The Realms of Chaos
Chapter 3: Grunge
Rating: I don't even know anymore! :p
Notes: This story is getting reviews fast! Hmm...Judging from the progress of this story, it's probably going to end up with about 15 chapters. (I'm just making an estimate, so don't fret. ^_^) I'm also adding a fancharacter well known in the fields of Spyro fanfiction. He's known as Nazza, the blue wolf. I got permission from Nazza himself to use him, so no suing!
Notes2: This chapter takes on a more humorous side, especially during the "Bridge" sequence. Read on to see what I mean. A little dry humor never hurt anybody! :p
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The sun had set and revealed a stunning canopy of stars and a full moon that hung above the treetops. The oddball group of three had been trudging through the rainforests for about five hours, and they were well aware of the presence of a persistent enemy. At first, they were moody and on their best guard when the three of them had discovered the enemy's presence, but after about two hours of walking with their weapons at hand, they decided to just forget about it altogether.
"Where the hell are these ruins anyways?"
No one answered Ripto's half-hearted complaint as they chewed their dinner. Spyro found a stream nearby and caught some fish by skewering them with his horns, while Snowflake found a coconut tree and knocked some fuzzy fruit down to earth. After the food was collected, the group found a clearing surrounded by underbrush and large towering trees. The fire was easily provided with the help of some dried plants and Spyro's flame breath.
"Quit complaining, Ripto. This gadget that the Professor gave me says that the Mist Ruins are within a few miles from here. I think." Snowflake didn't reveal to her companions that the GCT that the Professor made had a very poor map for them to use. Sure, it showed them a map of the Mist Ruins, but it didn't reveal the obstacles that the Rainforests of Mist possessed. They could accidentally walk off a cliff if they weren't careful.
"Leave it to the Professor to leave out some important coordinates..." Snowflake stated half-heartedly to herself. She tossed the remainder of her fish dish into the bushes for whatever was following them to eat. With a rustle of underbrush, the fish was nowhere to be seen.
"Whatever is following us is taking its sweet time..." Spyro growled. Smoke was curling from his nostrils angrily, which meant that the dragon was not in the best of moods. The other two nodded mindlessly in agreement, exhaustion taking its toll. Suddenly, an idea popped into Snowflake's head.
"If you're so paranoid about it, why didn't you torch the sucker by now?" Snowflake asked. She was poking the fire in a zombie-like manner. Spyro turned to her, his eyes lit with a mischievous new light. "That's a great idea, Snowflake! Why didn't I think of it?"
Spyro lifted himself off his comfortable seat near the fire and stepped closer towards the underbrush where the creature was hiding. His nostrils flared. "I should've done this hours ago!" He took a deep breath and instantly the shrubbery burst into flame. The night was filled with only the crackling of both the campfire and the brushfire until a small fireball burst into the clearing where the group's campfire rested.
"Ouch! Hot hot hot hot hot!" The creature screamed. An animal about the size of Spyro fell to the ground and rolled across the ground to put out the fire spreading across his furry coat. As the animal's fire put itself out, Snowflake stomped out the bushes that Spyro lit before it spread to any other plant in the rainforest.
"What were you thinking, Spyro? Are you trying to barbecue me?" Now that the fiery shroud was gone, it revealed the tagalong animal to be a wolf. The group could see that the wolf's fur was a dark shade of blue where the fire didn't burn. The wolf lay on his back, his long tongue panting from the heat he absorbed from Spyro's attack. His eyes were an unusual shade of green. Spyro, to everyone's surprise, recognized him.
"Nazza! Why were you following us and scaring us to death?" Spyro shouted. Nazza grinned, flashing sharp canine teeth.
"When I heard that a sorcerer was in the Rainforests of Mist, I decided to follow you, Spyro. But, when I saw Ripto, I thought that you were under some mind-control spell and then decided to follow you guys to see what Ripto was up to. I was going to wait until all three of you went to sleep so I could tear Ripto's throat out, free my friend, and become a hero. I see that isn't the case if Spyro came up with the idea to burn the same bush that I was hiding in. Ripto would never be that clever..." The canine rose to his feet to shake off the ash and burnt fur from his body. He glanced at Snowflake, his eyes burning intensely with a rebellious spirit.
"Who's the dragon chick? Is she your new girlfriend Spyro?" Nazza asked mischievously. Spyro gave one glance at the white-scaled female, and then quickly changed Nazza's opinion.
