Nestor waited for Zantor to finish sending the dragon egg back to their realm. His cards were spinning around the egg quickly. Eventually, the egg was teleported away.
"You are really slow Zantor," Bruno grumbled.
"As a Beast Maker, you would have been even slower. You are not adept into magic as we Magic Crafters are," he grabbed back his cards and huffed, "I also had to break the spell that prevent it from being teleported first."
Titan cleaned his axe and added, "Still. Those Rhynocs aren't proving to be a big resistance against us. A little disappointed, but I'm not going to complain more than that. We already saved a few of our children already."
Astor adjusted his hat, "Where could Spyro be? The Realm is quite big."
"And Malefor," Bubba muttered.
They were quiet as those questions came to them.
The old mauve Artisan dragon was wondering what was going on in the mind of the dragon he raised. He scratched his chin. He could only guess it was about the Sorceress.
Gunnar punched his fist, "We still have to save our eggs! No time to stay here!"
"Yeah. Fighting them is making me hungry," Magnus lightly joked, but was also serious at the same time.
"You can live without eating for a long time," the green dragon snickered as the other one pouted.
Nestor sighed, "I don't want a fight between you two Gunnar. We need to keep going as you said remember."
Gunnar grumbled, "Right."
Trondo flew back to the group and said, "I saw no more eggs here, but I found a portal."
"As I said, no more eggs," Zantor adjusted his hat when it covered his view.
Bruno grumbled and ordered, "Bring us to it!"
"Follow me," the dragon replied. The others followed them with the old Astor falling a little behind.
Unknown to them, a few enemies were observing their movement and sent the alert to their superior.
Chapter 32: The Ancient Beast
The dragons came out at the other side of the portal and landed on the ground.
"And now it's getting hot here, like in a good old forge," Halvor commented with a small smile.
They looked around. They were in a field covered with grass, plants, a lot of rocks and lava. It was a strange combination. Right now, they were standing on a large plain with only a few plants and trees.
"Molten Crater. I remember the times where Peace Keepers enjoyed a lava bath. Foolish idiots," Astor commented when he arrived. Once again, he was hit with nostalgia, but it was a little bitter, "The houses are gone thought."
"What's so foolish about it? We have scales and they are hard enough to endure the worse of this realm. We can live though it," Titan proudly declared.
The others from his realm weren't enthusiast about that and didn't agree. They never took one in their life. They lived in an arid land, but not one where melted rock was around.
"We should search for habitants. Maybe someone knows where Spyro or the eggs are?" Nestor decided to push forward.
The other dragons agreed as they refocused on their mission. They took a few steps when they stopped because someone yelled, "Halt intruders! Any disgusting dragons like you have no right to be here! I want to ask you to turn around and leave," the one who ordered that showed up in front of them, "But dragons only deserve death, as ordered by The Great Sorceress!"
Demitrious showed up and gazed down at the dragons. He was at the top of a hill, arms crossed. He was a Rhynocs had white skin, red eyes, a silver horn on his snout. He was tall and wore a golden armor with a golden hat. He held a long hammer on his hand. He grinned at them, "I hope you are ready to face your fate."
Titan scratched his claw with his weapon and asked, "Hum? On your own? I'm not surprise that you are an idiot. I can just fly to you like that," he pointed at his wings and chuckled.
"Maybe he wants to get smashed!" Bubba chuckled.
Tronto licked his knife, "Maybe cut some of his clothes after the beating?"
"This is not the time for that," Nestor grumbled.
"What? You thought I would lose my time to fight a bunch of dragons who got overpowered by The Great Sorceress. You were sent far away by her, on her own! You think you can defeat us?" he laughed loudly. He snickered more when he saw the dragons glaring. Mostly Astor, "Looks at that. The gramps returned. I heard about you. Haven't your bones shattered already?"
"My bones are in better shape than your brain you little idiot," Astor chuckled before he pointed his crook at him, "And you haven't proven you can beat Nestor."
"Why me? Why not a Peace Keeper?" the green dragon in question grumbled.
"Well-" Demitrious was interrupted.
Zantor rolled his eyes, "Please. The Sorceress was just lucky. If she was against a Magic Crafter, she would have been crushed. Astor isn't a magician, so he couldn't block any magic or curse coming at him."
"I-" the bad guy was cut again.
"And she never had to deal with a Beast Keeper either. I know it because father said so," Bruno replied as he hit his foot on the ground.
"Enough!" the Rhynocs yelled.
They dragons were quiet.
"Why didn't any of you tried to attack him by surprise?" Nestor asked them.
The eight dragons who could fight them were whistle as they put their hands on their back and looked away.
"Shut up! I am not the one who is going to waste my time to fight you. You are going to get a nice little surprise," he pointed his hammer at the dragons.
"That's nice, but it's not my birthday… I think," the mauve dragon wondered.
"AHHHHHH!" the general serving The Sorceress yelled furiously.
Astor chuckled and he put his hands on his forehead as a victory pause.
"That old artisan sure got him," Magnus chuckled as he slapped his knees.
