Chapter uploaded: May 8th, 2024
Last edited: September 3rd, 2024
A/N
IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT
I have a new poll up on my profile. I want to know which characters readers like the most/who they'd want to see more of. While I have many future chapters planned already, not everything is set in stone, and knowing what's popular will influence my decisions. It may push me to feature certain characters more prominently or be used as a sign to change/improve what I have.
I'd appreciate it if you all took the time to vote in this poll. Although, you're all free to share your opinions in the reviews if you prefer, as well. I will read everything!
Moving on, I said last time that I would address the whole FES/Movie/Reload situation at the start of this chapter… and we've since learnt that The Answer will be coming back in Reload as DLC. I want to say it doesn't matter too much if you've only experienced one side of the P3 story, if at all. (Spyro-only fans are just as welcome here.) But in case any of you want more clarification, here are some of the continuity choices I'll follow.
-Makoto has the same personality, backstory, and character arcs he did in the movies. His Spider Sense-like ability also comes from here, as featured briefly in Spring of Birth.
-During the school year, he joined the kendo sports team and the music club. (WHY can't we choose this ourselves anymore, Reload?)
-The SEES uniform he received in June (with the pauldron instead of the armband) is not canon, although he did technically learn how to use Theurgy through his Fusion Spells. He also has experience with all weapon types.
-All Social Links and Linked Episodes are canon with some alterations to better align with Makoto's established character. Junpei's final, optional, episode is not canon, however. (You know the one…)
-Any individual arc that differs between movies and games is assumed to follow the movies first. Winter of Rebirth's whole story, especially, is considered canon.
-I'm making Makoto a Christian for this story. I have a head-canon for how the original journey ended, and this idea plays into that in some ways, as you'll soon see.
I'll add to this list if I think of anything else later.
With all that said though, enjoy!
More Than One Heart
Chapter 8 - Way of Life [Part 2]
The adult wolf tromped through the temple as he breathed heavily. After enduring a long morning of tedious meetings and other important responsibilities, Sirius finally had a chance to rest. Stepping back from the crowd of bewildered wolves, he returned home to decompress. His eyes were strained from a lack of sleep, and he struggled to stand as he pushed the large door open.
A familiar sight greeted the alpha as he stepped through—his father's… No, his private hall. Sirius could still remember times when he snuck in as a young pup, marvelling at the ornate weapons that lined the wall or the many other relics of the past.
He had to remind himself on occasion that it was his time now. He was the leader of Lycanus.
Not bothering to shut the door behind him, Sirius walked inside. His gaze lingered over the empty space on the wall to his left where his father's sword normally rested, knowing the apes had destroyed it last night. The sight only reinforced his current place in the world, isolating his past life from the present.
Not liking how the gap made the room look incomplete, Sirius reached down to his hips and pulled out two short blades with curved hooks near the grip, the very weapons given to him when he assumed his current role, and mounted them on the wall. He then forced himself to turn around, not wanting to see how his smaller weapons compared to those of the previous alphas. It would only make him feel more insignificant…
As soon as Sirius left the house yesterday following his conversations with Makoto and Sapphire, he locked himself in this exact room and forced himself to study and pray for the remainder of the morning. The result was an avalanche of old scrolls and holy books littered across the floor that he had yet to put away.
To make the situation worse, since it had only been slightly past midnight when the apes attacked, he was only able to rest his eyes for an hour before he inevitably had to get back up and inform the pack of where they stood, despite him not knowing every important detail yet.
They all believed or at least accepted his claims, much to his relief and amazement. Understandably, not everyone found the idea of a human, a Predecessor, coming to their rescue very realistic, but they could intuitively sense that Sirius wasn't lying to them. And so, the pack collectively acknowledged Makoto's presence within their great city. He could hardly believe he was able to convince everyone in the end.
"Sometimes I don't feel deserving of everyone's trust. I'm still young and haven't been Alpha for very long."
Sirius knew his problems weren't over yet. He had prepared accommodations for their special guest, but he hadn't thought this far ahead and would have to change plans due to their current circumstances.
"That mark… Is it real?" he mused. "No. If it were, Makoto would be a purple dragon, just like all the others… But then again, he is a human. If it were ever a different species, logically it would be…"
Light crept into the room as the door was opened further. A voice spoke up from the entrance.
"Does this mean… humans are actually coming back!?"
Sirius' ears perked up as he heard two sets of paw steps approach: Sapphire, his younger sister, and Lucas, who had decided to join her. Sirius turned to face them, but he couldn't bring himself to order them to leave despite knowing that neither was allowed in this sacred room.
Lucas, who asked the question, was fidgeting with excitement and wagging his tail. He stopped when the alpha grunted at him, ordering him to calm down and subtly dismissing his concerns. They didn't know for sure if it was true yet.
Sirius pinched his temple and let out a sigh. Nothing was making sense…
The two wolves standing behind him shared a concerned look. Sapphire especially knew how difficult this was for her brother, as she had been there, watching as their father trained Sirius from a young age for the day when he would take over as leader of the pack. No previous alpha had a fraction of the responsibilities Sirius now did, and he was crumbling under the pressure.
She stepped forward to offer him her support. Whether he sensed it coming or not, Sirius stopped her in her tracks by speaking up again.
"Have you heard back from Leah?" he asked calmly. "How did her visit with our little friend play out?"
Sapphire, while hesitant, pulled back and answered him properly.
"Very well, from what we can tell. There weren't any complications." She turned around, facing the general direction of the temple's entrance as if staring into the outside world. "The two of them are exploring the city together as we speak."
Sirius blanched at her words. He hadn't permitted Leah to allow Makoto to leave the house. The young girl acted on her own.
Instantly, his eyes flashed blue as he expanded his aura sight to encompass all of Lycanus. It was an effortless task to locate Makoto. Now that the young man had rested and been fed, his life signature glowed as brightly as Sol.
Almost identically to a certain dragon's…
Sirius observed the human interacting with his pack. They had all reacted positively to him, treating Makoto no differently than one of their own.
During the conversation, Makoto appeared to get mildly annoyed at one of their comments and turned away with a small pout. One wolf saw this and ruffled his mane, playfully teasing the human and making him flush in embarrassment. The wolves laughed at Makoto's innocent nature, and presumably, all made remarks about him being cute. If Sirius himself were present at the scene, he likely would have agreed.
Despite his apparent age, Makoto's height, combined with his oblivious nature, made him appear much younger than he was. This was in addition to the fact he bore an uncanny resemblance to an adolescent wolf pup.
Sirius smiled faintly as he dropped his aura-enhanced sight and returned his focus to his sister, who was waiting for him to finish.
"Should we order her to take him back?" she offered.
The alpha shook his head.
"This would have happened eventually. Nothing good would come from stopping them now."
He turned away and placed a paw on the nearest shelf. He couldn't feel himself shaking, but keeping the limb steady for even a second was impossible.
'A good amount of the day has passed.' His fingers twitched with every heartbeat. 'I've held it off long enough… I have to do this.'
Swallowing his trepidation, the alpha got up and gave his close friends their orders.
"You'll be busy training your next class soon, Sapphire. I want you to focus on your current obligations."
He then turned to Lucas, narrowed his gaze, and gestured to the city quickly. Sirius wanted him to bring Makoto here so that they could talk.
