The Fulcrum Hours
Author's Note: YES! Here it is! Chapter five! This one was a B* to write. It was scary running into writer block so early into this story. I could see what I wanted from this chapter but when I put the word into text, they didn't sound right. Alas, I did it anyways! It's nothing any of you need to worry about. It just happens. ALSO! As a semi-Important side note: I'm changing up how I seperate scenes that have selected songs. Music of course is completely optional. I only recommend it for those few people who get curious or want to get hit with a little extra "FEELS" while reading. From now on, scenes that have music will be separated by a double scene break (Two Lines) I don't want to interrupt the flow of the story by having to put in, "Start song" and "End Song." Anyways, here you go!
SONG: Dark Souls 3 Soundtrack OST - Champion's Gravetender Great Wolf (Ashes of Ariandel) Shirrako.
Warfang: A beacon of light for all to see and follow. A city where all dragons could congregate, celebrate, and settle down.
The invitation was too inviting, too tempting. The dead scoured, surrounding the city from all sides as they moved in under the cover of night. Drakes, took to the skies, fleets of all elements converging on the great city. They pushed forward, the hollow spirits of the past bringing themselves a new age.
They had no spiritual fires, their guidance taken from them and leaving nothing but ash and grief. There was an endless hunger, a seeking for sustenance and life.
A sound like thunder struck through the air, the beat of a lightning Drake's wings, dark whispers of the past hanging on his lips. He could no longer speak, tongue cut short and dry in his mouth, humiliated as he died; a gift from his murderer, taking his right to plea for his own life.
He flapped his wings, pushing himself to the clouds, forming the thunderheads of his strength. Light pulsed, streaking through the sky as it arced across his body; The purest and strongest form of energy was his to command. His waves burst, untempered power flowing through like the blood that once coursed through him. He needed might, and will to break those before him.
He roared.
The words he might say if he had the mind and ability to talk. There was nothing for him in this rebirth, only pain and ever-longing hunger. 'Help me, I'm sorry, forgive me…'
His will was not his own. All he knew from resurrection was defeat, pain, and murder. The lasting vengeance of a defeated drake. It mattered not who the punishment fell to, only that it fell, like the hammer of a deity…
Or the lightning strike of an anguished drake.
He would set this world aflame, imagining the warmth wash over him as he brought justice for himself.
He would claim his death right.
Cynder snarled, lips raised to reveal deadly pearl white teeth as her tail hung rigidly above her like a scorpion. Eyes locked onto the strange dragoness she paced forwards, slowly inching closer with her belly centimeters from the ground. The guardians looked much the same, circling around the hostile dragoness in an attack formation. Talons scraped against cold cobbled floors, the scrapes echoing off the walls.
The room had turned unnaturally dark, prominent shadows growing long in the outlining torchlight. Hissing, feral emerald slits darted between each surrounding dragon. Her scales grew hot, orange veins pulsing between them in sync with her heartbeat.
The dragoness was outnumbered, slaying the drake beneath her would only seal her fate; she wouldn't be leaving the room with what she wanted. Maybe stalling could work. That was the best option.
"It would seem I've earned your attention. Tell me, why do you choose to take me seriously now? Is it because I hold a drake's life in my claws?" She pushed her tailblade into Spyro's chest, not enough to pierce but enough to make him squirm.
The guardians faltered in their approach, taking a few steps back, afraid she might kill him if they drew to close; a safe assumption.
"The dragon's life you barter with is a war hero's. He saved the world," Cynder spat, flexing her claws.
Those words didn't sit right with the emerald-eyed dragoness. Did she have the wrong purple dragon? No, there was only ever mention of one.
"You lie. The purple dragon was long prophesied to destroy the world, not save it. Are you his lackies?" She glanced between the five dragons, head tilted down defensively. "Or loyal slaves?"
"Neither. You have your prophecy confused, lass. The purple dragon who was destined to threaten the world and tear it apart is long dead, thanks to the dragon you now hold in your paws and, the dragoness in front of you." Gwoalin the fire guardian gestured his head towards Cynder, her sea blue-green eyes clashing against bright jade.
"You're obviously scared and confused. You don't have any enemies here. Release him and we can talk." The voice belonged to Aquaria this time.
The dragoness faltered, the dim room incrementally growing brighter as her grip on Spyro slowly loosened. Perhaps they were telling the truth. She was lost, awoken in a new age; she could have missed a lot. Deciding it best to let the dragon go and keep a close watch on him she relinquished, tailblade pulling away from his chest and stepping back to show her passiveness.
