A/n

Okay, here is chapter four, and for the next couple of chapters some will notice that there is little change in the story as it was before other than more details and the style it is written. Honestly, I like how this is written at this point the story as this part is flows nicely and I would rather not disrupt that. So enjoy this chapter!

Chapter 4: Reflections

-Neutral pov-

It is when we reflect on what has been, that we can gain wisdom. Foolish are they that deny or hide the past, yet equally foolish are they that do not learn from what failures and successes we have. Please keep this in mind dear reader, for such plays a part in this tale as you will see if you continue listening.

-Saber's pov-

Rousing upon feeling of the rays of sunlight hitting my eyelids and knowing it was morning, I shrugged off sleep. I rubbed my eyes to get the remains of sleep from them though I was still a tad tired. Thankfully the pain I had felt last night had for the most part gone away. It's probably because I had slept like a log last night, can't blame myself as yesterday had been rather tiring than an average day. There were images from dreams I had last night, and those pictures were weirder that I tend to have. I dismissed the images and rose up to a sitting position stretching to wake up more fully. After that I looked around in order to take in my current surroundings as they were.

I spotted Spyro lying on his back, his wings splayed out on the ground under him and he was spread eagled as he slept. As I watched I saw his forepaws twitched at random and Spyro also as it happens, talks in his sleep as I could clearly hear even from where I was. I couldn't understand half of what he is mumbling as most of the things I was hearing were unintelligible sounds. That's not to say I didn't listen to Spyro for a few minutes and from what I heard, it was evident that he was dreaming about a certain dragoness, since the name Cynder clearly from him. By the number of times Spyro said Cynder's name, he definitely had feelings for her and deep-rooted ones at that. My smile became a frown when… came the voice that I had come to detest and hate over the previous day. It had become out right irritating in such a short time, "Drop those bugs… they're mine-" IC mumbled.

Great, Sparx also talks in his sleep, oh that is just peachy, and I get to listen to him, not what I want to wake up to in the morning. It was obviously the endless pain was dreaming of food as his mutterings implied. I shook my head in annoyance at the fact, "It is at times like this that I am very glad I do not have any siblings. It is extremely likely that if I did, only one of us would have lived beyond puberty! Most bets would probably be me making it through alive rather the sibling, but thankfully I will never have to find that idea out first-hand. There is not a single question about that… I can fight dirty and will do so if the need comes up," I whispered to myself.

After I had suffered IC's sleeping rant, I decided I had enough and need to get away from this unhealthy situation before I do something I couldn't take back. I stood up stretching as I have done every morning for about twelve years. Once I had, I took a moment to look back at my two traveling companions, and then went off beyond audible distance. When I had gone far enough, I began my morning routines as years of habitual repetition kept me doing. An hour passed by the time I had completed my routines before I went back to the site we had camped at last night. Seeing that the two bodies hadn't moved since I had left, I didn't do anything to wake them. I'm well aware that many people don't wake up as early as I do, but still I wonder how some can sleep as long as they do.

Making the choice to go to the pond I had passed earlier, I made my way to the small pond that was a small way from the camp. There was a rock at the edge of the pond and I thought it was as good a spot as any for a seat and so, I sat down on it. I began to review and contemplate the recent events that had happened in the last day… no wait, two and a half days since I was out for three quarters of a day according to Spyro from when I was shot by electricity. I had to correct myself in my timing and doing so I couldn't help but have thoughts of incredulity.

Boy has my life has really taken an unusual turn in a short period, I was reeling both mentally and physically from the recent circumstances, I couldn't help it. Most other people would have either been killed from this or have lost their minds or both. Thankfully I wasn't like other people though I have never fit the 'norm' even on the rare occasion that I put forth the effort to try. A fact I was grateful for one of the times before that such a fact has saved my rear, and all connected to it. In difficult times, not being like everyone else is better than being a part of the masses as it can increase the survival rate. On the subject of sanity… well, there have been people who have called me crazy, to which I reply, I'm not crazy, my reality is just different than yours.