"She's Snowflake, the one who got us involved in this mess. She saved Ripto from freezing to death at Winter Tundra and she spotted Changeling, the sorceress we're going after. We have to collect a few Gigas Crystals and return them to some forgotten temple or something." Spyro explained. Nazza flashed a toothy grin at Snowflake.
"You're either very caring or very stupid to save a worm like Ripto." Nazza stated as a matter of factly. Snowflake frowned at Nazza, but she felt her cheeks turn a shade of pink. The wolf had a knack for speaking his mind; Snowflake gave him trust for that. Then again, how in hell did Spyro make friends with such a character in the first place?
"Hello? Will you stop talking like I'm not here?" Ripto called. The short wizard crossed his arms and surveyed Nazza with a wary eye. Snowflake and Spyro backed away from both of them, watching both the wizard and the wolf with great amusement. "Are you thinking about tagging along? The more people in a group of adventurers, the easier for Changeling to track us down. You might as well move it, unless you know the way to the Mist Ruins from this leafy prison..."
Nazza growled and stepped so close to Ripto that his nose was inches from his face. His eyes pierced into the reptile's soul. "As a matter of fact, I do know the way to the Mist Ruins, but a large monster guards the Mist Ruins. Are you planning on throwing Spyro and Snowflake into the monster's den and dash off to claim the world?"
There was an awkward silence between the two of them. Before things could become too violent, Snowflake butted into their argument. "As a matter of fact, we're in this miserable forest to snatch the Green Gigas Crystal. The only way to retrieve it is to go into the Mist Ruins and somehow get past this 'monster'. If you agree to help us, I'll do my part by keeping an eye on Ripto. I'll make sure he doesn't do anything stupid."
Ripto started to protest, but Snowflake gave a dirty look that silenced him. "But, he does have a point. If Changeling is also searching for the Gigas Crystals, there's a good chance that she's here too. Just lead us to the Mist Ruins and leave us to our own devices. Deal?" Nazza didn't have to think twice. He grasped Snowflake's claw and shook it to seal the deal.
Sadly, Snowflake didn't catch the mysterious glitter in Nazza's eye when he said; "you can count on me, Miss."
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It took two long days to finally reach the legendary Mist Ruins.
With Nazza as their navigator, Spyro, Snowflake, and Ripto had to cross many deadly obstacles that the Rainforests of Mist possessed. They had to cross deadly rivers filled with rapids and sharp rocks, run through areas filled with lizard-like natives, and dodge several areas filled with fallen debris. Each obstacle gave the travelers new wounds, ranging from a small insect bite to Spyro nearly losing his foot while climbing a steep rock terrain.
One dangerous incident included a deadly river that snaked near the area where the Mist Ruins lay. Nazza took one look at the churning rapids and proclaimed, "We'll cross these rapids or we won't see the Mist Ruins for another week or so." Nazza's traveling partners, who all looked worse for the wear, quickly agreed to take the fastest route without thinking of the consequences.
Snowflake, who looked like she was dragged through a pathway full of mud-covered thorns, added, "How are we going to cross this thing anyways? Only two of us have wings and we surely can't carry both of you..." Nazza gave Snowflake a bold look and suggested another way to cross.
"See that tree over there?" Nazza indicated a tall knarred thing that looked like it was about to collapse from its own weight. The other three surveyed it with a wary eye. "We'll make a bridge from it and cross this river before dusk!"
Nazza always had the final word, for he was the only one among them who had a plan, and soon everyone was uprooting the tree in the best way possible. Spyro and Ripto both sent raging fireballs at the tree's base, while Snowflake tackled it repeatively with all of her might. It didn't take long for the tree to fall into the water with a giant splash. Soon, everyone was on the makeshift bridge doing their best to keep their balance.
"This is actually a good idea! I thought this tree couldn't hold all of us at the same time!" Snowflake exclaimed as she balanced perfectly with both outstretched tail and unfolded wings. As if on cue, the tree groaned loudly underneath their feet. The four of them froze instantly, each of them surveying the bridge. Before any of them could utter an "Uh-Oh", the bridge fell apart and plunged everyone into the icy cold rapids.
There was a moment of eerie silence, until Snowflake burst out of the river choking and shivering. Spyro burst out of the water in a similar fashion, only a few pieces of driftwood were comically pierced on Spyro's horns. Their wings keeping them aloft, they searched the river for any remains of the others. "That wolf! He probably knew that the tree was a deathtrap..." Snowflake muttered to Spyro as they fluttered down the river to find their friends.
