Chapter 11: Distress
Pebbles of cobble rained across the surroundings fires engulfing everywhere along the path blown apart by the sudden detonation. Dust and smoke polluted all over, pieces of the surrounding buildings torn off.
There was nothing but darkness, nerves screeching in agony, penetrating the entire body. Struggling between the lines of consciousness, the purple dragon awakened to agony. His body felt wrong, everything felt wrong.
He forced his eyes to open but only managing a fraction. He barely made out one of his paws teetering in tints of cobble. His vision was so blurry he couldn't see anything, nothing was clear.
All he could hear was heavy ringing in his mind, overwhelming his senses. The only thing he could make out was a bright orange colour in front of him. Bruises and cuts covered his body, a trickle of rich crimson blood dropping the side of his face and his right foreleg.
Yet he couldn't make anything out, no movement or sight of anything. All he could feel was pain coursing through his entire body, struggling to draw shallow breaths. He tried moving his limbs defiantly trying to pick himself up.
But his body refused, it wouldn't follow him. Unable to put a single thought or concentration into his mind. His limbs, his muscles, he couldn't put any movement into anything. Only thing he could do was push himself onto his side, a groan forced itself out of his mouth.
His wings had gone limp laying across the cobble. It was dark around him, the only light he could make out was the orange in the opening ahead of him. His focus snapped, taking aim at what looked like movement.
Barely able to lift his head, blinking his eyes repeatedly. The blurriness made it near impossible to see anything but he was just about able to focus on the movement spotting what appeared to be two creatures, but he had no chance of making out what they were. But what confused the dragon, it was difficult to see but could just spot a tint of a red glow on the creatures.
He tried his hardest to put any focus he could muster, making out noises from the two creatures. Sounding like they were conversing between themselves despite the constant ringing in his head.
Shouldering as much focus as he could to listen in. The voices slowly becoming clearer, he just about makes out what words.
"Karor ah… roeg veerg shle…. rour" Despite the difficulty, the purple dragon couldn't make out any clear words but suspicion streamed into him. He either couldn't make out what they were saying, or they were speaking a tongue he didn't recognise.
"Insil… varg te lor sarr" He saw the two figures moved away, heading out of sight past one wall. Unable to see them anymore but questions slide into his mind. Who were they? What creatures were they? Assuming what he saw was two creatures.
A quiet gasp erupted; a jolt of pain overloading his chest. His legs giving up as he tried to put pressure on them, his body gave out collapsing to the ground feeling like it was shutting down. His mind going crazy and faintness setting in. He moved his jaw, trying to utter any form of speech.
But no words came out, coughing and wheezing instead. But as he was thinking, his eyes widened. Something was sparking to his thoughts; remembering the moment just before the crystal exploded, seeing the redness overtake the natural green of the crystals.
Then it happened, that overwhelming energy consuming him. Even in his state, the purple dragon was pooling himself in. He had thrown himself over, yet it was puzzling for him to straighten it throughout his mind.
'I jumped…. in the way… of…'. His eyes shot wide open struggling to keep them realising hitting his battered mind.
"S…. Sp…. Spa…" He battled with himself, pushing his body to speak "Spa…. Sparx?"
Calling out to the dragonfly hoping to get a response. It all came back to him now. Throwing himself in the blast's way to protect Sparx but one question now dawned on the purple dragon; Where was he?"
Shrugging his legs, gripping his paws into the ground. He tried to lift himself up, pushing against the pain. His legs shaking from the pressure followed by endless groaning from the purple dragon.
His body raising off the cobble, barely millimetres off and the pressure sharpened. The pain striking every inch of his body, exhaling deep breaths in pursuit of any tiny relief he can find.
Giving his head a shake, attempting to clear his vision, the blurriness still heavy on him. He lifted a leg forward; he wheezed heavily from the movement, shooting agony through his entire joint.
"Sparx?" he called out, but there was no answer for him to hone in on. Spyro looked all over his surroundings, trying to gather a glint of a yellow shine. The alleyway entrance he ended up in was more darkened than the street lightened up in flames, providing it an opportunity to spot any shine.
Even moving his head proved painful, his legs shaking furiously, struggling to keep his body off the ground. His wings he wasn't even going to lift, letting them brush against the cobble.
"Sparx? Where… are you?" He called out again and still no answer for him. He moved a couple more steps, each one striking the sharp pains into his body. Losing his footing on one his right foreleg part of his body dropped until all of it did and he ended up on his side.
A loud grunt escaped his maw, the agony so great from the drop. It rendered him motionless on the floor, feeling unable to move a limb. His breathing became heavy again with a cough following.
Feeling helpless, Spyro lay trying to muster any strength he could to get himself back up. Attempting to lift himself back onto his legs, but he couldn't his body refused to listen. He laid there pondering on how fortunate he must be if that explosion damaged him this much.
But he couldn't move as if his body had given up on him, the pain was too intense for his nerves, screaming in agony. His mind was teetering, his eyes opening and closing with a soft gasp resonating.
"Spyro?"
A voice called out just catching the purple dragon's faint attention, pushing his head upwards. Before him he could see a tall figure rapidly approaching him.
Oculus having investigated the carnage to spot Spyro in the corner, rushing over to him sliding down to his level coming to a stop.
Grabbing the purple dragon around his upper body and holding him in his grasp "Spyro… Spyro can you hear me?"
The purple dragon's mind in a daze to no end, barely acknowledging the black dragon "O… Ocu… lus".
Oculus looked over Spyros body, noting all the cuts, bruises and small trickles of blood dripping down onto the cobble.
"Come on Spyro, the purple dragon is tougher than to let some wounds keep him down," Oculus remarked, attempting to spur the purple dragon into action "Spyro?"
The purple dragon didn't answer him, only coming out with struggled gasps. Finding himself unable to speak to him or focus his vision.
"Wow, that explosion did a number on you… need some red crystals," Oculus alleged, laying Spyro back down gently onto his side. Turning his attention to the surroundings searching for the object he sought.
