Legend of Spyro

Prophecy of Blood

Chapter V

***Temple Courtyard***

"I still don't think we should be doing this." Anteria complained in a hushed voice as she, Valiria, Watts, and Samson all gathered together under a a large tree in the Temple of Warfang's courtyard. Valiria had the large purple book with her and they were intending on reading it, despite Anteria's apprehension.

"Com'on," Valiria countered, "It's not like anyone will notice four dragons skipped out on the announcement ceremony for the winners of the elections."

"Val's right." Samson said, "Besides, it's not like it will be any surprise who won. This is much more interesting."

Anteria sighed and turned for Watts for help, "You agree with me don't you?" But Watts was starring up at the clouds, lost in thought, "Hmm, hello? Warfang to Watts, hello?!"

"Hmm, what?!" the yellow dragon asked, shaking his head and turning to his friends, "Sorry, lost in thought."

"Yeah, we noticed." Valiria remarked, "You've been lost in thought since yesterday, what's up?"

"Nothing." Watts denied, shaking his head, "I just have a lot on my mind."

"Which is?" Samson probed.

"Nothing." Watts muttered, not meeting his friend's eyes.

"Volkrone, what's wrong?" Anteria asked. Watts gulped, the only time people ever used his real name was if they were his uncle, strangers, or seriously concerned for him.

"It's nothing, well...it's just..."

"Watts, you can tell us, where your friends." Valiria assured.

"IamovingtogotrianwithVolteerandwontbebackforyears." He mumbled, barely audible.

"Speak up," Samson said, "It can't be that bad."

"I'm moving to go train with Volteer at the Old Temple tomorrow and won't be back for years." Watts said slowly.

"...oh Ancestors," Anteria muttered, extending her wing over him (a sign of companion amongst dragons), "Volkrone...I guess that's good news, you'll be a guardian and all." For Anteria Icenguard, those words where harder to say than the others realized. Oh, my dear Watts, she thought silently, why now?

"Yeah, think of the positive." Samson said, giving a forced smile.

"It won't be like we'll never see you, the Old Temple is only a few days flight away." Valiria encouraged.

"Thanks guys," Watts sighed and gave a forced smile, "Maybe it won't be so bad."

"Com'on, let's not spend your last day here sitting and being sad," Samson exclaimed, getting up, "let's go do something fun!"

"Yeah," Valiria agreed, getting up and putting her book in her pack, "Let's go drop flying!"

"Sounds great!" Watts nodded, getting up.

"Drop flying" is a way for dragons to practice flying and have fun. It involves three to eight dragons flying through a deep gorge/canyon. The lead dragon will issue commands such as "Drop left, right, down, up," and so on, all the while navigating his team through the gorge while flying close to the floor of the gorge. In the time before the war several teams would race through the track and the team's score would be composed of both the team's time minus the number of team members the team lost or "dropped" (despite the obvious risk, only two dragons have ever died during competition), giving rise to the activitie's name. Warfang was famous for it's Citadel Gorge, a particularly hard course that held the record for the most dropped dragons in one match.

Valiria and Samson led the way while Watts and Anteria lagged behind a bit, Watts still in heavy thought about leaving. "Hey Watts."

"Hmm?" Watts inquired, casting his gaze on Anteria.

"Tonight, maybe we should have a little dinner together before you leave?" Anteria suggested, trying to implant the idea of asking her out in the electric dragon's head.

"Sounds great!" Watts exclaimed as Anteria's heart soared, "Hey! Val, Samson, how's about we all meet at Devon's Dinner tonight!"

Oh come on! Anteria thought as her other friends agreed with eagerness, Is he really that dense. Oh Ancestors, I really thought he finally understood. My dear Watts, maybe one day you'll understand...

***Warfang Memorial Hospital***

"...and that is why the ancients where mistaken about the star our planet circles being the center of the universe." Volteer concluded as he and Spyro walked towards the hospital. Volteer had been rambling the entire time while Spyro had mostly tuned him out.

"So," Spyro said, before Volteer could pick a different topic and ramble again, "Why do you need Cyprus?"

"Hmm, oh, I thought that, since he was no longer going to be in a combat role I might employ him as a messenger." Volteer explained as the two dragons started to approach Cyprus's room, "He has fully recovered, right?"

"Physically, at least." Spyro sighed, "he blames himself his squadmates deaths. I suggested he take a leave of absence, and he excepted."

"Hmm...then maybe sometime away for all of this will help him regain his confidence," Volteer said as Spyro knocked on Cyprus's door.

"Come in." A faint voice responded and Spyro opened the door, "Ah, General Spyro, and Guardian Volteer," Cyprus said, turning to them, his grey body still riddled with scars and bruises, "What brings you here."

"Well, former Squadflyer Cyprus, I have a proposition for you," Volteer began, and before Cyprus could respond Volteer continued, "You see, I've been informed that you a very fast dragon."

"Well, I wouldn't say I'm-" Cyprus tried to say before Volteer, unaware Cyprus had said anything, continued.

"I think you were what, fourth in your class?"

"Second, actually, but I've-"

"Anyway, since I'm going to be training Volkrone, my nephew- you'd like him, he's a little shy at times but he's very smart and kind- to be the next electric guardian- which will be a very rigorous training..."

