High fantasy adventure, a kingdom lost to trickery and strife, two races driven from their homes, who will rise to take back the Dragon homeland? Well, there's one who can certainly try, his name is Spyro
This tale is one of High Fantasy. In a land across the seas, far from Equestria, there is the continent of Dovak, and the Kingdom of Targaris, the home of Dragons, Humans, Minotaurs, Centaurs and in this world the homelands of Tirek and Scorpan, who for their crimes against the people of Targaris were banished across the seas. This is a rewrite of the Legend of Spyro series of video games, a series I thought had potential, but blew it on an o.k. story and poorly written characters. This is an effort to put things right, since I am a big Spyro fan, and I wish to do the character Justice. So here he is, the Purple dragon, whilst not a figure of Prophesy like in the games, he will nonetheless fight to defend his family and friends from the oncoming storm, as he faces an enemy from the past, who threatens everyone's future. War is coming to Equestria, and not even the Elements can stop it without help.
So this fits into FimFiction rules, yes, there will be Equestrians making an appearance, but I won't write pointless cameos. So sit back and enjoy.
Spyro the Dragon Franchise is copyright (in order of succession) of Insomniac games, Universal Games, Krome Studios, Étranges Libellules, Toys for Bob and Activision. MLP FIM is copyright of Hasbro Studios This story will contain elements of Lord of the Rings, Avatar the Last Airbender, Icewind Dale and other stories from various sources, all of which are copyright of their respective owners. (Currently being rewritten)
On the world of Jörð, year 200 B.C.R., in the Kingdom of Targaris, there lived a mighty race who held power over the elements of nature. The race called themselves the Draig, though Men and Equestrians named them Dragons. Over two thousand years ago, Dragon culture was considered the most sophisticated, civilized, and most powerful of all the kingdoms, the Equine peoples of the Western continent just coming together in friendship after years of an uneasy peace, and the Kingdoms of men under the guidance-ship and protection of the Dragons. They taught man how to write, to govern, to create, and much more besides, and with their magic gifts they tamed the wild weather, bringing prosperity and plenty to both them and humanity. In return humanity willingly gave the Draig precious stones and their surplus crops as a sign of gratitude and love. With this balance both kingdoms prospered and grew, and there was general content throughout the land. Little did they know, but soon their comfortable existence would be changed forever with the arrival of the Light bringer.
No living soul knows how he came to be, or what his true motivations are, all official history records, is he came to the human city of Dawnsbreak, the richest and most powerful human city in the world, in the guise of a lowly bard, singing enchanting and seductive songs of freedom, ambition, heroism, treachery and danger. Using his arts of charisma and persuasion, he filled the cities minds, both high and low, with dreams of independence from oppression. So subtle was he, that no-one saw his message the same way as the other, the high men saw their country becoming a mighty power, no longer in need of protection but fully capable of holding its own mantle. Meanwhile the poor saw their own chance to rise above their current positions, to become their own masters free from servitude, to achieve greatness the likes of which they could only dream of. Men's hearts were so easy to corrupt.
Then a terrible disaster occurred, roughly around 70 B.C.R. Unnaturally strong storms and winds swept from the mountains, destroying crops, flooding entire villages, tearing up many trees and tossing them to the sky like rag dolls, even reaching Dawnsbreak, whose wooden houses were set ablaze by lightening.
Meanwhile far from the Kingdom of Men, the Draig, whose strength and magic power helped them tame the elements suddenly found their powers useless against this unnatural storm.
By the time the terrible winds ceased to blow the land had been devastated almost beyond recovery. But even worse, the dragons had lost their power, and man was left to rebuild what he could on his own.
But their strife had only just begun.
Sensing weakness and opportunity, the neighbouring kingdom of Centuria, whose king's heart was a black as coal, his thirst for power unquenchable decided to invade in 68 B.C.R. Tirek, who would later become known as the Exiled King, declared war on Targaria and sought to steal both Human land and Dragon power. He very nearly succeeded, but for the intervention of Prince Solaris, leader of the álfur principality from the north. Fearing the rise of the violent and powerful Centaur Empire, the álfurans were pressed into action near the end of the war by the Dragons, who at this time had swallowed their pride and turned to their Northern neighbours for magical aid, for somehow the brunt of the storm had not affected their powers. Why, historians don't know, but the tide was quickly turned, and Tirek defeated.
His Empire destroyed and the humans raging for his blood, Tirek fled with his brother Scorpan to the West, to find a new source of power to return and reclaim his birthright. It is there, I'm told he met with a fate worse than the one he fled from in Targaris, and I say good riddance.
