Their plan rested on simplicity, and the stupidity of Ripto's army.
Thankfully, there was plenty of the latter.
Sneaking into the occupied castle wouldn't be a problem; Lyle would provide a distraction, since he was the least threatening adult dragon.
"We Beastmakers are known fer being lazy," he had chuckled, his entire body shaking with it, "an' we look it too." It was true that he had an easy-going air, and wore little to no ornaments. His eyes were half-lidded and sleepy looking, and his face soft. He was big, yes, but he didn't have the same sharpness his fellow Beastmaker Claude has.
The other adults would locate Ripto and his two guard-beasts. Delbin called dibs on the little tyrant himself.
Spyro, Elora, and Hunter would scour the dungeons for allies to set free, while the Professor would scour Alavalr.
Before they went, the Professor had some gifts.
"They're untested," the mole had warned, "but they shouldn't do any harm. Worst comes to worst, they fail to work. Wait until a power-up drains before taking another, and for the love of science, please swallow them whole."
He slipped the bag over Spyro's head, right arm going through as well, so it was acrosss his chest like a mail-carriers bag. Inside were small round balls, multi-faced like a gem. Red, blue, and green. Fire, flight, and speed power-ups, he'd been told.
The Professor scurried off to offer some to the adult dragons as well.
Hunter had wrapped his footpaws in some sort of leather, and hitched a quiver and bow over his shoulder. The arrows weren't particularly sharp, but were coated in some sort of substance. "One little prick, and goodnight." Hunter winked.
Elora had fingerless gloves of some sort on. "I know some magic," she explained, "mostly defensive. The gloves help focus."
One last check, and they were all ready.
"Now, I have ta say," Lyle drawled, from where he lay on his side, "I ain't never seen emptier heads than yers. I mean, it's lanterns without any fireflies, git my drift?"
The Rynocs were momentarily frozen, startled. Lyle's tail flickered lazily, and he picked his nostril with a claw. "Whatdyaknow? Stupider than wet hay as well. Lights are on, nobodies home, and yer 'lectric bill must be astraunonomical."
Apparently, one of the guards finally understood they were being insulted. Barking for one of the others to get back-up, he charged, the other soldiers following.
"Well then," Lyle commented, "guess'n I hit a nerve." He got up, stretching with a lazy grin. "Bin awhile since I got to play. Okay boyos," he rubbed his paws together, "who's first?"
Tentative, Elora led the way, ears flickering this way and that.
"All clear!"
They crept down hallways, hearing distant battle cries growing further away.
Winter home Castle was huge in every sense: tall ceilings, long corridors, ornately designed tile and walls. While the floor was icy, the air itself was mutely warm, probably from some sort of boiler or magical draft.
They had yet to meet any guards, thankfully, but that didn't mean they weren't worried. It was only a matter of time.
Of course, as soon as the three thought it, a voice behind them whispered from the shadows, "Well well well, lookie here! Some nice little market pets."
They startled as a Thief materialized behind them, only to hear giggling from other recesses and corners. Shapes slide out, black, clawed limbs grasping sharp staves.
The leader - Head Thief, Volera - smiled. White, jagged. His garb, typical guild blue, barely swayed as he attacked without a word.
Delbin and his contingent weren't surprised to find Ripto waiting - Gulp and Crush at his side and ready to attack.
Ripto was surprised when he saw his attackers were dragons.
"Gulp, Crush - destroy them!"
The tyrant punctuated his order with a blast from his magic staff; Delbin flared a wing and blocked it. Thankfully, magic attacks didn't do much actual harm to dragons (unless you were young and untrained), although they could slow them down. Usually, you'd want metal or wood or something more physical.
The blast stung, but Delbin recovered enough to leap over the two charging creatures, yelling as he went, "Dibs!"
Lindar spun a staff, muttering, "cheater."
Then the dragons attacked the two brutes, while Delbin closed in on Ripto.