Yet I as far as I could tell I was still sane by my standards at least, and I think I have a good creditable standard to judge by. I believe I was still of a sound mind and I've heard if you believe you are still sane then you normally are. In this situation, it was hard to tell what could be considered sane and what wasn't. Then again, I'm in a completely different world than I know, what's to say that this place follows the same rules that earth does?

I was having a mental rewind and viewing of the last few days. In the first place, three nights ago there was my encounter with that strange dark creature that had been out to kill me. That experience… scares me and I don't scare easily at all for I have nerves that are stronger than freaking reinforced titanium! I could stroll through hell while it's in a major upheaval or war even and take it in stride with a calm smile on my face as I went. In other words, it takes some absolutely serious crap to shake me up. I mean, most go nuts with fear with things that get my attention and then I would dismiss. An example of this would be a stress test I took once, in the said test, I was sitting in a chair and the people running the test did lots of things to startle me. When I say lots, I mean like having fires blazing around me at the end quite literally. Well simply put I impressed the doctors by not reacting at all to anything they did. So again I say, I have nerves beyond freaking reinforced titanium! Recalling that creature and the feelings of fear that I felt, I don't know what to think about that.

Moving on, I find myself having left the human world and come in to another one altogether, one completely different from the one I had left. In this world I'm in now there exist creatures that you would only find in stories, but certainly not in reality. Then shortly after coming into this predicament, I meet Sparx and that had been an ordeal. I was not able to stop the shudder that went through me at the memory of meeting Sparx and what followed. I seriously think meeting him was a curse! I have never met anyone as annoying as him… and I happen to know someone who is the definition of ANNOYING!

After that, sometime between two evenings ago and yesterday I had come to cross paths with Spyro. Thinking about it now, meeting Spyro is an event of significance in more ways than one though it had not appeared so at the time. Even if our meeting had been during and after the fight with those apes that had been making trouble for Spyro. The purple dragon's story had be one that I had to admit was something else. I did say some things in the discussion about Cynder that I probably shouldn't have, which resulted in me being shot with electricity by Spyro. Although, now I could say I know what it is like to be Deep Fat Fried in a fashion because of it.

While I was deep in thought I heard a thud and glanced to my left and I was surprised to see Spyro sitting on the ground next to me. "Good morning," Spyro said sleepily.

I looked at him and then a humorous idea popped into my head. It came from a memory of my past came to mind and I thought, why not have some fun with this. "What do you mean? Do you wish me a good morning, or mean that it is a good morning whether I want it or not, or that you feel good this morning, or that it is a morning to be good on," I asked.

Oh, I remember the first time that Master Kai had done this to me. He had kept a straight face while he had said the line, but afterward had laughed pretty hard. I had been fairly successful at doing so for Spyro looked at me confused, "Huh," he uttered.

"Sorry Spyro I just could not resist. My Master would do that to me a many time," I replied as I was trying not to laugh at Spyro.

I know what I had did wouldn't make sense to him, but that wasn't why I did it. "You talk a lot about your Master what is he really like," Spyro questioned.

I felt my breath stop on my throat and sighed for Spyro you are asking a very in-depth question. There are many reasons why I talk about Master Kai, the man changed my life… literal, "Well Spyro that is… a complicated and very loaded question. Due to the nature of that is really hard to answer in short way. So are you sure you want to know," I posed.

As I saw Spyro nod I rolled my eyes, I hope he didn't regret asking me this question, "Okay, though I recommend that you get comfortable, this is going to take a while," I remarked.

I took the time to think about where to begin, but after a few moments I started telling Spyro about my martial arts master. I began by telling him about an experience I had around five years ago during the summer time. It had been as I had been traveling toward the Dojo one day that I had been in a good mood as I usually was spending time at the dojo. It was for many reasons that the Dojo was a special place to me, it was there that I felt I could be myself without worry. My troubles would melt away from me when I was there that would come from the outside world. It could be because the house where I lived, the place I unfortunately called home, but didn't feel like a home. It was more a prison and place I hated and avoided as much as possible and I doubt many could blame me for feeling so.

Whether that was due to the many problems that occurred there was a debate in and of itself and that debate was as terrible subject as it was vast. My uncle being one of the major contributing factors in the problems in that house or rather he was the biggest one. After all he caused the vast majority of the complications I get from there, whether it was him beating me for something I supposable have done. Then him beating me for an event that had happened during his day, or usual beating me for no real reason at all that I could figure out, all I could guess on anytime he does beat me is he's just venting his frustrations of the day.