Cynder released a breath she hadn't even realized she'd been holding, muscles quaking so suddenly that she nearly collapsed; the same could be said for the four elemental protectors. Spyro stood, backing away from the strange dragoness and resting beside Cynder; the presence of each other easing both of their nerves.
"Are you okay?" Cynder sounded worried, eyes running across his face and chest, something the purple dragon chuckled at.
"Im fine. The only thing she damaged was my pride, attacking me so easily." Cynder audibly hummed, happy Spyro's mood hadn't soured.
All eyes focused on the strange dragoness still surrounded on all sides. There were questions that needed to be answered. Detoren, the earth guardian spoke up this time.
"Who are you?"
Bowing her head, the dragoness spoke.
"My name is Eliesia. As I've already told the four of you," She answered, tail gesturing towards the guardians. "I'm here to warn you about the army of hollows marching towards this city."
"Hollows?" Cynder tilted her head.
"If I had time to explain everything, I would." The time wasn't the most sincere but it felt contrite.
"Something needs to be explained," Fendrir responded. The hostility in his voice didn't seem to improve the dragoness's mood.
Eliesia had to stifle a grumble, smoke drifting up from her nose to collect at the ceiling of the room.
"I'm here to help. You simply must listen to me."
Everyone noticeably jumped at the loud explosion of fireworks bombarding the night outside. The dragons could practically feel the vibrations, both in the air and ground. Aquaria seemed at ease the most: a true diplomat.
"We understand why you're here. We just can't be sure if we can trust you." Eliesia's tail lashed erratically, talons raising up to gently massage her breast plates.
"What do you have to lose if you believe me?"
All six dragons looked to each other, eyebrows raised and lips pursed. Everything about this dragoness's words spoke bad omens.
The explosions and screams outside suddenly turned chaotic, the earth shuddering below their paws and large stones falling loose from the ceiling. An earthquake? All dragons moved to the foyer, the chandelier that dangled above them swaying in the aftershock.
Cynder and Spyro were the first to approach the entrance, pushing against the massive wooden doors with their shoulders. The wood creaked, straining under the pressure but refusing to open; something was blocking the other side.
"We can't move it!" Cynder sounded panicked, flicking back to face the other dragons.
Detoren, the earth guardian stepped forward, shoulder and knees bending as he fell into an attack stance.
"Step back." Everyone did as told, clearing a path for him directly to the door.
Shoulder positioned in front of him, he charged, ramming into the doors like a battering ram and splintering the wood. Rock and rubble crumbled and cracked as his charge collided with the door; the debris was like paper.
Everyone followed, pushing through the large opening torn through the entrance. Cynder audibly gasped, mouth hanging open and eyes threatening to water.
Ash drifted through the air, glowing orange embers dancing lazily in the strong midnight breeze. The city burned, tornadoes and maelstroms of flame eating at every house, alley and street until they crumbled, adding plumes of smoke and more ash into the air. Echoes of wailing pain stricken dragons reverberated through the night, seeming to resonate even louder than the barrage of explosions erupting in every part of the metropolis There was a moment, a moment of silence and bewildered awe as the group of dragons beheld their city.
"Evacuate the city…" Eliesia was the first to speak, shattering the unbelieving calm that had taken hold of the group.
The guardians disappeared into the fray without another word, leaving Spyro and Cynder with the undead dragoness; she hadn't been lying after all. A lesson learned too late.
The air clapped, the three dragon's ears ringing as a torrent of lightning heads rained down from above. A lightning drake lancing attacks from his maw, tearing through the air; his wings glided ceaselessly above and around the towers and pillars of Warfang. The air above them rippled as he soared overhead, wind screaming as he passed.
"Who is that?" Spyro seethed. Something about this dragon's skill stood out.
Once again Eliesia's voice had the two dragons eyes looking to her. Head cast down, she spoke.
"Buy your guardians as much time as you can. Take care of Moldrar, distract him. I'll be doing the same. We regroup outside the city walls, away from their hungry eyes." She launched into the air, ash and smoke billowing behind her.
"Spyro-" Cynder didn't get to finish, the purple drake resting his forehead flush with hers.
"Stay safe, and defend the citizens. I'm going after… Moldrar." She made to argue but didn't have time, the violet-scaled dragon already racing off and launching into the sky.
Cynder watched him fly behind a city spire vanishing into a veil of smoke.
"Be careful…"
Looking to the city down the steps. she grounded herself. Cynder tore into the streets of warfang, lungs burning like hot embers. Smoke and ash practically flowed through and around the alleys and blazing buildings of Warfang, like rivers over stone; It sent the ebony dragoness into spasms and coughs.
Nothing was safe from the ever starving flames. Water coated in spilt cooking oil transformed once illustrious fountains into hellscaped spouts of fire.