The younger male was startled by the command and stuttered nervously. Rather than barking at him to calm down, Sirius took a moment to explain his decision.
"Despite what you may think you know of his species, Makoto is actually very reserved," he revealed. "I specifically chose Leah to watch over him because I knew her soft demeanour would get him to open up. This is a similar case. I've seen how you try to befriend Spyro, so I'm confident you should be able to convince Makoto as well."
He looked to the side and hummed.
"Besides… You're the only one I have available for this."
Lucas, ardent of the chance to make himself useful, shot up as Sirius finished.
"Understood!" he exclaimed and took off in an excited blur. "I'll go get him right now."
Sirius muttered something under his breath and shook his head. He then crossed his arms and closed his eyes, tapping a finger in anticipation.
.
.
.
*Tap*
.
.
.
*Tap*
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.
.
*Tap*
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.
.
Lucas reemerged in the doorway.
"So… Is Muhkodo–"
"YES, Lucas! The short one from before. There's only one human, and he's not from that time period. No matter how many times you ask, this won't change."
"I know… But when you say 'human', the first thing that comes to mind is…"
Lucas stopped talking when he saw his alpha glowering at him, unamused.
"Right. Leaving now." He then disappeared without another word.
Sirius sighed. Lucas was among a select few who had been eager when Makoto's species was revealed.
While most of the world now had skewed perceptions of humanity due to the apes' cult-like obsession with them, the wolves didn't let that distract them from history, and to this day, they still hold great respect for the Predecessors. Their isolation from the world, and in turn, the Dark Army itself, helped in that regard. The wolves hadn't been exposed to over five decades of their negative influence…
"I raised my voice," Sirius acknowledged, "but I don't blame Lucas entirely. Makoto doesn't resemble a human in any measure."
Sapphire, who was still in the room, offered her thoughts.
"Perhaps the stories are inaccurate in that regard? The legends don't mention anything about Zenith having a second chosen at any point in time, so it's just as likely Makoto looks perfectly normal for the era he's from. It might be smart not to overanalyze everything from the texts."
Sirius growled. He didn't need to be reminded of the potential inaccuracies in his findings. Not after all the energy he's poured into learning the truth.
"Don't you think I realize that!?" he fumed. "This is all I've been thinking about the entire day!"
Sapphire stayed silent and waited patiently. The siblings were close enough that they instinctively knew how the other would react in specific situations…
"I'm sorry…"
Just as expected.
Sapphire approached her brother and straightened his scarf, making him look more presentable.
"Don't think of it as a burden," she said calmly. "The Ancestors could have guided him anywhere in the Realms, but they chose us."
She gave him an encouraging smile.
"For what it's worth, I think you're doing a fine job as Alpha."
He merely scoffed at her words.
"Lance would have been the better choice, and you know it."
His retort was met with laughter. Even she couldn't refute what he said.
"True," she agreed. "Unfortunately, he was already coming of age when the gnorcs first approached Father. It was too late to adequately prepare him for what was to come, so the responsibility fell on you."
A small noise escaped his lips as Sirius reflected on his family, both him and his sister, as well as those who weren't there with them anymore.
"In another life, things may have turned out differently for the three of us…"
"They might have," she agreed.
Sapphire stayed by his side for as long as she could afford to. He appreciated the sentiment, but he eventually forced her to leave. She had young pups to train, and Sirius knew he had to prepare for Makoto's arrival.
Time crept by as he waited for any sign of Lucas or their human guest. Sirius distracted himself with meditation, believing he had to clear his head before this important meeting. However, try as he might, a recurring thought entered his head and broke his concentration.
"Zenith…"
He pawed at a large purple book by his feet, one of many in his collection. Of the seven books pertaining to the Ancestors of legend, this one contained information that was more pertinent to his current situation. Picking the book up from the floor, Sirius stared at the emblem on the front cover. His thoughts drifted back to Spyro and Makoto, remembering how they both had the same mark emblazoned on their arms.
Traditionally, the great Ancestors granted their blessings to strong-willed elder dragons who embodied their beliefs. The dragons who received this gift all go on to become the highest level of authority in the dragon city, the Guardians. It also became their responsibility to help future generations discover their true potential and guide them as they mastered their elements.
However, Zenith, the purple Ancestor, was a different case. There had never been a dragon born who could channel the Almighty element throughout their bodies, and as a result, there wasn't a generation of young dragons for his chosen to help train. Zenith instead viewed his chosen as his own children, and he imbued them with his power from birth—the same power that he created to protect the universe.
This is how it was every time a purple dragon came into existence. Every hundred generations, a purple egg is laid bearing Zenith's unique mark which would eventually hatch into a young dragon who, while immeasurably strong, lacked any traditional element, including Almighty. In place of this, they inherited the strange power of the Predecessors.
Multiple theories existed as to why Zenith's element was so rare. At first, many believed that he did not want any mortal to have control over that power. Calling Almighty dangerous was an understatement. It ignored all the laws and principles established by the Magic Crafters throughout time. It was an unstoppable force that could not be avoided once unleashed, breaking the bonds that tie physical matter to the mortal world through intense magic. The threat it could pose to the realms if misused was undeniable.
Another theory was that the Ancestor wanted the world to grow and evolve on its own merit. His chosen always became great leaders who guided the realms into the next era, all of them having the willpower to bring about great change. This was the more accepted explanation, as the purple dragons all shared one other trait that set them apart from the rest of their species. Their unnaturally enhanced cognition that allowed them to feel and think more intimately than anyone else in the realms, something that further linked them to the Predecessors beyond having their power.
Sirius had already dwelled on this matter a lot. There was always something that connected Zenith back to the humans, as was the case now if it was to be believed.
In his mortal years, the purple saurian had a particular fascination with humanity. While still far beneath him, the first humans caught his attention with how tenacious and adaptable they were, something he admired. Most animals sought only to survive, but humans constantly challenged what it truly meant to live and evolved over the years. Some say that Zenith repeatedly went out of his way to protect a few small human colonies in secret because he wanted the species to live to see the world his kind was preparing.
The fact that Makoto Yuki was a human carried more weight than it would have otherwise. At first, Sirius assumed the boy came from a nomadic canine species and had awakened to a Senary very recently. Knowing the implications, his parents probably did everything in their power to get him to Lycanus for his safety, even inscribing Zenith's mark on his arm as a sign and plea for help.
But this wasn't the case. There was only one reason why a human would be alive today with Zenith's mark.
"He can't possibly…"
Sirius growled as he shoved the purple book aside. The sound of it tumbling along the wooden floor echoed in his ears in deafening claps.
"It just doesn't make sense!"
His throat was getting dry… He needed a drink of water to calm down.
Believing he still had time, Sirius got to his feet to leave the hall. But suddenly, he stumbled.
Every time he tried to take a step, it felt like something held him back and he went nowhere, as if the floor was moving beneath him.
Something was wrong…
The corners of his sight were white and hazy. His tongue was hanging out of his mouth as he gasped for air.
His eyes were heavy…
"Uhh… Why?"
The wolf couldn't stop himself from falling down, landing in the valley of paper littering the floor. He passed out before he hit the ground, not even feeling the impact. His mind was too drained to process anything anymore.
.
.
.
.
.
Null and void.
He knew his eyes were open, but it was a thick wall of black in all directions.
In desperation, the alpha wolf used his special power to check for any life signatures, and he was immediately taken aback by what he sensed in front of him.
