Long Ago
A young biped dark green dragon approached a red dragon who was busy crafting a crystal with a small but sharp knife. The room where the red dragon was rudimentary. It was recently sculpted. The instruments were older than the table, looking freshly built by an Artisan Dragon. The rest looked the same unless it was an item specifically used by Magic Crafter.
"What are you doing Red?" the young dragon asked.
Red gazed at the other one, "I'm crafting a magical crystal Cosmos," he waved him with his tail, "You should go and bother your blood father."
The other one pouted, "He's busy with the meeting with the other leaders of the realm. Seems like Lateef is giving blood dad some trouble."
The older dragon sighed, "And I'm the go too dragon to annoy when you get bored?" he put the knife on the side after he finished crafting his symbol. It was too risky to go on.
"Red. When will you teach me your craft?" Cosmos asked.
"When you will be twenty-four. Not before. You need to understand the basic first before crafting anything yourself. Remember, theory first and practice next," he waved his finger at him.
"I'm almost twenty Red. It's boring to just read books and do nothing with it," the youngling whined.
"You wouldn't say that if you knew all the risks with the craft. Even magically copying a book or restoring it can result in a big explosion on your face if you aren't careful. We Magic Crafters must be the most meticulous dragons when it come to that," he poked the snout of the other dragon and pressed on it a little, "You don't want to break your horns. Unless it is the purpose of bothering me."
"I am ready to do some real craft like you!" Cosmos pouted loudly.
Red groaned in annoyance. He stopped when he suddenly asked, "What's the most important tool of a Magic Crafter?"
"Hum… What?"
"What is the most important tool for a Magic Crafter?"
"I- I don't know. What's the point-" he whined when the other one pulled one of his fins.
"If you don't even know that tool, there is no point to become a real Magic Crafter you little dragon. Now, shoo. I have to finish this masterpiece," he turned back to it.
The dark green dragon wouldn't let the other one get away with it. He immediately searched for a way to get back at him and found it, "You've work on that crystal for a long time?"
"Yeah. Now shoo!" he waved his tail at him more aggressively.
"I can tell with how fat you are," the youngling innocently said.
Red slowly turned towards the other one. His bones cracking quietly under his scales. He showed his fangs and asked, "What did you say brat?"
"I said you are fat. You starting to turn like Cyrus," Cosmos grinned at him.
"Oh really?" he looked down and realised he couldn't see his feet. He raised his gaze at the youngling who snickered at him, "I guess I have to lose that extra fat," he cracked his fingers, "Cosmos. Why don't you help me? I'm sure you have time for that on your shoulder. Did you know that disciplining a brat is an… excellent exercise?"
The other dragon saw the danger and turned around to run away, "Yes!" He rushed away from Red lab.
Red chased after him and yelled, "Come back here you stupid brat! I'll teach you to call me fat!"
They passed in front of a few adult dragons who snickered and remained out of their way.
"And once I'm done with you! You will have to read the entire book and it's 1000 extra pages in one day!"
"I'm soooooory!" Cosmos cried as he run away for his life.
Chapter 30: Magic Duel
Red spun his wooden staff as he casted a spell. He threw a wall of fire at his once apprentice.
Cosmos put his staff on the ground and created a water shield that protected him from the fire. He kicked it on the side and pointed his staff at the other dragon. Water serpentine dragons came out of it and went to the other one.
Red dodged it on the side and smashed his staff on the ground.
The dark green dragon jumped in the air when the grassy field turned into a maw, ready to bit him. He landed on the ground and the two dragons looked at each other's.
Red smiled, "Not bad at all Cosmos. You sure have improved in three centuries," he walked to the left and chuckled, "Still, it won't be enough if you cannot bend nature to your will."
"Since when should magic bend nature to our will?" Cosmos added.
"Since the possibility exist Cosmos," he replied. He grabbed his chin and continued, "Anyway, you've been training since I left. Thought… I wonder why you stayed behind. You surely want to get back at the Sorceress as much as I do," he walked to the left as he went on.
The dark green dragon frowned, "Because Zantor is quick with casting spells and the portal needed a lot of Magic. Something you should already know."
"Sure," he prepared to cast his next spell.
"By the way. You never saw my staff before, right?" the leader of the Magic Crafters asked as he spun his staff. He jumped to the right as he avoided an energy blast. He then ran on the side.
"It is a unique staff Cosmos," he swung his scepter and created a wave of energy.
The other dragon jumped in the air and let it pass under him, "It's unique because I can do this," he pointed at the red dragon and casted a water spell.
The water came towards the other dragon who created a magic shield to protect himself once again. He smirked at the spell coming at him. It disappeared the next second his smirk came.
The Magic Crafter spun his staff. The water turned into a serpentine dragon who began to spiral around the other dragon. It went around the magic shield and smashed the back of Red.
The dragon felt on the ground and rolled to avoid the next attack.
Cosmos charged. The moment his adversary stood up; he smashed his staff on the face of the older dragon.
