Author's note 1:

Ah!

This chapter in particular is one I was really excited to write about, especially since we're slowly getting into Samuel's abilities and first steps into the strange Dragon Realms.

Having said so:

WARNING! THIS CHAPTER, IF UNPREPARED, WILL INDUCE SADNESS AND LOTS OF CRYING. READ AT YOUR OWN RISK.

"Sniff Sniff"

San! Bring me a handkerchief, now!

Author-san: Sure thing, chief, here it is. But yes. It is indeed time for the plot to kick off and thicken. And yeah, you will be crying. If you're a little baby BIT—

Huh, what's that? My IP address has become public knowledge? Uh-oh. ...Well, it's not like it matters, actually; I've been living in Gino's basement for a few months, now. And I don't need anybody to call for help or anything. I am DEFINITELY fed at least three meals per day and not subjected to copious amounts of torture. Honest.

Thanks, dude.

We'll be borrowing a concept from another story I've cited multiple times (duh).

"D" for days, "M" for months, "Y" for years.

Also, the SJ in the title means "Samuel's Journey", for multiple characters, aye?

Enjoy!

Well... it could have gone much worse.

Apparently, humans and apes - the ones from this universe - shared many similar traits and mannerisms. Key characters from the games had acted and talked in a way that alluded to an all but barbaric faction; a disease plaguing the Dragon Realms, ready to conquer and govern them all with an iron fist. Gaul, the bloodthirsty, megalomaniac, and eccentric leader of the apes, had willingly led his people to slaughter in the hopes of gaining more power and pleasing their Dark Master.

But these apes? They were different... much different.

Samuel was sitting on a rock with Bullet beside him as he stared at the apes working diligently on building their camp for the night. Boris joined the bulkier primates in carrying the heaviest materials from the main pile to the construction site, barely huffing from the excessive weight on his back. He pointed a finger at one of his lieutenants and coughed, which induced the smaller ape to raise the hammer he held and commence his pounding on the black nails placed in the grass. Boris nodded in satisfaction, resting his magical hammer on his shoulder; a loud CLING! reverberated from the action.

Patience, intelligence, virtue, and empathy. If the apes Spyro fought represented the worst part of humanity, these beings stood in the balance between good and bad. Just like humanity, they could switch from a friendly stance to a dangerous one in the blink of an eye; and just like humanity, their minds were masterfully crafted to shift from one thought to the other every single moment, questioning the world around them and attempting to find suitable answers to it.

Samuel shifted on his seat as he felt a wet nose moving up his hand and poncho's sleeve, along with sniffing sounds. He glanced at his quadruped companion and smirked, rubbing the poor beast under his chin and basking into its happy panting wails. The only anchor to his world was this German shepherd he had adopted, for a fortuitous case, in a gas station. As they crossed gazes, warmth filled Samuel's chest, morphing his smirk into a grin. Could this be the effect of oxytocin? They say it helps strengthen the bond between two beings, hence its surname 'love hormone'.

If he was stranded into an unknown world with primitive technologicaly (aside from the items he possessed on himself) to increase his chances of survival, he could always count on the mutt's sense of smell. He had read a few articles about it: dogs really do accomplish everything in their lives with those cute, giant, and black noses of theirs.

He then caught, from the corner of his eyes, the young warrior Kalop conversing with Omaib, that old tutor of his. In his honest opinion, the young ape was an unexperienced teenager - if he were to compare his age with a human's - who joined the military to uphold Kodak's status and serve the city in any meaningful way. Such warrants were a relic from the past, sometimes exploited by Samuel's modern leaders to unite a nation against another but twisted to accommodate the new century's standards.

However, if this... King Skar truly wished for a peace treaty between apes and dragons, then Samuel could very well sweep his prejudices aside the moment he could see this leader in person. There were few examples of kings or emperors directing a prospering reign without internal or external conflicts waiting to strike them down the moment they cast their gaze aside from them.

He looked at the sky and sighed.

Samuel missed his family. It wasn't just the immeasurable distance bringing his paternal instincts out, it was also the fact that he didn't have a picture to help him keep his sanity under check. Any electronical equipment had been banned for the experiment, so he had left his phone in his locker. Only after the chat with Kalop did he realize he still had his radio with him, and if that junk could work without a Wi-Fi, then he could attempt to contact Lukas and plan a rendezvous.

But he couldn't show every single piece of advanced tech he had with him. While these apes were much more civilized than their Follower counterparts, they still weren't ready tap into the immense potential laying amongst them. Otherwise, they would ask him how to manufacture them, and Samuel would have nothing to offer them other than the basic functions of said devices. The security guard did not know how to build a rifle from scratch, nor did he know how to manufacture bullets either. Gun-powder was one story, but the schematics to craft a bullet? That was something out of his current knowledge.

The knowledge of a security guard was merely a grain of salt compared to others around him. And this wasn't him downplaying his capabilities, or at least directly; it was the simplest of truths.

He watched the youngest apes, the ones who carried the baskets, play with each other, not to dissimilar from fifteen-year-olds enjoying a stroll at the park. The guards around them snorted and huffed, often stepping to the side to avoid an unwanted collision, which could very well lead to a catastrophic conclusion.

They tackled each other, bit each other, scratched each other... but they did so by respecting certain boundaries. Samuel imagined little David already grown up, feet drumming against the floor as he scampered around the house; Samuel imagined how happy he'd be with his parents guiding him all the way to adulthood, hand in hand.

A lump formed in the human's throat.

And now? He didn't have a father, one of the most important roles in the world for a child, second only to a mother.

Tears filling the corner of his vision, Samuel adverted his gaze and quickly scrubbed his eyes with his dark green sleeve. The poncho absorbed the salty water without leaving a stain. His sharp breathing and sky-high heat rate gradually decelerated to normal, leaving Samuel recuperating.

Bullet whined below him, and the human scratched the back of his head before getting up and walking. He marched towards Kalop and Omaib, the former being the first in spotting his approach and turning his body to properly greet him. "Hi, Samuel." The old ape mirrored his student amd released an inquisitive yet friendly grunt. Kalop sent an annoyed look Omaib's way, although his tutor simply planted his hand on the younger ape's face and pushed him back a little bit when he opened his mouth to reprimand the seasoned mammal.

