Chapter 37: Tall Plains
This time, Link flew in the opposite direction to the one that lead to the tundra. Even from this distance, he could see the silhouette of the mountain range on the horizon. It loomed in the distance like a huge black wall. Link and the dragonets were flying over a thick forest to get to it, which reminded him of the Faron Woods in Hyrule. He thought of his adoptive parents, them not realizing how much danger they were in at the moment.
Soon, they were above the roots of the mountain and swerved upwards, towards the summit. They climbed higher and higher until he was rushing through a layer of thick, watery cloud.
When they broke the surface of the cloud, they were greeted with a huge range of flat mountain summits, all of them decorated with fields, farms, forests, houses, and structures. It would have looked quite pleasant, had it not been lying in ruin and dismay. Link could see squadrons of apes and dreadwings patrolling or surrounding the plains.
Link noticed a small peak nearby that led to a sheltered route into the village, which he and the dragonets landed on.
"We will hopefully be less noticeable here," Link stated.
"You're never certain, are you?" Sparx rhetorically asked.
"It would be best to assume your other forms," Link stated to the dragonets. "We need as much stealth as possible."
The dragonets nodded and assumed their humanoid forms. Looking into the cave, they didn't see any apes ahead, but even so, they proceeded with caution. Inside, they were greeted with a damp, gloomy atmosphere and mossy, black walls. Eventually, the tunnel opened into a field of crops, which was swarming with apes. The crops offered protection, provided the didn't move too fast or too close to the apes.
Keeping low to the ground and moving as slowly as possible, Link began to lead the dragonets toward the other side of the field. An ape began to walk toward them, and they stopped dead. They even resorted to holding their breath as it stomped by. After it had passed, they had a moment of relief, and proceeded onwards.
"Why are the apes here?" Clay whispered. "What are they searching for?"
His questions were answered when they bumped into a strange looking creature. It had the look of a humanoid llama, wearing tribal robes and holding a wooden staff. It, too, was crouching through the crops and hiding from the apes.
"Who are you?" Sunny asked.
"A question better asked to you!" the creature answered back.
"My name is Spyro," Link stated. "This is my foster brother, Sparx. The others behind me are Sunny, Clay, Glory, Tsunami, and Starflight. We're here to help."
"Are you now?" replied the llama, "Well the Atlawa don't need your help. I've got this completely under control."
"We're on a quest
"It seems like it," Starfight commented. The llama glared.
"What exactly are you here for?" he demanded.
"Tell us who you are, then we'll explain," Link replied.
"I'm Kane," came the reply. "Chief of the Atlawa tribe."
"Was that so hard?" Sunny asked. Kane glared again.
"Anyway," Link stated. "We're here to drive out Malefor's army and rescue an ally of ours. Maybe you know where he is?"
"I assume you mean that dragon being held here," Kane stated. Link nodded. They heard a brush in the crops, and reality struck them again.
"I'll explain later, come on," Kane stated. "I warn you, because of what Cynder has done to it, it has become a cursed land. Venturing there is suicide."
"As compared to facing the undead in a condemned prison in the middle of the Gerudo Desert," Sparx stated.
"I'm sure we'll manage," Link replied. "What were you doing in that field?"
"None of your business, that's what," Kane snapped. "I've already told you enough, now take your friends and scat."
He stomped off, back toward the field.
"What a nice guy," Sparx said sarcastically.
"Come on," Link stated. The group continued up the path, hoping to find some direction to the center of the plains. As they walked, Link noticed a large collection of cages lined up, with dreadwings hoisting them up. Unable to keep away, Link walked up to investigate.
When he got closer, he saw that the cages were all filled with creatures like Kane. There was an ape nearby, barking orders at the others.
"Get them out and on the ships as soon as possible," the ape yelled, "Cynder wants every last one rounded up and shipped off to Munitions Forge, and you know how she gets when you fail. I might add, she has been behaving rather oddly lately, so get to it!"
Link crept up behind the ape and after he was right behind him, pounced from behind and slit the ape's throat.
The ape crumpled to the ground, but the others nearby saw what had happened and began to swarm toward them. Link stopped as a black liquid glopped onto the apes' armor, having no effect. They turned to see Glory standing there in her dragon form.
