Hello! It's been a while since I updated. This chapter is the longest one in this story, and I'm not sure when I will be able to update again due to college. I hope this makes up for wait! Please enjoy!
Spyro snored softly, still within a restful sleep as his single chick stirred. Arias awoke, calling softly for the sibling that was not there, for her comforting warmth was absent. Groggy, the young male looked for his sibling within his father's protective talons, yet could not find her.
Arias called softly for his sister, whimpering in abandonment and heartbreak. His father groaned, eyes lazily fluttering open as the large purple male shook his head.
"Uhhh…...Arias? What's wrong, buddy?" Spyro questioned, eyes widening as he looked within his talons to find his daughter absent. In sudden terror, Spyro rose to his feet, head swiveling wildly and scanning the forest for any sign of his missing child.
"Seraphina? Seraphina!" The male pleaded, looking between his legs incase the young dragon was hiding, but to no avail. Arias still cried for his sister, calls high pitched and desperate.
The father looked around in desperation, seeing no sign of his chick. The male took deep breaths to still his mind, Spyro opening his eyes as he heard the wind roaring, a shadow casting just above in the early morn as a large, red dragon landed within the clearing.
"Is everything alright, Spyro? I heard you calling." Kirk asked, red eyes flicking to the purple male, the older sighing.
"I can't find Seraphina. I have no idea where she went. I fell asleep and now she's gone! I can't lose her, Kirk. She's all I have left of Cynder!" Spyro voiced his concern, the red dragon nodding.
"I understand. I'll help you look, okay? You stay here and I'll...I'll look around the area. She couldn't have gotten too far away, right?" Kirk questioned, smiling slightly as Spyro mimicked his kin, if sullenly.
"Thank you. Maybe she'll come back? If so….I'll stay here and look out for her." The purple male muttered, Kirk nodding before smelling a strange scent.
"Hey, I think I smell something. I am going to follow it and see where it leads me."
"Alright. Please, let me know right away if you find her."
"Will do." The red wyrm replied before lowering his nose and following the scent. It was so strange, yet faint. He couldn't be entirely sure what it was that he was following.
The dragon was lead off into the forest, pausing every so often to pick up the scent which he had lost multiple times. It was then that a roar echoed across the mountains, the morning birds falling completely silent as Kirk paused.
A thunderous crash gave way as a massive dragon burst into the skies, rock and trees being torn from the roots at the strength, the drake purple, darkness flowing around it. Kirk's eyes went wide as he recognized the Bane of Dragons, the red dragon flexing his wings to propel himself into the skies only to be dragged down by a hound, the massive varg forcing him to the ground.
Kirk grunted, feeling the canines of the dog pierce his scales and scrape his bones. Only by biting it did he manage to rip the hound off, throwing it off to the side. However, he did not taste flesh and blood, no. He tasted nothing, though hardened shards embedded into his soft maw.
Looking upon the creature, he realized it was a walking skeleton.
The hound shook itself, rising on all fours as it twitched and cracked, shoulder blade fractured by the drake's bite, several teeth bloody and broken.
"What are you?" Kirk questioned himself, nostrils flaring as he recognized the same scent. It was the smell of death.
Kirk looked down upon his wound, the tears deep and brutal upon his wing. A new scent became stronger, and as the dragon looked upon his left did he see a walking corpse appear, the hound's footing damp, a low gurgle escaping it's maw as flesh fell from it's body.
"Damn it…..I can't let that one bite me. It looks infected." Kirk voiced his concerns, looking upon his wounded wing. If only he could fly…..
"Well, w-ell…...he-re we are…at-last..." Kirk snapped his head towards the familiar voice, soft and calm, his eyes widening.
"What? But…..how?" He questioned, seeing a varg wraithed in wisps of shadow, a single red eyes looking upon him.
"T-t-that is…..irrele-vent n-now. I n-n-ne-ed something…..from y-you. Some-thing…." The wolf spoke, twitching a bit, bone with fresh flesh and matted fur just underneath the darkness.
"Enough of this! Are you with Malefor?" Kirk growled, baring his canines as the Hound of Decay ushered a human scream, blood rupturing from it's vocal chords as it gargled upon the tender flesh.
The Hound of Bones snapped its jaws, dull yet loud claps sounding in warning.
"Master has m-many plans. Mal-efor w-w-wants something. Ne-eds something. As do w-we. Some-thing we a-are we-ak with-th-out."
"Oh yeah? And what is that?" Kirk asked, eyes glaring as he silently dared the creature to move.
"...Y…..Y-our soul." The Reaper spoke, Kirk growling as he tried to move, but found himself unable to.
"What?! Something is wrong! What did you do?" Kirk forced through a closed maw, completely paralyzed.
"I d-did no-thing. You….you did." The varg replied, slowly approaching, red orb glowing with enough brightness to match the very flames of Hell.
"Rrrrrraaaah! Get away!" The red dragon hissed, forcing himself to try and move, to try and escape. The only outcome to his desperate attempts were the occasional twitch as the creature approached, eye seeming to glow brighter.