"Help!" A distant masculine voice called out.
Head spinning on a swivel, Cynder searched, gaze combing through fire and cinders. Where was he? Why couldn't she find him? She waited for another call; it never came. Heart striking in her chest and head pounding, her breathing wheezed, almost whimpered. She felt an unforgiving wave of guilt pierce her stone mask, heart thrumming in her chest and ears; her head pulsed. The screams blurred, echoing in her mind as she spun in search of the voice.
Dragons soared overhead, Crippled and withering undead dragons slashed and fired at innocent Warfang citizens. Lighting, fire, fear, and poison, every element was unleashed upon the great dragon metropolis.
It was so much… too much…
Knocked from her thoughts, a group of young drakes and dragonesses shoved past her. Immediately, the dragoness caught sight of a large group of undead wolves and dragons, burning and feasting on any city remnants and stragglers they could catch.
Cynder snarled, her roar projecting itself from her lungs, a challenge met with equal contempt. The wolves jolted, jaws snapping and salivating as they pushed towards her untactfully. The black dragoness beat her wings, sending blazing smoke and glowing embers into their eyes and muzzles;they whimpered as they clawed at their noses and eyes.
Not quick enough to stand against her, Cynder fired off a concentrated blast of fear energy that scattered the remaining wolves. Unfortunately, the undead dragons had calculated their attack more consciously, one launching above while two charged her head on; she had to choose.
Tail flashing through the air, Cynder wrapped it around the weakened pillar of a crumbling building to her right. Lips snarling, she grimaced as she pulled; the still burning home crashed into the cobbled alley and agitated dead. Pain surged through Cynders body, vision flashing white; the third dragon had taken advantage of the opening, charging into her and knocking her down. Talons scraping against the street, her attacker skid across the stone as she slowed to a halt, glaring at the ebony dragoness before turning away. She was dazed, legs and body squirming as she lay on her side.
The sound of her attackers wings flapping had her staggering back up to her paws, muscles shaking under the straining pressure of recovery. A fading shadow of a dragon disappearing into smoke could vaguely be seen from the corner of her gaze. She gave chase, paws skittering on stone as she rounded corners. Paws and talons slipped and faltered, the ash and soot making it difficult to properly run.
Cynder collided against the crackling fire crested column of a weakened building, stone collapsing and crumbling into the streets behind her. Unfortunately, she lost sight of the fleeing dragoness, the smoke and smoldering remnants of the dragon city making it too difficult to navigate. Instead, the black female dragon focused on the other tasks: evacuation.
Taking a left at an intersection, she made her way to the commons area Spyro and Cynder had previously occupied earlier that night. Slowing her pace to a preserving stroll she carefully moved around what she hoped were the burning corpses of trees and plants. An agonized groan caught her ear and turned her head round to the left, there her eyes were met with the unconscious and prone form of a young wind drake that had been unlucky enough to get caught under a collapsing wooden beam from the stage.
Rushing over to him, Cynder propped the wooden construct on her back and pushed, legs burning and straining under the immense weight. Taking slow and deliberate steps forward, the beam moved off of the unconscious dragons body and eventually clear of him entirely. Ducking down and away, Cynder freed herself of the pressure on her back and moved to the injured dragon where she pawed at the drakes shoulder and snout to wake him up. Meanwhile, her head spun like a swivel, combing through the smoke filled sky, looking for any sign of Spyro, the guardians, or Eliesia.
Suddenly, a shadow swooped through the air above her, air whizzing as it passed her. Following it, Cynder immediately recognized who the shadow belonged to. The purple dragon hovered a few hundred meters above her, wings flapping as he turned in a circle, looking for something.
"Spyro!" She cried out his name.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Spyro snarled, Moldrar's tail swaying inches from his maw as he they weaved between the crumbling Warfang architecture. Ash swept past his face. The heat radiating off of the consuming flames burned his eyes, making him shake his head periodically.
A fireball flew from Spyro's mouth, missing Moldrar by mere inches. Instead, it crashed into a crumbling tower, stone walls shattering under the attacks burning force; rock showed down to the streets.
Pushing himself harder, Spyro flapped his wings with every ounce of strength he could muster. Paw outstretched, He grabbed, talons digging into the drake's scaled tail. A roar sounded from the dragons lips, head turning back to look at him before Spyro felt the tail get ripped from his grasp. The dragon shot a concentrated bolt of energy into a large crumbling pillar just to the left of him, forcing the purple dragon to abandon his trail. Large outcroppings of stone crumbled, nearly crashing into his wings as they fell.
