He didn't know how long he knelt there, bag clutched tightly to his chest and knees digging into the rocky gravel below. Tears poured down his face in an uncontrollable tsunami and he made no move to wipe them away as he waited for the ground to open up and swallow him whole. It was what he deserved after all.
What had he done?
What.
Had.
He.
Done?
Scarab...she...she had sacrificed herself to...to protect him. She hadn't even hesitated to throw herself into the fray if it meant giving him an opportunity to escape and he'd failed her. Not only hadn't he run away when he should have, when he had come back to save her (blatantly ignoring everything that she had explicitly told him to do), he hadn't been able to do anything to save her.
He'd only messed things up far worse than they had already been.
Again.
Why? Why was it that whenever he tried to help, he only ended up making things worse for everyone involved? First Tink, and then all of his friends and Zarina (he was still furious at himself for that whole incident. How could he have left Clank to do everything?), and now Scarab. Why was he never enough to save the fairies he cared about?
The messenger bag lay at his feet but he couldn't bring himself to look inside. He knew what he would find there. Scarab had had all of the bracelets, but instead of using them to protect herself from Shade, she'd thrown them aside in a last-minute act of desperation, knowing (or, perhaps hoping) that he would keep them safe while Shade's attention had been spent on her.
Well, she had gotten her wish. Shade had taken her instead. She'd done what she'd set out to do-she had gotten Bobble to the fifth bracelet, but now he was all alone (and hurt; he realized, as a sharp pain ricocheted up his arm and into his shoulder, probably caused by his impact with the rock wall), trapped in a cave with a ravenous dragon that could potentially wake from his comatose at any moment. And by the sharp pains in his wings, he knew he would never have enough strength (or, quite honestly, enough pixie dust) to fly all the way back to the Hollow.
Meaning he was trapped here unless he could figure out where Shade had taken his friend, or the others realized that Scarab had somehow collected all of the bracelets before them and noticed that the two hadn't returned to the Haven and decided to come looking for him.
His options were both awful and he gulped back the remainder of his tears, shuddering and curling in further on himself. What was he doing? What was he really doing here? He wasn't some kind of hero, brave and courageous, able to throw himself into battle with the confidence of knowing he wouldn't lose.
He'd lost.
He'd lost terribly.
He had tried to be the hero the others had wanted him to be. He had tried so hard.
But now Scarab was gone. She'd been counting on him; she'd needed him to prove his worth and he'd let her down.
He didn't deserve to be the Protector. Why did he have these powers if he wasn't supposed to use them to keep the ones he cared about safe? What was even the point then?
The point, the voice in the back of his mind (or sitting on his shoulder, he didn't know which) sighed, sounding exhausted, probably from hearing the tinker's thoughts go in circles for the past hour-and-a-half, is that a hero is there to protect those who cannot protect themselves. To be brave and selfless, to do what is right. They bring hope to those around them. That is what a Protector is born to do. That is their role in the world. You're just...
"What? " he sniffed, raising his voice, even though the sparrowman wasn't physically there to hear him. "A failure? A mistake? Tell me, Scorpion! Look at me! I'm not a fighter! I can't even tell the girl I like that I have feelin's for her! How was I supposed to be able to save anyone?"
You're being much too hard on yourself, Scorpion tried to reason. It was not your fault that Shade decided to come here like he did. No one expected him to still be alive. Not after what he did. Despite your misgivings, both about your own abilities and his, you still came back to try and protect those around you. You didn't care about your own safety, you were concerned with keeping the bracelets away from Shade. Failure or success, it was one of the bravest things I have seen any Protector do in a long while. You are different, Phineas, but you're not a bad hero.
He exhaled sharply, shaking his head and hiding his face in his hands. No, no I'm not. I'm the worst Protector ever! I've...I've failed! My friends are all out hunting for fool's gold because Scarab was too afraid to tell them the truth. She was scared that Shade would come after them too! She...she was trying to protect them and I...I couldn't help her!
Phineas, Scorpion said. I think there's something you should know about-
The cave rumbled and Bobble yelped, scrambling up and grabbing the bag as the thick wall of scales behind him began to stir. The golden eyes of fury snapped awake and the air around him grew thick as he shrunk back, terror crashing over him as the dragon slowly began to sit up.
Kyto growled, his head snaking left and then right and a talon going to his snout. "That...stupid...pixie..." he hissed, disoriented and weakened. "Thinking she could...poison me. Oh, when I find her, forget all charm and formalities. I'm done playing nice with the traitorous likes of fairies! When I get free, I am going to incinerate her!" He threw himself toward the exit, his chains screaming in protest as he was ruthlessly jerked back into the shadows.
