Author's note: Hey guys I love to see people favoring me and my story and I want to say that it really inspires me to see so many people taking an interest in my writing, and as long as you keep reading, I promise I'll do my best to finish this story. I also wanted to tell you that I'm planning at least 3 more books featuring Deimos but its the last one that I'm most excited to work on, because once Malefor is gone Deimost can finally start living his life

As the Atlawa led me to the gem clusters, I realized that the sea stacks were much more complex than I thought. There were valleys and natural tunnels carved out from water erosion.

I learned that my guide's name was Kane. He was the chief of the Atlawa, and he had been leading his people to rebel and fight against the apes. He saw the wisdom in my words and spoke to all of his people we came across. Some of them were wary of me, and it was hard to convince them all, others followed his command to hide without question. They all quickly disappeared into the low valleys. It was when we approached a stone wall that we met resistance.

A single Atlawa woman stood blocking the path. She was dressed in a type of wood armor that matched the color of Kane's loincloth. She had brown fur and held a spear and leveled its point at me. There was a burning determination in her eyes as she glared at me. Stepping in front of me, Kane held his hands up.

"Kana, lower your spear, please." he said soothingly.

"No father! We must drive the invaders out of our village, and I will start with this one." She asserted as she tried to step around Kane.

The fact that Kane had a daughter surprised me. I didn't know why, the guy was a stranger to me, I barely knew anything about him, but looking between the two of them I could see the resemblance. Stepping around Kane I started to speak before she suddenly jabbed her spear at me.

I didn't even realize my body was moving, but it was and without thought, as though I had trained to do it naturally, I jumped away, partially turning in the air, and my tail snapping out in a flash. There was a soft thud and I suddenly realized what I had done.

Looking at the ground I saw the head of the spear lying in the grass, barely an inch of the shaft still attached. Relaxing my stance a bit I looked at Kana, the shock and fear on her face evident. Turning to Kane I saw his surprise before he started to reassess me.

"This one is not our enemy, in fact I think his actions just now proved, he could have killed you." Kane said as he moved to soothe his daughter.

"F-father?" She asked as if forgetting he had been standing there.

"Kana we must hide our people for now I'll explain later but for now you and I must leave while we can." he said as he grabbed her hand and pulled her to her feet. "But first."

Turning around he looked at the wall that Kana had been adamant to keep me away from, stepping forward he would press a single point of the seemingly solid wall, only to have it sink into the wall, a moment later and a large chunk of the wall slid into itself revealing a tunnel leading down. Turning he returned to his daughters side, and led her away as he spoke quickly and quietly.

"I hope you and your people make it out of this Kane." I called as they walked away disappearing into the as they quickly traveled paths only they knew about.

Turning back to the hidden door I walked through as the tunnel took a downward angle, and I made my descent. The tunnel was somewhat cramped, I couldn't open my wings but I didn't have to worry about getting stuck, so I guess it could have been worse, thankfully it was a short walk, because soon I saw a light growing in size before it opened up into a little grassy cliff.

At the edge of the cliff was another rope bridge, and much like the tunnel, it was narrow and swayed in the breeze but it looked well maintained. The sea stack was shorter than most of the others around it, and was hiding in the center of a valley that made it impossible to see from above. Stepping onto the sea stack I started to count before I stopped and counted a second time..

"17, 18, 19, 20?" I counted in disbelief, this was more than what Kane had said.

I started to think I was asleep, that I was still locked in my cell sleeping on the day I escaped, but as I moved to break the first gem. I felt the power of all those suns again flowing through me, making me stronger. One after another I broke the gem clusters. The red and green ones didn't seem to do anything anymore as I absorbed them, maybe my body and abilities were at their peak.

The blue and purple gems though, I could clearly feel something happening each time I absorbed them. By the time I had finished I had started to piece together just what they each did for me. The blue gems, the ones that felt like raw knowledge, were just that. They were the collective knowledge of skills of every dragon who had ever passed away. The more of them I absorbed the more battle prowess I would have.