Focusing back on the fight, Moldrar was nowhere to bee seen, vanished. Head and eyes pivoting, Spyro cast his gaze side to side as he scanned the burning remains of a once great city. Flying higher, Spyro circled the streets of the city in case he had landed, trying to make a clean getaway.
Two clashing dragons soared passed him, a brown and musty-green dragon immediately recognizable as Detoren; he fought furiously against a black-gnarled spined drake until they both disappeared into a cloud of smoke.
Soaring higher Spyro looked down, trying to spot anything from above until someone shattered through the surrounding cacophony, calling his name.
"Spyro!"
The purple dragons body lurched, head snapping to the right as someone crashed into him. Scaled bodies crashed against each other, the sound of metal clashing; he roared in pain, talons lashing wildly at the tight grip that held him captive. Talons dug into his waist, torso and abdomen, blood trickling down sharp claws and dripping into the flames below. He could hear the dragon laugh, voice contorted and impish like a nightmare.
The grip that held him in place suddenly disappeared; he felt his stomach jump to his throat, equilibrium disoriented. Time seemed to slow to a crawl, Spyros wings flapping wildly as his body flipped and turned in the air. The ground grew closer until finally his wings unfurled, catching wind and slowing his descent; it still wasn't enough.
His paws slammed into the ground, buckling under the force and sending his shoulder into the dirt. Soil, rock and grass kicked up into the air as his body cratered into the earth; a long streak trailed behind him.
Eyes fluttering, Spyro stumbled to his feet fumbling and collapsing. Sand and dirt clustered at his mouth, sticking to his lips and saliva. Spitting and shaking his head he tried to stand again, ultimately tripping and collapsing once more. His entire body throbbed, bones aching, muscles quivering as he finally managed to stand himself up.
By then it was too late.
The thudding of paws hitting ground reached his ears, the opposing dragon landing just a few feet ahead of him. Lips turned up in a half snarl half grimace, Spyro charged forward, shoulder raised and aimed at the chest; he took the initiative.
The attack was too obvious, choreographed. Easily exploiting Spyro's mistake, the drake thrust his own shoulder between Spyros ribs, a loud crack filling the air as the purple dragon dropped, releasing a agonized roar. In a flash Moldrar's mouth was wrapped around Spyros neck, teeth like razors tearing gashes into his scales.
Spyro kicked, knocking one of the forepaws from beneath him resulting in both dragons caving to the ground. Gasping in relief as the pressure on his neck disappeared, Spyro saw his opportunity. Purple claws wrapped around silver chitinous horns, lifting them upwards and raising his head. With any strength he could find, Spyro slammed Moldrar's skull into the ground; the sheer force of it making his paws throb. It wasn't enough,
The edges of Spyro's vision flashed white as a stray paw connected with his jaw, toppling the violet-scaled hero. His feet staggered beneath him, head swinging wildly as he blindly fought for his bearings. His vision cleared up just in time for him to dodge an oncoming charge from the lightning drake, paws thudding past him.
Spyro's claws tore into the ground, uprooting grass and small flora as he skidded across the soil; Moldrar left tracks much the same. Roaring, the lightning drake's talons pulsed with electrical charge. Streaks of blue, white and gold danced around his paws. Spyro was forced to backpedal, the gap between him and his adversary closed much to quickly for preparation.
Moldrar's paw swung left, aimed high. Spyro ducked, parrying the attack with a shoulder break. However, a wing hooked around his horns, pulling him forwards and into a swiping attack that sliced his chest. Luckily Spyro's own lightning element counter acted Moldrar's, lessening much of what was already a painful wound.
Tail piercing through Moldrar's wing membrane, Spyro distracted the lightning dragon long enough to free himself. Unfortunately, there wasn't much of a reprieve. Moldrar relentlessly pushing forward, another set of cuts etched themselves into his cheek with a successful claw landing from his adversary; he was too fast.
Spyro gulped, Moldrar's wing bone pushing against his throat and theatrically body slamming him into the ground. Paw pressed into the purple drake's chest, Moldrar reared his head triumphantly, jaws opened wide and mouth aimed at Spyro's neck: the finishing blow…
It never came.
Spyro watched as Moldrar's body was thrown to the ground just left of him, a contorting mass of wings, talons, and tails: one set gold and silver the other black and magenta.
Cynder.
The black dragoness snarled, one of her claws tearing into Moldrar's left eye; a strange black liquid immediately began to seep from the wound. Silver and gold tail quickly wrapping around her neck, she was thrown off, legs kicking as she was tossed to her side. Desperation obviously taking over, the lightning drake took to the sky, wings flapping haphazardly. The wound Spyro had inflicted earlier on his wing serving its purpose: it was difficult to fly; still, he tried to flee. Thrusting his body into the air with a powerful flap of his wings and push of his legs, Spyro closed the gap.
