Call of the Ancestors

Chapter 2: Train of Thought

Sethelis would feel strange over the ongoing day, not really focusing on the tasks at hand, nor on being her normal grumpy self at the weekly meeting with her squad. She even seemed to be… Social. Her fellow Shadows just couldn't believe it, their boss was actually being admittedly nice and accepting for once.

She could've sworn that she caught one of her colleagues whisper to another; "Think there's anything wrong with the boss? She's acting all nice suddenly. A trick? Another of her "Spontaneous exercises"?" But Sethelis just shrugged it all off. Even on the flight home later in the evening, she just couldn't stop thinking on the upcoming… Date? Can she call it date? She wasn't too sure. In fact, she was probably way too low on her social skills to even be able to think of what she would need to do.

When she finally returned to her home, everything was like she'd left it…. In a big mess. Sethelis wasn't one to keep things tidy around her own place, besides, at work she had subordinates to do that job for her. She simply took her armor off, strap by strap, piece by piece. Nicely enough, she had grown so used to the process over time, making it easy for her to focus on other things while she removed the metal suit. All she could think about was the meeting with Miarko. What had made her seem so approachable in that short moment in the waiting room?

Sethelis was drawing a blank on any reason why the Fire Dragon had approached her. The dragoness proceeded to look out her big balcony doorway; The sun was setting slowly over the ocean, which seemed like a small glistening dot from where her balcony was located. The sun's light painted the skies in a copper-esque amber, as the dragoness simply sat there, watching the sheer beauty of nature. Maybe that whole thing about "The Ancestors keeping nature's wild untamed beauty in check, but yet for everyone to admire" was true after all…

Sethelis yawed, it was a big day tomorrow, her first actual "social call" in over one and a half years, and she couldn't afford to spend one single piece of that day not mentally preparing or trying to come up with good things to say or mayb-Slap!

The dragoness was surprised, feeling the sudden sting of something, or rather someone, smacking her over the snout with a paw. She realised that she had been the one to slap herself. How? She had probably let her brain go on autopilot for too long, as she had for some reason, as her mirror has suddenly appeared in front of her. Sethelis shrugged at this, having no recollection of retrieving the mirror before now. She nodded at her own reflection, "Yeah. Maybe I should just stop worrying. Just… Be myself, as they kept on suggesting. But slightly more positive." She said to herself, trying to bolster some form of self-confirmation. Or possibly even confidence. But she was failing. Badly.

The dragoness would smirk at her own silly behaviour; "Haha, why am I so worried? I am acting like a young 'ness getting ready for some kind of "first time" big event." She sighed; "Not like it is. Right?"

Right…?

Miarko had wandered back to his office after seeing one of his Lieutenants. Even though they had been discussing the goings-on of the 17th, the only thing that was truly on the Fire Dragon's mind was that of his upcoming outing in a few days.

The Fire Captain would be lying if he told Captain Sethelis that this was his first outing this month...it was not. If nothing else, Miarko was a dragonesses' type of man. He had a sort of...insidious reputation amongst his troops, regardless of whether the rumors that circulated about Miarko were true or not. (Even if they were true most of the time.) The Fire Defender had a rep around the Tower for being something of an individual with commitment issues. He wasn't about to tell Sethelis that, however.

Walking back down the hallway from another office, Miarko settled into his own space and shut the door behind him. He sighed and shook his head, staring at a pile of scrolls and papers that had been dumped on his desk. Likely just logistical reports and the like, but it was worth going over. He had a long day in front of him…

Several hours later, there was a light knock on the door. There was no answer from inside the office. One of Miarko's Lieutenants rasped on the door again before opening the door lightly. The Lieutenant huffed in laughter as he saw the Fire Dragon sprawled out over the desk, seemingly fast asleep. This wasn't the first time that he had come across the Captain in such a position. Sighing to himself, the Lieutenant poked the Fire Dragon. Miarko awoke with a rush of heavy breathing, his deep slumber disturbed by this abrupt interruption. The Lieutenant jumped back in surprise. Miarko looked up, his eyes adjusting to see the form in front of him.

He sighed, realizing who it was, "Hmm, hmm? Lieutenant Terron. What can I do for you?"

Miarko always had had trouble pronouncing the Lieutenant's name. Ah-doe-bear. It never rolled off of his tongue. Terron was an Earth Dragon and was slightly older than Miarko, but his career had ended much sooner than the Captain's. He had never really shown the aptitude for larger leadership roles like some of his younger counterparts like Miarko and Sethelis. This wasn't to say that he was incapable of command, but he had never really shown an aptitude for it.

Terron saluted, like he always did when he saw the Captain, and continued, "Captain. The Directors have fully reviewed your report and would like to accompany you to the site of the Caravan's wreckage."

Miarko leaned forward in his desk, this was unusual protocol for the Directors.

"Accompany me? I wasn't present during the mission. You had command of that mission, correct?" responded the Fire Captain, looking interested.

"Yes, sir. I will be acting as your guide for this operation."

"Very well, Lieutenant. Is there anything else?"

