Chapter 39: One Mission
Rift hurled into the toilet once more. Sure, dragons could hold their alcohol, but not ten bottles of Fireball. Rift groaned and looked in the mirror.
Rift: Oh hey, my scales match how I feel inside right now.
Rift admired himself in the mirror and growled lustfully.
Rift: Yummy, all the things my mate would do if he saw me right now, mmrf!
The orange dragon froze, the audience staring at him.
Rift: So umm, yeah… now that it's out that my mate is a guy…
Rift begins blushing profusely.
Rift: Umm, Silver doesn't own any Spyro characters or storyline, only his OCs and story. I am owned by a hooman, Rifty Agon. If you don't like the story, umm… bye!
Silver: I greatly apologize, my friend enjoys testing my limits of what he can type here.
Five Years Later, Silvus' POV:
"The forging of your armor marks the completion of your training."
Today was the final day of my training. Here I sat in front of Gabriel, all grown up at the age of thirteen. My talons have grown out, even the one that was removed. My tail blade grew out, the lower part being rounded until it reaches the tip, forming a deadly blade. My horns grew, sprouting from either side of my head and angling up until they came to a stop. All these parts were shining silver, much like my original color.
"You must first choose a material."
I have learned so much from my element, those who didn't know better would call me a master . But there is still much for me to learn from a true master of ice. My body has grown muscular. I can now fly great distances without having to take many breaks. My mind has grown as well. Information of elements, history, and locations have been driven into my mind. I am now a living map of the Dragon Realms, though I still hold my satchel closely, spirit gems and food as it's main contents.
"You have gold, bronze, titanium, obsidian, any material to choose from. Remember, Varytita allows what feels like weightlessness and strength."
I couldn't wait to get out of Shimmering Shores and into the Dragon Realms. The last time I was out was five years ago. I want to visit Kafto, make sure he is okay. Visiting Uncle Void and Rift would be nice as well. But my first priority is to find Ignitus and inform him of my completion. Seeing dragons my age for once would be nice though.
"Which do you choose?" Gabriel asked, bringing my out of my thoughts.
Without answering, I looked down at my claws. The color gave me the answer to this question.
"Silver." I said, my voice now deeper, the high pitched squeakiness was now gone. My voice wasn't too high nor was it too deep. It's like a perfect mix of the two.
"Good choice." Gabriel said with a smile.
We were at the top floor once again, the place with all the colorful lights at the tip of the mountain. I still haven't gotten a proper answer about that. Gabriel led me down to the fourway hall on a staircase made of light. He went down one of the four corners and into a room, I followed to see that there was already a suit of armor made for me. The edges of the armor lined with green. The rest of the armor matched my claws and horns.
As I approached it, I noticed a collection of light blue crystals embedded in the front part of the greaves and the center of the helmet. The armor was sleek and shiny. The tail coverings seemed to add onto my tail blade.
"I had a feeling that you would choose silver." Gabriel said, sitting on his haunches next to the armor.
"You are right as usual Master Gabriel." I took the helmet off of the armor statue and placed it on my head. A perfect fit! The only thing that is lacking from the Messenger armor were the symbols. "When do I get my first symbols?" I asked.
"Your Messenger symbol will be inscribed in due time, but for now, you need to find Ignitus and inform him of your completion." Gabriel said, his sun colored eyes locked with my amethyst. "Now put the rest on."
Putting on the armor was easy enough. Everything fit perfectly and complimented my build. As the rest described, this armor hardly weighed a thing and with the help of the ice crystals, I felt my element would be stronger and more enduring in battle, but that still needed to be proven.
Gabriel stood up along with me. "This marks the completion of your training. Silvus, you are officially The Messenger for Light, Messenger for the Guardian Gabriel." I could not help but grin at the words. Six years of training non stop was all to get right here. "Your first mission is to inform Ignitus, Guardian of Fire, of your finished training. His current location is the Dragon Temple."
"How do you know that?" I asked.
"Follow me."
We went back up to the top of the mountain to where the mysterious lights are.
"What are they?" I asked, the question that I've been asking for years but was always met with the same answer. At a later time Silvus.
"Thirteen lights, thirteen Guardians." He said looking up at the lights as he explained. "Each color represents a Guardian and their element. I am able to view the locations of each Guardian due to my element. For these magical lights were created by Fos." Fos the first Light Guardian. As I was told, the Ancestors or the First Guardians, created this island. "I am able to send messages to the Guardians, but it takes a lot of my energy. The island is only as strong as the current caretaker."
