Chapter 05: Loyalties
October 26, 4:33 PM
"Oh man, that smells good…" Flame said, sitting by a pot of cooking food.
"This is a quaint little place you guys have here." Cynder commented, sitting near the pot as Spyro shook it over the fire, using a special holder with divots so he could actually grab the pot with his talons.
"Yeah though it's a little dark." Spyro said, noting the lack of any windows in Jericho's basement hideout.
"You guys look like shit, tell me, what happened?" Flame asked, holding a pillow to his chest while sitting nearby.
"Well, we got the part-"
"Yeah I got that much!" Flame said, cutting Spyro off with a laugh. Spyro shook his head.
"We ran into the city's thug groups." Cynder said, clarifying for Spyro.
"Uh oh, what'd you guys do?" Flame asked.
"It was me, they were after me and Spyro helped me. Turns out they didn't like that." Cynder said, shaking her head.
"So they captured us, and were going to sell us into slavery. That's why I have this damn brace on, it's an elemental inhibitor."
"Speak for yourself, they were going to… 'keep me'. Ugh, those pigs…" Cynder gave a look of disgust at that, shaking her head.
"How'd you get away then?"
"Dude I don't even know, but I got knocked out of one of those skyscrapers. Damn my back still hurts." Spyro said, rubbing his back softly.
"Man, sounds you guys had all the fun. So… what's the deal with you?" Flame asked, turning to Cynder.
"Oh, I'm just… here in the city on business. Spyro helped me get away from those thugs, and I helped him get his part."
"So you're just visiting? Where are you from originally?"
"From out west."
"You going to head back there?"
"No I'm going northeast to another city for now. I have to meet someone there."
"Hey, Spyro what's wrong? You look upset." Flame said, turning towards his friend who had been silent, staring at the pot of food.
"Yeah, what's wrong Spyro?" Cynder asked, turning to him too. Spyro snapped out of his little stare, shaking his head as he stirred the pot a little quicker, as if pressured. He looked up at them, sighing a bit.
"I uh… nothing's wrong." He said. Cynder frowned, seeing him say that. She looked at the floor for a second before looking back up.
"We still have to get that brace off of you, it's probably not helping you right now."
"No, no it isn't. Do you know how to get it off?" Spyro asked, looking back up at her.
"Somewhat… I know that the gorillas probably told you they made it. Those guys are lying through their teeth, they stole these. I've seen them before out west. A group to the north uses these against dragons who they capture so they can sell them into slavery. I… know you have to have a key to unlock and deactivate it."
"So, we can use that key and make a new one?"
"Not exactly, it has to be an enchanted key. Unless you know anyone in town who can make those it's going to be hard to get it off."
Flame and Spyro both shook their heads, not knowing anyone in the city who had that kind of expertise.
"So… I can't get it off then?" Cynder sighed, looking around before looking back up at Spyro.
"I… do know one person who specializes in making enchanted keys."
"You do, where is he?"
"Well… that's the thing, he lives far away from here to the north east."
"Oh…"
"I'm heading that way anyway, to my city. You're welcomed to come with me Spyro. I could help get your brace off for you." She said with a smile. He smiled up at her, nodding.
"Well it doesn't look like I have a choice, do I?" He said with a soft laugh. His laugh faded, once again being reminded who she was. She was a Sentinel, an enemy to him and to Jericho.
"Hey, wasn't your friend going somewhere too? That part we got, it's for an old human aircraft isn't it?"
"Yeah, he's going to use it to go somewhere." Flame said.
"If he's heading northeast, maybe we can hitch a ride." Cynder suggested. Spyro's heart was thumping in his neck, making him panic slightly. Oh shit… how could he refuse without giving away Jericho? Things were just getting worse, and worse!
"Y-yeah, though only if he's heading that way.
Cynder laughed.
"Well it's settled then! We'll head that way on my way to my city. You're welcomed to follow me all the way there, it's a terrific place!" She said with a smile. Spyro nodded, trying to put on the best smile he could.
"Sweet! We got another person in our little party!" Flame said with a smile as well. Sparx buzzed happily nearby, delighted at the news as well. He flew by Cynder, passing over her head and body to look her over. Cynder giggled as he did so.
"Well now, he's curious isn't he?"
Spyro chuckled a bit.
"His name's Sparx, he's our dragonfly."
"Nice to meet you Sparx." Cynder said, smiling. Sparx gave her a delighted look before buzzing away.
"Is the food ready yet?" Flame asked, holding the pillow tighter.
"Just about. I think it's finished already. I'm going to go check up on Jericho." Spyro said, standing from the pot. Flame quickly grabbed a special bowl that he owned, the bowl being carved specifically for dragon usage. Cynder grabbed one of her own, letting the food pour into their bowls. Spyro walked out of the room, walking down one of the tunnels to where the Osprey was being kept.
He emerged into the warehouse, the soft afternoon sun filtering in through the windows lining the upper parts of the walls. The entire room was cast in a soft orange light, with the familiar form of the human-made Osprey resting in the center of the room. Jericho stood under one of the main engines, messing around with some of its insides. Clearly, he was installing the new part Spyro had retrieved for him.
"Hey Jericho, we made some food if you're hungry." Spyro said, walking over towards him. Jericho stopped, looking back as he had his upper half stuck inside the massive engine.
"Oh, didn't notice you there. Thanks, but I want to finish this engine first." He said, moving himself back into the engine.
"So how is it coming along, is the part working?"
"It fit in just as I had hoped, now I'm just trying to reassemble this engine and make sure it's able to run… This thing should be running and ready to take off tonight or tomorrow morning."
"You going to make this trip yourself?"
"If I have to. I have to finish this."
"Just what are you trying to do?"
Jericho stopped, stepping back out of the engine, whipping his forehead clear of sweat. He looked over the engine a bit longer before sticking his arm back up inside of it.
"I'm going somewhere." He simply said.
"Yeah we know that much…" Spyro said, chuckling.
"I can't tell you any more than that…"
"Why not though, we've helped you with the engine. I even got this damn brace on my neck because of it…"
"About that, I sure hope you have the key to that thing, because I certainly don't."
"No… Cynder says I need a special enchanted key to remove this."
"The people who put that on you, they don't have one you can retrieve?" Jericho asked, turning to face him.
