Warning, very light spoilers in this intro but not really anything major.
Ok, I am just going to acknowledge this now, , I know it's a bit convenient and unplausible Pyre managed to get to Dante's freezer like this on her own. That half the reason I left it ambiguous on what exactly went down. Its for the sake of plot convenience, ok? I want to cut past what would probably be a rather annoying part of the story and get to the fun part. I don't typically try creating such dumb things in my story, but I needed this to happen so the rest could follow.
Of course, I do know how dumb it is, and things can't just go so smoothly for her… (dun, dun, dun)
Anyways, back to story
Spyro sat in the dragon temple, having practiced the techniques Ignitus had taught him, namely how to control his breath and some fighting tactics. As well as how to shoot a fireball at enemies.
For the past few days, he had been practicing on the magically powered training dummies the temple had on had. How they were produced, he did not know, but they could certainly take a beating.
The dummies were constructed of what looked like hard, light-colored wood, and vaguely resembled a bipedal (humanoid) figure in shape, but with no distinct features.
They simply floated in place and around the dragons, before he beat them down.
He had been practicing his moves on for some hours now.
After the last dummy was downed, he sat down, restringing and trying to catch his breath. The fifteen-year-old dragon was of a somewhat slender build, befitting his age. He had purple scales, yellow underbelly, horns, and wings, with a hint of orange on the membranes. He was lying on the floor, exhausted.
"You got some real moves there, Spyro. I think the old man's lessons are paying off." A yellow dragonfly complimented. Spyro turned his gaze slightly towards Sparkx, his adopted brother.
"Huh, thanks. That a first from you; an actual compliment." The purple dragon jested.
Sparkx rolled his eyes. "Hey, just trying to be supportive." He responded, hovering in place.
Spyro sighed. It had been a few weeks since he had discovered he was not a dragon fly. Though in hindsight, it should have been obvious to him a long time ago. When he and Sparkx were attack by those apes back in the swamp, Spyro's fire breath had impulsively came out. He had driven off the apes, and after that, his adoptive parents revealed the truth of Spyro's origin to him: how he was a dragon, and they had found his egg down the river.
From there, Spyro left on a quest to find his true kind, and Sparkx had followed him. After a bit of wandering, they randomly found Ignitus in a cave. Things only got crazier form there, after Ignitus revealed to Spyro what he truly was, some prophesied special dragon, who would save the world and all that.
They had retaken the dragon temple, and Ignitus got to work honing Spyro's fire breath. The past few weeks had been none stop training in the elemental and combat arts. Spyro had gotten decent, but he was still more of a novice. A talented novice, though. He at least had the basics down, a bit quickly, as Igniuts had noted. He had previously had a basic idea of claw to claw combat as well, Ignitus just helped refine it. As for his fire abilities, Ignitus noted how he had the basic form down, but his fire was very potnent, thanks to his lineage as a purple dragon. Plus, being a teenager, he has more control over his own elemental powers than a hatchling would.
He still had a long way to go, though. He would not be a master of this over night. Most dragons, he learned, could control their elements after a bit of training, but truly mastering it and doing all sorts of crazy technique with it took months to years, depending on the dragon.
"So, when do you think Ignitus might be back?' Spyro asked Sparkx, after a few minutes of silence.
Sparkx raised a brow. "I don't know. He left yesterday morning, right? He said maybe sometime today or tomorrow, I thought." He muttered. "Busy giving that big speech of his about how you will save the day and all that." He said, a bit sarcastically.
Spyro huffed. He was still getting used to all of this, being a hero to a species he had barely met. And being the one to end some war he had known barely anything about.
He only really went along with this, because, well, it did not sit well with him for some evil army to be destroying the world; and killing his kind. The story Ignitus had told him about the raid on this very temple, the night Spyro was born, further drove his fury.
If those apes thought they could commit these atrocities and get away with it, well… there would be hell to pay. That might convince him. He would assume whatever role he needed later.
If a hero was what he was supposed to be, going off of his lineage, he would assume the role he needed to. Sure, he could just cut and run, but he had been a compassionate soul his whole life; if he had the chance to put an end to this evil plaguing the world, he would take it. It was his nature to do so.