"This thing keeps track of all Guardians." I said, walking forward to stand beside Gabriel. "But three elements are missing."
"Yes, do you know what they are?" It's a test of my knowledge.
I looked up at the lights, it didn't take long for me to figure it out. "Plasma, Psion, and Convexity are missing." I said.
Gabriel inclined his head to look at me. "Do you know why?"
Searching my mind once more I found the answer. "There isn't a single known Plasma dragon left in existence. Telos, former Guardian of Plasma, was the last. Psion, there aren't many left, those that are alive aren't showing themselves. As for Convexity, the only known dragon to have wielded that element was driven mad and is no longer here, though his influence remains."
"You are ready young Silvus, Messenger of Light." Gabriel smiled. I nodded, returning the smile.
"I am grateful for all that you have done for me Gabriel." Breaking the master just this once.
"Your journey begins."
Gabriel and I walked to the white beach of Shimmering Shores. My satchel at my side. My claw dagger, a little bit of frouta just in case, spirit gems, and the snow goggles that I got from Dante's Freezer.
I am ready.
"Good luck young dragon." Gabriel said. I gave a nod, as I couldn't get any words out. Though I didn't need to. "I have a feeling I won't be seeing you in a while."
Those were the last words I heard from my mentor before I turned away from him and took off, flying across the ocean. My destination in mind, the Dragon Temple.
Reaching the mainland had never been shorter. My extended flights also increased my speed. But unfortunately, I had to land as soon as I reached the beach. I spotted an ape patrol further up the shore. Gabriel told me not to engage any apes along the way unless I had no choice and I will honor that.
Sneaking past the apes was easier than ever. The art of stealth was something that I was recently taught and expertly executed. Close calls were a thing of the past. Soon, I was past the group and flying southward. The Dragon Temple was far from Shimmering Shores. I had to follow the shore line until I reached the swamp.
The trip barely took a day, and I reached the swamp easily. As I landed just for a short bit to get a look around, when several apes came running out of the murky area. One ran right at me, sword in hand.
I sidestepped to the right, avoiding getting cut down, and countered with a well placed icicle, killing the ape. But I wasn't finished yet, the surprised apes soon regained their composure and surrounded me, three to one. The apes charged, giving a battle cry for their falling brethren.
For trained soldiers, they weren't very quick. I ducked and jumped up, knocking an ape into the air. I whipped my tail around, slitting the throat of another ape, and knocked away the sword of the other. The ape in the air landed on his other companion, causing them both to tumble to the ground.
Shaking my head at the them, I retrieved both their weapons and froze them solid, proceeding to bring my tail down them, breaking the weapons in half. Both the apes crawled back in a helpless manner, a scared look in their eye.
"I will not stoop to your level." I said, spreading my wings to take off. With a mighty flap, I was in the air, speeding away from the scene. That went well for my first battle...alone.
As the day grew dark, I spotted the temple in the distance. It looked as bad as the first time I saw it, nearly eight years ago. Maybe someone repaired it on the inside but not the exterior. Strange, but I don't know for sure until I've reached it.
Which didn't take long, considering how close I was already. If I came from any other direction it would have taken longer, plus I would have to cross miles of ocean. This was the only place I could approach it from by land.
Up close the temple looked as ruined as ever. I landed underneath the balcony, there is something I have to check. The grass was tall, but there were certain small patches where the grass was shorter than the rest. The egg graves I made were still here, though grown over, still here. Maybe I'll rest here for a bit.
I woke up to the sound of wings flapping. They weren't as heavy as an adult dragon. Maybe a few years younger than I. Eyes still groggy from sleep, I looked up to see a dragon flying toward the sea with some sort of tiny light next to it. I couldn't make out the coloring of the dragon, but judging from the smaller structure, this dragon was at least three years younger than I.
I rubbed my eyes a bit to clear the blurriness and looked up to search for the dragon, only to see that he has gone, just a tiny speck in the distance. Judging by the direction they were flying, I could tell where they were headed, Dante's Freezer. Why would they be going there? It's full of apes and ghouls!
Ignoring the dragon for now, I stretched out my wings. Noticing it was morning, I quickly flew up to the balcony in search of anyone there. A quick look around told me that no one was out here. Maybe inside?