A large being, easily the size of a mountain, was resting on the ground on all fours. A quadruped. Their aura was unfathomably powerful, burning so intensely that Sirius had to open his eyes to reduce the stress on his brain.
He knew right away who this god-like presence was.
'Zen…th… mighty…!'
Nobody knew exactly what the Ancestor looked like. Even now, Sirius couldn't discern any clear features beyond his overwhelming size. However, to Sirius' amazement, in the brief moment he used his aura sense, he felt two more life readings nearby. The biting curiosity in his heart forced him to look again to be sure what he saw was true.
Turning around once more, this time while shielding his face, Sirius directed his focus to Zenith's forearms, the same place he detected the two other presences. The beings he saw were even less defined than the Ancestor, being comparable to two small stars curled up in his arms.
Who were they…? Sirius could sense that they both had the pulse of life flowing through them, so they must have souls, but he couldn't identify them at all. He only knew for certain that he had read those same auras at one point…
He watched as Zenith leaned in close and did what could only be interpreted as running a paw over both stars affectionately as if nurturing them. Suddenly, however, he raised his paw and brought a claw out, lowering it with the intent to puncture one of them.
A bright light suddenly filled the void, and Sirius quickly whipped around and covered his face, afraid to be rendered blind. The strange surge of power repeated moments later as Zenith stabbed into the other star.
When Sirius finally regained his courage and lowered his guard, he instinctively knew something was different. The two smaller beings were still there, resting in the Ancestor's arms, but a white light was bursting out of their bodies in a series of cracks, forming an emblem he recognized.
The wolf hummed steadily, knowing what he was witnessing.
The sound he made did not go unnoticed, however, as Zenith raised his head in his general direction. Sirius could almost imagine the fierce, scarred face glaring down at him, unhappy at the sudden intrusion.
But instead of that, he felt a pull… an invitation to get closer.
Would You Like To Hold One Of Them
The words felt like they were implanted directly into his soul, and he couldn't muster up the energy to respond, only raising his head in the Ancestor's general direction to cautiously accept the generous offer.
Zenith leaned down and picked one of his children up in his powerful jaw. He reached over to the alpha wolf, whose arms had moved to receive the small being before his mind registered what was happening.
Sirius' legs buckled under the sudden heavy weight; the unborn individual was larger than expected. At first, they seemed uncomfortable that they weren't being held by their "father" anymore, and their aura grew cold. Sirius panicked when he felt this.
"I-It's all right!" he whispered and ran a paw over the figure's 'back'. "I got you. You're safe with me…"
At first, he couldn't tell if his efforts were working, but soon enough, Sirius felt arms wrapping around his own and a short muzzle snuggling against his face. He held his breath as he felt the bright aura calm down as if the person was falling asleep.
He had earned their trust for now.
Many thoughts passed through the wolf's head as his lips quivered with anxiety. Was this merely a dream? Or could it be something more? He was holding Zenith the Almighty's unborn child in his paws! A mortal such as himself should not be blessed with such an opportunity…!
He tightened his hold, pulling the figure closer to his chest, suddenly not wanting to let go. He knew the individual didn't–couldn't understand anything about the world around them, but he sensed a caring soul within them. They had every right to be scared, but it was as if they were more concerned with comforting him instead of the other way around.
The wolf's fear died down, and tears of joy slowly fell from his face.
'This is… my duty,' he told himself.
The moment didn't last forever.
He had been aware of it from the start, but another sensation was probing at him. When he first felt it, it was nothing more than a small ripple that rang out through the infinite void. When compared to the sheer might of Zenith's natural aura, it was unremarkable, and he was able to stand strong, ignoring it entirely.
But he soon felt it again, only much stronger this time.
Need.
Anger…
Despair…!
It didn't stop. Every few seconds, Sirius felt these powerful emotions assault his mind. The pain grew so severe that it brought him to his knees, and he struggled to breathe.
Across from the wolf, the second figure in Zenith's arms had sensed that they had been separated from their sibling and were crying out in a blind rage, demanding to be reunited. Sirius had never felt something so overwhelming before. It felt like his own soul was at risk of being erased if this continued. He could do nothing now but hold on and pray with all his might that it would end.
Zenith, meanwhile, was completely unfazed by this outburst. For someone of his power, this must have been comparable to a little puppy wanting their blanket back and nothing more.
Getting up slightly, the Ancestor gently grabbed the formless being back from Sirius and returned them to his hold, nuzzling them lovingly. The instant they were back where they belonged, the second figure reached out and seemingly enveloped the first, clinging on as tightly as possible while growling in a low, demonic pitch. Their anger had subsided, but they did NOT want to be separated again.
When He's Older
He couldn't tell if Zenith was trying to give him peace of mind, but Sirius was glad that the experience was over…
The dominating presence of the Ancestor eventually faded away, and the wolf was left alone.
As he lay on the floor of the unknown dark dimension, he felt at peace. Sirius rolled onto his back and opened his eyes. He was still unable to see, not even his arm as he brought it forward and twitched his hand out of reflex.
"I understand now, Zenith," he mumbled. "Thank you."
With that, he gave in to his exhaustion and fell asleep. His mind briefly wandered to the two figures again. He never got a close look at them, but he instinctively had an idea who they were. And before they left, he did manage to see the fluffy mane of one of them and the large horns on the other.
.
.
.
.
.
Something was prodding him.
Firm paws were shoving against his back.
And he was lying on his front…
"Brother…!"
Sirius was forced onto his back, where he saw Sapphire looming over him, worried.
"What happened!?" she cried. "How long have you been unconscious?"
She reached behind his head and undid the knot in his black mask. Pulling it off, she saw just how exhausted he truly was, as dark bags had already formed under his eyes.
Instantly, Sirius lashed out at her, roaring loudly and baring his teeth.
"How DARE you!" he yelled. "I don't care if we're family, you never–"
A sharp pain in his wrist interrupted him, ending his outburst with a quiet whimper.
"I've seen your adult face countless times already," Sapphire said while applying more force to her grip. "Don't use this as an excuse to shove me away."
He nodded hesitantly and let his younger sister look after him. She explained how it had been over two hours already, and there was still no sign of either Lucas or Makoto.
"I found a moment to step aside and came back to see if they had arrived yet." She let out a loud sigh. "I never imagined you would be in this state when I returned."
If Sapphire expected her brother to stay put for long, she was quickly proven wrong, as Sirius was already back on his feet.
"Where is he…? Sapphire, you need to bring him to me!"
He remembered what his dream had revealed. It had confirmed Makoto's real identity, and now it was imperative that he speak with the young man.
"Makoto. I need to see him!" he barked in a shaky voice.
"No, brother! You're in no condition for this today." Sapphire tried to hold him back, but the male wolf was much stronger, and her efforts only resulted in her own feet sliding back.
"You don't understand… I've been shown the truth, Sapphire. Nothing else matters right now. I NEED to see him."
Sapphire let go and pulled away. There was something different about his objection. Before, he was frustrated by his inability to make sound judgments, but now, he was resolute. He knew what he wanted and was taking control of the situation like a leader.
"All right…" she conceded with a heavy heart. "Stay here. I'll escort him to you personally."
He grunted firmly at her, stressing the importance of everything. Something within Sapphire was unsure if this was the correct thing for them to do. She still vividly remembered feeling Makoto's turmoil last night and how he placed his trust in her. She did not want to betray him by causing any additional stress.
