As stated before, last chapter was my homage to Marvel Comics, and the late Stan Lee (RIP). See how the story continues with the addition of a new flyer in their ranks!
Ch35: A New Plan
As the Spargus natives went around picking up the pieces, Damas addressed the whole hero party plus the dragons as they all stood together near the sentry gun, "Well done everyone, this victory is a sign of possibility."
"I agree, they may have caught us unaware, but we prevailed regardless," commented Terrador who was just as pleased as Damas that the preparations had paid off.
"What can we say? we just have a knack for saving cities in turmoil. Trust me, it's on our resumes," added Sparx. Everyone either raised an eye or just sighed exhaustively to him. Where as Daxter just gave him a stink-eye, but before he could start another round with Sparx again, Cynder spoke up…
"All these attacks in less of a week are showing that they are getting bolder. They realize we are the only ones stopping them from desecrating this planet, otherwise they wouldn't be concentrating their attacks directly at us," she said.
Spyro grew concerned and responded to her, "what are you saying? That we should leave and hope to drive them away? But that would just give them what they want."
"Spyro is right," agreed Jak, "despite their invasion, we triumphed on our own turf where we have the advantage, no sense to lose that. Though that being said, we can't hold off one invasion after another for months on end, but we still haven't found a way to tip the scales in our favor."
"Indeed, these times are grim," said Damas before continuing, "but when I was the leader of Haven City, times seemed grim then too, take hope all of you, even the smallest weed finds shelter within the rocks."
His statement was inspiring to all of them as was what was seen on their faces, but Jak had to ask, "Wait, you were once the leader of Haven City?"
"I find that most surprising your lordship, given how you have always spoken about it with malice," Terrador added.
Damas answered their questions, "It wasn't always as such, I first came to the throne during the middle of the metalhead wars. Baron Praxis betrayed me, and banished me to the wasteland, the rest you all know."
He finished his story somberly gazing out to the distant sea, and his audience felt sympathy for the noble king, who was once a grand leader of a city that later betrayed him. All of them, especially Calidan now realized how much Damas had truly lost, his home, his throne, his family, most would have just given up after losing all of that. But not Damas, and at that moment whatever doubt Calidan had about Damas was gone, for he really did deserve the respect he had seen Jak give him first hand.
"Anyway Jak, you have now earned this," Damas said as he turned back to Jak handing him a round half piece of golden metal, "your third and final battle amulet, you are one of us now."
Jak took the final piece in his hand, with all of his friends native and dragon grateful witnesses. Damas also explained, "that war amulet is a beacon, if ever you need us, use it to call, and we will be there."
Damas then turned to the purple dragon and his girlfriend, and handed him a different piece, one half shape with wing extrusions, "Young Spyro, you have in turn earned this, your second battle amulet. You are one away from being the first dragon citizen of Spargus."
Spyro reached up and took the piece in his paw, gazing at it with great joy. He only wished Ignitus was here to witness this, but was happy nonetheless that everyone else dear to him was. He spoke with a bow, "Thank you, your highness."
His fellow dragons and brother both smiled and nodded at him, while Cynder gave a subtle but loving nuzzle. Damas then added in to address them all, "If I weren't short on amulet pieces, I would give one to each of your fellow kin for the service they have provided. So please consider Spyro's honor yours as well."
"We are honored Lord Damas," bowed Terrador, with Saphira and Chloro following his lead. Cynder and even Sparx followed after them.
Damas finally turned to his left to address the final member of the company, "as for you young rogue."
They all turned to Calidan who appeared nervous, his wing pack deactivated and folded up behind his back. The king walked up to him with a stoic gaze, before it turned into a warm grin handing him two pieces of his own, a round gold amulet piece and a stick shaped gate pass. "I believe these were long overdue for you, 12 years at most."
Calidan was speechless, and his friends could do nothing but grin at their friend receiving his first Spargus amulet, after so many years cut away from them. He gaped at both gifts for a few more moments before finally taking them from the king's hand, a wide smile breaking on his face. Realizing he had done what his grandfather was denied, he thought one thing, 'this one was for you Pap.'
The former rogue lifted his head up to look the Spargus king in the eye, and bowed, "thank you your majesty."
"I thank you, for my people will sleep better knowing that an Eagle will be flying in the sky, looking out for them," said Damas.
"Sir yes sir," Calidan said nodding again.