I couldn't help my hand going to the bandage that was over the cut on my cheek on the right side of my face I had gotten from him back then. I would get marks from the stuff I did at the dojo as well but, I knew that was a given at the dojo and at least the marks were obtained by choice and not by abuse. It wasn't like Uncle Douchebag would get caught for abusing me any more than he would now. HE was to the world an upstanding businessman or something like that, no one else saw what he was like at 'home'. So, as I'd walked through the door I saw Master sitting in the main hall with as usual a cup of tea in hand and it felt like I was where I belonged. He was sipping it slowly as he always does as I greeted him, "Good morning Master."

Upon hearing me Master looked up at me. He set down his cup of tea and sighed, still with a smile, "What do you mean my young student? Do you wish me a good morning? Or do you mean that it is a good morning whether I want it or not? Or that you feel good this morning? Or that it is a morning to be good on?"

I'd just looked at Master, I was a little taken aback by his reply to my greeting. Two thoughts came to mind at this most recent odd line from Master. One, what is Master getting at? Two and more important, what in the hell?! I saw that Master was still waiting for my answer so clearing my throat, "Uh… All of them," I replied unsure what was meant by the questions from him.

"Ah you need to learn to be specific." Master said as he kept looking at me while sipping his tea.

I nodded in understanding, but not exactly getting what Master Kai had been saying back then. But it hadn't ended on that note, "By the way I see that you have… gained a new mark since you were last here yes," master had asked.

I reflexively covered my new cut as I didn't talk about what went on between my uncle and I to anyone else. Master Kai was one of the few who knew what I went through because of my uncle as I've told him and still do especially when I have a really bad fight with my uncle. "Well, I had a… disagreement with my uncle last night," I had said.

The Master looked sadly at me, "It seems to be more common for you now-a-days, that is rather unfortunate for both of you," he remarked.

I looked at the floor hearing the disappointment in his voice as I hated disappointing Master Kai. He was one of the few people that cared I was around at all in my view, so I did put forth the effort to actually please him where I wouldn't almost anyone else. I was trying to develop firm mental and even more emotional control, yet I was still not very good at such things. I just kept silent in shame keeping myself from letting out my feelings. "If you would like to talk about it, I would listen. There is no one else here at this time, how about it," master had posed.

Spyro listened to me talk about Master Kai and I was opening up more than I normally do, "Even if Master can be a little odd sometimes, he is always there for me when I need him. He was more of a parent figure to me than that uncle of mine," I finished.

Spyro looked at me and nodded in understanding, "I know how that feels to have someone that is as a parent, I had someone like that once," he admitted

I heard pain in Spyro's voice as he said that, this someone Spyro mentioned is one who isn't around that he respected or maybe something more perhaps. I thought for a moment, then smiled at Spyro, "Take it that the someone you are referring to was about to help you in times of need, such can be hard to come by. That is why they stand out in memory," I remarked, not wanting to delve any further into the subject. I then changed the subject to a more upbeat one, "Well anyways, it seems I will be stuck here I might as well make do with what I got and go all out. So, while I am here, I will help you till the end and hopefully find a way to get home, we will see how it goes."

Spyro looked at me, smiled and then laughed at my subject change, which was the intent to have Spyro in a better mood. Unfortunately, the change in subject also resulted in waking up Sparx, who appeared angry as he looked at the both of us. I put an arm around Spyro's shoulders or at least around where his long neck attached to his body which would I believe qualify as his shoulders and smiled back at him. "Well since the lightbulb-I mean Sparx is up finally, heavy sleeper he turns out to be, shall we get going while the morning is still young," I posed.

