Ok, so here is the next chapter. Please note that I have nothing against Spyro or any of his friends. I own most of the characters in this story except Spyro and Cynder.
The sound of horse's hooves slowly hitting the dirt road seemed to echo, Silas riding the old stallion, head down and shoulders hunched in defeat. The noise of the soft, slow hooves hitting the ground seemed to match the knight's weak heartbeat. Every beat faltered as he moved farther from his lifelong home, Regensburg off in the distance.
The stallion snorted, breathing heavily, as if sensing the young man's distress. Silas gently patted the horse, feeling bone where muscle once was, the stallion no longer in his prime.
"Be at ease, Brago." Silas whispered in the horse's ears, which twitched at the mention of its name.
Brago moaned in response, as if replying. Sighing, Silas sat back, gently tapping the stallion in his flank with his feet, his spurs hacked off as punishment. His shield had been damaged as well, a hideous cut forever scarring his family emblem of a black and gold two headed eagle.
Brago's ears twitched as Silas let his companion lead him to wherever the horse pleased.
"Did you see how your rider fell? Did you see how the axe cleaved her head? You saw it, did you not?" Silas asked, his voice soft and hollow. It was his lady's horse that he was riding. It was undoubtedly meant as a last insult.
Silas shook his head, sniffing as he closed his eyes tightly shut before opening them, struggling to refocus. Tears began to well in the man's eyes as he began to sob quietly to himself. He swore he could feel her, clinging to him the same way she always did when they rode together, swore he could hear the gentle hitches between her breaths as she laughed. Just...happy. She was always happy with her friend and she loved him as much as he loved her. However, Silas feared that he loved her more than would be appropriate. He never dared show his true affections towards her. It was taboo. Lesser blood should never taint superior blood.
Silas turned his head sharply upon seeing a familiar woman, heart soaring with joy as he saw the white dress his lady often wore, her earthen hair spilling over her shoulders like a waterfall. She was behind a tree, as if hiding behind it, looking at the man. Perhaps the Necromancer had used his magics on her?
In haste, Silas ordered Brago to turn, the old stallion complying, his stride faster.
"M' lady! Ho-" Silas paused, eyes clouded with confusion as he found the woman no longer there as Brago halted, snorting.
Silas looked around, frantic as his breathing hitched. Brago's feet stamped the ground, sensing something that the knight could not.
"Ah...Anaya! Please, do not hide from me! I...I tried. Oh, Lord I truly did." Silas faltered, speaking more to himself with his confession, Brago moving side to side, as if wanting to flee.
Brago reared in panic, an adder moving among the leaves as the horse cried in terror. Silas screamed as he was thrown off his steed, hitting the ground roughly as the knight blacked out for several minutes.
The man groaned softly in pain, his eyes fluttering open to see the harsh sunlight break through the trees, the wind blowing gently as songbirds sang. Silas grunted, shielding his eyes, not yet having the strength to get up. As he uncovered his eyes, Silas was startled to see his lady's face in front of him.
"M...My lady? Why did you flee?" Silas asked, the woman's warm, beautiful smile turning into a frown, her blue eyes showing confusion.
"Have I offended you so horribly that you will not speak to me?" Silas asked, voice laden with hurt and shame. Anaya shot her slender hand up to her mouth to display her shock, eyes widening as they began to water, as if the woman was deeply hurt by her friend's assumption.
"Then why will you not speak to me?" Silas asked, Anaya shaking her head as a tear rolled down her cheek, Silas moving to gently wipe it away. Anaya smiled softly at his attempt, the young man confused and distressed at her lack of words.
"I do not understand. Please, speak to me. I long to hear your voice!" Silas spoke in haste, Anaya frowning once again as she shook her head sadly.
"Please. Please, I implore you. Please." Silas spoke, feeling the tears sting at his eyes, watching as Anaya gently brushed his blood laden hair away from his face, revealing a cut and dark bruise from where he had been stuck by a rock.
"I am sorry." Silas whispered, Anaya smiling sullenly as Silas tore his eyes away, looking back to find the woman gone. Startled, Silas sat upright, looking around desperately for his lady, his heart sinking in despair upon finding her gone again.
"Anaya? Where...Where have you gone?" Silas asked, struggling to get up, looking in every direction to find a trace of her only to find none. Struggling to breathe in his panic, Silas looked down at the ground, finding no disturbance in the soil where his beloved had lain.
