The Summoning
Act 1: Descension
Chapter 2: Vengeance
The three dragons drudged through the forest, fighting their way through the tangled thickets of tropical foliage. Their only sources of light came from the twin moons above and a pair of flickering sparks that Fulmena blew out of her nostrils. In the short time since they had left the clearing where Cynder had awoken, the black dragoness had learned that they were on a small island that was owned by Gaius. It was one of the many islands of the Fallen Archipelago; a series of islands that were originally known as the Tall Plains before their lofty geography was radically altered during the world's near destruction at the hands of the Destroyer. No longer were they mountainous marvels with high plateaus that stood starkly against the vast ocean. Now they were nothing more than low-lying tropical islands that differed little from others scattered about the vast seas of the world.
She followed the two dragons into another clearing that was larger than the one they'd been in before. It was rather spacious, with its main landmark being a rocky cliff face that rose above a pond. Gaius paused and observed the area with a sly grin before turning to Cynder.
"I'd like to take a moment to welcome you to my humble tropical abode," he said with an amused tone.
"Wow, I'm impressed," Cynder breathed, feigning awe as she stepped ahead of him and looked about the clearing with wide gleaming eyes. "I've never seen a clearing that's been quite this immaculate. I'm really looking forward to sleeping on the muddy ground, exposed to the elements and whatever kinds of predators that are roaming this island."
Fulmena snickered at her display, but Gaius wasn't perturbed. With a mischievous smirk, he thrust forepaw into the ground, causing it to rumble. Cynder jumped as something splashed out of the dark water in front of her. They were stones, adorned with elegantly carved patterns that jutted out of the pond to form a path that settled just above the water line. She turned to glare back at Gaius, but he was already moving past her to stride confidently across the wet stone path, trailed closely by Fulmena.
"It's quite discrete, isn't it?" He asked as Cynder begrudgingly followed them onto the path. "When I purchased this island, I intended to transform it into a hideaway from the prying eyes of the law if there ever came such a need. It's located in a rather remote part of the archipelago; not a piece of prime real estate that a magnate such as myself would typically be interested in. I even went as far as to register the island's ownership under the name of a shell corporation established by one of my associates, making it virtually untraceable to myself as its owner. To any outside onlooker, it would appear as nothing more than an uninhabited island, untouched by civilization. It's the perfect place to keep a secret. Especially a secret such as yourself, Miss Cynder!"
Cynder snorted at that but didn't utter anything in response. When he reached the cliff face, he raised his forepaw and held it out in front of the rocky wall. A blue-gray symbol appeared on the back of his forepaw, followed by a matching symbol of much larger size appearing on the wall before him. The earth rumbled greater this time, and a portion of the wall slid inward and to the side to reveal a softly lit passageway lined with marble. When the trio of dragons were fully inside, the slab of stone slid shut behind them with a definitive thud. The hallway ended in a flight of stairs that spiraled downward into a spacious room that was lined with the same polished marble as the passageway above it. On the left side was a kitchen and dining area, while the right side resembled a well-furnished living room. It did not contain the gaudy and lavish decorations that were commonly associated with nobility during her time, but everything appeared to be clean, modern, and top-of-the-line. There was an unlit fireplace on one of the far walls, and Gaius walked over and activated it with a switch that was mounted beside it. The wall next to it was taken up in its entirety by large aquarium that was filled with a variety of exotic looking fish that swam about. Gaius beckoned both her and Fulmena to join him in the living area, and they both settled down on the furniture surrounding him. He cleared his throat and began to speak.
"I know this is all quite confusing and overwhelming for you, so I feel obligated to answer any questions you may have about your current situation," he stated. "For that reason, I will allow you to ask me any question you'd like, and I will answer them to the best of my ability."