That's... well, that was uncalled for.

Despite the aura of security and sapiency emanated from the old ape, Omaib often displayed childish manners. Then again, the ape's culture of this world was much different; mix that with the seemingly gothic period they were experiencing and the resulting brew was a clusterfuck of ingredients. Perhaps Stephen King could take a note or two for another book of his: there was much more violence than in the games, that Samuel was one hundred percent sure of.

His only certainty.

"Samuel..." Omaib sniffed immediately after speaking the human's name. It was probably another sign of communication on the positive end. "You still haven't explained to me what it is that you're wearing." He raised his index finger and traced an imaginary line from the security guard's head to his toes. Kalop blew a raspberry and panted beside him, two sounds respectively for confirmation and excitement.

Right, the old ape had taken a liking to the silky material his clothes were made of. It wasn't like the armour and extra fur these apes carried around were so primitive, but humans had eventually mastered the art of textile. What he was wearing was below average, although the clothing of the 21st century was all produced under the same value.

Well, most of it, at least.

"It's a poncho." He repeated, preparing himself for a lecture over something so frivolous. "We use it back home when it rains. Some of us have tasks where we head out in the open, and that might take a lot of time." The human had the complete attention of both mammals, which rendered the conversation a bit awkward for him to continue. "T-the... uh..." He cleared his throat, clicked his tongue and continued as if his stammering hadn't happened. "The way the cotton is made is great for absorbing water, I guess. All I know is that you can get under rain and expect to come out mostly dry."

Samuel stepped back just in time to avoid collision with the playing apes. The male tackled the female, and both rolled multiple times on the grass before stopping. They looked at each other for a few seconds before laughing and resuming their playful tug of war with each other's tails. The human couldn't help a smile from stretching across his lips.

"Are you afraid of water?"

The question completely caught him off guard.

"Why would I be afraid of water?" He cocked his hood at the elder ape, awaiting a proper, expanded question.

Omaib's gaze lingered on his eyes, but that look may as well have pierced straight through the darkness of his hood to arrive at his soul. Despite the clear difference in height, the aura the mammal emitted intensified Samuel's discomfort. He succeeded in prying his eyes away from Omaib's, and he silently thanked God. It was better to stay vigilant, lest the old ape was capable of some freaky voodoo magic.

"With clothing like yours, it seems logical. That's all."

Samuel raised an eyebrow at the peculiar choice of words, as if there was a great piece missing that Omaib deemed necessary to hide.

Still, the human shook his head. "No, I'm not afraid of water." He traced his fingers over Bullet's neck in circles, enticing happy pants from the mutt. "Listen, I'm gonna... take a piss. I'll stick around the entrance of the swamps and do it quickly, don't worry." He was still uncertain over the people's knowledge of slangs. Samuel recollected Sparx, Spyro's adoptive brother, pronouncing the classic Kansas slang as they surveyed the landscape below the temple. But to what extent were these human slangs established? Were there more? Sure, there was 'dude' too, but that was to be expected.

And to be fair, the security guard's current predicament regarded privacy more than anything else.

Please know what privacy is, please know what privacy is, please know what privacy is.

Omaib halted his trail of thoughts by nodding. "Alright. But..." The ape was initially reluctant to continue. "Are you sure you don't want an escort? We may have left the swamps, but the Followers could have planned scouting routes near its farthest borders. While your... boom stick may prove its usefulness, safety is always in numbers."

Ah, now he got it; the ape still didn't trust him. What a peculiar way to voice his distrust, using the excuse of a looming threat to keep an eye on him. And it's not like Samuel could reprimand him either. He was a completely different species, having just arrived out of nowhere in the Dragon Realms. It was not too different from what his government would do should roles be reversed; keep the specimens under lockdown, do not trust them, and question them until they'd get bored to death.

"As I said, I'll be quick as a flash." He patted his mutt two times on the head. "Come on, Bullet. Let's not keep my bladder waiting, buddy."

Bullet obediently stuck to his master's side as they ventured forward, while Samuel crossed gazes with Boris. The brute held a confused expression as he watched human and dog getting away from their camp, getting interrupted only by Omaib and Kalop, who began speaking and gesturing at the retreating furless ape. The already strained words merged with the background noise as he increased the distance, becoming a tiny buzzing distraction akin to a fly interrupting someone's sleep.

He returned back to where they came from... back to the swamps.

If he remembered correctly, there was-

Ah!

-there. A fallen log, about two meters long, was standing in the carved straight path that pushed forward. It reminded the security guard of old Medieval street that slowly appeared throughout the forests, replacing the grass with rock, and eventually, in modern times, with cement. There was already an enormous difference between the light that shined on Samuel's camp and the small traces that managed to push through the brown-ish spectral ambience of the swamps.

The human leaned down and put his gun down on the ground, providing relief to his back, even if for a small amount of time. "Stay." He commanded to Bullet. Then, he marched to the log, breathing deeply and rolling his sore shoulders. Stopping in front of the object, he bent down and got a good grip on it, securing his arms around the lower side of its center.

Kalop had said he was thrown with such force his entire body was sent flying and crashing into a tree.

Moment of the truth...

Samuel pulled... he pulled harder, and harder, and harder. Teeth clenched, muscles strained, eyes tight shut; he was trying. A log of this size would require the strength of at least three men to move it up, especially if one was to determine its wide diameter. However, should the strength Kalop detailed arise, Samuel would indeed be able to move it alone. A strength like that would facilitate his scouting of these unknown lands, allowing him to rendezvous with the other stranded humans more quickly.

But there arose a problem hidden even from the security guard himself...

His stamina rapidly depleted, making his knees buckle under the pressure. Samuel settled his weight on a single leg, while he allowed the other to take a break by resting on the grass. He stopped pulling upwards for a moment, panting heavily as sweat trailed down his hidden forehead. "P-Please..." He whispered as he began pushing again.

...doubt.

Samuel's strained muscles were getting to fatigued to properly work. It wasn't long 'till the human slumped against the log as he recuperated, panting multiple times to greedily collect oxygen. Bullet trotted by his side, tilting his head while he released a questioning whimper. "I-It's okay, buddy." Samuel's lips twitched up. "It's not like it was our only shot for a safer journey."