He proceeded down the alleyway leaving the purple dragon to begin his search, heading around the corners. Checking every direction for now only spotting mana crystals, pondering whether Spyro could use some of those.
'No mana can wait, he needs some health crystals first,' Oculus thought throwing such idea away.
He continued to the next opening to another street, scanning the path before him. A smile crept onto his expression, spotting what he sought; a red crystal.
Rushing over, he tore off a few chunks before heading back to the alleyway, crossing back to the purple dragon, grunting repeatedly, fighting a huge stream of aching. Wasting no time, Oculus took the chunks of red crystals and pressed them one by one against Spyros' scales.
One by one they liquified and dissolving into the purple dragon. A stream of bright red illuminated his entire body. His wounds sealing, some bruises wore down and some small cuts disappeared while others lessened.
The light dissipated and Spyro shocked a gasp out of his system, his eyes opening. His iris's being able to focus and the ringing wore down. He raised his head, taking in the sight around him and noticing Oculus watching him.
"Thanks Oculus, I needed that", said Spyro, expressing his gratitude to the shadow dragon.
"Good, that explosion must have hit you hard," suggested Oculus as Spyro tilted his paws over, lifting himself up. Still feeling a sting of pain in his joints but nowhere near the level earlier.
Moving his limbs to take a few steps, testing himself but suffering with a limp finding difficulty in moving. Unable to move fine, everything still hurting bad "I'll be fine, a few more of those crystals and I'll be good as new".
A gasp erupted from his maw, his entire system going into shock "WHERE'S SPARX?"
"Sparx was here too?" asked a concerned Oculus.
"Yes, I protected him front the explosion but where is he?" answered the purple dragon, frantically moving to search the surroundings, pushing the pain to the back of his mind limping quickly to begin his search "SPARX?"
Oculus walked out back into the street with a few moles and dragon fighting the fires left over from the mana explosion.
Spyro hobbled out into the street to see the carnage before him although the fires were being fought. This explosion really damaged the street, endless cracks in cobblestone, some grass patch alight and surrounding buildings bruised.
All this only instilled more fear into the purple dragon in search of his foster brother, panic set free in his mind. He realised that if an explosion can damage him so much as a dragon who knows what would have happened to the dragonfly had he not reached him.
"SPARX, WHERE ARE YOU?" shouted the purple dragon in a desperate tone.
Oculus checked some broken slabs of brick and cobble littered around, sniffing around for a whiff of any scent. But it was in vain with the overwhelming smell of ash and smoke polluting around them.
Spyro took gentle steps, keeping himself on top of the pain threshold, even moving his tail or wings caused a sip of hurt. He folded his wings to his sides to keep them in place, limping on each paw.
"Aaghh," Spyro murmured a groan under his breath, he slouched down, his limbs bending with a tang of agony tormenting the purple dragon. He could tell just by the strain he was very damaged.
Yet despite all the injuries he picked up in his past battles and some were worse than this, his entire body felt like it was screaming in total anguish. He faced the ground puffing out slow breaths.
Oculus spotted his friend's plight and rushed over to him "Spyro can you still stand?"
"I will be fine… I just need to walk it off," persisted the purple dragon, slamming his left paw down and lifting himself back up, drawing a heavy breath.
He couldn't keep it up and his leg gave in, slumping to his left, Oculus caught him with both his front legs "Spyro we need to get you to the infirmary".
"I'm fine!" boomed Spyro, showing a part of adamance in his tone surprising Oculus.
Spyro ushered back onto his paws this time just managing his balance narrowing his eyes and gritting his teeth to throw the pain back".
"SPYRO!" called a voice.
The two dragons turned, looked to their right to spot Cynder and Flame rushing towards them. The purple dragon struggled a weak smile to his face, pleased to see them. Spyro dropped his back legs down and sat hoping to ease the pressure on him a bit.
Upon reaching them, Flame noticed the state of Spyros body, all the bruises and cuts "Spyro are you okay?"
Cynder looked over Spyro with shock in her eyes seeing the condition he was in standing to his side and placing a paw on his side "What happened to you?"
"I found him in the alley, he got caught in the explosion," answered Oculus.
Spyro winced from the contact from Cynder but kept a small smile "It's not as bad as it looks, I'll be fine I just need to walk it off".
"It looks worse than not bad. You're struggling to stand let alone walk, we need to get you to the infirmary," said Cynder, a set of panic racing through her seeing the small tints of bloodstains on his scales.
"I'm fine Cynder…" huffed Spyro, adamant about staying.
"Don't give me that Spyro, you're going to the infirmary…. now!" boomed Cynder, not backing down from the purple dragons' protests.
"Cynder, I can't le…."
"Spyro, your hurt and we are getting some help," demanded Cynder, interrupting the purple dragon, narrowing her eyes at him "I know you want to help Spyro, but everyone is…"
"Cynder!" the purple dragon yelped at the dragoness, stunned by his tone "I need to find Sparx!"
"Sparx? Was he caught too?" asked Cynder, her concern shifting.
"Yes, I threw myself in the way… but I haven't found him. He could be hurt," cried Spyro.
Cynder taken aback by that admission, Flame and Oculus wasted no time and rushed away to search for the dragonfly.
"Once I know he is safe, I will go to the infirmary, I promise. I can't leave knowing he may be hurt," Spyro pleaded to the dragoness.
Cynder nodded straight away and reassured him, "Spyro, we will find him".
Spyro pushed and stood up, wheezing through the aches. The dragoness noticed the shaking in his legs "Are you sure you can walk?"
"Yes, it's not as bad as it looks," wheezed Spyro, not convincing Cynder but considering the circumstances forced herself to accept it. The pair went to continue the search for the dragonfly.
Moles and a couple of dragons fighting down the fires still raging from the explosion, this one appeared worse than the previous ones, Spyro limped a couple of steps back towards the blast zone to continue the search.
Fighting against the urge to stop and drop, he came up to some rubble and checked around it. He called out "Sparx?"