Cynder was a little surprised that he was offering to be so forthcoming with information right off that bat, but she didn't let it show on her face. She still suspected that he would withhold at least some information from her, regardless of his willingness to answer her questions. Her mind was staggered for a brief moment as a multitude of questions flooded her mind all at once. She mentally composed herself and took a deep breath.
"Who are you two?" She asked, her sharp gaze sliding between the two dragons. "I know your names, and that's about it. If I'm going to be stuck with you all for a while, I want to know the kind of people I'll be working with."
Gaius nodded, looking pleased with the question. "I'm a bit of a business dragon myself."
He said that a bit cheekily, and Fulmena gave him a bemused look. He let out a chuckle at that. "I suppose that's a bit of an understatement. I'm one of the wealthiest, if not the wealthiest, industrialist in the realms. I descend from a long line of traveling earth dragon merchants, though I forged my own path by branching off into the gem mining industry. I am the current owner of the Avengard Mining Corporation; AMC for short. I will be straightforward with you, Lady Cynder. I'm not above bending the rules and circumventing the law for causes I deem necessary. Many do not agree with my methods, but that is quite all right. I am not a dragon who deals in black and white, which is something I'm sure you understand all too well. I do what I believe is best for myself, my associates, and my family, regardless of the costs."
Cynder looked into his blue-gray eyes scrutinizingly. Even in the short time she'd interacted with him, she'd gotten the sense that he was an important dragon. She had dealt with these types of dragons many times during her lifetime. He would have a significant amount of money, resources, and influence, which gave her cause for concern regarding his motives, despite his claim to goodwill at the end of his introduction. He looked over to Fulmena and gestured to her with a paw.
"Fulmena here is my personal bodyguard," Gaius stated with a sly grin. "She may look small and unintimidating, but believe me when I tell you that she is quite capable in combat."
Cynder glanced over at Fulmena. The electricity dragoness blushed and shifted uncomfortably at the compliment, opting to stare down at her paws rather than adding anything. She wasn't quite sure what to make of this little dragoness yet. Cynder could tell that she was a fighter by her toned physique and the oversized blade she chose to carry, but she didn't carry herself confidently or have the stoic demeanor of most of the warriors she knew from her time. A wealthy dragon like Gaius likely wouldn't have hired her if he doubted her skills, so that at least said something. Perhaps warriors had changed in the time since her passing…
"And there's one last person I'd like to introduce you to," Gaius said as he turned his head to call back into a darkened hallway to his right. "Algernon! Come out here and introduce yourself to our special guest!"
There was a muffled racket followed by the sound of a door slamming open. Cynder heard a set of small and hesitant footsteps coming down the hallway and towards the living area. She tensed up as a figure peaked around the corner but relaxed slightly when she saw the face of a harmless looking mole. He looked no different than most moles, tan fur, pale skin, and a large pink nose. His most distinguishing features were his jet-black handlebar mustache and a pair of deep brown eyes that were not covered by the oversized spectacles that most moles wore. He was dressed in a black vest over a white shirt, with a matching pair of white pants and black shoes.
"Apologies sir," he said as he stepped up beside the earth dragon. He seemed to be trying his best to avoid eye contact with Cynder. "I wasn't quite sure when, or if, you wanted me to join this, ah… introductory session."
"Of course I wanted to you to be a part of our little midnight chat!" Gaius said with a hearty chortle. "Don't sell yourself short, Algernon. I wouldn't let a valuable member of our team go without an introduction to a legendary hero from the past."
Algernon swallowed hard and finally looked Cynder's way. He appeared to be quite intimidated by her, but she supposed that was a rather natural reaction to a dragoness of her reputation.
"L-lady Cynder," he stammered, bowing reverently in her direction. "It is truly an honor to meet you. Welcome back to the land of the living."
Cynder bowed her head in return. "It's a pleasure, Mr. Algernon."
"Algernon here is our transportation expert. If a machine can traverse land, sea, or air, it's safe to assume that he knows how to pilot it. He will be instrumental in getting us to our desired destinations over the course of the coming days," Gaius stated proudly, using his wing to pat the mole's back, prompting him to give the earth dragon an irritated look.
