Gah! I am so B-O-R-E-D! It's election day for the state of Louisiana and I am one of the people selected to oversee the election in my district. Not that I'm complaining I get paid for the job but its just that my district is a rural area and people come in groups of one or two every hour and a half or so.
Still, I guess it's better than the city where there's person after person waiting in line to vote. At least I get the chance to work on the story a bit.
Anyway, onto the update.
DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING OR ANYONE IN THE SPYRO UNIVERSE. ONLY MY OCS.
Chapter 18: The Lost Lair Part 2: Aces High
_*_****_*_*_*8-8-8-8-*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*-8-8-8-8-8-*_*_*_*_*_*_*-8-8-8-8-8-8_*_*_
To say Bertram felt embarrassed upon returning to Warfang would have been the understatement of the decade. No sooner had he entered the gates of the city than he was bum-rushed by his sister who nearly crushed him in a dragon-sized hug, then gave him a scolding that strongly reminded him of Mother in the sense that Thera's anger was just as intense as hers.
Then things went from embarrassing on a family level to public embarassment when Flame, Ember, and Flaire came up and thanked him for his bravery. Ember had been distraught when Flaire came back and she learned that her daughter was blind. Red gems had healed the cuts and lacerations but her vision remained dark.
Still, that hadn't stopped Flaire from actually hugging Bertram and thanking him for rescuing her. The hug lasted longer than Thera's and got to the point that Flame harrumphed to get his daughter's attention and then politely thanked Bertram for his bravery.
Then Bertram learned that due to his being shot down performing a dangerous assignment he was listed to be awarded the Bronze Shield as well as the Distinguished Service Medal for the following action in assisting the Praetorian forces. Once that was done and his squadron landed, it was time to adress the elephant in the room. He was in Thera's home when he broke the news.
To say Thera snapped is yet another understatement.
"No! No! No! NO! N-O! Bertram, you we thought you were KILLED! Now you're going up again for recon? What are they going to put you in this time? A biplane?" Bertram chuckled and shook his head, trying (unsuccessfully) to play down the danger and appease his irate sister.
"No sis, nothing like that. I already said if I do recon again, I do it in my own plane with plenty of escorts or not at all. Besides, we don't know what the enemy has done in the time I was down. They may have fortified their positions or worse, deployed another of those superweapons. We need to take Concurrent Skies. We need to find the Lair of Tomar."
THAT seemed to shake Thera out of her rage and she looked at her brother worriedly.
"I know...I know how important this is...but...I don't want to be the one to tell Mom and Dad that you were killed trying to find intel on the enemy." Bertram nodded and laid a comforting hand on her shoulder.
"I'll make a deal with you. I come back unharmed, I'll ask Reyson to remove my name from the Recon duty list. I'll strictly fly intercept or escort duties. I can't stop flying or resign but I can at least give myself a fighting chance."
Thera looked downcast but nodded. Bertram nodded and then turned to leave just as the door opened and in came an out-of-breath Ryu who was pail as a sheet.
"Uncle Bertram! All Hell's broken loose! Grandfather and Dad didn't wait for reinforcements, they're headed into Concurrent Skies alone!"
Bertram looked at Thera who looked to be ready to either faint or explode into rage again. He nodded to her and then bolted out of the home and to the airfield.
_*_*_*_*_*_*_**-8-8-88-8-8-8_*_**_*_*_*_*-8-8-8-8-8-8_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*-8-8-8-88-8-8_*
Spyro and Ignitus managed to break through the gnorc lines. It seems that the Rotarians didn't think Concurrent Skies an important target to warrant their direct intervention but the gnorcs were obviously trying to protect something. Against an army of angry dragons, the fatigued gnorcs broke ranks and routed trying to get out of their way.
The only spot that gave them trouble was the ruins of the old fortress that the gnorcs had tried to rebuild and fortify but wound up creating a mess. They had managed to build up the keep but then their construction efforts fell through, literally. Amidst the ruins, gnorcs using Rotiart rifles, sharpshooters, had taken positions and were firing upon the dragons hoping for a lucky shot on a spot that wasn't protected by their scales.
The sharpshooters were annoying but hardly a hinderance.
