Chapter 9: Colours of the Wind

"So, not only did you fail to capture the Purple Dragon," Gaul hissed at Sirorrialth, "but you defied orders and tried to kill him!"

"He's a threat to us all, isn't he?!" the Sorcerer protested. "You think it wise to bring the one creature that could destroy us into our domain?!"

"We have our ways of holding him!" Gaul growled. "In any event, you should have helped the Rhynocs capture Ignitus! Then we could've come away with at least one of the dragons we needed!"

"Well, I thought the Rhynocs would have been able to capture him! Blame Deina for their incompetence! Not even her apprentice was much help!"

"Silence!" Gaul snapped. "We trusted you to handle Ignitus and Spyro, but you failed and forgot your place. We do not tolerate failure or insubordination! For this, you shall be punished!"

Some Apes came in and laughed, as Sirorrialth got on his knees before Gaul. "Please, give me another chance! I can make up for my mistake!" he begged.

"Oh, you will make up for it!" Gaul said, with a nasty smile. "Especially for not telling us the Purple Dragon was alive all this time!"

"What?! How-?!"

"Bianca told us what you told Ignitus. You knew all along and never bothered to inform us, out of pure ego! Troops, take him away!"

Sirorrialth raised his staff to resist, but Gaul zapped the Sorcerer with his own staff. Gaul then snatched the Dragon's staff as it clattered toward him. The Apes then grabbed Sirorrialth and dragged him from the room.

"W-Wait! Please! WAIT!"

The door closed behind Sirorrialth, as the Ape King settled back on his throne. "You just can't get any good help these days…" Gaul muttered, shaking his head in disgust.

Meanwhile, back at Deina's castle in the Forgotten Realms, she had received the news about Sirorrialth's punishment from Bianca. Deina was delighted.

"Hearing Sirorrialth getting punished brings joy to me," Deina said in excitement. "It'll be a nice dose of humility for that big-headed wizard!"

"So… you're not mad at me, Mistress?" Bianca asked.

"Oh, I am disappointed that you failed to bring Spyro to us, like we wanted," Deina said. "He won't be easy to capture, now he'll be on his guard."

"I'm sorry, Mistress," Bianca said, lowering her eyes. "I was going to get him, but then, the throne fell on top of me."

"I thought I told you, no excuses!" Deina snapped. "Only results!"

"It wasn't an excuse; it was a fact," Bianca said.

"Whatever!" Deina rolled her eyes. "But since I can't trust you alone, we'll have to think of another way to get Spyro."

"Well, maybe you could hire some Thieves to kidnap him and find the location of the freed Guardians?" Bianca suggested.

"Ah, yes that can work," Deina grinned. "Now, I understand that Spyro went into a Fury Surge down in Aquaria Towers."

"Yes," Bianca said. "Sirorrialth pushed him a bit too hard."

"Interesting... And he managed to unlock it at a young age," Deina said. "It's unlikely that he has any control over the Surge. I doubt one will be triggered again unless he's emotionally disturbed. Did something happen to push Spyro over the edge?"

"Yes. He became angry when his friend, Elora was poisoned. He was also affected by Sirrorialth's Fear powers."

"I see... Bianca, send the scrolls to the most cunning Thieves at our disposal! We need the best there is if we are to capture Spyro successfully."

"Yes, Mistress," Bianca said, and she hurried off. Deina settled back in her throne.

"Hopefully, no one else will interfere this time," she grumbled to herself.

Meanwhile, Spyro and the others had returned to the hideout with Aureole in tow; Elora having managed to get back on her hooves thanks to the Wind Dragons' care, though she was still a little queasy. The Wind Dragons, meanwhile, would help the citizens away from the islands to safety, as Cynder was still present.

In the Professor's lab, while Sapia took Elora off to her room, so she could lie down. Meanwhile, Aureole recounted what she had experienced under the sea in lengthy detail.

"Well, I'd been in an orb of water for a long time. It didn't drown me, of course; it just restricted the air I could access around me. Then, about three hours, twenty-nine minutes, and forty-seven seconds ago, Cynder came with a crystal orb. She said 'Your turn, zephyr!' It was an unpleasant feeling, I must tell you. It was like she'd stuck something in me and started sucking out my mana."

"Ew!" Sparx said. "It sounds gross!"

"Tell me about it," Volteer grimaced. "I can authenticate that experience. Having your inner mana sapped out of you is not an ordeal that one will reminisce on fondly."