Cynder nodded. She supposed that was sufficient for initial introductions. "Alright then. Now that I know who you all are, and where we are to some extent, I'd like to know when we are. I assume I've been dead for some time. I don't think you'd be calling me "ancient" or "legendary" if that wasn't the case."
Gaius let out a humorous snort at that. "True, true. It has in fact been quite a long time since your passing. Nearly a thousand years. Historical records indicate that you passed away in the year 72 DD. The current year is 986 DD."
Her head spun at that. It had been nearly a millennium since she died. Everything that she had ever known had likely changed significantly or no longer existed. That was a staggering thought, and it nearly gave her a headache. She rubbed her temples with her forepaws before continuing.
"Okay, it's been a lot longer than I expected," Cynder sighed, before looking up at Gaius with a glare. "Why am I here? Why bring me back after all this time?"
Gaius nodded, his face suddenly turning very solemn. He slowly stood up from his seat on a large, ornate-looking cushion, and stepped over to examine the aquarium. He stared into it, but Cynder could tell that he was looking at something that only he could see. There was a pregnant pause before he answered in a low voice.
"I need you to kill a dragon."
Cynder stared at the back of his head intently. She was no stranger to killing, unfortunately. Her time as the Dark Master's servant had made sure of that. Many had died at her claws, both during that time and afterwards. Some had deserved it, while many others hadn't. She wasn't disturbed by killing when it was necessary or justified, but she was disturbed by being forced into doing it by a shady dragon that she barely knew.
"Actually, I need you to kill two dragons," he said suddenly, beginning to pace slowly to the other side of the aquarium. "Or even more, potentially. That's all dependent on how smoothly this operation goes."
"That sounds like something you could have easily organized yourself," Cynder pointed out. "You have the money and influence to make it happen. Why go through the trouble of raising me from the dead if that's the case?"
Gaius shook his head. "Believe me, I've tried. But this is a very unusual situation; one that calls for a dragoness with equally unusual abilities. Ones that only you have been known to possess."
He glanced back at her with a small smirk. She was no stranger to dark and frightening powers. Due to her corruption by Malefor, she was cursed with several profane abilities that no other dragons apart from purple dragons were capable of wielding. Still, she wasn't sure why they were necessary for Gaius's plan.
"In order to explain who it is that I need you to eliminate, I believe it will be beneficial to provide you with a brief history lesson of pertinent events that transpired after the time of your passing," he began. "Of course, some of this will be quite familiar to you, given that you were directly involved in many of the events that led to our current situation."
Cynder nearly rolled her eyes. She was not in the mood for a "history lesson," but another part of her was curious to know what had happened after her death. Gaius cleared his throat and continued.
"After the Dark Master's defeat and the world's restoration, the people of the world were forced to rebuild their societies from scratch; the Second Dark War and the ensuing destruction at the hands of the Destroyer ensured the complete and utter collapse of civilization. None had suffered more than the dragons themselves; their population having been reduced to merely a shadow of what it once was. We rebuilt and prospered, but a vital part of that process, especially in the earlier days, was the reintegration of the wind dragons into dragon society."
Cynder nodded slowly. She knew this fact very well, as she was one of the key players involved in convincing the wind dragons to return to the dragon realms. Originally, there had been five races of dragons in the realms, one for each of the five natural elements: fire, electricity, ice, earth, and wind. During the First Dark War, the wind dragons suffered significant losses at the hands of Malefor's forces; nearly to the point of driving them extinct. Malefor's sealing at the hands of the ancient Guardians brought an end to the conflict, but the wind dragons had been greatly wounded above the rest of their brethren. In the millennium between the First and Second Dark Wars, the wind dragons fled the dragon realms and went into hiding in the far reaches of the world. Wind dragons had a history of religious devotion that greatly exceeded that of any of the other dragon races, so after one of their esteemed prophets foretold the coming devastation of the Second Dark War, the vast majority of wind dragons heeded his warning and fled the realms. For these reasons, convincing them to come back was no easy feat. Not even Spyro, the hero who saved their very world, could earn their trust easily.