The varg stood on level with the dragon, its rank breath seeping into the dragon's nostrils, jaws opening.
"You s-should not ha-ve…..met my gaze." The hound spoke, maw opening to such an extent that it clamped upon the dragon's snout, biting into the bone.
Kirk's eyes went wide in horror as the creature began to suffocate him, the red drake unable to breathe, struggling even more, yet found himself defenseless against the red haze. In a minute, the dragon fell to his knees, eventually falling upon his side as the varg held fast. The Reaper did not let go until the dragon ceased to breathe, red eyes glazed and dead as the dragon's spirit fled, housed within the eternal dwelling of the varg's stomach.
With the dragon not even stiff, the shadowed hound pulled back, the black wisps thickening and growing. Its siblings waited, biding their time before the walking corpse approached the dead wyrm, sniffing it before digging into the soft underbelly, body morphing as it fed.
"...He should not h-ave looked. The fool." The hound spoke, The Mutilator ripping away from its quarry to scream, the cry sounding more garbled with an unnatural sound of human and dragon, decayed ears hardening into a parody of proud serpent horns.
"Yes. A fool."
Spyro's head snapped towards the disturbance, eyes alert with concern and fear as a roar pierced through the air. The roar had startled the dragon, for it came from no dragon he was familiar with.
A shadow swiftly darkened the land, a large, purple male soaring through the skies with darkness following its master. Spyro's eyes widened at the threat, nostrils flaring.
Swiftly, the father snatched up his chick, stuffing him inside a hollowed tree, "Arias, stay here! Ancestors, please listen to me for once!" Spyro whispered shrilly, stuffing the young male deeper with his snout for good measure.
Once his offspring was in a secure location, Spyro spread his wings and launched into the sky with a powerful stroke.
"Where is he going?" Spyro thought, riding the wind to quicken his speed, "Unless….no! The humans!" The purple dragon felt his heart freeze at the thought. He may have killed many humans that had just wanted to come home, but now he could try and seek redemption to defend their families.
With that, Spyro pushed his wings to their full potential, hoping to intercept the older dragon as he slowly came closer and closer to his target.
"Malefor!" Spyro roared, blasting a ball of fire at the purple dragon, the larger male dodging as he swung around to fully face his pursuer.
"Spyro…..my, my is has been some time, hasn't it?" Malefor asked, the wind roaring as their wings cut through the gusts. The dragon's yellow eyes appeared half closed, as if lazy, speech slow with a note of calm.
"You aren't going to hurt those humans, Malefor! I won't let you!" Spyro growled, canines baring as his pupils once more regained their predatory sharpness.
"Ha! Let me? Oh, Spyro, you couldn't even stop me if you tried with all your might. For so long I have trapped within the bowels of the earth, cursed by that damned mortal sword! Long have I been within the soul of a mortal vessel! But now, I am free! I am free once more to plunge the world in war! I am Malefor in the flesh! I am power!" Malefor chortled in laughter, Spyro shaking his head.
"No. I will stop you. I won't let you hurt anyone after I caused so much destruction!" Spyro hissed, lunging at the larger male, Malefor easily dodging.
"Awe, how cute." Malefor grinned, slashing the dragon's snout, the sharp pain causing Spyro to pull back.
Spyro unleashed an inferno of fire upon the dragon, Malefor grunting in pain as he roared. The tainted male then broke through the flames, clamping his jaws upon Spyro's throat, the wall of fire dying. Hide charred and burning, Malefor bit all his might, a crack ringing out as the dragon's neck broke.
Malefor loosened his grasp, feeling the dragon go limp as the purple drake plummeted to the ground in a spiral.
"Awe, was that all? I was hoping for more of a challenge." Malefor scoffed, chest puffed out in pride, "I suppose you were not as strong as I thought you were. Such a shame."
Malefor circled around the corpse, bellowing in victory as the Hounds gathered, looking upon the fallen beast. The Reaper's eye stared upon the purple dragon, eyes open in shock yet void of life. The soul was already gone.
"Take what you must. Feast upon his flesh and claim his bones! His soul is out of our reach, but not his body-as pathetic as he was." Malefor ordered from the skies, hovering to look upon the shadowed wolf, "I want those humans cold and dead by midnight. Spare none, and bring me their souls."
For once in his life, Silas did not rise from his bed. The young man was in a deep torpor, breath raspy and body bruised. The wounds had taken their toll, but what the knight had truly wanted was a day of rest, and no misadventures. Thus, staying in bed and sleeping the day away seemed like paradise.
The man was so dead to the world that he failed to notice the rather loud creaking of the floorboards, a warm snout pressing against his form in a nudge.
"Psst! Silas!" The voice whispered, a bit hoarsely, "Silas!"
Silas still did not stir, snoring softly as Ember clicked her tongue, nudging him once more, "Siiiiiilas! Are you dead?"
A slight groan escaped the man, a hand lazily swatting her nose away before the knight shifted, "Ughh...go 'way, 'Rend."
"I'm not Berend, Silas." Ember replied, giggling slightly, Silas mumbling an incoherent response.
After several seconds of silence did the man stir, moving to look upon the dragoness, perplexed, "Hmm...what?"