They weren't an easy route to become a battle hardened master. While they gave me the knowledge I needed to do things like cutting Kana's spear head off. If I didn't train and refine these new skills, I could accidentally hurt myself, or worse. I could kill the wrong person if I got careless.

The purple gems were something else entirely. It was like each gem was a drop of water and I was a container. When I absorbed them they would go into my container. Of course they weren't drops of water. They were more like little gems of power, and something told me that if I filled my "container" something extraordinary would happen.

Breaking the last gem cluster I shuddered. I felt better than ever before. "My container" was maybe two thirds and while I had been doing daily stretches in my cell, I felt more limber than ever before, faster as well.

Then I heard a screech from the rope bridge and I turned to see an ape had been watching me break the gems. It was clear from his face that I wasn't supposed to be breaking them. He was too far for me to use my eye trick and screaming would alert every ape nearby, and I did not need all of them coming down on me, it might get back to Cynder, and I didn't think she'd put up with me killing apes.

"Thinking quickly I rushed the ape and grabbed his arm in my mouth just as he was running up the bridge, and with as much force as I could muster, I lifted off of my front paws, dragging the ape into the air before I whipped my head to the side, and tossed him off of the bridge. I watched as he fell screaming.

Fearing that other apes might have heard his cries I charged the rest of the way up the bridge and through the tunnel. Once I was in open air again I quickly left the area before anyone could show up, with any luck they'd find an empty sea stack and leave quickly. I needed to catch up to the other apes Cynder had sent away. If they returned and I wasn't there Cynder would start to get suspicious.

Turning back the way I had come I started to head back towards Cynder. Retracing Kane and my path through the valleys and cracks I soon arrived back at the long bridge that led to the lone sea stack. I was surprised to find another four gem clusters, they hadn't been there when I left, but I wasn't going to let them go to waste and quickly absorbed them as well. The purple gems hadn't completely filled my container but I was getting closer. I just needed to find more of these gems.

Approaching the bridge I listened and heard silence reaching across. There were no sounds of battle and I couldn't see Cynder flying either. Risking her ire. I walked across the bridge and what I saw was kind of disappointing. Cynder stood over a blue adult dragon lying on a stone platform, one of Cynders crystals was lying at his feet, actively draining him of his energy.

I saw several pieces of what looked like tanned brick walls lying scattered around the clearing, and a large ball of brick. It almost looked like someone had taken a brick building and crushed it into a ball.

At my approach Cynder turned her head and glared at me." Why are you here?"

"I was flying overhead to see if I could spot any locals, but the trees were too thick and the only sections not covered in trees were covered in apes." I lied as I looked between her and the other dragon. "Who's that?"

"Shut up!" was her response.

Frowning I approached her, making sure to keep some distance from in case she decided to lash out.

We stood there for several long minutes before she turned and stared at me. Something in her gaze felt like it was looking into my being. I didn't mind her stare. I was her brother. No matter how twisted and evil they had made her, she had to be curious about me, even if her curiosity was only in how useful I could be.

"You're not afraid of me?" It sounded more like she was accusing me than asking me.

"No. I guess I'm not." I replied as I returned her gaze. I'm sure it wasn't as intimidating as her look was, but I wasn't trying to intimidate her.

"You think I won't kill you?" she demanded as she turned her whole body towards me. I followed her lead and turned my whole body to hers as we slowly squared off.

"I think…that if you wanted me dead, you'd just use my collar to do the job. I think you want me to be afraid of you." I answered her. I saw anger flash in her eyes in response.

"You insolent wretch!" she roared as she spun so fast I hardly saw her move before I felt my side explode in pain.

I felt myself flying away before slamming into a stone wall landing roughly. I couldn't help but feel like I had done this before, and I chuckled before wincing. Looking at my side I saw a crimson gash running down my ribs. I was bleeding and I was in alot of pain, but it wasn't fatal, I didn't feel like I was dying.

"S-still trying to scare me? I'll admit, that was better." I chuckled again before I winced.

Honestly I wasn't sure how I was so confident. I could feel my blood leaking out of me, but I wasn't afraid of her. I couldn't shake the feeling that she was holding back. I must have scared her because she stepped away before anger crossed her face again, and I felt my collar strangling me.