"No… it broke while we were getting them off…"
"I see, and you don't know anyone who can forge something like that?"
"No. Cynder… Cynder says she knows someone up north who can remove it. Though… she says he lives far away from here."
"I see where this is going." Jericho turned, picking up a pipe and placing it back inside the engine while looking at a piece of paper he had taped to the engine's shell, using it as reference.
"So… you'd let us tag along to go up north…?" Spyro asked, hopeful now.
Jericho sighed before grabbing a wrench.
"I do appreciate your help. You're the first dragon who's ever offered it to me before. You've gotten me this part, which… I doubt I could have gotten on my own."
Spyro smiled, perking up.
"That being said… I don't trust your new friend Cynder. There's something about her, I don't like it." Jericho added, turning to face Spyro as he said that. Spyro frowned, looking away.
"She just wants to help, and she's heading north herself to some city."
"Is that so?"
"Yeah, she's meeting up with her… group up there."
"You guys can tag along I suppose… but like I said, I don't trust her. The first chance I get I'm dropping her off. "
"That's great! Thanks Jericho!" Spyro said, smiling wide now.
"I'm only doing this as a favor to you for helping get me this part. Now I'm as close as I'll ever be to getting there…" He placed both his hands on a nearby crate, looking at it with deep thought. Spyro tilted his head while looking at him.
"How… important is this to you? Getting to this place I mean. It must be an important place."
"It's only the place I've been seeking my entire life."
"Why is that? You must know it's dangerous to be out there as a human. Why risk it to get to this place?"
"It's… important to me. It was important to my friends to; it's why they gave their lives like that. It's all so we can get there… so I can get there."
"You still haven't said why you need to get there. Where is this place at even?"
"Far to the northeast, up along the old east coast. Once we leave this place, I might just tell you where I'm going."
Spyro just shook his head, chuckling.
"Thanks. I hope you find what you're looking for when you get there." Spyro said, turning to leave back to the basement.
As Spyro left, Jericho turned, looking back at him as he left before softly whispering.
"So do I…"
/Transitioning…/
[Done]
"So what, you two are orphans?" Cynder said with a chuckle, laying on a pillow on the floor. Spyro laughed a bit, shaking his head.
"If that's what you want to call us. This city is…"
"City sucks" Flame finished for Spyro, chewing on a piece of bread while Sparx buzzed above them, trying to nick the food away.
"Cut it out!" Flame said, trying to hide his bread from the thieving dragonfly.
"This city does seem in a very bad way… but it's like a lot of places in my travels. There's not much out there that is better." Cynder said, frowning.
"I would like to see it, the world outside that is. It would probably be way more interesting than this city." Spyro said, shaking his head.
"I dunno, that flooded city section of yours is pretty sweet." Cynder said with a chuckle.
"It is, but damn if it isn't hard to navigate." Flame added, still chewing on his bread.
Cynder just shook her head, watching Sparx zip across the room behind them. She stopped, looking over their shoulders to the other end of the room where a door lead to a small closet where Jericho was. The door was slightly ajar, only showing a bit of him as he sat on a crate, eating a bowl of food. He insisted on eating over there, rather than joining them. When he came to get his food, Spyro saw him wearing a hood over his head, and a mask over his face to obscure it from Cynder. If Spyro could remember correctly, it was called a gas mask. Many denizens around the city had one, and used it when exploring areas with thick dust and debris.
Jericho didn't say a word to them when he came to get his food, only pouring a bowl for himself and moving back to the side closet. Spyro knew he didn't trust Cynder, and now this only reinforced it. Spyro just sighed softly, looking at the ground.
"So… this Jericho guy, who is he?" Cynder asked, turning to Spyro.
"Oh, Jericho, what about him?" Spyro answered, being taken from his thoughts.
"Like, who is he? What kind of species is he?"
Flame turned to Spyro, almost as if to ask if they had permission to reveal Jericho's identity with only his eyes. Spyro saw this, only giving him a side glance before quickly trying to think of an answer.
"I'm not real sure, he rarely shows his face. We met him a few days ago and decided to help him."
"Why? He seems so mysterious…"
Spyro just shrugged.
"He won't tell us." Flame said, interjecting.
"And you guys… are alright with that?" Cynder asked.
Spyro looked at the floor for a bit before looking up.
"He was in a bad way, and we offered to help. We've never really been outside the city… we thought this'd be something to see." Spyro answered, a bit of truth in that answer actually. She looked at him for a bit before shaking her head with a soft chuckle.
"You two really are strange." She merely said. Spyro just gave an innocent shrug.
"So you said you're out from the west, what's it like over there?" Flame asked Cynder.
"It's got a lot more cities then here. Well… built up cities. You'd be amazed what an organized group can do. There's more civilization there… here it's a little more unorganized."
"Well nobody's really tried to rally the different cities or factions together… other than those gangs." Spyro said, a bit of disdain coming forth from him as he said the word 'gang'.
"Yeah you can say that." Flame said as well. They had all finished their food by now, the soft glow of the fire illuminating the room. There was a bit of silence following, each of them looking like they were lost in some form of thought. They were all enticed by the fire, watching as it drifted silently, cracks and pops breaking the silence in the room. They almost didn't notice when a loud thump was heard above.
"What the…" Flame got up, looking around as a bit of dust fell down. Jericho burst forth from the closet, his weapon in hand and his mask firmly in place as he raced towards one of the doors, running down the hall.
"What's going on?" Cynder asked, standing up as well.
"I don't know, but I think someone's stumbled onto us…" Spyro said, watching the door Jericho had just raced down. A few minutes later he raced back in, closing the door behind him.
"Kill that fire!" He said, almost in a loud whisper.
Cynder immediately stomped on the fire, putting it out. She flinched a bit as the heat burnt her paws slightly but it was the fastest way to extinguish it. Spyro and Flame both moved away from the center of the room, towards the edge and behind some old boxes. Cynder joined them, the room slowly growing dark as Jericho killed the other light inside the room.
"What's going on?" Spyro asked in a whisper, seeing Jericho taking cover behind a box as tall as he was, his weapon firmly in his hands.
"Someone's followed you two here… Stay quiet." He instructed, taking a position to immediately ambush whoever barged through the door. Spyro just let out a soft breath, pressing himself against the crate, peering over just enough to see the steel door.
