Chapter 42: Recovery
Rift sighed and slumped over.
Silver: What's wrong?
Rift: I don't know what to do for the skit at the beginning of this chapter.
Silver: Me neither.
Rift: Wait, what if we do a skit about not knowing what to do a skit?
Silver: Perfect! Now do the disclaimers!
Rift: Silver doesn't own any Spyro characters or storyline, only his OCs and story. Dragon's Claw, Void, Kara, Keltin, The Legend of Rift storyline, and I are owned by Rifty Agon. If you don't like the story, then don't read it..
Silvus' POV:
Pain, that is all I felt. Mainly in my head. It felt as there was literal holes in my head, but at the same time, it felt as if they were filled. I tried to open my eyes, but found myself unable. I heard faint voices, they seemed far away. Everything hurt…pain….and then darkness.
This things kept repeating over and over again, like an everlasting dream. The pain, the holes being filled, the voices, and then….darkness. I felt out of my body and in it at the same time.
Then the most recent occurrence, I heard a voice. "Silvus." It did not sound young, nor did it sound old. Though I could not recognize the voice, I felt somewhat calmed by it. "It is time."
I didn't listen to the voice, no matter how much I wanted to. The darkness took away the pain, the ever so present pain. I want to stay with the darkness, it felt calming and peaceful. It took away worry and depression. The darkness is where I am, the darkness is where I'll stay. No pain, no sorrow.
But there was an ever present feeling that came with the darkness. Isolation… no… loneliness. I felt alone in the dark, though I wanted to stay in the dark. It doesn't feel safe. It takes away pain. It takes away life. There is no sorrow. Only death awaits. There is no worry. Death awaits in the dark. No fear lays in the dark. There is no one in the dark…...in the darkness I am alone.
Images began flashing through my mind. I saw my family. My father, mother, and sister. My first real friend, Amelia. The wind dragon, Aerio who also became my friend. I saw Rift and Kara side by side. Void was seen with Ignitus and Gabriel. I saw those who I met along my journey to become a Messenger. Snow, Kafta, Trak, Kafto, and the water hatchling, Kardia. I saw the Guardians, all of those who I met. At the end, I saw me….all of them, together as one. Then they all disappeared, leaving me alone in the darkness.
Another occurrence of pain, I heard another voice. "Please wake up." The voice sounded pleading. Familiar, but different at the same time. Distinctly male.
"It's better if he doesn't during this." Another voice said, also sounding familiar but different. Female.
"He will. The process is painful, but quick. I will need you two to hold him down." This voice didn't sound so familiar. Sounding a mix between young and old. I knew not what they were talking about, nor who this was.
Feeling was returning to me. I was coming back from the misty dream world, where I could hear the outside world, but have no understanding of it. My eyes were closed and I felt four pairs of paws holding me down in core places. My back felt numb, as well as my head. There was a slight feeling of emptiness.
"This is the last one and then it will be done." The voice from my dream I instantly recognized. "On three."
I didn't know what they were talking about, I couldn't move. I'm restrained, I realized. The four paws holding me down were strong, each came a different but similar feeling. Heat came from one as well as another. One was chilly and hard. The last were small and soft but a feeling of almost comforting strength.
"Three, two." My groggy mind took a few seconds to realize what was going on. "One."
An enormous pain shot through my body, emanating from my head. This caused my eyes to shoot open but close immediately from the brightness. I would have jumped off of whatever I was on, a soft bed of some sort, but the restrainers did their job.
The pain receded and the feeling of emptiness was….gone, like it was never there in the first place.
The sudden pain allowed all feeling of sleep to wear off, but the exhaustion and the feeling of weakness was still present. My breathing was quick but was slowing down at every breath.
"Is he awake?" Someone asked. With my mind now clear, I was able to recognize the voice, but only from a distant memory. Someone who sounded battle hardened, but calm at the same time. It was a thought lost female by the name of Kafta. She's alive and here! Wait...where am I?