Once again, he heard no answer. Moving on he scrutinised every part of the street, Cynder following on checking near the flames just in case they had put although quite a few out. Searching every corner and not finding the dragonfly was alarming the purple dragon.
His breathing speed up as he began to panic. Turning towards Cynder, his expression dropped "Where is he? What if he's hurt?"
Cynder seeing the panic in his eyes, draped a wing over him and comforted "I know Spyro, everything will be all right".
Spyro turned away from her spotting Flame lifting pieces of rubble and moving them, tilting his head around each piece to be sure. Stepping off the pile, he turned to the pair and walked towards them. He shook his head, feeling sorrow towards the purple dragon.
"I'm sorry Spyro, I can't find him," expressed Flame. A wave of fear overpowering the purple dragon, choking midway through a breath.
"Sparx…" the purple dragon murmured, overwhelmed in anguish for his foster brother.
He was losing hope, questioning himself on if he even reached the dragonfly in time. Was it too intense the explosion Sparx had no chance of surviving? Did he fail his brother? The questions raging within him.
"I'VE FOUND HIM!" shouted Oculus. Spyro and Cynder gasped hearing those words spurred towards Oculus who threw away pieces of cobble reaching down between. The purple dragon quickened his pace over to the shadow dragon followed by Cynder and Flame.
They converged around as Oculus lifted his paw back out from the rubble and stepped off, turning to face the group holding Sparx in his paw. Spyro's eyes widened in deep worry spotting cuts over his body and a tiny trickle of blood dripping from his mouth.
The purple dragon stepped over and brought his paw up, placing a toe across his cheek "Sparx?"
But no answer came from the dragonfly, unresponsive in his limp form. Oculus checked his mouth and listened, leaning down. A smile crept on to his "It's okay, he's breathing".
A whiff of reprieve overcame the purple dragon, knowing his foster brother was okay, exhaling a heavy sigh with a smile overpowering his expression.
"Thank goodness," Cynder whispered holding a paw to her upper chest, sighing in relief.
"Oculus, please… get him to the infirmary quickly," pleaded Spyro.
"Right away, as quick as I can," answered Oculus, turning and rushed away from the group. He jumped up into the air, taking flight and making his way towards the infirmary as quick as he could, not knowing if Sparx is truly out of danger.
Spyro watched him go as a tear dripped from his eye, streaming down and dropping to the cobble at his paws. Cynder nuzzled his cheek "It's okay Spyro, he is safe now".
"I know… I just felt for a moment I lost him," whimpered the purple dragon, letting his emotions overwhelm him for a moment.
Regaining his posture, he crept back up as Flame looked to the fires dying down thanks to the efforts of the moles "I think we should get out of the way now".
"Agreed, now let's get you checked over now Spyro," Cynder glanced firmly to the purple dragon.
Seeing the look from the dragoness gave Spyro no inclination of argument and nodded "Alll right, let's go then".
Cynder watched the purple dragon, every struggling moment in his legs, grunting from every strike of pain. Spyro flinched in shock as he felt Cynder's warm body press against his side, wrapping a wing over his back to chest and prompted Spyro to do the same.
"Your struggling to walk Spyro" The black dragoness insisted "I'll support you, okay?"
Despite the situation Spyro felt a rush of blood to his cheeks, still easy for him to get flustered by her "Okay Cyn".
Wrapping her tail around his they walked off away from the flames, letting the moles continue with fighting the fires. Spyro found it much easier with someone to lean on and very thankful for the help. As much as he didn't want to admit it, he was struggling to walk.
Disappearing from the scene, walking down the path towards the infirmary. Slow steps for the purple dragon managing his injuries.
"I just find it frustrating with the mana crystals," Flame blurted out, a sense of annoyance creeping off him.
"About these explosions?" asked Cynder, looking towards the dragon as she supported Spyro.
"Yes, we still don't know what's causing them, people are getting hurt and we have no way of stopping it," Flame answered, snorting in annoyance.
Spyro could understand where Flame was coming from. It frustrated him on how these explosions were showing no sign of ceasing, instead becoming more frequent. Yet no one knew how this was happening.
His attention faltered, thinking back to before the explosion occurred. He fondled through his thoughts, coming to the moment just before the detonation. A red bright light overwhelmed the entire crystal and seemed as if it was continuously building up. Maybe that gave a clue towards the crisis they were experiencing.
Spyro slipped on his front leg and plummeted down to the floor, Cynder losing her balance on her left side. He growled in agony as his left side crashed against the cobble, a trickle of rich crimson blood splashing out onto the cobble beneath him.
"Spyro!" shrieked Cynder, kneeling beside him "Are you all right?"
Wheezing through the intense aching, Spyro lifted himself back onto his underbelly. Cynder looked over his shoulder. A deep cut reopened with crimson blood staining his purple scales over the upper limb.
"Can you still walk Spyro?" asked Cynder.
Spyro putting his weight back into his paws slowly raised himself back up, his legs looking shaky "Yes… I think so… it's difficult though".
Inhaling deep breaths trying to relieve some difficulty through his body "I recall some injuries and attacks I got hit with back in the war yet somehow I feel so damaged from one explosion".
"It was a mana explosion, so it could be so powerful to affect us more," said Flame, attempting to draw an answer.
"Well, the sooner we get you to the infirmary the better Spyro, before this becomes worse," Cynder recommended. Her worry for the purple dragon intensified. Flame looked back to the path they were walking and noticed a green mana crystal ahead of them.
He focused on spotting a creature knelt down in front of it and wearing what appeared to be a cloak covering the creature's entire body, even arms and legs rendering it impossible for Flame to identify the creature or what it was.
"Hey check this out you two," he said drawing the attention of Spyro and Cynder, looking at the cloaked figure standing up from the crystal and walking away. Heading to an alleyway disappearing out of sight.
"He seemed quick to leave," observed Spyro, gesturing Flame to inspect the artifact while Cynder assisted him with moving over to the huge gem. Flame sat in front the artifact scrutinising the green mana crystal. Nothing however appeared out of the ordinary.