They could hear voices, and footsteps. Make that, a lot of footsteps.
They were all shuffling closer and closer, towards the door. Jericho just stood there, tensed up as he didn't have his body armor on, just his jacket and light gear. He did have his rifle, and his hands gripped it tightly as they got closer.
"Yeah I think they're here, I can definitely smell their dragon stench." One voice said as they were right outside the door. Flame turned to Spyro, who just shot him a serious look. Flame looked a little fearful, but he nonetheless sat with them behind the crates.
"Break this door down!" Another said loudly. A few seconds later the door blew open, the large metal plated door slamming onto the ground, smoke filling in the blackened room.
"Knock, knock!" A figure said as he entered the room. Spyro could barely make out his silhouette in the light from the door, the creature being a bi-pedal of some kind, very furry. They could smell his fur… he obviously hadn't taken a bath in quite a while. There were several creatures behind him, all looking to be holding weapons of some kind. Oh yeah… this was definitely a kill squad. Spyro could see a bit more of the first one in the light… he looked to be a hyena bi-pedal. The others behind him were all various species but the ones lumbering behind them were definitely more guerrillas.
"Don't bother hiding, I can smell your stench in here you vermin! Boss says you all get to die…" The hyena said with a deep throated laugh, lifting his weapon into the air. Spyro ducked his head down as the group began to move into the room, all looking around for their prey. Spyro just watched Jericho, who remained still the entire time.
Suddenly Jericho moved, and with lightning speed. He moved his body from cover, his rifle immediately lifted up into the air, shots ringing out in the room as he opened fire into the group. The rifle let out an ear-splitting CLANG sound each time it fired, accompanied by the usual crackling retort of a rifle. The room came to life as he fired off several shots, the hyena catching a few rounds right in the chest and crumpling over. The others were taken by surprise, not expecting retaliation like this. They panicked, trying to find Jericho in the mess of flashes as their weapons were going off in a desperate ploy. Shots rang off throughout the room, the darkness confusing them as they couldn't see where Jericho was, just where his rifle was going off. More and more took hits, blood coating the walls where their bodies had once been.
Cynder leapt forward from cover, leaping almost in front of Jericho's rounds. She opened her muzzle, a wave of fire coming forth and into the group of creatures who had been trapped in the narrow passageway. They screamed in terror, her flames catching them in their vulnerable positions. Those not caught in the inferno were cut down as Jericho raced forward, accurate rounds putting them down one by one.
"Come on, move!" Jericho said, grabbing Spyro's arm as he charged forward.
Spyro had to snap out of it, quickly moving with Jericho.
"Grab the supplies, we're leaving." Jericho said, moving to the closet to retrieve his armor and pack. Flame and Cynder moved too, going to get their stuff. Spyro did the same, running to his satchel packs lying nearby. He moved his belongings into them quickly before using the divots on the straps to lift them up onto him. The magnetic couplings clicked together, and with a quick flick of his talon Spyro had locked them into place. Flame did the same, as well as Cynder as she placed her cooking gear into her own pack, using her muzzle to push them inside as they all lacked thumbs.
Jericho came out of the closet, wearing his body armor and full gear, motioning towards the door for them to exit. They raced down the hall, exiting into the warehouse with the Osprey. The orange light of dusk was outside, filtering in through the windows and slightly open doors. Two figures stood near the Osprey, a cheetah and deer bi-pedal both wearing combat gear similar to the thugs they had fought below. They heard the loud noise of the trap door bursting open, both turning to see Jericho step up into the room. Before they could reach for their weapons, Jericho fired three shots, two hitting the cheetah in the chest and neck, the other landing directly into the skull of the deer. They toppled over, the loud retort of Jericho's rifle bouncing off the empty warehouse's walls. Jericho raced towards the Osprey, throwing his pack inside while moving towards the door. Outside more voices could be heard, move thugs.
"In here, the shots came from in here!" One yelled. Jericho grabbed the doors, pulling onto them to get them open. Cynder raced forward, opening her muzzle to fire a shot of fire at two bear bi-pedals that had been racing to the door to challenge them. They were caught in the fury of flames and toppled over. Jericho paid them no mind, pulling hard on the warehouse doors to get them open.
"Jericho?" Spyro asked, a little urgent.
"Cover me, I have to get them open for the Osprey to get out!" Jericho yelled, almost getting the first door cleared. Spyro nodded, racing outside with Cynder. Flame was right behind him, as well as Sparx.
Outside it was quiet, the bodies of the two bi-pedals staining the ground with their blood. Had they been the only ones they had sent? Was it all safe now? Spyro wasn't going to wait, racing out in the open to keep them at bay. Jericho had gotten one of the doors open by now, and he was quickly moving to the other.
"Was that all of them?" Flame asked, hiding behind a broken crate.
"I don't know, let's hope, right?" Cynder added. Sparx just gave a low whimper as he sat next to Spyro.
"Easy does it… there are more out there, I know it." Spyro said.
"I hear them!" Flame said, sitting up. Sure enough, Spyro could see more figures dashing out of a nearby warehouse, they finally stirring from hearing those gunshots.
"Take this!" Cynder yelled, firing a bolt of dark energy at them. The bolt flew true, blasting several into the air like a small bomb. They screamed in agony, clothing armor and weapons flying through the air along with their former owners.
"Whoa, what was that?!" Flame asked, astonished by Cynder's move. Before he got an answer, a bullet slammed into the box next to him, forcing him to roll.
"Get them!" Yelled a bi-pedal the small group of attackers slowly encircling them.
"Come on!" Cynder yelled, leaping from cover to challenge them. Spyro followed right behind her, opening his muzzle to unleash a fury of flames… and…
Nothing came out.
Spyro stopped, coughing as he tried to use his breath attack.
Shit! The bracelet… Spyro looked down, seeing that bracelet staring him back in the face.
"Spyro what the hell are you doing, get down!" Cynder yelled. Flame grabbed Spyro, throwing him back behind the crates they were hiding behind.
"Dude your powers are still gone, let us do it!" He yelled, racing forward to help Cynder. Spyro just sat, watching as the two held off the group of attackers. He wanted to help, badly but… he had no abilities.