The dragon and wastelander group were walking towards the palace out of the marketplace. Damas, Jak and Calidan were at the front with Daxter, with Spyro and Cynder behind them followed by Terrador, and the two acolytes bringing up the rear. As they entered the alley leading to the palace, Daxter had something to say to Calidan, "You know I recall you saying growing wings was a ridiculous idea."
"Indeed, Jak's eco powers being the exception, humans growing wings sounds painful as well as illogical, so that's why I 'built' them," he retorted back correcting Daxter's choice of words.
"He's got you there Dax," Jak commented, making everyone laugh at Daxter's expense. The ottsel just scowled while his dragonfly counterpart gave him a mocking grin while flying around to the front to face him.
"Guess you really are the only one in the group now that can't fly," said Sparx.
"And your also the only one in the group with no legs glowboy, and I'll take having all my limbs over having half any day, plus I hate flying!" Daxter yelped.
"You wanna start this again fuzzball?!" challenged Sparx throwing up a fist.
"You better not if you both know what's good for you," Spyro sternly declared behind Jak, giving both of them a look just as sternly which silenced them. Everyone either scoffed or gave a breath of relief, that is until Kleiver appeared from around the bend, carrying something under his shoulder. Upon seeing him approach, the group halted as he walked up to his king.
"I got what you asked for your lordship," said Kleiver holding up his delivery.
"Thank you," Damas said before turning to Jak, "I almost forgot, Jak, one final welcoming gift from me."
Kleiver handed the armor he had carried over to Jak with a mild shove, before Damas continued to explain, "This rare precursor armor was said to have once been worn by Mar himself. Truthfully, I was saving it for my own son, but right now, you should wear it in this difficult time."
All the dragons were surprised that Damas would relinquish such a gift, but knew it was in no better hands then Mar's own heir. After fitting the chest armor around his torso, Jak said to Damas, "Thanks, but Damas, you've given us all these great gifts, yet we don't have anything for you."
"You and your friends have given us all hope Jak, that is gift enough. I welcome you all to the clan," Damas said in warm welcome as he faced them all. The dragons gave yet another grateful nod, as did Calidan.
"I have to say…" Kleiver interrupted, "you did alright on the gun today newbie, keep it up and you'll hold the record longer than I did."
"Right," Jak replied while he and Daxter raised an eyebrow.
Kleiver then turned back to Damas, "I'll get back to my rounds if that's alright your lordship."
"Of course," Damas immediately answered. Kleiver then walked off, making his way around the dragons, but not giving them any acknowledgement at all, as he had done from the start. Realizing their recent defense of the city had done nothing to change Kleiver's attitude toward them, the dragons returned to the real matter courtesy of the guardian leader.
"What will we do now, your highness? Focus our efforts on re-establishing the fortifications for another possible attack?" Terrador asked.
"Yes, but as it was earlier stated we can't hold off the impending full invasion forever. You yourself said Jak that the only means of stopping them indefinitely lies below Haven," Damas said facing the newly instated Spargus citizen.
"Yes, they said they would contact us once they had something to help us reach there, but we haven't heard anything in days," replied Jak.
"Maybe we should go right now ourselves, see if we can't help speed things along," Calidan suggested.
Damas turned to address the rash wastelander, "As I once told Jak, patience is a warrior's greatest weapon, didn't your grandfather ever tell you anything similar before he passed?"
"I was six, what six year old listens to lessons on patience?" Calidan said raising an eye, making everyone else roll their eyes at his response, except for Damas.
"My point is, it's more important to wait for our enemies to expose their weakness, rather than charge at them headfirst," Damas instructed.
"A lesson that is universal apparently," said Terrador looking at all the young dragons next to him who could only grin sheepishly.
"Once a plan has come to fruition, it will come to us. Remember good things come to those who wait," said Damas.
Calidan threw up his hands in submission before saying, "Alright I get it, patience, man is everybody trying to grill me with that concept? it's getting old."
"Then perhaps you should start acting on it instead of just listening, young Calidan," Damas sternly ordered. Jak, Spyro and the others watched Calidan receive the lecture with slight amusement. It was an ongoing struggle with Calidan trying to adjust socially, but they knew it was for his own good, even if he didn't fully believe it yet. Suddenly the communicator popped up out of Jak's bag.
"Jak, are you there? This is Ashelin, come in."
"Yeah I hear you, we all do," said Jak, everyone's attention turning to the communicator.