I slung my pack over my shoulder as we set off in the direction, I would guess that Cynder had gone with how Spyro was worried about her. I wonder what today would bring since things just were not exactly predictable, more so lately. If I look back on what had happened in the last three and a half days, then whatever came wouldn't be dull and I prefer it that way. So, after a period of walking, it was obvious that IC was in a bad mood, which put me in a somewhat good mood. He was flying in front of us as he ranted on and that kind of dragged my mood down from the push upward that his bad mood had brought. I couldn't help my eyes rolling as the lightbulb with wings kept going at the annoyance I felt. Spyro and I didn't notice when he stopped, I only noticed when I thought I heard a splat and so I looked down moving my foot to see Sparx under my shoe. Ah, now this a picture that I so wished I had a camera for to get a photo to keep, I will definitely recall this scene with happy feelings! I smiled at him that had an air of overly nice surprise, "Oh I did not see you down there. I am sorry, my mistake," I said.

"Very funny, I bet you are just so sorry," IC shot back.

My response was to give the lightbulb with wings an icy look, "Need I remind you where you happen to be right now? Or should I just let you understand the action that can happen through experience of you getting to know my foot well? And for your benefit, I will say it would be best for you to shut your mouth," I replied to IC in a volume only he heard.

Sparx just shook his head and moved out from under my foot and we continued on our journey as if nothing had happened. It wasn't long after that we heard a commotion ahead of us which change the whole mood of our band. We came to a small cliff that overlooked the valley and we looked down and the scene we saw wasn't pretty. Admittedly, even my jaw dropped at the sight before us, which I don't do often but it was unreal. There were a lot of apes in the valley of course, most of them with whips in their hands and putting them to use. And it had to be said begrudgingly so, those apes were very adept at using those whips as the three of us got a view of some of the whips getting used with loud cracks.

I then, took notice that the ones that the apes were using the whips on and I knew there was going to be trouble as they were dragons. A great many dragons in fact, dragons of every color variation I could think of at the moment and there were many different sizes, from very small dragons that most likely young children, to larger ones that were probably adults. The more I see of this world I'm in now, the more confusing it becomes. Yet, for some reason I have absolutely no issue whatsoever accepting what I'm seeing, it's odd for me that's the case. Although, there were more apes than dragons and the apes were using their whips to drive the dragons in one direction towards large metal structures, which certainly look like cages to me and I doubt it meant to be for nice reasons.

I glanced over at Spyro to gage how he was taking this scene for I would bet he doesn't like what we're seeing. And low and behold, I was right on the money with my expectation as he was clearly enraged at the sight. Now, the problem as I see it at this point is I really can't tell who will end out of the losing side of this and that worries me. And I would rather not watch Spyro potentially get hurt while trying help the dragons below. But don't get me wrong, I would be right there with him punishing whip cracking apes without hesitation. Yet, if this was not handled delicately, things could go bad real fast and it wouldn't just be the two of us paying the consequences for mistakes. So, I made the best attempt to calm down Spyro, "Uh Spyro, I have no doubt you are mad about this horrible sight. You have every right to be and I can understand the reasons and I am right there with you, but," I began in a soothing tone.

Having him lose his temper right now wouldn't help this situation at all, it would do the opposite in fact I do believe. There were lives at stake and keeping a cool and level head is the best way to give those that are in danger the best chance they could get. However, my attempt to help Spyro keep calm and understand what mattered in this situation didn't go as I hoped. Instead, Spyro swung his head around so that he had eye contact with me, the expression in his eyes said in no uncertain terms he was angry at what he was seeing below. The issue was his emotions were getting the better of him and I think he's about to confirm that to me momentarily. "How could possible understand how I feel right now?! You see all the dragons down there and what those apes are doing to them!"

Yep, Spyro has let his emotions get the better of him, it happens to the best of us occasionally, but it wasn't helping. I wasn't blind or deaf to what Spyro was talking about, I could see the dragons below suffering at the whims of the apes. I didn't like the scene playing out any more than Spyro did, but I know that if we charge in recklessly, things could get much worse very quickly. That was to be avoided it at all possible, and so clear calm thinking was needed now more than righteous anger even if its justified. As Master Kai has told me time and time again, emotions should be making the real decisions in a fight. More mistakes are made that way than problems are solved, and I've seen that idea first-hand.