By now Jericho had opened the doors, and the Osprey was slowly moving outside into the center of the open lot. The attackers had begun to attack the craft, bullets pinging off its metallic hull. Jericho moved seats, grabbing the controls on the other console. Spyro moved out of the way as he saw a small device on the base of the craft's nose come to life.
All at once a loud CRACKING sound resonated through the open lot as it turned out those were weapons mounted on its underbelly. The tremendous roar of the weapons coupled with their absolute ability to shred them into pieces sent many into a run, abandoning their weapons right where they stood. It was enough to break the attack, only if for a moment.
Jericho took this time to switch seats again, furiously tapping at the controls as the rotors spun faster, the air around the craft gusting like the winds from a storm. This threw Spyro and Cynder off balance, forcing them to land as so much wind was created from the Osprey. It slowly lifted off of the ground, to Spyro's amazement. It climbed up, hovering above the buildings now. That thing really could fly!
"Spyro! Come on!" Cynder yelled, snapping him out of it. She flew up, towards the craft. Flame did the same, grunting as the winds were so strong. Spyro followed, flying right into the open hatch in the back. Flame and Cynder landed behind him, almost skidding to a halt inside the moving craft. Sparx buzzed in last, picking up the rear.
"Hang on!" Jericho yelled from up front. The door behind them began to close, sealing behind them as what Spyro had taken for a ramp was really a large door. The craft lurched forward almost knocking them to their feet. Getting up, Spyro ran up to the front of the craft to look out, seeing the city vanish beneath them as the craft streaked through the sky.
"Woah! Look at this thing go!" He exclaimed, seeing the city streets he had been so familiar with now vanishing beneath him. Flame moved up as well, watching as they saw the towering skyscrapers of the city center from such a high angle, and pass by them as they were nothing. They were now the kings of the sky.
"Oh yeah, look at this thing go!" Jericho yelled out himself, excited to finally fly this craft.
Spyro could see so far towards the horizon, seeing mountains, fields, forests and buildings going as far as his eyes could see. He had flown before, yeah but… this was completely different. They were so high up, and he could see so far into this world he thought he had known all his life. The sun was setting off in the distance, its orange light casting itself onto the world, onto this new world as they flew farther from the city. Below, he could see the last of the buildings fade beneath them, fade away from his view.
All Spyro's life all he had known was this city, this massive urban sprawl that he had grown to know and love. Now it was fading beneath him, and a new world was revealing itself over the horizon. For the moment, Spyro just looked, and thought. What would this new world be like? Would it be as inhospitable as the city, or better? He had grown so accustom to living in the city, would it help him in the outside world? Who lived out there, beyond the horizon?
Would he ever see his home again…?
All Spyro could see now were almost infinite expanses of trees and jungle as the night sky began to settle in above them. Spyro let out a soft breath, hoping that he was really ready for what lay ahead.
He really did hope… However for the moment he just wanted to take it all in.
/Transitioning…/
[Done]
Spyro rested on his back, looking up at the ceiling of the craft. The roof was a mess of different pipes, metal plates and a netting that was hanging from the ceiling. What was that netting for? Why was it only so far down from the ceiling? What would they have put up there? Beside him, farther down the row of chairs that lined the wall of the craft there was a small sack of items and a crate- the supplies Flame had taken from their outpost and items Jericho had brought along. Flame rested at the far end, closest to the place where Jericho sat in front. Cynder rested opposite of him, her head curled in as she was fast asleep. Sparx was resting himself, sitting up near the ceiling of the craft, perched in the inner workings.
It had been a few hours since they had left the city, and from what Spyro could tell the sun had already settled over the horizon. Only a soft blue light escaped the front of the craft where Jericho was, rather than the orange tint of the sun that he had seen earlier. The loud hum of the engines were all Spyro could hear, thundering with great might as they propelled this craft forward into the sky.
Spyro turned, getting off of the bench and walking towards the front of the craft. Inside Jericho sat, staring out over the expanse as he softly held onto the controls. His hood was down and his mask was pulled down just enough so it didn't cover his face, now just resting against his chin, ready to put back on at a moment's notice.
Spyro walked over, peering out of the window panes of the craft, seeing the world out there. He could barely see anything, only clouds and stars above. Below, he could barely make out what he thought was ground, but it was so dark only the blue tint of the ground gave it away, especially when the shadows from the clouds would block out the moonlight. Just how far up were they? This was incredible…
"Beautiful, isn't it?" Jericho asked.
"Oh yeah… how do you know where you're going? I can barely see anything down there." Spyro said, trying to get another look.
"Easy, I know our bearings." Jericho responded, not moving an inch.
"What?"
"Our heading, on the map." Jericho pointed to a folded up map on the controls, as well as what looked like a built in compass for the craft.
"Man, in this thing, we can get there in no time…" Spyro said, looking out again.
"That was the idea. It shouldn't be more than a day now. Her engines might be weak compared to her originals, but they'll get us there." Jericho adjusted himself in his seat, he still wearing his full gear and pack, almost not even fitting in the seat.
"So this… was your original plan?" Spyro asked, turning to Jericho.
"Pretty much. We were going to fix this bird up, then fly straight to… er… straight there." Jericho stumbled, almost giving away where he was going, Spyro looked at him for a bit before turning, letting it go.
"I'm sorry… about your friends. I really am." Spyro said, looking down.
"Don't… worry about it. They knew the risks, and we all agreed we'd get there one day. We all agreed we'd do it no matter what. I want to make sure I honor them by getting there, finishing our mission. It's the least I can do for them."
"You guys are really committed then."
"You could say that."
"You still haven't told me where it is your going, or why you're going there."
Jericho only smirked, not taking his eye off the console.
"Almost Spyro, almost." He turned, looking back behind him towards the troop bay, where Cynder was before turning to look forward again. Spyro just sighed, looking forward again.
Almost.
They flew for another few minutes, the time as silent as could be with the roar of those engines. Spyro just watched as the different landscapes passed below them from fields to forests to more broken down urban areas. Barely anything remained unlike his city, only small frames of buildings resting in a vast open field. It was like Spyro's hometown was a beacon in a sea of nothingness out here.
Jericho sat forward slightly, catching Spyro's attention as he hadn't moved much in the entire flight.