Bobble gulped, ducking under a hateful blast of fire and carefully backing away, tucking the fifth bracelet into the bag and pulling it close to him. He desperately struggled to pull his jacket back over his wings, fighting to hide the betraying glow. Kyto was furious with Scarab.
He needed to get out now.
Be careful, Scorpion warned. I sense there may be more to this beast's story than we know. Besides-PHINEAS, LOOK OUT!
Bobble's foot hit the end of one of the chain links, sending him reeling back in pain and a sharp din resonating through the cavern. He slapped a hand over his mouth to muffle his pained exclamation, but it was too late. Kyto's head snapped toward him and two soulless eyes beamed down at him.
"You," the dragon snarled. He rose to his full height and whipped his tail around. It collided with Bobble and sent him crashing backward into the stalagmites. He cried out as he sunk back to the floor, the lights now stubbornly refusing to leave his vision. Heavy footsteps announced the dragon's approach and hot smoke billowed around his head. "You idiot! What did you do to me? You could have killed me!" He growled again. "Where's your little friend hiding, sparrowman? She knew poppies could hurt dragons! You both betrayed me again! Where is the bracelet? GIVE ME THE BRACELET!"
"No," Bobble grunted, forcing himself back to his feet, fidgeting with the ends of his jacket. Did he dare to try and escape? He wouldn't get far and then he would be stranded in the middle of nowhere...and with night falling soon...
But staying here would be just as dangerous. Kyto was furious. He was going to eat him if he didn't come up with an excuse.
And fast.
"I can't give it to ye," he said bravely. Scorpion shouted something but he couldn't hear over his thudding heart. "I need to protect my friends! Please understand! I don't want any trouble! But our real enemy just swooped in and stole Scarab away and I have to go after her, so don't try and stop me!"
Kyto rumbled. "Brave words for such a small fairy. I could crush you in a single movement. Why do you speak so strongly against a being so much greater than you?"
Phineas, Scorpion warned. You need to go. He's not messing around. Whatever you did, you need to take it back and get out of there or he's going to take out his anger for Scarab on you and there's nothing I can do to help you from here!
Bobble hesitated. The escape was right before him. He could make it. The fast-flying talent was there. He could easily outmaneuver the dragon. And then maybe he could find another cave in the mountain to wait out the other's search.
But something was still bothering him...something that Scarab had said before...
What are you waiting for? the sparrowman cried. Bobble, you need to go. NOW!
No! he fired back, forcibly pushing the protector from his head. I can't go anywhere! It's...it's not right!
What?! What are you TALKING about? Phineas, he's going to KILL YOU!
And you want me to run away and leave Scarab behind, so that way Shade can hurt her? he snapped. At the same time, the heat reignited into his palms. Kyto hissed, taking a small step backward and eyeing the fairy warily. It's you, isn't it? You're the one helping Shade! You've been lying to me this whole time, trying to gain my trust, pretending to be my friend! You told me all that stuff about Asha, tried to convince me to tell Tink how I felt about her, all to trick me into trusting you! And it almost worked too! But Scarab caught on to your plan! She knew what you were trying to do!
No, Phineas, wait--
GET OUT OF MY HEAD! he screamed. That was all it took. The Dragonstouch was fully activated-the hurt of the betrayal enough to completely override all common sense and leave him with enough anger and resentment to use the most dangerous of powers-and he threw his hands away from his face as the embers leaped forth, sizzling the stone at his feet and sending both fairy and dragon leaping back to avoid the blast.
"Don't! STOP!" Kyto bellowed, snapping open his wings and using them to shield his face from the impending attack. "YOU FOOL, you're going to bury us both!"
"How do I find them?" Bobble yelled, trying to appear threatening while inside he was just as afraid as the dragon. "Where has Shade taken her? Ye've met them both before! Ye know where they would go! Ye know, Kyto! I know ye do!"
"Put your fire away, weakling," Kyto snarled. "Your pathetic threats do not phase me. You should burn in your comrade's place." He wrinkled his snout. "And yet, there is something different about you. Despite your curse, you still fight to defend those you care about. I was like that once. Generations ago, before I was betrayed by your so-called Protectors, bound away in this heaven-forsaken prison." He lifted his wings to gesture to the cave. "On that day, I swore I would never trust another fairy who would be dumb enough to step foot here. It seems the times have changed. So, allow me to make yet another proposition, boy." He eyed the tinker as Bobble slowly lowered his hands, letting the flames lick the floor around him. "If you release me from these chains, I will take you to your friends and you will never have to see me again." His gaze flicked briefly to the bag Bobble was holding and then back to the sparrowman's face. "Do we have a deal, cursed one?"