"No, sir," responded Terron,

With that, the Earth Dragon bowed his head and left the room. He shut the door closely behind him, and walked in the direction of the stairs. It seemed that they would be leaving via the Launch Balcony a few floors down.

Miarko shook his head, thinking to himself, "I swear I'm going to sit that dragon down in a dive some day and tell him how the world works."

Terron was nothing without protocol. Miarko was all for following rules and procedures that the DOW had set in place, but Terron could recite nearly the entire handbook and every protocol listed within.

It was apparent that the Captain would need his armor for this mission. Why had he not put it on this morning? He hit himself in the head for his stupidity before diving off of the balcony outside of his office and heading towards his home quickly. He had been slightly wrong on one account…

This was going to be a very long day.

About fifteen minutes later, the Fire Dragon descended onto the Launch Balcony of the DOW Tower, fully clad in armor besides his helmet, which sat in under his foreleg. Looking around for a moment, the Captain's eyes graced the forms of the two Directors, Spyro and Cynder, as well as the Lieutenant himself. He walked slowly up to the trio, preparing himself for the questions that were bound to be incoming.

Spyro was the first to turn to face his approach, "Good afternoon, Captain," he greeted Miarko.

Miarko nodded in greeting, "Good afternoon to you as well, Director."

"I assume Lieutenant Terron has brought you up to speed on why we've summoned you to come along with us?" came Cynder's voice.

"Indeed," responded Miarko, nodding his head, "However, I'm not entirely sure why you need my presence on this mission, Madame.

"Both Spyro and I believe that we require another set of eyes for this operation," she responded, "Besides, based on what the Lieutenant told us, we think you could use a stretch of your legs."

Miarko turned to Terron, realizing that he'd told the two Directors about how he had found Miarko, asleep at his desk just a quarter hour prior. Terron grimaced as he caught his commanding officer's burning gaze, and just shrugged in some sort of apologetic manner. Miarko rolled his eyes at this, before he looked back at the two Directors.

"Indeed, my desk was filled with some...unengaging reports that were not able to hold my attention for that long of a period, madame Director," came the Fire Captain's not-so-great excuse.

Both Directors laughed then, looking at each other. They whispered something in between themselves, then turned their attention back to Miarko.

"It is of no concern, Captain," came Cynder's explanation, "I believe I've seen this sleepy-head doing much of the same himself on his off-days," she finished, pointing to Spyro.

This earned a rapid glance at Cynder from the Purple Dragon, who was grinning himself, "When you've got as much to do as I do some days, sometimes you need some time to yourself!" he responded, clearly being sarcastic.

Cynder smiled warmly and nuzzled him closely before saying, "It's alright, I'll pick up your slack where I need to."

Miarko and Terron both looked away as the couple spoke to each other for a moment. It was rather common knowledge around the Dragon City that the two heroes had begun a relationship shortly after their defeat of Malefor. Miarko had never asked for the specific details concerning the pairing, but the relationship gave Miarko all sorts of warm feelings when he saw the two together. They had both seen some horrible things in their days and experienced even worse, but both remained as positive as they could be. The mutual company that they shared seemed to help matters immensely.

The pair turned back to the two soldiers at this point, both smiling lightly. Ancestors, Miarko wished he could find someone like that to warm his days.

"Well, now that's done with," said Terron, clearing his throat awkwardly, "Shall we depart?"

The others looked at each other in succession, and after determining that everything was prepared for the trip, all nodded and took off, with the Lieutenant leading the way. They took to the skies, heading for the last location of the lost caravan.

Sethelis had hoped for a quiet evening, one without missions or any danger. But she was wrong, as she would step into her living room and stand eye to eyes with Shadow #2 and #3, two members of her platoon. They requested for her aid to which the dragoness couldn't resist. Some action before a nice day off has never hurt anyone. Or at least not her.

The mission was to be a strike at a group of cult-like bandits, whom had been troubling the caravans' trade routes within the areas that Warfang controls. Sethelis was a part of an organization which many in the DOW weren't even aware. Sethelis' department was responsible for doing the more "Shady" dealings that an organisation of like the Defenders sometimes had to do, acting in secret and… Outside the law, as Spyro put it when coming to her with a suggestion for the idea a few years ago;

"Sometimes, even a organisation working for everyone's best needs to do morally inaccurate decisions and hence have… Less than admirable consequences. As such, I have a suggestion, Sethelis. You get free reign to do as you please, no restrictions or laws, as long as you and your platoon answer to Cynder and I. Sadly, no one will get to know of any possible heroics you might commit, but you'll be there. Like a silent guardian of sorts. A shadow."

Sethelis could recite that exact speech without even blinking. It had been one of the happier moments within her career. The words echoed within her skull as she looked over her shoulder, making sure no one was following or watching her.

Seemingly clear, she rasped at the door with her claws, wearing a cloak to conceal her identity. A disguise is usually pretty handy when one is infiltrating a cult of warrior wolves.