Silas continued to search for any signs of disturbance, dismayed upon finding none, paling.
"No...no, no, no...oh, no!" Silas cried, falling to his knees as he started to tug at his own hair before releasing a loud sob.
"Please...do not let this my punishment! Do not torture me any longer! Anything but this!" Silas cried, thinking God must truly hate him.
Silas paused as he felt Brago begin to nip at his hair with his lips, Silas pushing the stallion away in agony.
"Begone, beast! Let me wallow in my misery lest you be the very curse that tortures me so!" Silas waled, Brago snorting as the horse nuzzled his rider's swollen face.
Silas gave up on pushing the horse away, instead wrapping his arms around his companion's snout, seeking some form of comfort even if it was from an animal. Brago was his only link to her now.
The pair stayed that way for several minutes, Silas releasing his hold as he patted the horse, Brago pulling away, ears twitching. Silas got back on his feet, slightly unsteady as he climbed on the stallion, Brago's wide eyes on the young man, as if looking out for him.
"Thank you, my friend." Silas spoke, gently hitting Brago's flank as the old stallion moved forward, the sound of his hooves hitting the ground slowly becoming a constant pattern once again.
The pair followed the road until they wandered upon a large farm some fifteen miles away, Silas raising an eyebrow upon seeing a minor lord out in the field. Embarrassed by his new status, Silas hoped the man would not see him as he rode by.
"You! Sir, knight! Could you be so kind as to spare a moment?" The lord asked, Silas paling as he turned Brago toward the man.
"If I may be so bold, why does a lord stand among his fields with the livestock when the serfs should be tending to them?" Silas asked, the lord sighing response.
"Ah, you can see my problem, friend? You see, something has been raiding my livestock in the fields, and my serfs are terrified to work the fields and livestock." The lord spoke, Silas pausing as Brago moved underneath him with impatience.
"What is this creature that is slaying your flock? There are many a beast here that would prey on them. Why do you not build a fence around your fields?"
"What good would a fence do me? Maybe if the creature was a wolf or bear, yes, but not this beast!"
"Then what is this creature, may I ask, my lord?" Silas asked, the lord shaking his head.
"You may laugh at me, good sir, but the serfs claim this beast is a dragon!" The lord admitted, embarrassed as he scratched his head, Silas void of emotion.
"I beg your pardon?"
"A dragon. You heard me right, boy." The lord repeated, adding. "The serfs claim they hear the wings from their quarters in the dead of night, the beast using shadow as its cover."
"But no one has seen this beast?"
"Nay. Well, now that you mention it, a little page boy that would go wander off in the woods to look for an occasional lost sheep would claim to see the beast flying over the mountains, deep in the Bavarian Forest." Silas looking behind him to see the forest shrouded in mist, only the peaks of the mountains visible.
"And...you would like me to go after this beast?" Silas asked, skeptical. Unlike Berend, he didn't believe in dragons and mythical creatures.
"If you would be so kind, yes, please! I do not care what you do so long as that beast lay dead and my livestock can be live in peace! Carry out this deed and you shall be rewarded!" The lord cried, eyes hopeful as Silas paused, strongly wanting to refuse the man's offer, but felt too much pity for him.
"Very well, my lord. I shall do this task for you, but I do not wish to be rewarded. That is my only request." Silas answered, the lord looking confused but didn't ask for the knight's reasonings.
"God bless you, knight! May the Lord watch over you!"
"And He you." Silas spoke, hitting Brago's flanks once again as the horse continued on their path.
By the time night fell Silas had found an inn by the name of The Tabard Inn. He paused, debating whether he should rest here for the night or sleep outside.
Deciding it better to go inside and not get stabbed and robbed by urchins, Silas tied Brago to a post, apologizing to his friend about leaving him in the rain that was slowly starting to fall.
Walking inside the Inn, Silas immediately became uncomfortable with the occupants in the room. They were loud, they smelled, and many were the type of urchins who would rob you blind.
Ignoring the drunk occupants, Silas made his way to the front of the Inn, several of them-both men and women respectively-were glancing at the exiled knight.
"You look like you've been in some trouble, friend." The Host spoke, cleaning a wooden mug with a dirty rag. Silas grimaced at that. It was just so different than what he was used too.
