Scavenger Encounter
Spyro and Adir slowly opened their eyes. They knew that they must be within the dream realm where they first met, the Chronicler as they saw nothing but a clear night sky and were sitting upon a floating rock platform.
They rose to their feet but suddenly they were met with a heavy chill. "Whoa! It's freezing!" Adir shivered as he could see his breath in the air and the purple dragon was only shaking from the cold air around them.
"Your right. It's cold here!" He agreed shivering for a moment. The two used their fire element to quickly warm themselves back up to where they could stand the chilly air around them. At another rock platform in front them that was a small distance away was a pool that was glowing light blue. It had to be where they could contact, the Chronicler as only he would be the reason they have returned to the domain around them.
Spyro leapt and glided to the other side while, Adir hopped along a few smaller platforms before he rejoined, Spyro at the edge of the pool.
"Chronicler? Are you there?" Spyro called into the pool but was met with silence. Adir tried next.
"Look, we made it to the grove. My sister now has gained the element of fire but I'm afraid we are lost." Adir explained with some worry in his voice.
"As long as the ancestors as the spirits of the ancestors are with you all, you are never lost." The Chroniclers voice assured from the pool. Calm yourselves, young ones and cool your thoughts."
Spyro sighed as it was rather trying. He along with, Adir were worried. A lot has happened in the past few hours and it seemed they were not getting anywhere. But the Chronicler had some reason and they had to relax.
Feeling something building up inside of them they climbed onto the pool and stood in the middle. The air around was starting to get colder but they were not being bothered as they shut out the tiny aura of fire that warmed them.
"Do not let your fire control you. There are other elements at play here." The Chronicler explained as, Spyro and Adir shut their eyes and could feel another power reawaken in them. "The Power of Ice also moves through you both. Like the ice chill that whips through your bodies. Let it…expand!"
Spyro and Adir could now truly feel it. The cold snaps of ice. The Chill of icy winds. Snow and ice formed around an orb that appeared around them both then expanded and shot out in a snowy blast.
The chronicler chuckled. "I knew you both would remember!"
Adir smiled widely as he now could feel the power of ice in him. Suddenly something new happened. Ice formed over his left hand and then large sickle of ice expanded out an arm's reach piercing through a nearby stone to his surprise. A weapon had forged in his very hand made of ice.
"Wow! How did I…" Adir was in awe as the sickle dissipated and the stone dropped and his arm was no longer covered in ice. "I couldn't have believed I was capable of doing that."
"Imagination is key, young Adir. Your limits are only what you believe. Reach out past your limited thinking and there is more to your abilities than you first believed." The Chronicler explained. Adir nodded in understanding as, the Chronicler continued.
"Life seeks out balance, young ones. And those who can master fire and ice is truly powerful in the shifting of danger." He said as a pathway opened up in front of them that led up to a large platform where they saw stone soldiers wielding swords and shields were awaiting them.
With the reawakening of their Ice power they left the pool and charged up to the platform. Both the Dragon and human used their ice abilities against the sentry's. From icy blasts to shards of ice, to even, Adir's discover of being able to create a weapon of ice against the stone foes. He formed a long shard of ice that penetrated right the armor with ease then created sharp edged sword slicing off the head the one he had pierced through that was trying to break free but then was destroyed with the slicing of its head.
Spyro got a similar idea seeing how, Adir was forming weapons in his own hands without using the sword on his back. He was surrounded by the stone sentries but forming a sword from extending out his tail he quickly turned in a circle slicing all those around him in half.
The Chronicler was right. The only limits to their abilities are from their imagination. If they only imagine something that could be useful then it can happen. With finishing off the last of the sentries with a Fury of snow and ice a new pathway appeared that led them to another platform with a light blue pool of water showing that their awakening and use of their power had come to an end.
The Two friends quickly hurried up to the edge of the pool. They were both quite happy to have regained another of the power and learning something new from it as well but they had many questions.
"Okay. Now what? What is it you want us both to do?" Spyro asked looking down into the pool.
Adir nodded as he too was rather confused. They have yet to know the true purpose behind everything. "Yes, you want us to seek a simple tree but what's beyond that? We deserve or better yet, we are entitled to know what's going on!" His tone rather firm.
"You already know what is happening…" the Chronicler reminded. "…of the great evil that is awakening. But there is more that you must understand." Suddenly there was a light and everything was so bright that, Spyro and Adir shut their eyes for a moment until they reopened them to see something that was familiar to them and they shuddered at the sight.