Luckily, the cult had started accepting others, since her squad didn't have a wolf member yet. And that "luck" is also a bad thing, meaning that they;d grow bigger much, much quicker. The door opened only a few inches wide, revealing a snarling snout and a eye glaring at her. "Whaddaya' want?" A voice asked, Sethelis only smirked under the hood. "Oh, nothing. Just to get in." She replied. The wolf growled at her. "Well isn't this a nice doorman they've got?" Seth thought to herself.

She quickly uttered the password they had come over on an earlier mission, which was what set them on the course to this hideout, "Congeria". She had no idea who it was or what it meant, but she intended to find out.

As the door opened, Sethelis was treated with the visual of a wolf wearing leather armor, having a hilted sword at his hip. The leather was dyed red and black, with a strange logo on both shoulder pads and chest. The creature scratched his ragged fur as he moved out of the way; "Ye'r late." He continued, as he shut the door behind her. Sethelis was calm, she knew her aid was entering in a different way.

Meanwhile… On the second story of the building, a window got one of its panes carefully cut out by a cheetah-claw, as a furry arm with white fur and a spotted pattern reached in, and opened it up. A cheetah clad in a armor with the same style as Seth's and a hood over her head quietly made her way in, stopping just a few seconds. She etched the words "Shadowz Rulez" into the wall, being artistic was Shadow #2's thing. She would proceed to follow along the corridor, opening up a door leading into the main hall, doing a quiet jump from the overlook and unto one of the beams. Crouching down, the cheetah witnessed Sethelis make her way into the mass, blending in with the other robed dragons and armored wolves.

A dragon steps up in front of a podium, clearing his throat, making Sethelis raise an eyebrow. "Gonna give a speech?" She thought to herself.

"Brothers! Sisters!" The speaker started, raising a paw into the air. He was most likely a Fear Dragon; Sethelis could feel a chill run down her spine as silence took a grip over the room, everyone No one uttered any further words as he spoke.

"The time has come, I say! The time for our lady to return and once more set her plans into motion!" He continued, earning a agreeing sound from most cultists, probably the more devoted followers. Sethelis listened intensively, not like that speeches get her going like that. It isn't her thing. However she was very interested in this "Lady" the speaker mentioned. "Who is she? What plans are she planning?" Her questions piled up as the speech continued.

"... And I swear by her name that we will crush the oppressors! The two traitors who turned against their purposes and slew the greatest piece in her ploy, and reunited this world in disgusting order!" The preacher continued, Sethelis getting a hunch; They must be planning something… "But then why bother with kidnappings and raids? A cover up? No, they all seem to be fully devoted lunatics." There had been a few disappearances which Sethelis had to look into a few weeks prior, and… Well, not a trace. Just like the caravans. She hadn't paid the preaching dragon any further notice. Until he suddenly pointed with a paw at her; Yelling at the top of his lungs; "OUTSIDER!"

Seth flinched. Wait what? He had known? She would shake her head rapidly; "I don't know what you're talking about, I am one of… Er… You guys!" Sethelis called back, one thought dropping like a bomb; "Well, so much for stealth."

And what proceeded next was swift and brutal; Shadow #2 fell down from her beam above the preacher's head, before landing on top of the lizard and jamming her sword through his head. What happened after that was a big mess; Sethelis disrobed herself in a swirl of shadows, cutting at anyone within her close vicinity. Shadow #2 would proceed to retract her blade from the head of the now deceased speaker, being forced to duck, dive and dodge out of the way of enemy attacks, differing from Elemental blows to blades.

Maybe she should've thought a bit more about the tactic before charging into a group of up to twenty or so hostiles. However, Seth didn't plan on leaving anyone alive. "Non testem, non est vestigium." As the motto went. The dragoness would proceed to bite around the wrist of a wolf which was charging her, sensing bones and joints snap as she nearly dismembered her victim. She then felt a sharp pain that ran along her back; She had no armor, and was, as a result, less protected than what she was used to be during combat. Having dragon claws claw at you was painful, as an electricity dragon had quickly pounced at her back, clawed at it, making sure to draw blood, before having the dragoness' tail blade pierce his neck.

Seth would growl in pain, albeit biting back the sound, not liking to give her opponent even the slightest whiff of her getting weakened during a battle.

As she continued to fight, time almost seemed to come to a crawl action as her eyes graced something occurring on the other side of the room.

Shadow #2 using the pommel of her blade, to knock a fire dragon back, which in turn would send the fire breathing dragon into a pile of barrels.

These were marked with one word in big letters; "Gunpowder".

That's when Sethelis realised, and reacted quickly. She used the shadows to dive under the ground, re-emerged behind Shadow #2, grabbed her and literally used her shadow stepping to fly through the building, only for the storeroom to blow up, the heat wave tossing both #2 and Sethelis out onto the hard stone streets.

The dragoness groaned, feeling a numbing pain and a loud ringing in her head. Luckily she had the ability to move every limb, and grabbed Shadow #2 before any first responders had time to get to the burning building…

She could barely hear anything besides the raging flames as the building was incinerated behind her.

A/N: Thank you for reading! Chapter 3 will be on the way soon. Don't forget to leave us a review. We really appreciate your support.

-Mike and Hawk