"I guess not, if I understand that correctly," Sparx said.

Spyro turned to Ignitus. "Well, we have freed two Guardians, Ignitus. We still need to save the remaining three before Cynder can use more of those orbs on them," he said.

"We will Spyro. But first, I believe that since the Wind Guardian is here, " Ignitus said, "you should learn how to master Wind. The more elements you have at your command, the better. Right, Aureole?"

Aureole, lost in her thoughts, started at her name. "What? What was that, Ignitus?"

"Do you wish to train Spyro in the manipulation of Wind?" Volteer said. "Ignitus and I have already schooled Spyro in the ways of Fire and Electricity. It would behove you to follow suit since you now have capacity, don't you think?"

"Oh, right," Aureole said. "Of course. Apologies, I was thinking about how to save the others; the possible strategies, the pros and cons of each, you know."

"You're some kind of strategist?" Spyro asked, interested.

"Yes," Ignitus said. "Her tactical mind rivals that of Terrador, the Earth Guardian. However, she likes to think over all possible options; a bit too much, sometimes. Terrador was always the more decisive of the two."

"Well, it helps to think about these things. Assessing all facts and alternatives makes for wiser decisions," Aureole said defensively. "To answer your question, though; yes, I can impart my teachings to you, Spyro."

"Great," Spyro said, beaming. "But before we do anything, I want to ask Ignitus something."

"What is it, Spyro?"

"Sirorrialth was able to spit poison and breathe clouds of shadows. Then he also used this red-looking power that made me feel nothing but fear. Can a Dragon normally do that?"

"No, Spyro. Poison, Fear and Shadow are unnatural elements; created by Malefor through dark experiments. Only one who delves into dark magic can wield those elements, and I do not encourage even attempting to use them, Spyro."

"Okay. And what was the element I produced when in a Fury Surge? It felt different from all of the others, but somehow, also the same as them, but all together."

"The most powerful element of all, young one," Aureole said. "It has many names, but the proper term is Aether. It is essentially the primal force of the universe; the source from which all power is derived."

"Whoa, so it's like having the power of a star?" Spyro asked. "Because that's what it felt like."

"Something like that," Aureole said. "As far as we know, no other kind of dragon has ever been able to use Aether, except a Purple Dragon. Some speculate that there is a direct connection between the two, which might be why you harnessed it through the Fury Surge. Normally, Fury Surges should only be used as a last resort, but since you're very young, best not to use it at all. There is too great a risk that you would die as a result..."

Spyro shuddered, remembering what Ignitus had said earlier.

"That's why you do need to learn some restraint with your power," Aureole continued. Spyro nodded. The last time he wanted was to kill himself while fighting.

"Come along," Aureole said. "Let's get started then."

"If it's okay with you, Spyro," Ignitus said, "I'd like a word with your brother and sister while you're training."

"Oh, of course," Spyro nodded, as he followed Aureole to the training area. Sparx suspected that Ignitus had something serious to discuss.

"I bet it has something to do with Spyro's Fury Mode."

"Indeed," Ignitus said, as the two headed for Elora's room.

"Okay, Spyro," Aureole said, once they reached the dojo. "The first thing you should know about Wind is that it represents peace of mind, growth, and an ability to view all things without bias. We Wind Dragons live, or rather we used to live, a peaceful existence in our home in the clouds, and we do not seek out conflict." A sad and serious expression formed on her face. "However, we will fight when necessary."

"So… I need to calm my mind to use Wind?" Spyro asked.

"Not necessarily to produce it," Aureole said, "but to apply its full power, you do."

"Okay then," Spyro said as Ape Dummies appeared.

"Now, take a few deep breathes; in through the nose and out through the mouth. Let go of your thoughts."

Spyro did as he was told. He did the same thing as he had when Ignitus taught him how to fly.

"Now focus on the air around you. Guide the wind behind and around your body. Use it to make you swift," Aureole said. "We generally use Wind for utility and defence. Let me show you. I believe practical demonstrations are the best."

Aureole stepped out into the dojo. The Dummies ran at her. For a moment, the Wind Guardian stood where she was. Then, in the blink of an eye, she had moved out of the line of attack from the Dummies.

"This can help when dealing with a more powerful opponent," Aureole explained. "Just dodge their attacks and let them overextend themselves. Then, exploit their openings. Now, you try."