"Sirius…" she called out with her back turned. "Makoto is in a fragile state. He's lost and very confused. Whatever happens, please remember his situation. For my sake."
"…Just bring him here."
Another straightforward response. And that was all she would get.
Sirius watched his sister disappear from the hall once again, watching her blue aura speed through the heart of the city where the human was residing. Part of him wished to have gone himself to save time, but he knew this conversation should be kept private. They had important things to discuss.
He quickly pulled the black fabric back over his eyes and wrapped it around his face, tying a knot in the back. With his pride restored, he felt confident enough to face anything. He was the alpha of the great city of Lycanus. A mighty warrior. He wouldn't vacillate again.
'It was him,' he mused, thinking back on Zenith and the two souls that were his spiritual children. 'I know what I felt.'
Sirius hadn't given it much thought, but they still didn't know Makoto's backstory. At least with Spyro, the gnorcs had revealed to them how they discovered his egg approximately fifty years ago and had decided to raise him in their village, ensuring the Dark Army wouldn't learn that the Purple Dragon had survived.
Makoto appeared to be a strong and healthy boy. He had endured combat at some point, but there were also plenty of signs of him having a cultured and otherwise civil life. Was he brought forward in time by the Ancestors? Possibly frozen in stasis for an unfathomably long duration?
…Was he born in this time and raised in secret, much like Spyro?
Every theory had its logic and faults. It was another truth Sirius had to uncover.
Eventually, the door creaked open again. The alpha stopped theorizing and snapped his head around. From the entrance, a young pup walked into the room. It wasn't someone Sirius immediately recognized. The only identifiers he could gleam were the black shorts they wore that were unusually snug and didn't leave adequate room for the child's fur, the strong scent of liquid hand soap coming from them, and… the fact that they didn't have a tail. (An unfortunate accident…?)
The child's eyes widen at the majesty of the alpha's den, obviously never having set foot in there before. His gaze panned over the numerous gilded displays before resting on an old portrait on a nearby shelf. The picture depicted an exhausted adolescent wolf holding a small pup in each of his hands by the scruff of their necks. The wolf was doing everything he could to control the two kids, but the pair were more interested in play fighting than listening to their older sibling.
Sirius groaned at the unwanted intrusion. Why would Sapphire think to let a young pup in when he only needed to talk to Makoto? Was this a subtle attempt to calm him down by distracting him with an innocent child?
He got up to shoo the boy away as politely as he could. As he got closer, however, Sirius inspected the individual's face in hopes of identifying them to inform their parents, and what he saw made him falter. Gradually, the "child" standing before him morphed into a young adult as their features hardened. In Sirius' head, he saw the beautiful white fur covering the individual's body recede until nothing but skin was left, their long ears disappeared underneath their mane, and their already short muzzle pulled back, becoming almost flat.
Sirius swallowed his breath when he realized who the pup was.
The small child… It had been Makoto this whole time.
'But… How!?' he screamed in his head. 'I swear I at least saw a canine just now. How could I succumb to such a basic illusion…?'
If it weren't for the fact that he was a wolf himself, Sirius didn't know if he would have been able to make the distinction. The alpha briefly wondered if the rest of his pack went through the same experience whenever they looked at Makoto Yuki throughout the day. Did they also need some form of reconfirmation, be it a closer examination or simply knowing the truth, to not see him as a wolf?
Sirius slowly approached the human from behind. Makoto's sharp senses picked up on the almost inaudible paw steps coming from behind and turned to face the alpha.
When they were within an arm's length apart, Sirius cautiously raised a paw and let it travel to Makoto's head, past the point where any snout should exist, and placed it on his flat face, covering most of it. The human's skin had such an alien texture. Not soft like a gnorc's, but also not rigid like a dragon's scales. Rather, it was firm and sturdy while having enough elasticity to not be restrictive.
He had briefly seen Makoto up close the night before, but getting to physically inspect a human like this was incredible. Pulling back slightly, Sirius took in more of his body, marvelling at every detail. He could tell Makoto was uncomfortable by the attention, even a little fearful, but the boy didn't move out of respect for the older wolf's authority.
Makoto didn't align with any of the depictions of his species that Sirius had ever seen. He was approaching adulthood, yet his head was level with the wolf's chest instead of rising at least a couple of metres higher. Furthermore, despite Makoto's body being healthy and decently muscular, Sirius would obviously overpower him in a fight, given the sheer difference in their size and mass… Lucas would stand a decent chance.
The boy's mane was such a luxurious shade of blue that covered the top of his head and most of his back, but nothing else. And the white skin that enveloped his body was perfect, as if the idea of anything scarring or bruising its fine surface was a great sin.
Truly, he was nothing less than a divine gift from the gods.
"It's you…" Sirius whispered, taking a step back.
His earlier dream was still fresh in his mind. He vividly remembered holding one of Zenith's children.
Wanting to test a theory, he slowly placed his paws under Makoto's arms and carefully lifted him off the ground. The difference in size was only made stronger now; Makoto felt so tiny in his grasp. Sirius held the young man at arm's length while staring into his beautiful blue eyes. There was something he felt he had to do… Something that would prove everything.
All at once, Sirius pulled Makoto in and embraced him tightly. The human tensed up at this, to which the wolf responded by running a paw down his back.
'Relax,' he thought as he peered at Makoto's aura. Dull and stiff. 'Listen to my heartbeat… Feel the warmth of my body…'
"Sirius…?"
The wolf squeezed harder in desperation.
'Prove to me that this is real!'
Makoto remained still, dangling in the wolf's arms. His fear was gone, but he was stupefied. He didn't expect the alpha wolf to act so vulnerable, even if they were meeting alone like this.
Sirius was on the verge of doubting he would find what he needed when the human's arms tepidly moved up and wrapped around him, and his aura changed again.
Calm and serene like a river… And it was so large that, from Sirius' perspective, it enveloped them in a majestic wave of blue.
'It's just like before…' Sirius' lips trembled. This entire experience was identical to his dream. And as he opened his eyes and saw the mark on Makoto's right bicep, he knew exactly who he had in his arms.
"You're REAL…" Sirius said as tears trickled down his face.
Zenith really did have a second chosen…
And now, he had been tasked with protecting their future, much like with the gnorcs and Spyro.
Satisfied, Sirius let Makoto back down, setting him on the floor with shaky arms.
"Forgive me. I'm still finding it hard to believe."
A hand reached up and wiped the tears coating his mask with a long finger.
"It's understandable… being scared of change."
Makoto's voice was soft and compassionate, yet also very mature. The alpha questioned the wise-sounding tone. He knew Makoto was nearing the same age as him, but it felt so WRONG to consider him an adult. One look at his eyes, and you could tell. He built up a strong exterior out of necessity, but that didn't change who he was deep down.
He really was just an innocent little boy…
"I can only imagine what life has been like for you," the wolf admitted. "Not just the past few nights, but…"
That's right… Makoto had lived through a lot already. But how…? What was the explanation behind his past, and how did he survive this long while knowing he was a human?
This was important. He needed to know.
"Tell me this," Sirius began. "Are there others?"
Makoto didn't appear to understand the question and stared up at the alpha.
"Others…?"
"You're a human. Are there more of you out there? Do you have a family?"