Spyro turned, seeing a look of alarm on his face.
"What's wrong?" Spyro asked, lifting an eyebrow.
Jericho didn't answer, only looking at the different consoles and outside.
"Shit, shit!" Jericho yelled suddenly pulling his mask to his face and pulling hard on the stick.
Spyro yelled, the sudden jolt slamming him into the controls. He turned his head quickly, looking out of the window. He only managed to see what looked like the wreckage of a city, but what caught his eye was a large cloud of blue-green mist that was rising from it slowly. His view was obscured even more as Jericho pitched the craft hard, turning away quickly. The controls blared out different warnings, lights flashing all around Spyro as he slid around the floor, attempting to grab onto the second chair nearby.
Screams from the bay behind them suggested to Cynder and Flame being tossed around as Jericho pulled hard. Spyro finally managed to settle himself into the chair beside Jericho, finally seeing what was happening outside. The craft was spinning out of control, Jericho cursing as he was unable to control it.
"Jericho! What's going on?!" Spyro yelled.
"I've lost control! Hold on!" Jericho yelled back, pulling hard on the stick, leveling the craft out. The craft spun a bit more before finally coming to a rest, Jericho breathing hard as he slowly lowered the craft to a cliff-face nearby. The craft touched down, the feeling of ground now firmly under them. Spyro let out a deep breath, not even realizing he had been holding it in the entire time.
Jericho sighed himself, his hood and mask still on as he sat back in his chair.
"What… what the hell was that?!" Cynder asked, stumbling into the cockpit. Flame was lying on his back, slowly trying to get up after that ordeal.
Jericho just sat in his chair before unfastening his harness, grabbing his weapon and slowly standing up.
"We uh… hit a bit of a snag…" Jericho said, walking towards the back of the bay.
"A snag? Is that what you call a snag? What the hell was that?" Cynder asked again, following him as he pressed the door release switch. The ramp slowly lowered, touching the ground outside. Air from outside flooded in, having a very musky smell, as if it were from fresh rain fall. The smell wore off after a few moments, becoming normal. Jericho stepped off the ramp, his rifle in hand as he inspected the area. Spyro and the others stepped out, the ground being soft, and covered with grass.
The sight in front of them was certainly something else, something Spyro hadn't seen before. Before them sat an assortment of land covered with thick vegetation, ranging from all different colors and hues like vibrant blues, greens and reds. The feature that caught Spyro's eye the most was the fact that the terrain was very deformed, large rock columns jutting up into the air, trees growing from both on top and on the sides of the rocks. Crystals jutted out from the cliff-faces and from the ground itself, energy radiating from the purple gems. The forest seemed to go on forever, more pillars of rock jutting up in all varying heights and shapes. It reminded Spyro of the flooded city from his own home in the way the land seemed to be randomly fractured.
"Where are we…?" Flame asked, saying what was on Spyro's mind.
"It's an enchanted forest." Jericho said, taking a deep breath from his gas mask.
"Enchanted forest?" Spyro asked, turning to Jericho. Jericho didn't respond, only turning back towards the Osprey, running towards one of the engines.
"It's an area of high energy concentration. They say it was gifted to us by the gods themselves. We draw energy from places like this." Cynder explained, walking towards one of the gemstones jutting from the ground. These gems were very much like the ones they used for currency, but those were yellow and dulled. These instead glowed a vibrant purple, pulsing with energy. Even standing here, several feet away from the crystal Spyro could feel the energy radiating out, giving him strength.
Sparx flew by Spyro's head buzzing near the crystal itself. He let out a low buzz as he himself could feel the energy. It all proved too much for him, and he collapsed to the ground.
"Sparx…" Spyro said, shaking his head. Sparx just lay on the ground, his eyes spinning from disorientation. Cynder shook her head as well, resting a paw on the crystal.
Spyro turned, looking back towards Jericho who rested one hand on the engine, while looking out towards the expanse. Spyro walked up as well, seeing that they had landed at the very edge of the forest, against a cliff. Beyond the drop off lay the ruins of another city, much like Spyro's. However, this city was indeed in far worse shape. Buildings were only frames of themselves, debris and wreckage covering every inch of the area. It didn't appear to be habitable in the least. The signature trademark of this city was the blue-green aura that slowly rose from it, causing the night sky to turn different shades of purple as it reacted with whatever the mist was.
"Jericho?"
"High energy radiation." He simply responded back to Spyro.
"High energy what?"
"It's… it's what's being emitted by these crystals. It's combining with the radiation coming from the city and the updraft killed our engine."
"Is it harmful?"
"For the moment no. It only fried the engine because we were above the city up in that soup." Jericho pointed up to the purple hues that danced above them, where they probably were just earlier.
"Can you fix it?"
"Yeah, probably needs a good jump to cycle all that radiation off. We should probably camp for the night though and wait for that soup to clear up before flying again." Jericho opened the panel to the engine, a few sparks flying out as he did. He let out a sigh, pulling out a wrench from his pack to begin fiddling with the parts. Spyro turned, walking back towards Cynder and Flame.
"So, what's the story?" Cynder asked, seeing Spyro walking back.
"Jericho says the engines got fried up there from the energy. He said we should camp here until it clears up." Spyro pointed up, towards the purple soup of colors. They all looked up as well, watching the colors dance above them.
"Oh yeah, that'd do it." Cynder said, seeing it now.
"I call dibs on that log!" Flame said, racing towards a fallen log nearby. Spyro just shook his head as Sparx joined Flame, racing to be the first to the log. Sparx landed first, sticking his tongue out at Flame who only swatted him away to claim his spot.
"I guess we'll be needing fire wood." Cynder said, walking out towards the forest. Spyro watched her leave, before walking after her.
"Wait, don't you think you could use some help out there?" He offered. She just laughed at him,
"No… no I think I can handle myself." She replied, walking off into the night. Spyro just shook his head, turning back to the log where Flame was already sitting. Jericho was walking back from the craft, watching Cynder leave himself. Once she was well outside of earshot and eyesight he pulled off his gasmask and hood, revealing his very sweaty head.
"Jeez she only took forever to take off… Spyro I don't think I'll be able to do that for much longer. I hope your friend's stop is soon, or I'll kick her off quick." He said, almost in a joke but Spyro wasn't completely sure of that. His smirk reassured him to the former, at least for now.