They found the rest of the makeshift bridge caught in-between two conviently placed boulders. Spyro found Nazza on the opposite riverbank; pieces of wood lodged in his fur like a porcupine's quills. Snowflake searched the ruins until she found something that caught her eye. With a dive that could make champion swimmers jealous, she pulled out a soaking wet Ripto, scepter and all. "When are you going to learn how to save yourself?" Snowflake told him. The wizard glared at her but said nothing.
When the four of them were all on the opposite riverbank, Nazza told them, "see? I told you we'd make it to the shore before dusk!" The other three all exchanged surprised glances before they all collapsed in exhaustation.
"Was it something I said?"
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The Mist Ruins were more beautiful then any of them suspected it to be.
The mysterious ruins consisted of a grand stone palace sugarcoated with creeping vines that gave the Mist Ruins a lovely shade of green. Snowflake guessed that before this place became abandoned ruins, it contained a vast civilization within its walls. A stone fountain complete with little spitting angels sat in the courtyard of the ruins, the angel's mouths forever silenced with forest debris. A creepy veil of mist hung within the ruins, keeping the place true to its name.
Snowflake turned on the GCT. The machine made a faint pulse of beeps and bloops as it sensed a Gigas Crystal nearby. "The Green Gigas is in the middle of these ruins where a large garden could've been before this place was abandoned." Snowflake exclaimed.
"Well, this is easier then I suspected it to be. Let's just run into the ruins, grab the crystal, and get out of this damn rainforest!" Ripto complained. The group of three soon dashed into the ruins without another word.
Nazza didn't join them. He waited in the abandoned courtyard, watching the quickly disappearing group with a grin on his muzzle.
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The Mist Ruins were surprisingly intact on the inside, with the exception of the shroud of plant life on the ruins. In the hallways, Snowflake could easily see rooms closed in a tangle of vines and storage rooms torn apart by creeping flora. Beautiful blue flowers bloomed where weak sunshine penetrated through the ruins and filled the area with an alluring scent. The only sound in the ruins were the sound of the three travelers and the bleeping of the GCT.
"We're almost there!" Snowflake shouted over the gradually loudening bleeps. Her walking pace became a sprint as she followed the GCT. Spyro dashed off after her, his claws kicking up a storm of dust. Ripto, who wasn't the best of runners, had to dash off after them in hopes of catching up with them.
Soon, they had to turn the sirens off when they finally appeared in the abandoned gardens. At this time the GCT's sirens destroyed the peaceful setting of the ruins, not to mention that they could probably accidentally wake some sleeping threat. With the sirens gone, the only sound was their breathing as they scanned the area. Mist blocked out the sun, giving the garden a ghastly feel. The gardens themselves were covered completely with a large blanket of forest litter. Everyone gasped, for in the middle of the leafy litter was the Green Gigas Crystal, glowing like a beacon of hope for the travelers. Snowflake took a tentative step closer to the jewel.
"Wait a minute." Snowflake stopped. "Didn't Nazza mention a monster guarding the Gigas Crystal?" Ripto recalled, still out of breath from his jog. Just then, something clicked in all of their minds as they noticed that the leafy litter around the Green Gigas Crystal didn't seem as spread out as ordinary forest litter. Somehow, the litter seemed connected like the fur on an animal. As if to prove their suspicion, the leafy litter slightly shifted like a subtle wave on a calm ocean.
"I don't like this. I have the itching feeling that something's watching us..." Spyro murmured. Snowflake turned her head hopelessly towards the Green Gigas Crystal, which symboled her freedom from this accursed forest. The weight of the three days of pure hell suddenly replayed in her mind and gave her new momentum in her feet. Without thinking, the she-dragon dashed madly towards the Green Gigas Crystal.
"Snowflake, you moron! You don't know what's out there!" Ripto shouted. The calm waves among the litter became violent vibrations as Snowflake neared the crystal. She was mere inches from touching the crystal when the litter swallowed it. As quickly as the crystal had disappeared, the litter formed into a large bulge and knocked Snowflake several feet away, making the hapless dragon land on her back.
"What the?" Snowflake exclaimed, her bruises forgotten. The litter began to form into a body resembling a giant hunched body made of dead leaves and mildew. A serpentine head formed just above Snowflake's head, burning red eyes glaring down on her. The crystal glowed in the monster's gaping mouth. Its voice seemed to rise from the earth itself.
"Hmmmm....You're very brave, but also very unwise." The Green Gigas Crystal disappeared down the monster's throat. Snowflake got to her feet and brushed herself off. Her friends rushed to her side, their weapons in hand. To make sure she wasn't completely defenseless, Snowflake grabbed a hefty looking stick from the ground and held it like a club in front of her. The leafy monster seemed to grin down on them. "Such brave travelers. Grunge has not received many visitors. Every visitor comes only for the Gigas Crystal."