This time, the boy's face lit up with recognition but soon fell as he gave a sad smile and dropped eye contact.
"A distant memory… Along with everything else."
His placid body language seemingly implied he no longer remembered his family. He carried no nostalgia for them anymore due to the passing of time.
"Then you mean…?" Sirius asked carefully and slowly.
"Only me, sir. I'm the only one that was brought back."
Brought back. It sounded so cold to his ears. Makoto just acknowledged that humanity and everything he knew was dead and that, for all accounts, he should be as well. He was truly alone now, and he likely had spent the past few days coming to terms with the fact he would never see another member of his species again…
Sirius felt like dirt.
How could he be so insensitive!? A part of his mind had considered this, but right now, he was only driving the fangs deeper into the wound and hurting Makoto when he deserved proper solace.
"I'm sorry."
It was Makoto who spoke, much to Sirius' confusion and frustration.
"No–STOP!" the wolf almost yelled, batting the outstretched hand away. "I don't want you feeling guilty for any of this. I'm the one who's been making assumptions this whole time! Not you."
He dared not look at the poor boy's aura. Before, he may have been relaxed and even happy, but the dread he must be feeling was something the alpha did not want to see visualized.
'How can he be so concerned about me when he's the one suffering!?'
Sirius coughed into his fist and started talking again, dropping the previous subject entirely.
"Last night, when I first saw you, I was confident that I knew your whole story. Even when we sat down to talk, nothing you said disproved my theories. It wasn't until you opened up about your true identity that I began to doubt myself."
"You were right about some things, sir. My special power and the fact that God has kept me close throughout it all…"
He used "God" almost like a name instead of a classification… Perhaps humanity had its own understanding of the legends. Religion itself must have evolved substantially, along with the world, over time.
"True… Regardless," Sirius rubbed the mark on Makoto's bicep as if wiping away a layer of dust, confirming that it was real and not an artificial dye. "I have chosen now to accept you for what you are."
Makoto looked down at the mark, unsure of what the alpha meant.
"Take your time," Sirius encouraged. "There's no need to understand it all right away."
The alpha turned and gestured for Makoto to follow him. The two walked further into the room, stopping at a small corner. Candles lit up when they approached, and the wolf pulled a sliding door closed to ensure maximum privacy. He then sat down on the raised, wooden floor with folded legs, with Makoto doing the same across from him.
"I've already asked a lot from you. It's only fair that you get to ask some things from me," The alpha offered. "Anything at all. Whatever you need to feel grounded and stable again."
Makoto stared at the floor, lost in thought.
So many questions to ask… So much he needed to get off his chest.
"What can I say? My mouth is opening but my head can't decide on a single sentence… I've discovered a lot recently. About you, about Lycanus… But there's still too much."
"I know," Sirius smiled. "Don't feel forced to pick anything specific. If you just want to talk and vent your feelings, that's also fine."
Makoto was grateful for this gesture and smiled back.
"…Thank you."
Sirius answered all of Makoto's questions as best he could. Together, they discussed the world and how much it's changed in the eons that had passed, about the pack and who they were, and the ape menace plaguing the realms for much of the current century. The conversation wasn't entirely one-sided, as Makoto also took the time to elaborate on some aspects of his past, both confirming and denying some remaining theories the alpha had.
Based on Makoto's description of the year 2010 of the "Gregorian Calendar", they could now confirm that he was from the third era of humanity, as was initially predicted. However, they couldn't yet pinpoint precisely when in that timeframe he was born.
At times during their conversations, Makoto tried to inquire about humanity's extinction, wanting to know the cause. He seemed unnaturally eager to know as if he had personal knowledge on the matter.
"I can't tell you, unfortunately," Sirius sighed. "That is one secret your kind took to the grave. All of the best researchers throughout history never agree on a single explanation."
The human grew quiet after this topic. He tried not to let it show on his face, but Sirius knew he was disappointed. It wasn't until they began discussing the apes that he became invested again.
"Those apes wanted something from you," he said stately.
Sirius nodded.
"They did. Normally, we wouldn't hear a peep from the Dark Army, but in truth, there's a certain secret we haven't disclosed to you until now."
He had to be very careful with this explanation. Sirius did trust Makoto, but he had to remember that he was from a time when humans were the only dominant beings on the planet. Makoto wouldn't have so much as heard of a dragon or even a gnorc, much less know what they were.
"We're protecting someone. They're… He's… Argh! How can I say this in a way that makes sense…?"
Makoto spoke for him.
"Spyro. And he's a dragon."
…He knew about Spyro!?
The wolf's jaw hung open in shock as the human explained himself.
"I've heard people from the pack mention him. I can extrapolate a lot from what they've said."
Sirius was impressed. He knew better than to underestimate a human's intelligence, but Makoto had already uncovered a lot in the short time he'd been alive.
The boy then inquired further.
"Who is Spyro exactly? What is he to all of you?"
Sirius tripped over his words as he tried to answer.
"Spyro, he's…"
Suddenly, he stopped. Sirius couldn't believe he had forgotten that important detail of his dream…!
"The most fitting description is that he's your brother," he announced definitively.
Makoto gasped loudly and recoiled from where he was sitting.
"I… I have a brother?" he choked.
That caught his attention. And Sirius couldn't blame him. After everything Makoto had endured, the idea of there being someone in the world with whom he shared a connection must be giving him hope.
"Spiritually speaking," he clarified. "You both obviously come from different families."
"I-I don't understand…"
Sensing his mental turmoil, Sirius got closer and allowed the human to hold onto him.
"You remember last night how I said I knew you weren't the being of legend? I knew this because of Spyro. He's a rare breed… A dragon born from a fragment of Zenith's essence."
He gestured at Makoto's arm again, forcing the human to look at the mark on its surface.
"…Just as you have been."
Makoto stayed silent as he processed everything. He was blessed by God and was related to a special dragon.
"I have a brother…"
Sirius gave him a comforting pat on the shoulder.
"You want to meet him, don't you?" he smiled.
Sirius had heard from reports that the two had crossed paths already. Apparently, when Makoto was lost in the forest, he ran into Spyro, who pointed him in Lycanus' direction offhandedly. It was possible that the two felt a connection in that brief interaction. The right thing to do was to bring them together.
"That's something I've meant to discuss," Sirius continued. "Ever since we saw your magical power for the first time."
"My Persona?"
The wolf nodded.
"Yes…" The term was still foreign, but given that Makoto was technically a Predecessor, one of the beings who discovered and named this ability, the alpha believed he should start using the proper phrasing. "You claim to have had this ability for a long time. That could be very beneficial to us."
Makoto cut him off suddenly.
"I can't teach all of you how to summon a Persona if that's what you're asking."
The wolf laughed in reply. The idea hadn't even crossed his mind, but it was amusing how unflinching Makoto was with that response, down to the sharp expression on his face that would shut down any potential debate.
"No, not us. But is it possible for you to help Spyro?"
Makoto's firm gaze softened slightly, but he was still skeptical about something.
"He has the potential for it?"
Sirius grinned.
"You two are more alike than you think." The wolf got up and began slowly pacing around the room. "According to prophecy, the Purple Dragons are all born with a unique potential and the ability to change the world. It's our goal to help nurture Spyro's power to prepare him for what lies ahead, whatever that may be."
"So, you're physically training him to help draw out his Persona in a safe environment."