"Well you said yourself it'll be less than a day before we get there."
"IF the engine holds up. Now I'm not so sure. That was some thick energy up there." Jericho said as he sat down.
"Alright mister I think you owe us an explanation. We helped you leave and you said you'd tell us more, so tell us more!" Flame said, turning to Jericho. Spyro turned to him as well, not being able to think of a better way to say it.
"Alright… fine I'll tell you. None of this goes to her, you hear? I don't trust her, not one bit." Jericho explained.
"Our lips are sealed." Flame said with a smile.
"I'm heading northeast, to New York City."
"New York? Isn't that in the forbidden zone?" Flame said, sitting forward more.
"Indeed it is. Exactly where I want to go."
"Why go there? Why would you want to go there?" Spyro asked, confused himself.
"Simple, it's been my life's mission, my father's life mission and his father's life mission."
"What… is your mission?"
"To deliver this." Jericho fished out the necklace Spyro had seen much earlier from his jacket. The pendant was a small little box with some etching and writing on it. Spyro was even more confused, raising an eyebrow.
"You want to… deliver a necklace…?" Flame said.
"No you dolt, it's a pre-war storage device called a USB. It can store vast amounts of information and this was is to be delivered to New York."
"What's on it that's so important?" Spyro asked.
"I… don't know."
"You… don't know?"
"I told you, yes, I don't know."
"So… you're willing to sacrifice everything and travel across the world to get to New York to deliver something you know nothing about?" Flame asked, leaning back as it looked like Jericho might hit him.
"It was important enough for my father to devote his life to it, as well as his father. It's now up to me to deliver this, no matter what."
Spyro looked closer to the USB, seeing a small circular emblem on it, with the words "Aurora-Borealis" etched around the emblem. For being something so small, it was so important.
"Who're you even delivering it to, that forbidden zone must be home to who knows what. Horrid creatures must occupy those places, who do you think would accept it?" Flame asked again, pushing for more from Jericho.
"You know I've often wondered that myself for so long. Even if New York is just smoldering ruins like all the rest, I'll still deliver it. It's what has kept me and my family going since the war, and I'll complete this mission no matter what. I won't let anybody get in my way, you got that?" Jericho said, turning towards Flame who backed up even more, gulping slightly.
"Got it…"
"So Jericho I have another question, one I've wondered for so long."
Jericho turned to Spyro, looking at him for a second before relaxing on the log.
"Shoot."
"What did happen to your people? Where did they go, and why is the world the way it is?"
"Well, isn't that the question of the century. You want to know what happened to us? You, you happened to us." Jericho crossed his arms, adding to that statement.
"Us? What'd we do to you?"
"What didn't you do to us? You and your ilk waged a war of genocide against us, murdering every last one of us. All these ruins, all this destruction was caused by you and the army of demons."
"Woah, woah, wait a minute! Everyone says you guys whipped yourselves out in a war, and nobody remembers what happened before then. That's impossible!" Flame said, leaping down from the log. Jericho remained where he was, closing his eyes.
"Well if that isn't a convenient excuse. My father remembers it very vividly. He remembers the day your kind came racing through town by town, murdering all they saw. I wouldn't doubt your parents and their parents have hidden these facts. I wouldn't doubt if they had been planted by the Dark Master himself and his Sentinels as propaganda for their own cause."
"That isn't true though…" Spyro said incredulously.
"I know what my father had seen, and what all the other survivors had seen. They can never forget something like that."
"Well wait, if this is true, why would we have done it? Why wage a war like that?"
"You tell me, we never knew why your kind did it, only that you did it. The only reason I told you what I did is because I don't believe you had anything to do with it. It's your parents and grandparents who murdered my people."
Spyro and Flame just sat there, looking at the ground as they took it in. All their lives, they had been told that the humans had whipped themselves out. According to Jericho, their species, their kind had whipped out humanity, destroying their world and taking it from them. Nobody who was from that era could remember a thing from that time, so nobody really knows the truth. Had they really been whipped out like that? Were they really responsible for what had happened…?
"I'm sorry that wasn't the answer you were looking for Spyro but it's what I know, and what I believe." Jericho said as he stood up, gripping his mask softly.
"I… I don't know." Spyro said, stuttering a bit.
"Believe what you want Spyro, the truth is out there. Even after all these years, history hasn't been completely erased." Jericho started walking back towards the Osprey, leaving Spyro and Flame to their thoughts as they sat by the log still.
A sphere of purple energy streaked in-between Spyro and Flame, throwing them to the ground. A great heat passed by as the sphere streaked passed, narrowly missing Jericho and landing on the hull of the Osprey, leaving a scorch mark. Jericho immediately reacted, doing a barrel roll to spin around to face his aggressor.
"I knew it! I knew it!" Cynder yelled, racing from the forest.
"Cynder!" Spyro yelled, watching her race by him.
"I KNEW he was a human! Spyro get down!" She yelled, firing another shot.
"What?! She's a Sentinel! I knew it!" Jericho yelled back, grabbing his rifle and returning fire. Jericho's rifle cracked out with its signature retort, the shots streaking by Cynder as she fired more shots as Jericho.
"Cynder! Jericho!" Spyro yelled, trying to race forward to stop the fighting as they danced around one another, firing. Cynder closed the distance quickly, the energy bolts throwing off his aim. She tackled him to the ground, his rifle flying out of his hands and coming to a halt nearby. Cynder roared down at him, trying to bite at his neck. Jericho didn't give in, instead landing a punch right into her throat. She gagged, recoiling back. Jericho grabbed his knife from its hiding place on his shoulder, going in for the kill.
"No! No!" Spyro yelled, trying to stop this. Cynder saw the sheen of the blade, immediately batting at his arm, knocking it back. Jericho used his leg to kick her gut, sending her flying off of him. Jericho immediately raced for his rifle, grabbing it quickly.
"Spyro! Get back! He's a human, let me handle this!" Cynder yelled.
"Spyro, she's a Sentinel, I knew I recognized her pendants! Take her down!" Jericho yelled, taking cover near the Osprey.
"What? What's he talking about?" Cynder asked, confused. She snapped out of it as bullets streaked by her head.
No! No this wasn't supposed to happen! Everything was falling apart!
