A/N: Thanks for the reviews so far (: They really make me want to write more. I'm not going to give anything away about this chapter although I think you'll like it. That and the name of the chapter gives some hints (:
So this was done really fast. I'm glad its out already and I enjoyed writing it.
As always, hope you enjoy it.
The sun shining, barley any clouds in the bright blue sky. The six dragons flew with worry for the coming events. Truth be told, they were more worried about gaining the trust of the other dragons rather than what would happen if they didn't. Silence again ensued the group as they flew. Not even Flame dared break this thick blanket. The purple eyes of Spyro scanned the horizon and surrounding area for any sign of attack or the first sign of the second camp. Nothing was in sight so far though.
" Spyro." Said Cynder while flying a little closer to him. " Do you think we'll run into any more grublins next time we stop?"
" Hmm, its hard to say. Who knows they – whoever they are – might have grublins placed in every direction from our last point. I guarantee we'll run into them again."
" And I guarantee," Flame yelled at the two. " That we'll kick there freaky faces back into the other world." Flame grinned when Cynder turned and raised a scaly eyebrow at him.
" I quite agree." Started Ornis. " I don't think we have anything to worry about you see. We have every element at our disposal. Me and Cynder for wind, Flame for fire, Winfil and Earn for earth, and Spyro for ice and electricity. And that's not counting the other extra elements you two have." Ornis said nodding to Cynder and Spyro. " What were they, Shadow, poison, fear and convexity, I think-"
Winfil rolled his eyes and raised his voice a little. " We get the point Ornis. We're a well rounded group. But its not quantity that counts its quality."
" Hey! We'll win either way cause we're awesome. I guess we need to think of a name for our little group huh?" Flame said chortling away as he swooped from side to side in the air.
" Hey yeah. We could b known as like the Fewcos dragons." Ornis said animatedly.
" Fewcos?" Asked Flame sceptically.
" Yea Fewcos. Its all our initials put into one word. I kinda like -"
" Wait. All our initials and mine is first! Wooh" Flame yelled punching the air. Cynder slowed her pace a little dropping back from Spyro to come in line with Ornis and Flame. She had a look that screamed You-can-think-of-something-better.
" Come on guys." She said lazily." I don't really think we need a name. Although that would be quite good. Anything else you had in mind apart from Fewcos?"
" Well that was after having a quick brainstorm but that's it. Why?" Ornis said in a babbling on voice.
" We need something that has meaning. Something that whenever anyone talks about us, they know exactly who and what their dealing with." Cynder said while looking upward into the blue sky. Flame brought a talon to his chin and started to tap it repeatedly.
" Hmm. You give a good point." He said. Flame scrunched his eyebrows thinking as hard as he could which made Ornis laugh.
" Hey don't give yourself a headache thinking to hard-"
"Shush! … I'm thinking." Flame snapped. He thought for a moment more and smiled.
" Something meaningful you say. How about 'The Order'?" Cynder thought for a moment as did Winfil.
" I think that could work. Hmm imagine ' You have to stop or The Order will hear about this.' Or something like ' The Orders are on their way.'" Winfil said trying to imitate an older dragon. Cynder shook her head.
" We'd have to be like fifty years old and allot more experienced before that could work. How about we just leave the name in the box for just now and concentrate on what's to come?"
" Fine. But I'll still think on the way y'know." Flame said smiling.
" Oh we know Flame. We know." Replied Cynder. The chat between the dragons stayed like that from their on. Nothing more than some minor issues or teenage dragon dramas. All but Spyro and Earn were lively. The two dragons both at opposite ends of the group were deep in thought. Spyro was thinking of ways to convince the elders of Warbrin of their innocence and how to show them if they weren't convinced. Earn though had only two thoughts running through his head. How he would find the dragons that killed Star and how he would make them pay.
The dragons flew for the rest of the day. They stopped only for food and water but before the night Krebs in. The last camp point came into view. Unlike the last one where it was positioned next to a cliff. This one was smack bang in the middle of a forest. The place specifically was on a raised plateau and had a vantage point all around. Spyro smile to himself as they start angling towards the point.
