I've reached yet another milestone in this story. Chapter Fifty! And it only took me ten thousand years!
Chapter Fifty: Illumination
Like many worlds, Skylands had a vast system of wind forces that carried air throughout the land, affecting weather patterns in various locations. The wild North Wind carried everything upward, bringing forth heat, while the Polar Vortex swirled around and brought chills to the land. When one of these forces was strongest, you could tell what season it was. Well, if you didn't have a rudimentary understanding of the calendar system which came with thousands of years of analysis giving you a break on having to think on it, learning about wind patterns was quite useful.
Whirlwind flew high above the Polar Vortex, gleefully staying out of reach of chilly winter air. She didn't have time for the cold. She was on vacation, having been granted two weeks by Master Eon to do whatever it was she wanted. And right now, she was thinking of going somewhere warm, maybe to a nice exotic resort somewhere. The closest she could think of to an exotic place was Iron Jaw Gulch in the Cloudbreak Islands, an archipelago that hovered far away from most other islands in Skylands. The only place farther away than Cloudbreak was the Outlands, and that wasn't exactly a vacation spot. So...Iron Jaw Gulch it was.
As she neared the Cloudbreak Islands, however, Whirlwind noticed a dark mass in the sky far beyond Mt. Cloudbreak. Could it be a cloud? Whirlwind was fond of storm clouds, so those might be nice to visit at some point. Was it something else, like the Darkness? The Darkness devoured everything it touched, even while it was in the dormant state of a cloud. Fliers all over Skylands were warned to make sure rain poured from the clouds before venturing into them, as the Darkness could be mistaken for a storm cloud. That would certainly be a terrifying thing to come across on her vacation. It would also be a tragic sight, to see this whole archipelago devoured by the malevolent force.
Upon further examination, Whirlwind noticed that the dark mass didn't look quite like a cloud. Clouds had shapes, curls and puffs forming their wispy frames. The dark mass simply looked like a part of the blue sky had gone dark, with nothing to obscure anyone's vision. It was a strange phenomenon, to say the least.
Whirlwind decided that she had to try and investigate it. There couldn't be any harm in doing so, right? If it did turn out to be the Darkness, she could probably tell in enough time to hurry away before any harm fell onto her. With her mind made up, Whirlwind made her course for the dark mass, soaring over the Cloudbreak Islands.
As an archipelago, the islands of Cloudbreak weren't too far apart from each other, and it was maybe an hour at most to travel between them. Whirlwind spent the rest of the morning travelling between each island in order to rest before continuing onward. She grew closer and closer to the dark mass, eventually coming close enough to see the islands floating within the dark mass. The islands appeared snowy and desolate, and just beyond them, a great blizzard raged on.
Whirlwind scrunched her nose at this discovery. She left the Core of Light to get away from the cold, not to spend time in it. Still, she found herself ever intrigued by the strange phenomenon. It seemed that these snowy islands were entirely encased in darkness, and the surrounding space still contained the light of day. It wasn't the Darkness, nor was it a storm cloud. Perhaps it was some other form of magic that Whirlwind hadn't seen before? She, regrettingly, decided she needed to explore this area to determine that fact.
And so she flew on, making her way to the snowy islands. As she crossed the barrier between the darkness and the light, she suddenly grew much colder than before. This was strange since the cold came on suddenly, rather than increasing the closer she got to the islands. She looked up, finding the sky dotted with stars up ahead. It appeared that this darkness was a bubble of sorts, meant to trap the islands within. Whirlwind couldn't say that she had seen this kind of magic before.
She landed on one of the islands, shivering to her very core. Her toes froze upon stepping into the snow, and the air nipped at her ears. Winter nights always grew colder than winter days, huh? In any case, Whirlwind decided that she needed to find someplace warm to settle, and hopefully that would lead her to a settlement where she could ask questions about the phenomenon.
So she walked on, happening upon a tiny village. Whirlwind looked on in horror as she discovered the homes and buildings dilapidated and devastated. The roofs sagged in, and the windows lay shattered, and the walls stood scratched up or torn away. Broken belongings sat outside the houses, covered by the snow. Someone must have sacked this village in a search for treasure. Were the rest of these snowy islands in the same devastated state?
