Chapter 14: Saving Avalar

(In a fow of time…)

The young dragons left the cold Icelands and glaciers behind to return to green fields and thundering waterfalls. This time, they were flying in the direction of Avalar Valley, aware that the war was ongoing in Skycity, IronTale, and SilverScale. However, for some reason the dark forces were concentrated in Warfang… why was it customary to attack the capital of the dragon realms? Was there something special about it, or was it just the Dark master's whim? For the previous few minutes, strong dark energies could be felt in the direction of the Great Dam, but they had vanished. And, recently another powerful presence was felt in the direction of LunaVillage.

"Mom..." Aurora thought, stopping for a minute when she perceived the darkness.

"Hey, Aurora" her brother exclaimed, "You shouldn't worry, mom is a guardian and she won't give up so easily"

"How are you so sure of that?"

"Because she... is like you, our father told me"

Aurora took it as a compliment, and they resumed the flight with the hope that everything would go well. After a long flight (looking in all directions as it is not wise to be careless when there is a war), they finally reached a long crystalline river that, in the distance, ended in a huge waterfall. Above it, in a long distance, a large village could be seen.

"There is the village of the gue…!" Ash started to yell, but Nina quickly covered his muzzle and signaled for him to shut up and come down.

That seemed strange to them, but they listened to him and went down to the edge of the waterfall so that it covered the sound of flapping wings. It was then that they saw it:

The village was not exactly in good condition: the wooden walls had been torn down and several of the cheetah inhabitants were held in black chains. They were being transported to cage rafts and then carried through the cages to the end of the river. Their captors were a group of pirates like the ones that controlled Snite or Skabb, but it seems they had been revived and now looked exactly like the spectral apes in pirate clothing.

"Can't enemies just stay dead?" Rayla mused once she saw them.

"I just hope they haven't revived any of the previous bosses…" Nina said.

"Apparently not, they have some other kind of leader…" Flint explained, pointing at one end.

And, why not, it was another of the Dark generals: a dragon denied with six horns and a kind of black chakraam with spikes on the sides of his shoulders, as if he used it as shoulder pads. He was giving orders to the spectral pirates to plunder what little the cheetahs had (remember that they lived as native tribes and had no need for large buildings, compared to dragons or moles).

"Where are they taking them?" Drago asked.

"I don't know," Nina replied, "But, the way they're wearing them, they're going to use them as slaves or something…"

The sound of a rope tightening made them alert and they all turned to find a smaller cheetah, it seemed only a child.

"Who are you?" he asked.

"Hey, calm down" Rayla replied, hesitating a little, "We are the Skylanders: the group of young dragons led by the guardians..."

"True, the dragons and the cheetahs have an alliance of years" explained Aurora.

The boy seemed to doubt their words and tightened them bowstring even more. But, just in time, another cheetah (an adult one) made him lower his bow. It didn't take them long to remember a familiar face.

"Hunter!" the young dragons said at the same time.

"Greetings, my young friends," his old friend greeted them, "It's good to see you all again… I wish it was under better circumstances. Don't worry Leo, they are allies"

"Wow, sorry..." replied the young cheetah lowering the bow, "My name is Leo"

"He's Meadow's nephew," Hunter explained, "and a student of mine who wants to be a part of Avalar's best trackers. But now, even the best warriors have been captured."

"What happened, Hunter?" Flint asked.

"That dark dragon came demanding obedience. He said that the superior races must always be at the command of the inferiors: we did not obey him and we fought. The weapons that he has on his sides destroyed all the walls and then the specters invaded. Now they want to take them to a spiritual gem cave down the river"

"They cannot do that!" Nina demanded furiously, "No one has the right to enslave anyone! Also, spirit gems are not money-making minerals, they are ancestral gifts."

"I know, but that doesn't matter to him. He already has a dozen families working there "

"Well, we'll face him" Drago proposed, "Do you agree, guys?"

The young dragons fully agreed.

"Thanks for the help" Hunter told them, "The cave down the river, on the west side of a fork, I don't think it will be difficult for you to find it"

"We need to split up" Nina proposed, "Aurora, Flint and Ash go and free the captive people. Drago, Rayla, we will not take care of the Dark One. Hunter, you and Leo free those who are held captive here."

(Seconds later…)

"Come forward, lazy ones" the Dark One (Vane) shouted towards the inhabitants of the cheetah village.

