Welcome back to Uncharted: Beyond Realms. Last time, Nathan Drake, Elena, and Sully arrived in the Dragon Realms for some well deserved vacation. While exploring the city, each of them stumbled upon a peculiar pendant: Nate's in blue, Elena's in green, and Sully's in yellow; before meeting up for dinner. But as they headed towards the restaurant, Spyro and Cynder made an appearance, emerging from the shadows, with Spyro wearing a red pendant in the same style as the three Nathan Drake and company have. What's going on here? And more importantly, are our favorite pair of dragons friend or foe? Read on to discover...

(Our story resumes in downtown Warfang, starting with the facade of a restaurant calling itself the Gilded Dragonfly Alehouse, where Nathan Drake, Elena, and Sully arrive, greeted by the host amidst an army of guards)

Host: Name?

Nathan Drake: Drake, Party of 3.

Host: (Checks his reservations) Drake, Party of 3, Ah, there we are. Welcome to the Gilded Dragonfly, right this way.

(Before long, we see Nathan Drake, Elena, and Sully seated at a table right in the middle of the restaurant, seating themselves, with Nathan Drake trying to be the gentleman and getting Elena's chair as menus are handed out by a waiter)

Waiter: Can I get you anything to drink?

Nathan Drake: Just water for me.

Elena: Make that two.

Sully: (Studies the menu) What's the house special?

Waiter: That would be the Sky Terror. A nice dark ale, almost like a cross between a stout and a porter, with notes of dark chocolate and a kiss of cinnamon sprinkled throughout.

Sully: Guess I'm going with that.

Waiter: Excellent choice sir.

Nathan Drake: (Noticing the security has moved indoors) What's with all the security?

Waiter: This establishment is expecting some especially important guests this evening. Last minute reservation. But for these two, we can honor it. I'll be back in a moment with your drinks.

(And with that, the waiter leaves the table, giving Nathan Drake and company time to ponder the menu.)

Elena: (Looking back at the security) You think it could be them?

Nathan Drake: Who?

Elena: The two guests that mandate all this security. You think it could be them?

Nathan Drake: (Realizing exactly who Elena is talking about) It could be.

Sully: Come on you two, the chances we'd run into those two, one in a million.

(But before long, the doors to the restaurant open again, and there they stand, Spyro and Cynder, escorted to a booth nearby)

Nathan Drake: (Seeing the two dragons arrive) Looks like you'll be having your words as a side, Sully. One in a million just happened.

Sully: (Now seeing Spyro and Cynder have arrived) Well I'll be damned.

Elena: I didn't even think we'd overlap with Spyro or Cynder, let alone both of them in one night.

(But as Elena talks, Nathan Drake notices something, the pendant around Spyro's neck, before looking down at his own)

Elena: (Seeing something on Nathan Drake's face) Nate?

Nathan Drake: Is it just me, or is he wearing one of these? (Holds up the pendant)

Elena: (Looking closer at Spyro's neck) Huh, I think he is.

Sully: So the maker of these things made a few. What craftsman doesn't?

Nathan Drake: I don't know. Something about this seems odd.

(But before Nathan Drake can say anything, the doors to the restaurant open again, but we don't see who comes in straight away. They talk to the host, and this is when we overhear the conversation)

Host: I'm sorry, but I don't see a reservation by that name. We have an opening in two days though if that interests you.

?: We will not be denied.

(In that moment, the party pulls out a knife and stabs the host in the heart before flinging off a cloak to reveal a bandolier of rifle rounds, and the rifle to boot, and before long the doors burst open to reveal at least eight more)

?: This place is now under the control of the Malefic Order. Surrender the Purple Dragon and the Traitor and nobody will be hurt.

Guard: (Pulls out his gun) You should have stayed down when your master was defeated.

Malefic Order Rifleman: The Dark Master will rise again!

(And with no regard for the civilians, the rifleman starts firing into the crowd. Nathan Drake barely manages to tackle Elena out of the way as Sully hits the deck before the bullets start flying. The civilians duck, going into a panic. Many of the guards are mowed down by the shots, the first of which to speak up drops his gun, with it landing near Nathan Drake. Not hesitating for a moment, Nathan Drake grabs the gun and moves to shoot back)

Elena: (Realizing exactly what he's doing) Nate, are you crazy?! (Realizing Nathan Drake's not listening) NATE!

(But Nathan Drake still doesn't hear, he's running on instinct at this point. And his instinct is the fight back, not to cower in fear. And while the rifleman reloads with another bandolier, Nathan Drake fires a few shots back, knocking the rifle from his hand. But Nathan Drake doesn't duck before the rifleman and his forces can see them)

Malefic Order Rifleman: So, we've got somebody playing hero in the crowd tonight, eh? (Gestures to his fellows) Why don't we show them how we treat people playing hero.

(And just like that, the eight other Malefic Order members charge at Nathan Drake, who is realizing he should have listened to Elena at this point, when suddenly a wall of Fire appears, separating the eight assailants from their target. Looking up, Nathan Drake realizes the source is Spyro, breathing a stream of Fire to form the border while Cynder ushers the other civilians out the back.)

Spyro: (Looking at Nathan Drake, who's now looking up at him in awe) Need a hand?

Nathan Drake: Couldn't hurt.

Cynder: (Rejoining the group, cracking her neck as she does) How about two then? I have a score to settle with these punks.

(And with that, the battle is on. Spyro and Cynder unleash their elemental abilities while Nathan Drake continues firing on the enemy, ducking and dodging behind tables and booths, putting his amazing luck to the test with each shot fired. But eventually, the trio emerge successful with Nathan Drake knocking the rifle out of the rifleman's hand again as he points his weapon at him before he can go to retrieve his weapon.)

Nathan Drake: I wouldn't if I were you.

(At this point, a pair of guards enter the room, having heard the commotion)

Guard 2: Is everything alright here?

Cynder: No need to worry, Sergeant. The civilians were evacuated out the back. We took care of these punks.

Spyro: Though, probably couldn't have done it without... (Realizing something) It just occurs to me, I never caught your name.

Nathan Drake: Drake. Nathan Drake.

Spyro: If it weren't for Nathan here, things might have ended much differently.

Cynder: Have these punks brought down to the station immediately. I wish to interview them.

Guard 3: At once, Commander Cynder.

Nathan Drake: (Looking at Cynder with a bit of surprise) Commander Cynder?

Cynder: Yes, I hold a command post in the Guard. Were you expecting Spyro to outrank me?

Nathan Drake: (Trying to figure out how to say this without offending her) Maybe?

Cynder: (Chuckling it off) Don't worry, you're not the only one. He got out of the military life once the war ended.

Spyro: Wasn't my style. Found my calling as a farmer. But we can discuss that later. (Looks down at the pendant on Nathan Drake's neck) I believe you and your friends have something we've sought for a long time now.

(As Nathan Drake looks down at the pendant around his neck in surprise that Spyro and Cynder have been looking for it, then remembering Elena and Sully have them too, our scene ends for today)

And that looks like a good spot to end for today. Now let me address something: Spyro working in agriculture. Most of my stories, and heck a lot of the ones I read in general place Spyro as at least armed forces adjacent. I could see Cynder doing some sort of military thing as a career, since war is all she's known. But Spyro, as common as the trope is, it seemed weird. And some people agree with me. A piece I saw on Deviantart once placed Spyro as a farmer. I don't remember who's it was, but they made quite the point regarding where Spyro might have ended up. So yeah, of the couple I'd say Cynder's more the breadwinner in this version, since the Guard probably pays better than farming. Anyways, so what do Spyro and Cynder want with these pendants? Tune in next time to find out! Same time... same channel!