Whirlwind walked on, pausing as she heard voices up ahead. They came from the bank, where a light glimmered from the windows. Whirlwind hovered above the ground, hoping to minimize the amount of footprints she made in the snow, and snuck over to that bank. She pressed herself against the wall, listening in to a rather intense conversation. A woman's voice quivered as she spoke in defiance against who she opposed. Who she opposed, in fact, sounded like three gruff individuals. They talked about how they were going to kill her if she kept up the act, and how they might spare her if she gave them her valuables. This sounded like a heinous act, and Whirlwind knew she couldn't let it go on.
She knocked on the wall and let out a shout, and this action caused the conversation to pause. Whirlwind flew up to the roof, staying out of sight as three individuals left the bank to investigate. The individuals were a walrus, a mermasquid, and a squidface respectively. They wore ragged clothing with several buckles. That was typical pirate fashion, and their mean looks could only say that they were pirates. Whirlwind saw that as enough incentive to make her move. She flapped her wings together, creating a thundercloud that soared after the pirates. The cloud caught the pirates, zapping them full of electricity. The pirates looked up at her, and she stared them down in defiance. The pirates, fearing the wrath she showed off, fled in fear. Whirlwind leapt off the roof and ran inside.
She saw a Frost Elf woman standing amongst the ruins of the bank's interior. The Frost Elf wore broken armor, her hair tied in a braid. She held a sword at her side, prepared to pull it out. Now, the Frost Elf looked at Whirlwind in shock and surprise.
"You're glad I came in to help, right?" Whirlwind asked her.
"Can't say otherwise," the Frost Elf replied, her lips pursed. "If I had better equipment, I might have been able to handle them on my own."
"Have your people been having lots of difficulty with pirates lately?"
"The people of Cloudbreak always deal with pirates who see our lands as filled with treasure. We're usually able to hold them off on our own, but things over here have been rather difficult in Winter Keep. You've seen the skies to know, right?"
"It's some kind of spell, isn't it?"
The Frost Elf stretched her arm, making her way outside. "More than a spell, I'm afraid," she replied. "I came up here to search for resources to bring back to my people, while we wait for a solution to this problem."
Whirlwind furrowed her brow. "You should make your own solution," she insisted. "The world isn't going to solve your problems for you. You need to go out on your own and do that."
"Heh, I'm outvoted on that front, I'm afraid. Say, why don't you come along with me for a while? I could use the backup, and I bet you want to figure out what's going on."
"Indeed I do. I accept this partnership."
The Frost Elf turned to face her again, putting her hand out. "My name's Avril," she explained. "I'm training for the Frost Elf Guard."
The Frost Elf was still in training? Whirlwind suddenly felt embarrassed about explaining her title. Somehow she thought that saying she was a Skylander would embarrass Avril.
Whirlwind put her paw out for Avril to shake, which the Frost Elf did. "I'm Whirlwind," she replied. "I guess you could call me a drifter, of sorts."
"You guess?"
Whirlwind found herself blushing. "Maybe once we get to know each other better, I'll elaborate."
The two of them traveled around the frozen tundra, looking for metals and other supplies to bring back to the Frost Elves. They searched around the ruined homes, restaurants and business centers, retrieving as much scrap as they could. As they worked, Whirlwind always found her attention directing back to the night sky. The stars twinkling on the snow did look very pretty. She was almost certain that early sunlight would reflect off the snow just as well. What did this place look like in its heyday?
Avril led them back to the bank, with the two of them keeping an eye out for more pirates. Whirlwind kept pondering the ruins in her mind. This used to be a sprawling settlement once. The way Avril talked about things, it seemed that this night spell and the pirate raids were fairly recent. Maybe if they figured out how to fix things, the settlement could go back to the way it was.
"Do you know the nature of the spell?" Whirlwind asked. "My magic knowledge is rudimentary at best, but I'm sure I could figure things out by working backward."
"You really seem insistent on helping us out, don't you?" Avril asked. "Any reason why?"
"No...none other than because I want to."
"We don't get outsiders like that often. Usually they come help because they're told to or they want a reward, and we usually end up fending for ourselves anyway. It's fine by me, though. I've learned the long and difficult history of Cloudbreak, and I understand the importance of independence and finding your own path. I couldn't call myself a resident of the Cloudbreak Islands if I didn't try to forge my own path and do right by my home."
"It sounds pretty lonely to me. Then again, I usually find myself asking others for help when I need it."