Spyro advanced further, using Convexity on anything that moved to stop or intercept him until he came to a cave that the gnorcs were gathering around with all of their remaining forces and looking determined to stop the dragons here and now. Spyro unleashed a Convexity fury that all but destroyed them and cleared the way. He looked back to Ignitus and the others and smiled.
"The Lair of Tomar the Wise. We have finally made it."
The dragons descended into the cave and found more ornate carvings as they ventured father in. One of the earth dragons looked at Spyro and looked around.
"Sir, this cavern is ancient. More so than even the Guardians. I would advise caution as there is no telling what the gnorcs have done here."
"Your advice is noted Graval, and I thank you for it, however, I turst you will alert us if there is any danger of the cave collapsing?" The earth dragon looked at Spyro and shook his head.
"That's what I'm saying. For some reason, I cannot sense the stone around us. It's as if we're not in a cave of stone but something else entirely. I cannot tell if it is structurally sound or not." Spyro nodded and then looked further down.
"I have faith in your abilities Graval, all I ask is a little time to see if this is indeed the Lair of Tomar and not a diversion."
"We should have waited for the humans..."
Spyro wheeled around to the young ice dragon who had said this and growled.
"I cannot wait! Every second my mate grows weaker in that crystal prison! I cannot, I will not leave her like that!" The ice dragon shied back but nodded his understanding.
"I was just saying sir that perhaps the humans would have been able to explore more caves and plus remove any remaining threats we missed."
"They can explore and clear out the enemies after we find the counterspell for whatever curse Gnasty used. I...I've come too far to stop now."
Ignitus shared Spyro's feelings but couldn't help but worry for his father. As they went deeper into the cave, those feelings grew and became more and more worried.
_*_*_*_*_*_*_*8-8-88-88-8-*_*_*_*_*_*_*-8-8-8-8-8-8_*_*_*_*_*_*_*-8-8-8-8-8-*_*_*_*_*
Bertram had been the first into a plane and the first to take-off and head towards Concurrent Skies. His squadron was in still getting ready when he took off, without permission. He knew he'd catch Hell for it later but right now he was the only fighter fresh and ready to fight.
The only thing that concerned him was that his airspeed indicator and the altimeter didn't seem to work properly. Proof of this was when the ASI went from 406 mph to 125 mph and every few seconds the needle would jump and stick to yet another number. The altimeter was the same way. Still, he was experienced enough to know how high he was and how fast he was going but he felt uneasy going into a possible battle with two of the most important indicators on the fritz but such was the nature of combat.
Things broke.
Things malfunctioned.
He passed the wreckage of the Hydra, the destroyed mole village, and then flew over the rusted remains of the bridge that had been destroyed years ago during the Dalon conflict and noticed the crystals that dotted the landscape. Unlike the weather during the recon bomber mission, storm clouds had gathered and now lightning was arcing from the clouds to the crystals below. Bertram keyed the radio, hoping the rest of the squadron was within range.
"All planes, be on the lookout for hot spots in the storm when you arrive. We've got lightning and thunder but no rain. Watch the crystals if you're near them for clues as to when they will be struck. They glow when they're charging to be struck by lightning."
The radio remained silent and Bertram couldn't help but bite back a curse. Then, he heard another engine and, out of hope, looked towards it he saw a plane but not the one he was expecting.
He saw Dieter Muntz's F10 Interceptor.
Without a second thought, he angled his plane on an intercept trajectory.
_**_*_**_*_*_*_*_***_*_*_*-88-8-8-8-8*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*-8-8-8-8-8-*_*_*_*_*
Dieter cursed his rotten luck. Just as he returned to base to report, Mechanos had received word of the destruction of the Hydra and was handing heads out left and right over the radio. This embarrassment made him rethink the value of Concurrent Skies and order a unit in the air to patrol it in case of attack, in a way it was appeasing the gnorcs but in another way it was denying the place to those who had destroyed the Hydra. Thankfully Marks had been in hotter water and had been grounded for shooting a comrade, even if it was 'accidental'.