"Hi." Ember greeted, voice high in pitch as she grinned, ignoring the bruises that covered her friend.
"Ember?...how did you get in my room? How did you even fit through the door?" Silas asked, awakening as Ember frowned.
"You're rude, mister! Say 'hi' first."
"B...hello, Ember." He grumbled, giving up. The pink dragoness brightened, eyes lighting up.
"Good boy! And I came through the barn door. But I could barely squeeze through your door."
Silas groaned softly, rubbing his head, "Please, Ember, not so loud. My head hurts something terrible. But...is there a reason you came here?" He questioned, simply wanting to go back to sleep.
"Oh, sorry...and no, not really. I just wanted to see how you were doing. Are you okay?" The dragoness asked, peering closer at the human, "How do you feel?"
"About as good as I look..." Silas replied, "Oohhh, damn it. I need alcohol..." The man groaned again, body sore and cramping. He didn't feel anything whilst sleeping, but now the pain was too strong, and he knew would never be able to sleep on his own will. Not without aid.
"Alcohol? Oh, I had some today! It tasted icky!" Ember whined, tongue showing to emphasize her point.
"When did you go to an inn?" Silas asked, confused as he struggled to prop himself up, Ember shaking her head.
"No, no, I didn't go to an inn. I had some here."
"Here?" Silas echoed, brow furrowing in confusion, the dragoness nodding.
"...we do not have alcohol here, Ember." The man stated after several seconds of silence, baffled.
"Are you sure? Then what was in that mug?" Ember questioned, just as confused.
"What mug?"
"The mug on the table." Ember stated, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world, the man turning to where her snout was gesturing.
"Mug...?" Silas questioned, looking at his bedside table to see the very mug the dragoness was speaking of, but for the life of him the man could not remember how or why it was there. From what he could remember of last night, he had somehow returned home and made it to his bed. The rest was sleep.
The man paused, trying to think. He only faintly remembered his father bringing him something to drink-but he could not remember if he did drink the liquid or not, or even remember what was in it. Silas groaned as the thinking hurt his head, and he lowered himself back onto the bed, "Uhhhgg...my head hurts."
"Do you need anything?" Ember asked, head cocked to the side as the knight only shook his head, "Okay. Well, I just wanted to check up on you. Now go back to la la land!"
The dragoness cheered, Silas flinching at her voice as the dragon squeezed through his door, leaving his presence.
Silas sniffed loudly, nestling into his pillow, eyes suddenly going wide at the realization that he didn't have to pee-which was rather odd for him. He tried to remember when, but could not, and briefly wondered if he pissed himself whilst he was as dead as a rock. Still, the blankets and bedding were dry.
He tried to think, wondering if he pissed out the window again in a fit of extreme laziness like he used to do in his teenage years. Just get up, walk over, open the window and answer nature's call. But he didn't remember getting up...and he was sure his body would have felt the strain.
Silas dwelled on the topic for several minutes, realizing with horror the extent of his laziness, for he was far too lazy to fully get up and piss out the window sill-a terrible habit he had when he was usually hung over or simply lazy, but his recent urination that been even worse, for it stemmed from a whole new level of laziness.
"...Good Lord, she drank my piss!" Silas cried as realization washed over him, the man going pale before flushing in guilt. This was one of those times it was better to never, ever inform your friend of what they did. Or they might vomit. A lot.
The man sighed, knowing he would have to inform her that drinking strange substances in someone's home was not a good idea...or polite custom.
"Well...at least ale does taste like piss..." Silas mumbled, remembering back to when he was...three, four, perhaps:
"Pa-Pa, what does pee taste like?" A young boy asked, covered from head to toe in dirt as he sat on the ground, nothing but a pile of flesh and bones, cheeks flushed as he chewed on his tongue.
The man sitting down looked up once, grunting before returning back to his blade wetting, "...Find out for yourself."
Therefor, the child did just that, following his father's advice. Following said advice had caused the child to gag and spit profusely at the foul taste, the boy crying as the man pointed and laughed at his son's misfortune of tasting his own pee.
Carl continued to laugh so loudly his gut started to hurt, "Ahhh, wait until you taste ale, son."
Silas frowned at the memory. Yes, ale did indeed taste like piss...at least to him. One of the major lessons that he had learned in life is that at times even the people you trust most can suddenly become major dicks. And his father was one of them.
Not wanting to think on the topic anymore, Silas lay down, releasing a slow, steady breath as he tried to fall back to sleep.
The waxing moon rose high in the sky, a low growl escaping from the darkness as a red eye shown, glow intense. The hellish glow illuminated its siblings around it, the Mutilator breathing heavily as blood poured from its open maw, canines having massively increased in size from feeding upon its draconic prey, nails having morphed into talons and cartilage protruding from its shoulders, displaying a parody of underdeveloped wings, a tail trailing behind. The Scavenger appeared alongside its kin, numerous horns and spikes running along its skull, shoulder blades and spinal cord, providing the beast with increased strength.
The pack watched the village from afar before breaking off, the corpse going right, the skeleton going left, and the shadow directly approaching the town.