The red dragon almost lost his balance as he felt pain on his left cheek. He blocked the next one coming at him, "Not bad. Spiral staff… Perfect to go around magic shields," he spit a fang out of his mouth and tried to push the dark green dragon away, "I can see that you are angry."
The face of the Magic Crafter was twisted with anger. He was grunting loudly as he pushed the other dragon, "After what you did! You think I wouldn't?"
Red avoided looking right in the eyes of the dark green dragon before he grumbled when he was hit on his gut. He avoided the next attack coming at him. He took his distance and replied, "I made my choice back then Cosmos. I thought it was for the best that I became a Guardian Dragon, but it turned out to be a mistake."
"You betrayed them and you are hunted for your treason," the other dragon replied as he casted a few spells that were either blocked or hit the target, "I don't know what you did, but knowing you, I wouldn't be that surprise about it."
Red coughed a few times as his body was starting to get covered with bruises. He stood up quietly and felt a little weak for a second.
"Once this is over, you will tell me everything," Cosmos said as he prepared his next spell.
The red dragon sighed as he gazed at the spectators, now finally deciding to give them attention. He found Lateef and told him, "You should have help him correct this behavior in his dream a long time ago Lateef," his yellow gaze turned back to the other one, "Cosmos," he let out a confident smile, "I see that you have greatly improved. You are a powerful spellcaster. You made me feel proud of you. You might reach my level one day. Alas for you, I was holding it back a little. I showed you what I can do with my magic, but… I have this," he showed his necklace and added, "This change everything in our duel."
The dark green dragon looked at it and went back at Red.
"I didn't use it, but now… I don't hold back anymore Cosmos," the dragon declared.
"We'll see about that!" Cosmos casted a thunder chain towards the other dragon, but the older dragon dodged them with ease, even doing a few ridiculous poses to avoid the spell. He stopped as he knew it was different. His spells weren't that predictable. He charged and avoided a few spells coming at him. He tried to smash the red dragon, but the other one grabbed the staff before he could build momentum in his attack.
"I can see the attack before you even think about doing it Cosmos. I suggest you surrender now," he grumbled.
"I will make you talk!" he pulled his staff and casted a few spells.
Red avoided the fireballs coming at him, the ice shards and the lightning whip with ease and with a T-Posing. He sighed, not in boredom, but annoyance. The same kind he made when the dark green dragon annoyed him when he was a child. A wave of nostalgia hit him, but chose to ignore it, "Cosmos. It's time to end this quickly. Prepare yourself."
Red used a spell to elevate the ground under the younger dragon.
Cosmos lost his balance and felt on his behind. He grumbled as he blocked a fireball coming at him with a shield. He heard something and turned around. A mouth with fangs came from the ground and bit his shoulder. He screamed as he tried to push the pain on the side. He dropped his staff. He used his tail to sent it to his free hand and grabbed it. He turned the rock thing into mud and melted away. He quickly closed his wound with magic and jumped on the side when more fireballs came. He searched for the red dragon and grumbled when he was hit on the neck. He stopped flapping his wings for a few seconds and felt on the ground, "D-damn you!" he stood up and used his staff to keep himself on his feet.
"It's over now," the older dragon declared as he pointed his scepter at the other one.
Lateef instinct told him it was getting really dangerous, "Cosmos! It's not worth it! You have to back down and let him go!"
"Never!" the dark green dragon grunted.
The blue monk dragon grunted and yelled, "You cannot win this fight. They are too many things you don't know about Red. He has a trick and he is hiding what it truly does! He cannot predict perfectly everything you cast at him!"
Reason and logic didn't work as Cosmos used fire to create a dragon and sent it at the other dragon.
Red charged. He avoided the fangs of the fire dragon and the tail coming at him. He flew towards the other dragon and used his tail to hit the staff just before a spell was made. He smashed the belly of the dark green dragon without hesitation and followed with a blow on the jaw.
Cosmos was sent in the air and felt on the ground. He covered his belly in pain and blocked the next attack with his staff. Suddenly, the land came to life again and restrained him. He tried to fight back, but he couldn't move.
"Now, it is over. You cannot do anything," he kicked the staff away and pointed his scepter at the other dragon, "Admit defeat. Don't force me to hurt you more than that," he asked.
The leader of the Magic Crafters grunted as he wanted to stubbornly refused to admit defeat. He wanted to sent a few insults at him, but nothing came out of his mouth. Instead, he sobbed as memories flew in his mind.
Long Ago
At that time, Cosmos reached 23 years old. He was excitedly walking in the cavern where his future master was currently residing. He was pulling a younger, but larger dragon with him.
"Come Malefor. I'll show you our teacher!" Cosmos said with a smile.
"Stop pulling me," the dark purple dragon whined when the other one pulled his arm. He wanted to complain that it wasn't the right attitude for a dragon his age.
"Red is the best Magic Crafter ever existing. He is still making his masterpiece!" the dark green dragon joyfully said.
"I barely came here!" Malefor whined quietly.
"Come on. You are a Peace Keeper Dragon with lots of magic! You can keep it up!"