So, while Ignitus warned of all this, and claimed he would not blame Spyro for not wanting to help, Spyro had chosen to do so.
And here he was then.
"So, what are your thoughts on it all?" Sparkx asked, breaking the dragon from his thoughts.
"Think of what?" He asked.
"Of all this? You know, being the hero and such? I mean, even a few weeks later, this is all a lot to accept, right?" Sparkx asked.
Spyro nodded. "Well, yeah. But, if its what they see me as, than so be it. I only hope I can live up to the hype." He said.
"Don't sell yourself short. I know you will." Sparkx encouraged.
Spyro shrugged. "Still, I wonder what it must have been like in Warfang. Still kind of wish I had gotten to go…" He muttered.
"Weren't you the one who declined?" Sparkx asked.
"Well yeah, but I wasn't exactly read to present myself as some kind of savior to the rest of my kind. If they are going to present me in public, than I at least need some kind of resume or some feat to my name."
"Yeah, fair point. I don't feel quite ready to face a crowd of thousands just yet…" He said.
Both went silent again, resting up for a bit. Their rest, however, was broken when they heard footsteps entering the room. Both looked up to see a certain fire guardian approaching them.
"Ah, Spyro, there you are." He said.
SPyro smiled. "Ignitus, you're back." He said with a smile. He got up and went to greet the fire guardian.
"How was Warfang?" He asked.
Ingnitus sighed. "Well enough, I suppose. The crowd… received you well. The short of it is, we have the city's support in our endeavors." He said, not wanting to set too much doubt into the young dragon's mind.
Spyro noted the brief look of hesitation on his face, but took it in stride. He was sure some were skeptical, but if it gave at least some dragons hope, he would roll with it.
"Now, I know I just got back, but we have much to do. The electric guardian, Volteer, should be in Dante's freezer, going off the intelligence I learned in Warfang. We should be making our way there soon enough. I feel as though you are ready for this." He noted.
When he left Spyro a day or so ago, the young dragon had proven himself competent enough in a fight, with both his claws and his fire. Plus, when they got to the freezer, Ignitus would be present to assist. And dragon were quite powerful on their own, compared to the average ape soldier. Together, they should be fine.
Spyro nodded, but laid down. "Just finished a few hours of training. Could use a bit of rest before a long flight." He noted.
Ignitus nodded. 'Very well, we leave early afternoon. That work?" He asked.
Spyro nodded.
"Good, I will go find something to eat in the meantime.' He noted, before leaving the room.
Frostir had not been himself that day. Not by long shot. He had slogged through all of his training for the day. By the time he was done with training and had stumbled out of the dojo, he was so out of it.
His thoughts had been on his now missing sister.
It all happened so quickly he could hardly realize it. His father had gotten up very early, as usual, as another war meeting had been called that morning. He was up much earlier than either of the siblings would be. He had to practically bolt out the door, going off the paw steps. Frostir heard passing his room that morning.
When he had awoken and gone to wake Pyre up, all she found was a note explaining what she was doing: sneaking off to Dante's freezer.
Frostir barely had time to wrap his head around that before he had bolted out the front door to alert the city guards and such. Conveniently, he was literally being trained at the guard post's dojo. He immediately informed them of the note is sister left, and how she would likely have found some way to sneak out of Warfang in the cover of night
Word would then be spread to any of the patrols going around the territory, and a search party had been sent. Their father, Cyrus, would be informed of it when he could. A situation such as a missing daughter of one of the Warfang councils could find its way up the city guard's to-do list rather quickly, given how the father was a major player in Warfang politics.
So, for the rest of the day after that, Frostir tried to keep his mind on training, while the guards combed the areas around Warfang for his sister. He could barely keep himself focused, though.
"What if got lost? What if the ape scouts stumbled on her? What if some wild animal caught and ate her?" Such thoughts surged through his mind all day. And it did not help that, by the time the search party came by that afternoon, around the time Frostir got off his lessons, they reported no sightings of her at all.