The two of them arrived in the bank, travelling to the very back behind a desk that had been cleaved in half. Avril set her supplies down, moving away some carefully placed debris to reveal a manhole. Whirlwind studied this in surprise- that wasn't a normal feature for banks. Avril collected her things and started climbing down the manhole. After collecting her thoughts, Whirlwind followed after her. Then they travelled down a long tunnel, with the only light being that which Whirlwind produced from her horn.
"That said, the rest of my people have their minds in a twist ever since the sky changed like that," Avril continued, her voice echoing through the tunnel. "We've never trusted the Darkness, and that translates to simple nighttime for most of us. With this curse, we've all been instilled with this senseless fear, and we can't act the way we would normally do in any other situation."
"You must be frustrated with them, huh?" Whirlwind wondered. "That's the impression I got from your speech on independence."
"I wish they'd pick themselves up, but it can't be helped. I somehow need to reignite the fires in their hearts so we can solve this problem, but I'm only just one person."
Faint light glimmered beneath them- they had to be getting to the bottom.
"What are they doing instead of solving the problem?" Whirlwind asked.
"They're living their lives as best they can," Avril insisted. "Some are working to try and make living more comfortable- I guess that's what I'm sort of doing, in between shouting on deaf ears. Among that, they hold onto hopes and prayers which feel hollow to me. They think the Cloudbreak Guardians are going to bring the daylight back."
Something familiar clicked into Whirlwind's head. "The Cloudbreak Guardians?" she repeated. "You mean that old Skylander team?"
"Exactly them. They were founded on similar ideas as you seem to be. Legend said they came to Cloudbreak because every part of Skylands deserved protection by the Skylanders, others came because they thought it was their calling to help people, and some did because they wanted to. Our ancestors still yearned to take charge, but the Cloudbreak Guardians worked in tandem with them rather than taking the reins like Skylanders did in other parts of Skylands. My people are waiting for them to come around again so they can have the courage to fight off this eternal night."
Whirlwind gulped, thinking to how much worse this situation might be if she told them she was a Skylander. "Avril, the Cloudbreak Guardians are-"
"I know," Avril replied in a hushed voice. "But the right time to tell them is definitely not in a cave when on a different conversation entirely."
They eventually reached the bottom, a purple light completely engulfing them. Whirlwind followed Avril down a tunnel, which led into a large cavern that bustled with activity. Several nicely-built houses sat along the walls, and various Frost Elves ran to and fro to each. Some Frost Elves talked to each other by the wooden braces holding the cavern up, while children played among the barrels. Embedded in the walls sat large purple crystals, each one producing their own light. Whirlwind looked at this scene, intrigued by everything going on. It looked like the whole Frost Elf village lived down here.
"You have quite the setup," Whirlwind nodded.
"Don't we?" Avril smirked. "The light from these Tzo Crystals helps us see our business and keep the monsters away. It's been our only comfort since this spell came onto our land."
"Yet we still need a solution to this problem, don't you think?"
Avril furrowed her brow, nodding. "Let's get these scraps to the Frost Elf Guard so they can use them," she decided.
The two of them walked on through the cavern. As they walked, the business of the Frost Elves slowed, and soon every single one of them looked at Whirlwind. She noticed this, and kept her gaze to the ground. Whirlwind always seemed to get stares whenever she traveled somewhere new. She was a strange creature, with feathery plumage and a horn on her head, yet sporting draconic qualities like scales and spikes. By now, she had come to terms with who she was, but those glances still made her uncomfortable at times. Whirlwind could at least take reassurance in the fact that the Frost Elves were more curious about her than they were bitter or hateful.
They reached a tower structure, where several Frost Elves in similar broken armor to Avril hung out and discussed plans. The tallest of them was a brawny elf, who wore a series of badges on the left side of his armor. Avril told Whirlwind that he was the Captain of the Guard. They delivered their scraps to the Captain, who thanked them endlessly, before he turned his attention to Whirlwind.
"Say, I don't believe I've ever seen you around here before," the Captain mused. "What do we call you?"
"I'm Whirlwind. I was on my travels when I ran into Avril," Whirlwind replied, adjusting her wings slightly to hide her blush.
"Never thought such a unique creature would come by our neck of the woods. Cloudbreak must be pretty far away from your nest, right?"
"Certainly, but I've been travelling for a while. I was pretty far from my nest before I ever arrived here."
Avril gave a slight glare to the Captain. "She's perfectly harmless, sir," she promised him. "In fact, she's quite selfless. She's determined to help us through our current crisis."