They saw a mountain with the shape of a dragons head with a purple beam of energy coming from the roaring open jaws of it blasting down into the peak from the sky.
"I have seen this before!" Spyro shuddered.
Adir nodded as his eyes were widened. "It frightens me!" His bones were chilled at the sight of the forbidding mountain.
"This is an evil place, young ones." The Chronicler agreed. "It's called the Mountain of Malefor."
"Wait! Mountain of Malefor? That's right, Terrador said!" Adir recalled.
"Yes." The Chronicler confirmed. "Asylum to the wandering phantoms and lost spirits of those that turned to darkness. But to the spirits themselves and the black hearted, it goes by another name…" The Chroniclers voice halted as the scene in front of them changed from the view of the dark mountain.
It was directed towards a large army of apes that were heading towards it. The numbers were so many that it looked like a great flood that consuming the land with each step and at the very front of it marched an ape that was the largest among the masses. It was big enough to stand nearly as tall as one of the guardians.
The Ape slammed down a broad staff topped with a flashing black crystal it wielded as it stood upon the edge of the mountain. The Massive Ape had a glimmering green bejeweled eye and wore helmet with two dragon horns upon it as it looked to be from a poor dragon that was a victim of the evil being. It smiled darkly at the sight of the mountain. "The Well of Souls!" It growled in awe as the army behind him let out ragged howls of cheers.
Adir gasped at the sight as the green eyed ape. "That must be the one that, Terrador told us about. The Ape King!" Spyro nodded in agreement then suddenly everything went white once more then suddenly they were opening their eyes back into the real world.
Adir groaned putting a hand on his head as he had a slight headache as, Spyro woke up near him. "Hey, you okay?" He asked the purple dragon.
Spyro nodded. "Yeah. I'm alright." Spyro stood up and stretched his body. Adir did the same but as he raised his arms he looked around to see they were not where they remember passing out at. They were in some kind of tunnel network near a purple river.
"Something tells me that we missed something while we were out." Adir implied.
"I think so." Spyro agreed looking around to see that, Sparx and the others were missing. "Where is everyone?"
"Oh, man." Adir murmured worriedly. He was about to call out for the dragonfly and his family until he heard the sounds of a fight going on. He could hear the clashing of weapons. The howls of what sounded like dog's and saw a spark of electricity coming from an area around the corner just ahead near the river.
Adir drew his sword knowing it had to be his family in the middle of a battle. They had to help them. "Come on!" He ran ahead with, Spyro following.
They ran around the corner to see, Sid, Molly and Rai were indeed in a fight. Those dog like beings were attacking them by the dozen. There were bodies of a few of them lying around dead from stab wounds and a couple of them looked to have been set on fire and another was twitching with a tiny surge of electricity around it.
"HEY! GET AWAY FROM MY FAMILY!" Adir shouted at the many canine beings as some turned their attention to the new set faces that appeared.
"Well ill be." One of the larger canines grunted. "Get them too!" He pointed a cutlass at the two as some of the canines broke off from attacking the others and went after, Spyro and Adir.
Sparx was around flying just above the battle shivering at the sight as he had been watching the fight for awhile but when he saw, Spyro and Adir appear he flew past the bunch that was coming at the two.
"Hey guys! Hope you enjoyed your beauty sleep. Mind giving us a hand?!" He seethed and flew past his two friends as they both rolled their eyes before engaging into the battle.
The Three other humans were still in the midst of battle trying to fight off another group of the canine beings but were happy to see that, Spyro and Adir were finally awake and could provide assistance. But what shocked them both was that the purple dragon and, Adir suddenly attacked using Ice. Adir formed a form a large sickle from his left arm and stabbed one attacker through its stomach then stabbed it again through its head.
Spyro attacked by spraying three of the attackers with streaks of ice freezing them instantly before shattering them into pieces. Adir killed two more attackers shooting shards of ice striking them all over their bodies killing them instantaneously.
With the use of their regained power the battle quickly turned into their favor. With the combined help of the other three humans they eventually killed the last of the canines. They all took a moment to catch their breath but it was, Sid, Molly and Rai that need a little more time as they had been in fight much longer than the others were.
After they recuperated they went up to their friends with relive and frustrated looks.
"Guys, you're finally awake and did you just use ice? That's so awesome!" Rai cheered.
"What happened?" Molly asked putting hands on her hips setting down her spear giving her brother and Spyro a glare. "Do you have any idea what we have gone through?"