That's where she came in.
After the dust had settled from the world's restoration, many dragons went to great lengths to preserve the history of their species. Most records had been destroyed during the war, and the few pieces that remained were finished off when the world nearly ended. However, their history lived on through the memory of surviving dragons who studied it and the knowledge imparted by spirit gems. Some even took a specific interest in the history and lineage of Spyro and Cynder. When it had come to Spyro, they hadn't had much luck in determining who his parents were and where he had come from. However, they were slightly more successful when it came to Cynder. Like Spyro, they were unable to identify her parents, but they were able to determine that she had originally been a wind dragoness prior to her corruption. That explained why she possessed the element of wind, which stood in stark contrast to her other darker abilities.
Being a wind dragon by hatching and a master of the element gave her a paw in the door with the wind dragons that few others in the dragon realms could possess. Wind dragons were far more trusting of a dragon of their own element. In addition to that, her past as Malefor's servant bore less weight with them than it had with most other dragons. They viewed her as one of their own; an innocent dragon who had been taken and violated by Malefor's dark power and suffered in a similar manner to their ancient ancestors. It had been a refreshing change to be honored by dragons whose trust had not been marred by her past actions, but she primarily attributed this to the fact that they had not experienced her reign as the "Terror of the Skies," nor had the Second Dark War heavily impacted them.
"Of course," Cynder nodded. "I was instrumental in making that happen."
"Absolutely," Gaius said with a knowing smile. "And for that reason, you were held in high regard among the wind dragon populace and were honored greatly by them after your passing. It's accurate to say that you and Spyro were deified after your deaths. Statues, altars, and even entire temples were erected across the dragon realms in honor of their two saviors. I regret to inform you of this, but there are far more places of worship dedicated to Spyro than there are to you in the dragon realms."
Cynder let out an amused snort at that. She wasn't surprised in the slightest. Even though both she and Spyro were credited with saving the world, the purple dragon had always been placed on a higher pedestal in the minds of the people. Part of that was because he was a legendary purple dragon, and the other part was a consequence of her dark past. Most denizens of the realms had grown to trust and accept her with time, but the terror that she had wrought during the Second Dark War was not easily forgotten. Spyro inspired adoration; she inspired fear.
"But on the bright side, this is not the case in Astraeus," he stated with a widening grin. "Religious sites dedicated to you, Lady Cynder, far outnumber those dedicated to Spyro. In fact, the largest temple in the world, the Cynderium, is located there and is totally dedicated to your worship. You are the central figure of wind dragon history, religion, and culture. Funnily enough, their retelling of yours and Spyro's quest to defeat the Dark Master is called The Legend of Cynder, as opposed to The Legend of Spyro!"
He let out a hearty chortle, and Cynder shifted uncomfortably. Though the emphasis they placed on her role in history was flattering, she wasn't fond of the idea of people worshipping her. At the end of the day, she considered herself to be no different than any other dragon. She was just an ordinary dragon who had been subjected to extraordinary circumstances.
"Of course, yours and Spyro's posthumous deifications spawned a number of religious movements over the course of the last millennium. Many have come and gone, but none quite so notorious as the White Door," Gaius stated, and then his expression darkened considerably.
Cynder quickly glanced between Algernon and Fulmena. The mole had an equally dark look on his face, while the electricity dragoness tensed up and stared at the floor.
"It is a rather recent movement, being founded a little over two decades ago," Gaius explained, the venom growing in his voice with each word he spoke. "It has its origins in Astraeus, and its adherents are primarily wind dragons. To call White Door a movement is a far kinder descriptor than it deserves. It is a cult, plain and simple."