Why did he think the result would have been different? He should have known the ape had seen something entirely different and had associated it with super-human strength. Samuel was simply a victim of human hubris, believing in something that was impossible to achieve.

Sighing, the human retrieved his P-90 and made his way back to the ape camp.

Maybe he had misinterpreted Kalop's description of their encounter? Could the young ape's words have been metaphorical?

Maybe he could grab him real quick and have a chat over-

"Watch out!"

What?

Unbeknownst to the security guard, he had walked right in front of a pretty nasty trajectory. The male and female apes, the same ones with the task of collecting fruit to bring back to Kodak, were still playing together, and a distracted Samuel hadn't seen them. He was knocked off his feet and landed on his back, bringing the male ape with him. It wasn't until the daze passed that he realized his arms were wrapped around the mammal, an instinct of his initializing the action to protect the smaller entity from being hurt.

The male ape raised his eyes and met Samuel's.

A gasp left his mouth.

Loss, desperation, anger, and sadness.

Those four emotions permeated the lifeless void.

Said void eventually became clearer to reveal the male ape, hugging the female to his chest tightly. A puddle of blood grew larger and larger beneath them, mixing with the small drips of tears that fell from the male's eyes. "D-don't go, please." He whimpered, burying his face more and more into her shoulder. Her lifeless eyes were looking up, mouth slightly agape in a silent scream that would never arrive.

And then...

Fire.

As soon as he was back in control of his faculties, Samuel sprang to his feet and frantically looked around, inadvertently throwing the mammal off his chest with quite the force. "Hey!" The small mammal hooted loudly, probably calling for backup, which came in the form of his female counterpart. She sprinted to his side and held his cheek with a hand, checking his body for major injures while she glared at the human above them. "What's your problem?" The male continued, pointing an accusing finger at Samuel.

"I-" The security guard licked his lips. "I'm so sorry. I-I... uh... I acted on instinct."

A half-assed excuse, but they would never believe the truth. They both stared at him for about ten seconds before the female grunted and helped her... mate on his feet. "Uhm, excuse me?" The human managed to get their attention. "Are you two by any chance together?" Questioning potential relationships wasn't exactly educative, though his curiosity won yet again. Humans were truly helpless creatures with a continuous thirst for knowledge.

"Yes, we're mates." The male answered, immediately nuzzling his check against the female's, who basked in the attention by snorting. "Although we do not have children."

Not the weirdest thing Samuel has seen, for sure.

Yet, the male caught him off guard two seconds later. "And you? Are you mated? Do you have children?"

The human blinked. "I'm..." Saying 'married' would only confuse the apes. Besides, did marriage even exist in the Dragon Realms? Or did this concept belong to humans alone? "...I'm mated, yes." God, it sounds so weird when I say it. "I also have a son." What harm would it do to reveal David's existence? It's not like he could be kidnapped. "He's six months old."

Did the people of this world use the same measurement of time as his kind did?

The female's eyes practically shined, completely forgetting about their previous clash. She approached the human on all fours, exploiting her fists as part of her locomotive functions like gorillas in Samuel's world do. "Really? We... we are looking forward to raising a family of our own. How is your son? Is he a fair challenge?"

Children appeared to be a rather touchy subject for the two young mammals. It was especially noticeable when the male posed his hand on the female's shoulder, rubbing it left and right multiple times. She rumbled at the contact, but kept her eyes trained on the human, still waiting for an adequate response.

Samuel didn't exactly know how to answer, though. Animals matured at a faster rate than humans; and even if gorillas did take a few years to reach puberty as humans did, their development allowed them to do things that for human babies would be unreachable. But perhaps the two wanted to know how it felt to be a parent, how to it felt to take care of what you created. That was something Samuel could answer without skipping a beat.

"He's got our hands full, that's for sure." He carefully began. "David often wakes us up at night to be fed, or because he's had a nightmare." He didn't mention the need to be changed. Pooping was clearly something of no interest to the couple in front of him. "There's always one of us with him, and he finds comfort only when he's secured in our arms. I-We..." The security guard sighed. "We'd do anything for him." That was final. Hell, he'd gladly take a pen and write his resolve directly on his chest as some sort of unbreakable contract.

Because his love for his son was that...

Unbreakable.

The male ape stepped forward and nodded. "We thank you for sharing your experience, Samuel. We are actually thinking of having a kid of our own when the next cycle comes. I think..." He smirked at his mate. "I think it's time for the next big step." She reciprocated with a smile of her own, resting her head underneath the crook of his neck. These two were in love, very much in love. They were also first-time parents, so that meant a bit of naivety on their part.

He opened his mouth to ask another question-

"HUMAN!"

Samuel shifted his gaze on a rapidly approaching ape that had bellowed the calling. He was one of the medium-sized apes, holding a long spear in one hand and an iron shield in the other. The guard glanced at the couple and bared his teeth. "Alright, you two, playtime's over. Gather the baskets and place them in the main tent with the rest of our equipment." He raised his spear and tapped it three times on the grass. At the third tap, the small mammals snapped to attention and rushed to comply with their new order.

"I can tell you're curious about that action, human." The ape said, relocating his attention on Samuel. The human looked at the mammal questioningly. "It's one of our signals. Give an order, let yourself be known to other comrades, or simply reply; it doesn't matter, just tap three times." His expression hardened again. "Chieftain Boris requests an audience with you in his personal tent. Please, follow me."

They passed beside Omaib and Kalop's tent, the two apes saluting the human as he travelled towards the unknown.

And when he discovered said unknown? Samuel had to admit, the apes truly had become masters of crafting and engineering. They had erected a big tent in the center of the camp, which contained an already constructed table and a make-shift bed of furs for the Chieftain. "Ah, human!" Boris exclaimed, turning around to address his new guest and posing the map he was scrutinizing on the desk. "Come in, come in. I have finally the chance of talking with the cause of the whispering amongst our forces." His gaze went past the Homo Sapiens. "Leave us."

The tone of the giant brute was welcoming. A good sign. Samuel thought.