All he could do now his go home, and hope for the best. He had little chance of finding her on his own, if so many other, more trained dragons failed to.
By the time he got home, he slumped on one of the sitting pillows in the living room, mentally exhausted. All he could do was wonder about his sister; and how his father would take the news.
He sighed again. His dad was beleaguered enough, and though he hid it well, he could tell his dad was on his last legs. The war effort was going south, and the council was trying to hold things together. It showed on his father's face; the increased stress , coming home increasingly late, skipping meals at times, and so on.
A thought crossed his mind. Pyre most have noticed it too.
Frostir frowned. "Does she think she can fix things somehow? By freeing that electric guardian?"
It all came crashing down on him. That's why she snuck out. Of course. All her letter said was that she would be going to Dante's freezer.
"Probably thinks she can save the electric guardian. Alone. When she is still learning how to fly." He noted mentally.
"Well, if that were the case.. and she magically found a way over there… would be done?" Frostir mused out loud.
Then, a stupid idea hit him. A very stupid idea; one that would probably end in failure. And his death.
But hey, what else could he do at this rate? Lose some of the last family he had left, after he had lost so much of his biological family already?
He slumped back down, and pondered his next course of actions…
Cyrus had just gotten out of his third meeting that day, which had gone on for hours on end. According to scouts, Cynder seemed to be making moves; prodding the areas the war hit a stalemate. Slowly but surely, the apes were regaining ground. He and the rest of the council spent countless hours trying to discuss the next best course of, with some of the miliary leaders.
And now, after hours long meetings, a city guard dropped the news to him that his adoptive daughter was missing.
Panic and fear had raced through his mind, though he had to quickly calm himself. In his position, one had to be able to regulate their emotions. But still, the worry would not go away. According to the guard, she had snuck out of the city for some reason. Why, he could not fathom.
And yet, he could do nothing to help search for her. He had so many tasks at hand, important matters involving the lives of many. As much as he wished it, he could not just drop such important matters and go and search fruitlessly out in the wilderness. Already, he had been told, patrols and a search party were scanning the area. What more could a sinlge dragon do?
Whatever the case, he could only hope that his daughter would be ok. It was all he could do right now, unfortunately. He could only imagine how Frostir must have taken the news…
He only hoped he could comfort his son, when he got the chance.
(a day and a half later)
Pyre heaved herself out of the storage crate, once she thought the coast was clear. Just as quickly as she did, she scampered off to the nearest cover, another pair of crates, covered by a sheet.
Almost immediately, she felt the frigid temperature of the area take its effect on her. She started shivering, but did her best to work through it. Being a fire dragon, she was not built much for the cold. Her element did not exactly protect her hear. It kept her warmer than non fire dragons, of course, but it was never really enough to burn things beneath her paws. Being in a frigid environment did not exactly bode well for her, though.
She stole a brief look around. It was getting darker outside. The area she was in seemed to be in the middle of a heavy snowfall, likely a mild blizzard. Through some light fixtures situation in the center of the area, she noted she was in an open storage yard, full of all sorts of crates; many of which were covered in sheets to defend against the weather. The whole area was blanketed in snow. The yard itself lacked any kind of fence or anything such as that, it was more of lot. Just adjacent to the yard, sat a nondescript stone fortress, with a side door, made of wood, facing the yard. It looked big enough to accommodate an adult dragon.
She looked around again. Only a few apes were present in the yard, some wearing basic hide armor, likely soldiers, while two present were dressed in brown tunics, with brown caps on their heads. Everyone present was where a simple, black, fur cloak around their bodies, likely skinned from some kind of animal.
Pyre breathed a sigh of relief that she had made it here; and that her plan had not failed yet.
She briefly took a moment to reflect on how she got here.
The night she snuck out, she had to fly over the Warfang wall, in the cover of dark. Choosing a spot that was not well guarded, because said guard was asleep, her escape was easy enough.
She flew with in the wilderness after that for only about two hours; which was almost the most her tiny wings could muster. Luckily, she had spotted a small ape patrol, hidden among the trees. From what she could tell, said patrol was a part of their smuggling operation to get things across the mainland and to their encampments. They moved fast, under the cover of night to do so.