A roar erupted over the mountains, seeming to shave the very skies as a massive dragon blocked out the light of the moon, darkness enveloping its very form. The dragon descended from the skies, passing over the village to unleash a stream of fire upon the thatched roofs.
Hot ash and screams began to fill the air as the hounds began to rush the sides, the few militiamen that were stationed were either trying to get the people to safety, or struggling to get buckets of water.
Malefor laughed as he plucked several humans from the ground, sending them screaming to their deaths once he reached a certain height, releasing them. The confusion had made it easier for his hounds to kill, several victims already mauled to death as the skeleton and corpse ran amok in a blood frenzy, jowls dripping with thick blood as it stained their snouts.
The Reaper, however, did not join the frenzy to such extent, and had been focused upon finding those near death. The Reaper paused, however, as a boy had tripped and fallen from the chaos, gaining the hound's attention.
The varg roared upon seeing the teen, who was frozen in fear. It did not know why, but for some reason merely looking upon the teenager brought anger upon the creature, simmering and boiling from its gut, hot and wrathful. For some reason, it did not want the boy's soul, no. It merely wanted to kill him.
"Corin!" A woman shrieked, a small child at her side, the little girl crying.
But the hound paid no heed to the woman's outburst as it merely leaped upon the boys, attacking and mauling whatever limb it could get a hold of with its hungry maw. The boy screamed as the woman cried, picking up a burning piece of wood in desperation and proceeded to beat the creature, though to little effect, "Leave my son alone! LEAVE HIM ALONE!"
The Reaper suddenly pulled its head away, ripping out the boy's throat in the process as it roared, latching onto the offending stick and ripping it out of her grasp, burning wood snapping in half. It then slammed into the woman, easily knocking her over and pinning her down, thick blood dripping upon her pale face, "Wrong...m-ove..."
A low growl escaped the open maw of the creature, the woman now looking upon it with recognition, eyes watery and wide, "R...Rorek?"
The creature above her paused, growl ceasing as the woman breathed with shaking breathed, chest heaving, "...Rorek? You're...I know your voice. Oh, what happened to you?" Vivica questioned, hand rising to touch the jaw of the hound, but a snap stopped her.
"You killed my son. You killed my boy! Do you even remember why you killed my son?! Do you even remember our daughter?! Do you even remember me?!" The woman asked with a venomous hiss, disgusted at what he had become.
The creature paused, pulling back a bit, "...D...Daugh-ter?"
The woman nodded, shaking, "Yes. A daughter. Our daughter. Do you remember her? Sophia."
The varg groaned, shaking its head, as if in pain before slamming a paw on her chest, "QUITE! Y...You...l-l-lie!"
The woman moaned in pain from the blow, shaking herself, "No! Why would I lie to you, Rorek? Do you remember that little, stupid ball trick you and I used to do? Do you remember all those times you would speak to me and the other women in Latin? You said...you said Latin was a dying language in the common tongue, forgotten, like we were. Do you remember that? Are you the same man that gave us faith in ourselves and God that we could better ourselves? Are you that same man that would give your last coin to help us? Are you that same man that convinced me to try and fight for a better life, not just for me but for the children? Don't you remember the day you first saw Sophia, how she was so happy to finally see her father? Are you even that same man that loved her? No matter what you are...Rorek would not stop loving Sophia, not his Phee-Phee. Not Phee-Phee." The woman murmured, voice soft and losing hope as the creature looked down upon her, as if studying her, seeking to find lies within truth.
"V...Vi...Vivi-ca?"
Upon hearing her name, Vivica's face almost cracked in half with a wide grin, sighing in relief, "Yes! Oh, that's it, Rorek!"
The hound broke its gaze from Vivica, stepping off her as it looked upon the cowering girl. Vivica rose to her feet, having no time to mourn for her son as the village burned with intense flame, Malefor on the wind as his roars bellowed through the ash.
"Sophia! Sophia, come to Mommy!" Vivica cried, the girl running towards her and hugging her waist.
Malefor descended from the ashen skies, landing in front of the pair, wings outstretched as mother and daughter coward.
"Awe, look what we have here...a sweet, innocent family, ripe for the picking." Malefor mocked, Vivica shaking as she pushed Sophia behind her, the small girl on the verge of tears, "Oh! It appears we have a volunteer. How sweet!"
The dragon continued to laugh, preparing to disembowel the woman with a poised talon before roaring in pain, raised paw being lowered as powerful jaws clamped upon him. The Reaper growled viciously, its siblings rushing in to join the fray, betraying their master as they slashed at his flanks.
Terrified, Vivica grabbed her daughter and led her to safety as a hound went flying, crashing into a burning building. The Scavenger emerged from the debris, shaking its charred bones off as it once more charged.
The Reaper still held onto Malefor's paw, the dragon reaching down and picking the shadowed varg within his jaws, bones popping from the force. The Mutilator had leaped upon the dragon's back, digging into his scales with its talons as it tried to pierce his hide and tear at his flanks.