Bobble hesitated.
No! Scorpion forced his way back in. Phineas, don't do it! It's a trap! Kyto tried to destroy the Hollow! If you release him, he'll try to do it again!
The tinker ignored him. "Ye promise?" he demanded. "If I release ye, ye will help me find Scarab and then ye'll leave and never attack the Hollow again?"
The dragon bowed his head. "You have my word as the last of my species. I have no intention of attacking your kingdom ever again."
He's telling the truth, Bobble realized. There was genuine remorse in the creature's gaze. He only wants a chance to be free.
Well, that sealed his decision then. Taking a deep breath, he tugged all the power he could muster into his hands and then he looked up at the dragon and nodded. "Aye, we have a deal."
The dragon puffed a plume of heat. "Very well. Release me then."
Bobble quickly opened, hurrying over to duck into the shadows behind the massive beast, following the chains back to the very edge rocky ravine. Two thick strands were sealed to the wall with some kind of extreme heat. They then extended on to the drake's hind legs, making it impossible for him to lash out or fly away.
It was wrong.
In fact, it was just cruel.
Well, maybe if a lot of heat could form the chains, then even more could break it.
Tentatively, he knelt down to run his hands along the patchwork, following the seams where the metal would be the weakest, watching as it melted away almost instantly at his touch. Whoever did this knew only someone like me would be able to break this, he noted. So, they weren't expecting Kyto to ever get out.
He then darted up to repeat the same actions with the ones around Kyto's claws, earning a warning hiss from the drake.
"Double-cross me, fairy, and I'll make you wish you'd never come here."
"I won't," Bobble promised as the last of the restraints fell limply to the cavern floor. "Trust me."
The dragon jumped at the noise and he immediately threw himself forward, blocking the exit and rounding back on the tinker with a snarl. Bobble instantly cried out, falling back and covering his face, bracing himself to be torn apart by the drake's massive teeth.
The fangs stopped millimeters away and Kyto snorted, the power of his breaths nearly enough to bowl Bobble over. Gold bore into his soul and the beast let out a rumble from deep inside his throat.
"You freed me."
Bobble opened one eye slowly. "Uh...aye? That...that was the deal, right?"
Kyto snorted again. "You are the first fairy who has kept his word in a long time, Protector. Very well." With that, he turned abruptly away and started toward the exit, sitting down upon reaching the open air. "Get on."
"Wait, what?"
Kyto growled. "You can't fly," he remarked. "If you could have, you wouldn't have bothered to bargain with me. If you want to find your friends, then I'm the quickest way to do so. Now don't argue and climb on."
Uh, okay? He carefully obeyed, settling quietly between the rift of scales separating the drake's neck and shoulders. He pulled the leaf-flap bag close, feeling the bracelets settle against his side and taking a deep breath. "All right," he told the dragon. "I'm ready."
Kyto scoffed. "Yeah, right. Hang on tight, runt."
And with no more warning than that, the dragon took off in a full sprint, his strides nearly throwing Bobble clear. The tinker yelped and clung desperately to the closest scales. On either side of him, Kyto threw open his wings...and plummeted off the side of the cliff.
The wind swooped up underneath them, grabbing a hold of Kyto and tossing him back into the air, as well as sufficiently cutting off Bobble's blood-curdling scream. The dragon, however, received an earful, roaring in laughter as he drew into an upward spiral, effortlessly cutting through the air with his sharp, razor-like wings and thin tail.
He leveled out once again once he reached the top of the mountain and settled at its very point, giving Bobble a moment to regain his bearings as the dragon lifted his head and let out the loudest roar of victory imaginable. A flock of birds twenty miles away shot from the treetops and took off in a panic and Kyto laughed, the first joyful sound Bobble had heard from him.
And then he was off again, leaping from the peak and gliding softly across the horizon...in the opposite direction of the Hollow.
The sun peeked through the clouds shortly after, coating the land with warmth and light, and the weight of all the events that had just transpired crashed into him all at once. The bracelets felt heavy in his grasp and he curiously reached for them, sliding two of them on and feeling the overwhelming sense of strength they provided.
With them, he could do anything.
He could save Scarab.
He could protect the Hollow forever.
No one would ever have to be afraid of him again.
Exhaustion drove him down and he reluctantly released his hold on the rings, letting them clink back into the back as he lay his head against the dragon's scales, waiting for the world to stop spinning.
He was sound asleep before they reached the next peak.