returns his eyes to Blanca, and shows him a smile for the first time ever. "...seeing the fear...but also loyalty in your eyes at this moment, I can honestly say... I misjudged you..."
Spyro begins tapping buttons on his wrist communicator, and sarcastically finishes his statement.
"...perhaps you're not such a selfish jerk after all!"
"WHAT DID YOU..." The dark dragon barks, but he is cut off by the Portal Master's voice, echoing from Spyro's communicator.
"Report, General? Is everything alright?" Gaven remarks, and Blanca pauses his angry rant, as the purple dragon holds up his paw.
"Do you mind...I'm trying to save the world here!" Spyro remarks sarcastically, then chuckles as Blanca shows him a very callus stare, and folds his arm across his gray chest.
"I'm fine Gaven..." He replies to his commander, showing a grateful smile to the black dragon for respecting the Skylander Leader, and remaining quiet. "...That was a clean drop, and we got a good amount of his army..."
Spyro pauses, looks down, then finishes his statement with a concerned tone.
"...or so I thought!"
"What is it?" Gaven remarks, hearing his general's voice. "Did you find more?"
Spyro looks at Blanca, showing his eyes wide as saucers, and a smirk that makes the Shadow dragon chuckle himself.
"Did we ever!" He quips, and hovers beside Blanca. "A friend of mine...has found a massive gathering Gaven, probably a million or more..."
"A Million!" The Portal Master yells, not allowing his general to finish. "That is too many for even you to handle, Spyro! I'm Sorry General, but I'm overstepping your authority, and sending back-up right now!"
Spyro smiles at Blanca, knowing the Portal Master would find a way to take some control, and he gestures his brow up and down, with a dumb expression. However, he is very confident in Gaven's ability to run a war from light years away, and does not fuss about losing his full-command of the situation.
"I'm also going to level that part of the park. I see no life roaming around in that area, so get the hell out of there now!"
"Yes Sir!" The purple hero replies, grasping Blanca tightly, as another horizontal portal opens above the forest.
Spyro makes his way towards the city, flying as fast as he can, hearing the crackling energy bomb coming through the portal. However, a sudden pulse of light flashes through the sky, followed by a sound that shakes Spyro to his core.
The purple and gold hero spins around to confirm his worse fear, seeing the portal shut early, slicing the energy ball in half. It takes only seconds for the orb to loses it's stability, and explodes high above the intended target. Spyro and Blanca are thrown from the sky by a violent shock-wave, hitting the ground hard only a few hundred yards from the now frenzied mob.
Protected from the dense canopy of forest, the loses to the ape army are minimal, and Spyro can tell that right away, by the shaking of the ground under his paws.
His heart begins to pound with adrenaline, not from the approaching army, but because he is sure his Skylander friends are dead. That explosion came from only half of the bomb, and the other half, left behind in the underground station's Ordinance Room.
"Gaven...NO!" The purple dragon remarks aloud, looking at his wrist communicator, and watching the power levels from the Portal Station drop to zero.
"My friends!"
Spyro's scales turn jet black, and his eyes glow white-hot with rage. A deep hatred begins to boil inside, and he focuses that energy towards the charging army. Using a tremendous amount of his magic, Dark Spyro unleashes all the Convexity power he can at one time, leaving a cone shaped path of destruction, widening-out as it gets further from his mouth.
The Shadow Clan leader's eyes light up with this purple blaze of Fury, and watches in fear, as Spyro levels the back side of Dragonfly park...by himself. However, it doesn't take long for Blanca to become concerned, watching the powerful dragon empty his tank in one burst of anger. He knows something that Spyro does not, and regardless of the danger, the Shadow Clan leader grabs the angry dragon, and yells in his ear.
"STOP...Don't waste your energy!" He screams over the thunderous rumble of magic flowing from the black and gold dragon's mouth.
Spyro spins around, slamming Blanca with the back of his right paw. The pulsing black dragon, with tears pouring from his eyes, pounces on Blanca, and stares him down.
"WHY?!" Spyro yells in the terrified dragon's face, showing the real Dark side of himself. A emotional train wreck of feelings and pains, that only his mortal enemies...or his wife...has seen in the past.
"THEY KILLED MY FIENDS!"
Blanca closes his eyes humbly, and looks away from the angered dragon.
"I'm sorry, Spyro. I don't know how that must hurt, and I won't even try to tell you different. But how does that help them, or your friends here on Avalar...if you die as well?" He remarks, returning his eyes to his new friend, hoping he believes his sincerity...and he does.
Blanca begins pulling himself up, as Spyro loosens his grip, and backs off of the shadow dragon's chest.
"You can't afford to waste energy like that. There are no crystals left in the park, my friend..." He continues, while getting to his feet. "...they destroyed them all, and for some reason...the crystals will not grow back!"