" Well that's a fair bit more exposed than the other camp don't you think." Flame mocked
" Well its that or nothing so deal with it!" Spyro snapped raising his voice. Cynder started blankly at the back of the purple dragons head and sighed. She new exactly what was starting to come through but she couldn't say anything about it. She turned to the annoyed red dragon and whispered.
" Its not for long remember. Just for tonight."
" Well at least some people are normal in this group." Flame huffed while nodding to Cynder.
" Yeah well we're all getting a little stressed. Some more than others." Sighed Cynder looking at Spyro. Flame nodded and they all continued there decent into the forest. They were instantly immersed in all sorts of colours of green and brown. Some animals that were not far from were they landed disappeared within an instant with the gust of wind and the sight of six dragons. Winfil panned his head round the forest with an open mouth while Flame just rubbed his chin and nodded.
" Cynder." Spyro asked. His voice bubbly and soft like the normal dragon they all know. Cynder walked forward and looked at him.
" Spyro?"
" Right we both need to make another shadow wall. It needs to be stronger than the last one thought. And for the rest of you. Can I ask that one of you retrieve fire wood while another hunts some food and can either Earn or Winfil make a large earth shelter for all of us."
" Right on it Spyro. I'll grab some food." Flame said smiling again. Flame bent down before launching himself into the air and whipping himself over the tree line.
" Well he's getting food. I'll get the fire wood then." Ornis said before trotting of into the trees.
" Guess I'll make the shelters then." Winfil said nodding to Spyro ad Cynder.
" Great. Lets get to it Cyn." Said Spyro with a smile. Cynder nodded and both dragons started with the shadow wall. Winfil stalked to the middle of the clearing and gave a quick glance around before punching the ground with his front paws and a large shelter appear, easily large enough for the whole group.
" You guys can all huddle together happily there yourselves." Huffed Earn before stomping the ground once and a smaller shelter bursting from the ground. Earn then curled up inside it without another word. Spyro and Cynder looked at each other, then at Winfil who gave a confused shrug before they all carried on.
Night was a completely different story for the forest. All around the group there were sounds of animals breaking the silence and cutting the atmosphere. There was no light from the moon or the stars for the clouds blocked them out completely. Obscuring all light except for the fire.
" So then. I'll be the one to start up the conversations again, as I did last time." Flame said with a grin.
" Ugh not again." Cynder said while putting a paw to her temple.
" Yes again." Flame said in a monotone. " So! This is the last night we have before we leave for Warbrin. Perhaps a recap on what we're doing."
" By the ancestors he thought of something useful for once." Winfil said in mock shock. Flame snorted giving out a bright puff of fire.
Ornis nodded with a smug grin. " Seems legit. Well allow me to start of. You see we think they'll be on high guard. What with all the fighting still going on and at least a quarter of Malefor's army still out there. I think we take a good nice and calm-"
" We've talked about this to much. We haven't thought about the other outcomes." Spyro said shaking his head.
" And what other outcomes could possibly come may I ask." Winfil said raising one eyebrow.
" Well there's, Warbrin might be completely willing to let us in. And then there's, what if we can't convince them? We'd have to stealthily grab the artefact and get our tails out of there."
" The mole spoke of her having one already though." Cynder piped up. Spyro nodded.
" The mole was wrong. Yes she has a peace of the puzzle to release whoever it is but its not an artefact. Its the blood she got from star. That is what all magical seals require to bring a dragon back to life. The blood of the living-"
" But stars dead." Ornis said
" Doesn't matter. She was alive when they got the blood." Said Spyro shaking his head. He then snapped his eyes to the trees and stared for a moment before he rose from a sitting position. " I'm going to stretch my legs-"
" uh no you're not." Cynder said putting a paw onto his chest. Spyro smiled.
" I'll be fine. I'll be back within ten minutes alright." He said assuringly. Cynder couldn't help but nod and she sat back down. Flame tilted his head as he watched Spyro walk off but was cut of when he heard a noise.
CRACK!
Flame pondered for a moment still looking at the darkening silhouette of Spyro before settling for thinking it a branch.
" So. If you had a choice, which element would you want to have?" Winfil asked.