Bullet chose a spot in one of the many angles and settled down, watching the exchange through his intelligent eyes. He couldn't understand what they were saying, but he would diligently watch over his master and intervene if he deemed it necessary. Truly, dog was man's best friend; faithful 'till death.

Samuel approached the table and scanned the map before him, even if it was turned around. The only light source of the empty room was a candle. At least they were able to create those, it appeared.

"Yes, we are currently here." Boris sensed his burning inquiry and tapped a finger on an 'X'. Judging by the drawn conformation, they were east of the Valley of Avalar, currently residing beside a canyon. "We mustn't cross paths with the home of the Cheetahs. Along with the Dragons, they are the species that loathes us the most. We have to get here." The brute traced a pattern 'till he reached the north part of the map. "Nonetheless, this is not why I called you."

The security guard had a hunch on what the subject of the upcoming discussion would be about. No reason to delay the inevitable... unless?

"Forgive me, but I have to ask; does Kodak reside beside the sea?"

Boris chuckled, waving his giant hand in a dismissive motion. "It's not a precise description, but it's close enough. It'll be better for you to see Kodak for yourself. I fear a detailed description won't suffice to convince you. Now, shall we begin?"

Here goes nothing.

"Sure."

"Let's start with something simple." Boris folded the sheet of paper and secured it back in his pockets. "You're a human, correct? Yet, your appearance mirrors too much that of an ape. What are you, exactly?" Despite the lack of a chair, the ape sat on the pavement of furs they had established. He made himself comfortable in his desired position and motioned for Samuel to start talking.

Samuel wracked his brain for the few lessons of biology he followed with sincere interest back in high school before he left it. "We are both primates, you and I. However, our... Gods created us differently." Mentioning evolution would only be interpreted as heresy. The best course of action for the human was to tread lightly, lest this turn into a Medieval prosecution. "It's still unbelieveable for me to actually be able to talk to you."

"Is that so? Please, explain. The nobles and our King will demand a full report over your arrival. The more you provide, the less questions they will ask when they meet you."

"Back where I'm from, the apes aren't smart enough to actually communicate the way we're doing." He supposed sign language didn't count in this case. "We're the dominant species, and the other animals tend to mind their own business." Mostly true. After all, no species (aside from polar bears) attacked humans unless provoked or desperately hungry. As for his species? Damn, it really wished for every single inch of the planet as its personal cow to milk. "It took... thousands of years."

The ape coughed. "If you represent the male adult specimen of your kind, I have to say I'm not impressed. You're only taller than most of our soldiers, and smaller than dragons. You don't have muscles, and you look... I suppose flexible; but it means you're not really resilient to damage. I find it hard to believe no other species has ever attempted to challenge your rule."

Well, there were the sabretooth tigers and other felines that specifically fed on hominids... but they too were eventually hunted into extinction.

We really tend to kill anything that threatens us, uh?

"Let's just say that we managed to push them away. We make up for whatever shortcoming we may have with our ingenuity and our cunning. That's stronger than mere brute force, believe me."

"Are you referring to the... boom stick you brought with you? Can I take a look at it?"

Slowly, the human circled his back with an arm and latched onto the hidden gun with a hand. He placed it on the table and allowed the ape a closer inspection.

He thanked God he remembered to turn the safety on.

Watching the mammal rotating the P-90 around to inspect every single angle of it, as well as sniffing it multiple times, almost brought a chuckle out of the human. Truly, Boris was nothing more than a caveman discovering fire for the first time. Would the apes have won the war had they had access to modern technology? Perhaps not, seeing how divisive and hostile they were to even each other.

"A peculiar design." Boris suddenly said, placing the gun back onto the desk. "I suppose criticizing someone's military arsenal without knowing its function is wrong on my part. Let's get to the next question, now; why are you here? You said your kind doesn't reside in the Dragon Realms as one of its native species."

"Research, that's all." It was the official truth, at least. The one the scientists and Heckler had proclaimed. "The Realms were always out of our reach, so we settled on watching what was happening. That's one of the reasons we couldn't intervene in the war against Malefor. It was only recently that we discovered a mean to transport men and resources here. I bet my leaders would be willing to trade some of our knowledge and technology in exchange for those dragon crystals. Let's just say that we're slowly lacking on the energy front. My team and I got separated when we got here; it was a rocky arrival."

Could the energy inside the crystals replace petrol?

"What about him?" Boris raised his thumb at Samuel's quadruped companion, who was resting his snout on his paws. "What is he?"

"One of the species we domesticated thousands of years ago. They're especially useful for tracking scents and cornering small preys. I can give a demonstration tomorrow, if you wish."

"That would be delightful. Now, I only have one last question before we can finally get some sleep..." The mammal hesitated for a moment. "One of our troops, Kalop, the one that greeted you, has reported how you wrapped your hand around his throat when you woke up and how you threw him against a tree." Boris gathered what appeared to be broken pieces of... something and put them down. "These are the remains of a dagger he transported with him. He used it in self defense against you... and it broke when it made contact with your skin."

No... it can't be. Then why-

"This goes against what description you've provided of your kind." He squinted his eyes in suspicion. "Did you use magic as soon as you fully regained your consciousness to temporarily increase your strength?"

"Magic isn't present where I come from." Samuel whispered.

"So even you don't know how this was possible." The mammal concluded, before shrugging. "The Shamans in Kodak will give us concrete answers, then." He rose to his full height. "Get some sleep, Samuel. Tomorrow, we shall finally reach our home after long weeks of scavenging."

As he exited the tent and followed the previous guard to his assigned one, Samuel was lost.

Why didn't this super-human strength aid him in raising the log? Was it only available in certain situations? Did the crystals back in the base change him? Was that flow of energy the reason for his unexpected change?

Why must it have been him?

He crawled onto the bed of furs and slumped onto his back, sighing. Bullet rotated in circles, sniffing the tent, before choosing his nest onto Samuel's chest. The human moved a bit for the dog to properly settle down and started rubbing his spine, enticing a few happy rumbles as the dog slowly became lost in dreamland. The wind outside shifted into a sort-of calming melody Samuel could listen to and appreciate.

The security guard closed his eyes.

Tomorrow is another day.

"Come on, Pirsa! We are going to be late!"

"I'm coming, Gedy!"