"You can say that." Silas responded, swearing he saw a woman in white within the bar, but when he looked saw no one.
"You al'ight?" The man asked, Silas clearing his throat, nodding.
"Yes. I have just had a long day." Silas replied, the man laughing.
"Haven't we all? Can I get you 'nything?" The Host asked, Silas pausing before shrugging his shoulders.
"Could you get me a bottle of mead, good man?" Silas asked, pulling out several coins from his purse to give to the Host.
"You don't have to be so mannerly, boy. We're hardly nobles are we?" The Host laughed, Silas laughing awkwardly in return, hastily opening the bottle and chugging it, the Host raising an eyebrow.
"I had a very long day." Silas explained, the man nodding.
"Trying to get drunk to forget?" The man asked, Silas shaking his head.
"No...when I get drunk I pass out." Silas responded, and within half an hour had gotten completely smashed, his speech heavily slurred and face flushed as he spoke nonsense, one minute ranting and raving, the next laughing and then sobbing like an infant for its mother. Whatever happened to this man he could only guess, but the Host couldn't help but feel pity for the young man.
Soon after, true to his word, the young knight suddenly fell forward with a thud, knocking over an empty bottle. The Inn fell into almost total silence. The Host picked up the bottle, noting that the knight had drank two in total within twenty minutes. The man smirked to himself as he saw the young man's hair plastered to his face as he snored softly.
Silas groaned, tasting vomit in his mouth as he sat slumped in his seat, holding his head in pain.
"Hey! Look who's up!" The Host greeted, smiling as Silas flinched in pain, the room spinning.
"Not so loud..." Silas groaned, the man frowning.
"Sorry, friend. I tried to wake you up but you were too far off in never never land." The Host explained, Silas waving him off as a group of men came in. Silas turned his head towards them, and even in his post drunken state could tell that these men were mercenaries. Their presence caused the hair on the back of his neck to rise.
"Good publitision, give my friends and I the best mead you have in this fine establishment!" The one that appeared to be the leader cried, the Host nodding as the men laughed and cheered, Silas burying his head in his hands.
"Drink up, men! For today we shall purge the sky-plague from these lands and collect our just reward!" The leader spoke, Silas lifting his head up upon hearing them mention a dragon.
Determined, Silas got up from his seat, wobbling as he almost fell back down but steadied himself as he walked over to the group of men.
"Pardon, sirs, but did I hear you mention a dragon?" Silas asked, his voice still slurred slightly as the leader nodded.
"You heard right, knight. A dangerous beast this dragon is, killing a local lord's flock."
"This lord...he has asked me to kill this beast as he had asked you, correct?"
"Yes! A just reward he promised to slay the creature."
"This beast sounds dangerous, do you not agree? I will offer you my aid to slay this pest, for I cannot do it alone, I fear." Silas asked, wobbling as the group of men burst into laughter, laughing at the young man as he flushed slightly with embarrassment.
"I'm afraid it will take more than drunken bravado to slay this dragon! Also, you will cut into our profits." The leader asked, obviously not willing to share the money.
"I have discussed the reward with the lord and have made it clear that I do not want to be paid for my efforts. I am honor bound to fulfill my promise whether I go alone or accompany you and your men. Whether this dragon falls by my blade or yours I shall not touch that gold." Silas countered, the leader mulling it over in thought.
"Very well. If you truly are a knight, you are experienced in all kinds of weaponry, yes?" The leader asked, Silas nodding.
"While I prefer a sword and shield, yes, I am experienced in all forms of weaponry."
"Good. How good are you with a bow?"
"I once killed a stag while riding on horseback through the forest with a clean shot."
"Impressive. Allow me and my men to get drunk a little, then we will be off." The leader spoke, Silas frowning as he retreated back to his former seat.
The group ended up drinking for two hours before deciding to leave, Silas struggling to sleep off his hangover, constantly being woken up by the loud men behaving like animals.
Half of the men couldn't walk in a straight line, and most fell as they walked out the door, unhitching their horses as Silas approached Brago, a bit tired, but wanting to leave.
Silas pulled out an apple from his pouch, Brago eating it as Silas climbed on his horse. Some of the men struggled to even get on their steeds. Most men didn't even have horses, and were forced to walk.