The purple dragons mouth wrapped around his neck, teeth tearing through the scales and a rotten tasting liquid spilling into his mouth; he had to force himself not to gag.
Moldrar roared, a noticeable difference in this exclamation than the previous ones. There was a pained whine at the end, rasped and ragged like a wounded elk. It wasn't a sound Spyro hadn't heard before; hunting wildlife, spyro had grown accustomed to it. However, to hear it coming from another dragon… It felt alien… wrong…
There wasn't much time to contemplate a moral compass however; the battle was still very much alive. Eyes clamping shut and head pulling back, Spyro pushed down with his paws against Moldrar's back while simultaneously ripping his teeth from the drake's neck. The dragon fell, body loose as it collided against the ground, ash, soot, and embers tossed into the air.
Spyro landed next to him, head hung low and mouth dripping with the vile rotten blood of the mighty undead elder drake; his chest heaved and throbbed with every labored breath. The pained and struggling intake of air could still be heard through Modrar's nose, tail and legs sporadically twitching. The lightning dragons body rested broken, right wing snapped and draped across his side and stomach; the bone was snapped clean. It could only be assumed the left wing was much the same, if not worse. Thick tar-like blood gushed from his neck, coming out in spurts with every attempt to swallow.
Moldrar's faded dull grey eyes gazed intently, frantic and flicking wildly in the corners of his vision. Turning away, Spyro couldn't help but to look to Cynder, confused horror struck violet irises staring into dazed sea green. What were two young dragons to do with a slowly dying drake at their mercy? It wasn't a moral dilemma either of them were accustomed to.
Neither of them had a choice in the matter however, Eliesia landing a few feet away from them.
The fire dragoness wilted, sitting just above Moldrar's head and drawing the drakes attention away from Spyro. Paw sliding under his head, she cradled him, her own lowering down to whisper soothingly into his ear. Her tail slowly crept and slithered up to his chest, her sharp tailblade directed to the left portion of his breast: his heart. The two young dragons watched, mind screaming at them to turn away but eyes forced to watch the mercy rule before them. Spyro could only pick up a few stray words she whispered to him.
"I… We… Remember… Link…"
He couldn't be sure what they meant or if they were simply told to bring solace to the undead dragon but before he had chance to ponder any of it, Eliesia's tail quickly punctured his chest plates. The scales caved and cracked, scraping and sliding against the invading blade like armor caving around a sword. The dragon gave an audible gasp like a massive weight had been lifted from him; in a way, it had. Moldrar's wings, head, neck and legs went limp, already dull-faded eyes losing any life that may have been considered remnant in them. Spyro looked to Eliesia, hoping to find any sign of remorse or frustration but discovering neither; her head was turned away.
Moldrar's lifeless body slowly disintegrated, scale, flesh, and bone turning to ash that rose up to join with the already grey and smoke filled sky. The surrounding air rapidly cooled, the falling soot now turned cold like snowflakes; the sensation was surreal. As time passed it slowly dispersed, consumed by the wrathful radiating fire.
The cruel conceptions of reality washed over the two young dragons like a tsunami, both their heads turning to lay gaze upon the ruins and remnants of the once great city of Warfang now left to burn and swelter under the influence of cursed undead. Their mouths hung agape, paws deftly pulling them towards the falling city. Cynder stifled a sob, eyes watering as she brought a paw to cover her mouth.
Eliesia however had her eyes set on other realities, eyes tracing several dragonate forms as they flew through the Sky and abandoning the city; others stayed. Another day, another battle, another age, another breath of fire doomed to ignite.
"Gather any survivors. We move somewhere safe and collect ourselves."
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Author's Note: This was a major chapter. I had a lot of time to think about how and when I wanted to introduce the turning point. Don't worry for any of you who still have lots of questions; I promise they will be answered. For a while I was worried that chapter five would be too soon. However, I feel if I were to delay it any further, you guys would get bored, wondering when the action and drama was going to kick in.
This chapter was special for a lot of reasons; It was my first go at an action and fighting sequence scene. I feel as if it turned out great and was rather well paced and not to drawn out. However, you are the audience. Please tell me what you think in either review or PM; I would love to know what you guys think. Your opinions do matter and I hope you all know that. Each review is equally loved and taken into account.
Shout out to Dardarax for beta-reading, you rock! Go check it some of his work, you won't be disappointed.
Thank you ALL! Thank you for your support 4Dragons. Please go check him out as well as GoldenGriffiness