" Oh Id stay with fire. Fire all the way." Flame said possibly glowing with smugness. Cynder huffed.
" Typical. Well id stay the same-"
" Figures. You would though cause you already have four rare elements." Ornis said. " If I had a choice id go for ice. Id love to be able to take water and do what I want with it. There's so much of the stuff as well in the world..." Ornis said while trailing off.
" You guys are all fools. Id go for convexity." Winfil chuckled. " That's the strongest and therefore best-"
" Ah but that is the element that corrupts its users." Cynder countered.
" Pfft. Corruption is the least of my concern. I'm incorruptible."
" Says the dragon who recently nearly was." Mumbled Flame.
" Hey now. That wasn't just any corruption that was an internal disillusion. Very different."
" Right." Flame said letting nodding i'm fake belief.
Not long after, Spyro trudged back into the camp with a puzzled look on his face. All of the dragons were asleep except for Earn. The green dragon eyed Spyro as he fazed through the shadow wall with a questioning look.
" Aren't you going to get some sleep?" Asked Spyro.
Earn shrugged. " Could ask you the same question."
" Mhmm. Well I'm going to sleep now. Try and get some sleep." Spyro said in a more softer voice before walking into the shelter and laying next to Cynder. Earn snorted and turned back to looking into the black forest. So many emotions were coursing through his body at the same time. It was hard to think a dragon of his age could contain it all. Earn only wanted revenge. But how could he. He had a duty to the people who were now his only friends. Earn huffed and dug his head into his arms and tried to get some sleep.
" Rise and shine everydragon. Time for the home run." Flame yelled making everyone jump out their scales.
" Flame i'm going to rip your throat out one of these days." Cynder growled getting up.
" Good morning to you too." Replied Flame with a grin.
" Seems like a good day. No clouds. Bright sun." Ornis babbled looking at the sky. There wasn't anything but the bright blue sky above them.
" Glad to hear it Ornis. I have a good feeling about Warbrin. I wager it'll go perfectly." Flame carried on ranting while walking around the small camp. Spyro trudged out and lifted a paw before letting it drop, pulling the shelter back into the ground.
" Uh, right i'm awake. Lets get too it." Said Spyro before lifting his wings and taking to the air.
" Someone's very keen today." Said Cynder with a smile. Spyro rolled his eyes. Winfil and Flame both joined him in the air before the rest took of and they were now hovering.
" Everyone. It will only take us about half the day to fly to Warbrin. We can make it in one journey. On the way I want you to try and make yourselves as friendly as possible. We want to gain their trust as fast as possible."
" Sounds good."
" Yes."
" Got it." all coursed through the group. Spyro nodded to himself and whipped round before pulling himself into the direction of the city. The dragons all flew for the exact amount of time Spyro said.
" Hey guys. Do you think the other artefacts will be harder than this? I mean to get anyway." Asked Flame. Cynder shook her head.
" Don't know. I guess we'll just have to find out when we get to it."
" Cynder's right. I think the ones in the desert will be hardest because of the heat." Winfil said looking at Flame. " But I think it can't get much harder than flying and picking up an artefact."
" You say that now." Flame chuckled.
Winfil snorted. " I think its-"
" Is that it?" Flame called from the right interrupting Winfil. Spyro squinted but could only see an orange haze up ahead. That and black clouds above.
" I think its just a storm-"
" Wait there's buildings. Yeah that is it but why is it …" Winfil started but had to stop.
" Its on fire." Growled Spyro. They came closer and flew over the outer wall, everything was ablaze. Sunlight was blocked out by the black clouds of smoke and the orange glow from the fire gave everything a dull vicious light. Spyro held his emotions at bay with the sight before him. Bellow he could make out the charred remains of dragons and other animals alike. He could hear cries and yells but couldn't locate anything making the source. He heard Flame and Winfil behind them retch at the sight but kept his eyes ahead. Spyro pressed his wings harder and powered through the thick smoke. His lungs killing him but he grunted and didn't let stop him. It was then that the temple came into view. Thought it was broken half way up the spire and the jagged remains of the top of the temple were all that remained. Smoke bellowed out the open top and the many holes surrounding it.