"Okay."

Spyro saw the Dummies coming at him. Focusing on controlling the air around him, he did what Aureole did and dodged the dummies with ease.

"Very impressive," Aureole said. "Now, for the basic Wind attack: Cyclone. This is done by drawing in a huge breath of air, and then unleashing it as a powerful gust of wind. Like this…"

She faced the Dummies, took a deep breath, and released a burst of wind at them. It blew the Dummies into the air, and they fell back to earth with heavy thuds. Spyro quickly did the same, though his Cyclone was a bit too powerful, as it blew Aureole over as well.

"Whoa! Whoa!" she cried as she blew up towards the ceiling. Spyro was surprised.

"Oh man, sorry about that!" Spyro said as the Wind Guardian managed to catch herself and float back down. The Purple Dragon was embarrassed. "I guess my winds can be a bit too powerful."

"They can, but don't worry; you're learning. I'm quite impressed that you managed such strength on your first try. But it'll be best if you show some restraint. Wind can take a will of its own if you let it run free. Just take it easy."

After a few more tries, with Aureole guiding his thoughts, Spyro managed to apply the Cyclone in a way that didn't blow everything away.

"Very good, Spyro. Now, this is the Wind Twister, where one spins themselves and the air around them into a small tornado."

Folding her wings tightly to her body, Aureole held her arms out and began to spin on the spot. Air gathered around her, and soon, she had turned into a tornado. The dummies were swept off their feet and spun around helplessly.

"Wow, cool," Spyro said amazed, as Aureole stopped and took a bow.

"Thank you, young man. Now it's your turn. Since you walk on four legs, I suggest balancing on your tail when you spin.

Spyro nodded, also remembering what she said about restraint as he spun around on his tail, forming into a tornado himself. He did his best not to let it get out of control, as he whirled the dummies off their feet. He then swiped at them with his claws and wings to take them out; this was done out of instinct more than anything else. When he finally stopped, he was very dizzy.

"Errrrruuuummmmm," he mumbled, swaying and staggering about; Aureole caught him.

"Don't worry, you get used to it," she said, chuckling. "I was the same when I did for the first time; unfortunately, I'd made the mistake of eating a large meal beforehand. The food all came back up. It wasn't pretty. My advice is not to use Wind Tornado with a full stomach."

"Okay," Spyro said. Then his stomach tumbled. "Speaking of which, can we break for some food?"

"Sure," Aureole said. "I'm feeling hungry myself now you mention it. Let's get a bite to eat, rest a little, then we'll continue."

Meanwhile, Ignitus and Sparx had reached Elora's room, where Sapia was helping her settle down.

"How are you feeling, Elora?" the Fire Guardian asked.

"I'm feeling fine. But still dizzy," Elora said.

"Boy, you were lucky. We thought you'd surely die," Sparx said. "Maybe it's time you hang up the bows and arrows and call it quits."

"Sparx, you know she's not going to quit simply because she got poisoned," Sapia said. "That being said, she does need time to recover."

"I should be alright in a few hours," Elora said. "I just need some rest."

"That's good," Ignitus said. "Because Spyro will need you when he goes to Tall Plains to save the Ice Dragons."

"You'll be coming too, right?" Elora asked.

"I'm afraid not, young faun," Ignitus replied heavily. "Given the Dark Armies know we're out to rescue our comrades, they'll be on their guard. I fear I may draw too much attention. I'm a bit too conspicuous. If we're going to continue our success, we will need to keep a lower profile."

"Good point, but what about your pals?" Sparx asked.

"Volteer and Aureole are still recovering. They won't be fit for battle until they regain their power.

"But Spyro is still a purple legend guy. Won't he draw attention, anyway?" Sparx said.

"Yes, but he is smaller than us Guardians, so he has a better chance of staying out of site. One of my concerns is how quick to action Spyro is. When you get to Tall Plains, make sure Spyro doesn't do anything foolish. And just as importantly, make sure he doesn't reawaken his Fury Surge."

"What is that?" Elora asked.

"Basically, it's when Spyro goes all god-like," Sparx said, waving his hands. "It happens when he's angry."

"And it is very dangerous for a young Dragon to do. With the latent power that he has as a Purple Dragon, Spryo has a greater risk of awakening a Fury Surge by accident," Ignitus said. "So please, make sure Spyro keeps his emotions in check. And don't forget to take care of yourselves, as well."