Spyro's color returns to normal, and his eyes focus on the smoldering area he just leveled with a good deal of his powers. A deep pain fills his eyes, watching thousands of apes swarm into the new cleared area from the surrounding forest a mile away, making their charge to the purple dragon again, this time quicker and easier.
"Get everyone to the city!" He replies simply, looking over his shoulder towards New Warfang.
No longer seeing his family, Spyro takes a deep breath, knowing they are going to be safe. He then looks at Blanca with a cold stare.
"I will hold them here..." Spyro continues, clinching his right paw, then extending his talons out as far as he can. "...and take my revenge with my bare paws!"
Blanca shows a slight grin, hearing the true fighting spirit of the Great Hero of Avalar in person. However, it is another sound that catches the Shadow Clan Leader's attention, and he places a paw upon the posturing dragon's flank.
"We don't need to fight alone anymore!" He remarks, gesturing his head towards the sky, and Spyro looks up.
"Blanca...what are you doing?" A green and black dragon remarks, heading a group of several others to the ground beside their leader. "Why are you fighting with this purple moron again...I thought we were looking for that other idiots kids?"
They had seen the two separate releases of energy, coming from this section of the park, and quickly rallied together, knowing where Blanca had chosen to search. The Shadow Clan leader, looks back to Spyro, and his smile increase.
"Some of my friends are here to help us now!"
"HELP...HIM!" The green dragon remarks, over a the negative rumble from the other dragons behind him. "HELL NO...I'M NOT HELPING THIS WORTHLE..."
Blanca grabs his friend, and both dragons disappear in an instant. The loud mouthed green dragon is suddenly silenced, feeling himself held tightly inside the cold realm of Shadows.
"The only reason you still enjoy life, Aquas...is because of that dragon's dedication!" Blanca remarks, holding a valued clan member, and friend, by his throat...staring into his eyes with pure rage.
"If you ever disrespect Spyro like that again...I will leave you here until you understand what he has sacrificed for US!"
With a quick nod from his head, both reappear in front of Spyro, and the ever-growing group of Shadow Clan dragons.
Blanca immediately looks towards the approaching apes, noticing they have a few moments before the horde is upon them, and calmly walks over to Spyro. He can still hear the negative talk towards the purple dragon, and becomes enraged as several continue to threaten him. However, before he can lay down the law to his clan.
"Stop it everyone!" Aquas remarks, turning around to the group, and showing the fear he is still experiencing from a moment in the shadows. "We need to..."
The green and black Water dragon pauses, and looks back at Spyro before returning his eyes to his friends, and finishing his thought.
"...No! We HAVE TO help him!"
Nearly a dozen deep breaths of pure shock fill the air, hearing the words coming from this dragon's mouth.
"WHAT?" A two-toned red fire-breather snaps, stepping forward to his friend, and staring into his eyes. "He locked you up in a Skylander prison for eight months, Aquas. You said you would kill Spyro if you ever got your paws on him!"
The green dragon looks at his friend, then laughs for a moment.
"I would never have spent those eight months in prison, or the two years of my life regretting that moment..." He remarks, turning around and stepping up to Spyro himself. "...if this dragon didn't save our world."
The strong-minded Water dragon pauses again, looking down at the ground, and feeling overwhelmed with his own guilt.
"I was the idiot, Char...Not Spyro, He actually tried to help me!" He replies to his fire-breathing friend, raising his eyes to look upon the purple dragon with humility. "He did his duty, like always, and never turned his back on anyone!"
Spyro balks, and looks at Blanca, whom has an irremovable smile on his muzzle, but his attention returns to the green dragon before him, as his voice booms suddenly.
"Spyro needs the Shadow Clan's help!" The green dragon yells, making the purple hero jump slightly.
"We all be damned if we turn our backs on him now!"
In an instant, the negative becomes positive, and an every growing chant to fight for Spyro begins to rise.
"What the hell did you say to him, Blanca?" Spyro remarks to the proud leader of this group, and the Shadow dragon just winks his eye.
"Shadow Clan...This is our home, I want you to show Spyro, we will defend it with our lives!" He yelps, turning his attention to the group that is still increasing in size, as more members arrive.
"This is our time to be heroes. Leave your mark on these evil apes, and you will be remembered for all times!"
The group as one, shout in approval.
"Because of his knowledge of battles like this!" He remarks, suddenly showing a slight bit of fear, but only to the purple dragon's keen eye.
"Spyro is in command...do you understand!"
Again, as one, an approval is yelled, and all turn their eyes to the purple dragon.
"They are not the Skylanders, General Spyro!" Blanca remarks, showing him a little more concern in his eyes, but not in his words. " But they will fight like them!"