Spyro and Cynder couldn't spot anything out of the ordinary looking at it. The purple dragon looked towards the alleyway the cloaked figure walked into and back to the crystal, narrowing an eye feeling curious.
"Why would anyone wear a cloak like that in the city?" questioned the purple dragon.
"I dunno, either he doesn't like the bright weather or other creatures," joked Flame, making a snicker.
Cynder threw a glare towards the fire dragon, making remarks at a time like this. Instead, she turned her attention to the crystal and then back to Spyro "Nothing seems out of the ordinary. We should keep moving".
Spyro and Flame concurred however the purple dragon hesitated, spotting something out of the corner of his eye just as they were walking away. He looked back at the crystal, noticing a piece of crystal sticking out of the side "Hold on".
"What is it?" quizzed Cynder, curious why the purple dragon stopped them.
"Do you see that small piece there," he said gesturing towards the piece. They all noticed the different colour of a crimson red as opposed to the normally coloured green mass of the gem.
"Huh…. what is that?" Flame walked over and looked closer at the odd piece, noticing that while it was sticking to the side it looked like it was moving "Hey... it's moving in".
"What are you talking about?" questioned Spyro, leaning inward to observe the mysterious crystal. He had to focus, narrowing his eyes watching the crystal and although it was faint, he spotted what Flame was suggesting.
Although slow and difficult to notice, the crystal was burrowing into the main green mana crystal itself, puzzling the purple dragon "Your right, it's digging itself in. Do crystals do that?"
"I have never heard of such a thing," Cynder said, perplexed by what she saw.
Flame looked closer watching the very slow movement, taking a paw and grabbing the strange crystal and pulled at it. He experienced great difficulty trying to pull the crystal out "Wow this thing is stuck".
The crystal was only just coming out as if it was resisting the fire dragon. He brought his other foreleg and wrapped his paws around it, putting all of his strength into this effort. Towing at the crystal, small slashes of movement as slowly but surely the strange crystal surrendered and was carved out.
Flame fell backwards, losing his balance off his body when the crystal flew out. He moved one leg to his side, catching himself. Putting himself back onto his four, gripping the mysterious red crystal in his grip, noticing it felt pointy, and the edges were more rigid.
"I haven't seen a crystal like this before, what is it?" questioned Flame.
"I've not seen one either… but it doesn't look like a mana one," uttered Cynder, inquisitive to the purpose of such a crystal, noticing the glow "That colour… something's off with it".
Little did any of them know the cloaked figure stood idle within the alleyway just opposite where the dragons stood examining the crystal. Leaned up against the wall, arms crossed.
Shrouded in the alley's darkness, away from prying eyes. Underneath the hood pried two glowing orange eyes, deep heavy breaths like quiet growls. The cloaked creature stood there, waiting patiently and so aimless.
The creature heard footsteps coming from his left from around the corner, all it did was tilt its hood in the direction barely making contact as another hooded figure came around the corner walking towards it.
The first creature lifted itself off the wall bringing its arms down. The second creature taking gentle steps came in front of the first and nodded with the first responding in kind.
"Is it done?" asked the second creature, speaking in its own natural tongue sounding like it was snarling.
The first creature nodded his answer back towards the second creature who nodded back too. On cue three more cloaked figures much smaller rounded the corner and approached the two hooded figures, being much smaller around the level of a typical fox.
The second creature snarled towards the three smaller hooded figures "Your late…. What was the delay?"
"My apologies… sir, we have found it difficult to navigate as of late… however we have located another ideal site," answered one of the smaller creatures.
"Very well, then let's be underway before the next atta…," spoke the first creature, being interrupted by the arrival of another cloaked creature not much shorter than the other two.
"Sir… we may have a… complication," said the third creature, bowing to the second creature.
"Explain?" demanded the second creature.
"The site has been discovered before the fusion completed," answered the third. He gestured towards one direction of the alleyway, wishing the others to follow.
The group of hooded creatures followed the third, manoeuvring around the corner to find an open street ahead of them, spotting a group of dragons and a mana crystal. The first observing from the shadows and spotted a fire dragon holding a small crimson coloured crystal in his paw.
"That dragon has the eviser crystal…" exclaimed the first, pointing towards the fire dragon.
The second spotted what the first had showed and turned its attention to the third and grabbed his cloak, a more vicious tone taking hold "I thought… I made it clear, not to plant… the eviser's until the site was clear".
"I waited, sir…" pleaded the third, holding onto its cloak "No one was in the vicinity when I acted".
The second let out a low growl at the third, showing a dominant posture to the pleading third creature.
"Look!" called one of the smaller creatures, drawing the attention of the group to look at the dragon pointing at one in particular "The purple dragon!"
Those final words peaked everyone's undivided attention as the first looked closer to spot the purple dragon. What caught his attention too was the condition Spyro looked in, cuts and bruises up and down his body, relying on another dragon for support.
"He looks like he's badly injured," stated the first.
"Yes… those injuries look extensive… and struggling to even stand" The third continued, observing the purple dragon's behaviour.
"What are we waiting for?" questioned one of the smaller creatures "If he's hurt, now is the best opportunity to get rid of him".
Such a proposition intrigued most of the group, the second hearing the suggestion scorned at the smaller creature snapped at him "No! Our leader ordered not to reveal ourselves".
"But this is the purple dragon… he destroyed our master, now is the opportunity to get our revenge," said the third, disagreeing with the second.
The first however watched the dragons converse and the black dragon supporting the purple dragon, considering its options as his group bickered amongst themselves. The purple dragon in his condition so close was too good an opportunity to pass up.
"Our leader may have ordered us to remain hidden, yet he said nothing about taking opportunities… our most hated enemy, the perfect time to exact vengeance for our fallen master," spoken the first, its words rallying the others to the idea.
The second however interjected walking up beside the first "We must not disobey our leader, he specifically instructed us on this, what you suggest is treas….".
"THE leader put me in charge of this operation and deemed my decision making to be paramount," barked the first, grabbing the second by its; throat in the hood and pulling him up "So I deem this opportunity paramount and we will not let it slip before us, now is our time and besides… they have discovered the eviser crystal,".