Wolff had been sewed up and was resting in the infirmary and now with Mark's reassignment he was down two men and felt it. Hearing a plane's engine, he looked out to the side and saw Bertram de Launces' plane coming at him. He keyed the radio, noting the lack of a squadron, and remembering his own recon force in standby just outside the storm.
"Jyne. You're in command of the force here. I have a...personal matter to attend to."
"Understood Captain."
Dieter smiled at that. Jyne and the rest of the squadron, the veterans, knew he had a rivalry against Bertram and that he wanted to push himself and Bertram to their respective limits. It was an unspoken code phrase between him and his squadron, when he said a 'personal matter' he meant he'd spotted a potential rival. He pushed the F10's throttle to attack speed and flipped the safety off his guns.
Today there was no Syllia or Rotiart, no 242 Squadron or 215 Squadron. Today, there was just two aces, angling towards each other for a clash that, quite possibly, only one or neither of them would survive.
_*_*_*_*_*_*_**_*-8-8-8-8-88-8-8_*_*_*_*_*_*_**_*_*_8-8-8-8-8-8-*_*_*_**_*_*_
Bertram opened fire, his guns sending tracers through the darkening sky. He watched as Dieter rolled and dove to evade the attack. Diving himself, Bertram found himself on the ace's tail and started firing short bursts through his guns. Dieter was hit by a few bursts but managed to evade the majority of them. He then flipped his plane just as he'd done over Retorinc and began firing on Bertram.
In one move, Dieter had moved from in front of Bertram to behind him.
Bertram jerked the flight stick left and right, evading volley after volley from Dieter's guns. The altimeter sprang to life in the free fall and the 'low altitude' light came on. It buzzed for a short time before a round came through the canopy and put a holt through both the light and broke the altimeter (again). In response, Bertram jammed the rudder and rolled the plane just as he saw a crystal before him starting to glow. He dodged just as lightning struck the crystal, sending thousands of violet sparks through the air and the crack of thunder nearly shattered the canopy.
Looking back, he saw Dieter sag a bit as if he was stunned by the blast and he quickly jerked back on the stick, looping around and diving down at Dieter. He pressed the trigger and watched as rounds struck Dieter's left wing. The attack jarred Dieter out of whatever daze he was in because he rolled, dove under a formation of crystals, reemerged on the other side flying straight at Bertram.
Evading this new attack, Bertram dove under the same formation of crystals just as they started to glow and began weaving in and around them, Dieter in hot pursuit of him. The crystals seemed to come alive as he flew in between them, glowing just as he approached and being struck just seconds after he and Dieter passed.
Dieter, not fazed in the least, kept firing short bursts at Bertram as he weaved, aiming for any clear shot he could. Bertram clearly had improved and was not making it easy for him. Something about Bertram's maneuvers though reminded Dieter of a friend of his who'd been killed in the last days of the Callinar Incursion. He pushed his engine harder and tried to close the distance on him so that one burst would decide it.
At the last moment, Bertram foiled Dieter's plan by rolling and diving for the lake they were flying over. Leveling off just thirty feet from the smooth, glassy surface, Bertram pushed his plane to its absolute limit, the engine's torque and RPM gauge was well into the red and he risked overheating his plane and siezing the engine. Dieter was right there behind him, firing at any chance Bertram was giving him but so far Bertram had managed to dodge the worst of it.
That didn't mean his plane wasn't damaged.
His rudder and tail section had some holes from Dieter's cannons. Bertram found himself thanking his Father for self-sealing fuel tanks as he caught a glimpse of a few holes where his internal tanks were. His right wing had holes and one of the secondary flaps had been shot away leaving his controls sluggish. Furthermore, his engine was spewing a thin line of greyish-black smoke from underneath the cowling and he had a thin trail of oil snaking across the nose. Looking back at Dieter's plane, his was in hardly any worse shape. Bertram took a moment to glance at his instruments and the gasped.
On the right side of the ASI was a small dial that indicated how much ammunition he had left. The red light was on and the needle was resting on 175.
Unbeknownst to Bertram, at that same moment, Dieter glanced at his panel and saw the ammunition counter showed 100 rounds left.
Bertram performed another flip and opened fire on Dieter as he passed, his ammo dropped to 60 and he scored some hits on Dieter's damaged left wing. Dieter inverted the plane and split between another formation and looped behind Bertram and fired.