Walking into the doorway that opened for me, I was greeted by the great statue of the dragon, Malefor. Why there is a statue of him in here, I do not know. I decided not to dwell on it as I walked around it and into the room with the Pool of Visions, where I was greeted by a voice I haven't heard in six years.
"Spyro, what are you doing back-" Whatever the Fire Guardian was going to say was cut off when he turned to look at me. Our eyes met, orange met purple. First I saw confusion, then recognition. "Silvus, is that you?" His voice full of relief. "My hope is slowly restoring."
"Master Ignitus, it's been awhile." I said with a smile.
Which he returned. "Indeed it has Silvus, Messenger of Light."
I took off my helmet and tucked it on my wing. "Six years and it was all worth it."
Ignitus let out a sigh and turned to look into the Pool of Visions. "Six years….all this has happened."
With concern for the old dragon, I moved to stand beside him, turning serious. "What has happened in my absence?"
Ignitus looked at me from the corner of his eye. "Much has happened."
I put a paw on his shoulder. "I am no longer a hatchling, I've grown."
Ignitus pulled away from the pool to sit and look at me. "Indeed you have, but you are still young." I gave him a look of, seriously. "But that won't stop you from finding out anyway." Ignitus sighed and looked up.
Is it just me, or has Ignitus gotten more... depressed since I last saw him?
"Four years ago, we began to take back the islands taken by the apes. Terrador, Volteer, Cyril and I personally led the force." He sighed and looked to the ground, avoiding eye contact. "We retook many of the islands with our army. It almost seemed too easy, but before we could realize that, it was already too late. We were attacked by a foe that we thought was elsewhere." This time, Ignitus met my gaze with a sorrowful look in his eye. "Many lives were lost that day. The other Guardians and I made it out okay, but every time we tried to land, we were followed. More and more of ours were killed until we realized we had to retreat all the way back to the mainland. Once at Warfang, we gathered an army to retake the islands once more."
Ignitus stood up and walked around the room, towards one end. There was a banner hanging there, with the four elements of the Guardians sent to guard this temple's treasure, the eggs.
"I-I am responsible for the death of thousands. I may have doomed the dragon race for not taking the eggs out and taking that army of dragons just to be slaughtered." Ignitus turned to look at me once more. "That horrible day we were ambushed. I stood on the sideline, frozen from terror as I watched my fellow Guardians plucked from the ground from our enemy, taken away for an unknown reason. She tried to come for me too, but I ran. From that day four years ago, all my hope had vanished. So I hid, here in the swamp. Waiting to meet my end. Until, I found Spyro, well he found me."
"Spyro?" The name he said before. I recognized it, like I read it somewhere before but not knowing where.
"Years ago, you reported that the purple dragon egg was out there, and you were right." Ignitus said with a smile. My jaw dropped.
The egg book!
"Where is he?" I asked, looking around for the legendary dragon, questions about this enemy he was talking about disappeared at the mention of the purple dragon.
"On a mission to Dante's Freezer." Ignitus said. "Volteer is held up there."
"So you sent him alone?" I said standing up.
"At first yes, but not anymore."
"What do you mean?" I asked.
Ignitus smiled. "You are to go there to ensure that Spyro finds and frees Volteer. This is your first duty as a Messenger Silvus."
"I will not fail." I said, taking my helmet from my wing and placing it on my head and turned, intending to walk out the door.
"Silvus."
As my name was called, I stopped and looked at Ignitus. He looked worried. "If you are to encounter the one who took the Guardians away, do not engage."
My curiosity seeped back at the mention of this...enemy. "Who are they?"
Ignitus seemed to hesitate for a moment. "The Terror of the Skies…...Cynder."
Anger flared up in me. I gave a quick nod and ran out the room and out of the temple. I immediately took flight toward Dante's Freezer with one thought on my mind.
Sorry Ignitus, but I'm not about to let the dragon who killed my mother live.
Silver: Hey Rift!
Silver was looking around for the orange dragon but couldn't find him anywhere in the house.
Silver: Rift!
Rift: What!
Silver: Where are you!
Rift: Umm. No where.
Silver: You better not be in the refrigerator!
Silver said making his way to the kitchen. Only to see Rift sitting on the table with a bottle of Fireball right next to him. Silver sighs and facepalms, takes the bottle and throws it out the window.
Silver: I told you no more of that stuff. Pass out on my floor again and I'll put another spider on you.
Rift: You wouldn't!
Silver: I would!
It was a staredown. Human versus dragon who will win. Find out next week! Bye people. Narrator says bye for once.