The first shoved the second back, rearranging its hood after being freed growling at the first submitting "Very well, act as you please… but… if we fail, the leader's wrath will be on you to answer".
The first snarled towards the second, shouldering an ambiance of authority before turning its attention back to the group of dragons.
Flame grasping the mysterious crystal became more and more curious of it, ebbing the crimson colour "I wonder how it got there."
"I suggest we take it with us, maybe Terrador will know what it is," proposed Spyro, showered in his own curiosity towards the artifact.
"Once we have taken you to the infirmary, your injuries are looking worse" said Cynder expressing her mounting concern for the purple dragon.
The trio agreed and set off from the mana crystal, with the odd gem in hand. Cynder once again supporting Spyro to walk. Spyro felt the strain getting worse, his breathing heavier than it was before and he slouched.
"You'll be okay, Spyro," Cynder reassured, comforting him as best she could.
"It's nothing… I'll be fine soon," replied Spyro, trying to look full of bravado.
"Must you always play the tough guys?" teased Cynder, despite all her worry couldn't help getting amused by his show.
"You wouldn't have it any other way," Spyro whispered suggestively to her, pouting a half grin.
"Hmmmm…. I suppose so," Cynder replied, playfully delaying her response to pout at the purple dragon and bobbed her tongue, "You like to look tough and mister reliable in front of everyone,".
The purple dragon shied his face away from that remark, a whiff of red covering his cheeks.
"You know Spyro, if you saw…." Flame attempted to speak, He suddenly gasped in anguish as a ball of energy smashed into his side imploding on contact, hurling the fire dragon to the ground.
"Flame!" Spyro and Cynder both screamed in unison upon seeing the attack, Flame laid on the cobble groaning in pain. They turned to the source of the attack to spot a hooded figure stood before them, impossible to make out who or what it was.
More hooded creatures came out of nowhere surrounding them in a circle, Spyro counted six of them varying in size and height. Cynder narrowed her eyes, feeling tense towards the stranger's presence.
"Who are you and why did you attack our friend?" said Cynder, demanding answers from the hooded figures.
The only response she would receive is the creatures unfurling weapons in the form of blades and crossbows or axes. Alarmed by the hostility the strangers were showing, the dragoness unfurled herself from Spyro putting him back on to himself trying his best to ignore the re-surging pain.
The creature in front took a step towards them, raising his arms. Cynder opened up her wings, raising them upwards in a display "Stay back!"
"HEY!" everyone hearing a shout to see Flame back up with an angry growl towards the creatures "If you're looking for a fight, bring it on".
Two of the creatures diverted their attention towards the red dragon, it was impossible to tell their postures with the hooded cloaks covering them or who they were. They approached the fire dragon; weapons raised to attack.
Flame readied himself in his combat stance, bending his legs and lowering his head ready to pounce at any moment. Cynder did the same, bending her front legs and twisting her tail showing off her blade.
Spyro stood behind Cynder, he tried the same but found the pain too much to follow through "Stay close to me Spyro."
The dragons narrowed their eyes. Death stares towards the hostile strangers. Each waiting for the other to make the first move to strike. It became a stalemate even surrounding the dragons; the creatures waited like they knew not to rush into battle against a dragon.
Flame watched with one eye as one of the smaller creatures circled round him, likely to catch him from behind. But he didn't react but watched and waited, keeping his focus on the taller creature stood in front of him. A puff of smoke erupted from his nostrils and bared his sharp teeth.
Cynder watched behind her monitoring Spyro with his back to her watching the two creatures that had moved behind them. Despite all the difficulties he was facing, he knew he had to be at his most focused now.
The small creature took the bait first, leaping up behind Flame with his club, throwing it down. Flame reacted, whipping his tail and striking the hooded creature mid-air crashing to the ground.
The tall creature in front of him spun its spear and flung it down low right, going for the fire dragons' legs. Flame leaped into the air and with a tint of fire propelled at the tall one in front of Cynder preparing his neck muscles for the impact and collided his head straight into the creature's chest area.
The creature thrown backwards slamming into a pillar with enough force to break it down. It dropped limply to ground struggling for a moment before rising back to its feet closing a fist and two wrist blades expanded. Flame charged to meet the opponent head on.
The third tall creature leaped towards Cynder, up in the air and spinning towards her "Look out!"
She yelped, using her wing to push Spyro to the side as she dodged the attack herself, the creature landing in between them. The purple dragon stumbled. He gripped his claws into the cobble to prevent him from falling over.
The creature raised and lunged its staff at the dragoness; she ducked her body narrowly missing the metal rod and leaped throwing her talons directly at the creature and forced the creature back.
Spotting two of the smaller creatures moving towards Spyro, she jumped in opening her mouth to issue a deathly shriek of red fear energy waving over them, freezing them in place. Having left themselves wide open for her, the dragoness landed and slashed her tail, slapping the two smaller creatures away.
She got caught out with one of the bigger creatures smashing a fist right into the side of her face bashing her to the left. She overcame the shock and picked herself up facing the creature.
The creature aiming the two wrist blades directly crept towards her, a blast of earth energy sent the creature tumbling off his feet shrieking in pain. Cynder surprised looked to Spyro with green energy coursing round his jaw line.
Spotting another creature leaping at him, he turned to face him just in time to unleash a blast of earth throwing the creature limply away "Cynder don't worry about me, I can fight with my powers, watch yourself".
Cynder would have rather focused on protecting Spyro as his injuries would give him a disadvantage although he wasn't wrong as the two smaller hooded creatures had recovered from her earlier attack and circled around her.
Spyro twisted around to spot Flame crashing into a wall close by. The tall creature running towards him with his wrist blades, a stream of fire built up in the purple dragon's maw and unleashed a ball of fire.
It blew towards the creature, erupting on impact of the creature just before it got to Flame, giving him time to get back onto his paws. The fire dragon thanked Spyro, using his wing to give the purple dragon a salute before building fire into his claws and swiping at the smaller creature lunging at him.