"How...dare you defy me!" Malefor roared, rising on his hind legs in an attempt to rid himself of the annoyance, but was knocked off his feet as the walking skeleton slammed into him, causing the dragon to lose his hold on the Reaper.
The shadowed varg had fallen, rolling to a stop before slowly getting up, shaking its head. It looked towards its siblings to see the Scavenger being kicked so hard its jaw had flown off. But that didn't stop it from trying to fight. The Mutilator, however, was being tossed around, flesh flying in all directions.
Suddenly, Malefor had taken to the skies, wounded as the Mutilator screamed in rage, though did not follow the dragon.
Vivica had emerged from her hiding place, Sophia following as she slowly approached the hounds, shielding the girl's eyes, "Rorek?"
All three turned towards her, though a single red glow focused upon her, "...Yes?"
The woman looked upon him, shaking her head, a loss for words, "I...what happened to you?"
"A...curse. He w...w-ill come b-b-back."
"Back? We can't fight that thing!"
"No...not...mortals, no. But immortals...p-perhaps." Vivica looked upon the creature, "You know how to stop it, don't you, Rorek?"
"A blind man c-can see...see more than I. But a dead man...a dead man can s-s-see...everything."
Vivica said nothing, shaking her head as she ushered her child to the survivors, numerous houses burning.
"Lord have mercy..." William shook his head, features heavy with a burdened frown as he looked upon his people's destroyed homes, the fires now smoldering, the dead burnt.
Carl had returned, smelling of smoke and covered in soot, having been helping combating the flames as he returned to his family, Berend frowning as he stood, Silas sitting upon the ground.
"Your son wanted to go help. I would not let him. In his state he is more of a danger to himself, yet he insisted." William commented, Carl grunting in response.
"He is honor bound to fulfil his duties, that sun 'o mine. How many dead?"
"What we could find?" William paused, rubbing his beard, exhaling deeply, "A dozen. Several were burned in the flames. Others were attacked. Some claimed they saw Hell Hounds."
Carl almost rolled his eyes upon the mention of hounds, "I would not doubt it, with our luck. Must have been panicked dogs."
"The hounds are real. I saw them. They saved me and my little girl." Vivica added, the pair looking towards her, William arching a brow, "Truly?"
"Yes. They are...not evil. They said the dragon will return."
Both men looked at each other, perplexed, William clearing his throat, "These...hounds? They spoke to you?"
Vivica paused, unsure of how to answer lest risking her own life, "Yes, m'lord. Yet only one could speak."
"Tell me, good woman, what did these hounds look like?" William pressed, curious.
"There were three. There were three. One...one looked like a corpse, the other bones, and one of shadow." The woman answered, heart racing for fear she would be seen as a witch and executed.
The men were about to reply when a dragon was seen, swiftly approaching with a light hue. As the dragon got closer, they could tell that the dragon was none other than Ember. The dragoness landed with urgency, Arias in her talons, "Silas! Silas!"
The man jolted, having been awoken from his daze as he realized Ember was beckoning him, the man struggling to rise with the aid of his younger kin, wobbling towards the distressed dragoness, "Ember? W..What is wrong?"
"I..It's Spyro, a...and Kirk!" The pink dragon exclaimed, far too distraught to speak as she shook.
"Be at ease, Ember. Take your time, and tell us what has happened." William coaxed, Ember nodding as she struggled to calm her breathing.
"I...I went to find Spyro-to get help-but when I found him, he...he...he was already dead. And Kirk, too. Dead, and eaten! And I couldn't find Seraphina! I only found Arias hiding a tree!" Ember wailed, tears bursting from her blue eyes as she sobbed loudly.
"...Dead? My God..." William muttered, Carl grunting, "I assume this dragon is the killer? How powerful is this one?"
"If it is the one from a book I found, very powerful. Birthed from the flames of Hell."
Berend tugged at the sleeve of his uncle, "Does this mean that we're all gonna die, Uncle? I don't want to die."
"We will be fine, Berend." Silas replied, awkwardly patting Ember's shoulder, not entirely sure how to comfort her in his current state, "There, there..."
"Did that book say how to stop said dragon from Hell?" Carl asked, William frowning, "No."
"We're all gonna die!" Berend screamed, suddenly beginning to cry as well.
"Wait!" Ember exclaimed, all eyes falling upon her as she struggled to catch her breath from her tears, "I...I saw something in the woods. It was like a wolf, but not. It sounded like Rorek. It said that-that it could help. It could bring them back, but with help. I don't know if it's a figment of my imagination, but-"
"See?! The hounds are real, they are! I told you lot!" Vivica exclaimed, excitement in her voice, "It's Rorek, I know. What else did he say?"
"He...He said that there is a cave. To the north of here-that is where he will be."
"The Bavarian Forest?" Carl questioned, Silas perking up, "That is where I killed Cynder."
"Maybe he was speaking of my old cave. That is the only cave I know." Ember frowned, wings falling to her side, Arias sitting by her talons, the young male shaking.
"Good woman, do you know how much time we have until the sky-plague returns?" The old Duke asked, Vivica frowning as she shook her head, "No, m'lord. I only know that it will return. But...But I think it knows something-how to stop the dragon."