Trailing them to a clearing, she saw they had crates, full of smuggled goods. One ape, she noted, had mentioned a certain crate going to Dante's freezer. Said crate was at the edge of the camp, with it's lid open.
Bolting to it, and plopping herself in, she found it contained food rations and waterskins. She buried herself in them, just a bit before an ape covered the lid, not bothering to check the contents.
For the next day and half, by her guess, she felt the crate heaving and hoeing. To say she felt cramped might have been an understatement. Luckily for her, she at least had a source of food and water to keep her sustained. Unfortunately, there was no chance to relieve herself in the crate….
Not caring at the moment, she 'did her business' behind a crate, rather quickly, before shifting hiding spots again.
"Glad they didn't catch me doing that…" She noted to herself mentally. She looked around again, noting the entrance to the castle.
She would have to move quickly. As she waited for the guards to move out of the way, the sound of a voice across the yard alerted her.
The little dragon heard an ape speak, and jerked her head in his direction. She turned from her hiding spot, noticed an ape checking over the crate she had just been hiding in, across the storage area. Said apes was wearing the brown tunic, a rider, so she guessed.
"Hey, someone gets over, think we have a situation." He said, calmly, in a gruff voice.
Within moments, another ape, dressed in soldier attire, looked up from a crate he was looking over, and walked over to the rider.
"What, something break into the rations?" He asked,
The dreadwing rider shook his head. "Of a sort. I think something stowed away in here. I found a few rations and waterskins half eaten. And the lid was already slightly opened when I got here…"
The soldier frowned. "Damn, rats?"
The rider shook his head. "Naw, something bigger. Something smarter, perhaps…" He said, beginning to look down at the ground beside the crate.
"Huh, look at this." He said, crouching down. He pointed out the slightly remains of tiny paw prints, half buried in harsh snowfall. "Maybe not as smart as I thought…"
The solider frowned. "So its still here… " He said , turning away.
The rider got up and spoke. "Inform the others, I'm going to see if I can trace the tracks. " Pyre heard the rider finish.
Within seconds, panic overtook the hatchling's mind, as she saw the soldier walk in the direction of his fellow apes.
"Should we get the dreadwing's on the scene?" One voice asked.
"Sent em hunting already. Its up to us." Another replied.
Pyre looked around frantically, she quickly bolted from her current spot, towards another set of crates, closer to the wall of the fortress. Luckily for her, none of the apes noticed her.
Yet.
The sound of another ape's voice caught her, and the rest of the apes' attention.
"Got something… Damn blizzard is covering the tracks a bit fast, but I can make out some of the trail." The rider stated. He followed it slightly before coming to a stop.
"Go figure, our 'rat' relieved itself over here." He said, having noted the yellow snow, and smell of urine behind one of the crates.
"Well that's real nice…" One soldier said, sarcastically.
"Whatever, we've got a decent trail going…" The rider went on, glancing in the direction of the remaining tracks.
Pyre had enough. Noting how all of their backs were turned, she bolted for the door, which has been left open by one of the apes.
They were on to her. And it would only be a matter of time before they found her. She would have to move fast, if she were to survive here.
Once inside the fortress, the hatchling noted the long, vacant holds, composed of dark stone floors and walls. Simple crystal light fixtures adorned the walls.
She had no idea which way she was going to go, so she wandered, sticking to the shadows. Hidden by the periphery of the rooms, cowering in the darkness, she evaded the detection of any apes present, who were two busy with dashing through the halls in a frenzy, likely alerted to the commotion in the courtyard.
"Better get this dealt with before the mistress finds out" She heard at least one ape mutter in passing.
As the hatchling wandered the halls, the sound of a voice, emitting from what sounded like the lower end of the fortress.
"Give me what I want, Volteer!" A harsh, feminine voice growled.
"Does my most curt manner mean nothing to you? Why most persist in this frivolous prattle? No!" An eccentric voiced responded.
A low growling followed this. Seeing a door where this emitted from, the hatchling followed it, glancing around for any kind of guards. Luckily, none were present.