Bertram heard glass shatter as bullets ripped through the canopy, impacting his panel but leaving him unharmed. One round passed close by and nicked his left cheek before blasting through the aiming assist bolted to the front of the plane.
He looked around for Dieter then had a crazy idea.
Bertram's plane had rockets mounted to the underside of the wings. He took aim at one of the crystals and fired all of them. The rockets sailed straight and impacted the crystal. The result was the same a shattering the world's largest mirror with a sledgehammer.
The crystal shattered although 'exploded' would be a more appropriate word and the shards impacted other crystals and set off a chain reaction. These shards shattered other crystals which in turn shattered other crystals. Acting fast, Bertram dove under a falling crystal and soon found Dieter in front of him, closing, guns blazing.
Dieter watched Bertram approach and squeezed the trigger, firing his guns and watching as the ammo count dropped lower. A few bullets hit the propellor but otherwise did nothing. Bertram fired but likewise had the same effect. Both planes rolled to avoid a collision and passed within inches on one another. As they passed, Bertram and Dieter locked eyes.
In Bertram's eyes, there was adrenaline, of course, but also excitement, a touch of fear, and a lot of determination. In Dieter's there was the same as well as a new-found respect as well as approval for the young Syllian pilot.
The planes passed the both pilots pulled back and climbed. Dieter slowed his plane to get in behind Bertram and pulled the trigger, a burst that would have ended him if not for one matter.
The only sound that came from the guns was the rapid 'click click click click' of empty guns, snapping Dieter out of his adrenaline-fueled trance. Dieter looked down at the panel and saw all zeroes on the ammo counter and then back at Bertram who had vanished. Checking his rear mirror, he saw Bertram behind him, in the same position he'd been in moments earlier and readied himself to embrace his fate.
He'd done his best. He had no regrets.
A series of loud audible 'clicks' came from Bertram's plane causing Dieter to look in surprise. Bertram was now flying alongside him, both their planes shot nearly to pieces and trailing smoke. Bertram bleeding from some cuts on his face, the same as Dieter, though his was from broken canopy glass while Bertram had been grazed with a round. Dieter checked his engine and laughed with both relief and excitement. As he turned, he locked eyes with Bertram and was amazed by what happened next.
Bertram saluted him.
Dieter couldn't help but think back to what his mentor had said about pilots being the 'knights of the air' and chuckled, he then nodded and returned the salute. Dieter keyed his radio to transmit his status to the squadron.
"This is Dieter. I am zeroed and pulling out of conflict." The reply was a tone of utter disbelief.
"U-Understood sir. 215D and 215E will escort you to safety."
Bertram saw Dieter dip his wings in salute and turn away. At that moment, Bertram picked up the radio.
"This is Paladin. I'm out of ammo and smoking bad. Enemy planes over Concurrent Skies are withdrawing. Any planes copy?" There was silence and then a welcome voice.
"Hayate copies. Hell of a fight sir, entire squadron saw it."
_*_*_*_*_*_*-8-8-8-8-8-8_*_*_*_*_*_*_**8-8-8-8-8-8_*_*_*_*_*_***_8-8-88-8-8-88-8
Ignitus grimaced as the storm raged. Even as far into the cave as they were they still could hear the echoes of thunder and feel the effects of it striking the crystals or the ground. Spyro stood before a huge door with arcane symbols etched into it. It wasn't made of stone, nor any type of metal any of the earth dragons had ever seen. He just stood there as if trying to decypher its meaning. Ignitus couldn't help but clench his teeth with a mix of irritation yet also fear and worry.
A moment later, there was a flash in the cave and before him stood the last creature Ignitus ever expected to see, his namesake, the Chronicler, and beside him stood Thera, tired, weary, but triumphant. The Chronicler gave a polite nod to Ignitus and went to stand beside Spyro who looked at him with an exhausted expression.
"You seem iritated young dragon." Spyro nodded but didn;t break his gaze at the door.
"I-I can tell it's some sort of puzzle but...for the life of me I can't figure it out. Most of these arcane symbols are so old even Volteer wouldn't know their meaning..." Ignitus chuckled and looked at him.