One of them, a woman with a child, tripped and fell to her knees, but her baby was safe. However, Vane was not at all pleased that they were late: drawing one of his weapons, a chakraam, he prepared to hurl them at her, but before he could raise it to its full height, an enchanted arrow nicked his claw.

"What lesser being dares?" Vane yelled.

Glancing from him, his eyes locked on Hunter, who quickly nocked another arrow to his bow.

The dragon drew its weapons from the sides of his body and launched one with great speed. However, Hunter did not counter with an arrow, instead shooting the nearest cage door, freeing the people from it.

"Lightning Fang!"

Rayla blocked the Chakram's attack by making sparks fly. Vane was a bit shocked, but quickly composed himself when Drago attacked him from behind.

"Burning Flame!"

Drago's attack was blocked with the other Chakram, which absorbed the fire thrown by Drago. The weapon caught fire, but then it turned dark purple.

"Fool lesser beings," Vane said, boasting of thinking himself superior, "do you really think you can beat me? The powerful cannot be defeated…"

"What is this mad-man talking about?" Rayla asked, "In case you didn't know, three of your people have been defeated and I think the Guardians have already defeated a couple more…"

"Them? They were just the cornerstone of my nation… but if I do my part, my nation will be restored…"

With both of his weapons back in his grasp, he blazed them like brand-new firebrands in that fiendish fire. Then he threw them again. The heroes managed to dodge both, but they had left a noticeable burn mark: a single blow would have been excruciatingly painful.

Nina attacked again.

"Shadow Dragon!"

But then again, those weapons blocked the attack and absorbed the mana contained in it.

"Damn, those weapons…" Nina muttered.

"It's time to burn this place to ashes…" Vane said as his Chakram circled around him.

A huge explosion of purple flames spread through half the village. Fortunately, Drago, being resistant to heat, got in the way and created a wall of his own fire for his friends, which, in theory, caused both of them to go out.

"Whew, that was close," said Hunter, "You've made quite a bit of progress."

"Thank you very much, but I couldn't make the village burn down…" Drago said.

"Don't be afraid..." then he turned to Leo, "We must help pay for this fire, help me Leo"

"Okay, teacher"

Vane tried to kill them with his weapons, but Rayla blocked him again. Then Drago and Nina surrounded him.

"You guys don't bother me" Vane told them, "I just want enough gems to return me to my world and give me back my nation, that was the deal I made with that being, Malefor..."

"He only cheats on you" Nina told him, "Besides, you have no right to take anything: the gems are ancestral gifts, and the way you are getting them is abusive and cruel, cheetahs are not slaves"

"Before there were governments are those banal thoughts that opposed our ideologies..." he told her, "It was a long time ago, and mine fell, but a few of us survived and tried to find a way to return our nation..."

"That nation of yours must be crazy in the head…" Drago replied, "Slavery and superiority? All of you are… or well, they were the same, why differentiate one from the other? That only brings confusion."

"No matter what they think, but our race was the most powerful, we were going to change the world for the better…"

"Or to hell" Nina snapped, "Perhaps there are those who have more power than others, but it is not an excuse to use it against the weak, but in favor of them: in favor of everyone living better..."

"Silence!" Vane exploded, "Dancing black flames!"

The Chakram circled around him again and he expelled such an amount that it blew all of them... well, almost all of them since Drago was extremely used to heat.

"You seem to be quite resilient," Vane told him, "Well, let's see what you've got... Double mortal blast!"

"Burning Tornado!"

Drago created a whirlwind of flames as a protective measure, but when the weapons impacted they caused a large explosion, sending him flying.

"Everything is..." Vane started to say, but Nina interrupted him again:

"That is the mentality of someone who is only afraid of being inferior. Surely your nation only did not want to be branded as weak, but you should know something: you are not strong by the weapons you possess, but by the strength that is within you..."

"Again you?" Vane told her, "I'm fed up with so much filth, I'm going to kill you all..."

His weapons returned to him. But just then, an arrow charged with electricity hit him in the side. Leo had fired and Rayla had empowered it.

"Damn…" Vane yelled as he tried to move. Now Nina had him trapped.

"Shadow Dragon!"

The great black dragon expelled by Nina engulfed Vane from outside as well as inside his body: that was the special effect of the shadow technique. With his body totally numb, Vane released the Chakram.

