Another Road

Stephanie Wyrm: Not much to say.

The Omni-Temple

Spyro came to. He fluttered his eyes open and found himself in a strange room. "What the? Again?" He looked around. He was in a warm bed in a large tribal style room. "Sparx? Elora? Mr Tumnus? Hello? Anyone?" He heard movement and sat up scared. "Who's there?!"

"It's okay! I'm a friend!" A young pretty human girl opened the door and came in with a tray of food. She had red shoulder length hair and wore a red and white kimono. She closed the door and took a few steps forward. She bowed and said, "Hello, Spyro. My name is Mina." She stood next to Spyro and set the tray in front of him. She bowed again and sat infront of him in the lotus position.

"Wow," said Spyro as he saw the food on the tray. There was bread, rice, chicken soup, and steamed vegetables. "Is that for me?"

Mina nodded. "It's custom for a resident of the temple to eat with a guest." She grabbed the bread and broke it in half. "Are you hungry?" she asked with her hand held out with one of the bread halves.

Spyro's stomach rumbled and answered for him. "Now that you mention it, I am pretty hungry! Thank you." He took the bread from her hand and they both began eating the two halves. "So where are-"

Spyro was cut off by Mina putting a finger on his lips. She then smiled and put her finger to her own lips as a gesture for silence. Spyro understood and they continued eating silently. They ate for twenty minutes until all the food was gone. Mina wiped her mouth properly and put doen her napkin.

"That was a great meal," said Spyro.

Mina stood on her feet and bowed. "You honor me, Spyro. May I ask what you were going to say while we were eating?"

"Oh yeah, that's right," Spyro remembered. "I was wondering where my friends are?"

"They are in their own rooms with other residents. Your flying friend is with Lady Serenity."

"My flying friend? You mean Sparx?"

"The small golden one?" Mina asked. Spyro nodded. "Yes. The male faun is with Yoko Belnades. And the female is with Julius Belmont."

Spyro held his head in one paw. "My head is killing me. What happened?"

"You were overwhelmed in Skabb's ship. Null Serenity summoned the Night Hunters and they saved you from death."

"Night Hunters?"

"That will be explained later."

"What happened to Skabb?"

"His soul was absorbed by Soma."

Spyro jumped back. "Absorbed?"

"You'll understand everything soon enough. Let's go. Your friends are waiting."

"Thank you." Spyro got up and followed Mina out of the room. They were in a large grey circular room with large pillars. "Where are they?" asked Spyro.

"They must already be at the shrine. Follow me please." Spyro and Mina entered a long hallway with porcelain pillars and stained glass windows. One window showed a man with black hair holding a dead woman in his arms. Another showed the same man crying out to the sky. Another showed the man crawling out of the ground. Another showed the man in a coffin with the sun over head.

"What's with the windows?" Spyro asked.

"They tell a story," said Mina. "Long ago, Mathias Cronqvist was a warrior for the church. One day when he came home after a long battle, he learned that his fiance had died of an illness. Angry, he felt betrayed by God. He grew to hate his creator and swore revenge. He used black magic to turn himself into a vampire. He changed his name to Dracula and became the Dark Master."

"The Dark Master?!" Spyro asked surprised. "The same one we're fighting now?!"

"So some believe, but I am not sure. Here we are." They stood in front of two large doors.

"How do we get in? Those doors are too heavy to push open!" said Spyro.

"True. Only one person in this temple is strong enough." Mina closed her eyes. "Itrenore, we wish to pass." The door on the left slowly began opening. Spyro watched as he saw a muscular dragon push the door open wide enough for Spyro and Mina. Spyro and Mina passed through the doors and the dragon used its jaws to shut the door again. "Thank you, Itrenore," said Mina. They both bowed at each other.

Itrenore was a large white dragon. The dragon had two ivory horns and the wings and underbelly were green. The left eye was green and the right one was blue. Itrenore stood at average height but had an enormous build. This dragon was at least three times as muscular as Terrador. Every muscle was so large that it almost looked cartoonish. Some veins could actually be seen in certain places.

"Wow," said Spyro. "You're ripped!"

Itrenore smiled and spoke with a woman's voice. "Thanks. I try to stay fit."

"Whoa!" Spyro fell back in surprise. "You're... You're a girl?!"

Itrenore frowned. "Yes I am, for a matter of fact! Who says females can't be buff?!"

Mina intervened. "Please, dear Watcher. I'm sure he meant no offense." She then turned to Spyro. "Spyro, apologize to the watcher."

Spyro got up and bowed his head. "I'm sorry. I'm just not used to seeing a female with muscles."

Itrenore bowed. "You are forgiven for your naivete."

The three of them walked up to a large shrine in the room. The shrine was shaped like the sun and the moon being connected by a bridge. A yellow dragon and a black dragon sat in front of the shrine. Itrenore sat with them. The black dragon smiled. She had a slim figure and brown eyes. Her wings and chest were also brown. "Greetings, Spyro," she said. "My name is Ashkor. I am a Watcher of the Omni-temple."

Spyro bowed, "Hello, Ashkor. May I ask what this place is?"

"Patience, child," said Ashkor. "You are a guest. Be still and be calm. This temple has three Watchers. I am Ashkor the Peaceful."

"I am Itrenore the Strong."

The yellow dragon didn't talk. "What's wrong with him?" Spyro asked.

"He can not speak," said Mina.

"This is my brother, Ortinbras the Wise," said Itrenore.

Ortinbras gave a single nod to Spyro. He was yellow with silver wings and a silver chest. His eyes were blue. All three Watchers appeared to be young adults.

"The Omni-temple is a place of recluse. You were brought here by the Night Hunters," said Ashkor.

"Spyro, there you are!" Spyro heard a familiar voice and turned around to see Sparx flying towards him.

"Sparx!" Spyro happily gave his foster brother a hug with his wings. "It's great to see you're okay!"

"Hey, what about us?!" Elora came down the hall smiling. Her brother was right behind her.

"This place is strange," said Mr Tumnus.

Spyro smiled even more. "Elora! Mr Tumnus! You guys aren't hurt!"

Meanwhile, Soma and Arikiado were watching from the back of the room. "They sure seem happy," said Soma.

Arikado nodded. "It brings sorrow to know what trials they'll be facing soon enough."

Stephanie Wyrm: Thank you, NoOneToWorryAbout for giving us our dragon names! The Watchers are based on us. Ortinbras is Sinrah, Itrenore is me, and Ashkor is Holly.