The dragoness hastily retrieved her scattered belongings, zipping from one side of her home to the other, often rushing up and down the stairs in fear of missing anything. Pirsa had unfortunately woken up rather late, having completely forgotten about her carriage's arrival in Pearlglen. So, she had quickly consumed a meal to start the day... and basically turned into a frenzy reptile, almost crashing into furniture three exact times.

Coin! I must bring coin with me. She snatched a satchel with her teeth from the floor and brought it to the rest of her belongings. Oh dear, I hope I have enough to last until I can find an occupation. At least Warfang's taxes are lowered after the reconstructions finished last year. Pirsa stopped herself and a warm smile grew on her draconic lips.

Will caretaker positions be available? I hope so...

She realized she had gathered all she needed... minus one last object.

Slowly, she drew near an engulfing ball of wool and seel, carefully laid down beside a few candles at an appropriate distance to provide more warmth. As Pirsa nudged the blanket away, she couldn't help the purr that escaped her throat. There rested the most important possession of her life, the one thing that mattered more than her own life.

An egg... her egg. Of the same colour as her scales.

She estimated the egg would hatch in about a week from the departure from her native town, and she hoped she would reach Warfang before that would happen to properly settle in. Pirsa wanted to acquire experience in caretaking, so she may be prepared for when her hatchling would arrive. Being the only parent present in the hatchling's life, she would do everything in her power to provide a happy and stable future.

Pirsa wrapped her tail around the egg and nuzzled it with her cheek. Once everything was ready, she opened the door to her home and glanced one last time at what she has known for so many years. "Thank you." She whispered, before closing the entrance and looking ahead to her future.

Or, to be precise, she looked at the dragoness waiting outside her residence.

"Come on, you lazy scales!" Her friend, Gedy, reprimanded. "The carriage has arrived; they're calling for names!" Gedy delivered a friendly slap of her tail on Pirsa's thigh, which was reciprocated by a fit of giggles.

If Pirsa had deep, blue scales with lighter patches on her belly; Gedy was the perfect mirrored image of a fire dragon... and what a fire she held and erupted each day!

They travelled through Pearlglen, a small village to the far east of the Dragon Realms, which, by some miracle, had been mostly untouched from the chaos of the War. Perhaps it had been because of the gold mine established not too far from the town, and its subsequent abundance of material to trade with. The apes were flexible when it came to negotiating with coin, not requiring too much or too little of a fee. In that regard, they were quite smart. What was the point of draining your source when you could administer its results bit by bit?

In comparison to the rest of the destruction left behind by the dark armies, Pearlglen was a sanctuary, though without a beacon to shine for every refugee to reach. The elders of the village preferred to stay away from any position in the War, instead opting for neutrality. Whether the world would be set on fire or freed from the Dark Master, Pearlglen would simply stand back and wait for a result, content with their obtained tranquility.

"...anyone? Anyone by this name?"

Pirsa's finned ears twitched. "Come on!" She took the lead and significantly increased her pace, ignoring the ironic protests spat from her friend's maw. The satchel and chest pouches she brought with her jingled and bounced with every thunderous step. It was a scourge she could endure, though. Especially with the thought of her egg secured in her tail.

They both turned to the next alleyway and joined the group of dragons all congregated beside a carriage with a mole on top of it. He was busy reading a sheet of paper in his paws, adjusting every now and then a pair of glasses he wore. "So, no one by the name of Pirsa?" His tone held the familiar tint of boredom, as if the mole wished to be anywhere but there. "Alright, next na-"

"I'm here!" She clumsily pushed past a few dragons, almost squeaking the remark. The mole shifted his gaze from the list to her, appearing utterly unimpressed. "I-I'm sorry for my lateness." Pirsa didn't add anything else to her explanation, because she knew it would be futile to try and excuse herself further.

"Well..." The mole drawled. "At least we don't have anybody missing, for now." He cleared his throat and loomed his eyes over the audience. "Next name; Gedy?"

"I'm here!"

The next few minutes became nothing more than a blur for the young mother as the roll call continued. Pirsa took this opportunity to count her belongings yet again and make sure she hadn't forgotten anything. She certainly didn't wish to enter Warfang without the appropriate measures or disposable income, nor would she lazily remain unemployed for long. Without a suitor to aid her endeavours, she would work double time.

"Alright!" The mole suddenly bellowed. "My job here is done. I shall embark for the next village, got quite the numbers to diminish." He pointed a finger to an Ice dragon, who had remained beside the caravan since the start of the roll call. "Your flight instructor will explain the route to take. Fear not, he has four other trained comrades accompanying him should the apes attempt an assault during your breaks." With that said, the mole retreated to the front of the carriage and began the preparations for his imminent departure.

The Ice dragon puffed his chest out and snorted. "Greetings." He let out, loud enough for most to hear him. "I want to let you all know that Warfang appreciates all those that wish to enter her walls and live together, unified under one banner. We shall fly to the far west, where the city lays. Taking into consideration eventual changes in the weather and and the occasional breaks, we should be able to get to Warfang in four days." He spread his wings. "My squad will stay in the front, the rest of you will follow us in a dragon line."

With that, he graciously leapt off.

The rest of the refugees followed suit.

This wasn't supposed to happen...

The voyage had started without issues, with Pirsa and the other dragons following the established route as intended. It had been a while since the young mother had flown a great distance in a small amount of time, counting all the tasks Pearlglen required to continue functioning. Everyone there had their role, which needed to be executed flawlessly.

This wasn't supposed to happen...

The wind in her face, the egg in her tail, the other dragons chatting with one another to make the journey pass faster, the prospect of a better life that awaited them in Warfang.

This wasn't supposed to happen...

The stops carried on one after the other, and that may have been the cause of their escort lowering their guard down. Security replaced the tense asset in their minds with overconfidence, allowing their assailants to ambush them at the perfect moment. Erode's (the name of the Ice Dragon) associates were the first casualties, leaving him to defend the rest of the expedition by himself.

This wasn't supposed to happen...

They stood beside a river, cornered by all sides by these monsters. Some carried spears, others carried swords, and the rest either preferred going unarmed for close combat or wielded bows for long range fighting. The latter type of ape was odd. Apes weren't skilled archers and had resorted to different, bigger types of projectiles during the War, like explosives barrels or kamikaze rushes with dynamite.