The purple and gold dragon takes a deep breath, then looks at the group standing at attention, staring at him with pure eagerness.
Spyro cannot believe the turn of events in just the last few moments, he has lost his friends, and the military advantage of overwhelming firepower. However, he can still see hope, in the eyes of all the dragons around him, ready to fight for their home.
The purple dragon looks over his shoulder, and can see the massive ape army is now only a few hundred yards, and closing fast. Enough time for him to express a deep regret.
"I miss-judged all of you, and I'll never do that again!" He remarks, looking at dragons of all elemental power, not budging an inch, as the screaming army approaches.
"Bravery is not a trait you find in the wicked!"
Spyro looks back again, and can see it is time to fight. His scales return to their black color, and his pupils disappear, as they return to the Shadow Clan.
"You are all Skylanders in my eyes!"
Spyro spins around and clears a path to work, using a powerful magical attack. Although he was told about the lack of replenishing crystals, Spyro knows the depths of his own power, and how much he can use before his magic supply runs out. He calls upon his Fury once more, but uses it in a way that does not drain his magic as fast as a feral blast from his muzzle.
Malefor had shown the Skylander general several new tricks, while they stayed at the underground Portal Station, and this is the one that was taught first. Because of its simplicity, and the ease in which to learn, Spyro was quick to understand how to perform...combination attacks, and how powerful the right mixture of magic can be.
In less than a second, the black & gold dragon rips through the charging mass of apes, cutting a wide path for everyone to follow. The pure energy of his Fury pulses out in a wake behind him, incinerating everything it comes in contact with.
Blanca and the Shadow Clan, especially the five Fire dragons in the group, are suddenly left in amazement, as Spyro shows off a new technique that no one knew was possible for the purple dragon.
"Was that a Comet Dash?" One fire dragon remarks with complete surprise, seeing the exact technique he uses in his dash attack.
"Yeah...I think so!" Char replies, staring at the leader of the startled Shadow Clan. "But what kinda fire was that, Blanca!"
The black and gray dragon smiles slightly, and turns to his friends.
"Hell's FURY!"
Blanca's green eyes begin to fluctuate with power, and he disappears in a poof of black magical mist.
"Take lessons my friends, because we are watching a Master at work!"
With a barrage of shadowy claws to lead his clan, Blanca charges ahead of his trusted army, widening the chasm Spyro created as they drive towards their new friend. Hundreds of these evil apes are sliced apart, by a dragon they cannot see, only his talons that streak through the sky.
The shadow dragon quickly moves down the line, leaving the injured to face his friends...whom quickly take full advantage. Writhing in pain from an unseen attack, the front line of this massive army, is torn to shreds by the dragons they can see.
Spyro, standing in a small clearing at the end of his dash, turns his attention down the path he just made, and smiles watching the large group of dragons work in perfect unison. A disassembling line of death; precise, calculating, and surprising intelligent. He watches in awe as they rotate in shifts, allowing fresh dragons to attack, while the tired rest for a moment.
The hero of Avalar quickly recalls his fight with the Shadow Clan, and now understands why it felt like he was fighting a hundred, and not just the twenty or so the make up this powerful group.
Suddenly Blanca reappears in front of his face, and Spyro jumps for a moment, so do the apes that were closing in slowly towards the black and gold dragon.
"Well General..." Blanca quips, showing the Skylander a smile, then turning back to watch his clan get increasingly more violent to the smaller creatures.
"...are they not a good army to fight beside!"
Spyro nods his head with approval, then snaps his tail to left, striking an ape that was trying to pounce upon him.
"Not bad!" The purple dragon replies with a slight smugness, however, he can see that look of fear again. Blanca suddenly hears one dragon yelp in great pain, and turns to see him fall to the ground.
The Shadow dragon holds his breath, and Spyro believes he now understands this leaders fear.
"They are a good group, and keep an eye out for each other..." Spyro continues, as they help their friend to his feet, and protect him as he regains his wind.
"...I promise to do the same for them!"
The Shadow Clan leader shows Spyro a deep look of gratitude, hearing such a promise from The Hero of Avalar. These dragons he leads are not just members of his powerful gang, but his second family, and he is now riddled with fear from this battle.
"Please, Spyro...I love only my family more then these few dragons, my Clan, are the only friends I have!"
The purple dragon shakes his head NO, keeping his eyes locked on Blanca.
"You have at least one friend, not in your clan..." He remarks, standing side by side with the Shadow dragon. "...and after this day...I'm sure it will be many more!"
Moments earlier, in the Main Room of the underground Portal Station, the Skylanders are watching a monitor, broadcasting from Avalar's East wall. Overlooking Dragonfly Park; Gaven, Sonic, and Tails, hold their breath, seeing the mushroom cloud dissipating in the distance, waiting for any word from Spyro.