"Now!" Nina yelled at her friends.

Drago and Rayla attacked.

"Blazing Dragon!"

"Final Thunder!"

A combined fire and lightning attack…an attack that would destroy anyone, and Vane was no exception. Giving up, he fell to the ground next to his weapons, already fading into the darkness.

"Why…?" Vane wondered as he too began to disappear, "I'm supposed to be superior…"

"It doesn't matter what you or your people think," Hunter told him, "But even they, who are younger than you, have defeated you: you are not strong because they treat others in an abusive way, you are strong because of union that you have with your peers and for the heart that you possess. No one has the right to enslave others, as they only demonstrate their cowardice towards them."

Vane just gave a confused and slightly scared look as he languished in the shadows.

"Thank you very much, Leo" Nina told him, "I really think you can become an expert tracker"

"Do you really believe it?" Leo blushed, "I was a bit scared to shoot"

"But you hit the target" Drago motivated him, "And it was a difficult shot"

"It's true" Hunter supported him, "Your desire to help your friends gave you the confidence to hit the mark. You've made a lot of progress too."

"Hey! Guys!" Ash's voice said.

They all turned around: Ash, Flint, and Aurora had returned from ridding the town of the cheetahs and now they were bringing them up the river in bales that they pulled with ropes. Once everyone in Avalar, the entire population was thanking him from the bottom of their hearts for his help.

"Thank you very much, new generation of dragons" Meadow told them, "We are eternally grateful"

"We're sorry we didn't save much of the village, Chief Meadow," Nina replied.

"Material things can be replaceable, but the life of our population is not. You have done your best against an egotistical enemy and saved lives, and it is the right thing to do."

"Hey, don't worry, we're allies" Drago told him.

"And also friends" Leo supported him.

"I see that you have understood the union we have with the dragons, Leo" Meadow told him, "I think you can be an official tracker now"

"Thank you very much, I promise not to let you down!"

"I'm sure you won't"

"Um... Chief Meadow," Aurora interrupted, "We need the..."

"I am aware: you need the scroll of time. With the help we receive today, we could never say no. But first, I have this… the guardians tasked us with giving them to them when they arrive"

It was a brilliant golden colored spirit gem, a rare gem that had never been seen in the dragon realm. Nina took it.

"It's a guide gem," Meadow explained, "There are only two: they are twins. As long as they are both in the same space as each other, they will both glow. When you use the scroll, the gem the guardians have will stop glowing, indicating that you are gone. And when you return, they will shine again. That way, you and the guardians will always be in contact."

"Thank you very much… It is a great idea"

"That's right," Meadow replied, and then turned to Hunter and Leo, "Leo your first mission is to go with Hunter and the young dragons to the grotto behind the waterfall and give the scroll of time to them"

"At your service, uncle" Leo enthused.

So, packing some supplies and spiritual gems that they took from the cave where the cheetahs were being held prisoner, the young dragons said goodbye to the inhabitants of the valley of Avalar, and accompanied Leo and Hunter on a raft upriver, where they the torrential waterfall covered a hidden cave behind it. The cave was lit by some gems and torches, but it looked like no one had been there in years, as moss had also grown.

At the end of the cave, a huge rock was situated in the middle and Hunter shot it. The arrow was powerful enough or the rock was weak enough, but it broke off and a chest of silver was uncovered. Drago and Nina opened it, and found inside an old blank scroll.

"You must tell him how long you want to return" explained Hunter, "The scroll will fill up and take you to that time. But be careful, changing the past can have serious repercussions in the future."

"Yes, we take that into account, Hunter" Nina told him, "See you soon"

"Good luck as a new tracker, Leo," Rayla told him.

"Maybe when you come back I'll already have become chief" Leo presumed, "Anyway, until then: good luck"

Having everything ready, the six young dragons prepared for the most dangerous journey yet: all together they held the scroll open.

"Well... Aurora" Nina told her, "Do you know when the previous war happened?"

"50 years ago" she replied.

"Well then, 50 years ago!"

The scroll seemed to hear her request and letters began to be written instantly, as if revealed by invisible ink. Once everything was written, the words turned golden and gave off an incredible glow that covered the entire cave. When it finished, Hunter and Leo looked around: the young dragons had disappeared.