" A group the size of what the mole said couldn't have done this." Cynder said with fear and shock. They flew over the burning park and green gardens. Small toys the moles made for the hatchling dragons were scattered around the burning grass.
" Who … Who could've done this." Winfil said in a tremble of a voice.
Spyro didn't look away from the approaching temple and said in a growl." I have a good idea." Cynder looked at Spyro, not even a single tear was on his face. Not even the sign of sympathy for the city bellow them. She new the signs would appear soon but this was far from what she thought was soon. Spyro already seamed like a different dragon.
" The temple!" Yelled Spyro as they dove towards it. " Three of you split up and take the door." He ordered. Spyro, Cynder, and Ornis swooped in the open holes in the building while Earn, Flame and Winfil landed and took the door. They realised there was no point for the floors separating the levels were no more. The temple was now just a shell with walls.
" It has to be here." Flame said frantically. As they walked into the main room. Spyro had to close his eyes and compose himself while the others shrieked in shock and fear. On the ground all around the room where the lifeless bodies of the elders. None had survived. Burn marks and scratches were all around the room. And not just on the walls or the floor. Several peace's of the roof fell as they entered. Spyro opened his eyes and locked onto a pedestal were there was a shattered glass box. The purple dragon slowly walked over the bodies while his fellow dragons couldn't move. Cynder had tears running down her cheeks as did Ornis and Flame. And Winfil wasn't much better but had his eyes closed. Earn just stared. Every body his eyes fell upon seemed to have a yellow hue and all he could see was Star. He had no emotion on his green scaled face except for shock. Spyro stopped at the pedestal looking at the empty box. No blue diamond resided within it.
" They took it." Spyro whispered in utter defeat. " THEY TOOK IT!" The purple dragon yelled swiping the box and everything else on the pedestal of and into the wall. The box smashed and the glass tinkered to the floor giving small but noticeable reflections of Spyro's rage.
" We need to get back. We need to go now!" Flame yelled but no one heard him. Shock was still in there faces but was slowly being replaced by denial and fear.
Spyro turned with rage as fire swirled around the walls behind him. " We're leaving. We're not stopping until we reach Avalar." He said in a low voice. They all, with the exception of Spyro who staid put looking at the dragons around him, nodded without saying a word and began to turn.
" like what I've done with the place." Came a voice suddenly with a tinge of amusement in it. The dragons snapped their heads round and looked outside the door from which they came. All of them growled as they walked out and they were struck with fear at what they saw. Shadow dragons surrounded the the group numbering in the thirty's. Cynder felt her anger swell up as she walked forward.
" Why!"
The shadow dragon in the middle walked forward and grinned. " Because love, they put up a fight and I made sure that we ended it." He grinned. " And now I have the pests that are trying to take my lieges artefacts. I can rid the planet of you."
" You can try." Earn said emotionless.
" I'm sorry for what I have to do."
" No you're not." Winfil growled at the shadow dragon.
Cynder turned to the group behind her and smiled once. She nodded and turned back before yelling.
"Charge!" The black dragoness jumped forward with all her might and dug her claws into the nearest shadow dragon while the others sent waves of wind, fire and earth in all directions fighting of beams of shadow bolts and convexity. Darksis huffed before jumping from where he stood to in front of Flame. The red dragon growled and let lose a torrent of fire on the dragon. He kept it burning for at least half a minute before stopping and when the fire subsided, Darksis stood with flames burning from his shoulders and horns with a grin. Completely unharmed.
" You're going to have to do much. Better than that." Darksis then slammed Flame in the face sending him into the burning sky.
Cynder dodged two swipes from two different shadow dragons and ducked spinning of the spot letting her tail blade cut the legs of the shadows. She then jumped and punched the floor sending out a wave of her shadow element which sent the two dragons flying away from her. But her victory was short lived when three more took their place and the dragons she thought she had defeated got back up without a scratch and started fighting on of the others. The three dragons lunged for her but Cynder had buckets of experience when it came to fighting thanks to her past. She ducked before cartwheeling over two of the dragons before her and letting her claws smack them both in the face. She then stomped the ground sending her back into the air and using her wind element. Punched the last shadow dragon in the chest sending him into the temple and skidding to the feet of Spyro. The purple dragon stood staring at the sight before him with a mixture of anger and rage. Part of him wanted to rip the shadow dragons in half but another part wanted to continue the madness.