William paused, once more stroking his beard absentmindedly in thought, "That...would make sense. The dragon and hounds appeared and attacked at the same time. Maybe..." The man frowned, shaking his head.
"What is the matter?" Carl asked, not entirely liking where this was going as his friend sighed.
"...Maybe trusting this...creature is the only way. I do not know. But what other options do we have?"
"Excuse me? You are not really going to listen to the words of a Hell Hound, are you? I mean...the risk is-" Silas began, but was cut off by a glance from his lord, "If it is a risk that ensures my people are safe, then it is a risk I am willing to take."
"I...yes, m'lord." Silas replied, nodding in submission, "What are your orders?"
"Do you remember the way to the dragon's lair?" William asked, Silas pausing for several seconds before nodding, "Good, good...Take Ember, your father and the good woman. Perhaps-if what the woman speaks is true-the Hounds will not harm you. With her presence may come protection."
"My lord, with all due respect...look at my son. He himself is not fit for the journey. And I should be here defending the people-"
"Silas knows the way, and both he and Ember need to be protected. I do not plan on combating this beast-my men are too few. I will take my people in the castle and pray for the best. Hopefully the stone walls will defend us from its hellish breath. As of now, Ember and this creature are our only hope. Whether you fail or the creature is lying, then you may not have a home to return to, I fear. Now please, time is of the essence, my friends. Go, and my God still have a use for you. I shall go to the chapel and pray for what is to come..." William sighed, heart heavy as he ordered his few soldiers to shepard the people to the castle.
"Uncle, I don't want to go to the castle!" Berend stated, uncertainly in his eyes as the man sighed, picking up Arias much like a kitten and shoving the young dragon into Berend's arm, "You go now, pup. And keep the little lizard safe, you here me? You want to be a knight, follow the orders of your lord and defend the helpless."
Berend looking at the white and black drakeling in his arm, the small creature shaking, traumatized as he frowned, "But-"
"No buts, boy. Just go to the castle, and be safe." Carl stated, voice firm as he crossed his arms.
"...Yes, Uncle."
"We will be back, Berend. Be a good boy until then." Silas spoke, attempting to reassure the boy as Ember nuzzled Arias, the young dragon still shaking, "And don't forget to look after Arias. The poor baby. Don't worry, honey. Auntie Ember will be gone for a little bit, but then Auntie will be back. You'll see..."
"Well then...I suppose we should be on our way." Vivica frowned, ushering her daughter to follow as well.
Both children frowned, obviously not fond of being left alone as they looked upon each other, a natural shyness being overridden by mutual bondage.
The pair followed the others into the castle, Arias still shaking as Sophia looked upon the little creature with curious eyes, "Hi! I'm Sophia. What's that thing?" The girl asked, pointing to the tiny creature within his arm as Berend looked towards Arias before briefly looking back to the girl.
"I'm Berend. And this is a dragon. Well, a baby. His name is Arias." The boy mumbled, self conscious as he tried to hide his missing arm.
"Oh, that's neat." The girl replied, smiling, "...Why are you acting funny?"
The boy frowned, looking at the ground below him, staying quiet for several minutes, "Because I look funny."
The young blonde girl turned her head sideways, as if trying to see what he was talking about, "You don't look funny to me."
"I don't?" Berend questioned, eyes widening in disbelief, "Even without my arm?"
"No. You just look special." She smiled, her response causing the boy to return the gesture ever so slightly, Berend holding Arias even tighter against his chest.
In time, the group had made their way towards Ember's haven-now recently abandoned. Carl paused as he looked upon the forest floor, "You see that, son?"
"See what, Father?" Silas questioned, riding upon the pink dragon due to his wounds, Vivica wrapping her arms around the man's shoulders, fearful of falling.
"The ground is disturbed. Something has been dragged here. Look, you can see the blood."
"Great..." Silas muttered sarcastically, the man in no mood to fight or deal with more dead bodies. Ember scrunched her nose, disliking the scent, "It smells putrid."
"Either way, let us meet this hound of yours." Carl muttered, unsheathing his sword as Vivica awkwardly jumped down from the dragon, Silas trying to lend aid.
Ember led the way, eyes adjusting much faster as the darkness swallowed them. Within the bowls of the caves, a low growl was heard, the group freezing before a single eye broke through the darkness.
"Rorek!" Vivica exclaimed, breaking rank as she approached the hound-which could barely be seen through the blackness.
"Vivica? Why?" The hound questioned, the woman paying him no heed.
"Never you mind that. Can you help? You said the dragon would return." Vivica questioned, Silas slowly approaching, "Wait, wait, wait!...What happened to you?"
"I...was cursed. To se-rve beyond d-death. For the dra-gon. But...n-n-never you mind. I have...regained my...conscience. Do you...do you w-wonder why...the dragon is s-so strong? To kill Spy-ro? To tame...creatures? It is be-cause the dragon...Malefor...he has seen beyond life. He has seen...death. The r-realm of spirits. His spirit is not connected to n-nature, but to the...realm of the dead. That...is why he is so strong."
"Of course...demons." Silas shook his head.