So, that in mind, I was left with two options really, find a way to talk him down, or two disable Spyro so that he can't go down and then handle the apes myself. Both options have their own set of problems and difficulties to deal with both during and after. Option one would take longer and in that period of time the apes would keep at what they were doing. Option two would shoulder the burden of shooing the apes away squarely on me and me alone. It's not that I didn't think I could do the job, these apes' lack of intelligence was an advantage to me in a big way. Well before I get to the option, I'll go with first things first, the serious need to get rid of IC out of this. I without further hesitation I turned to Sparx, "IC go scope out the situation for us, make yourself useful with those wings of yours and your smaller size. Spyro and I need to have a little chat and you are not wanted or welcome in it," I ordered, and I left no room for an argument from IC glaring at him to make sure I got my point across.

"Uh sure," he mumbled and flew off.

Well, that had been easier than I thought it would be, now come the attempt to calm Spyro down and if that fails, disable him. I would prefer the former rather than the latter, but I'll do what is needed even if it wasn't easy. Spyro was mad and it wouldn't be easy to calm him down that wouldn't stop me from trying. "Spyro, you really need to calm down," I started.

Spyro had been glaring at what the apes had been doing and been brooding, he turned at the sound of my voice, "Calm! You tell me to be calm with what is happening," he demanded.

Dear dear, maybe I should just knock him out and take care of the ape problem myself at this point. It would go much better if I did, I believe with how things are going with Spyro in the long run. I would try one more shot at talking Spyro down and then I'll have to go with disablement and we'll see if dragons have a similar enough physiology to human to have the same methods work. "Yes Spyro, I said you need to calm down. You will be little help to anyone with the mood you are in-" I said.

Spyro however, didn't let me finish, "You do not understand," he growled.

If only he wasn't letting his feelings blind him, then Spyro might see that I do understand more than he did at the moment. I was keeping a cool and level head, and so was able to think and see clearly which was key in this type of situation. As talking was getting nowhere, I guess it would be better to get to disabling Spyro and go get the job done and waste no more time. While Spyro kept going on about why I didn't understand I walked forward towards Spyro. When I had gotten to the spot that put me directly in front of the purple dragon, I took a moment to study the structure of Spyro's neck, so I could find the place that would get the results I was going for. Once I had found the target spot that I wanted, Spyro noticed where I was, "Saber, what are you doing," he asked in a slightly calmer than his growling before.

Still, as much as I would rather not do this, I think it better that I handle this situation with how Spyro is right now. I frowned slightly, "Oh well Spyro, you do not appear to be calming down much and that is not helpful for the current situation. So, I humbly ask for your forgiveness," I stated.

Spyro looked confused at what I had just said, "Forgiveness? For what," he questioned.

I raised my right arm and brought it into position to do what I would to disable Spyro, "This," I said.

I gave a sharp chop to Spyro's neck just below where his neck connected to his head. Noting that the dragon's eyes lost focus and then rolled into his head before Spyro dropped to the ground. It showed that there could be enough similarities between human and draconic physiology that some of the same idea for disablement would work. The question in this is how long will Spyro be out for, it would go well if he woke up while I was in the middle of handling the situation and insists on diving in. It was as I was going over to my pack and was taking out my katana that IC came flying back to the spot where we were and looked at the results of the 'chat' Spyro and I had. "What happened in this chat of yours," he asked.

I sighed, "I tried to get your brother to calm down, my attempt did not work well or much at all, so I did the other option to be nice by disabling him before he gets himself hurt," I stated.

IC glared at me, "You call that nice," he exclaimed.

I gave him a deadpanned look, "Would you rather I let him charge recklessly in and do injury and possible end out like the rest down there if not worse," I posed jabbing a finger to the dragons below. Then I paused, and composed myself, "Besides, I will handle the situation and give those apes much more to worry about than the dragons they doing things to, I do believe I have proven that."

The lightbulb with wings gaped at me, "What do you mean you will go down instead and what did you do to Spyro," he questioned incredulously.

Ignoring the bug's question for that moment in time, I pulled out the belt I had in my pack along with my katana. I put on the belt which was a something I made myself when I found out how to do some leatherworking. There was the belt between the waist and hips, except there were three rings, one in the back and one on either side in line with my legs. Connected to each side ring and the back ring where leather loops that sat over my hips with holsters that could hold swords or my katana really. So, I slid my katana into the left holster at the ready to be drawn and use. Then I turned to face Sparx, "Exactly what I said IC, I will go down there and showing those apes what it feels like to be on the receiving end of a whooping!"