"Precisely." Sirius stopped moving and sighed heavily. "Unfortunately, our efforts haven't yielded the results we want. Spyro is showing signs of his Persona emerging, but we have yet to see it happen. This leads us to a proposal I have for you, Makoto."
He sat back down, only a little closer this time and placed a paw on Makoto's thigh.
"If you were to offer your assistance and help us train Spyro, you would be contributing a great deal to the city. I meant everything I said about extending my protection to you, but I can go further and offer you full residency in exchange for your help."
The offer had been made.
Sirius knew that this was how it was meant to be. Zenith had personally entrusted Makoto to them after all.
It was fate.
He BELONGED in Lycanus…!
.
.
.
"I don't know if I can…"
…Makoto still had his doubts, apparently.
Did he need a bigger push? Or was there something Sirius hadn't considered?
The boy kept talking, voicing his concerns.
"It's not as simple as you think, sir. What you're doing may actually be detrimental to Spyro."
Sirius was suddenly very interested in hearing what he had to say. This was an expert's opinion, something they never had the luxury of until now.
"What do you mean?" he asked, sitting back down.
"Personas aren't something that can be awakened through physical training alone. That would help you gain better control, but the initial awakening requires a trigger of some kind."
"A stimulation, you mean?"
Makoto looked away in mild frustration. It would be hard to convey the depth of the situation to someone without the potential, but he tried anyway.
"For me, every time it happens, I enter a different state of mind. I become… intimately aware of my own existence and even my mortality, and that focus draws out my full latent power. That's not something Spyro would understand from basic exercise. No matter how much his Persona demands to be set free, his mind would be too at ease for that to happen."
He stared at his feet before admitting one last thing. Something that he had brought up before but hadn't elaborated on.
"But even then… I can't summon my Persona right now. In fact, I've never been able to do it without help."
Sirius remembered seeing this last night. Makoto appeared to be on the verge of unleashing his Persona toward the end of the battle, but his current lack of control prevented it. Logically speaking, if he had already mastered this ability, he would have used it during the fight.
"So even you're having trouble controlling your Persona…"
Sirius sat down and crossed his arms, slightly disappointed with this information. After everything, they had gotten nowhere. He scolded himself for thinking it would be so simple. Being human didn't inherently make Makoto adept at magic. He was still very so young, possibly an equivalent age to Spyro. And he needed just as much care and attention as the dragon.
"Umm… Sirius?"
The alpha didn't like the sound of the boy's voice just now…!
Doubt was beginning to settle into Makoto's head, and he probably felt as if he was being pushed away. He might be thinking they had no use for him anymore.
Did… did he think they wanted him to leave!?
Images of Makoto stepping out of the forest flashed in his head. The world doesn't know about his existence yet, but when the veil was inevitably lifted, the boy wouldn't last a minute before some great evil struck him down. He's too blind and susceptible to the modern world's dangers.
He will die if he leaves Lycanus.
Zenith's CHOSEN would die if this ever happens!
Sirius was horrified at the thought. Beyond the fact that the Ancestor would be understandably outraged that they failed to protect his precious son when he was still just a little boy, having it be because Makoto ran away when he didn't feel welcomed would be terrible.
The alpha couldn't imagine a worse guilt…!
"NO!" Sirius roared, springing to his feet. "You CAN'T!"
Sirius clenched his fists, growling loudly while showing a few fangs. His aura flared up as well, adding to the powerful atmosphere.
Despite everything, Makoto wasn't scared and found the strength to stand up and approach the alpha.
"Sirius…"
The wolf's eyes shot open.
The little wolf pup from before was looking up at him with concerned eyes. That face… so pure and innocent. It tugged at his heart.
Sirius felt his angry drain away all at once. He took a deep breath and apologized, placing both hands on the boy's shoulders. He had to be gentle with him…
"I don't know what's causing you to doubt yourself so much, but it's not necessary!"
"It's complicated…" Makoto whispered. "Everything is so complicated."
Against better judgment, Sirius scanned Makoto's aura again. Frustration and worry clouded his soul, but something dark was also buried away. A survivor's guilt? Dread of an uncertain future?
…A fear of impending death?
Overcome by a protective instinct he never experienced before, Sirius brought Makoto's head to his chest and caressed him slowly.
"You don't need to run anymore." He was resolute. He had more confidence now than throughout the entire day. "You've been shouldering so much pain for so long… It's time you lowered that impenetrable wall and let people in."
Makoto could only reply in the softest of voices.
"Sirius… I… I want to stay."
The alpha growled pleasantly, feeling beyond relieved that he was able to win the pup over.
"I'm glad you made the right choice," he grinned. "This is your true home."
Makoto glanced up at him, and the darkness in his heart vanished.
"If what you're saying is true, and… Spyro is my brother, I have to help him. I want to be there for him."
The wolf pulled him in closer, letting the little boy know he didn't have to worry about anything.
"I know you do," he said. "We'll find a way through this together. You aren't alone anymore."
"Thank you…"
A weight was lifted from the wolf's shoulders. Makoto was safe in their care, and soon, he and Spyro would be reunited. Everything was just as the Ancestors would have wanted.
"You are very welcome, Makoto Yuki."
Far away from Lycanus and the forest that encompassed it, in a dark corner of the world, rested a tall mountain. From within its stone walls, multiple vile creatures wandered about. One such group had just emerged from a room that lay deep in the fortress, all of them having just received healing for the wounds they had sustained in a recent battle.
"I know those wolves are up to something!" one of the apes muttered under his breath.
By this point, the others in the crowd were all annoyed by his comments and ran off to escape his complaining, safe for one. His only remaining comrade could tolerate the noise, but very soon, he attempted to shut him up by tugging at his clothes and silently yelling that now wasn't a good time to let off steam.
"If it weren't for Terrak's orders…" The ape trailed off as his ears picked up the sound of ominous whistling coming from behind… Eventually, drawing closer until the unknown person was right above him. Turning around as sweat dripped down his head, he saw another, notably taller and more powerful ape, glaring down at him, unamused.
The pair backed away at the sight of their commander, who bore wounds far more significant than any of them, with fresh blood still soaking into his fur and staining his clothes black.
The poor fool didn't have time to react before a large hand reached out and grabbed him by the throat, dragging him to the floor.
"Oh please, continue," his leader said while kneeling and whispering in his ear. "What would you do if not for me…?"
Terrak slowly ran his fingers through the smaller ape's hair, subtly applying a special spell over him that heightened his awareness and instilled a dangerous emotion in his mind.
"You have something you want to say to me, don't you?"
The minion was now cowering in fear. Terrak's words may have sounded amicable, but his face was that of a devil. Bright yellow eyes that pierced the soul and an unnaturally wide smile that promised condemnation if triggered.
The poor ape was saved when his friend stepped in and yanked him away from their leader.
"It's nothing, Sir!" he choked. "We've both just finished, actually. T-Thank you for letting us all heal our bodies before you. Your graciousness knows no limits!"
Terrak chuckled, knowing the fear he instilled was already spreading to the second grunt, who was also becoming desperate to run away… It wouldn't hurt to mess with them some more before their minds were completely overwhelmed.
"Aww, you guys! You know I'm always looking out for you." He opened both arms in a false placating gesture. "We're practically family after all, AREN'T WE?"