'It's been years since I've heard that voice,' thought Damas with a frown.
"We finally have a plan to engage the metalhead barricade in the city, but we need you and your group back here to go over it in full."
"Send the transport, we'll be waiting," said Jak.
"It will be there within the hour."
"Assuming you don't have any more refugees to drop anywhere as I've been hearing," said Damas, his voice catching everyone's attention. Jak, Spyro and the others were surprised that he cut in, but none more so than the one from the other side of the communicator.
"That voice...I haven't heard it in...Damas? Is that you?"
Jak, Calidan and the dragons watched the conversation in shock, Ashelin knew Damas?!
"Alive and well, though not for the lack of trying your part played in ensuring that didn't happen," scowled Damas.
"Damas...you know I never wanted what happened to happen at all."
Terrador was confused and turned to Cynder for clarity, "What's going on? Cynder, who is talking through that voice box?"
"That's Ashelin, the current governor of Haven City," she paused before finishing, "and Baron Praxis's daughter." Terrador, Saphira and Chloro all gasped, now things were making sense now, as uncomfortable as the truth was.
Damas continued his venting monologue, "regardless of what you wanted, it happened, and it cannot be changed."
"You know I'm not my father, I never was, and…"
"Save it! I'm in no mood for explanations from you Ashelin, so just send your transport here to retrieve your heroes so they can save all our hides! Then when this is over, don't even think of contacting me again, much less try to give Haven back to me. I no longer want it, the last thing I need is any more plaguing memories of the past, am I clear?" Damas finished, with everyone looking at him uneasily, waiting for Ashelin's response.
"Very clear...transport is on the way, and for what it's worth to you...I'm sorry." The communicator shut down and returned to Jak's bag. An attempt was made to break the uncomfortable silence.
"Well that was intense," said Chloro in a mutter, but was still heard by his mentor who gave him a stern glare making him gulp.
"I'd ask how you know Ashelin, but you answered that question already," said Jak, remembering how Damas was usurped and banished by Baron Praxis.
"Indeed, and I prefer to leave it at that, understood?" Damas asked sternly. Jak merely responded with a nod. Spyro on the other hand had something to say.
"King Damas, I understand your animosity toward Praxis, believe me it's one I share myself, but Ashelin spoke the truth about her not being her father. Ever since we've known her she has done nothing but ensure care and justice for those less fortunate, at the risk of going against her own father, who hardly ever cared about her at all."
"Your point young Spyro?" the king asked.
"I'm saying you should give her the benefit of the doubt, she was as much of a victim of the Baron as anyone, including you," Spyro replied.
"Tell me young dragon, were you ever forced to watch your entire city council betray you, uproot you from your rightful place from birthright, and steal your family away, all the while losing everything that was precious to you in one day?!" he shouted, making everyone slightly recoil, while Spyro stood tall before speaking again.
"No...but I was forced to watch one who I considered a father literally be burned alive," he said, forcing the king and everyone else to look at him stunned, especially the dragons knowing full well who Spyro was referring to.
"As I said I never knew my birth parents, but after I left my adopted family to find them, I met Ignitus, who would become my first mentor, and the closest thing to a father I've ever had," Spyro dropped his head before continuing, "and he was taken before his time, another victim of the Dark Master's vile plans, and for a long time I blamed myself for not saving him."
Damas, Jak, and Calidan gave sympathetic looks before Spyro lifted back up to continue, "it wasn't until I finally stopped letting my emotions get the better of me, that I was able to remind myself of what I had right in front of me. From there it was clear what was worth living for, regardless of what was already lost."
The purple dragon ended his speech looking at Cynder who lovingly returned it, and ceased anymore emotional monologues, as well as eased the apparent heavy atmosphere surrounding them. Seeing how his first student of the group handled the situation, Terrador concluded with pride, "Perhaps even we of the previous generation can still learn more from the next then we ever thought."
The youths all smiled while Damas let out an exhausted sigh, while responding with a sad nod.
The Haven transport was soon to arrive, forcing the heroes and allies of Elorin to split up once again. Chloro and Saphira said their goodbyes to their friends, old and new before returning to aid Spargus with the cleanup. Surprisingly, Sig volunteered to come with Jak and the others back to Haven. Like them he realized that despite his animosity for the place, it was where they could find the only way of saving the world, plus he knew he still had friends back there that he had to make amends with. Damas agreed so long as Sig remained their loyal ambassador, which the one-eyed warrior fully accepted. As the hero party, with the addition of Sig, headed for the vehicle pen, Damas and Terrador stood near the bottom of the path that led up to the gate before conversing yet again.