"I don't like this General!" The Portal Master remarks to the blue hedgehog, tapping buttons on his control panel, then looking back at the monitor. "This just makes no sense to me at all!"
Sonic zips behind the Portal Master's chair in a blink, staring at the screen the old giant is working with. His companion, Tails, is by his side a few seconds later.
"What is it, Gaven?" He replies with a wondering tone, not fully understanding what he sees.
"We just wiped out the Dark Master's army in one blast, but yet I am still showing a massive amount of energy coming from the east side of New Warfang..."
Gaven pauses, turning to look his curious young general in the eye.
"...it is a hundred times stronger than that first army, it could be the Dark Master himself!"
Suddenly, an alert begins to sound, making Tails flinch, but putting a smile on Sonic and the Portal Master's faces. They knows the sound of an incoming call, and Gaven opens the channel to Spyro's communicator before spinning his chair around.
"Report, General! Is everything alright?" Gaven remarks, and settles down hearing the purple hero talking to someone else.
"Do you mind...I'm trying to save the world here!"
Spyro's sarcasm calm the Portal Master, and more so as his general finally answers him.
"I'm fine Gaven..." He replies "...That was a clean drop, and we got a good amount of his army..."
However, Spyro pauses, and Gaven's smile disappears as he hears his general's concerned tone to finish his report.
"...or so I thought!"
"What is it?" The Portal Master remarks, hearing Spyro's voice, and knowing the power levels he can see in Dragonfly Park. "Did you find more?"
"Did we ever!" The Skylander general replies, then pauses again.
Gaven looks down at Sonic, gesturing his head for him to move towards the center of the room, where the portals in this underground station will open. The blue hedgehog nods, and both he and Tails move themselves from behind the steel desk
"A friend of mine, has found a massive gathering Gaven, probably a million or more..."
"A Million!" The Portal Master yells, making Tails jump, but not Sonic. "That is too many for even you to handle, Spyro!"
Gaven's eyes lock on Sonic, and the hedgehog nods his head knowing the Portal Master is taking command.
"I'm Sorry General, but I'm overstepping your authority, and sending back-up right now!"
The Portal Master places his hand over the com device, so Spyro cannot hear, and gives his only order.
"Sonic...I'm sending you now, but don't go near that side of the park, understand!"
The blue hedgehog nods his head again, and Gaven removes his hand from the microphone
"I'm also going to level that part of the park. I see no life roaming around in that area, so get the hell out of there now!"
"Yes Sir!" The purple hero replies, as his communicator shuts down, and Gaven opens a new portal.
Twice the size as the last one, the horizontal disk of energy, floats inches above the ground in an empty room. Only a massive generator sits directly above the swirling portal, creating orbs of explosive energy to drop from the sky.
Gaven programs the machine to quadruple the energy output of the last bomb, and enters the coordinates of the portal's exit...the far-east side of Dragonfly Park.
"Master Gaven..." Sonic's voice barks out, seeing the lights dim in the station to accommodate for the power build up of this weapon. "...can you still send me to Avalar...I want to see this explosion in person!"
Gaven smirks at his friend, and begins tapping button to open a portal in the Main Room, however, as he finishes opening the transport to Avalar, an alarm suddenly blares at his desk.
A jamming signal, coming from Avalar, scares the old Master, knowing the timing could not be worse
"GO SONIC!" The Portal Master screams, seeing the portal in the Main Room flicker, and the blue hedgehog, trained for years to be responsive, is gone in half a heart beat.
Arriving in the Great Lawn, Sonic stops short, turning towards the portal. His eyes fill with the bright light of a powerful explosion, and watches in horror as his friend Tails vaporizes before exiting the station. Only a powerful blast wave comes from the circular disk, before it disappears, slamming Sonic into a tree behind him.
"By the Ancestor!" Several dragons remark, as only a few still remain in the park, after the first explosion from Spyro's home drove everyone towards the city.
They run to the aid of a well-known and respected Skylander, but are terrified by a second explosion that rocks the park with a louder blast of energy then the first.
"Sonic... Sonic!" They yell, hoping to wake him, but they watch his eyes close, and fear fills their hearts.
The sounds of grunting and growling begin to fill the air, and every dragon left in the park begins to wonder...what is happening to their world again.
Like the Shadow Clan, even those you find offensive, or vulgar, or just plain mean-spirited, will rise to help in the eyes of a tragedy. People you would never believe to show compassion, are now standing by your side to comfort you.
I Dedicate this chapter to the first responders in Moore, OK, for they will see the sights we fear. Family, friends, and perfect strangers...working together...trying to find life in a place filled with death.
BY THE ANCESTORS...OR GOD, OR ALLAH, OR WHOM EVER...please give these people the strength to continue, and I will pray myself, that this is the last dedication I need to make.