The door lead into a ramp, giving way to another room.
The door to what she guessed was the dungeon was left open, so she slunk in, quietly. Hiding behind some nearby crates, Pyre nearly gasped in shock.
Two adult dragons were present in the room, one massive, with yellow scales, grey underbelly, horns, and tips to his wings, as well as grey plates to his shoulders. The other, a female, nearly all black, of a lithe build, and a violet underbelly and wings membranes, with a silver blade at the end of her tail.
That had to be heard, Pyre realized, the Terror of the Skies.
She shrank further into her hiding spot. Pyre felt her heart skip a few beats.
Volteer was trapped in a cell, built into the thick stone walls. He had some kind of metal collar around his neck, with a dark crystal on the center of it.
"I will get what I want from you eventually, Volteer." Cynder hissed.
Volteer scoffed. "Keep trying…"
Cynder stomped her foot in anger, before stomping off, slamming the door behind herself. Volteer sighed again and looked away, thankful the encounter had been brief.
Waiting a few moments, the hatchling came out of her hiding spot and drew towards the electric guardian, locked in the cage. She smiled. All she had to do was break the lock and this mighty dragon could get them home safe.
"Mister guardian…" She whispered.
Volteer looked up, and all around at the sound of the small voice. When he noticed Pyre, he gasped. He stared at her in complete bafflement.
"A hatchling? Here?! What are you doing here, little one? Its dangerous here." He stated.
Pyre nodded her head. "Yes, but I came to save you. Those stupid apes never thought I would bother hiding in their crates." She stated, before looking up at the lock on the cell. She stared at it.
"No, no, you need to hide. They will be back any second now. Forget me, just get to safety… wherever that is." Volteer realized.
"No, I can help. I just need to melt the lock." She stated, realizing the cell door was a basic lock, though the bars were reinforced. All she had to do was try to melt it. She started breathing embers on it.
"No, there is no time, they could be-"
He said, as footsteps sounded from outside the room, a bit closer.
Pyre paled, abruptly stopping her embers.
"Quick, hide!" He said. Pyre complied and hid behind some nearby crates.
Sure enough, some apes came down into the room, carrying what Pyre thought to be food.
The apes entered the room and walked over to the captive dragon.
"We've got you favorite tonight; whatever was left from our other troop's meals." An ape stated, amused.
Volteer sneered and took the food.
"What no, thanks?" The ape mocked.
Volteer huffed in anger, and was about to turn away when one of the apes asked something that made both him and Pyre freeze up.
"Oh, and by the way: who might you have been talking to?" The ape asked, nonchalantly.
The two dragons, Pyre still hidden, had a simultaneous reaction.
"No one. Just myself. Only decent company amongst you barbarians." Volteer spat.
The ape looked unconvinced. "Don't lie, Volteer. We heard you talking right before we got in the room." He said, gesturing for his friend to start searching around.
"I mean, surely it's not coincidence that we got a stowaway and now you seem to have a new friend to talk to, right?"
Volteer did not show much expression on his face. "As I said, I talked to no one."
The ape sighed, then tossed him the slop for a food. Volteer glared at him, as he shrugged
"Eh, whatever. We'll fine them soon enough." He said, as he nonchalantly turned away and searched, he room.
"What do we do with this stowaway anyways?" One of the apes asked.
The other one looked at Volteer, and then smiled. "Eh, feed them to the dreadwings or something." He said, ensuring Volteer heard the remark. Pyre saw the electric guardian glare.
The apes, of course ,took note of it.
"Oh, so someone really was here then." He mocked. "If it was nothing, then you not have cared." He said, beginning to laugh.
Pyre had enough, she scanned the room, noting the two apes checking the other end. From her spot behind some crates, she saw they left the door open.
Not caring if she was seen or not, she bolted out of there, wanting to get away from the apes. Perhaps, if she could find some place to hide, and come back later?
She shudder, as she dashed into the hollows of the old fort, hiding amongst the shadows in the periphery of the hallways again.
It was growing darker outside, and what little light came in through the windows was growing dimmer.