Spyro heard a roar and looked to spot one of the tall hooded creatures leap at him. Spyro threw his wing in the way and a projecting of earth mana threw up a wall of energy, blocking the creature off. A second creature took Spyro by surprise and swiped him straight in his upper chest.
The sheer force knocked the purple dragon down, yelping in pain the entire way. Coming still on his underbelly Spyro groaned in agony, still reeling from the earlier explosion he struggled back onto his paws.
He tried to bury it to the back of his mind, forcing himself to focus on the two creatures before him. If he lost concentration for a moment it could prove fatal despite how difficult it was.
They ran at him, weapons at the ready. Spyro took steps backwards and switched between firing earth missiles and shards of ice in volleys. The taller creature jumped out of the way of each attack as he closed the gap down.
Spyro shifted his attention to the smaller opponent and unleashed a shot of electricity, catching the creature and rolling on the ground out of control in a spasm. The purple dragon saw the taller creature jump at him, raising its wrist blades. Spyro unleashed a whiff of fire pouring at the creature.
He shifted out of the way quickly enough to dodge the creatures attack, not before its cloak caught fire. The creature stumbled to the cobble, falling on his knees. The fire overwhelming its hood and left arm.
Spyro winced in the strikes of discomfort from the sharp movement he made. He looked at the creature, but he found himself puzzled. The creature seemed unaffected by the flames burning into the cloak, slowly raising itself to its feet and stood brittle.
The flames disintegrating its left arm, burning it away. The creature took his free arm and gripped the shoulder area of the cloak and ripped it off, throwing the burning part of the cloak away.
Spyro looked upon the arm, noticing the black and red colours, but what caught him was the bones. He looked upon the skeletal arm with confusion. What kind of creature was underneath the cloak? The question screaming in his mind.
The creature didn't give him long to answer as it tore off the burning hood and tossed that aside, also allowing the purple dragon to look upon its face only for the purple dragon's eyes to widen.
"An Orc?" Spyro voiced in shock, having finally identified the creature attacking. The orc had a naked head of red with no helmet cover as a typical orc would. The dark creature growled at the purple dragon as it shredded the rest of its cloak to reveal its body of just bone and armour, turning to face the purple dragon.
"They are grublins!" Spyro screamed out catching both Cynder and Flames attention spotting the orc standing before Spyro.
"WHAT?"
"WHAT?"
They both yelped out in unison, looking back to the creatures they were facing. They hesitated for a moment. Deciding the secret was up, they all set about ripping off their cloaks revealing two more orcs and three smaller green grublins.
"How did they get in the city?" questioned Flame.
The orc bolted at Cynder, slashing its axe towards the dragoness. Cynder gripped her paws as a mist of blackness built up around her, just as the axe's blade was about to connect her entire body blackened into shadow. The axe swished through her body as if it was slicing through thin air.
The orc tumbled down after passing through the shadows and Cynders figure to normal "Fight now, we can figure it out later."
The smaller grublin leaped in at the dragoness, her tail blade lit up in a gloomy power. She threw her tail at the grublin striking his neck in an uppercut and a burst of poison exploded from the impact. The grublin wailed in pain as it crashed into the cobble writhing in the burning sensation.
The orc facing Spyro gripped the handle of a blade sheathed to its back and pulled it out. Spyro narrowed his eyes, ready for the orc to strike as the sharp bone texture of the blade lit up in a dark energy.
Just watching the particles of the energy flicker off the blade sent shivers down the purple dragon's spine. The orc yelled as it leaped at the purple dragon thrashing the blade at him. Spyro brought his claws and slashed at the blade, knocking it off course but making him stumble backwards.
The orc threw his blade again and Spyro caught it on his claws, slashing it out of direction from him, multiple slashes and strikes as the purple dragon kept deflecting them from making a hit.
The stretching however took its toll on the purple dragon already weakened as it is, he couldn't keep up with the speed of attacks and his claws slipped away and the blade shot forward forcing the dragon to twist his body but not before the blade slashed his right shoulder.
Spyro gasped in deep discomfort as a long cut grazed his entire shoulder, he lost his footing on his back legs and his back half of his body dropped. The orc glared menacingly and stepped towards the purple dragon, stroking the blade on its fingers.
Spyro glared back and sparkles of electricity lit up his horns and spikes. The orc reached up and slashed its blade forward again. This time Spyro twisted his body quick enough and grabbed the orc's arm.
He closed his eyes and in a fierce strike head-butted the orc in the face. It lost its footing crashing onto its back and the blade loosened from its grip dropping onto the cobble. The orc stinging in electricity from the hit afforded the purple dragon a moment.
He gripped his shoulder where the cut was and held it, writhing in the agony and his wings dropped to the ground again. He knew he couldn't keep this up if it stayed at this pace; the orc was too fast for him and his already persisting injuries hampered him.
Flame barrelled over orc slashing a staff across and ran his tail blade down its slicing into the orcs back. The dark creature howled loudly and fell to its knees. Gazing at the grublin before him breathed a stream of fire overwhelming the grublin.
Its entire body covered in flames, burning through the creature. It screamed in agonising torment and flailing, trying to put the flames out on its body. It proved no good, and the creature slowed down and the screaming quietened with it falling limply to the ground with the flames extinguishing its life.
Flame felt a surge of confidence with the defeat of one of its opponents but that confidence vanished instantly as he felt a sharp blow to his side with the orc pounding him into a wall from behind with a powerful kick having recovered from the previous attack. The force was enough to break the entire wall as Flame dropped limply to the ground.
He pushed his bruised body upright and his eyes searched out the orc breathing heavily same as him. He gritted his teeth in frustration and questioned himself, 'How did he recover so quickly?'
The fire dragon shot towards the orc like a lethal bullet and reared his left leg up and threw his talons at the dark creature responding in kind and their paws caught each other. Flame felt his paws dig into the cobble as the two were pushing their strength against each other.