I didn't wait for the lightbulb with wings to reply, I spun around, and I shot off to get to work on the job I had not been shouldered with. After leaving Spyro splayed out and IC hovering over him, I got to the cliff swung myself over and began the process of climbing down to the scene below. And let me tell you, going down a cliff face quietly and safely is no simple or small task as I found out. I did manage to get to the upper tier of the bowl like area that the apes were rounding up dragons in without attracting notice to myself. Then I crept up to the greenery that was at the tier edge and got a closer look as to what I was getting myself into.

There was a need of a plan to get this situation under control and have all those involved come out in the best condition. And my initial glance told me enough to know this would be a tall order, but that's what I got to do. Taking the time to take in the field I would be on had two points of why I did it, looking what I had to work with and what could screw me over. The other thing I noticed was that the apes were almost done with at least the first part of what they planned to do with the dragons. About half of the dragons had been herded into the cages by the time it had taken for me to get to where I was hiding. It was mostly the more elderly looking and the younger children looking age in the cages. There were the other dragons and dragonesses still fighting tooth and in this case talon against the apes trying to force them into the cages.

The second part of the apes' plans didn't appear to be any nice for the dragons if the catapult is anything to go by. The apes that were using the catapult off to the right side of the valley were pummeling the dragons below that hadn't been caged. All this just told me that my time was running out and I needed to hurry. Thankfully, I do get the advantage of these apes being stupid enough not to look around them but only at the dragons. If that kept up, I could sneak up upon them and get the tables to turn on the apes and hard at that. My sights were being drawn to the catapult the apes had, when there was a sudden flash that blinded me for a second. I had to blink my eyes several time to clear the blinding white and yellow coloration that had been imprinted into my eyes that had come from the flash.

When I had regained my sight, I looked at what had happened and I saw a group of apes backing up slightly and two of them on the ground I assume dead. Then I caught sight of the golden yellow dragon with red wing membranes and underbelly with electricity arcing around his mouth. Figuring that it was that the said dragon had shot those two apes with electricity, I involuntarily shuddered at the recent memory of Spyro hitting me with electricity and knowing how it felt. However, I didn't feel pity the apes though, they were asking for what they were getting and more. However, that shows an inherent risk for me of being shot at by dragons and I would rather not take electricity or other ideas if I can avoid it.

I don't blame Spyro for the shot of electricity, but it had still gotten more than close for any comfort. Not that I told him that his frying had done that, he would have blamed himself so much more than he did already. It was as I was trying to come up with a plan that the whispers in my mind got into my notice to the point that it felt like the owners of the voices were around me.

"Block and redirect," whispered a feminine sounding voice to my right.

I twisted my head to the right and saw nothing, "You can absorb it," said a male baritone voice from behind me.

I spun around and still saw nothing and I was getting worried as the voices that whisper to me have never been this clear before now. I'm not schizophrenic, this isn't the same, and others have made claims that I am. "You have the ability," came a childlike voice.

Images and knowledge that I hadn't had before came to my mind and it made some sense and yet was ludicrous at the same time. "For once, act and don't think," stated a voice I'd never heard yet, strangely it was familiar for some reason.

"Who are all of you and why can I hear you in my head," I questioned the air.

I kept looking around still trying to find the owners of the voices with no success as what they said didn't make sense. But the whispering faded, and I was left to my own thoughts and none of the whispering from moments ago. The only thing I could figure with what I had, was that my chi could be used to block and redirect elemental shots sent my way. How that was supposed to work, I don't know but its what I got to work with I guess.

My attention returned to the situation at hand, saving the dragons that apes were trying to round up. A plan quickly started formulating that would hopefully be able to help the dragons and not have a horrible price to pay in the end. From my standpoint, the first thing that needed to happen was make the catapult disappear and remove it from the equation. That would assist the dragons still fighting and hinder the apes and anything that hindered the apes is a good thing right now. After that, if I could work on diminishing the number of apes and preferably get them to run like scared little girls all the better. The goal and the steps were simple enough, doing them was a different matter though but not impossible I believe.