"It never gets easier watching them take up our mantle, does it?" Terrador asked him.
"No it doesn't" answered Damas.
Terrador decided to switch to a different topic, particularly a more sensitive one, "I never was able to say this before, but I am sorry to hear of your son. It's a pain we guardians bear as well."
"You and your colleagues have had offspring?" Damas asked curiously.
Terrador shook his head as he answered, "not by blood, but part of being a dragon guardian is seeing all the youth of our kind as our own. Unlike with humans, dragons having offspring is not something that happens every day, for it only happens during one season every 12 years, in a time that's known as the Year of the Dragon. During this time, eggs are laid all across the realms, and as our custom, sent off to a dragon temple where the guardians can watch over them to hatch. Once they are born, they are trained under their respective guardian and teachers in the use of their born element."
"That's quite a heavy load, though I do not understand why the parents don't do it themselves, or is it against custom in your world to be taught by your birth family?" Damas asked.
"On the contrary, it is encouraged. But this custom was put in place ever since the Dark Master's reign first began, for when Malefor first rose to power he believed the greatest threat to him was in the form of any new generation of dragons rising against him. As such his dark armies were tasked with eliminating any homes and nests they came across, making our world a highly dangerous place for hatching," Terrador explained with a dark tone.
"Filthy cur!" Damas gasped feeling horrified, this Malefor was more sadistic then he imagined, making children targets of war!
"Indeed, it was decreed then that the eggs would be carted to hatch within the temple under care of the elemental guardians, for there was no other place in our realms safer from the Dark Master's armies. Only then once the young dragons were mature and skilled enough in their element would they return to their families. For a time it seemed to work during our darkest years...that is until the last Year of the Dragon, when Spyro's egg was laid, and they came for him."
Damas saw how Terrador's expression returned even darker, though what he was saying prior made him put it all together, he let out a sigh of heavy grief before speaking, "You don't need to say anymore, I understand."
"Thank you, it was and still is to this day our greatest shame and failure, and why we are now an endangered species. Of course we would never blame Spyro, nor Cynder, the fact they were the only survivors is our greatest joy from that horrid day, and gives us hope we will thrive again," Terrador concluded, with joy slowly returning.
"You should hold onto that," Damas said, "I just struggle every day knowing my bloodline will inevitably end with me one day."
"Perhaps, but never forget what you stand for your lordship, and why your people follow you. The example you set for the next generation will ensure your legacy will live on, if not in body, then in spirit." Terrador encouraged before changing the topic, "In addition, if I may say so, you should also learn to know who is your true enemy, and not turn away any others that are willing to fight for the same cause, regardless of their history."
Damas read in between the lines, and responded to the guardian for the first time in anger, "If you think forgiving the daughter of the one who usurped me and took everything for himself is an option, then guardian for the first time you have said something to me that is foolhardy!"
Terrador took no offense from Damas's tone, but instead answered while being inconspicuous about Cynder's past, "we know what it's like to have help from those who have hurt us before Lord Damas, and while we can never change history, we can write a better future, and if it can be done with aid from reformed enemies, that would be a greater inspiration to many, if as Spyro says, we give them the benefit of the doubt."
Damas was merely silenced as he took in the guardian's words. He contemplated as Terrador turned the other way to continue aiding the Spargus cleanup, and giving Damas some time alone to process.
After picking up the wasteland group from outside Spargus, the transport turned back towards Haven to begin the flight back. Sig was silently pondering how he was going about making amends with Torn and the whole Freedom League regarding his communicator outburst nearly a week ago. Calidan brought only his wing pack with him this time, saying he left Robin with the last of his provisions and should be fine until they returned.
They soon arrived back in Haven, and Sig looked around at the war torn city for the first time in a long while, he still couldn't shake his uneasiness despite his reason for being here to make amends. There was a stray W-wing cruiser and a Y-wing single seat zoomer near the port pillar and they boarded them up. Jak, Daxter and Calidan climbed aboard the cruiser and led the way to Freedom HQ with Sig right behind them on the Y-wing and followed by Sparx and the dragons. They made the usual trip through the retaken industrial section, into the slums before entering New Haven. They were pleased to see that the Freedom League was more widespread now since the fall of the war factory. As they landed before the HQ entrance and entered the elevator, they pondered to themselves what Ashelin had planned. They entered the main hub of HQ, where Ashelin stood alone in front of the holograph generator.