Both apes grew pale and backpedalled. Terrak could sense that the first one had lost control of himself and had to be dragged away. There was also a sudden, strong scent of sulphur coming from his lower half…
The ape commander laughed loudly as he watched the two run away in terror.
"Was that too much for them?"
Having had his fill, Terrak turned around the corner and closed the stone door behind him.
It was his turn to recover, after all.
Terrak pulled the fur cloak from his shoulders as he walked into the open, empty room, tossing it and the old blackened rags he called clothes to the floor without thought. The large, skull-shaped buckle on his discarded belt *clanked* loudly on the stone surface as he stopped and turned his gaze up to the twin moons, more specifically, the one in the back with the green hue. He could feel its magical influence pull at him as the process began.
He didn't resist as a piercing sensation struck him from the front and drew more blood. He only stared ahead with a calm smirk. Another invisible "spear" broke through his left shoulder, emerging on the other side by his right knee. Altogether, he was stabbed by the supernatural force five times, damaging his body beyond repair.
The muscles in his legs suddenly gave out as he fell to the floor. The individual fibres disappeared as the ape lost all solid mass, becoming a blur of black murk. Before long, there was nothing but an eerie black puddle where the tall ape once stood.
A loud howl of wind filled the open room, when all of a sudden, a bloody hand sprung up from the floor and pulled up, dragging something with it from beneath the puddle.
A figure covered in ethereal black blood slowly rose from the floor. When it finally reached its full height, the creature began to morph. Its lower half broke off into two strong legs, its two arms inflated with powerful muscles, and a thick coat of black fur grew over its body.
Once his body finished regenerating, the murky black shadow pulled back inside Terrak, centring around his mostly flat face where it changed colour and reformed into his signature white skull mask that designated his status and affinity.
The ape opened his eyes and shook himself off. He then let out a loud yawn and stretched.
"You'd think it'd hurt at least a little," he said as he scratched underneath an armpit. "HA! Immortality is so nice to have!"
Now healed, Terrak moved to leave that section of the mountain, remembering at the last second that he needed to redress and quickly retrieved his smelly clothes.
He was adjusting his long dagger in its holster when he shoved the wooden door open with his shoulder. Instead of an empty passage on the other side, however, the first thing he saw was another figure in a long black coat with silver body armour underneath.
Terrak looked up to meet the person in the eyes.
"Grave! Come to see me for something?" he laughed jovially.
His playful comment was met with a scowl.
"You took longer on your mission last night than was expected." The female ape, Grave, crossed her arms and glared at him. "I followed the trail of injured soldiers, and bafflingly, I ended up discovering you here, of all places. Healing wounds from battle for the first time in decades."
"Ah that… Can't hide anything from you, can I?"
Terrak walked past her without resistance. Grave remained rooted in place but kept talking as if he were still standing in front of her.
"Does this confirm Gaul's suspicions?"
"Nope. False alarm!" His voice echoed down the hall, followed by a familiar slow whistle.
Grave hummed to herself and turned around. The other ape was already long gone, but she had more to ask.
As he wandered deeper into the mountain, Terrak threw his hands behind his head and skipped along, wondering what to do next.
"There were no dragons in Lycanus? This is what you mean?"
He stopped momentarily and cocked his gaze up to a formation of rocks where Grave had emerged from a veil of shadow and was staring down at him. He scoffed and kept walking.
"You know the wolves' aura thingy? That weird stuff they can do with their mind? Turns out, Spirit Gems react to it the same way they do with a dragon's magic."
He passed by her again in the next hallway.
"The logic behind that claim makes no sense. Dragons are the only ones to which the crystals respond. Not even we are capable of it."
He broke off at the next corner.
"It's what I saw. The wolves themselves didn't even know about it!"
Her voice rang out from the bottom of the long stairwell.
"Then why did they draw their weapons against you?"
By now, Terrak realized Grave was guiding him somewhere. This wasn't just a simple conversation.
"Wolves are super territorial. And… maybe one of my men attacked one of the wittle puppies RIGHT in front of the alpha, and that set Sirius off."
"The alpha managed to draw blood against you?"
The two were facing each other again. This time, Terrak stopped and pulled his hands down, explaining everything with renewed vigour.
"That's the crazy thing! That puppy I mentioned? He's the only one I fought!"
Grave crossed her arms and growled deeply, her voice a mixture of confusion and scorn.
"You were beaten by a child… And you're happy about this."
"You should have SEEN the little guy! Tiny thing for sure, but he was a more creative fighter than anyone I've seen in my life. The alpha was nothing compared to him!"
He brought a hand to his cheek, blushing as he spoke.
"Oh, I HOPE I get to fight him again when he's older…! Why'd he have to be born a wolf? If he was an ape, we could just–"
The taller ape turned around, having heard enough.
"Hey! I wasn't finished."
He was silenced by a firm glare.
"If you're done fantasizing about your little murder crush, we've been summoned."
"We…?" he questioned.
It was an extreme rarity for more than one individual of their rank to be called in to see either the king or Cynder. Not since the beginning years of the war has there been an incident that required all of their attention.
"Sideon should already be waiting." Grave gestured to the doorway she had led him to. Unlike most openings in the mountain, a magic field covered the entrance. A portal that would transport them somewhere not accessible by foot or through the skies.
Terrak stared at the portal blankly, his interest peaked. He swallowed the mouthful of saliva pooling in his mouth and took an intrigued step through with Grave following behind him.
The scenery on the other side was not of the mortal world. The platform they emerged on top of was floating through a dark void of multiple colours. One could mistake it for outer space if not for the fact that gravity still affected their bodies, and they could still breathe. Furthermore, multiple strange creatures could be seen floating past them, and different celestial bodies in close proximity to each other littered the skies.
Across them on the stone platform, a third ape stood in wait. Unlike the rest of their kind, this ape wasn't covered in thick fur and instead had a body masked by exposed skin of a greyish hue.
"You both arrive," the demonic voice called out, acknowledging his allies' presence.
Unlike Terrak, when Sideon returned from the assault on the Emerald Falls temple several decades ago, he did not tend to his injuries in time, and most of the damage to his body had been rendered permanent. As he was now, most of his body was covered in scarred flesh, pale in colour, and unable to regrow his luscious black coat, safe for the hair on his head that fell past his shoulders.
To remember that day, Sideon stopped wearing armour over his torso. The only remnants of his previous self from the waist up were the torn black cape wrapped around his shoulders and his white mask.
On his back, he carried a large black scimitar, his own personal weapon given to him by Gaul himself. Hanging from his waist, hidden amongst the many human skull ornaments that decorated his clothes and armour, was another deadly weapon he kept on hand, a long triangular blade crafted in the dragon city. The glaive had been given to one of their knights in the past to help regulate their energy, but after being reforged with dark magic, it had a new, sinister use.
Once they had landed, Terrak sprinted up to the older ape with great ardour.
"Sideon! It's been so long."
He reached out to embrace his comrade, but Sideon, not in the mood for pointless acts of affection, reached out with a hand to catch Terrak by the face, holding him back.
"I see you haven't changed at all these past few decades…"
"Speak for yourself!" Terrak was undeterred by his friend's cold attitude and kept talking despite his face being covered. "How has it been in the Concurrent Skies guarding Cynder's castle?"
Sideon finally let go.
"Uneventful. Warfang's knights no longer attempt to invade. Zella's influence, along with the Concavity Crystals, see to it that they are unable to survive for long before I end their meagre struggles."