"Volteer, you're rambling aga-" Spyro interrupted, only to be cut off by Volteer, who now had his eyes closed, summoning what he thought were interesting facts to the forefront of his mind. A fine trait for a professor giving a lecture, but not for everyday conversation.

"...Of course, the training is absolutely essential if he is to pass the Trial of Thunder, but I am fairly confident that it will be easy for him when the time comes, especially with my training. Did you know that the Trial of Thunder was originally called.."

"Okay, it's just best if we tune him out now," Spyro said as Volteer continued to ramble, the older Electric Guardian unaware they weren't paying attention, "Long story short, Volteer needs you to be a messenger so he can contact the other Guardians during Watts' training."

"Sure, I can do that." Cyprus agreed, smiling a bit.

"Good," Spyro said and turned to Volteer, "Volteer!"

"Hmm, yes?" The Electric Guardian said, stopping his lecture.

"Cyprus has agreed to be a messenger."

"Splendid!" Volteer exclaimed and turned to Cyprus, "Be ready to leave tomorrow at sunrise. Meet me, Volkrone, and the others at the Main Gate, it will be good to have you with us."

"I hope so..."

***Warfang Temple, Cynder's room***

"Really Sparx, 'And blood dripped from her maw as the Terror of the Skies let out a vicious roar, her eyes glowing looked the crimson blood of her victims'?" Cynder remarked, giving Sparx a venomous look while Sparx continued to write in a book larger than himself with a pen half his size, "Some terrible things happened while I...while I was the Terror of the Sky but she...I ate anybody."

"Ah, come on," Sparx said dismissively, "It's called creativity."

"Yeah right," Cynder said, rolling her eyes, "And I suppose the part where you are worshiped as a god by the Atlawa is creativity as well."

"Hey, that actually happened!"

"I'll never believe it."

"Why do you and Spyro have to be so difficult!" Sparx sighed as he marked out the first line describing the Terror of the Skies, "Okay, how about this, 'The giant black dragoness swooped down like a whirlwind, her eyes glowing crimson and filled with evil!'"

"Better." Cynder replied with a nod of approval, "Now, about being worshiped as a-"

"For the last time, THAT REALLY HAPPENED!"

***Citadel Gorge***

"Drop left!" Watts cried as he, Valiria, Samson, and Anteria rolled left to avoid the left side of the canyon wall. The four friends were near the end of the dangerous gorge and having the time of there lives. Samson suddenly rushed ahead of the others and spiraled through a small ring structure in the canyon. The others "Dropped right" and avoided the risky maneuver.

"Come on, you should have tried it!" Samson called as he slowed down so the others could catch up.

"We're not all as skilled as you." Anteria complained, having trouble keeping up.

"Drop down and right!" Watts commanded as he and the other flew under a overhanging ledge and took a hard turn right. Anteria and Samson had to push off the left wall of the gorge to avoid running into it

"Good call Watts." Valiria complimented as the group increased their speed.

"Alright, this is were it gets tricky." Samson muttered.

"Drop down and hard left!" Watts commanded as they spun and descended under a arch and pulled left to avoid the wall.

"That was to close!" Anteria screamed as she scraped the side of the canyon.

"Tighten up!" Samson roared as they came upon the final pass.

"Ascend and drop right," Watts shouted as the four friends pulled up and to the right, "Drop left and down!" The others followed Watts' lead as their claws scraped against the red rock making up the canyon wall. "Now ascend!" Watts roared as they pulled up against the cliff. This is what made the Citadel run so dangerous, the final push up the four and a half mile high cliff.

"Oh Ancestors!" Anteria thought as she struggled up the cliff, "I'm not going to make it!"

"Anteria!" She looked up to see Watts turned to her as they ascended the cliff, "you can make it, we're almost there!" She nodded, ignored the pain in her wings, and gave it one last burst of energy. Suddenly they were over the cliff and looking out at the sea. They all screamed and laughed in joy as they landed on the cliff overlooking the sea.

"Nice calling Watts." Valiria complemented as they landed.

"Yeah, even Anteria made it through this time." Samson remarked.

"Hey!" Anteria snapped, but then laughed. They all laughed as they looked out into the sun setting over the ocean, in complete bliss to the future and it's sorrow and tribulation.

***Warfang, deep underground***

"So I suppose the elections went well." the cloaked wyvern said as he and the cloaked dragon walked through the darkness of the underground caverns.

"Yes, it was a landslide." the cloaked dragon said with a laugh, "Those other two candidates never stood a chance."

"So when can we move forward with your plan." the cloaked wyvern inquired.

"Patients my good friend, we must wait until the Festival of the Blood Moons is over, as it is written."

The cloaked wyvern sighed, "I suppose until then we must keep falling back from the dragons."

"Yes," the cloaked dragon said, "unless you wish to instead besiege the city."

"The Dark Army managed to breach her walls!"

"And at a very high cost, one which we cannot afford to pay." The cloaked dragon responded calmly, "You have trusted me this far, continue to and you will have your seat in the palace."

"...By your command." the wyvern said as he retreated down the tunnel towards where the wyverns have hidden away, awaiting there chance to strike at Warfang.

"Already I can see that fact is escaping you." Tykron muttered as he too turned and walked back up through the tunnel and into Warfang.