"What horse do you have there? It's nothing but a bag of bones! Perhaps we can use it to lure out the dragon?" A mercenary suggested, Silas' eyes narrowing at the man.
"He is an old friend. You shall do no such thing to this gentle beast." Silas spoke, Brago moving side to side once again, wanting to leave.
"Of course we won't. Come, men! We shall make our way to the Bavarian Forest and then to the beast's lair!" The leader spoke loudly, however, their progress was slow thanks to the drunken men stumbling and almost falling off their horses.
When the group entered the forest, it was thick with fog. Several of the men swore they heard roars in the distance or wings beating on the wind.
"The horses are nervous." Silas muttered, patting Brago as the stallion snorted, his ears twitching and breath ragged as he made moaning noises, his wide eyes looking at his rider almost in fear.
"They know we are prey here." The leader spoke, the fog causing the group to move slowly, their breaths visible.
"Do you hear anything?" Silas asked, the leader shaking his head.
"No. Why?"
"That is the problem. I hear no animals in this forest. It is here, I am sure." Silas answered, the leader motioning for the group to stop. The men listened intently for anything out of the ordinary. There was nothing but the sound of their breaths and the horses fidgeting, displaying their rising distress.
The horses suddenly reared and cried in panic as a roar filled the air, bouncing off the sheer mountain cliffs. Several of the horses broke into the forest in a blind panic, Silas struggling to control Brago as he ran in circles. The loud sound of wings in the sky became greater until it was right on top of them, but with the thick fog the men could not see the beast. The wings suddenly ceasing in sound as the earth seemed to quake from the creature landing, the beast out of their line of sight.
"Hold your ground! Hold your ground, men!" The leader roared, his horse backing up. The rider not allowing him to flee as the men readied their weapons.
"Steady. Steady, my friend." Silas whispered, Brago whining in terror, but obediently complied to his rider. Brago, however, continued to pace, fighting his instincts to flee.
Several men had fallen off their horses, the animals having fled in blind terror, their riders suddenly dazed and vulnerable.
The group turned every which way, unable to see the creature through the fog. Some of the men on the verge of soiling themselves.
A horse panicked and reared as a black dragon jumped over a boulder, ripping the rider right off the horse as the beast's wings knocked the horse to the ground. The steed twitched as blood squirted from its neck, and dragon's blade on its wing having sliced the neck to the bone.
The dragon hissed as it crunched the man in its jaws before throwing him against a tree, the man dead. The dragon reared, exposing its red underbelly as its slender tail twirled and knocked several men off their feet.
"Oh, Holy Mother of God...!" Silas exclaimed, eyes wide with terror as he watched the dragon bite a man on the shoulder that got too close, the man convulsing as he began foaming at the mouth, as if having a seizure before dropping to the ground, dead.
The leader forced his steed to charge at the dragon, slamming the horse into the dragon as it was knocked on the ground. It's wings flailing as the man swiped his sword at the dragon, tearing its wing.
The dragon sunk its jaws into the horse, the man falling off as the horse began to foam and convulse. The man quickly got up and retreated to a safer distance.
The dragon got up, blood staining its black and red scales as it hissed, wing dragging on the ground. Silas shook his head, kicking Brago to move the stallion forward, the horse rearing before charging. The dragon miniced the war horse, charging as well.
In fear, Brago turned to the side, the dragon striking only for Silas to bash the dragon's snout with his shield, several teeth embedded in his shield. The knight was almost knocked off Brago from the force. In terror, Brago lashed out with his hind quarters, the dragon grunting in pain as the swift kick broke its jaw. Silas continued struggling to keep his steed under control.
"Steady! Steady!"
The leader lunged at the dragon, the beast rearing up as it roared in pain, the blade digging into its slender flank. The man was flung back as the dragon's wing slammed into him, knocking him unconscious against a tree.
The dragon hissed, blood running down its jaw as it turned toward the lone knight and his steed. Most of the men were either dead, unconscious, or had fled from the terror before them.
"Lord...show mercy on these poor souls that have been sent to your Kingdom by this beast. And show me none for my failures, for I deserve no mercy bestowed upon you by your Grace if this is my time. Forgive me, Anaya." Silas spoke, courage filling his heart as he twirled his blade in his hand. Brago snorted, eyes wide in terror as he fidgeted.
Silas jabbed his steed, Brago rearing as he charged the dragon more more.