"But-" he was glad that the other dragon stopped pulling him and left him with some peace.
"Where here and-" Cosmos stopped talking when they heard something breaking on the ground.
The two dragons yelped before they checked inside the room. It wasn't anything the young one would expect.
Red was grunting as he threw a vial on the ground furiously, "Dammit! None of it is working! That monster! Nothing can break it! Dammit! Dammit it all!" he threw a gem on the ground and it broke to pieces.
Cosmos had his mouth dropped, uncertain if he should go in there and do something or stayed back and do nothing. The teenage dragon by his side wasn't certain either.
The red dragon then curled up on himself and began to sob, not noticing the two younglings visiting him in his emotional outburst, "Curse her!" tears came down as he continued to repeat that word. Eventually, he went on, "She did this to me! That damn Sorceress! How dare she do this to me? Dammit! I- I- I- You sterilised me you damn witch! Damn you! I- I want to ha- have a child of my own blood!" he yelled that before sobbing.
The other two still didn't dare to come. They knew they came at the worse time.
"W-who's that Sorceress?" Malefor asked quietly.
"C-come. I'll tell you," Cosmos whispered before they left the dragon on his own. He couldn't stand watching Red crying out like that.
100 Years Later
After 100 years, Cosmos became a powerful Magic Crafter. He learned everything from Red. A part of his teaching was by the side of Malefor, until the dark purple dragon left to return at the Artisan Realm. They never brought up what they witnessed 100 years ago when the red dragon broke down. Since then, Red acted normally, or as normally as any dragons could remember.
Right now, the dark green dragon wasn't happy or felling prideful of anything. His heart was heavy from a previous shock and now, another one came for him. He clenched his hands and asked in disbelief, "W-what?"
"Cosmos. I am leaving the realm today," Red replied, not facing the other dragon.
"W-why? Why did you say yes?"
The other dragon gave a gaze, "Because they need someone to replace the Fire Guardian. I am an adept of Fire magic, so it was normal that I might be picked Cosmos."
"Why did you agree? There must be someone else!"
"Maybe, but I will have access to greater magic," Red replied pragmatically.
The younger one grunted, "And you just say yes for greater magic? You know what is going on here, right?"
"I know. Your blood father left us recently from that disease," the red dragon commented as he let out a sad sighed. It was obvious he didn't want to think about this.
"My blood dad is gone and you are the one who can help me!" Cosmos loudly said.
"You are talented. I know you will have no problem taking his place. You deserve it."
"It's not that!" Cosmos dropped a tear, "I need you! You can't just go away like that when he just died!"
Red turned around, "I have to go now. The Guardians won't like it if I make them wait too long. It has been decided a month ago," he spread his wings. He went towards the portal that would take him there.
The other dragon just growled loudly. A mixture of anger and sorrow came out of his throat.
Present Time
Cosmos was on the ground. He painfully grunted as he admitted defeat. He glared at the red dragon, gazing victoriously at him, "Red… You abandoned me," he let out the source of his fury against that dragon, "You abandoned me! I needed you and you just left like that! You selfish bastard!" He didn't care if the others heard him at his low point.
The Dream Weavers gazed at the side a little. They knew what was going on with the leader of the Magic Crafter, but they hid everything from other dragons, as dreams belonged to the owners first. Only Lateef made a few exceptions.
The other dragons were just taken aback by that revelation. No words were said, even if the dark green dragon lost the duel.
Red gazed at the side and put his hand on his hip. He grumbled a few things quietly as he searched for a way to answer that. He approached the other dragon, "Indeed. I am selfish Cosmos. You know me for so long. You must already know that I am selfish. I- I was ready to do anything to have a child of my own blood. I don't care if it would have been a girl or a boy. I wanted to have a blood child. I joined the Guardians for that."
Cosmos gazed at the other dragon, "I know. Malefor and I… saw you. You're failed master craft. You still, abandoned me."
"I know," Red sat down, "The barrier will remain for a while. I cannot really get out now, even if I won," he gazed at the other dragons. The dragon decided to plan his escape while he had his time.
The dark green dragon grumbled as he was freed of the spell. He knew it was over and he lost. He painfully sat down and gazed at the other one. He coughed once and looked in the yellow eyes of the red dragon. He repressed his emotions to the best of his capacity, "Why did you help us?"
"Anything to get back at The Sorceress of course. And children are precious."
"Made sense," he muttered, "I thought you would go there yourself if you could," he turned back the previous comment of the dragon against himself.
Red sighed, "Same as you."
They continued to have a meaningless talk, as Cosmos knew he wouldn't get anything from the other dragon. They just had a small casual talk as they could.
Lateef gazed at the other dragons as he sat on his tail. There was nothing they could do now and meditated. Despite that, he was on high alert and watched the two dragons in the barrier.
AC: This is the end of this chapter.
Next: The Resistance.
Spyro, Sparx and Zoe followed Sheila to their secret base and encountered a few familiar faces who helped Sheila to save the eggs, while wondering where Flame was.
