Chapter 7
Athena's eyes snapped open and she jolted to an upright position. She looked around and sighed when she realized she was back in the white tower in Arcadia. Much to her relief, she hadn't stirred the other vanguards, but as she turned to her left, she realized that Leon had disappeared. She also noticed that the door to the room was slightly ajar. Her curiosity, combined with her concern for Leon led her to rise to her feet and slowly open the door. The resounding creak made her cringe and look back to make sure that she did not wake anyone. She made her way into the hallway and headed down the stairs. As she came closer to the ballroom of the tower, she began hearing noises, like the patter of feet. She came to a stop at the ballroom to find Leon dancing with the purple phantom of Sierra. Other phantoms danced around them and the group of humans that Leon had pointed out to the vanguards earlier took to the stage and their instruments materialized in their hands. Athena stayed back so the phantoms would partially hide her from Leon. The band began to play a song and Leon began to sing as he danced with Sierra's phantom while the band backed his vocals;
She says she's no good
With words, but I'm worse.
Barely stuttered out a joke of a romantic
Or stuck to my tongue.
Weighed down with words too
Overdramatic
Tonight it's 'It can't get much worse.'
Verse 'No one should ever feel like.'
I'm two quarters and a heart down,
And I don't wanna forget how your voice sounds.
These words are all I have, so I'll write them.
So you need them just to get by.
{Dance, Dance.}
{We're falling apart to half time.}
{Dance, dance.}
And these are the lives you'd love to lead.
Dance, this is the way they'd love if they knew
How misery loved me.
You always fold just
Before you found out.
Drink up, it's last call, last resort,
But only the first mistake and
I'm two quarters and a heart down,
And I don't wanna forget how your voice sounds.
These words are all I have, so I'll write them.
So you need them just to get by.
Why don't you show me
The little bit of spine
You've been saving for his mattress,
Love?
{Dance, Dance.}
{We're falling apart to half time}.
{Dance, dance.}
And these are the lives you'd love to lead.
Dance, this is the way they'd love if they knew
How misery loved me.
{Why don't you show me}
{The little bit of spine}
{You've been saving for his mattress,}
(Mattress)
(Mattress)
{I only want sympathy in the form of you}
Crawling into bed with me.
{Dance, Dance.}
{We're falling apart to half time.}
{Dance, dance.}
And these are the lives you'd love to lead.
Dance, this is the way they'd love,
(Way they'd love.)
Dance, this is the way they'd love,
(Way they'd love.)
Dance, this is the way they'd love if they knew
How misery loved me.
Dance, dance.
Dance, dance.
Dance, dance.
Dance, dance.
The notes faded into silence and it was then that Leon noticed that he was no longer the only one in the room that was not a phantom. Athena caught his eye and he immediately felt embarrassed. He sighed deeply as Sierra disappeared from his arms, along with the rest of the phantoms. He and Athena stared at each other for a long while before Leon said, "I'm sorry."
Athena stayed silent for a minute before saying, "It's okay." Though she did not truly feel like it was, and Leon could sense it.
"You know it's not."
Athena thought for a moment, "I…know your love is divided…and I know I could never fill the hole that Sierra left…but I'm trying my best to."
"I know you are…but Sierra will always have a place in my heart…I can't forget about her."
"I would never ask you too…I just wish you could love me the same way you love her."
"…Then, I'm sorry…but I can't grant you that wish…I could never love you like I could Sierra." Athena turned her gaze downward. Leon approached her and used his hand to bring her eyes up to meet his. "but I can love you like I love Athena…because my heart truly does belong to you as well…is that not enough?"
Athena gave him a loving smile, "That and more."
Leon nodded, "Now…I believe the next dance, and song is yours." The phantoms of the band reappeared on the stage and readied themselves.
"Oh…I don't think your band would know of my songs."
"Trust me, just think about a song…and I'll take care of the rest."
"Well…there is this one that my parents would sing…but it takes two to do it properly." Athena remembered the melody in her head and Leon managed to work his way into her mind. Much to Athena's surprise the band started playing a slow melody.
"Sound about right?" Leon asked.
"Y-yes." Athena stuttered.
"Good." Leon then took the cheetah's hand and pulled her close, "Now…don't think…just sing."
Athena nodded and the two of them began to dance and Athena began singing while Leon took the role of back-up.
How can you see into my eyes
Like open doors?
Leading you down into my core
Where I've become so numb.
Without a soul.
My spirit's sleeping somewhere cold.
Until you find it there and lead…it…back…
Home.
(Wake me up.)
Wake me up inside.
(I can't wake up.)
Wake me up inside.
(Save me.)
Call my name and save me from the dark.
(Wake me up.)
Bid my blood to run.
(Wake me up.)
Before I come undone.
(Save me.)
Save me from the nothing I've become.
Now that I know what I'm without
You can't just leave me.
Breath into me and make me real.
Bring…me…to life.
(Wake me up.)
Wake me up inside.
(I can't wake up.)
Wake me up inside.
(Save me.)