"I assume you ha...ve seen the d-drag marks? They are here...yes, they are h-here."
"Who is here?" Ember asked, the Reaper pausing, as if to think, "Yours friends...of course."
The dragoness looked upon the wolf, confused as it moved aside to show the bodies of the two slain dragons, the Reaper's siblings by their corpses.
"Oh, Ancestors!" Ember screamed, terrified upon seeing the mutilated bodies of her kin. Vivica stepped back, covering her mouth at the horrid display.
Silas glanced upon the corpses, eyes moving to meet the creature before him, "What the hell did you do?"
"Do you not...see? This...is the an-swer."
"It speaks devilry, Silas! Do not listen to its black tongue!" Carl hissed, the young man looking upon his father with confusion, "Father, what are you-"
"You want to bring them back, don't you?" Vivica asked, eyes widening as the sole red orb stared upon her, unblinking.
"And...now you see. If they come...back...t-then they wi-ll be strong enough to rival Male-for himself. For they have seen what...no mortal creature should have...n-naturally seen."
"This is...this is insane! How do we know it will work? How will they be affected after being revived-if they are revived?" Ember questioned, not trusting the strange course of action at all.
"Truly? I do not...know. But, they will draw breath once more. I k-know that."
"And what is the catch?" Silas asked, crossing his arms, grimpsing in pain.
"A catch?...Yes, yes, there is a...catch. But is it f-fate? Or chance? I can n-never...tell. But yes, there is a ca-tch."
"What is it?" Ember questioned, feeling her stomach twist into a knot.
"It requires...blood. H-H-How much is...dependable. Judging by the state of the bodies...enough to claim a life." The hound replied, silence falling over the group as they digested what the creature said.
Carl shook his head, "No, no one is-"
"I will do it."
The man paused, taken aback by the sudden interruption, "Son..."
Silas remained silent before taking a step forward, "I said that I will do it."
Carl once more shook his head, moving to step in front of the man, "Silvanus...this is not what your mother would want..."
"I have a feeling she would not have wanted us in many predicaments." The young knight nodded, as if to confirm. The older man firmly placed his hands upon Silas' shoulders, leading him off to the side to speak, "Boy, listen to yourself. Do you even understand the risks? A life! And not just any life, but my son's! My blood!"
"I understand what I am doing and I hear myself perfectly fine, Father. Look at me! What good am I if I cannot fight, can barely walk? What would you have me do? I cannot help defend the people-I am a burden! I may not die an old man upon his deathbed, or be slain by a worthy foe, but if I do not do this and perish to that dragon what glory-what legacy would I leave behind? Where is the honor in killing a wounded man that can barely stand? I know...I know that this may not work...but I have to try. I have to redeem by honor, and I do not wish to die in vain."
"You will die in vain if this does not work!"
"Then I will die trying to defend my home and my kin! These two-the dragons-they were...are good creatures, I dare say good men were they human. Do you not see, Father. In doing this, I am regaining my honor and finding redemption. Those dragons-they are in a very, very dark and twisted place-and it is a place that I have been there and know well! Their redemption...their recourse is not over, rather it is just beginning. In giving up my life and finding redemption-true redemption-I give others a chance at saving their own souls-to correct their mistakes. I once thought...I once thought that it was too late for me. But now I see God's Will, and I know this is what I must do. If God wills it, then He wills it. If not, then may He have mercy on my poor soul." Silas stated, almost begging as the older man's grip completely loosened, eyes broken.
"Damn your fool heartiness." Carl hissed, anger in his voice before the old knight forcefully pulled the younger in a hug, shoulders beginning to heave in strain.
"Father..." Silas called, tense before slowly relaxing, arms returning the embrace as Carl sobbed, "It will be fine. It will be fine."
The man's cries before to strengthen as Silas frowned, attempting to comfort the older man before Carl hesitantly let go, groaning, "...No man should see his son dead before him."
"At least I can meet Mother now, and she will not be alone. And Berend will have a good teacher. I know I had one." Silas tried to smile, thought it appeared broken. Carl glared at his kin before him, swiftly punching him, "Ow! Why?! Daddy!"
Carl stared at his son, shaking his head, "Because I love my idiot son. I guess no matter what happends you will be waiting for me. Good luck, Silas. I will always remember you. You always made me so proud, even though I may not have shown it. And today...I know I will not be prouder. Goodbye."
Silas frowned, rubbing his sore arm, "Goodbye, Father. I love you..." Silas may not have been sure his father had heard him, but he did see Ember standing by him, scales flushing a vibrant shade of red.
"You are stupid! The dumbest human I know! Throwing your life away!" Ember hissed, the man saying little in response, "I know."
"Selfish bastard you are! Killing yourself in such a way, and for what? A chance?!" Her tone caused Silas to flinch.
"I am sorry."
"I don't understand humans! Throwing their lives away over trivial matters! All humans are selfish bastards!" Ember hissed, the man frowning.
"I am not giving my life away from a trivial matter. Why does this hurt you so?" Silas questioned, Ember huffing in rage.