Cynder just growled, racing towards Jericho who was behind the Osprey. He saw this, racing around the side. Cynder leaped to engage him but found he was gone. Jericho had rounded the back of the Osprey, dashing behind her to open fire. She yelled, slapping her back to the Osprey's hull. Bullets pinged off of the metal bird, bouncing off everywhere. Jericho moved, copying her early move to round the corner to engage her. Instead she leaped forward again, tackling him. Instead of falling, Jericho used his rifle to grapple with her, falling into her blow before pushing back. He used the butt of the weapon to smack her across the jaw, sending her flying. She slammed into the hull of the craft, sliding down onto the ground. Jericho raced forward, pressing his boot on her chest, his rifle barrel now against her face, his finger ready to pull the trigger.
"No! Jericho! Stop!" Spyro raced forward again, shoving the rifle barrel aside. The weapon went off, the ground beside Cynder's head exploding as the round buried itself deep into the ground. She panted, clenching her eyes.
"Spyro, what the hell?!" She's a Sentinel! Why aren't you letting me kill her?!" Jericho shoved against Spyro, the rifle now pointed back at Cynder. She kicked him, slipping out from underneath him. She stood nearby, breathing in hard as she stared down Jericho who's rifle was squarely pointed at her face.
"You… you knew he was human? Spyro… what's going on?!" She asked, as angry and confused as Jericho was.
"Stop! Just stop it!" Spyro yelled, trying to get ahold of the situation. In truth, Spyro had no idea what the hell he was doing.
"You better start answering fast Spyro, before I put one in-between her eyes…"
"How can you trust him Spyro, don't you know what they've done? Don't you know the evils they're capable of?" Cynder asked, turning to Spyro.
"What you claim is our evil is NOTHING compared to what you and your ilk have done…" Jericho retaliated. Cynder just laughed.
"What my ilk has done? We are SAVING this world and its inhabitance. We are going to bring order and civilization to this world, and rid it once and for all of you."
"See what did I tell you Spyro, their goal all along has been to wipe us out, don't let her confuse you with her propaganda!"
Cynder just shook her head, turning and walking towards the edge of the cliff. She turned towards the destroyed city before facing them again.
"You want the proof you need, take a look there at that city. THIS is what humanity has done to themselves and done to this world. You have brought doom to your entire species and we have decided we will never let you taint this world again."
"You think we did that? You did that to us! You massacred us, and now you're claiming we did it!"
Cynder just laughed again, shaking her head.
"I'm a student of history, Mr. Jericho. I know of your kind, of your past. I know of the atrocities you've committed to one another from the holocaust to the nuclear bombings you inflicted on one another. Your nations committed war against one another over petty things like natural recourses, land or just because your pride let you do no else. I know of the war that happened here, between the great United States and China. I know how it ended, how you bombed each other into oblivion because you couldn't let the other side win… Though that's the story of humanity, isn't it? Destroying everyone so nobody can win."
Jericho just stood in silence, his rifle still pointed at her as she watched him. Her face told all, her still gaze meeting the forger who only looked on in defiance, his face speaking of cracks in the armor, cracks she was exploiting.
"See Spyro, no response. He knows the truth; he just doesn't want to admit it. His species time on this world is over, and it's time for another species to take their place. All humanity has ever done is destroy, and the Dark Master has a plan for us Spyro, a plan for all of us." She looked at Spyro, who only stood and watched, panting as his eyes darted around, unsure, and unwilling to choose a side.
"I see that Dark Master of yours has taught you how to speak well. I'm sure he hasn't told you of the things your side has done either." Jericho said, starting to pace around her in a circle. She merely stood her ground, watching.
"You must do what is required if you are to win a world still in peril from your actions. I make no apology for it."
"So that's it then…" Jericho said, a bit of challenge in his voice.
"Take that as you will." She began to glare at Jericho, her claws tense on the ground, ready to strike.
Spyro just sat and watched, caught in the middle of a fight that had been boiling for not only a day but for several years, decades even. On one hand he had Jericho, who he wanted to believe was good, was fighting for a just cause against the Sentinels and on the other he had a Sentinel who spoke confidently and made no apology. What if she was right, what if he was right? What if none of them were right?
"Well Spyro?" Cynder asked, turning to him for assurance who's side he'd take. Jericho turned slightly, his eyes looking right into Spyro's as if to plead him not to side with her.
"Think of what they've done to you Spyro, what they've done to your friends and allies… the Sentinels aren't to be trusted."
He was right, nothing added up. The Sentinels were out for him, he couldn't just accept their word… There was something to this all. At this point he couldn't trust a word spoken.
"Guys! Guys!" Flame said suddenly, yelling as he had been several feet back until just now.
"What, what is it?" Spyro asked before turning towards the city. It was then he saw it, a wall of greyish-green gas flooding towards them from up above, like a tidal wave about to strike the coast.
"Shit, high energy storm!" Jericho yelled before pulling his gas mask back on and dashing for the Osprey. Spyro just panted, watching the wave as it drew closer and closer, only feeling Flame pull on him to move, Sparx zipping by his head as they raced towards the Osprey as well. Cynder gasped, dashing herself as the wave was only moments away from colliding into them. Jericho was the first to get in, standing by the entrance as he ushered Spyro, Flame and Sparx inside. Cynder was the last, several feet behind them as she dashed quickly to get inside.
Jericho wouldn't have it. He pulled out his side arm from his pouch, pointing it right at Cynder.
"Not you. You can perish in this storm." Jericho said coldly, his pistol gleaming in the light. Spyro turned, seeing this with fear and agony. Cynder looked at him, the once stone-cold face full of anger and hatred for Jericho now replaced with genuine fear, her body tensing and jolting with panic as the storm grew ever closer.
"Jericho!" Spyro yelled, running back to the door.
"No! If she wants to change the world, let her. We'll see how her Dark Master can protect her from this storm." He slammed on the switch, the ramp beginning to rise up slowly. Cynder looked around in a great panic, looking for anywhere to take shelter in. She needed to get away before…
Before…
Too late.
The storm slammed into the cliff all at once, harsh winds slapping over them and nearly knocking Cynder into the air. She dug her claws into the ground, bracing herself as green gasses passed over her. She screamed out harshly, small crystals flying through the air and cutting her scales like miniature knives.
