Welcome back to The Violet Riddle. Last time, our heroes worked their way down into the Catacombs proper, finding the Altar of Shadow without much of a problem before jetting off towards the Altar of Fear, with the Sorcerer in close proximity behind them, even if they never saw him. So, where is the Altar of Fear? Fans of a certain Spyro fan comic might be able to guess. But to verify, read on to discover...
(Our scene opens across the skies, where our heroes are continuing their voyage in pursuit of the violet beam generated by the Altar of Shadow)
Flame: Looks like the beam is sticking close to the Silver River this time.
Ember: I'm still trying to figure out where this thing would be going. The other five locations have been kind of predictable to date. I can't think of any place related to Fear in the entirety of the Realms!
Spyro: It is a real puzzle. Though, Cynder's more travelled than I'm pretty sure any of us are, so if anyone's likely to know where we're headed, it's probably her.
Cynder: Don't look at me! I've got no clue! At least not off the top of my head. It'll probably come to me when we get there.
(As the group continues down the river, Langdon notices something unusual about the water below them)
Langdon: Is it just me, or is the water turning... purple?
Flame: Purple water? No offense Professor Langdon, but I think the altitude is finally getting to you.
Ember: Flame, he's right. Take a look!
(And sure enough, the water of the river below is starting to take on a purple hue, and not just in areas where Spyro is reflected.)
Langdon: What on earth could be causing that?
Spyro: I think I figured out where the Altar of Fear is.
Cynder: Then we're in agreement. We're at the end of the Silver River.
Spyro: This is the Ancient Grove.
(And now we see the place in full. A violet tinged landscape of trees and seeming tranquility, at which point the group carefully lands, everybody but Langdon knowing full well the danger that comes with this place)
Langdon: Okay, this place is... creepy.
Cynder: Not only creepy, it's dangerous. Just about everything here is poisonous to some degree, even the river water.
Langdon: What happened here? Some sort of runoff from Dragon City?
Spyro: Nobody really knows for sure. But if the Altar of Fear is here, then this place has been like this for some time.
Cynder: So, everybody stay vigilant. Any wrong step could kill us.
Langdon: No pressure.
(As the five of them move deeper into the grove, the Sorcerer arrives behind them, holding his distance above the Grove.)
Sorcerer: So, the next Altar was here the entire time. You'd think I'd have noticed it all those years ago. No matter. What I seek is here, and they will lead me right to it.
(And with that, the Sorcerer heads in after our heroes, as our tale ends for today)
And that looks like a good place to wrap up for now. So, the Altar of Fear is in Ancient Grove. I know that seems random, but up until literally yesterday it made sense. I mentioned that fans of a Spyro fan comic on DeviantArt would probably get this reasoning. That comic is the classic Zirra's Return. For those who don't know, on the original world map for her comic, Seeraphine said Ancient Grove got to be the way it was because Zirra, her original character and originator of the element of Fear, let loose the energy of the Fear element for the first time in what is now Ancient Grove. At least, that's how it used to be. Literally yesterday as of this chapter going live, Seeraphine released and updated version of her world map and seemingly removed this little detail. I have no idea if she did for sure, but it's now mentioned that nobody knows for sure how Ancient Grove turned out the way it is when we get there. But it was too late to change anything, so we're here. Anyways, what awaits our heroes deep within this dangerous and mysterious place? Tune in next time to find out! Same time... same channel!