Gasping I could do nothing as I felt my throat constricting. I could hear my heart inside my head beating faster, could feel my lungs starting to burn as my supply of air dwindled, and I could see my vision turning black, for a moment I started to worry that she really would kill me.

00000

My body trembled as I felt my body being chained down. I could feel terror gripping me. As I looked around in the dark I saw shadows hiding just out of sight. I saw a throne where Gaul sat, an evil look on his face as he waved his hand.

The clanking of chains rang out as the room grew brighter. A sinister purple glow started to lower from the ceiling as a platform descended. In the center was a dark gem. It glowed with an evil light and as it drew closer I felt fear sparking inside my chest.

Touching down onto the floor just behind me, I watched as my body was engulfed in tendrils of dark magic. Pain raced across my body and I felt myself pulling and straining against the chains as I tried to get away. It was like I was burning and freezing all while my insides felt like they were melting.

The pain seemed to go on forever and the more I tried to fight the more I felt my strength giving out. Broken and tired, I laid on the ground unable to move, not even able to scream as all my strength left me. I was dying. I was so sure of it. I barely had the strength to keep my eyes open, but I watched as my scales, once white, seemed to rot and turn black before my eyes.

00000

A sound like distant thunder scared so bad that I jumped to my paws, my wings extended and ready to take flight. My heart was pounding so fast against my chest I could feel it bruising. Panting quickly I started to take in my surroundings, my dreams fading as I focused on the present.

I was still where I had fallen when I had passed out, but it looked like the sun had retracted its steps in the sky. I must have been out for hours and it was the next second thing that crossed my mind was that she hadn't killed me after all. Then I felt ashamed at doubting her. Looking around again I noticed that Cynder was gone, so I started to walk only to wince. Looking down I saw the wound Cynder had given me. It was healing, but it looked…smaller than I onward I noticed that the blue dragon was still there, and so was the crystal. Cynder would return, and soon to if the gem glowing bright blue was any indication.

Approaching the dragon I moved to study his face, but as I did I saw that he was awake, but in pain. I stopped and studied him for a moment, but then his eyes locked onto mine. They were full of surprise, and recognition.

"Y-ah..You're alive?" he asked, his voice full of just as much surprise as pain.

"W-what? You know me?" I asked as my mind began to race. I didn't recognize him, and the other dragon from Dante's freezer. I don't remember having seen him before either.

The yellow dragon I could never be sure of. I was too far away, but this blue dragon, clearly he knew me, but how? I wanted to ask so many questions, so many that when I tried to open my mouth my words came out in a mess. The dragon looked confused and was about to say something when we heard Cynder returning.

Turning I saw her landing. I smirked and was about to speak before I saw the look in her eyes. Rage, pure and unfiltered, but it wasn't directed at me, not yet. Deciding to keep my mouth shut I backed away from the blue dragon. I saw a look of satisfaction cross her face at that before she turned and grabbed the blue crystal, and turned to leave again.

"Follow me!" she ordered.

I started to spread my wings before looking at the blue dragon, he had passed out again. Looking forward, I froze as I saw a purple splotch start to approach the rope bridge. I didn't want to leave, but I couldn't lose Cynder. Reluctantly I took to the sky and sped after Cynder.

00000

Cynder had flown perhaps the shortest distance yet on our journey across the dragon realms. My wings were starting to get used to being used so often. I was able to speed up and slow down and it barely took any effort, but faster than I knew it, we were flying towards an active volcano. I watched as flying balls of fire rained down on the island only to explode. Sometimes I saw steel barrels flying out of the volcano's mouth only to break open revealing several apes stuck inside.

"Monkeys in a barrel?" I wondered before I saw Cynder landing near the entrance of a mineshaft. Landing behind her. I noted she would have to lower her head to walk into the mine shaft

As I followed I took a look around and what I saw made my stomach turn. There were small creatures with hats that looked like lanterns, each of them holding a pickaxe and I watched as they were forced to mine veins of ore. Apes stood around them threatening them with weapons and forcing them to work more I looked around the more I wanted to hit something.