"Yeah, the jewel. Listen Grunge; we need that crystal badly. That's what we came for." Spyro exclaimed. Grunge laughed heartily, its leafy body rippling. Some parts of its body fell down to the ground in front of them.
"For what? Money? Fame? Science? Grunge knows the excuses, and the tellers. You may not see it, but inside Grunge are the remains of countless travelers, all wanting the same thing. The Crystal. Grunge will continue to guard the Crystal until Grunge rots in these Ruins of Mist..." The monster's voice alone was enough to drive shivers down their spine.
"We don't want fame or fortune! We want to stop Changeling!" Snowflake exclaimed. Grunge eyed her warily. "I've heard of Changeling from my lunch before. The sorceress does have a lot of nerve to mess with the Gigas Crystals, but there's nothing any of you can do." An awkward silence fell amongst the three of them as each of them looked for an effective comeback. Suddenly, the disgruntled short wizard spoke up.
"Why not? We traveled through the Rainforests of Mist, found the Mist Ruins, and met you, the guardian of the Crystal! What makes us unworthy of the Green Gigas Crystal if we already have the Red Gigas Crystal? Tell us that, you talking compost heap!" Ripto hissed. The mist seemed to get heavier by the minute. The leafy monster remained stoic and intimidating. The monster breathed a musky sigh before answering.
"Let me tell you a story about the Gigas Crystals. Ever since the dawn of time, the six powerful gems have been kept in Diamond Palace, keeping the balance of this world. The Gigas Crystals are made by the pure energy of Avalar, each one with a different purpose for unity. However, all good things must come to an end, for the Diamond Palace was robbed and stripped of its riches by the evil sorcerer called Otpir the Merciless. Avalar was devastated by Otpir's rule, but soon he was overthrown by the darkness of his own power and the Gigas Crystals scattered across the world. While some may be obtained with ease, others aren't so simple to get. Like the Red Gigas Crystal controls the power of Rage and Fire, the Green Gigas Crystal controls everything with a direct bond to Mother Nature. Some monsters can be yielded and tamed, plants can be made into weapons, and earthquakes can be summoned all at will. Only one of Pure Mage blood can hold the Green Gigas Crystal without absorbing its corrupt power."
Snowflake considered the creature's words. "How are we going to obtain that crystal then? Do we have to fight you for it?" Grunge shook its massive head. "No. While that is the way of my brethren, I do not support violence. Besides, with that living torch by your side, you would unfairly turn Grunge into a pile of ash!" Spyro blushed slightly. "Wisdom is the object I seek, and the wisdom of only a Mage descendant is needed for the crystal."
Ripto tapped his foot. "We're listening. Tell us what we need to do to prove this 'Pure Mage wisdom'..." Snowflake sighed to herself. Ripto still managed to keep his smart-alecky mood, even in the face of a large monster made of mold and dead plant matter. She thought that Ripto was a Mage, but these Pure Mages sound like they don't need the aid of a magical scepter to cast spells. Who in this group is of Mage blood?
"All you have to do is tell me what happened to cause these Ruins to become abandoned. If you get it correctly, I'll hand you the Green Gigas Crystal. Purple Dragon, you start." Grunge stated. Spyro looked at the surroundings around them and raised an eyebrow. "I'm guessing that the rainforest spread a deadly disease to this place, which explains why I'm talking to a large plant monster here!"
"I'm sorry, but you're wrong. You're next, Shorty." Grunge said in a dull tone. Ripto fumed. "Don't call me Shorty!" He too looked at the surroundings around him. He studied Grunge as well. "Did you rampage through this place and eat everyone in sight?" Grunge growled in annoyance. "Everyone always guesses that! The white dragon, you're next. If you're wrong, then I'll have no choice but to prevent you from revealing my presence in these ruins..."
Snowflake flinched at the thought of being eaten by a plant monster. She studied the area around her just like her friends. "When Otpir the Merciless was overthrown, the Green Gigas Crystal was thrown here in the middle of this prosperous palace. The negative energy effected the area around it, and the people. The place shows no sign of any struggle, disease, or slaughter. It looks calm and peaceful, as if it didn't deserve to be abandoned..."