"Why don't you fill us in and we shall tell you what happened with us." Adir replied making, Sid roll his eyes.
"We had to carry you both after, Sparx had given our position away because hold in his little snack!" He shot the dragonfly an accusing look.
"Hey! Those butterflies were still pretty good!" Sparx defended his actions as he floated next to, Spyro.
"We had to keep on the move. The one dog that we didn't kill ran off to his little buddies and let them know we were around. For hours now we have been fighting one group of these guys after another. They just keep on coming!" Sid explained with frustration as he tended to a cut on his arm that he received during the past battle.
"Any idea of what they are?" Spyro asked as, Molly nodded.
"It seems their pirates. As we had to carry you all past some places where they were making camp there were many ships that somehow can fly. Ships that carry what looks to be flags resembling pirates. And they certainly talk like sailors and not mention from when we were spying on one of the camps they were hoarding treasure and carrying it up into the ships. I'm not sure what they want with us but every patrol we've encountered have been trying to kill us. Their constantly looking for us and the fight we were just in was another patrol we had to deal with. And apparently they call themselves 'Scavengers'" Molly explained her voice full of irritation as it has been a very long day of trying to stay alive.
"Pirates? That's interesting." Adir folded his arms as this was surprising to him.
"Anyway, what happened to you both? Rai said that when you first collapsed you wouldn't wake up and sure as heck you wouldn't no matter what we tried." Molly complained.
"Sure hope no one slapped me again." Adir gave his younger brother a look as, Rai shook his head assuring it didn't happen.
"Well we were called on again by, the Chronicler. Thanks to him we have regained the element of Ice." Spyro explained.
"Yeah! Certainly could see that!" Rai chuckled kicking a frozen shard of a destroyed pirate to the side.
"Well as amazing as that is did that guy give you any directions?" Sid asked as he finished tending to his cut. "Been running around for hours and now with these scavengers constantly picking at her rear-ends not sure if we are going to find what we are supposed to look for."
"Afraid not. But we were told more about something worse." Adir said making him shudder in a fearful chill.
"Oh jeez, like it couldn't be any worse than what are already are in." Molly whined picking up her spear. "Well you don't have to tell us about that. Now that your awake let's try to get back to finding this tree of yours so we can get out of her before more of those pirates come snooping around."
"And how do you propose we find a certain tree in a dark forest that's now filled up to the brink with pirates?" Sid complained.
"Come on guys! I thought I was only one who did all the complaining!" Sparx took some slight offense to.
"Shut it, Sparx!" Molly told the dragonfly sharply.
"Quiet everyone! Look we're near a river." Spyro pointed his wing near the purple river nearby. "We are looking for a tree that's in the middle of a swamp. If we follow this river it could lead us to it."
Adir nodded in agreement. "Well…I know it's not much but, Spyro may have a point. It's better than wandering aimlessly." He looked at his family. "What do you guys think?"
Sid shrugged his shoulders. "Yeah…better to have some kind of plan than none." He agreed.
Molly nodded. "With all this running around I would rather stick to something than just openly run around waiting for another patrol."
Rai smiled. "Then I guess we are all in agreement."
Sparx however wasn't sure about it. "Are you guys sure about this? Following an icky and not so drinkable river to find a stupid tree?" Everyone all gave, Sparx a look.
"Says the bug we specifically told not to eat something that wasn't a wise idea and now we are being hunted for it." Sid retorted as, Sparx groaned in frustration.
"Oh, give it a rest." Sparx barked at him.
The Group gathered themselves and followed the river that led deeper in the dark forest. They kept sharp as more of the scavenger patrols were around. They spotted some groups and stayed hidden in the brush. There wasn't need to fight they could avoid it.
They stayed clear of sight of the scavenger patrols now that their pace wasn't slowed by having to carry, Spyro and Adir around. However as they followed the river they came across a lake that would take some time to walk around as swimming in it would not be an option.
Spyro got an idea and used the Ice element by shooting a blast of ice on the poison water making a platform for them to hop onto. He did the same thing a few more times before they were safely across earning a pat on his head from, Sid as it was a great idea that shortened the time it would have taken to go around. They followed the river on the other side but where the river moved past from was out in the open and nearby another lake that had a massive scavenger ship with a couple dozen of the pirate beings unloading large cages and chests from the ship.
There would be no way to sneak around them as the forest around was very thick in foliage and the only way to get through it would be to cut through or use fire to burn away a path but the noise and their efforts would give away their position.