Cynder blinked. She hadn't really dealt with any cults during her lifetime. The closest thing that came to mind was the Apes and their reverence for Malefor, but most of them hadn't really worshipped him as a god, viewing him as more of a vindicator of their species than anything. Gaius didn't wait for her to respond before continuing.
"It is led by a pair of wind dragons who call themselves Anima and Animus. They are twins, and they claim to be the final prophets of the Ancestors. They preach a variety of incredibly bizarre doctrines, but their primary message is this: the age in which we now live is the last age. They claim that this age will conclude with an unprecedented apocalypse that shall usher in the return of the Ancestors themselves."
When he had finished, he took a deep breath and then spoke suddenly. "And they claim to be the reincarnations of you and Spyro."
Cynder stared at him incredulously for a long moment before closing her eyes and shaking her head in disbelief. "Alright, I get it. These dragons are nutcases. But why are my powers needed to take them down?"
"Anima and Animus are not your run-of-the-mill cult leaders that could be easily dealt with by committing them to a psychiatric ward," Gaius stated with a humorless chuckle. "In addition to having vast resources and an inordinate amount of control over their followers, they are in possession of a pair of artifacts that grant them miraculous abilities. They attribute these powers to the Ancestors, which has played a significant role in instilling awe and fear in their followers."
Gaius paced back across the room to settle down on his ornate cushion again before continuing. "Anima wears the Prophet's Mantle, an ancient cloak that grants him the ability to wield holy fire, a fearsome and destructive power that he has used to utterly consume his adversaries and disobedient followers. The mantle also has strange properties that allow its wearers to place others in an altered mental state that makes them much more susceptible to persuasion. I believe that this relic has played a large part in helping to build their following. Animus, on the other hand, bears the Lawgiver's Rod. It provides her with two primary powers: healing and large-scale weather manipulation. The former ability has succeeded in drawing many of the sick and dying, and their loved ones, into White Door's snare. She has used the latter ability to create droughts, famines, and other devastating natural disasters. Needless to say, these dragons are incredibly difficult to assassinate."
Cynder nodded slowly as she processed all the information. She had never heard of these strange ancient artifacts, but she also wasn't that knowledgeable about archeology. However, she was incredibly experienced in fighting against foes who possessed a host of strange and dangerous abilities. She figured that Anima's holy fire wouldn't be too difficult to deal with; they would just need to be incredibly cautious. She was more concerned about his supposed ability to bewitch people. Depending on the strength of his ability, it could have the potential to turn her allies against her. Animus's control of the weather could cause them a fair amount of trouble and lead to an incredibly chaotic situation. Cynder could counter it with her wind element, but she would not be able to ensure the safety of her companions as she did so. With all that said, the twins' real ace in the hole would be Animus's healing powers. Any wound, even fatal ones, inflicted upon them or their followers could likely be healed in an instant, making them incredibly hard to kill. She had to agree with Gaius's assessment of them.
"I see," she said thoughtfully. "But you haven't explained how my abilities factor into defeating these two."
An excited grin formed on Gaius's face. "Their artifacts are enchanted with holy magic; the righteous power of the Ancestors themselves. That does not make them undefeatable, however! Our world is dictated by balance, and every power has a counterpart to maintain this balance. In our case, this holy magic can be successfully countered by magic of an unholy nature. And there are only two dragons in recorded history who are known to have possessed these profane powers. One was the Dark Master, and I'm sure you can guess who the other might be."
He looked at her with a knowing grin, and she responded by frowning and narrowing her eyes at him. She was beginning to put the pieces of this strange puzzle together in her head. Gaius had raised her from the dead to defeat a foe that the dragons of this future world were not equipped to deal with. His reasoning made sense as far as she was concerned, but there were still a couple of nagging questions in the back of her mind.
"What's in it for you?" Cynder asked suddenly. "Why do you want these two dragons dead so badly?"