The Captain stroked his braided beard, studying Whirlwind. His soft gaze slowly transformed into a stern one, and then he suddenly looked away. Whirlwind looked where he now looked, finding a house with purple light coming from the interior. That light was almost the same as the light radiating off of the Tzo Crystals. That was certainly strange.
"You don't need to bother with us, Whirlwind," the Captain insisted. "We take care of our own in Cloudbreak. We've done it for years, and we'll do it for more."
Whirlwind stepped back in shock, then glared indignantly. "I know a wide variety of magical spells," she argued. "If I can identify the spell that caused your eternal night, I could-"
"Magic caused our problems before. I doubt we need more magic now to muck things up. No, all we need is grit and determination. It's all we ever needed."
The Captain then glared at her. "Besides," he added. "How are we even sure you'll carry your weight?"
Whirlwind felt something bending inside her. She kept her gaze to the ground, focusing on her breathing before that bending stopped and snapped. She really didn't want to lose her temper, especially in front of people she wanted to help. She just couldn't believe the words from the Captain's mouth. Whirlwind was here, offering her services, and he accused her of slacking!
Avril stepped up to Whirlwind's side, hands clenched. "Sir, if I may, Whirlwind is clearly asking to help us," she insisted. "She was helping me gather supplies just before, so she can clearly carry her weight. Here in Cloudbreak, we help our own, but we also don't turn away help when it's offered to us."
"You're best to stand down, Avril," the Captain huffed. "You don't know what you're dealing with."
"But-"
The Captain folded his arms. "We had help here, long ago. The Cloudbreak Guardians always said they'd be willing to help us. We haven't had a lick of contact with them since, though. They must know of our plight. They would have lent a hand by now. But nothing. And we don't need outsiders like them giving us more empty promises. So Whirlwind can just leave and continue on her travels. We don't need her, and we don't need people like her."
Whirlwind pressed her claws into the dirt. She took a deep breath, and turned away. She brushed Avril away as the Frost Elf tried to convince her to stay and help. Whirlwind didn't want to work with the Frost Elves anyway. Not if they were going to shun her and accuse her of laziness. The friction would get in the way of solving the problem.
So Whirlwind decided she would solve it on her own.
Tzo Crystals still radiate with light even after breaking from their sprouting points. It was a fact that every geologist and rock lover worth their pebbles knew, and one they simply wouldn't shut up about. Whirlwind travelled around the caverns away from the Frost Elf settlement, collecting as many Tzo Crystals as she could. Then she carried them up to the highest point on the island, setting them up in various patterns so their light could gather and spread across the sky. Whirlwind hoped that with enough crystals, their light would break through the darkness and return the sky to normal.
Whirlwind worked at this for days. Indeed, at the peak, the blue skies came through where the crystals sat. But the light didn't spread any farther than that, and the blue skies remained encircled by the dark skies. No matter how many crystals Whirlwind gathered, or what position she placed them in so they could reflect off each other, the light didn't stretch over the island in the way she wanted it to.
At the peak of her frustration, Whirlwind lit her horn up. She pointed it at each Tzo Crystal, trying to determine which one deserved her fury more. Deciding that each one was too important, Whirlwind simply fired a rainbow shot straight into the sky. The blast from her charging the attack created a wave of light that hit each of the crystals, amplifying their light and causing the blue circle to grow over the whole mountain. Soon, however, the circle shrank back to its prior size.
But Whirlwind's mood improved upon seeing this. Hope returned to her spirit. Perhaps she could use her powers to amplify the light across the whole island and banish the night sky. She had no idea of how to go about doing it. She would need bigger crystals, or bigger powers, or perhaps she herself needed to be bigger. Maybe all three of them needed to be bigger in order to stretch the light across the island. But it was still promising, nonetheless.
Whirlwind suddenly heard a familiar voice just below the peak. She flew down to meet it, discovering Avril standing there with various supplies. The Frost Elf looked at her with a smile, nearly dropping everything she carried.
"Whirlwind, I saw it!" Avril cheered. "That circle of blue sky grew and shrank! There's a way to banish this dark!"
"I know, but I'll need something much bigger than what I have in order to stretch the light across the sky," Whirlwind explained. "I know an enchantment spell, so I could probably enchant the Tzo Crystals to give off the power of my light for when I have to leave. But it still wouldn't be enough. I'd need something to amplify that power."
"We could build a structure up here. It could contain a system of mirrors that reflect light, with the strongest crystal at the very top to illuminate and amplify that power. It can be as big as we need it to be."