Half what mots felt like an eternity, Pyre found herself wandering further down the hallway, aimlessly, until she came upon a large door.
The main entrance, she guessed. Noting an broken window just to the side of the wooden door, she flew up and pushed her way through it.
From the window frame, she noted her environment: a stone path, leading into a large courtyard blanketed in snow. Many meters ahead, she noted a forest.
As she hopped off of the window seal and ventured our further into the courtyard, she looked around. The coast seemed clear, as most of the soldiers were within the fortress at the moment. But looks could be deceiving.
She shivered again, the warmth of the fortress leaving her body. She was growing cold fast. Perhaps she could start a fire somewhere and camp for the night?
Whatever the case, she had enough. She just wanted away from here. All the close calls and knowing Cynder herself was there? She was so out of here. Perhaps she could hide out in the forest for a bit, and come back for Volteer later.
She bolted out into the open, paying no mind to her surroundings. As she put distance between her and the fortress, however, she noticed a large shadow looming over her from above. Her heart sank, as dread set in. When she noticed the bat-like shape of the silhouette, fear over took her.
Dreadwings.
She looked up briefly, noting the distinct, bat-like appearance of them. There were two of them in the air, both purple and quadruped with a hunched over back, gaping maw, and yellow eyes.
The hatchling panicked and yelped in shock. She sprinted faster, preparing to take flight. But, before Pyre could even take flight, one of them lunged and pinned her to the ground with it's talons. Pyre shrieked as she was forced to the ground, head head harshly hitting the hard rock underneath the snow.. Its talon was large enough to hold a dragon at least twice Pyre's size, and it held her effortlessly.
Pyre squirmed and struggled like mad, but it was to no avail. She did not have the strength to free herself from the winged beast's grip. It's partner landed nearby by, glaring at her.
The little dragon did her best to move her head, and stared up at the dreadwings, panic overtaking her body. "Let me go, let me go!" she begged. The dreadwing ignored her, its ravenous gaze staying intently on the hatchling. To Pyre's horror, it began opening its maw in preparation of a meal. "Get off me!" She shouted, as she kept struggling.
Terror surged through the little dragon. Was this it for her? Was she really about to be dinner? She was stupid; stupid for coming here, stupid for thinking she could somehow free the guardian on her own. She berated herself mentally.
"What was I thinking?"
"Wait- I-I'm really really not tasty, please." The girl pleaded. The beast ignored her again, merely moving Pyre a bit in front of where its maw was, adjusting it's talons a bit, but still pinning the dragoness by her back. It opened its maw, likely to devour her.
"P-please… don't eat me!" She begged again, tears water falling down her face. She could not believe she was stupid enough to come here. She wished, and practically begged for all this to just be a nightmare. Oh, how she wished this was nothing a more than a bad dream, for her to wake up from any second, to the comfort of her family.
But it was not; and this was how she would go, she realized. Being rendered to nothing more than a snack for the ape's dreaded mounts.
Pyre closed her eyes, her final thoughts being on her family, wondering if they would ever even know what happened to her.
However, just as the dreadwing was about to have it's prey, however, a snap nearby stopped it. The beast looked up and turned to the side, keeping its talons pinned on Pyre.
Pyre opened her eyes, and looked over at the source of it. An ape soldier, dressed in rider attire, standing a number of meters away, just in front of the fortress.
"Well, well, what do you know? A hatchling, all the way out here…" He muttered. "Guess the dreadwings found something after all."
"Interesting turn of events." A second rider ape appeared behind him. Their dreadwings had the young pinned still. They both looked over at their riders, as if awaiting a command.
"So, what do you suppose we do with it? I mean, those weak horns won't be worth much in trade."
The other ape shrugged. "I don't know." His friend mused. "Maybe let the dreadwings have their fill? Haven't fed them in awhile; and hatchling meat is a delicacy. A fine reward for their service."
Pyre paled. The other aped laughed.
"Works for me. Should be fun, watching them tear her apart." He mused. He then turned to the dreadwings.
"Well then. Might as well give the order." He said, about to snap his hand.
Suddenly, however , something landed just a few meters from the group, abruptly, causing both the dreadwings to back off; and for the apes before them to cowered.