Grunge lowered its head until it was eye-level with Snowflake. It gazed into her eyes until it admitted that she was right. "You're right. When Otpir was overthrown, the Green Gigas Crystal landed right in this area, right in the middle of the Festival of Rain. The negative power of the Green Gigas Crystal effected the first person to touch it, causing the poor human to be fused with the energy of the Gigas. The people fled at the sight of the newly growing monster, and the place was labeled as an accursed place. Anyone who entered these ruins died at the hands of the product of the Crystal, which gave this jungle the nickname, "The Forbidden Jungle". Only one of Mage blood can handle any Gigas Crystals without suffering any dangerous side effects, and only a Mage can have such foresight."
Ripto, at the sound of the new warning, quickly dropped his scepter to the ground. "Do the effects differ from Crystal to Crystal?" Ripto asked. Grunge looked towards the Red Gigas Crystal. "I'm sorry I can't help, but I have no knowledge of the other Crystals' effects. You'll just have to wait and see what happens." The tone in Grunge's voice didn't comfort him at all. Reluctantly, he grabbed his scepter, his only source of power. 'Great, my power might be a double-edged sword,' he thought.
Grunge coughed sickingly, and then the Green Gigas Crystal plopped to the ground at Snowflake's feet. Snowflake looked up at the monster. "When the Gigas Crystals are reunited, are you going to turn back to normal?" Grunge's expression turned into one of surprise. "What do you mean by that?" Snowflake smiled. "Because, you mentioned a human fused by the negative power of the Green Gigas Crystal, and you are a product of the Crystal, so I just put two-and-two together."
Grunge smiled at her. "You may not be fully aware of your powers, but I have the feeling that you'll do wonders. Just keep both your friends and your hope, and you'll grow into one of Avalar's finest heroines..."
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As the others received the Green Gigas Crystal, Nazza stood watch in front of the Mist Ruins. He has a bored look on his face as he stood stoically in front of the ancient fountain. One might say that he was doing his friends a favor, but there was more that met the eye in Nazza's case. He wasn't really standing guard for his friends; he was in fact waiting for someone. Someone that he didn't mention to his friends...
"Did they go into the Ruins, wolf?"
Nazza jumped at the sound of the scratchy voice behind him. He suddenly turned, and stood face to face with Changeling's mutated dragon lackey. Nazza growled. "The name's Nazza not Wolf, and why isn't that cat here? I didn't agree to talk to a misshapen excuse for a dragon!" Nazza hissed. The tone of Nazza's voice was enough to make Wart back away slowly from the blue canine.
"The Mistress is preparing her fleet to travel into the ocean. She sent me here because she called me "expendable". I still don't really know the meaning of that word..." Wart babbled. Nazza did, and it was enough for Nazza's muzzle to turn into a nasty little smile. "Why didn't you say so? Many pardons, my friend. I just want to make sure that she keeps her end of the bargain..."
It took Wart a while to remember Nazza's little bargain, the one that he was forced to agree to by Changeling. His memory was as warped as his body, which made it very hard for Wart to remember even his childhood, but he did remember the day Nazza and Changeling first crossed paths. What he remembered was an angry Changeling holding Nazza in front of her face by the scruff of his neck, a sneer on her face. "Help us find the Gigas Crystals, and I'll spare you and your brightly colored friends. Disagree, and I'll be wearing an all-natural wolf-skin coat!" Nazza had glared at Changeling, his face never-changing. "Burn in hell, witch! I'll help you, but as soon as you find those Gigas thingies, your throat is mine!" Nazza spat out. Changeling smiled happily at him. "I knew you'd see it my way..."
"Your friends are in the dungeons of her mansion, but I assure that they're well fed. In fact, they eat better then me!" Wart exclaimed. Nazza studied the mutated dragon standing in front of him, and added sarcastically, "That's a comforting thought." Nazza turned towards the entrance of the Mist Ruins. "What about the Green Gigas Crystal? Ripto, Spyro, and that skinny broad will have it, not us!"
Wart smiled at the navy blue canine. "Don't worry. I'm well prepared..." Almost on cue, the bushes behind him revealed glowing yellow eyes. Sinister hissing was heard in the bushes. Nazza flinched. "What are those?" He asked. Wart answered too calmly for comfort.
"They're Tyrusian Lizardmen. I brought them for a little 'insurance'. I'll make sure they hand-deliver that jewel to us personally!" Wart's words echoed throughout the silent forest....
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Curse you, writer's blocks! CUUUUURSE YOOOOU!
*cough* Remember to review, okay?
BTW, Nazza's friends that Wart mentioned are none other then the Psychotix, more of Nazza's characters. Heh. I don't own them, so no suing! :D