"As you even need to ask," Elora said. "I am his big sister."

"No problem, we misfits do need to stick together," Sparx said.

"That's good. And I trust Sapia will also assist you on your journey to Tall Plains," Ignitus said.

"You can count on me, Ignitus," Sapia said, smiling. "I just hope Zen and the others are alright."

"Me too," Elora said. "And I hope our parents are… are…"

"Don't say it!" Sparx cried. "I can't bear the thought!"

Elora sighed. "Sorry Sparx, I am just worried."

"Me too, and it's driving me nuts!" Sparx said.

"Everything will be fine, I promise…" Sapia said, petting Elora's hair.

"Me too," Ignitus said. "Now, you get some rest. Aureole should be done training Spyro soon."

Ignitus wasn't wholly correct on that front. After a little dinner, Spyro and Aureole had taken a short rest, as per Aureole's warning. By the time Aureole judged it safe to return to training, Ignitus had come to see them. He chose simply to observe, for the time being. After another hour, Spyro had got the hang of enhancing his reflexes, performing the Cyclone and Tornado, and combining them with his melee attacks.

"Well done, Spyro," Aureole said. "I think that would be all."

"Actually, Aureole," Spyro said, "I want to try one more thing. Is it possible to combine Fire and Wind?"

Aureole raised her eyebrows and Ignitus decided to speak up.

"It is possible," Ignitus answered. "Those two elements are highly compatible and can make a powerful force together."

"However, mishandled, it can get yourself and others hurt," Aureole warned. "You see, together, Fire and Wind make a Fire Tornado, which consumes everything in its path. It has been done, but almost every attempt at using it has resulted in terrible widespread fires. As such, Spyro, I would not advice rushing into this; not until you're fully used to applying Wind."

"Especially given where you're going tomorrow," Ignitus said. "Tall Plains."

"All right then," Spyro said. He understood that woodlands burned easily, and the last thing he wanted was start a wildfire.

"Well, I think you're set for tomorrow," Aureole said. "You are getting better with your elemental powers. Now, all you need is a good strategy; let me think on that."

"We'll leave you to it," Ignitus said. "Come on, Spyro. You should get some rest." And he led Spyro off to his room.

Spyro settled down in his mat, looking over at Elora, who was fast asleep on the other mat. "Will she be alright tomorrow morning?" he asked Sparx.

"She'll be fine," Sparx said dismissively. "That potion thingy has done its thing well. She just needs rest."

"That's good… I don't know what we would do if she was gone," Spyro sighed.

"Yeah, I really don't know either…" Sparx said uneasily.

Spyro felt angry. "If I ever see that Sorcerer again…"

For a moment, Sparx nearly jumped out of his exoskeleton. "Hey, don't worry. With your power, that guy won't mess with you again."

"It's not enough, Sparx. He's responsible for what happened to our parents. He sent those Apes after us in the Swamp," Spyro explained.

"Whoa… Okay then, we'll just give him a harder beating next time we see him."

"Yeah, hopefully," Spyro said vaguely, as he settled down. "Hopefully…"

Meanwhile, Ignitus was talking with Volteer and Aureole.

"Everything is turning around for us. We are almost all back together thanks to Spyro."

"Indeed," Volteer nodded. "It's impressive, exquisite, and remarkable, that we've been saved thus far by one so young. With the Dragons freed once again, we may have a chance against the Dark Armies."

"Don't get too excited Volteer," Aureole. "We do have the remaining three Guardians to save - including my husband, Terrador - and we need to liberate the Dragon Temple."

"Yes, which is why after Spyro saves Cyril, we're going to make an assault to take back our old home."

"You think four of us plus Spyro will be enough?" Aureole said. "The boy is still young and he still has a lot to learn. I know I shouldn't say this now, but I've been thinking; is it right that Spyro should be a part of this?"

"Aureole, dear, I wish Spyro wasn't a part of this either," Ignitus sighed. "But his parents are prisoners and the enemy is after him. He doesn't have much choice, even if we gave it to him."

Aureole sighed. "All right, then."

"Hopefully, with his help, we'll be able to turn the tide of the war against the Dark Armies," Volteer said.

"Yes," Ignitus said, turning to look at a picture of an Ice Dragoness with icy lavender dreadlocks, dressed in armoured robes and holding a long staff. "Hopefully…"