The cheeky smile vanished from Gaius's face in an instant. His expression became impassive, but she could see the pain in his eyes. She quickly glanced between Algernon and Fulmena; the former maintained his dark look from earlier, while the latter stared at her paws with a saddened countenance. The room became so quiet that one could likely hear a quill drop.
"My mate," Gaius answered quietly. "She's dead. And her death was at the hands of White Door. Vengeance. That's what's in it for me."
Cynder was a bit taken aback by that. She hadn't been expecting that kind of response from him. She had anticipated that a dragon of his stature would have undertaken this endeavor to secure greater wealth, power, or fame. That certainly didn't seem to be the case here, and that earned him a little bit of respect from her. She could definitely understand the desire to avenge a loved one. There was obviously more to the story, but she decided not to push him for further details.
"I'm sorry to hear that," Cynder responded. She was never the best with condolences.
Gaius waved his paw dismissively and blinked a few times before meeting Cynder's gaze again. He looked at her expectantly, as if he were waiting for her to ask another question. She quickly obliged him.
"I have one last question," Cynder stated. "How did you bring me back from the dead?"
A smile began to form on Gaius's face once more. It was quite different from the mischievous, almost childlike, grins he often wore in the short time she had known him. It was a dark sort of smile that made the back of Cynder's neck tingle.
"Yes, yes. That's the question of the ages, isn't it?" Gaius said in a low voice. "Believe me when I tell you that the answer to that question is quite complicated, so I will attempt to spare you all of the unnecessary details."
He leaned forward and stared intently into her eyes. A feeling of helplessness washed over her, eerily similar to what she had experienced in the forest when she had tried to attack him. She was once again a captive in his gaze, unable to look away from his blue-gray eyes as they shimmered in the soft glow of the fireplace.
"It's a ritual, you see," Gaius said in a voice that was nearly a whisper. "A ritual called The Summoning."
Cynder nearly gasped and slumped forward as he released her from his esoteric hold. She regained her composure in an instant, but she had to take a few deep breaths to steady herself before she addressed Gaius again.
"The Summoning?" She asked breathlessly. "I've never heard of that ritual. The only dragon that has ever been known to have the ability to return from the dead was the Dark Master. And he could only accomplish that on the Night of Eternal Darkness."
Gaius straightened up on his cushion once more and nodded in response. "That is correct, but The Summoning is a ritual that is likely far older than even the Dark Master himself. However, there are striking similarities between a summoning ritual and the events that transpired during the Eternal Night. I don't believe it would be unreasonable to assume that the Dark Master drew some inspiration from this ritual when he formulated his plan to escape the Well of Souls."
He cleared his throat before continuing his explanation. "As far as how I came to learn this ritual; in addition to being a business dragon, I am also an ardent student of magic and archeology. The intersection of those two interests is what led me to uncover the ancient scrolls detailing the ritual, and my vast wealth and resources are what allowed me to procure the rare items that are needed to perform it. I suppose you can consider it to be a match made in hell!"
He laughed heartily at his own joke, but Cynder did not find it amusing. She took that opportunity to cut in.
"And did this summoning ritual include placing a hex on me that makes me more susceptible to your influence?" She asked accusingly, growling under her breath. "Don't try to bullshit me. I know something is off."
He raised his eye ridges and looked at her with an amused smile. "I wouldn't call it a hex, per se. More like a side effect caused by the ritual's nature. It requires a magical blood tie to be formed between the summoner and the summoned. It was quite a painful experience, let me tell you! But a generous dose of healing gems ensured that I didn't sustain any permanent damage."
He raised his left foreleg and examined it. Cynder couldn't see any signs of injuries on it, and she wasn't quite sure what that had to do with the ritual. Gaius lowered his foreleg and continued.
