Author's Note:
Sorry for not updating this in a few months. I will try to finish this story by August. I'm on writer's block for the events of Dawn of the Dragon at the moment.
Chapter 61: The Tree-mendous Terror of Arborick
The smaller skavengers drew their weapons and charged towards the trio. Quickly, Link transformed into human form and launched a polar bomb at them, freezing them solid before stabbing them with the Master Sword. The lead skavenger then dashed at him and slashed with his cutlass. Link blocked with his shield and quickly disarmed him.
"I'm guessing that the Chronicler gave you access to ice breath," Midna stated.
Link only nodded as they started going deeper into the caverns. They crossed lakes thanks to polar bombs. Soon they reached a clearing and gasped. The area was filled with skavengers snooping around next to some large cages. At the back, a large ship floated on the river and the way forward was blocked by a large stockade.
"How do we get past those mangy pirates?" Midna asked.
Link looked towards the ship and spotted a large canon aimed at the stockade. "How about we use that canon to get through?"
Midna nodded. "That's not a bad idea."
Midna summoned her wolves and had them charge at the skavengers, making them turn. "What the!" one exclaimed. "Mad wolves! Get 'em, lads!"
While they were distracted, Link climbed onto the ship and fired the cannon. He then leapt off the ship and froze the skavengers with several well placed polar bombs.
The trio then followed down the path, but a sudden screech made them turn around. There, hovering before them was a large bird with a jagged beak and sharp claws on the edge of its wings. A small skavenger clung to its back, waving his sword and laughing.
"Must be a Skurvywing," Link growled.
Link quickly fired a volley of arrows, which the beast dodged before launching a blast of energy. Link parried it with a Skyward Strike from the Master Sword. The bird then swooped down and tried to grab Midna who merged with Link's shadow just in time. Link transformed back into dragon form and slammed the beast to the ground.
With a growl, the skavenger jumped up and knocked Link back into a tree where he hit his head and fell before one of Midna's wolves hurled the skavenger over the cliff.
But while they were distracted, the skurvywing turned to attack the still stunned Link. With a screech of victory, it raised its claws, ready to strike the Hero. At the last minute, Midna emerged and stabbed a magic spear into its chest, killing it.
"Phew," Link panted, getting to his feet. "Thanks, Midna."
"No problem," the imp replied. "Now come on, we have to keep going."
Eventually, they came out of the tunnels and found themselves high in the treetops where giant jellyfish floated under the branches. Link glided over them with no problem with Midna on his back.
Soon they found themselves at a large lake with a massive broken shipwreck floating on the poisonous waters. Link and Midna crossed the shipwreck to the other side and set off again. But just as they neared a tree-lined passageway, a loud roar shook the branches and then some small skavengers came dashing out, shrieking in fear and completely ignoring them.
"What was that about?" Link asked.
"Something must have frightened them," Midna reasoned. "Let's see what's in there."
"Must we?" Sparx cried out in fear. "What if whatever scared them is still in there? It might want to eat us!"
"We have to go," Midna replied. "Besides, I'm sure we've handled worse than this."
"Care to remind me what could possibly have been worse than this?" Sparx shouted.
"Come on," Link stated as he entered the passage.
Emerging from the tunnel, they found themselves on a cliff overlooking a large mist-shrouded glade. And there before them was a large and very familiar tree.
"Is that your dumb tree?" Sparx asked indignantly. "It's beautiful. Can we go now?"
"This feels like the right place," Link stated.
"Wonderful," Sparx sighed exasperatedly. "I'm going to go over there, you know, give you a few minutes. Maybe there's a lily pad you forgot to sing on... or a rainbow you can talk to..."
As Sparx flew off, Link rolled his eyes and faced Midna. "I'm sure the Chronicler wouldn't have brought us here unless he had reason to. Just try and see what he wants us to do next."
Midna nodded and stepped up to the edge of the cliff. "Hello?" she called out. "We're here!"