"That's not a bad idea. We'll need a lot of supplies to start working."
"Let's tell the rest of the Frost Elf Guard. They'll need to know everything."
Whirlwind frowned, turning away.
"C'mon, this is more important than anything else," Avril urged her.
"You heard your Captain," Whirlwind argued. "He doesn't want my help."
"Don't worry about him. This is bigger than him, and the rest of the Guard, too."
"Frankly, I don't really want to work with the Guard, either. There's too much animosity between us. We'd only get in the way of each other, and I'd rather not have dumb arguments halt our progress."
"You don't want us to solve the problem on our own either, right? Well I don't think you should solve this problem on your own. We need each other. We can work together to bring the light back."
Whirlwind looked back at her. Avril had a point. She didn't know the first thing about constructing things. Even if she did, Whirlwind would have too big of a load of work on her hands. The Frost Elves could build the structure, and Whirlwind could mine and enchant the crystals they needed. Of course they had to work together. There was no other way.
"You're right," Whirlwind nodded. "It was silly of me to think otherwise. Let's go talk to the Captain again."
The two of them soon returned to the caverns, only to find the Captain missing from his usual post. They searched around again, soon finding shouting in a slightly brighter section of the caverns. When Whirlwind and Avril arrived here, they found Frost Elves working on a system of mirrors and crystals, with the Captain shouting at them to cease their work.
"What's going on, here?" Whirlwind asked.
The Frost Elves halted. One of them held onto a mirror and explained, "We thought reflecting the lights off the mirrors could illuminate the caverns. It's doing a little bit of a good job, but-"
"But the light isn't spreading far enough," the Captain spat, arms crossed. "And if the light can't spread across the whole cavern system, it can't banish the night sky curse from our island. Isn't that right?"
Avril put her hands on her chest. "You mean you're all...working toward a solution?" she gasped.
"Of course," another Frost Elf replied. "These dank caves are making us miserable. We can't light fires in fear of suffocation, our hydroponics system is far in its infancy, and we can hear the rumbling in the earth that could come from cave collapses. If there's a chance that we can go back to the surface and return to our normal lives, we've got to work toward it."
Avril set her arms to her sides, clenching her fists. "Captain, we've got to try," she agreed. "Why are you telling them not to?"
The Captain looked away, sighing. "It's futile, isn't it?" he asked. "The skies are too dark for light to pass through. Pirates and raiders keep sacking our village in this dark, ruining our efforts to rebuild. It's a waste of energy to go back to our old way of life. This new life will have to be our new normal. As long as we can keep up with it, it will be just as comfortable as it was above ground."
Whirlwind bit her lip. "You're fine with no longer seeing the sun?" she asked. "You're fine with your children being born and dying without knowing the breeze on their skin? You're fine with your descendents living on like this, with only stories of their ancestor's tales to warm them in the night, to have only dreams of that former glory? You're fine with giving everything up, your beliefs, your pride, your hope, just for safety?"
"Safety is our primary concern," the Captain argued. "We have to ensure it, no matter what."
She gripped her claws into the dirt. "Well I'm not fine with it. I don't want an entire people to give up everything they care about just to feel safe. What is safety without happiness? Your people are telling you that they're not happy living down here, and they're telling you that they want to fight to bring their home back to the way it was. The only thing stopping them is their fear of angering you."
"We've come up with an idea," Avril elaborated. "We can build a huge structure that amplifies the light of the Tzo Crystals, and Whirlwind can enchant the crystals to-"
"And enchantment is all she'll do before she mucks things up for us?" the Captain argued. "I don't want an outsider telling me how I should be operating. We don't need them to leave just before we start working toward solving our problems."
Avril's hands started shaking. "You can't be thinking of the Cloudbreak Guardians again, are you?" she spat. "That wasn't their fault. I know the ancient tales, and I know that they wouldn't have wanted to abandon these islands and our people."
"Yet you know they did."
"I know they didn't. I studied those tales, and I know for a fact that they didn't."
"Tell me what happened, then. Tell me this supposed truth that I don't know. Why did they abandon us? Or why didn't they abandon us, if you believe that?"
Avril released the tension in her hands. "They didn't abandon us. They died," she explained.
Shocks carried across from the Frost Elves standing by, echoing across the caverns. The cave grew silent as the revelation settled in. Whirlwind watched as their eyes grew wide, and even the Captain had his brow furrowed in thought.