I looked over towards the catapult to get a idea as to what it might take to get it to fail in some way, shape or form. And I noticed that the 'make shift' catapult as it could accurately be called hadn't been built with lasting in mind. The design would be something one would expect from a child honestly, something that works but only just and mostly due to luck. Yet, I smiled at an idea that popped into my head of how to handle the catapult and make it fail. The contraption was held together by ropes which could be easily cut, and I wouldn't doubt cause massive chaos. I swear there is probably a light bulb above my head now with how good the idea was.

Now if my bad luck could just keep out of this for a little longer, everything would be good and run smoothly. Yet, it had been a good period of time since my luck had given me a problem, so my intuition says that don't count on my luck staying out of this. Plus, this situation was a pure gold opportunity for my bad luck and it rarely missed such times. Said bad luck has a habit of hitting with greater magnitude the longer it didn't affect me. It's called 'luck buildup' or that's the term I gave it and a horrible gift from hell it is! So, things in this situation could go either good or bad and I have nothing that could give me hints as to which way it would go.

Well, as time was of the essence, the plan I had come up with on the fly would have to do for this job. So, I began moving covertly to the right keeping on the tier above the apes and the same one the catapult was on. I used the greenery and other features to hide my approach to the catapult and by what I could tell, none noticed my approach. As I came to the last clump of bushes and trees along the valley wall I looked towards the catapult. There were five feet or so between the place I was hiding and the ground where the catapult was set up. I could cover that distance fast enough to still catch these apes by surprise and off-guard.

Now what I was about to do could be seen as stupid and nuts by most nevertheless, that has never stopped me or even slowed me down from me doing something before when I have a reason. It's at times like this I state without shame I can be certifiably nuts and I'm proud of it! If any would like to argue, then let's see them do what I do and go through what I deal with and survive as well as I do.

Taking a deep breath, then I silently creeping out of the foliage towards the catapult getting there without any seeing me. Somehow, to my good fortune… rare as it is for me, all the apes were facing the other way so didn't see me coming, they were too busy operating the machine to hear or take notice of me. I was coming up to them as an agent of death all I can think of that's missing is a funeral dirge playing for it might as well be. I couldn't help but be awed by the level of stupidity these apes really were at and bless them for it. This time I was thankful they were so dense for it worked to my advantage.

Now, if I cut that rope theoretically the catapult should have a rather big failure and cause a huge mess, which is the idea I have in mind. Maybe if it had enough force in the upswing break the catapult, then there would be a lot of chaos and destruction for the apes all around. The only potential issue I see with that is I could get caught up in as well and I would like to avoid that if at all possible. Nevertheless, if I time it precisely right, then everything should work out okay… hopefully, no promises. However, upon hearing a roar, I looked over and saw that the yellow dragon from before was being overwhelmed and now he was the target for the catapult's next shot. Seeing that the catapult was already been loaded and the crank had started to pull the main beam down I wasted no more time and got to work on making this catapult fail.

I took my katana out from its sheath unfortunately, as fate or rather my bad luck would have it, one of the apes just happened to glance back and saw me. He of course let out a screech though thankfully for me, they were too late to do anything about me. I drew my katana fast and sent the hilt into the chest of the ape that had screeched hard having him crumple to the ground. I rushed forward smacking another ape as I closed the distance to the catapult, brought up my katana and then swung it down across the row of ropes curled around the crank drum much like thread is wrapped around a spool. The result was instantaneous as well as effective and with the ropes severed, the rope that was still tied to the beam of the catapult whipped around the inner parts of the catapult.

I was treated to a first-hand view of just how poorly built the catapult was, as my one action served to cause a domino effect. Ropes were unraveling and that caused other parts of the catapult to fail as well. With a loud crack, the catapult began to have even worse problems, which also snapped me to look upward at the main beam and seeing it smack the pole came back at the base part of the catapult. Ingrained reflex came to my aid in the form of amazing reaction time saving me as it had in throughout the years of martial arts training. I shot out of the way without thinking and heard a split second later the crash of the main beam plowing through where I had been just a second ago. Feeling myself and breathing hard realizing just how close I had been to becoming a pancake, I breathed to slow down my heartbeat.