Call my name and save me from the dark.
(Wake me up.)
Bid my blood to run.
(Wake me up.)
Before I come undone.
(Save me.)
Save me from the nothing I've become.
Bring me to life.
(I've been living a lie.)
(There's nothing inside.)
Bring me to life.
Frozen in time
Without your touch,
Without your love, darling.
Only you are the life among the dead.
(All this time)
(I can't believe I couldn't see.)
(Kept in the dark,)
(But you were there in front of me.)
I've been sleeping a thousand years it seems.
Got to open my eyes for everything.
(Without a thought, without a voice, without a soul.)
{Don't let me die here.}
(There must be something more.)
Bring me to life.
(Wake me up.)
Wake me up inside.
(I can't wake up.)
Wake me up inside.
(Save me.)
Call my name and save me from the dark.
(Wake me up.)
Bid my blood to run.
(Wake me up.)
Before I come undone.
(Save me.)
Save me from the nothing I've become.
Bring me to life.
(I've been living a lie.)
(There's nothing inside.)
Bring me to life.
The notes faded away, as did the phantoms, leaving Leon and Athena tightly embracing in the middle of the ballroom. "That was beautiful." Leon said.
"Thanks." Athena said.
"Why don't you sing more often?"
Athena shrugged her shoulders, "I guess I've never had the chance."
"That's a shame." Leon stated, "We'll have to fix that."
"If you say so." Athena said before yawning.
"Come on…let's get back to bed."
"No argument here." Athena stated before her and Leon headed back up the stairs.
An orc headed up the stairs in Malefore's dark crystal spire with a large yellow crystal being carried by two apes trailing him. He entered the top chamber to find the dark master snoozing at the far end of the room. The orc cautiously approached the large dragon and tapped him on his flank.
"M-master?" The orc said, timidly.
Malefore opened his eyes and let out an annoyed snort before lifting his head up and fixing his cold stare on the orc, "This had better be good."
"We…we found something in one of the mines that might interest you." The orc explained. The two apes sat the large crystal upright and Malefore rose to his feet to examine it. As the purple dragon moved closer, he noticed a slender figure inside the crystal, and it made his eyes grow wide.
"Impossible." He said, "Which mine did you find this at?"
"The one near the shadowlands, master." An ape said.
"Was there anything else?"
"Just this." The orc held out a small rusted key.
"Hmm…that's of no use to me…give it to Gwar…since he's just as useless."
"Yes, master." The orc said.
"As for this..." Malefore turned his attention back to the crystal, "this will certainly make things more…interesting."
Leon found himself walking down the street in Arcadia, but he found himself unable to control his movements. He received smiles and curt nods from passing men and women. It was only when his looked downward that he realized that this body wasn't even his; mainly because this body had breasts. He was completely dumbfounded until he saw another person running towards him. As the person came closer, he realized that it was himself. The Leon in front of him skidded to a halt and struggled to catch his breath. "Your late." Said a woman's voice. Leon then realized that this was one of his memories…but through Sierra's eyes.
"What the hell is going on?" Leon thought to himself.
"I know, I'm sorry." Leon's past self said, "The captain held me back for extra practice."
"Well, at least you didn't leave me waiting for an hour like last time." Sierra stated.
"We had an accident in the lab…it's not easy being a prince you know."
Sierra giggled, "I know…I'm just teasing you."
"So…ready for our walk?"
"Always." Sierra said.
Leon awoke and sat up next to Athena. "What was all that about?" Leon whispered to himself. He had often had dreams of his past, but they had always been through his own eyes. "Perhaps it's just from being here." He concluded. His attention was drawn away from his thoughts as the vanguards began to stir.
"What time is it?" Fang asked as he yawned and popped his spinal cord.
"There's not really a way to tell." Flare stated.
"We'll find out once we get out of here." Spyro said as he rubbed his eyes with the back of his paw, "Are you guys ready to go?"
"More than ready." Leon said, standing to his feet, "Come on, it's back downstairs." The vanguards nodded and Leon led them back into the hallway.
Cynder stopped just outside the door and stared at the door across the hall, "Hey, dad?"
"Hmm?"
"What's in there…if you don't mind me asking."
"That was my parents room." Leon stated, "Every time I walked in there, father would be busy with papers on taxes or treaties with the other races or human cities…and mother would be reading history scrolls…she had a great obsession with the past…she told me that there used to be an ancient human city not far from here…and how she wished that she was young enough to go treasure hunting."
"So that's how you know so much about history?" Charlotte asked.
"Yes…but sometimes she liked to confuse history with myths," Leon said, "but that was okay…I enjoyed studying the legends of old, even took a few notes...shame that the orcs took them when they raided moonlight cave."
"I doubt that they can even read." Fang hissed.