"To be honest, Volteer would be just as stumped as you. These glyphs date back to a more savage time. A time when dragon fought and killed dragon to secure food, resources, mates, and other things. You know the history of Tomar? How his eldest brother was murdered by another sibling and how he went in pursuit of him? These glyphs were designed by Tomar himself to prevent such an evil from unlocking the place and gaining his knowledge. This great door to his lair was his last great gift, and riddle, to dragonkind. Only one truly pure of heart and spirit can solve the puzzle here. One who is worthy of Tomar's knowledge and power." Spyro sighed and looked to Ignitus.
"I do not know of such a dragon." The Chronicler looked to Thera and nodded to her.
"You've noticed Thera's incredible Awakening? How she controls crystals and can bend the spirit realm to her will? That is not just the purple dragon blood that flows through her from Malefor, it is also from the child she has within her, the descendant of two purple dragons."
Ignitus heard this and wheeled on Thera, eyes wide and joy radiating from them.
"L-Love...is-is this...?" Thera blushed for a moment and then nodded.
"I-I wanted to tell you once all this was over and Cynder was free..." Chronicler Ignitus smiled and then turned to the door.
"This door uses ancient glyphs known as 'Drakiosphiel' it is an ancient and long forgotten form of writing and enchanting. Thera, allow yourself to open your mind and access the power within not only your blood but the blood of the child within you and the way shall become clear." Chronicler Ignitus then looked to the younger Ignitus.
"Remember that I told you that one of your children will one day save us all from a great calamity? This child is the one I spoke of. The day of the calamity I spoke of is still far, far off and likely most alive in this generation will have long since returned to the Ancestors when it occurs, but that is not here or now."
As the Chronicler spoke, Thera approached the door and focused upon it, heeling the her heart, and the heart of her offspring within her beating as one. Unbidden, the symbols began to change and to merge into forms she recognized.
FOR THOU HAS COME TO LEARN THYSELF (FOR THOU HAST COME TO LEARN THYSELF)
TO LEARN THY TRUTHS AND THY BLOOD (TO LEARN THY TRUTHS AND THY BLOOD)
TO STOP THE SPARK THAT SHALL SET THE WORLD AFLAME (TO STOP THE SPARK THAT SHALL SET THE WORLD AFLAME)
TO KNOW THE NAME OF THY UNDYING FOE (TO KNOW THE NAME OF THY UNDYING FOE)
TO END HIS PLOTS AND DESTROY HIS SCHEMES (TO END HIS PLOTS AND DESTROY HIS SCHEMES)
THE NAME OF THY GREATEST ENEMY AND THE WORST OF TRAITORS (THE NAME OF THY GREATEST ENEMY AND THE WORST OF TRAITORS)
HE IS BLOOD-DRINKER (HE IS BLOOD-DRINKER)
HE IS SOUL-EATER (HE IS SOUL-EATER)
HE IS KIN-SLAYER (HE IS KIN-SLAYER)
HE IS THE ONE WHO HAST BEEN SEALED BUT NOT SLAIN (HE IS THE ONE WHO HAS BEEN SEALED BUT NOT SLAIN)
HE IS THE ONE WHO STRIKES DOWN THOSE HE CALLS BROTHER AND DEVOURS THEIR YOUNG (HE IS THE ONE WHO STRIKES DOWN THOSE HE CALLS 'BROTHER' AND DEVOURS THEIR YOUNG)
HE IS THE BLACK WYRM (HE IS THE BLACK WYRM)
HE IS THE FALLEN KING (HE IS THE FALLEN KING)
VEKX (VEKX)
Thera felt light-headed for a moment and the glyphs returned to their original forms. Ignitus hastily summoned her book and read the translation aloud and gasped. Nor was he the only one.
Though somewhat intentionally yet unintentionally forgotten, the story of the Fallen King, Vekx the Kin-Slayer, was one of the most horrifying tales of the old age.
Vekx, half-brother to Tomar the Wise and full-blood younger brother to Nevor the Magnificent, killed his elder brother to assume the crown but was exposed and chased down by Tomar. Vekx, cursed by his brother's dying words into a state of living decay, sought several barbaric and monsterous means to end the curse.