"The Cloudbreak Guardians protected the whole archipelago from whatever dangers they faced, and they also protected Mt. Cloudbreak from villains who would want to use its magic for evil," Avril continued. "The volcano was at high risk each time it erupted, and the Cloudbreak Guardians knew that above all else, they had to be ready for when that time came again. And when that time did come, and villains came to usurp the volcano's magic, both hero and villain were...taken out in the eruption. No one could get away. And no one but the Woodburrow fox tribe could notice that they died. The vaults in Woodburrow are the only place where their true fate is recorded."
"That's certainly interesting," the Captain wondered, his voice shaking. "And the Skylanders haven't come back since because…?"
Whirlwind stood as tall as she could. She couldn't hide it any longer, could she?
"They haven't come back because the tribes in Cloudbreak didn't want them back," Whirlwind added. "Only the fox tribe knew what had happened to them. But in the strife that came from invaders in the wake of their deaths, the rest of the tribes outvoted them on wanting more Skylanders here. They felt abandoned, as you did, and didn't want outsiders in their affairs ever again, instead opting to work alone as they did before. Some melancholy fell upon them in the following years, of course. A large group doubted that the Cloudbreak Guardians had even died, and would come back to help them eventually."
The Captain glared at her. "How could you know that?"
"Because I'm a Skylander."
The cavern fell silent again. All eyes stared at her. Perhaps they felt hurt, or betrayed, or insulted. Perhaps they felt all three emotions. It didn't matter. Whirlwind knew she was still needed here, regardless.
"I work for Portal Master Eon, who was alive when the Cloudbreak Guardians were active," Whirlwind continued. "He trained them and worked with them. I can see the pain in his eyes when he talks about them. He misses them greatly, and he knows how much they cared for the Cloudbreak Islands. They loved your people. They loved the scenery and the sky here, and they loved the work they did. They found that they had greater importance here than anywhere else in Skylands."
"And you felt some sort of compulsion to come here?" the Captain huffed.
"My coming here was an accident, of sorts. I didn't intend to come here. But when I saw your people struggling, when I saw the shadow cast across your land, I wanted to do something. Not because I'm a Skylander and it's my duty to help, but because I want to. I see the beauty in your people and your land, as broken and torn up as they are, and I want them to shine again. I want you to be happy again. And I want to do everything in my power to help make that happen. So I promise, with every fiber of my being, I will stay here until we create a solution to this problem and we ensure that it works."
Avril stepped forward, announcing, "So we should build that structure. It's the best shot we have at saving our home."
The Captain stared at the ground, humming pensively. "Y-You're right," he said. "We can't just give up. I'll gather the Frost Elf Guard, and we'll discuss the blueprints for the structure."
Avril cheered, and Whirlwind let out a sigh of relief. This island wouldn't remain in darkness for too much longer.
Whirlwind and the rest of the Frost Elf village spent the next few days working on the structure that would cast light over the island. Wives and children gathered Tzo Crystals. Warriors and husbands collected as much scrap as they could. The wisest and imaginative of them measured the island's radius and drew blueprints for the structure. Whirlwind pitched in for each part, whether she charmed crystals, gathered readings on the island, or aided in welding metal together. Actually, most of Whirlwind's efforts toward the structure's completion involved defending the Frost Elves from pirates. The scurvy lowlifes waited in the darkest shadows, hoping to ambush them and steal their resources. Whirlwind snuffed them out and chased them away wherever she saw them, finding herself more relaxed in this task than any other.
The day came when they finally completed the structure. While working on it, Whirlwind hadn't paid too much attention to the shape. Now that it was finished, she studied it long and hard, shocked at how it turned out. It...looked like her. It stood as a guardian, it's feathery wings raised over it's Tzo Crystal horn. The horn twinkled in a special light, having been gifted with Whirlwind's magic.
"Why did you build it that way?" Whirlwind asked.
"The Frost Elf Guard decided that they wanted to remember the Skylanders," Avril explained. "We've all been touched by your kind heart and perseverance, and we appreciate you helping us to remember our courage. We'll need that in order to keep moving on, so why not put your image up to help remind us?"
"It's really too much."
The Captain beckoned them over to the base of the structure. Whirlwind and Avril joined up with the rest of the Frost Elves, watching as several of them lit a fire in the interior. As soon as those elves returned outside, the crystal horn began to shine. It poked a hole into the dark sky, and soon a swath of blue spread all over. The island lit up in bright sunlight, to the cheers of Whirlwind and the Frost Elves.