Spyro could only watch as the harsh winds slapped against her, tears rolling down as she was in agonizing pain. The ramp's progress was agonizingly slow, slowly obscuring her form from view, making the lump in his throat get harder and harder, almost wanting to leap out.
She was a Sentinel, an enemy to him and to Jericho. Her kind had hunted him down in his hometown, tried to kill him, kill his friend. However, she did save him. She helped him escape, and she was the only hope he had to removing this elemental bracelet. She was also in grave danger… He… he couldn't just watch her die.
Spyro hadn't even realized his body was moving, his mind still sitting back in the troop bay, but his body was already halfway onto the rising ramp, leaping out into the harsh storm.
"Spyro, what the hell are you doing?!" Jericho yelled, trying to pull him back in.
"We can't just leave her, I have to do something!" Spyro yelled back, pulling himself over the ramp.
"You fool! You can't save her! She's doomed!" He yelled back, unable to persuade the dragon otherwise. He fell onto the ground, the winds already proving to be unrelenting, and were threatening to carry the young dragon off into the night. He had to send his claws deep into the ground, just to anchor his body down. Cynder was almost unconscious, her body pinned from the winds. Sparks of energy came off her body, and blood was beginning to seep from her wounds, inflicted by the crystals. Spyro could feel them too, cutting him like small knives. The pain was intense, and it was hard to focus. He could feel them all over, but he could also feel them within as well. Each breath he took he felt the crystals slipping deep into his throat and lungs, slicing his skin on the way down.
Maybe this was a mistake, maybe he had just gotten himself killed as well.
What were only a few feet seemed like several miles. Spyro pulled himself inch by inch towards her, using his talons like ice picks to traverse that short but impossible distance. He pulled himself to her, throwing one of his arms over her, attempting to pull her in. He thrust his other arm down, beginning to pull himself to the Osprey.
Jericho just watched, silent and astonished. Here, Spyro had risked it all for an enemy, not only to him but to Jericho as well. Why was he trying so hard to save her? As the ramp grew closer and closer to closing, Jericho just looked into Spyro's eyes as he returned the look, one of fear but determination. What drove this dragon? Was it pride, was it survival? Or, was it something else entirely. No, honor didn't exist in this world, or in any world. What drove this dragon then…?
"Jericho! We can't just let them die!" Flame yelled, his body tensing as he was about ready to leap out the bay himself.
"God… damn it!" Jericho yelled before slamming on the door release, the ramp slowly lowering again. The door lowered in an almost agonizing pace, revealing a young purple dragon who held tightly onto Cynder as he used one arm to anchor both their bodies to the ground. As soon as it was possible, Jericho and Flame both dashed out, grabbing onto the two dragons and pulling them inside.
"Go, go, quickly!" Jericho yelled, pulling them as far in as he could before moving to the switch to raise the ramp again. Flame continued to pull them in, pulling them as far from the entryway as he could.
The ramp rose once more, slowly obscuring the harsh world of outside from the group who had just endured its trials. Jericho pulled his mask from his face, breathing in deep while sliding down onto the chair closest to the ramp. His side arm was still in his hand, his finger still on the trigger. He closed his eyes, slipping his hand away from it. He brought both his hands up to wipe his face of the sweat, before looking at Spyro and Cynder.
The storm had not been kind to either of them. Cuts riddled their bodies from the airborne crystals, and the harsh winds had tossed other things into them as well. Cynder was completely unconscious, and Spyro was panting nearby, no energy left for him to spare from the ordeal. Flame was fishing through one of his packs, looking for some water desperately. Jericho just sighed, standing up and walking to the front of the craft before returning with his own canteen and a small oxygen mask. He handed them to Spyro, Jericho using his own hand to feed the water to Spyro since he couldn't hold it. Spyro drank several gulps down, not letting a drop go to waste. Jericho pulled back on the canteen, now giving the oxygen mask to Spyro so he could breathe clean air again, pure untainted air.
"Why… why'd you do it…?" Spyro asked in-between gasps of air from the mask. Jericho just looked at him as he sat nearby.
"Why'd I do it? Why'd you do it? She's an enemy. Why would you risk your life for an enemy?"
"We… couldn't just leave her there… it… it isn't right…" Spyro panted out. Jericho just shook his head.
"'It isn't right?' Where in this world can you find any right left?" Jericho asked. Spyro didn't respond, only taking big gasps of air. Jericho continued to look at him before he saw Spyro's attention shift to Cynder who was on the ground.
"She'll be fine… She just needs clean air and time to rest. Those storms can sap you dragons of your energy instantly, and then it can suck the very life from you. You're both luck you weren't out there longer." Jericho explained, standing up.
"What kind of storm was that…?" Flame asked, helping Spyro with his mask. Sparx helped too, trying his hardest to hold it up with his own weight, only getting a smirk from Spyro.
"Those storms happen when energy from places like this mix with radiation from nuclear fallout zones. That city is still full of radiation, and when they mix the downdrafts of energy can be lethal." Jericho walked back to the cockpit, sitting in his pilot's seat. He looked out into the night, seeing as the storm continued to rage on around them. He could barely see the city now, its illuminated ruins somewhat visible through the high winds and clouds of energy. It was strange that the ruins were like this, illuminated by the energy and radiation. It was… a sight to behold, especially in a chaotic scene such as this.
Flame left Spyro for the moment, walking into the cockpit with Jericho. Jericho had raised both his arms to rest behind his head, his gaze fixed on the ruins in the distance. Flame looked at him, as if to ask 'what now?' Jericho just sat silently before stirring.
"I hope your friend knows what he's doing. I won't let him or that Sentinel stop my mission. I will do what's necessary, and I won't show mercy." Jericho said, his gaze never flinching. Flame just looked down, sighing.
"I hope he knows what he's doing too…" Flame said silently.
End of Chapter 05
Hey guys, sorry for the long hiatus _ I had to take time off to take care of other things like…. Video games… and… more video games. Oh, and some college as well. I finally got sick so had nothing to do so I wrote this all in 3 sittings! Huzzah for being sick! (not really) I'm going to cross my fingers that 6 won't take as long but… we'll have to see. I hate myself sometimes. Until next time guys!