Erode held his ground in the front, blood trickling down from lacerations on his chest and face. He was breathing deeply, attempting to gather as much strength back as possible for another round against the mammals. One hulking ape, probably a Chieftain, suddenly slammed his electrified hammer on the ground. Sparks of magic engulfed the spot, cracking menacingly in all their might. The civilians behind Erode covered their eyes, save for a few dragons whose natural element was Electricity.

"Alright, you boneheads!" The Chieftain pointed the tip of his weapon at them. "I, Chieftain Kahlua, servant of the Followers and Lord Ulfric himself, hereby declare you prisoners of war under our custody!" Saliva spattered with each word the brute spoke. Yellowish teeth bared at the dragons as his piercing green eyes scanned the crowd for any member attempting to escape.

In the far back, Gedy was shielding Pirsa from view with her body. The latter knew why her friend was behaving like this... and she was scared for any undesired outcome. Her hold around the egg tightened some more, still making sure it wouldn't be crushed from her instincts' erratic conduct. The only way to escape this situation was a small opening left by the apes behind them. However, the direction would lead them south, away from Warfang.

They couldn't risk flying away, not when these primates could be hiding turrets, ready to strike them down at a moment notice.

"You will follow us." Kahlua continued, relentless. "Or else..."

An arrow implanted itself into the grass beside Erode's left paw, making the reptile growl instinctively as he withdrew a few feet back.

"I thought the apes wouldn't hold animosity towards us after the Purple Dragon freed you all!" Erode, taking the initiative, grunted out. "I've also heard rumors about some of your apes letting dragons go when they encounter them. Were they false?" He was clearly buying time. Although, he was indeed curious to receive answers on the matter.

Kahlua growled at the remark. "We are not the False King's lackeys! He shall be torn from his precious city and be executed by Ulfric himself, facing the ultimate judgement for his heresy! Our War shall be over once your kind has been eradicated. This is the will of Yarath!" He raised his magical hammer and hooted, demanding for the rest of his troops to follow his war cry.

And follow him they did. The side of this forest reverberated the noises produced by these apes' maws, joining together into one single chorus.

"Oh, oh, oh!" One of the smaller lieutenants, a mammal of medium size, brandished his sword and swinged it a few times. "Boss, can weh eat a few of 'em? Bet their meat is tasty! Yes, yes, yes. Tasty, tasty, tasty!" The frenzied ape turned to address the rest of his companions. "Anyone of ye boys is hungry? I ain't goin' home without my belly full."

"Me!" One said.

"Aye, me!" Another answered.

"Oh, oh, they ave eggs with 'em!" An archer exclaimed from the top of his branch. "Let's crush 'em and make an omelette!"

Pirsa almost shouted in fright at the preposterous demand. She curled even further into a ball and hid her egg beneath her wings as a final act of protection. C-crush the eggs and eat their content? By the Ancestors! She uttered a pathetic insight of her thoughts to Gedy, who barely heard it. The Fire dragoness glanced behind her shoulder at the shivering mother, before quickly re-focusing her undivided attention on the problem at paw.

Kahlua chuckled at the blood-lusted eagerness of his subordinates. "You are free to consume a few of them as you best see fit. However, we require the capture of a substantial batch. Kill four dragons, the Ice one among them, and crush three eggs in total. We must-"

The Chieftain stopped detailing his orders when his eyes fell on someone in particular. "Well, well, well. I thought their kind had gone completely extinct." He pointed his hammer... at Pirsa. "You, behind them all!"

The dragoness raised her snout and looked around fearfully. They couldn't mean her, surely?

"Yes, you. You're gonna be a valuable asset to our goals. And from the way you're folding your wings and laying on the ground..." A sick grin spread across his face. "It looks like you're hiding another of you."

Pirsa blinked three times before she took one step back. H-he knows. The shock caused her to fall onto her haunches, revealing her egg and confirming Kahlua's suspicions. HE KNOWS! If she was scared before, now she was utterly terrified.

"Do as I've previously said; but maintain that one alive along with her spawn! She is a-"

"NOW!"

The river's water froze solid, erecting tall ice towers that cut the dragons away from the rogue apes. Pirsa gasped at the opportunity presented before them. So, Erode was buying time to recuperate enough energy and summon protections for their eventual escape! She had to hug him should they survive this fatal encounter.

All the dragons whirled around and ran across the straight path carved for them, while Kahlua shouted his head off at the other apes, demanding to puncture through the defense and capture them swiftly. A jumbled chorus of WHAMS! sounded as they pounded against the wall, cracking it, which gave the fleeing dragons a further dose of adrenaline.

They stopped when one of them noticed and pointed out Erode suddenly staying put and holding his ground. "Go!" He shouted. "Split into multiple groups, I will hold them off. Re-group when the storm has passed and continue towards Warfang!"

None of the dragons dared to challenge his logic.

Gedy was the only one accompanying the future mother, preferring to protect her rear and letting her stay in the front. They ran, and ran, and ran. It wasn't a problem for the fire dragoness, as she was used to this type of marathon, while it was starting to take a toll on Pirsa, who still pushed past this and kept running.

Finally, they stopped to catch their breath, with Pirsa leaning on a tree as she checked her egg's condition. "T-That ape..." Her voice quivered. "He knew. Gedy, he knew."

Said dragoness snorted smoke from her nostrils. "All the more reason to avoid them. You're one of the last, if not the last, along with your hatchling." She sighed. "Look, I'm aware you're not a fighter or know how to properly channel your element. However, we need to stick together and protect your egg at all costs. Which means-"

She never got the chance to finish her sentence.

A pair of whizzes cut through the air...

TCH-TCHLK!

The fire dragoness before Pirsa roared in excruciating pain. The young mother looked past her, shocked at the sight of two arrows impaled into her friend's back. Blood already oozed from the wounds, slowly creating a puddle on the ground as the drops slid down Gedy's spine. She stumbled on her feet and her snout ended into Pirsa's chest.

"I found 'em, boys!" An archer waved at the rest of his platoon, not too far away from their current position.