Ashelin noticed their arrival as the elevator opened, "Great to have you back again, was everyone updated in the wasteland?"
"Yup, and a few other things that needed taken care of," said Jak upon approach, though saving the details for later.
"I can confirm, I was there for it all," Sig spoke for the first time to one of his old Haven allies. Seeing him again however, was not as pleasant for Ashelin, as to be expected.
"I'm more than surprised to see you back here at all, given what you really think of us," she sneered to the metalhead hunter, remembering what Torn had told her of his argument with Sig days ago.
Sig hung his head while the others watched uneasily, they knew this was coming, and had to wait and see how Sig would sort it out, "I know my last talk with Torn put a bad taste in your mouth, all I can say is I'm sorry, we were caught in a pinch out in the wasteland, and I said what I did to get it off my chest."
"Arguing with friends is one thing, but insubordination is another Sig, you broke the chain of command, which leads me to wonder if you ever cared for any of us at all?!" Ashelin shouted.
"I did what I knew was right at the time, did I overstep my bounds, yes maybe, but it's worked out in the long run, now we have a group of allies from Spyro's world out in the wasteland with a stronger defense than we've ever had, and I would think you would know a thing or two about defying orders for the greater good?!" Sig retaliated. Ashelin continued to glare at him, with Sig matching it, while the hero party behind them stood by and watched the confrontation with heavy unease.
Ashelin just said one last thing, "We'll discuss this matter when there's more time, right now we have a job to do. Plus I'm not the only one you need to make amends with, Torn is in the hanger prepping the H-cat, talk with him, and work it out."
"Fine," Sig replied with a subtle nod before turning back to walk to the elevator.
"Sig, do you need?…" Spyro began.
"No Spyro, this is my mess, and I need to do it myself," Sig assured him before continuing to the elevator. As he walked away, Jak and the others walked up to Ashelin who had turned back to the holograph. Jak said to try and console Ashelin, "Look Ashelin, Sig means well, and he…"
"Who knows what Errol or Malefor will attempt next with that Dark Ship?!" Ashelin interrupted, pushing the matter of Sig aside and focusing on the real problem, "we have to take them out!"
Seeing how Ashelin redirected the conversation, Jak decided to go along with it, "well you said you knew how we could take them, hence why we are here."
"We have a plan now, but it's risky," said Ashelin, putting her hands on the holograph console.
"Oh of course, it couldn't be easy, nooooo, and I'm sure at least Jak and I are on the short list to head up the mission huh?" asked Daxter standing on the holograph to their left.
"No, this one is tricky, I'm giving it to Torn and Jinx," she said.
Daxter immediately shouted back, "WHAT?! I suppose you don't think we're good enough huh? You don't think we can do it?!"
"Dax…" Jak said while attempting to silence him.
It was to no avail as Daxter continued while making gestures to Jak and himself before counting with his fingers, "May I remind you, that this team of Daxter, Jak and Daxter, have taken on just about every scary thing this world can throw at us, for not one, not two, but three adventures!"
"Daxter," Jak tried again, his irritation shared by the dragons, Sparx and Calidan next to him. Fortunately Sparx was keeping his mouth shut for once while Daxter continued running his. Spyro and Cynder just shook their heads in further irritation while Calidan falsely looked at his arm like he was wearing a watch and was timing Daxter's rant with it.
"This is an outrage Jak, we're the heroes on this world. Even before the dragons came we were a legend, from the ashes of torment and misery we rose to the top! Now we're about to take a back seat when everything comes down to the wire? What's gonna happen to our cred?! We'll be laughing stocks from here all the way back to the Realms!"
Ashelin had heard enough and yelled, "For crying out loud, you're on the mission! Your job is to cover Torn along with Jinx in a vehicle filled with explosives, escort them to the metalhead section, and together you'll blow open the nest."
"Oh, well, why didn't you say so in the first place?" Daxter finished. Everyone just ignored him as they turned around to head out of HQ to begin their next metalhead mission.
I do what I can to develop almost every character as each chapter moves to the next, and with this being a crossover, I also couldn't resist throwing in references to their previous stories, up next is one of my favorite missions from the Jak3 game, my version.