A large shadow loomed over Pyre. She dared not look up. Somehow, she could only feel even more terrified, at what ever was casting it.
"What is this?" A smooth, yet stern feminine voice growled.
"M-mistress Cynder. Nothing to worry about, just some stray hatchling. Think it's the one that might have stowed away. We were just going to take care of her for you." He added.
The terror of the skies looked at the pair, and then down at the hatchling.
"No, that will not be needed. I think I have a use for it…" She said, a villainous smile forming on her muzzle. "Leave us." With barely a gesture, both apes nodded and called off their dreadwings; and vanished from her sight as quickly as they could, taking off on their mounts.
Leaving the child with the terror of the skies.
Pyre looked up in complete terror. This was the mighty beast who had been ravaging her own kind. Who had been leading the dark armies to victory, as far as her brother told her. She stood, frozen in terror.
The evil dragoness looked down at her query.
"My, my, little one. You are quite a ways from home, it might seem…" She mused, her smooth low, feminine voice belying a hint of amusement. She was hovering over the hatchling, ensuing she could not bolt away.
Pyre could feel tears rolling down her face, as she sank to the ground and cowered.
"P-please… d-don't hurt me." She begged.
Cynder laughed, as she brought her muzzle closer to the ground. "Hurt you? No, no… I would never do that… yet." She added. "I have a better idea. Why don't I introduce you to a dear friend? I am sure he would love to meet you." Cynder mused.
The terror of the sky than harshly grasped the hatchling in her mouth. Pyre yelped a bit it pain, but Cynder ignored that, as she carried the hatchling back into the fotress.
The electric guardian's sleep was interrupted by the all too familiar sound of Cynder's paw steps entering his cell room. He groaned and got up to address her.
"I told you. I will never…" Volteer began, before he grew silent. His eyes grew wide as he realized Cynder was not alone; in her mouth, she had a hatchling dangling.
Cynder dropped the hatchling to the ground, harshly. The hatchling cowered, too frozen in fear to move. Volteer's eyes grew in shock.
"I don't mean to bother you, Volteer. I just thought I would introduce a little some one to you. She seems so eager to meet you." Cynder said, with a villainous flair to her voice.
"P-please… d-don't…" Pyre sputtered.
The electric guardian's demeanor fell even more.
"What's wrong. I thought you would be happy to have a new visitor." Cynder said, gesturing her paw towards the hatchling. "I mean, you said you loath me and the ape armies so much, I thought someone new would lighten you mood." She said, almost casually. Pyre cowered in fear, as she felt a black paw on her back.
Cynder brought her muzzle down. "You know… I must say, she is quite adorable, don't you think?" She said, as she looked Pyre in the eye, mockery evident in her own. Pyre could barely hold the gaze, as Cynder looked back up.
"It would be… quite a shame if something were to happen to her, don't you think?" She said, as she brought her claws closer toward Pyre's neck.
Completle fear overtook Volteer's face. "W-wait… don't-"
"Don't what?" She asked, as she lowered her muzzle over the hatchling, a hint of poison evident in her maw. The hatchling began bawling her eyes out, but Cynder ignored it. It was evident to Volteer what she wanted; and she was making sure her threat was understood.
"NO! WAIT! I'll do it, I'll do it!" Volteer shouted.
Cynder retracted any poison she might have been forming and looked up, a stern yet amused expression on her face. "Do what? Be specific."
"I'll do what you want! Charge your crystal, whatever it is! Just leave Pyre alone, please!" Volteer nearly cried, in complete desperation.
Cynder retracted her claw from Pyre's neck, and smiled. "Good. Then we understand each other." She drew her face forward. "The crystal, I want it charged within the next few days. Otherwise…" Cynder looked at the hatchling.
"I am sure I can come up with a proper means of disposing of her." She said. She said, before picking up the hatchling again, and walking off, leaving the electric guardian in a stunned bliss.
Shortly after word, Cynder had thrown the hatchling in a smaller cage, in some other room in the fortress.
She starred down at the caged hatchling; derision evident in her voice.