That was what Link was hoping. Link conjured a blast at the apes, but instead of flames or sparks, a blast of ice cold air shot from his mouth and blanketed the ground with a thin layer of snow. The apes stopped and stumbled in the sudden cold, and Link threw a blast of fire at them, making them fly off the edge of the mountain. He could hear their screams of terror as they fell to their doom.
"How many more elements can you fit in there?" Sparx asked sarcastically. Link and the dragonets proceeded toward the cages and began to pick the locks with their claws.
"Thank you," said one of the Atlawa.
"Don't mention it," Link replied. "I doubt your chief would be happy we helped you before he could."
"He's never happy about anything," the villager replied. With the help of the released villagers, they unlocked all the cages.
"Get to safety, and stay out of sight," Link stated. "I don't think you'll be able to stay in your village any more."
"It doesn't matter," said the villager. "As long as our people are safe, we can rebuild. Your friend should be kept down that passage."
The villager pointed at a passage that seemed to lead to a bridge connecting two mountains together.
"Thank you," Tsunami stated. The villager returned thanks and they went in separate directions. Link and the dragonets came to one end of the bridge. As they stopped, they saw the gigantic silhouette of Cynder flying away from the land at the other end, carrying another glowing orb, this one blue.
"And we're done here," Sparx stated. "Remember what Ignitus said; see Cynder, run for the hills!"
"Oh, shut up Sparx," Glory replied. "She's leaving, we'll be fine."
"Hey!" a familiar voice said. "You actually made it."
They turned to see Kane walking toward them.
"Yes, we did," Clay stated. "Did you find what you were looking for?"
"As a matter of fact, I did," Kane stated, holding up a ring of keys. "But seeing as you've already released everyone, it was rendered useless."
"Well we're sorry," Link stated. "I'd thought we'd help."
"It doesn't matter," Kane replied." I wouldn't have gotten far anyway, there were so many apes around."
"You're welcome, I guess," Clay said.
"Good luck over there," Kane stated. "I won't lie, the guardian of Hylia's shrine is not easily beaten by normal folk."
Glory scoffed. "The blade forged by Hylia would make quick work of the guardian," she stated.
"Great, now she's getting cocky," Sparx stated as Link and the dragonets ran across the bridge. Kane laughed and Sparx followed after his friends toward another peak.
This one was small, and ringed by a wall of rock. There was a massive stack of columns in the middle with vines tied around it. On the other side was a light blue dragon with spines like shards of ice.
"That must be Cyril," Sunny stated. "Let's get him out of here!" Cyril looked up and saw them.
"Watch out!" he called. As he did, the columns began to come to life, arranging into a humanoid shape, the vines acting as limbs. It roared at the group and began to charge at them.
"Scatter!" Link stated. The dragonets dove away, but as Link tried to dodge the attack, his leg got caught, and he felt it break. He howled in pain and crawled as quickly as he could away. Meanwhile, the beast had gotten its arm stuck in the ground.
"Are you alright?" Sunny asked.
"I'll live," Link replied. "I suffered worse."
Link looked around and saw a red crystal stuck in the ground nearby, and he remembered what Ignitus had said. He got up and limped toward it. The shrine beast managed to pull its fist from the ground and began to come forward for another attack. Link placed his claw on the surface of the crystal and crushed it like he did with the Shadow Crystal, and felt the pain fade away as his leg mended itself. After he was fully healed, he turned and shot a gigantic fireball at the beast's chest, blasting it backwards into the wall.
"Hey, big guy!" Clay exclaimed from the sky. "Come and get me!"
The beast turned to the MudWing. In its distraction, Link charged at it and shot a bolt of electricity at it when he was close enough, making it stop and contract in the shock. As it stood still, Glory spat venom at it, burning through the vines, and the beast fell apart, crumbling into pebbles on the floor. Link and the dragonets stopped for a moment to catch their breath, and then walked over to Cyril.
"Astonishing," he said in awe. "I've never seen dragons so young triumph over a beast like that."
"Thanks," Starflight stated.
"Well," Cyril stated, looking at Link. "I assume by your color you've been sent by Ignitus, and the war is back on."
The dragonets nodded. "Make it a crusade now, sir," Starflight stated. "Malefor has Hylia under his thrall."
Cyril looked behind himself to where a statue of the Goddess sat, perfectly intact. "Well then," he stated. "Count me in. Although I fear Cynder may be back soon."
"Then we best leave quickly," Link stated. "Can you fly?"
"I certainly can," Cyril replied. They all took flight and began back toward the Dragon Temple.