Chapter 9: A new adventure
One month passed and they were left with 3 more months before the planetary alignment. So far, there were no other incidents but there have been attempts to infiltrate the castle. Many of the perpetrators were caught by the guards but before they got captured, the perpetrators blew themselves up. Thus, they were left with no one to interrogate. Collette had halted her investigations after her team got ambushed in the forests near Mt. Schrim and they were in a dead end. With no clues to lead them to anything, even Tiberus can't offer any assumptions.
"It seems like they've stepped up security measures to avoid being spotted. As much as I hate to say it, they're rather good at doing that," Collette said.
"No luck with the Wolf Clan as well?" Spyro asked while scratching his head with his hind leg like a dog.
"No, they refuse to cooperate and instead were hostile to us. Maybe it's because Wolfenstein is missing and they think we're responsible," Collette answered.
"Speaking about Wolfenstein, no one has seen him for quite sometime now. Ever since that attack on our city, he's gone missing," Cynder said.
"We should get someone to replace him. We may need help from his clan," Spyro added.
"I wouldn't recommend that, my Lord," Tiberus said.
Turning to the phoenix, Spyro looked at him with curiosity.
"Why not?" he asked.
"Without a leader, the Wolf Clan will not take orders from anybody. Besides, they are hostile to outsiders, including dragons. Unless they agree to elect a new leader, they won't be taking orders from anyone," Tiberus said casually and continued smoking on his pipe.
Everyone was silent and the Clan Governors had nothing to add. The rhino governor just stared at his notebook while Hunter just twirled his pen. Looking at all of them, Spyro shook his head in dismay.
"Doesn't anyone have anything to add?" the purple dragon asked.
"As much as I want to, I think we're all stuck at a dead end, my Lord. Not only is the Wolf Clan unavailable, all of the Sacred Items have been stolen for who-knows-what purpose. Argus is really worse than his father," Collette said after a long silence.
"What can we do now?" Cynder asked Spyro.
"We can only continue searching for Argus and his cohorts. If we allow things to go his way, Malefor will live again," Spyro said.
That afternoon, everyone dispersed and Spyro was left alone in the throne room. He was going through some books when he fell unconscious. However, instead of going to the Chronicler as usual, he found himself standing in front of a large church with a Gothic architecture. It was beautiful, yet dark-looking at the same time. The sky was dark and only a single bright star showed in the dark blue sky. Turning around Spyro saw the church was well lit.
"That's odd…I thought no dragon churches are left," he muttered to himself.
He noticed that the church was surrounded by 4 mountainous peaks that made them look like natural fortress turrets. Not far away was a grand stairway that led down to somewhere. Spyro walked closer and saw that it was heading down from the mountains but it was so misty that he couldn't see the bottom.
"Whoa, being on a small high plain really is scary," he said.
Suddenly, he heard the church doors open and noticed a large blue dragon step out from the doorway. Beside him was a dragon knight armed with a sword. The large blue dragon wore a priest's helm and garments and he looked worried.
"The mountains won't keep the humans away for too long. Sooner or later, they will try to climb up and take the place," the large dragon said.
"We can't let that happen. I have all vulnerable points barricaded and defended. There is no way they will get past them," the knight said.
"We cannot underestimate the humans, Valcor. They are weak as individuals but when they come in large numbers, they are as dangerous as many of us combined," the dragon said.
"Lord Cyrus, I assure you that the church won't fall," the dragon named Valcor said.
Spyro wondered if this Lord Cyrus was the previous Chronicler. He did look like him and his voice sounded the same. But before Spyro could indulge further in his thoughts, the world around him went dark. When he can see again, he saw the church burning and a lot of dead bodies were strewn everywhere. The church was burning and many parts were torn down. On the four peaks were large machines built by the humans. Ancient humans built fearsome siege machines called the trebuchets and they can deal serious damage to buildings. Spyro didn't know how they got up there but their silhouettes under the moonlight were dark and ominous. On the ground not far from him was Cyrus and he was stepped on by a knight in black armor.
"You're no longer needed here so I'm going to take your life," the man said.
"Try me Salvador, your crimes will not go unpunished," Cyrus said.
"As willed by the Emperor, there is no crime. We want the chalice but you resist us. This, Cyrus the Enlightened, is the outcome of defying the human race. Hopefully, you will learn this in your afterlife," Salvador said darkly and stabbed the dragon in the chest.
Cyrus gasped and his eyes widened in pain. He died without a sound when Salvador pulled out his sword quickly and slashed his throat.
"Search the church for the chalice. We're not returning until we find it," Salvador growled.
Spyro heard something behind him and noticed a dragon knight running away with something in his hand. Before he can take a closer look, everything went dark. Then after a while, Spyro heard Ignitus' voice. The darkness slowly dissolved and he found himself in the Chronicler's chamber.
"That was a glimpse of a terrible past, Spyro," Ignitus said when Spyro's view became clearer.
"Where was I just now?" Spyro asked.
"That was the Church of Polaris located on the Waldriech Mountains. Even back then, the chalice was the prize of every power-seeker and they even went as far as killing the holders of the chalice in a brutal way. However, there is more to reveal besides the chalice itself," Ignitus said.
A puff of smoke emitted from burning incense dissolved and formed a screen.