It was said the Fallen King did everything from drinking the blood of hatchlings and virgin dragonesses to outright devouring them, all to end the curse he had brought upon himself. Though the story that most dragons know is watered-down to spare the worst of it and to give the happy ending that Vekx was killed, the true story was that by the time Tomar had caught up with Vekx, he had become so corrupt, so twisted, so evil and monsterous that he could not be slain by Tomar alone. Rather, Tomar used all of his strength to seal Vekx at the bottom of Mt. Boyzitbig. Ignitus looked at the door and became serious.
"This lair...it not only holds the key to freeing Cynder...it also holds the key to defeating Vekx should he ever be released...This door was meant to be opened but never again closed. If we open it now, this place must never be abandoned. It...it will be up to the parents of this young one who shall inherit Tomar's powers to guard this place..."
Spyro looked to the Chronicler, then to his son, and then to his daughter-in-law.
"This place...Concurrent Skies...it corrupts even the noblest of dragons. I...I..."
Spyro was drowned out by a soft chanting. He looked up and saw Thera chanting in a language he did not know. Then, he heard several loud bangs and saw the door start to open. He looked at Thera who sighed and nodded.
"My Father once told me, never sacrifice lives without trying your best to save them. If I have to remain here to guard this lair like the dragons of old then that is what I shall do. Cynder is in danger now. This Vekx, there is no evidence he has broken free. Save those in danger now rather than regret inaction the rest of your days."
The door to the lair stopped with a shuddering boom and magical torches sprung to life, illuminating a massive circular room with shelves upon shelves of books, scrolls, tomes, grimoires, as well as various magical formulae written wherever there was free space. On a desk was a book and a small crystal that glowed the same color as the crystal Cynder was imprisoned in. Spyro went towards it and Thera, once she looked at the book, translated.
"In all of my studies in crystals this particular type continues to intrigue me. Perhaps it is that inquisitive side of me or perhaps that part about seeking answers in old age really holds truth, but a crystal that can encase a dragon in a living prison is impressive. This crystal not only sustains them for a time but also allows them to hear, see, and smell what is going on around them. Still, there are drawbacks. The crystals are nearly impossible to destroy with brute force and cannot be removed without injuring or killing the dragon or dragoness inside. Thankfully however, I have stumbled upon a solution. There are two types of this crystal, the 'prison' and the 'key'." Thera scanned the notes and found the section.
"The 'key' is a smaller sliver of crystal that, once it touches the 'prison' crystal, the prison shatters, releasing the captured being whole and unharmed. There is a catch however, the key must be held by one who is close to the being entrapped in the crystal. A mate, sibling, lover, something of that nature. As a side note, the crystal shards of the 'prison' can be later ground down or pulverized to create potent medicinal remedies and, if my old friend Volfarss is to be believed (which I HIGHLY doubt) can increase the...virility of dragons and dragonesses when used in...'special' alchemical concoctions. The recipies I do know (mainly because I couldn't get him to shut up) but will not deign to write here as they are irrelevent unless the species is forced into an 'extinction scenario'."
Spyro held the small crystal in his paw and felt it vibrate lightly. He turned to the Chrnicler but he was already gone. Ignitus stood by Thera and nodded to Spyro.
"Go to Mom. I'll stay by Thera." Spyro nodded and then looked at them both.
"I'll not leave you alone to be burdened by this. I will make sure that you two are not the only dragons here to guard this place." Ignitus chuckled and looked to his Father.
"I'll hold you to that Dad. Now go, get to Mom."
Spyro nodded and all but flew up through the tunnel, out the cave mouth and made a beeline for Warfang, his heart restored and his hopes high.
_*_*_*_*_*_*-8-8-88-8-88-8-*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*-88-8-8-8-8-8_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*-88-
Wow! Alright! Finally got that section done. To be honest, I wanted to write the duel between Dieter and Bertram for a while but didn't have the right setting for it. Now then, what's next for them? Will the 'key' crystal work on Cynder? What does the future hold?
I have no idea, I ain't the Chronicler.
Next time: Knight Takes Pawn.