"You! Commander!" Cynder suddenly shouted as she turned to look at one of the dreadwing commanders, who had been flying didn't even wait for him to land before she laid the crystal on the ground

Without needing to be told, the commander swooped low and retrieved the crystal before he turned around and started to fly away from the island. I watched him fly away, the glow of the blue crystal showing me his path until he was too far to be seen.

Looking to Cynder I saw she was already making her way into the mines. Quickly following I saw more of those mole creatures forced to mine. I saw mine carts and railroad tracks that circled around the volcano's exterior. Each cart was full of raw ore and as they reached the beach, I saw apes loading their contents into boats. That was something else I hadn't noticed until just now, there was a veritable armada of ships waiting to fill their holds. They had turned this island into an industrial powerhouse but now they looked like rats scattering.

"You're not here to sightsee, now move before I regret sparing your life!" Cynder snapped.

Turning around I walked after Cynder, I started to think again. Why was I here? Why had they pulled me out of my cell, and why had I been brought along. I was told I would be helping speed up the return of Cynders master, but so far I had not been forced to do much. I had revived a few dead apes, sure but other than that. I had mostly been unsupervised. I hadn't even had a guard at Tall plains.

Shaking my head I started to listen as I heard Cynder speaking with another ape..

"How many ships have arrived?" She asked, sounding just as viscous as always.

"Over one hundred ships have arrived to transport the ore and gems back to the well of souls, we expect to have at least eighty percent of the stockpiled ore to be on route by the morning." The ape said quickly as he checked over a sheet of paper.
"And what about the volcano, when will it explode?" she asked as she sped up, the ape had to jog to keep up with her.

"W'we'e not sure, but we have at least 2 days before the magma pools further up the mountain will start to flood." he replied quickly

"What about the crystal? How close is it to being fully charged?" The ape stopped at the question and looked fearful.
"W-we ran into a complication." The ape replied fearfully.

"What!?" she yelled as she whirled around to kill the ape with her viscous glare. "I gave you that Crystal over 2 days ago! It should have been fully charged by now, but you worthless wretches haven't even begun!" I could feel the heat of her rage radiating off of her as she looked ready to murder the ape in front of her.

"We have begun!" he said as he held up his hands defensively. "The dragon woke up as we were setting the crystal, and went on a rampage. We only subdued him recently, but we expect the crystal to be fully charged in a few hours, Tomorrow morning at the latest!

"Worthless!" she growled under her breath and turned away stalking up the mountain." That purple welp is catching up and you can't even handle one beaten old dragon" She ranted as her anger seethed off of her like a cloud of dark energy.

In her anger she was letting things slip. She too had seen the purple splotch, but it seemed that it was indeed a dragon. I couldn't be sure but from my memory I thought he was a child. It was shocking even now to think someone so young was being so brave and it seemed he was doing something right, because apparently he was still coming.

The further we walked the more I saw Cynder giving out commands, ordering the apes to work faster. It gave me time to think and to plan. I still needed to collect more of those gems before I could make my escape. I knew I was close though. I just needed to find time to sneak away so I could find more of them.

Then I literally felt my brain stop, and rewind. The ape who had nearly wet himself in fear, had said that ships had come to transport ore and gems. Looking at the minecarts that were whipped by. I focused on them and watched as they passed.

"Ore…"

"Ore…"

"Ore…"

"GEMS!"

That cart was full of gems, and if that was the case, then there were probably more of them. If I could find where they were coming from, then I might be able to absorb enough of those gems to finally break free of the collar.

"Cynder!" I called, catching her attention. Turning to look at me she was clearly upset by my outburst.

"What do you want me to do?" I was unable to make it sound like I was scared. I went complacent instead.

I watched as she froze and looked at me with curiosity, but whatever was going through her mind, she decided quickly before nodding to herself, and looking around. Spotting an ape she pointed to him to catch his attention. Waving him over she pointed at me.

"Take him and round up the minors. Once we're done here we can sell them off to those pirates." She ordered before turning and continuing up the mountain.