A groan escaped my maw as my eyes opened barely. I couldn't see a thing because of how bright it was, though I could to make out five figures in the room I was in. Two small ones, around the size of young adolescents but not quite there yet, one I could barely see by their coloring. One was the same size as Kafto. Another darker looking figure was in the middle from a full adult dragon and a young adult dragon. The last was the largest of the group.
As my focus returned, I recognized everyone in the room with the exception of the dark one. Once my eyes were fully open, I saw Rift and Kara standing on my left side, while Kafta and Void were to my right. They held me down. The last one was a dark grey dragon unlike anyone I've ever seen before.
Upon waking up fully, Rift, who was closest to me, immediately hugged me, causing me to wince in pain. "Careful!" Kara said. "You're hurting him!"
Rift let loose his grip just a bit but still hugged me. He shuddered. "I thought you were gone."
I tried to speak, but all that came out was a nasty cough. I could barely speak. Kafta immediately made a ball of ice in one paw, and then a bowl in the other. Void then took the ball of ice and focus his fire into his paw, heating it to the point of melting. The water splashed into the bowl and then Kafta moved the bowl to my maw, allowing me liquid. Relief to my ever burning throat.
"Better?" Asked Kafta.
My throat now clear, I was now able to speak clearly, though it still hurt. "Much." I said raspily.
Everyone in the room looked viability relieved, especially Rift and surprisingly, the grey dragon.
I had so many questions on my mind, but only spoke one aloud. "What happened to me?" I asked.
"You don't remember?" Rift asked and I shook my head. Now I know how Kafto felt.
The grey dragon stepped forward toward the edge of the bed. "You were attacked and severely injured. Kafta and I got there just before you were killed. We brought you here to Dragon's Claw, where Kara patched you up." Void looked at the dragon with a stern expression, like he wasn't pleased with what he said, but he didn't say anything.
I began to run my paw all over my head. "No wonder my head is pound….ing." My sentence wasn't finished when I realized that something was missing. On either side of my head, where my horns were, was nothing...nothing but smooth scale. Like they were never there.
Everyone bowed their in sadness at my new revelation. A tear ran down my face. Once realizing that my horns were missing, memories of what happened came flashing back. I cried at the remembrance. Everyone looked up to see what was wrong, which was nothing. I was already rolled onto my belly and I turned my head to looked at my gauze covered back.
"I'm sorry, Silvus." Kara said.
With a few minutes of silent tears, I looked around the room for some sort of reflection device. When I couldn't find one, I tried to stand on shaky paws, but could not. Everyone rushed forward to ease me back on the bed.
"You need to stay there until you regain your strength." The grey dragon said. I stared at the dragon with mixed emotion. It took my brain a while but now I knew. The signs, the color, the young and old look and voice.
Staring only at the grey dragon. "Everyone leave." No one moved. I looked at each one with a stern expression. Each held an expression of hurt, most of all Rift. But eventually, they complied. Rift gave one last look at me before he left.
My gaze then turned toward the dragon in front of me. "Why are you here?" My tone not sounding angry or annoyed, only curious.
"I was sent." He said simply.
"I know who you are Zoi, Guardian of Spirit. You can hardly be contacted from anyone outside the Spirit Realm. So I ask again, why are you here?" I ordered forcefully.
"Tell me Silvus, how much do you know about the Spirit Realm?" He asked sitting down with smooth smile. That made me cringe.
"It's the place dead species go after death, you help move them along." I said simply. Recalling the information Gabriel taught me.
Zoi gave a chuckle. "That is partially right." Then proceeded to explain. "The Spirit Realm is where a dragon's spirit go after death. Their soul goes there while their conscious goes elsewhere. It's a separation of mind and soul except they share the same personality, but in different realms."
My mind processing this information still had one question. "But who sent you?"
"I am not to say their name, but to only give a message." I tilted my head. "One month from this very day. Go to the ruins of Windig."
My eyes widened. "Why would I listen to you?" I asked suspiciously.
Zoi laughed before several of himself appeared in wisps of grey mist. Each of them holding stuff in their wings. My armor, satchel and it's contains, which he dropped on the floor with ease.
