Chapter 15
"Charisma? Are you ready to leave?" Devlin asked as he opened the door.
"Yeah, yeah. I'm coming!" she replied.
Devlin looked inside. "The portal is waiting for you, my dear."
"And so is everyone else," Brutus muttered.
Charisma left her room without saying anything and stood right in front of them. "Now what?" she asked cooly.
Devlin smiled. "Now we go to the portal," he said matter of factly.
"And where would that be?" she asked impatiently.
"Follow us," Ripto said gruffly.
They walked through a series of hallways and corridors before they reached the exit. As she walked thorough the doors, Charisma looked around to see if Spyro was there. I still can't believe he kissed me again! she thought to herself. And what did Sparx mean when he said I was a lucky dragon? I'll have to ask him later. She looked up when she heard a rustling of leaves nearby. There was Spyro. She smiled at him. He smiled back and gave her a wink. Then, he disappeared.
"We're almost there," Rex told her.
It's about time! she thought. She saw a glow of light just a couple of yards away. I'm taking it that's the portal. The closer they got, the bigger it got. Two guards were standing on each of its side, their spears crossed in front of it.
"Are you ready Charisma?" Devlin asked her.
"Whenever you're ready."
"Then lets go. Ripto, you go first. Brutus, you'll be second, Dad, you'll go after him, and Charisma and I will go together."
She looked around one last time. She saw Spyro again in a tree. She looked at him. He mouthed the words, I love you. She nodded back and mouthed, I love you, too. He slipped away into the tree and was gone.
"Okay, Charisma, it's our turn."
She walked with Devlin by her side and went in.
Now to find the dungeon where the other dragons are, Spyro thought as he raced across the field. The sooner I get them out, the better. He spotted a big dome with bars all around the windows. That's gotta be it. Spyro saw guards patrolling the area. Crud. This is going to be harder than I thought. He slowly walked to the side, keeping a good distance from the guards and staying in the foliage. When the coast was clear, he dashed toward the nearest bush. The bush was underneath a window.
"Hello?" he whispered. He heard the shuffling of feet and hid in the bush.
"Who's there," a tired, soft voice answered.
"What's you're name?" Spyro said quickly.
"Diamond."
What luck! Spyro sighed with relief. "I'm going to get you outta here."
"Spyro? Is that you?" another voice asked.
"That's right, King Azurite." He laughed. "Hey, that rhymes!"
"Okay, that's enough laughing," Diamond said seriously. "How are you going to get us out? The only way is with the key."
"Did you try your flame?"
"Actually, no," Azurite told them. "We are so weak that it takes us awhile to even stand!"
"Then stand back. My flame packs a powerful punch."
When he made sure they were a good distance away and the cost was clear, he flamed the bars with all his might. When he was finished, he was shocked to see the bars still in tact, but slightly bent. "I guess I'll have to find the keys," he said ruefully. "Where are they?"
"They're on the guard's belt," Diamond told him while pointing at a sleeping guard by the door. "It doesn't matter which one you use. They're all the same."
"Good luck!" Azurite told him.
I guess I'll have to go around, Spyro thought as he went around the building. Two guards were standing in front of the door. This will be a little harder than I thought. Spyro looked around the area. He spotted a rock nearby and grabbed it. Now for the diversion. He threw the rock toward some bushes on the other side.
"What was that?" one guard asked.
"We'd better see what it was."
They went over to where Spyro threw the rock. Spyro quietly crept inside and looked around. He spotted the guard and saw Diamond pointing to him. He silently walked toward the guard, staying in the shadows. I wish Sparx was here!
He looked at the guard's belt, noticing the glint of gold from the keys. Okay, here goes nothing! he thought as he reached for the keys. He froze when the guard stirred and started yawning.
"Rock-a-bye baby on the tree top, when the wind blows the cradle will rock," he sang hurriedly. The guard went back to sleep. "Whew!"
"Okay, now get the keys," Azurite told him. "The sooner we're out, the better. The other dragons are fading fast."
"I'm hurrying, I'm hurrying," Spyro muttered as he broke the keys loose from the belt. Got it! He slipped the key into the keyhole and opened the door. "You're free. Now lets get the others outta of here!"
One by one, they released the other dragons from their cells, and when they reached the blue and violet dragons, they were shocked to see them fading in and out. "Hurry," they cried weakly. "We don't . . . have much . . . time!"
"You'll be outta here in a couple of seconds," Spyro assured them. He placed the key in the keyhole.
"Freeze!" a voice called behind him.
Not in your life, Spyro thought as he opened the door. "Now get out of here! I'll hold them off!"
"Are you sure?" they asked worriedly.
"Positive. Now go!"
They quickly ran as fast as they could. Spyro made sure they were gone before facing the guards.
"You wanna catch me?" he called to them. "Come and get me!"
The guards nodded at each other and started charging. Spyro was just whistling calmly, leaning on the column. When they were just an inch away, Spyro sidestepped to the side. The guards ran smack into the wall.
Spyro cringed. "That had to hurt," he said to himself as he locked them in a cell and walked away.
"Spyro!"
"What?" he said looking around.
"Over here!"
He turned around and saw the dragons in front of the portal Devlin and Charisma used. He trotted over. "How are the others?"
"They're fine now," Diamond said happily. "They are now back to their regular selves. The Darkness of Evil has worn off from them. Though some of them are still a little weak." She turned to Azurite. "We need to prep up a bit before we go."
"You're right, dear," he agreed. He turned to Spyro. "Do you think you can help? I know you must have done something to keep in shape."
"I guess I could try," Spyro told him. "But I usually have Sparx with me."
"Where is he, anyway?" Diamond asked him.
"He's with Charisma."
"I hope she's all right," Azurite said worriedly.
"I sure she's fine," Diamond assured. "I know Sparx will take good care of her. Look how far they have gotten."
He smiled. "You're right as always." He looked at Spyro. "Whenever you're ready."
"Oh, and we captured some guards," Diamond added. "There in the dungeon."
"Great!" Spyro grinned. "Okay everybody!" he yelled to get their attention. "We're going to do some simple exercises to start with!"