Gedy got over the pain through a surge of adrenaline and turned to face the ape that had wounded her. The dragoness' throat became brighter and brighter, until she spread her wings, reared up on her hind legs, and unleashed a torrent of flames unto the mammal. He shrieked as the heat burned his skin, shouting his final curses at dragonkind as a final act of defiance. What remained of the creature was a charred pile of black flesh, contrastive off the previous entity that stood before them.

However, the ruckus had alerted multiple groups of nearby apes, which converged upon them very quickly.

One of them cackled, waving his hatchet left and right as he stared intently at Pirsa. "I know Boss said not to hurt ya. But weh have yer egg as a solution so he won't punish us. I wonder if yer meat is tastier than other dragons'." The ape licked his lips. "Come on, boys! Some of ya get the fire one, others get the other with her egg!"

The combined assault of all these mammals forced the two dragonesses to split apart, leaving them further vulnerable. Pirsa possessed another handicap: not being trained in elemental self-defense. So, she attempted to utilize her weight and claws instead, hoping to crush the apes and leave an opening for her to escape. While they held sharp weapons and were agile, they wore little armour and often threw themselves at danger without fear of bodily harm.

Her hopes were reinvigorated the moment she impaled one of the apes that had sprinted towards them. He gurgled in his own blood as he let go of the sword he carried, coughing again and again. Then, he went completely limp, and Pirsa dropped his lifeless carcass. Perhaps she would have felt disgust at her actions, had these mammals not threatened the life of her hatchling. Pirsa's motherly instincts guided her fully, sensing no remorse or hesitation.

But it became clear this would be a losing battle as soon as the rational part of her mind counted the soldiers' numbers.

A baboon thrusted his spear into Pirsa's chest, the dragoness' eyes widening before a roar of pain ruptured the air. She got a hold of the soldier and slammed him beneath her, raising a foot and stomping his head multiple times, which produced sickening crunches. Pirsa didn't stop until she was sure the mammal was dead.

But her frenzied bloodlust, ultimately, cost her dearly.

Two archers shot arrows from their bows and watched in satisfaction as they penetrated the young mother's scales. Meanwhile, another ape had climbed the tree directly above her... and struck. He landed onto her neck, grabbed a dagger from his breast pocket, and stabbed Pirsa. The dragoness did not wish to die with a monkey laughing maniacally into her finned ears, so she rapidly slammed her back multiple times against the trunk behind her. Even if it meant allowing the arrows a deeper perforation.

In all of that, her grip on her egg never faltered.

"Yer a feisty scalie, fer sure!"

She growled at the remark.

Pirsa was about to engage the next soldier when a bright light on her right caught her attention. She could feel the scorching heat emitting from Gedy, far more potent than the fire breath she had been unleashing upon the mammals. Gedy looked at her friend one last time. "Run." She said, before the heat gradually spread across the field.

Pirsa knew what opportunity Gedy was offering her.

A Fire Fury.

However battered and bloodied Pirsa currently was, she ignored the pain and galloped away, just in time not to find herself in the blast radius.

A deafening explosion followed, drowning out the apes' screams as they were incinerated to dust. Tremors quaked the ground, and a shockwave of heat threw Pirsa off her feet. She cringed as the baking heat washed over her. If it was this hot from this far away, she could only imagine the temperature at the epicentre. Once the heat wave passed, Pirsa chanced a glance behind her. Her eyes widened, both in fear and awe.

The land behind her had turned into a clearing, so to speak. There were no more trees and no more grass. In its place, ash littered the floor. The little vegetation that survived was burning, and the fire was spreading quickly. In the sea of gray, there was a spot that stood out from the rest. Gedy's body lay there, unmoving. Pirsa thought about going to check on her, but she decided against it. It wouldn't be what she wanted; Pirsa had to get away. So, she got up and kept running.

She didn't care that her blood could leave a trace for any other group to follow. Pirsa just ran; she ran, and ran, and ran, even when her legs started to burn with exhaustion. If only she could find some Spirit Gems, they may have been able to ease her suffering. But no matter she looked, there was no gleaming gem in sight. Could the apes have done this on purpose, select a location with no Spirit Gems to put dragons at a disadvantage?

Without noticing, the biome changed around her... and she recognized the general direction she was heading into.

If she continued south, she would enter the Swamp, home of the Purple Dragon; but if she headed to her right, she would find herself in a canyon. So, she pondered her options for a moment, deciding that the canyon was a perfect spot to recuperate her strength and hide the egg for the time being. She forced herself to walk, even if her energies were all but been spent and her injures handicapped her.

Pirsa descended into this space, snapping her gaze towards an edge above her. Was that a shadow she saw? She hoped no scouts had seen her enter this place.

Yet, she could hear approaching footsteps as time passed, and she released gasping breaths. If she couldn't protect herself and the egg at the same time, then she would hide it somewhere in case other dragons would investigate the canyon.

The young mother dug a hole for her egg and and put a rock atop it all to conceal it. She rested her forehead against its surface and wept. "F-for you... for you only." She proclaimed, snorting softly and carrying herself away.

"Are you sure it was this way?" A voice asked.

"Bullet's noise is reliable, Chieftain. You can trust him." Another answered.

She prepared herself... she prepared herself for these monsters to come, for the perverted jokes they would make, for their frenzied looks, for their aggressive behaviour.

But the young mother could only blink at what was presented before her.

These apes were different, standing calmly and with different marks on their ugly faces. She spotted two smaller ones in the back, a male and female, looking flabbergasted at the wounds on her chest and neck. The Chieftain of the group, as tall and imposing as Kahlua, didn't watch her with a glare... but with a sympathetic gaze.

And the... thing in the front?

Taller than most of his companions, dressed in strange, green garments for the top and grey and brown for the bottom, carrying what appeared to be a club. She could see little of his face, but she knew this peculiar-looking primate was different. And something else accompanied him; a quadruped, furred animal, unlike any species Pirsa was aware of in the Dragon Realms. It tilted its head at the dragoness and stuck its tongue out, emitting an inquisitive whine.

The... furless ape crouched, leaving his weapon on the ground. Then, he held his hands up placatingly and walked one step ahead.

Pirsa growled at the gesture, snapping her jaws as a warning.