"You will die soon enough dragons! I have a little special weapon to use against you."
The group felt the ground trembled for a few seconds as something took a step towards them.
"This was a nice invention made by your ancestors. I'm sure you will learn to appreciate the ancient craft of the Beast Makers!" Demitrious laughed loudly.
The thing jumped towards them. The dragons took a few steps back as they raised their head at the massive thing.
It was a beast made of brown metal covering a bit of white fleshy part under it. It walked on four large legs without foot that created small hole on the ground where it walked on. It had many eyes on its face and the large muzzle. The two arms were cannons ready to fire magic blast. On it's back more cannons were present.
"Impressive isn't it. It was known as the finest beast the Beast Keeper ever made for… I don't know why, but it is ours now!" he chuckled loudly.
The eight dragons turned towards the Beast Keepers. Bubba nervously played with his claws and said, "I wasn't born back then."
Nestor had to give him that. Bruno on the other hand.
"I was merely a pup when I came out of my eggs! I don't remember anything else that my pop telling I was born the year before that Sorceress curse us!" the dragon quickly defended himself, grabbing his falling hat in the process and putting it back on his head.
"For sure… it looks familiar," Astor grumbled as he searched back.
"Now. Destroy those filthy dragons!" Demitrious ordered before walking away.
The thing opened its muzzle and released a large fireball. The dragons dodged it at the last second.
Nestor grabbed Astor and pulled him away, "This way!"
"O-okay!" the mauve dragon replied, knowing he was dead weight against that. Once they were in cover, he added, "That thing has a weakness. I… I just need to find it," he then searched in his mind.
They heard a few explosions. The leader of the Artisans nodded, "Find the weakness," he grabbed his mallet, "Because they need my help. I know how to fight a little. Magnus showed a few things when we lived together," he flew towards the carnage in motion.
Magnus dodged a few blasts at the last second and jumped behind a large rock.
"You really are a big target," Zantor commented as he prepared a powerful spell, "I need a few seconds to cast a big one. They are slow, but powerful."
Titan slid under the legs of the beast and with his axe hit the underbelly of the thing. He hoped it was the underbelly and not the crotch. His weapon bounced on it, "We need to aim the white stuff!"
"Don't say it like that!" Bruno yelled, "Because I got the image of another white stuff!"
"Can we stay civil!" Nestor grunted as he smashed the neck of the thing and avoided cannonballs coming at him as he flew away.
"No!" the dragons replied.
Gunnar charged and tackled one leg. He painfully grunted when he felt his arm was about to blow up.
"Peace Keepers! Charge!" Titan ordered as he pointed at the leg.
Magnus, Tronto, their leader and Halvor charged and tackled the same leg together. They all whined painfully at how hard it was. Nestor and Bubba came to back them up with their muscles and pushed.
The beast lost its balance and felt on the ground. The seven dragons spread it when it tried to crush them with its other legs.
Zantor cards shined brightly, "Ready!" he saw his chance and quickly flew around the beast. He spun his cards together and formed a large magic symbol. A large thunder beam came out of the symbol and it caused a large explosion on the beast, "Please work."
The beast stood up as its body was smoking. A piece of the armor felt down and more of the white flesh was visible on the chest section.
"Dammit!" the Magic Crafter grunted.
Bruno chuckled, "A bigger weak spot!"
The Peace Keepers grinned as they charged together. With once swipe, they were all hit and sent away. The only one who avoided was Tronto who jumped on the arm and rushed towards it. He avoided the blast coming at him and slashed the chest with everything he had. Some white blood came out and splashed on the dragon who landed on the ground. The blood was slippery and lost his balance. He smelt it and grunted, "It's oil!"
Nestor quickly thought. Oil was used for many things for artisans. It was made for some machines to function properly like the clocks, but also for combustion like some torches. From what he saw, the beast used it for one thing, "Cut more! If it ran out of oil, it might have trouble moving or stop!"
Titan passed near him with bruises, "You better be right!"
Bruno smelt it and charged with the other leader, "I believe he is."
They avoided the claws coming at them. Bruno jumped on the muzzle and smashed the eyes with his staff.
The beast let out a loud high pinch cry as it smashed the dragon away.
Titan smashed with his axe on the chest and more of that white oil came out.
Magnus and Gunnar came next and grabbed each side of the wound caused by their leader. The pulled it with everything they had and enlarged it.
Oil gushed out of the beast, until there was nothing that came out.
The dragons went away and waited. They hoped that it was over.
"Damn. I didn't know pop and the others made such beast. I'm honest about it," he gazed at the side and added, "And we destroyed an invention of our ancestors like that."
Bubba approached the beast and replied, "Yeah. It stinks, but it's better to destroy it than let it use for evil."
"It's not over!" Astor yelled. He waved at them, "The thing is still functioning! It's going to that big… thing of a bad mood!" the mauve dragon waved at them.
Bubba was smashed by it and crashed against a rock. He painfully whined.