"We're calling it the Illuminator," the Captain announced. "The fire inside shines a light into the primary magnifying glass, which is reflected off the mirrors inside, until building up at the crystal's base. As long as the fire burns, the Illuminator will remain alight."
"It's truly beautiful," Whirlwind gasped.
"We've got a lot of work ahead of us in rebuilding this village. We'll need to gather more supplies, station guards around the Illuminator...it's going to take a long time, I bet."
"I wish I could help rebuild. I'm afraid everyone would worry about me if I stayed any longer."
"You've done more than enough. The hard part's over. With this light, I doubt any pirate or bandit can find a good place to hide. We'll manage like we always do."
Whirlwind nodded, though she couldn't help but feel guilty. She shouldn't leave while they were still in a time of need. But part of a Skylander's problem was that the rest of the world depended on them.
"I'm sure you don't have to simply manage," a familiar voice announced.
Whirlwind and the Frost Elves turned around, finding a new presence on the snowy island. Whirlwind stepped back in shock as she immediately recognized who it was. This new figure was none other than Master Eon, bundled up in several layers of winter gear. He wore a smile on his face, which was not what Whirlwind expected to see from him at all.
"Master Eon?" Whirlwind asked. "What are you doing here? Other than...finding me, of course."
"I could tell what was going on when I saw you through the Portal," Eon explained. "I thought I might come over here to try and assist these good people. Why don't you all follow me to see what I've come up with?"
Whirlwind and the Frost Elves complied, following the old Portal Master down the mountain. They followed him across the whole island, eventually reaching the very edge. On that edge, they found a huge swarm of transport ships sitting in wait for them. Standing on the snowy bank were several creatures- foxes, Gillmen, yetis and Kangarats, basically any tribe that lived in Cloudbreak was represented here.
"What's all this?" the Captain gasped.
"Master Eon told all of us of your plight," a fox warrior explained. "We had no idea that you were all struggling like this. We thought if one of the other tribes was having difficulty, they would send a message. Well we hope to make up for our lack of aid to you, so we've brought as many materials and supplies as we could."
The Captain staggered in shock, his eyes growing misty. "You didn't have to trouble yourselves-"
"It's really no trouble at all," a Kangarat miner insisted. "This plight of yours has left you with few resources, and the rest of us have plenty to spare. It would be selfish to keep it all to ourselves while you struggled."
Master Eon set a hand on the Captain's shoulder. "I always loved coming here," he told him. "The unity the tribes of Cloudbreak share is reminiscent of my unity with the Skylanders. Each tribe says they protect their own here, but their own also includes the other tribes."
The Captain moved away, fixing himself up and standing tall. "Thank you all," he shouted. "We're grateful for your generosity. You can always count on the Frost Elves to give you assistance should you ever need it."
Whirlwind quickly found Avril, bowing her head slightly. "Master Eon and I are going to leave together," she told her. "I'm sure to get back to my travels soon."
"It was nice meeting you and working with you," Avril nodded, rubbing her arm. "Be sure to visit, okay?"
"You can count on it."
They continued on these goodbyes for a good few minutes, trying to figure out the best way to leave on a good note. Eventually Master Eon urged Whirlwind to come along, and she decided she might as well make her way to his side. She did so, giving Avril one more wave goodbye before they set off.
Whirlwind and Master Eon left the island on a smaller transport ship, watching the islands and clouds sail by. Whirlwind shrunk back as Master Eon patted her on the head, but she quickly relaxed and let him do it.
"We'll see them again at some point," Eon reassured her.
"I know that," Whirlwind argued.
"It's still alright to feel a little sad about it."
Whirlwind nodded, wiping her eyes with her wings. "I can't believe how little time it takes for someone to affect you," she sniffled.
"That's what bonds do," Eon nodded. "It makes it hard to leave people. But your life is always richer for having met them."
"I was happy to help them out. I'm always happier helping people who need it than I am relaxing somewhere. Some might call it silly."
"But you might say it's your calling, right?"
"Yeah."
"Let's get back home as soon as we can, then. There's a whole world that would be grateful for your help."
Whirlwind nodded, looking out as the clouds passed them by. Yes, there was a whole world that needed help, in one place or another. She was determined to see every place she could, and do whatever the innocent needed her to do.