"A magical blood tie forges a physical, mental, and spiritual connection between the summoner and the summoned. This means that your life and will are bound to my own. Inasmuch as I have no desire to inflict bodily harm upon myself, you have no desire to do so either. Harming me would be the same as harming yourself. In the same way, as I possess a burning desire to see Anima and Animus's heads on a pike, you too share in my bloodlust. This makes you much more inclined to cooperate with my plans than you likely would be under normal circumstances."
Cynder did not like the sound of that at all. The closest thing she could compare it to was the time she had spent chained to Spyro after they had awakened from their suspended animation in the time crystal. She hadn't been fond of being chained to the purple dragon, even with her feelings for him. That had been one thing, but sharing a bond this intimate with a complete stranger was something else entirely. She felt very tired all of a sudden. Her mind was overwhelmed by the flood of information, so she reached her forepaws up to her temples and let out a long sigh as she massaged them.
"I take it that answers most of your pertinent questions?" Gaius asked wearily, his face looking as though it had aged a decade in but a few moments.
"No, it doesn't," Cynder answered quietly. "But I'm tired."
"I know," Gaius said empathetically as he slowly rose to his feet. "I believe it would do us all good to settle down for the night. Algernon, would you please show Cynder to her room?"
Gaius turned and headed into the darkened hallway from which Algernon had come. He was followed by Fulmena, who stood up with a wide yawn and shuffled tiredly after the earth drake. Algernon hesitantly beckoned Cynder to follow, and so she did. He led her to a room at the end of the hall and turned on the lights after opening the door. He nervously showed her a few things after that, such as another door that led to a private bathroom, but she barely listened to a word he said as she was hit with a staggering wave of fatigue. She all but collapsed onto her bed as he made his way out of the room, turning off the lights and shutting the door behind him. Sleep overtook her the moment she closed her eyes.
She was in what looked to be a poorly lit cave. There were torches lining the surrounding walls, casting the cavern in a faint orange glow. She saw a dragon standing before a pit in the center of the room. The dragon was facing away from her and wore dark robes that obscured its features. The only detail she could ascertain about this dragon was that it was around the average height and build of an adult drake. The drake suddenly thrust his right foreleg out over the pit, and it was then that she saw that his bare foreleg was drenched in crimson blood that clashed with the brighter red of his scales. His foreleg looked as though a talented sculptor had taken to it with a knife and carved out an intricate pattern. It was sickening, but strangely beautiful at the same time.
Blood dripped from his claws into the pit below him. A ghoulish green light began to emanate from within the pit, and the same light soon enveloped his arm, forming itself to match the intricate pattern of his wounds. There was a sudden burst of invisible force that blew away many of the torches from their places on the wall and extinguished those that didn't join their brethren on the ground. The sickly green light grew in intensity, illuminating the entire cave in place of the torches.
A large paw composed of bone, sinew, and patches of colorless scales reached out of the pit and slammed down on its edge. Its yellowed and cracked claws dug into the earth with a shaking grip, appearing as though it was trying to pull itself out of its shallow grave. A withered pair of horns and a decaying set of spines rose from the pit, followed by the head of a dragon that was in the same horrifying state as its paw. She stared into its eyes, or lack thereof. They were empty sockets; black holes that looked entirely unnatural. A pair of purple orbs flared to life within them, and then it turned its burning gaze upon her.
She didn't have a mouth, but she screamed nonetheless.
A/N: Hello again and happy American Thanksgiving Eve! It took me way longer than I would've liked to get this chapter out. Nevertheless, I really wanted to take my time with this chapter and get it just right, as it contains a lot of important information that sets up the rest of the story. I think the extra time will be worth it in the end.
I know this chapter is a huge info dump, but I hope it will get you all excited for what's to come in the story! There hasn't been much action so far, but we'll be getting into that in the next chapter. I have the next several days off, so hopefully I'll be able to get some extra work done of the next chapter. I don't want there to be three week waiting periods between each chapter, but I'll see what I can do.
Until next time!