"Indeed…well, I've given you a tour of the rest of the tower…might as well let you see how the king and queen lived." Leon pushed the door open and the vanguards peered inside. There were fewer dark crystals here than anywhere else in the city, making the room very dark. They could still see that it was big, much larger than Leon's bedchamber. Leon entered the room and squinted in the darkness, it was then that the vanguards heard a scratching noise that caused them all to tense up. About a second later Leon felt a massive weight drop on top of him pin him to the ground, where he then felt a sharp searing pain in his shoulder. Leon screamed in pain and attempted to reach for his javelin, but a long, hairy leg locked his arm down.
"Leon!" Athena yelled before unsheathing her rapiers and leaping forward.
The beast leaped back as Athena came down with her blades and she narrowly missed stabbing Leon through his already wounded shoulder. Spyro leaped in and breathed a hot stream of fire that lit up the chamber and revealed their assailant; A very large cave spider which had six large purple eyes and purple liquid dripping down it's two fangs. "Their not supposed to get that big." Leon stated as Athena helped him to his feet. The spider ran to the back of the bed chamber and Spyro fired an ice spike that barely missed it, and the ice shattered against the stone wall. The spider disappeared into the darkness and the vanguards lost sight of the large arachnid.
"Shit, I lost it." Spyro said.
Leon fed some energy into his javelin to attempt to light up the room but there were still plenty of dark places where it could be hiding. "Watch the ceiling." Athena warned.
"Cynder, stay back with the others until we find this thing." Spyro said.
"Okay, be careful." Cynder said, worriedly.
The trio began walking towards the center of the room. They could still hear the arachnid scuttling about, but the echoes of the cave made it impossible to locate the source of the sound. It was then that a movement caught Athena's eye, "Watch out!" She yelled as the spider launched itself at them. She was able to jump out of the way but Spyro wasn't as lucky. He tried to leap into the air but the spider still rammed him in the side and sent him flying into one of the old writing desks that shattered upon impact. Leon swung his javelin at the arachnid, but his burning shoulder affected the speed of his blow and the spider dodged it. Athena, however, was still at her full speed and she brought down one of her rapiers and penetrated the spider's carapace. The beast shrieked loudly before falling onto its side and curling its legs into a ball.
"Is it dead?" Spyro asked as he rose from the splintered desk.
"I think so." Athena stated, nudging the spider with her foot.
"What the hell, man?" Sparx yelled at Leon, "I thought that you said they wouldn't attack dragons."
"Thin one was different." Leon stated, "They aren't supposed to get that large." Leon leaned down and examined the spider's body, "It's definitely not natural...It looks like it's been mutated by the crystals." Leon then cringed as another stab of pain hit him from the wound on his shoulder.
"Here, let me fix that." Zephyr said, approaching the human. Leon allowed her to place her paw over the wound, which now had a slightly purplish tint to it, but when she attempted to heal the muscle and flesh, she found that her magic was futile. "Uh oh…it's not working."
"Damn…it must have mutated the venom glands too." Leon sighed, "I didn't bring any bandages either."
"What should we do?" Cynder asked.
Leon rose to his feet, "We move on…see what plants we can find along the way."
"Are you sure you can make it?" Athena asked.
"Of course." Leon stated, "The cold should keep the chance of infection down, and the venom can't affect me…however, if we run into anymore of those things, you dragons will need to stay back…save for Spyro."
"You mean there's more?" Zephyr asked.
"It's possible."
"We'll be careful." Spyro assured the earth dragoness, "Come on, let's get moving."
"Hold on." Leon said, looking at the books on the floor that fell from the desk that Spyro had crashed into. He knelt down and picked up one of the dusty history volumes, "Do you think that Volteer might be interested in these."
Spyro did not have to think about that question, "Definitely...are you taking them with us?"
"Well they're not doing any good down here." Leon said as he gathered a few of the books that had yet to be ruined by age. As he picked up one of the volumes he noticed a small tattered piece of paper.
"What's that?" Cynder asked, looking over her father's shoulder.
Leon picked up the paper and looked at the worn, faded words written on it, "Hmm…that's strange." He said, aloud to himself.
"What does it say?" Athena asked.
"It just says, 'I'm sorry, I'm so sorry.'"
"What does it mean?" Cynder asked.
"Hell if I know." Leon stashed the note in his satchel, along with the rest of the books, "We'll figure it out later." He then hefted the satchel onto his back with his good arm before standing up, turning, and leading the vanguards out of the room, leaving the body of the mutated spider behind them. The vanguards then made their way down the hall and back to the main chamber of the tower. Leon avoided looking at the mass grave of his people and stopped at the round stone door. He grasped the stone with his good arm and attempted to move the stone. It proved to be too difficult with only one fully functioning arm, so Athena stepped in to help him. With a grunt, they began to move the stone and revealed the passage beyond. A cold winter wind rushed through the tunnel from the outside and Flare coughed violently.
"You alright?" Cynder asked.
"Yeah, I'm fine." Flare said.
"The sooner we get this done, the sooner we can get back to Warfang and sit in front of a warm fire." Leon stated. The vanguards nodded before heading into the darkness of the cave.
Song: Dance, Dance
Artist: Fall Out Boy
Song: Bring Me To Life
Artist: Evanescence