"These words are not my own, I can promise you that." All of him were talking and looking at me. Creeping me out with the overlapping voices all sounding the exact same. "Goodbye Silvus, I wish you luck in your future. Though I care little. My part of the deal is done" At those last words, all of him disappeared in a grey mist.
I was left alone in the room, completely confused. I don't understand. There is nothing occurring in one month from what I know. But why Windig, the place is a ghostyard, and who would give me a message like that. All these thoughts ran through my head, my hornless had. Cynder you have given me another reason to kill you, but next time I'll be ready.
The day was as boring as the past week and a half. Sitting in bed all day with only a few dragons to keep me company. It was mainly Kafta and Void. Rift and Kara were in class most of the day, but Rift was always there at the end of each day, and occasionally, Kara was there as well. I got to know my cousin and his friend better of the past few days, but I was tired of sitting in bed. I was built to move around and not sit still.
But today was a little different from the others. Rift and Kara came here after school, both with huge smiles on their faces. My instant thought was that they confessed their love for each other. I saw all the signs. They were close. But I was wrong with my assumption.
"What's with the faces guys?" I asked.
Their smiles only grew.
"What is it!" I said.
"Good news." Rift said.
"It's been a little over a week since you first woke up. I do believe it's time for you to start walking." Kara said with a smile.
Their smiles were contagious. My own smile grew at the words. I immediately threw off the blankets covering me and tried to get up on my paws. The pair of dragons were by my side in an instant.
"Hey, take it slow." Kara said as she and Rift helped me to my paws.
Soon, I was on all fours. My legs shaking, but was still able to hold myself up, taking the first steps in what felt like weeks. Then again, I was unconscious for a week and laying in bed for another week and a half.
Taking the steps wasn't easy, but Rift and Kara were on either side of me helping. For that, I was thankful. They walked me to the cooking room, where Void was preparing some fresh venison. It smelled great, my maw was watering.
"Silvus, you're walking now." Void said as I entered.
"Not fully." I said with a smile. Once I was seated, I folded my wings then Rift and Kara followed suite.
"In at least two days, you should be able to walk on your own." Kara said as Void put our food down on the table.
It was true. Two days later, I was out and about with Void and Kara. She came over to visit after she cleaned her house. Rift was out getting groceries. With that, they decided to show me around Dragon's Claw to regain lost strength in my legs.
The walk was quite peaceful. The place was beautiful. The mountains almost right next to the village were amazing to gaze at. The surrounding area was luscious and abundant in grass and tall trees. All in all, this is a well hidden village. I don't see this place falling anytime soon.
"Well Rift, it took many years, but it's good to know that I am, and always will be, better than you. I could just head home now, but I think your friend's time is up."
I tilted my head at the voice. It sounded familiar, but not close enough to see. A loud gasp emanating from Kara and an explosion broke my thoughts. I looked in the direction to see an unconscious dragon on the ground in front of a burgundy dragon that was starring at us with an expression that clearly said, I'm screwed. Looking past the dragon, I saw a very injured Rift that Void and Kara were already rushing toward.
With my weak legs I made my way over to them. The burgundy dragon, that I now recognized to be that bully Keltin, was trying to make an escape when I froze his paws to the ground. Then shot a blunt icicle that hit the tip of his right wing, causing that to freeze to the ground. Keltin didn't even look scared by my deadly accuracy, even at my weakened state.
"Watch him Silvus." Void snarled, carrying both the unconscious Rift and the unknown dragon. "Kara, get some of the guards." She looked like she wanted to stay with Void, to watch over Rift. I held the same feeling. With one look at Kara's expression, he let out a sigh. "Sedate him."
The second those words left his maw I shot another large blunt icicle that hit Keltin on the side of the head, knocking him unconscious. Then, Void immediately rushed toward a bigger building in the distance. I limply followed. They left me behind, though I didn't mind. I knew it was for good reason. All I could do was hope that he would recover.
Silver: So… What should we do for the next chapter?
Rift: Beats me.
Silver: We could always do it on trying to think of another ski… Enough of the Fireball!
Rift begins gulping bottles.
Silver: Sigh, see you all next week.