" Gah its you-" The shadow dragon started but was silenced when a purple paw covered in shadow energy slammed his head into the ground. Spyro huffed in annoyance.
" I was thinking."
" Spyro! Help us." Ornis yelled trying to hold of two shadow dragons but his wind element not making much use when the dragons he was facing were becoming transparent and invulnerable. The first shadow dragon spun and sent his paw into the blocking arm of Ornis but Ornis didn't have enough strength to hold of the punch and was sent back a few meters. The other dragon then whipped Ornis' feet out from under him sending him to the floor with a large crash. Ornis had moments to blink before he flung his paws out to stop the tail of one of the shadow dragons which was headed to his eye.
" SPYRO!" Ornis yelled again. Spyro shook his head and broke out of his trance and stared for a moment at the chaos before him. He looked and then saw Ornis on the ground holding the tail blade of a shadow dragon while two more were converging on him.
" Ornis i'm coming!" Spyro yelled and he transported to his right side, keeping his momentum up he punched the dragon with its tail pointed at Ornis' head and span round sending convexity at the other two. In that moment Spyro spotted three other shadows fighting Cynder and rage burned within him. He span round towards them, fire spiralling round his body and air making the spirals faster. Purple spurts of energy enhanced the fire making them have a purplish tinge. Spyro span and took one paw and leapt into the air before plunging his arm towards the three dragons who were in a line facing Cynder. The purple fire. Whipped itself out of its spiralling motion and followed Spyro's arm slamming into the shadow dragons one at a time but at a speed so high, it made it seem as if it were one hit. Spyro then leapt to the nearest shadow dragon and grabbed it by the neck lifting it up off the ground.
" Purple dragon!" Yelled a voice. Spyro turned, keeping a firm grip of the squirming shadow dragon in his talons and looked at a slightly smaller shadow dragon which was more sleek and deadly. " If you want a real fight. Come and get it." Darksis yelled. Spyro roared and tossed the dragon in his paw into a close by building before lunging at Darksis. The purple dragon brought both his paws up which were covered in both convexity and dark energy, ready to make the killing blow. Darksis however smiled at Spyro and before the purple dragons talons came near him. The shadow dragon somersaulted over Spyro and rapped his tail around the purple dragons neck before he flung him into the walls of the temple.
Darksis tutted before speaking while shaking a talon at Spyro. " I thought you were better than that. I know you have strength but what good is it if you haven't got the skill to use it."
" Its good enough to kill you." Roared Spyro and he leapt into the air, Earth, water, fire, convexity, shadow, wind and air spiralled around him before being sent as a torrent of almost all the elements straight to Darksis. The shadow dragon tutted again before cartwheeling out of the way and letting the beam hit both Winfil and many other shadow dragons behind him.
" First rule. Know you're surroundings. That includes behind your target. Second, don't let anger come between you and your goal."
" I can beat you. I'm strong enough-"
" Oh there's no doubt about that. You're not even using your full power. Look you're still purple scaled. Not even in your dark form. I expected more." Spyro growled at Darksis and was about to speak when Darksis disappeared and reappeared in the middle of the fight. " We're leaving! Everydragon go. Transport away!" He ordered. Spyro watched as the sound of swooshing wind accompanied all the puffs of dark black smoke as the shadow dragons disappeared. Soon all that remained was Darksis. Standing in the middle with all the other dragon staring at him.
" Hmm. You all fight rather well for normal dragons. I'm impressed."
" That's only the beginning of it!" Yelled Spyro who jumped towards Darksis and as he was heading threw the air two things happened. Spyro's scales blackened into darkness as he made the change into his dark form and the second thing to happen was when Darksis transported away while chuckling.
" Damn!" Yelled Spyro hitting the ground with a paw.
" Hey." Came a voice. Spyro looked up at the same time he felt a paw on his back. He looked up and met the eyes of Cynder staring back at him. Spyro could always count on being brought out of his sad moods by Cynder. He always was. " All we need is one artefact and they can't win. We only need one."