The dragon roared and reared, its talons outstretched as Brago reared and kicked in terror. The dragon slammed its body on top of the horse and rider as Brago fell down to the ground, Silas crying as he became pinned under the horse.
Dazed, Silas shook his head, finding it hard to breathe as he sucked in air, every breath bringing pain. Silas then noticed blood was dripping down his blade and that his sword had pierced the dragon's mouth and skull, killing it instantly.
Struggling, Silas pulled himself out from Brago, the horse groaning as the dragon lay on top of the stallion. Silas saw the pool of blood that was quickly forming under the pair, his heart skipping a beat in terror.
"Brago? Brago!" Silas cried, grunting as he struggling to push the dragon off his friend, succeeding only to have his heart drop at the sight.
"Oh, no...oh, Brago..." Silas looked in dismay, beyond crestfallen to see the old stallion had almost been completely gutted by the dragon's claws. The horse was breathing in low, shallow breathes, his eyes wide with terror and agony.
Silas fell to his knees in front of the stallion, petting the horse gently to try and calm the animal in his passing.
Silas looked at the dragon, anger building up in him as he roughly ripped the sword from the dragon's gaping maw before turning his gaze to his companion.
"I am sorry, Brago. But now you can be with your true master. Be at peace, my friend." Silas whispered sadly, poising his blade over heaving chest of the stallion before running it into the horse. Brago make what sounded like a last, struggled gasp before ceasing to breathe. Silas couldn't help but sob as he tore the sword clean out, leaning heavily on his sword at the loss of his sole companion.
His sorrow quickly turned to rage, his breathing quickening in wrath as he got up and damned the dragon, stabbing the beast with his sword over and over again, hacking at its talons that had murdered his friend. The very talons that had now torn the link between the knight and his Duchess.
Silas threw his sword to the ground in rage, kicking the corpse as he cursed and continued to damn the beast. The young man fell to his knees, losing all his strength as quickly as it came, now struggling to breathe as he started to cough, blood falling onto the soiled ground.
The leader got up, stunned to see the beast dead and the young knight kneeling among all the carnage.
"You slayed the dragon?" The man asked, Silas ignoring him as he spat blood on the ground.
"My name is Mordred, knight. Have you heard of me?" The man continued to ask, once again being ignored.
"You should be honored to meet him. Since you impress me, you should feel honored that I ask for your name." Mordred spoke, Silas rising as he wrenched his sword from the ground, unsteady.
"You need not know my name. Go to the lord and tell him you have slain this beast for all I care! Keep your damned blood money!" Silas cursed in pain and rage, and sheathing his blood stained sword, walked deeper into the forest on the path.
"Very well then. To the victor goes the spoils." Mordred smirked, taking one of the dragon's talons still attached to a toe as proof of the beast's slaying.
As the sun began to set, the sound of wings beating in the sky sent most animals fleeing in terror, the fading light reflecting off of the dragon's beautiful purple wings and golden chest scales. But the dragon wasn't hunting. He was looking for his mate. She had gone hunting and had never returned.
The scent of blood filled the air, the male knowing he was close as he smelled his mate's scent, but terror quickly filled his being at so much blood being around his mate.
Finding a clearing in the forest, the dragon landed with a loud thud, the fog cleared as he followed the scent, his heart beating swiftly in terror upon seeing a human dead, ripped in half by a dragon's bite against a tree. His eyes widened in horror at the sight before him, blood and dead humans and horses littered the path, but his eyes ignored all but one body. In the center of the slaughter was the body of his mate.
"Cy...Cynder..." The purple dragon spoke, tears welling in his purple eyes as the desecration of his love. They had cut her beautiful talons off, and had severed her wing, her slender and graceful body now covered in blood.
"Oh, Cynder...no!" Spyro cried, nuzzling his mate as he lost all the strength in his body, and collapsed beside her lifeless body, draping his wing over her smaller frame as he sobbed. These humans had gone too far. Too far...
I felt horrible for Silas, Brago and Spyro. This chapter will most likely be the worse for tragedy and I honestly don't care if I get flames for this. You hate Silas? State that you hate him. Hate him for killing Cynder, for causing Spyro pain. He is a character with flaws, like any normal human being who is trying to just do the right thing. It happends and it is a part of life. Everyone lives just as everyone dies, even if it often is the wrong people.