Turning to look at the ape she he appointed to me I saw him flinch as my eyes locked onto him. He had heard about me, which meant he was scared of me. A useful thing to know. Walking up to him with a growl in my voice,

"Come on, show me around."

00000

In the hours that preceded, I learned the apes' cruelty was worse than I thought. I watched as more and more of these moles were led onto the beach. I watched as several of them were loaded into a large steel cage. Located at the center of the beach, surrounded by apes as they rushed to load row boats with ore, before rowing to a ship docked on the island's outskirts.

Doing a quick count, I noted there were at least thirty already here, but I could see more moles being led out of mineshafts towards the beach. It reminded me of my own time in a cage, and it made my blood boil to see them. To see the looks of defeat and anguish on their faces. Unlike me they couldn't fight, they were small and blind, fighting would only get them killed…but if I could help them escape…

Looking around again I counted the apes. There were too many for me to fight, but the more I looked the more I noticed a few of them held keys at their waist. Turning to the ape that was in charge I approached him, my face a mask as I spoke with confidence.

"Cynder wants to know how many more prisoners are left, and she wants to know how long until they're loaded?" the ape looked like he wanted to refuse to answer however a look at my face and he thought better of it

"We have at least fifteen more higher up on the volcano, we're leaving them there so we can harvest more gems since they seem to be more concentrated near the dragon" he replied hesitantly.

"Cynder said she wanted all of the minors sold to the pirates. I'm going to round the rest of them up and bring them here. I lied as I turned to walk back up the mountain. "You're coming with me." I added

"What? No I have to-" He started to protest, before I whirled around, my tail slashing him across his cheek. He howled in pain catching the attention of all the apes.

"Cynder ordered you to stay with me as we rounded the miners up, and you blatantly ignored her? Be glad I only cut your face, Cynder would end you for arguing with her.' I spat as I started to walk. Cynder and I were siblings so if I acted cruel and like I was in charge, I was hoping they'd fall for it.

My gamble paid off as I saw several of the apes step away fearfully, and I heard the ape I cut start to follow, even if it was at a distance. Stopping, I turned and glared at the ape. "This is my first time on this island. take me to the prisoners." I ordered, and watched as he scrambled to run past me.

Following him I searched for the mines for a discreet place to get rid of him. I needed his key and I needed to find those carts of gems, but I also needed to free some of those miners. I wasn't stupid enough to think I could free all of them. If I was caught freeing even a single mole it could get back to Cynder and then I would be in trouble…but maybe I only needed to free one mole.

"Are all of the moles in a single location?" I asked as I saw several shallow mine shafts branching off from the main shaft.

"W-we have a few moles locked up, they were too stubborn to mine."

"You didn't kill them?" I asked as I spotted a makeshift cell over one of the cells.

"N-no we were ordered to keep them alive, i guess they really wanted to sell all of them." he answered as he spotted the cell and froze. "W-we should get them last, they are more likely to escape."

"Well that works out perfectly." I said as I rose onto my hind legs.

"What?" He asked turning around only to shrink in fear.

Lashing out with my claws I quickly cut his throat, preventing his scream of terror from echoing down the mineshaft. I had to use a wing to shield my face from the spray of blood. I felt revulsion rise in my throat and had to push it down, killing was messy, and it left me feeling ill, but my escape was more important that how I felt, I was going to do whatever it took to survive.

Hearing his body hit the ground I quickly grabbed his key and headed for the cell door. Throwing the door open I grabbed the ape by one of his legs and dragged him into the mineshaft. He was heavy and I noted I left a streak of blood in my wake, but I was hoping that they would be too scared of the exploding mountain to notice.

I heard a gasp behind me and dropped the ape. Spinning around I took a defensive stance only to see one of those moles staring at me. His eyes were so tiny I wasn't sure he could actually see me. His nose though was large and sniffed the air.

"You are one of Cynders beasts!" the mole said his voice heavily accented, but I could understand what he was saying," but you killed one of her apes? Are you going to kill me as well?" The mole asked defiantly.