They all remained hidden within the edge of the open grounds as they had to come up with a plan. Sneaking around would not work nor through it as there was not many places to take cover. They had to fight to get through it.
"Alright. We have to spread out. Don't let them gang up on us and don't let them surround us either. Charge in and attack and don't let up. They're too busy with their work and won't notice. Kill as many as you can before they rally." Adir explained the plan as they all agreed readying their weapons.
"Let's do this!" Adir ran out from forests edge and ran straight ahead at the first pirate that was carrying a crate without noticing he was about to be attacked with his back turned to, Adir.
The Young Warrior pierced his sword right through the Scavenger thrusting it through it with ease as it couldn't even yell out in pain before dying. Immediately following his cousin, brother, sister came storming out of the forest with, Spyro flying overhead as, Sparx remained behind and watched from the safety of the dark woods.
The Scavengers were taken completely by surprise. Sid and Spyro went right from, Adir as, Molly and Rai went left of their brother each group taking a side to prevent the scavengers from getting around them. One by one a scavenger fell as their deaths were carried out quickly with the attackers not wasting a single second they had to try and kill as many as possible.
Rai charged a scavenger with his swords straight out at it as the uncanny canine was rummaging through a chest filled with trinkets but before, Rai could reach him the scavenger turned to see the little human running at him.
"INTRUDERS!" It screamed before, Rai could kill it running his swords through its chest and head. Many of the remaining scavengers quickly dropped from their work and drawn out their weapons and those that did not have anything to use all hurried to where their comrade had warned of intruders in the camp.
Molly sighed standing next to her youngest brother. It wasn't his fault as she and everyone else knew they wouldn't be able to get them all before someone would notice them.
"Get ready, Rai. Here they come!" She told her brother as a group of five scavengers came upon them one of them taller than the rest wielding cutlass saw them and pointed his weapon at her as the smaller scavengers charged them. Molly and Rai charged the group and fought against them.
Spyro and Sid were dealing with a group of their own as, Spyro attacked from above as, Sid fought from the ground. Adir quickly hurried to the side of his cousin as they sliced down any of the scavengers that got close.
The Scavengers numbers were dwindling fast. They may have had the numbers but they were no match for the humans and the dragon as they were far more skilled and most of them had powers and that put them at a great disadvantage.
Upon the ship that stood at the shore more scavengers joined the fight as more of them came from within the ship running across the gangplank that positioned just under the deck of the ship that lead into the camp.
Some of the scavengers that were still on the ship headed for the deck and manned a set of cannons that were positioned on the side of the ship facing the camp. Quickly arming the heavy weapons they fired down upon the attackers.
There was a loud boom and, Adir looked towards the ship to see cannon's aimed at him and his family. "INCOMING! SCATTER!" He cried before the cannonballs struck at the ground near them exploding on impact. One was close enough to knock, Sid straight into cage from the shockwave of the blast.
The Scavengers manning the cannon's were now the priority. Sid was trying to recover but the blast had nearly knocked him out cold and he was in pain from the impact against the cage. Once any of the ones manning cannon's above took aim it could be all over for, Sid.
"Spyro! Take out those cannon's fast!" Adir called up to the purple dragon. Spyro nodded quickly flying over the ship as, Molly and Rai below were trying to deal with the reinforcements coming from the ship. Adir went over to his cousin to help recover and protect from any scavenger that came their way.
The Cannon's were then aimed at, Spyro as he was coming fast. They shot a few cannon balls his way but he rolled to sides as they missed him. He shot fireballs from his mouth towards the cannon's impacting on them and destroying them in a fiery explosion killing the cannon crews and the explosions rocked the whole ship as some of the cannon balls were ablaze and rolled around on the deck soon going off crippling the deck entirely as more explosions followed decimating the vessel.
With the cannon's gone and the ship destroyed the scavengers that were left gone into a state of panic which the purple dragon, Molly and Rai the opportunity to finish them all off while they now were now in fear seeing their vessel and their heavy weapons destroyed.
After the last of the scavengers were taken care of everyone regrouped at, Adir's and Sid's location where the muscled, Sid finally was able to stand but his ears were still ringing.
"Aw…man. I hope that's enough for awhile." He moaned holding onto his head the ringing in his ears were difficult to ignore.
"Are you going to be okay, Sid?" Rai asked with concern as it was rare to see someone as strong as, Sid be in such pain like he was but, Sid waved him off.