"That was too close for comfort *pant* way too close," I muttered to myself.

I looked back at where the catapult they had been to see that my actions had at least obtained the result I had been aiming for. Actually, that's not entirely accurate, because my actions had far more effective results that I had predicted. The failure of the catapult had given a morale boost to the dragons and that was bringing bad times for the apes. The apes that had been around the catapult were in complete disarray, of those who were still moving at least for the apes who had been working the catapult were either dead or unconscious.

I stretched a bit before focusing on the next part of saving the dragons that these apes had been harassing. Racing off to get down to the lower level of this place so that I could get to work I steeled myself for what I was going to do. I have no problem fighting or even beating others up when they deserve it and are asking for it but killing is different. Don't get me wrong, if I have to, I'll do the job of taking a life yet, that doesn't mean I like or enjoy doing the idea. In this case, the ape were asking for a lot with what they have been doing to the dragons, so I'll deliver. My other advantage in this was the chaos I'd caused was spreading and sowing confusion. "Hi-ho, time to get to work on teaching a lesson to these hairy apes of what happens when you do stupid things like this. So then, those apes better have their graves dug or dig them fast, because I am not going to do it for them, and they will need a lot of them," I stated.

Speeding toward the close group of apes, I swung my blade and sliced through one ape without much effort. I continued the motion and slammed the hilt of my katana into the next ape in my path making contact with his neck hard. My blade wasn't all I used, I was kicking and punching as I went as well taking down apes. As I was doing the job, I couldn't help that some of the pent up emotions that I had came out in the form of me swinging harder then was necessary. So, I have issues that are un-dealt with, most people do whether they admit it or not. In fact, an uncomfortable feeling began working its way into my heart as I kept going on dealing with the apes.

The feeling of discomfort was pushed to the back of my mind at first as I focused on the task I was doing. Plus, memories of Master saying it was bad to keep emotion bottled up inside me came to mind as well. I'm not saying it didn't feel wonderful to vent what has collected over time from what I've been forced to put up with. There were flashes of where my uncle's face appeared instead of the ape's as I continued the work of death. It was as that was happening that the uncomfortable feeling came back to the forefront of my mind and wouldn't be ignored. I won't deny that I dislike my uncle and I have many reasons that I feel the way I do about the man. And after all the years that Uncle Douchebag had made my life a living hell, I dare anyone to blame me for hating him. The problem that I was having was that I used these apes to work out some of that hate and I know that to be wrong.

I literally came to a halt at coming to the realization, since it horrified me to see just how much control that had slipped away from me that I normally had. I looked down at myself and found I was covered with splatters of blood, my right hand gripping a blade soaked and dripping crimson. It was as I took in my appearance that a phrase that Master had said to me after an extremely bad night with my uncle had occurred. "You must be wary of the feelings of vengeance young one. It can be and usually is a subtle venom and then it turns into revenge which is a lethal poison. You will find you have become the same as the one you despise."

Master was as always right, I was acting exactly as Uncle Douchebag does… no I was acting worse than him! That thought alone made me feel completely sick and disgusted! My right hand went slack, and the katana slipped out of my hand. The sound of my katana clanging on the ground sounded loudly. I looked around and took in the scene of carnage with the many ape bodies that littered the ground. By the long straight cut marks only served to show what I had done when I had let my emotionally control slip. This situation was also different from the time I had killed the ape when I had meet Spyro.

The world around me faded from my notice as the voices came back and were louder than before. I didn't understand what they were saying, but then I wasn't paying attention much either. I sunk to the ground and pulled my knees to be in front of me and I used them to hide my face. I was being haunted by my actions and what had been going through my head while I had been doing what I had. The dragons seemed to be ignoring me and working on getting those in the cages out if my ears were working right. And honestly, I didn't care that I was being ignored, I preferred it at the moment and be left alone right now.

Chapter End

A/n

That is where I'll leave off on the fourth chapter and will pick up in the next. I'm hoping that your readers are liking the changes thus far. Please some of you write a review to tell me what you think, comments are appreciate. Working on more chapters and hope to have them up soon enough, we'll see how things go.