'What should I do with you, after our dear friend Volteer finishes his task? Killing you would be so boring. Maybe feed you to the dread wings? Bet they would enjoy a snack like you." The terror of the skies mused. Pyre looked frozen in terror.
Cynder gave a villainous laugh. "Yes, I think that could be fun. It gets awfully boring up in my spire, you know." She mused, before she hummed to herself.
Pyre had no idea what made her bold enough to ask the next thing she did, but the words left her mouth as faster than she realized it.
"Why are you doing this?"
Cynder's demeanor grew rigid. She looked over at the hatchling, her mocking demeanor dropping to a much more stern look.
"What?" She asked, plainly.
Pyre knew she dug herself into a hole now and had no choice but to continue. "Why- why are you hurting me? Why are you hurting Volteer a-and the rest of our kind? Why?!" She said, nearly crying again. She could not fathom why any of this was happening; why someone would hurt her own kind so much. What could drive her to do this?
Cynder frowned, and her face contorted in a number of different emotions, from pondering, to anger, back to pondering. Pyre was almost positive she even saw what looked briefly like remorse on her face. What would cause this monster before her to go through all this? It was almost like there was actually something besides evil in that twisted mind of hers.
The sky terror regained her composure for after a few moments, and stared down at the hatchling, a stern look on her face.
"Why, you ask? What, want some grand answers? Well- actually, you know what? I think I might just indulge you." She growled.
"My master has plans; and I will see them done. That simple really. The apes, on the other hand, are in it for their own power. Lets be real here. But, they have their uses, I suppose." She said, a bit flatly.
"But why hurt your own kind?" Pyre pressed, through her tears.
Cynder again look nearly confused for the briefest moment. She looked away, to Pyre's shock, muttering something to her self. She turned her head back after a few seconds.
"If… If my master orders it, than it has to be so." She said, somewhat uncertain, looking away again.
Pyro was utterly confused. What did she mean? Why did she look so… confused about all of this? She was the one spear heading this war, right? Why would she have doubts?
Cynder again looked to the hatchling, her villainous smile forming on her face again, as if the last few moments never happened.
:Enough of that prattle. I do have some news, for you little one. "
Pyre looked up, tears still stained in her eyes.
"Call me impulsive, but I think I have reached a decision about your fate." She said, looking into the hatchling's terrified eyes.
"I find this little conversation of ours… entertaining. I think it might be worth it spare you, instead of having you fed to those blasted dreadwings. You will make a fine pet." She said, mockery evident in her tone. "I hardly get to talk to any others of our kind. And frankly, its much more interesting to me that to speak to those blasted apes." She rambled on. Pyre looked up in terror, beginning not cry again.
"Oh, but don't cry. I will give the order to leave you unharmed. Wouldn't want my new pet in bad shape. After the electric guardian is done, maybe I will even bring you back to my spire. It gets so lonely up there." She mused. " I am sure you will love it." She mused.
The hatchling fell to the floor in complete fear, and began crying.
Cynder began to turn to leave, her need for entertainment sated, but not without a final mocking comment.
"Now, do behave yourself, little one. I will be back after a while." She said, before stopping off.
Pyre broke down in tears, barely able to comprehend the many ominous emotions flooding her mind at the moment.
Why did she come here, what was she thinking? She thought she, a small child, could just stumble in here and save the day, free the guardian, and be home like it was nothing.
But instead, she found herself at the mercy of the cruelest monster in the realms. After nearly being eaten, she was now going to be little more than Cynder's play thing or whatever twisted fate being her pet entailed.
All she could do right now was curl in on herself, and cry.
"Dad, brother... someone... please help." She begged quietly, as she cried herself to sleep.
Authors notes: Well of course Pyre's stupid idea was going to blow up in her face. Sure the method she made it hear was rather dumb, but no way I could just have her free Volteer and escape.
Dumb actions have consequences. And no way were the apes not going to catch onto her almost immediately. They are evil, but not incompetent.
Now, can grumpy OC ice guy and our purple hero save her, and Volteer? Find out next time on, "yet another ANB redux story with OCs".