Zantor came in front of the dragons and casted a shield with his card, blocking a large part of a laser beam that came out of the muzzle of the beast. He coughed a few times and they avoided the next one.
"Dammit!" Titan grunted loudly.
They heard the sound of the body rubbing inside the beast as it moved.
"Dammit!" Nestor said next. He was hoping it was over.
Another blast came and sent them away. Magnus felt on the ground first and huffed loudly when Zantor landed on his large gut.
"Damn. Your fatty belly saved me," the magician grumbled as he sat up.
"Yeah. Speaking of that, that fight is making me hungry," the brown dragon stood up and cracked his knuckles.
"We have to tear it apart," Bruno decided. He looked at them, "We have to break its armor down!"
Astor was on the side and thought more as the battle went on. He heard the explosions and the cry of the others, but nothing came in his mind. His memories were abandoning him at the worse time, "Where's that off-switch? Where is it? Think. Think. Think!"
Bruno slid on the ground as the beast tried to crush him. He quickly followed by flying in the air and avoid more shots coming at him, "I should have brought a beast with me," he muttered before he turned around and charged at it. He landed on the muzzle and smashed the eyes once again.
The Peace Keepers, Bubba and Nestor charged again one of the legs and pushed it with everything they had, breaking the balance of the beast once more.
They could hear a loud sound from it as the metal kept scratching inside the thing. It sounded like that beast was rusty.
"And they didn't properly take care of the beast," Bruno sadly said as he casted a spell on one of the cannons. Zantor came and casted the same spell on the other one.
He flew away as the beast felt on the ground.
The thing stood up as it aimed at the dragons with its cannons. It fired, but the explosion came from within the beast. It shrieked in agony as it felt on the ground.
"Is… is it over?" Tronto asked as he panted. That was such an intense battle and he didn't expect that, "For real this time?"
"Realm Security breached! Failed to stop invaders. Twenty. Nineteen," it began to made a count down.
"It talks?" Bubba yelped surprised.
Astor yelped, "That thing is going to blow! It's charging to explode!"
"Five. Four."
"Run! Run! Fly!" Nestor ordered.
They all turned around, but they had no time to escape.
"One… Zeeeeeerrrr-" the beast came down.
Titan panted as he stopped, "What a joyful letdown!"
The dragons were on their knees and panted at their luck.
"Looks like I pressed on it just in time!" a voice said.
The dragons turned around and saw a human climbing on top of the beast.
He was a tall Caucasian human with pale blue eyes and long orange hair. He wore a brown pants with gray suspenders and a blue shirt. He also wore something on his head and attached to his left ear. He also wore a backpack He clapped his hands, "Good thing you had that file," he then took off his headset and gazed at the dragons.
"A human," Titan grunted as he held his axe.
The human raised his hands, "Is that how you thank me for deactivating the beast? I need to use my brain for that," he tapped it and the dragon could swore there was a bit of an echo.
Nestor took the lead, "Thank you for your help," and didn't brought up that weird echo in the skull of the human.
"Why would you help dragons?" Astor asked as he approached him.
"Because my president has a debt towards you. Especially that small purple dragon… His name was-" he searched for it.
"Spyro?" the carpenter asked.
"Yes! He saved Avalar and helped us. So, we came to help dragon's back by saving the eggs," he then showed one egg in his hand.
Gunnar was quick to come and snatch that egg and returned to the dragons.
"They are yours anyway. By the way, my name is Agent Zero. I'm a secret agent sent with others to save the eggs."
"Secrets hum?" the ten dragons asked unimpressed.
"Yes. I also heard that Spyro is in this zone and-" Agent Zero was interrupted when the green artisan dragon grabbed him.
"Where is Spyro? Where is our son?"
Zantor put his hand on the other dragon shoulder, "Calm down."
The human was released and replied, "He met with the other spies and our magician. They split up to save the eggs."
The Artisan put his hand on his chest, "He's okay. Do you know where he went?"
"No. He is with Sheila, who called us to help them save the eggs with our secret agent gadget and our magician," the human replied.
"Maybe he should come with us," Astor suggested.
Bruno replied, "Of all the dragons, you suggest it. Humans and dragon were enemies in the past."
"More like, aggressive rivals as the president and history remembered," Agent Zero replied. He pointed at it, "That beast was made to protect Dragon Kingdom, not attack its habitants, according to this file," he used his watch and created a hologram of the files he talked about.
"So, it was made to protect," the leader of the Beast Maker commented with both sorrow and relief in his voice. It wasn't made for evil purpose.
"Anyway. I don't mind the human coming with us. If Spyro is back with them, tell the others to contact you. We need to reunite with Spyro quickly," Nestor ordered.
"As long as my secret mission to save the eggs remain, I shall help you," he replied.
None of them wanted to explain the definition of secret to the agent. It would waste their time and maybe lose something ready to help them in their journey.
AC: This is the end of this chapter. Hope you liked it.
Next: Chasing The Thief
Spyro found Hunter who told him about what he found and where the thief was. He told him that she was with guards and had an egg in her possession.