"Give us a sign or something," Link added.
Suddenly with a loud roar, the tree began to sink into the lake. As Sparx flew back to see what the noise was about, a huge monster emerged from the waters. It seemed to be made entirely of wood, its body wrapped in vines and its eyes glowing purple. The monster pulled itself out of the mud and let out another ear-splitting roar.
Sparx gulped. "Uh, it's my turn to pass out. You're on your own, guys." And he collapsed onto the grass.
"Oh brother," Link sighed.
The tree-beast stomped forward and swung its arm out, but they dodged out of the way. Link launched fireballs at the monster, setting it alight. With a roar, the monster squatted down and began to swing its upper body around, shaking the fire off. Link and Midna dodged to the side to avoid the flames. Link fired more fireballs as Midna summoned her wolves to slash at it, weakening the monster more.
Angrily, it swung its leg up and kicked Midna, sending her flying to a higher cliff on the other side. Link swooped over to her and shot another volley of fireballs at the monster, who quickly ducked down to avoid the shots. Then it seemed to disappear.
"Huh? Where did it go?" Midna asked, slowly approaching the edge. But suddenly, a monstrous arm grabbed onto the side as Midna jumped back. The tree-monster pulled itself right up onto the cliff!
"Yikes!" Midna gasped.
"This doesn't look good!" Link shouted as the creature towered over them.
"Keep burning it!" Midna shouted. Link launched steams of fire at the beast.
"It's not working!" Link replied as he turned back into human form. He drew the Master Sword and swung with the blade burst into flame, setting the monster's toes on fire. It let out a roar of pain and grabbed its foot, stumbling towards the cliff edge. Link then charged at it, transforming into his dragon form once more, and knocked it over the edge, where it fell into the lake with a deafening splash.
On the other side, Sparx woke with a start and looked around. "What the...? Oh, you guys killed it."
He then buzzed over to where Link and Midna were relaxing. "We came all this way so you two can kill it?" he cried out. He then began to mock them with a sarcastic spooky voice, "Spyroooo, Midnaaaa, I am the mighty treeee, calling you from across the voiiid. Journey hither and vanquish meeee..."
"Yeah," Link stated. "I don't think we were supposed to do that..."
"Wait," Sparx cried out. "You guys don't suppose that was the Chronicler, do you?"
"Definitely not," Link replied. "The Chronicler will always be a dragon."
"There they are, boss," a growl rang out.
Link and Midna turned to find a group of skavengers had arrived, led by the largest skavenger they had ever seen. He looked every inch the pirate captain; one hand was replaced with a sharp hook while the other held a large cutlass, his leg was metallic and he carried a massive treasure chest on his back. Two parrots were perched on his shoulders, both wearing skull caps with golden feathers on them. One parrot was orange and wore an eyepatch over its left eye, the other was purple and had an eyepatch over its right eye.
"Alas," the orange parrot spoke in a very dignified voice, "the dragon and the imp who have been wandering lost in the Ancient Grove... you've been quite a nuisance to us."
"Yeargh," the skavenger captain growled and nodded, making his tongue wiggle.
"Whoa, what's with the gurgling nitwit?" Sparx asked.
"If I were you, I'd shut my mouth," the purple parrot shouted in a very sharp tone. "I ain't gonna say it again!"
"Sparx, maybe you should stay out of this one," Link stated quickly.
"Yes, mind yourself," the orange parrot agreed.
Link smirked. "You must be Skabb," he stated. "I'm guessing that you want me to fight in your tournament?"
The skavenger captain was taken aback by his comment. "Indeed I do," he replied before knocking Link unconscious.
"Spyro!" Midna exclaimed, turning in alarm. She dodged Skabbs attack by retreating into Link's shadow.
"Take him to the prison ship, fools!" Skabb declared. "We start our first match tonight!"
Some small skavengers tied Link up to a pole and carried him to a nearby ship.