He turned his attention over to Grave, who approached him with a more professional demeanour.
"Sideon, since you were here first, can we assume…?"
"Yes. She will be arriving shortly."
Terrak was once again surprised by the announcement. As it turned out, their king would not be a part of this meeting.
"Heehhh…?" he puzzled. "A summon from the dark dragoness herself? And all three of us? Isn't Gaul the only one with that level of authority?"
A new voice answered his question without warning.
"He may be your king, but my orders carry the weight of the Dark Master himself."
The three apes turned around to address the newcomer.
The Terror of the Night, Cynder was as formidable as she was imposing. Standing upright, she was taller than most fully grown elder dragons, at over seven metres. Her scales were predominantly a deep black, but her underside and monstrous wings were a bold magenta. This all being a direct result of Malefor's influence.
Were it not for the demonic flair of her clothing as well as her ominous presence, almost every male of her species would consider Cynder irresistibly beautiful. The Dark Master had crafted her body to perfection, taking the natural elegance of a dragon of her original element and accentuating all of her best features, fitting the individual tasked with carrying out his will.
All three apes dropped to their knees as she approached.
"We are all here, Lady Cynder," Sideon announced. "What would you have us do?"
They were waved to their feet. Or rather, a strange force pulled them up.
"Before that, I believe one of you has something to report," the dragoness said while gesturing to the youngest of the group.
Terrak awkwardly pointed a finger at himself in confusion, but he did eventually step forward. Even if Cynder hadn't been the one to send him to Lycanus, it was her who first sensed the magical anomaly in the forest. He took no issue announcing his findings to her instead of the king.
"I just got back now. And I can say with certainty that Lycanus is NOT a concern for us," he announced, almost happily.
The two who hadn't been present for this reveal earlier were taken aback. Cynder herself looked almost insulted that he would insinuate that she had been wrong.
"Is that so? And how do you explain my findings from earlier? Lycanus is a remote location. Impossible to find on any map because of the magic that continuously envelops the forest, and those wolves outright refuse entry to anyone but their own kind. It's naturally the perfect place to hide someone of great importance."
She stepped forward and began circling Terrak like a predator, isolating him from his companions.
"Yes…" she continued. "I am certain I sensed the power of the Ancestors resonate across the realm. How else could you explain this sighting?"
"Oh, there definitely were Spirit Gems in the forest. I confirmed that." Terrak wasn't scared of the evil dragoness. Fear wasn't an emotion he could sense anymore, not since obtaining his powers. "Spirit Gems respond to a wolf's aura the same way they do a dragon's mana. It's hard to believe…!"
"You attempt to lecture me on draconic magic?" Cynder spat. "Spirit Gems are a direct blessing of the Ancestors. A wolf cannot interact with them, much less trigger their manifestation."
"True… But that's what happened. One of the little pups lost control of his energy, and the crystal that was in my hand at the time was glowing like a firefly!"
The dragoness leaned closer with a glare. Behind them, Sideon and Grave both exchanged words.
"Is this the truth?"
"He said the same to me earlier. I don't want to believe it, but…"
They were interrupted when Cynder stood back up, turning her snout up with indignance at the three.
"Perhaps you apes really are all growing complacent."
Terrak frowned as she spoke. He wasn't offended yet, but he knew where the accusations were heading.
"You've lost your motivation to fight now that you've achieved your biggest goal in life. Need I remind you that it was the Dark Master that granted you your current bodies, and he can just as easily take them away, only with the appropriate… consequence for such a betrayal."
The threat was one thing, but insulting his species' pride was another. Terrak didn't care if this was the Dark Master's chosen disciple; she wasn't one of them. She had no idea what their convictions were, so what right did she have to say what she did?"
With his arms crossed, Terrak held back a growl. Fortunately, he was gently pushed aside before he said something out of line.
"Enough," Sideon interjected as he stepped forward. "Our bodies are not a sign of our objective being complete. Like the humans who walked the realms before us, we won't merely be satisfied with who we are today; the desire in our hearts to evolve further is never-ending. Malefor is the one who granted us this blessing, and we will not abandon his call. Not ever."
A silence could be felt as the ape commander finished. From a young age, Sideon was a very driven individual and among the most moved by his kind's religious teachings. Every ape in the Dark Army may have shared his views, including both Grave and Terrak, but his devotion was far greater. He spoke from the heart in a way none could, and he repeatedly proved his granite on the battlefield, altogether earning him favour with the king. As a reward for his loyalty, Sideon was given the special privilege of being the first ape to receive the Dark Master's gift, which granted him the magical abilities of a dragon and, more importantly, the visage of a human.
Sideon was a beacon of the Dark Army comparable to Cynder herself, and his opinions resonated deeply throughout its ranks. His words carried a weight that the Terror of the Night couldn't dismiss.
"Terrak may be a mindless fool," Sideon reaffirmed. "but I have confidence in his abilities. His commitment and loyalty are genuine."
The dragoness scoffed.
"See to it that it stays that way." She turned away from the smaller ape. "I am only willing to dismiss this because it would be useless for us to invade Lycanus. We can't navigate the Forever Forest easily like those dogs, and the wildlife alone would cause endless complications."
She then gave him one final warning.
"But know this. If we discover a dragon is hiding there, you will be held responsible."
Terrak acknowledged the threat quietly and shuffled back, smart enough to know not to show his back to the dark dragoness. Once he was back in line, Grave took the initiative and addressed Cynder again.
"Lady Cynder, what is the real reason why we have all been summoned?" she asked. "What is so important that you would need a private meeting with all three commanders without consulting Gaul first?"
Her question was met with a deep chuckle. Cynder almost broke into cruel laughter before finally divulging her revelations.
"Our little captive has woken up, and what they've… shared has been very useful." The dragoness raised a hand and played with her fingers as magenta-hued energy rippled around them. "Of course, it has taken a little extra convincing."
The trio all nodded slowly, knowing the effects of this particular element, one of two that did not originate from the Dragon Ancestors…
"The Dark Master will walk the Realms again," she announced.
Sideon was the first to react and exclaimed loudly.
"Is that true!? The Ancestors' seal can be broken?" he questioned. Sideon already knew about the dragon they had captured, being the one responsible, but this was news to even him. Cynder hadn't revealed anything to the people close to her.
Beside him, the other two apes were just as taken aback. It may have been from a time long before any of them were born, but they have lived with the knowledge that Malefor was permanently imprisoned in the other dimension with no way to free his soul. What could the legends have omitted that they had yet to uncover?
The Terror of the Skies spread her wings as they glowed a haunting pink shade.
"There is much we don't know…" The stone platform rumbled beneath their feet and the three apes watched as they were pulled deeper into the void. "But our path is set!"
.
.
.
"Allow me to show you…"
A/N
I don't have a lot to say this time. I realized recently that I'm at the point where any decision I make will have long-lasting impacts on the story, so I felt I had to take my time with this one. You'd be surprised at how much of my original vision for this story has changed since I started, and how much I've cut for the better.
We have one last chapter before the moment most of you have probably been waiting for. (I know I have. It's finally happening…!)
A special thanks to everyone who left feedback on the story recently. Your encouragement means a lot.
And again, don't forget to check out the character poll. It WILL influence future chapters, so make sure to get your opinions in!
Until next time, farewell.
~AzureDragonZX