"Because I obviously care for you! You're my friend, Silas, and first human friend. After you die...I'll never see you again, in this world or the next. I don't want that."
"Then that is something we both shall have to accept."
"...Why do you do it? How do you talk about throwing your life away for a chance so easily, Silas? Aren't you scared?" Ember asked, quieting down as her head hung low. The man merely shook his head.
"No, I am not afraid. I have faith that God will not abandon His people, and I have faith that you and the others will put an end to this madness. Even if my soul shall suffer for working with magics, I am not afraid, because I know that I have done what I believe is right, and if God does not understand that, then He is not God."
"I see...That's all it ever comes down to with you. Blind faith."
"And a dream. I dreamt of her last night. Oh, you should have seen it, Ember. It was so beautiful. It looked like Holland, and we were poor-so poor living on this tiny farmstead-yet we were happy, and free. Not bound by duty or rules. She bore me a son, Ceri, was his name. Ceri-to love-it means. And he resembled me as a little boy-not even four winters-yet he had her gorgeous eyes. Perhaps I am a fool for finding comfort in a dream, but that is what gives me peace. Perhaps that dream is showing what could have been, or is simply of my desires. But that is what gives me comfort. To see the wife I never claimed or the son I never had. Maybe not in this life, but in the next? I think that is something to hope for, we well as giving my friends and loved ones a chance."
Ember released a large groan, struggling to hold back her sobs as smoke poured out her nostrils, the dragoness leaving, "Foolish, selfish bastard! All for a damned dream!"
The man's frown only deepened as he looked upon the single red orb, "How is this done?"
"I made hexes around the bodies to keep anything else out. From what Rorek said, that should keep any spirit other than the dragons' from entering." Vivica replied, "All that is needed is blood."
"And the s-souls. I...have one. The other, I do not know where...it is. But I h-ave one. As Silas' life gives force to the bodies...you-Vivi-ca-will ne-ed to...stab me, kill me. That way...the souls can be released. If you hesitate, and he d-dies before hand...the opportunity shall be m-missed."
"And how do I kill you?" Vivica asked, a brow raised as Silas unsheathed his sword, "My blade. Each sword of a knight is blessed by a priest. That may complete the task."
Vivica grasped the weapon, holding it awkwardly from the weight, "I...think this will do. Thank you."
"Now...kneel within the h-hex. And medi-tate on...what is to come." The single orb focused upon the man, Vivica standing awkwardly.
"...So...anyone have any last words?"
"I am...sorry, Vivi-ca. Tell...tell our daugh-ter I love her. And I am so-rry." The shadowed varg replied, merely waiting as its siblings watched almost absentmindedly.
The woman nodded, piercing her lips together, "I will. Don't worry, Rorek. I forgive you."
Silas was within the circle of salt, kneeling, far too deep in prayer to even hear their words, the Reaper sighing, "I hope this...works. I do."
"I am ready. Do it." Silas suddenly spoke, the slightest traces of tears running down his face from the last few thoughts. Vivica looked at the hound, who nodded as the woman raised the sword, but was stopped by Carl, the man staying her hand. Vivica looked upon the man with confusion and horror as he unsheathed his own sword, pausing to look down upon his son.
"I am sorry." Carl whispered, ramming the blade through the young man's back, tip protruding from his chest in a struggled, sudden gasp. The man then wretched the blade free and caught Silas as he stumbled backwards, blood seeping in rage from his wound, pooling upon the floor and slowly running towards the bodies
"Shhhhh." The father cooed, holding his child as he kissed his hair and brow, unable to stop himself from sobbing as his only son was dying in his arms.
The Reaper nodded, Vivica raising the sword awkwardly before striking at the shadowed creature with all her might, a cry being heard as the darkness around the body faded, giving birth to light as numerous orbs scattered throughout the cave, disappearing. The other two hounds had fallen apart in flesh and bone, their forms unable to be held together.
Vivica breathed in ragged breathes at the display, shaking her head before setting the blade and down and exiting the cave, not wanting to see the cruel sights before her.
"Shhhhh. It is alright. It is alright. It is..." Carl found himself unable to finish as sobs wracked his body, Silas struggling to speak, though could not as blood erupted from his mouth, hands shaking. The father desperately grasped his hand, the younger's shaking almost violently as he became pale, a film of sweat forming upon his brow, breath swift and ragged.
Carl continued to sob, gripped Silas' hand with such force that it had caused his own arm to shake, and it had took the man several minutes to notice that it was indeed his own hand that was shaking-not Silas', which was now still. Air was caught within the old knight's throat, and he could not breathe, for he was desperately listening for the struggled gasps of his kin-and in his horror had only heard silence.
"S...Silas? Silas..." Carl shook his son, desperately so as his mind raced to make sense of the matter, though had found the man unresponsive, and limp, blood now soaking his attire and hands.
"...S..." Carl quieted as he heard a gasp, looking upon his kin, yet finding no breath had flowed through his chest like he had hoped. Rather, the struggled breathes had come from the dragons, flesh healed and bodies mended.
Eulogies, anyone? Thank you for reading and supporting! Never could have gotten this far without you guys!