The grublin facing Spyro having recovered from the earlier attack caught the purple dragon by surprise crashing his club along Spyros face, flinging him to the side, catching himself to stay on his paws.
The purple dragon sprawled into place and coughed drops of blood out of his maw, a few struggled breaths following. He was struggling to stand against the overwhelming agony.
He observed opponents to see although the grublin looked to be struggling; the orc looked fresh. He wasn't able to do enough against the larger opponent readying a dagger. Spyro hardened up and channelled a wave of energy into his maw, a small blue glow around the lips.
The two opponents shot at the purple dragon again and the grublin attacked first. This is what Spyro was waiting for and unleashed an ice blast at blank range engulfing the small creature in a powerful discharge sent flying into a wall with the contact loud.
Small pieces of the wall cracked from the impact, dropping to the cobble trickling on the surface, the grublin fell to the ground lifeless. The purple dragon didn't have time to charge another attack, and the orc brushed the dagger through Spyros chest, cutting across the scales just as Spyro got a talon and stabbed into the orc's arm. Both gasped from the gush of pain they felt afterwards.
Spyro took the opportunity and begun charging another ice attack. The orc reacted quickly and brought the dagger to into its free arm and stabbed it into the thigh of Spyro right hind leg. Spyros mouth flung open with a gasp from the engulfing pain penetrating his leg.
The Orc pulled the dagger out so fast it shocked Spyro's entire body and loosened the dark soldier's free arm to grab Spyro by the throat. The purple dragon wrapped his claws gripping the arm around his throat but he couldn't put any force on it. His legs were weakening again and it couldn't happen at a worse time. The orc snarled viciously in the purple dragon's face and stabbed the dagger into the purple dragon's side. A scream of pain ripped from Spyro's mouth as the blade sank into his side, crimson blood spurting onto the ground and his scales. The orc staring into his eyes with a bitter smirk.
Cynder heard the scream as she was holding off her orc opponent and gasped in horror on spotting the purple dragon, seeing the dagger pierced into his side. Her eyes gone wide and her body frozen in place.
"SPYRO!" She screamed in horror, gasping a breath "FLAME, HE CAN'T HOLD IT WITH THOSE INJURIES, WE HAVE TO HELP HIM!"
She hoped her words reached the fire dragon, still embroiled in his battle of strength against the orc he was facing, taking notice of her and looking to the purple dragon. Seeing the state, he was in stunned Flame to see the purple dragon getting bested like this.
"I'M COMING SPYRO!" The fire dragon roared and pushed against the orc with renewed energy, the dark creature got forced backwards and to the ground. Flame now freed up ran towards Spyro to help him. He fell to the floor when he felt a pull at his tail slipping over.
He looked back, finding the orc had grabbed his tail. Flame rushed to his paws and twisted to claw the orc. But the dark creature reacted first, landing a powerful blow to the face, the fire dragon finding himself down on the cobble as the orc gripped his tail and pulled him around and threw the dragon into a wall.
Spyro gasped for air as the orc ripped the dagger out of him holding him by the neck, he gripped the orcs hand with both his paws trying to loosen its grip. But his strength, he couldn't feel it as if it was ebbing from the distress of all his wounds. attempting the same with an earth blast, slamming into the orcs face. Spyro however was left in a state of shock to see the orc had only had itd head turned from the attack. His body was weakening and while a vast amount of mana flowed within him, his body damaged so much he found himself unable to summon the power.
The Orc hissed at him and lifted a leg and booted him, sending the purple dragon crashing across the ground. Coming to a stop on his side, disorientated by the sudden loss of blood and all the injuries that had built it made it hard to react. His breathing heavy and placed a paw on the open wound in his side, blood leaking to stain his scales and the cobble he was on with trickles on the path he flew from. The orc walked towards him, preparing to unleash another fatal blow.
Cynder pushed her opponents away and looked upon the purple dragon so wounded and unable to defend himself any longer. Something snapped in her mind, a sudden rage overwhelmed her senses as hot anger boiled through her veins.
She couldn't take it anymore; her eyes narrowed glaring daggers and pulled her wings to her side "Enough!"
A gust of wind piled around her building up into a torrent as the grublin and or charged at her once more. The wind gushing furiously around her she threw her wings and upper legs out unleashing a powerful stream of wind in every direction blasting the two creatures away furiously.
She wasted no time and charged towards the orc who reached Spyro standing over the purple dragon helpless to respond, desperately breathing in with his battered body too damaged to continue. The orc raised its arm and shot the dagger towards the purple dragon, aiming for the neck.
Cynder built up another stream of wind and propelled herself drilling her talons into the orcs back and lunging it to the ground, dropping the dagger and landing next to the heavily wounded purple dragon.
The black dragoness stabbed her tail blade into the orcs upper back and wailed in pain followed. She didn't hold back and spit a blob of poison onto the dark creature, imploding the deadly acid all over for the orc to writhe in agony.
Cynder jumped off leaving the orc to its fate and rushed over to the Spyro. Bringing her head down to see the deep wounds in his leg and side forced a gritted gasp out of her throat.
"I'm here, Spyro, I'm not letting anyone near you now," She reassured the purple dragon who could only lay there weak as the wounds were taking their toll. Cynder lifted herself back up to spot the orc and grublin she was fighting approaching. She lowered her body over with her head above Spyros protecting him.
She growled so ferociously issuing a warning to the two creatures, her anger letting loose and baring her sharp teeth. The grublin stumbled to the warning appearing to suddenly fear the threat the dragoness was sending them yet the orc was unfazed and slotted a small bow on its arm and ready.
Cynder heard movement behind her spotting the orc getting up to its feet but noticed the severe tear and burns tainting its body from the poison. Noticing the heavy breathing told her the orc was severely weak and wouldn't present too much a threat now.
Hearing a sudden click she saw the orc in front of her aim arrows it readied straight at her. Spreading her wings to make herself look bigger and also shield Spyro, should the orc aim the arrows towards him.