"Ill be okay. Just give me a minute." He assured.
Sparx flew up next to large human. "Ah, don't worry big guy. Just walk it off." But the buzzing from, Sparx's wings were bothering to, Sid as it was louder than the ringing.
"Buzz off, bug!" Sid seethed as, Sparx flew next to, Adir.
"Alright, sorry. Sheesh!" Sparx grumbled folding his arms as everyone just smiled at the scene.
"Great job guys. We certainly showed them." Adir praised his family and friends.
"Yeah! That was awesome! We're the best there is!" Rai beamed in great confidence. Though Molly too was pleased that they managed to win such a heavy fight they still were on a quest and it was best not stand around.
"Not to break the mood but perhaps we should continue on before more show up?" She suggested.
Adir nodded in agreement along with, Spyro. "Yes. We should get going." The Dragon agreed. "Can you walk now, Sid?"
Sid gave a thumbs up. "I still have some ringing in the ears but I'm good to go."
Everyone agreed and continued on. They walked past many of the fallen scavengers that they killed. Having taken on what looked to be over two dozen of them and having destroyed a ship that was armed with heavy cannons that knocked, Sid down it brimmed them with confidence. Despite Sid taken a nasty hit he too was quite confidence if they could take a ship of these pirates they should be able to get past anything else as they continue their search for the tree in his cousin and Spyro's dreams.
They continued to follow the river through poison forest. Surprisingly as they did not encounter anymore of the scavengers. It was like all the patrol's vanished. They didn't have to stop and hide or engage anything other than more death hounds and even some ogre like beings that resided in some areas filled with ponds of poison water.
Facing the death hounds and the ogre like beings were a trial but not a challenge with the combined coordinated efforts and with use of those that wielded element power their opposition was easily handled. At one point the river went through some more thick foliage and they had to take a pathway that lead around the foliage that would slow them down.
They encountered more ogres and had to climb up some tree's to find their way out of parts they were in to find the river again. They would find the river again but to their surprise they may have found the reason why there was a lack of scavengers since their assault on the camp they discovered.
In a tiny lake that was near a passing that lead up further in the forest was a ship almost as big as the one, Spyro destroyed laying in the lake with its front submerged upwards as the back half of the ship was in flames. Something had to have caused the destruction of the ship as many bodies of scavengers were lying around floating dead in the water. Either the occupants of the forest were providing an abdicate defense against the other intruders in the forest or something must have done it. It didn't fit well for the group but they continued on as they could stop for the sooner they find what they were looking for the better.
They climbed up some ledges and found more bodies of scavengers lying around. Something indefinitely had fought and killed them. It didn't look like that it was death hounds or the ogre beings as there wasn't a trace of anything of the kind no footprints or a sign of a struggle. Whatever killed the scavengers around them was far more formidable than they anticipated and they paid a heavy price for it.
Rai and Sparx were starting to worry. Whatever was out there had to be far more dangerous than what they currently encountered but no one was going to falter as the followed the trail of bodies through base of a great tree that lead into an area that was a swamp and at the center of the swampland that was on the edge of an ocean was a great tree that was all too familiar one for, Spyro and Adir.
"Hey! Please tell me that tree is what we are looking for. Please!" Rai begged as he was starting to have enough of the forest. They had been searching for hours and having had to handle so many different foes he just hoped that this was the journey's end here.
Spyro and Adir took a closer look as, Sid and Molly sat down needing a quick break to rest as, Rai and Sparx joined them.
Looking upon the tree they closed their eyes and tried to remember the tree clearly from what, the Chronicler showed them. It had to be it as it stood directly in center of the swamp standing rather tall though the tree held some gloom to it. It was most defiantly what they were looking for.
"I think we finally found it!" Adir smiled so happy that they finally have it to the destination they were told to go to.
Sid was hardly impressed. "Yeah, great! So why did we have brave a dark forest? Fight creatures that resembled something from B-rated films and Dog Pirates all to find a tree?"
Adir then realized his cousin had a point. Why did the Chronicler send them to find this tree in a middle of swamp far inward of a dangerous forest? It didn't really make any much sense. He put a finger to his chin and tried to think.
Spyro too was a bit confused. They had found the tree as, the Chronicler wanted but what are they exactly supposed to do now? He hoped there was an answer otherwise all the danger they encountered would have been for nothing. But something about the tree was peculiar and unknown to those that were now facing the tree it held something dark within it that was about to introduce them to another great challenge.