"The church was abandoned after that and after many years, it was in a state of disrepair. Many occultists took it as their place of worship, including Gaul himself. It was considered an important place to him because this church is on the highest point on the planet where it can easily absorb powers from the heavens; let it be dark powers or light powers. But after some centuries, it was abandoned again after they have unleashed…something that only the priest of the church can control. Gaul and his family fled but many others were slaughtered by these things. Argus maybe the only one who can control these things and he will use the church as a place of sacrifice to resurrect Malefor. It makes sense, doesn't it?" Ignitus asked Spyro.
"It does…come to think of it, now I see why the church is so important. But why is the chalice so important? I don't see anything that makes it so contested. Ignitus, please tell me something about the chalice. I know that you know something about it," Spyro said.
"Well…I do know what the chalice can do but the actual use is to bring back someone from the dead when some requirements have been met. I believe that Argus has met all of them except for one," Ignitus said.
"What is that one thing?" Spyro asked.
"That, you will find out," Ignitus said.
Spyro returned to reality and heard shouting outside his room. Bursting out from the throne room, he saw a hooded figure running past him with Juno in his arms.
"Daddy, help me!" the young dragoness shouted.
"Juno! Stop you kidnapper!" Spyro roared and chased after the kidnapper.
The hooded kidnapper turned around and threw a knife at Spyro, which he dodged aside to avoid being stabbed. Spyro found it hard to catch up and the range of his breath attacks was too short. As the kidnapper rounded a corner, Spyro leapt as hard as he could to catch his legs but he missed and slid a few meters before returning back to the chase.
"Come back here with my daughter!" Spyro roared again.
Another blade flew past him and that really made Spyro angry. Behind him were Cynder, Hunter and some Overwatch Guards.
"Spyro, don't let him reach the door!" Cynder shouted out.
Spyro dashed faster and banged the kidnapper in the behind and sent him sprawling across the floor. However, he didn't drop Juno and continued on his way after picking himself up. Just as he cleared the door, he brushed past two human guards. The sudden gust of wind confused them followed by a panting and angry Spyro.
"What was that all about?" the first soldier asked curiously.
"You fools; you let a kidnapper get away! How can you not see him?!" Spyro yelled angrily.
"See what? We didn't even see anything but only felt a gust of wind," the second soldier said.
"Damn," Spyro muttered as he kicked the ground.
Cynder and the others came by seconds later and all of them are panting.
"No good, they got the princess. They must be using her as a sacrifice," Hunter said grimly.
"What the hell? Who got her? We didn't see anyone," the first soldier said again while looking around.
"Forget it, they got her. I want a search mounted now and make sure she is found," Spyro said to the Overwatch.
Turning to Cynder, he shook his head and sighed.
"As for us, we're going to the Waldreich Mountains. I have a feeling that we need to be there," Spyro said.
"Spyro, you can't be serious. That mountain is dangerous and…" Cynder started but her fiancée covered her maw and hushed her.
"Look, we've been through the Well of Souls, Convexity, Mount Malefor and even the Epicenter. Surely a mountain like the Waldreich Mountains can't stop us," Spyro said.
"Well, it's true but…" Cynder protested but Spyro stopped her again.
"Remember our vow to each other: to get through troubles together?" Spyro asked.
"Yes but…" Cynder protested some more but Spyro again shut her mouth.
"Cynder, do you care about your children or not?" Spyro asked darkly.
The question caught Cynder and tears flowed down from her eyes that sparkled like diamonds. She nodded and sniffed a bit.
"Yes, I do care about them. But, are you sure we can handle the Waldriech Mountains?" Cynder asked with uncertainty.
"United we stand, divided we fall. We have each other to look out for and there is nothing that can overcome us. Malefor hand bounded us together before and yet we fought out alive…together. Surely that must mean something," Spyro said softly.
Cynder was silent but after a while, she nodded and nuzzled Spyro.
"You're right, we can do this together. The world is in danger and we're here to stop it. Spyro, I will be with you," Cynder said.
There was a sparkle in Spyro's eyes and he smiled. Turning to the others, he issued orders.
"Hunter, prepare to go to the Waldreich Mountains. I may need your help as well. You two humans report to your Lieutenant Sven that I need him on a mission," he said to Hunter then the two humans.
They nodded and dispersed as told. This is the first ever mission he went on without being told by the elders. At the courtyard, the elders gathered a few minutes after Spyro announced his mission to them. They looked worried.
"Is Spyro daft? The Waldriech Mountains is not a place that even a hero would want to be. Terrador, you have to persuade him to stop," Crystella said.
"It's…not my job to stop Spyro. He is the king and we don't argue with him. Besides, I believe that he is old enough to make his own decision," the green dragon said.
"Are you sure the Aging Curse did not go to his brain?" Volteer asked.
"It works on the body but not the mind. Even though I'm worried for him, I can't do much but to give him advice," Terrador muttered.
"What did you tell him?" Ifrit asked.
"That, Ifrit, is a secret," Terrador winked.
"Well, I guess there is no point interrogating you. Anyway, if we can't do anything about it, I pray to the ancestors that he will be okay," Crystella muttered as she pushed up her glasses.
"He has survived so many situations that I even gave up on calculating his odds of survival. Maybe purple dragons never die," Volteer said.
"They're still mortal so it's impossible. Still, they do seem invincible," Ifrit smiled.
"Sounds like an overstatement to me," Crystella said.
"Still, I pray for his safety. As long as Spyro doesn't fail, we will be safe," Terrador said.
***
The Dark Master is reaching the chalice quickly…he is passing through the gates…only another purple dragon can stop him.
A/N: Nostalgia much eh.