" I know. I just could have beaten the leader of the shadow dragons. Why didn't I use my dark powers. I'm such an idiot."
" Your not an idiot. You can beat them all as this Spyro with ease if you believe you can." Cynder said softly. Spyro looked at her and smiled.
" You think?"
" I know so." Cynder said with a smile. She brought him up and into a cuddle which Spyro gladly accepted.
" Winfil could have fought better though." Ornis chuckled in the background.
" Took the words right outa my mouth." Replied Flame absent-mindedly while cleaning his wounds.
" And you'll be taking my paw out your mouth in a minute, Flame you lazy idiot." Replied Winfil while trying not to pay attention to them.
" Ancestors Darn it." Flame said cleaning one cut to much.
" Close shave there hey Flame." Earn said now looking around for any more signs of a threat.
" Ah by the ancestors darn it we could have had them! Why did I even accept this task! The most important dragoness to me is round about the village back home. And I'm stuck up the backside of beyond without so much as a note." Flame yelled getting annoyed at tending his wounds and letting his feelings out.
" Well that's what you agreed to coming out here." Ornis said dismissively.
" I mean she could be anywhere. I might have to even fight of other dragons who want her-"
" Well its nothing like this at all then is it Flame." Cynder said with a smile tugging at the corner of her lips.
" Its just a mission. Nothing more. I doubt anyone will actually die." Flame said.
" I wouldn't bet on it Flame you're killing me right now." Winfil said making them all laugh. Spyro stood up and shook out the stiffness of his legs and sighed.
" We best be going home then." Some nods and murmurs of agreement came next and all the dragons, be it easily or not. Took flight to and headed towards Avalar. Flying back over the now silently burning away city bellow them. They only had a certain number of tries left to stop Verena or she will win.
Some days can be good, and some can be bad. Some days however can be one of those rare few in which everything goes right for you. Where all you want comes true or becomes achievable. Ember stood in the village looking at the hut in which the guardians where seated. She wasn't blinking or showing emotion. Simply just staring. She had no pain for the near future, but in her eyes. The guardians were now the traitors. She new they would side with Cynder even if she could prove them wrong. This made her furious and a crunching noise surrounded her as she dug her talons into the mud. She new siding with Verena was also wrong but it was the lesser of two evils. In order to stop Cynder, Verena agreed to help her in any way necessary. She knew Verena was only in it to inflict pain on Spyro but as long as she could rid the world of Cynder, she would overthrow Verena after. Ember turned and stalked of to one of the side streets of the village and was deep in thought.
" Ember." A voice suddenly rang out. Ember whipped her head round, teeth bared but saw the sight of a small frail ice dragon. She rose a little and let her self relax a little but kept her guard up.
" Indeed I am. Now what do you want?"
" I'm here to bring you to someone." The small ice dragon said in a shaky voice. Ember couldn't help but chuckle.
" And who may I ask is this someone?"
" He doesn't give his name out. But he told me to retrieve you specifically because you and him have the same goal. To kill Cynder-"
" Stop. Someone else wants to stop her aside from me?"
" Yes."
" Hmm. What's your name?" Asked Ember.
" Its Thaw."
" Well then Thaw, you had better lead the way." Said Ember waving a paw to the end of the ally. Thaw's face lit up and he turned leading Ember out the ally. They walked through the village, many places Ember recognised until they came to a large wooden building. It was circular and had a dome for a roof. Thaw opened the door and Ember walked through with a curt nod to the younger dragon. She was met with a dark hall which lead to a door with a creak of light escaping from within. Ember could smell the smoke from a fire place as she walked down the hallway and to the door. She took a small breath before opening it and it revealing a small room. In it was some chairs and one window taking up most of the wall. Within the room ember saw a dragon who was seated facing towards her. He had blue scales and white horns with a purple tinged white underbelly. His soft green were staring at the fire. He looked up upon hearing Ember's pawsteps and grinned.
" Ah Ember. The one who doesn't succumb to the lies the guardians have brought upon us. Please?" He said lifting a paw to the seat next to him. Ember slowly sat down and the ice dragon smiled. " My name is Aerilin. And I believe we have something in common."