Cynder noticed out the corner of her eye the burnt orc running towards them, wrist blades drawn to strike. She didn't seem to react to the immediate danger and stood her ground, keeping herself above Spyro and waiting.
The first orc in front took the bait and fired two arrows aiming at the dragoness and the second orc behind opened itself up and prepared to strike the dragoness. This is what she had been waiting for, having built up a gust of wind ready she threw her paw from left sharply to the right, a blow of wind streamed in front of her so strong it blew the two arrows off course.
They redirected and shot into the chest of the second orc behind her, his attack posture foiled and bending its body Cynder spun her back half and struck her blade into the orc's chest.
The dark creature thrashed and screamed in terrifying abundance from the arrows and tail blade it weakened and died quickly, Cynder retracting her blade out of the orc as it fell on the floor lifeless. The first orc howled in shock seeing the dragoness had to take advantage of the attacks
Cynder took the offensive and from her maw unleashed a torrent of shadow onto the grublin beside it, tearing into the small creature and suffocating it instantly ending the creature's life. The odds turning into the dragonesses favour with just one orc left to deal with now.
Spyro was in awe by how swiftly she dealt with them. It impressed him despite she doesn't train anywhere near the amount he does and yet is such a powerhouse of raw mana and strength. But it didn't surprise him another way of considering what they had been through together. She hissed menacingly at the last remaining orc, firing another warning at it.
At the same time Flame had dealt a few injuries to the orc he was facing and gained the advantage, slicing his claws through the fleshy bone of the orc's arm, and stabbing his free talons into the orc's chest.
The orc he faced threw a punch at the dragon's snout but a much weaker one not blowing the dragon away. Flame concentrated his power into his claws embedded in the dark creature and they lit up in fire. The burning power overwhelming the orc from the inside and the fire spread on flame breathing more onto the creature quickly decimating the orc and ebbing any remaining life away.
Only one of the six attackers remained now with the odds now stacked against the single assailant. Flame now freed up rushed over to join Cynder in shielding the purple dragon "Just this one left?"
Cynder nodded to confirm the red dragons' suspicions. She looked over the dead bodies of the other orcs but something pinged in the back of her mind as if something she was seeing wasn't right.
She couldn't allow herself to get distracted now especially with Spyro in his current condition with a pool of crimson blood building from the excessive open wounds although Spyro tried his best to limit it he was feeling dizzy from the exhaustion and blood loss.
"What's going on here?" a voice called out attracting everyone's attention to spot a white dragoness entering the zone, Flame recognising her instantly "Valera!"
The wind dragoness observed the carnage of dead bodies questioning at first before laying eyes on the orc before her "What? Grublins!"
"We dealt with most of them Valera, just this one left" reassured Cynder, not taking her eyes off the opponent who recognised the odds were massively against it now.
Valera spotted the purple dragon laid on the cobble bleeding and heavily wounded "Spyro!" Recognising the situation before her now the dragoness wasted no time and joined up with the group and stood off against the last orc.
The dark creature continuously looked between the three continuing to aim the crossbow, but Cynder noticed something different, its posture felt more threatened and slowly backing away. Flame stepped forward ready to charge, but the orc aimed to the ground and dropped a ball to the ground erupting into smoke blanketing the surroundings.
Spreading like a gas to engulf everything around them, Valera summoned a vacuum of wind rocketing around her figure and blasted towards the smoke, promptly dispersing the blanket of smoke.
The three dragons readied themselves as the smoke dispersed but the orc had disappeared. They scurried themselves looking around but they could not spot the individual as if he had vanished.
"Where did he go?" questioned Flame, hurtling his vision in every direction.
"He must have used the smoke to escape us," suspected Valera, flickering her tail with narrowed eyes surveying the surroundings.
Cynder not concerned with the whereabouts of the orc turned her attention to Spyro and moved the rear half of her body away to turn towards him and knelt down "Spyro?"
She looked into his eyes to see he was struggling to keep them open, he had lost an amount of blood from the wounds he incurred and the earlier injuries impacted him, he was dizzy and light-headed through his mind but just made out the dragonesses voice "Cynder, are you… okay?"
More concerned with her wellbeing twisting his head to look at her, breathing heavily from the immense strain. Cynder couldn't help but feel deeply touched by his worry for her despite his condition.
"I'm okay Spyro, we won… we will get you to the infirmary, you will be fine," she whispered, reassuring the purple dragon laying on the ground and he would not attempt lifting himself up with the injuries he has.
She prepared to get ready to lift the purple dragon before Flame interjected "It's all right Cynder, I've got him".
He knelt down and forced his forelegs underneath Spyro's underbelly and pushed him up causing a groan from the purple dragon. Flame himself under and lifted himself up, placing the purple dragon onto his back, leaking blood onto Flames scales. The amount alarmed Valera noticing "He needs help now, pressure those wounds as best as you can before he's treated, I'll come with you to the infirmary but once we are there, I need to warn Pyrus and put the city on alert… especially if the grublins have sneaked in".
"Let's go then, he can't wait," asserted Cynder standing beside the purple dragon using her tail to apply pressure to the big wound on Spyros chest.
Wow oh wow, this chapter took ages, I shocked myself to be honest. but it's a new record for as it's my biggest chapter ever created and the first time i have ever put over 10 thousand words into one and I must say I have shocked myself immensely. So, my first major battle scene in the story and probably not one you expected. I did say I would be turning up the pressure.
Now I must say I got a lot of increased attention in my previous chapter and it really nailed at where I was hoping attention would be paid and I was so happy to receive all that so thank you.
So Cynder comes to Spyros rescue as a typical lover would and the grublins got into the city…. oh, what could all this mean? Stay tuned to find out eventually ha-ha. my first real battle in the story. please be sure to drop a review and let me know what you think, id appreciate some feedback on the battle especially in my new style. thanks you brilliant people.
Also everyone a friend of my mine Gale has done a cover for my book and i have updated it on here, please have a look and let me know what you think. they are growing a little now and can see it in Cynder and her not wearing her jewellery anymore as i emphasised earlier in my story. enjoy