"We're not here to hurt you." The furless ape said, unfazed by the threatening display.

There was something beneath those words, an aura of honesty that Pirsa could easily detect. So, she allowed him closer and closer... until her injuries got the better of her and she fell on the ground, whining. Why did this have to happen to her? Why would the Ancestors not help her group? Why had they abandoned them?

She felt a soft touch on her forehead; Pirsa shifted her attention to the furless ape, who was rubbing it with his hand. Pirsa noted how his eyes became unfocused, as if... lost. Another of her whimpers snapped him from his daze, and he did the unthinkable...

He sat, crossed his legs together, and placed her snout between the space. "It's okay..." He whispered. "I'll take care of it. Your egg is safe with us. I promise."

The touch reminded her of her parents; how she promised herself, when they died just before the War, that she would be a parent as good or even better than they were. She didn't question his knowledge of her hatchling, not when the promise of security for her spawn was so alluring.

She cried, burying her snout into the furless ape's dark green tunic. It was then that he started humming a tune, holding her with care.

Pirsa looked one last time at his hidden face beneath the hood, at the smile on his lips.

And then...

The sun on his left grew in size.

Everything went white.

The security guard sighed as the dragoness' pupils dilated and her muscles relaxed completely, signifying her departure. Samuel closed her eyelids and carefully put her head down. He may not be of this world, but respect for the departed was universal, no matter the species. They did not have time to give her the proper rest, though. His group was solely focused on reaching Kodak as soon as possible.

A shame.

Samuel pushed the rock he saw in his vision away and spotted the hidden egg. He cradled it in his arms and sauntered back to his group. The egg weighed about four and a half kilos, certainly more than most clutches lay by animals in his world. Judging by the veins spread across its surface, and the heat emanated by it, it wasn't a fresh delivery. Instead, it was almost ready to hatch, although the human couldn't estimate when.

"Yarath almighty..." Boris shifted his attention between the corpse of the dragoness and the egg. "They're supposed to be extinct! I... I didn't know there were still survivors."

The security guard cocked an eyebrow. "What are you talking about?"

"Human, the dragoness that expired in your arms was a Water dragon." He pointed a finger at the object in his hands. "You're holding what may as well be the last of their kind." Boris then shook his head. "No one has seen a Water dragon in Warfang for hundreds of years. Many thought they went extinct as soon as the War started and Malefor targeted those specific element wielders."

"Why would Malefor hunt the Water dragons?"

"Because he was jealous. Purple Dragons are supposed to be able to wield all the elements. However, for some strange reason, both Malefor and the Saviour, Spyro, cannot channel Water. The Dark Master probably considered the Water dragons a threat and blasphemy to everything he represented."

Boris gestured with a palm as he spoke. "Imagine declaring yourself the ultimate wielder of elements, and then this group is able to raise their claws and wage against you with no logical argument in support of yourself. Malefor simply eliminated a potential problem for his rule." The Chieftain grunted, nudging his chin at the egg. "What are you going to do about it?"

Samuel lowered his gaze, staring at said object.

He knew the right thing to do... but it scared him regardless.

"Well, Spyro the Dragon was raised by Dragonflies, correct?"

He didn't wait for a nod of confirmation. The question was rhetorical, after all.

"We're keeping it. Let's get a move on."

The Samuel of yesterday would have been blown away from this discovery. But, as humans begin to get used to certain events, and they possess concrete proof for others, nothing can surprise them anymore. It's like going to the Moon; as soon as about ten years passed and it became history, no one talked about it with pure wonder in their voice. It was something... frivolous, or redundant to discuss about.

What was said discovery? A village of dragonflies, acting as some sort of checkpoint for the entrance of another forest. Their small huts were exactly like the ones the security guard saw in his vision, though without the fire, the screams, or the blood. What was even stranger was how these dragonflies did not appear frightened by the apes' presence. Rather, they were welcoming and almost seemed... happy to see them.

Boris the Chieftain was conversing with a particularly blue bright dragonfly... and what could only be his wife beside him. They talked with each other, sometimes even laughed.

A few smaller dragonflies, probably kids, converged upon the security guard, asking questions about what he was or why he was holding a dragon egg. He kept his patience and answered what he could, always at the ready to protect his cover story. Bullet had attempted to eat one of the dragonflies, but a quick scolding from his owner proved to be effective. The dog was now sitting on his haunches, patiently waiting for orders or for them to move again.

Other dragonflies chose to watch the exchanges from the safety of their homes, the only indication of their presence being the lit up, tiny entrances.

Thunderous footsteps alerted the human; it was Boris. "Human, there are two last kilometers to be crossed before we may lay our eyes on Kodak. However, I must take my platoon with me and explain the situation to our King. You are to remain here and enjoy the dragonflies' hospitality until our return. Do you understand?"

"Yes." Samuel hastily responded. "But I have a question." The brute nodded, motioning for him to continue. "Why is a village of dragonflies here? What is its purpose?"

"Any species wishing to continue this way will encounter the dragonflies, who will re-direct them elsewhere. That's how we keep Kodak's secrecy. I know the Elder shall explain it better than me."

As Boris and his platoon walked away, the supposed leader of this village zipped to him; it was the blue dragonfly. "You must be... the human Boris spoke of."

No fucking way. He recognized the voice; he knew who this dragonfly was.

"And you seem to be transporting a dragon egg. Ah, it invokes a dejavu!"

A dragonfly that may as well have saved the Dragon Realms, a dragonfly whose importance may have been forgotten by anyone knowing the Legend series, a dragonfly... that had molded Spyro into the virtuous and brave dragon he was.

"My name is Flash. It's a pleasure to meet you."

Spyro's adoptive father.

Author's note 2:

Yeah, I want to make something completely unique in its own regard. And this is just the first puzzle piece of the whole incoming bunch.

This chapter has officially reached 10k words (without the Author's notes), so it's cool to see that. Maybe I will reach 100k words with only 10 chapters? I doubt it, though it would be AWESOME.

As I've said, this was more world building, but we're finally kicking off with the main plot. From now, there will be world building mixing with action and proper set pieces.

Expect a Michael Bay banger next time (insert winking face here).

Until next time!

Gino out.