However things were going from bad to worse for the Humans and Draig. The war had left great bitterness between the two races, who despite their victory were now at what they believed to be the lowest point of their history. Half of Humanity blamed the storms on the Dragons, for was it not their job that they should make sure disasters like that couldn't happen? Meanwhile the Dragons and their remaining supporters argued they could not stop the storms, for it had stripped them of their powers. There followed riots in the major cities, and talk of sedition and rebellion in the North of the Kingdom. Thus the rift began to grow ever larger and larger. It was at this point the Lightbringer chose to reveal himself.
His false form was that of the charismatic bard and rebel leader who had enthralled audiences across the land with tales of opportunity and liberty, his true form was that of a demon. Using his charm as the bard, he encouraged rebellion and resistance against the dragons, gathering an army of loyal followers whom he promised he would liberate from the shackles of the 'pretenders', and led them on another destructive war that consumed the continent. Still under his disguise he revealed his powers, telling his followers he had stolen it from the dragons for humanity, though this writer believes he could not have performed such a feat, as no human can cast magic, even if he wanted to. Needless to say, his followers believed him despite all logic, their thirst for conquest and blood overriding their conscience and logic. The dragons were driven out, in 5 C.R., their supporters either dead or fleeing with them to the west, while the corrupted and wicked men who served the Lightbringer fortified their position, their rule now absolute.
And to this day, no Dragon or man has returned to the East, not for a thousand years.
But my friends, that is far from the end of our tale.
It is, but the beginning.....
They walk in shadow but fight for the light beware, beware evil their might! Their voices wield power of the ancient arts no evil will ever escape their sight!
The Lightbringer's fire will deign to consume all, fire and death are his blood and bones! He burned a land and laid his enemies bare, Everything cried, from woods to the stones.
But like all Fires, his will soon die, for heroes from far and near will come to aid the cause. Truth will bare clear the lies, and even the mighty will have reason to give pause.
But beware mighty heroes, for luck is fickle, your foes are cunning and strong. But they stand on their own, trust in your friends, you can do no wrong.
Our tale begins in the secluded valley of Dragonsdale in the land of Equestria, located a couple of clicks northeast from Canterlot, where hiding in a wild thicket there was a Griffin and just a few clicks above him in a pine tree, a golden dragonfly, both very quiet and still, as though hiding from something. The Griffins chest heaved gently up and down as he took very small breaths, trying his best to avoid being heard by the creature that stalked them. The dragonfly on the other hand scanned the ground below. Unlike his more bestial kin, this Dragonfly was intelligent and perceptive, his unique eyes able to see in many directions at once, though at the cost of full colour vision and definition. Yet he also had very acute hearing, able to pick up everything from the subtlest movement of mice in the bushes to the quiet yet slightly heavy creature now moving towards them. Its shadow cast an image of a horned devil, with wide spiked shoulders, a thin serpentine head and a long slender body.
The Dragonfly alerted his companion with a soft buzz of his wings, the Griffon looked up and the Dragonfly twitched its antennae. The Griffon nodded in recognition and slowly made his way to the other end of the thicket, as the creature started to make its way towards where he had been hiding. The shadow of the trees in the summer evening blocked the view of the creature, shrouding it in pale shadow, leaving only its dark blue eyes visible as it scanned the area for any sign of its prey.
Suddenly the snap of a twig from ahead of the beast caught its attention, its head whipping towards the source. There, barely concealed behind two stones sat a human boy, bearly in his mid teens.
The creature saw the human hadn't moved, so it started making its way slowly towards him, its body low to the ground, its eyes focussing on its prey, who seemed unaware of its presence, seemingly resting against the rock as if sleeping. The creature came steadily closer, and began to gently unfurl a set of leather wings at it prepared to jump upon its chosen target.
When it deemed itself close enough it crouched, its claws digging deep into the earth, steadying it ready for the final pounce. The boy still didn't move, this was too easy!
It prepared to jump, then it started to launch itself into the air..... when a loud eagle shriek combined with a lions roar sounded behind him, sending the startled bright purple dragon flying straight up into a waiting tree branch, where his horns stuck fast, leaving him struggling to heave himself free.
All three observers broke out into fits of laughter, once held for goodness knows how long and now bursting like water through a dam, the Dragonfly flying up to the now frowning dragon hanging with his forelegs folded across his chest and a mock expression of humour spread across his features.
"HAHAHAHA! You should have seen your face Spyro! "
"Well my lord, ha he cough, maybe this should teach you the value of observing your surroundings before making a move" the Griffon added after he took several breaths from laughing.
"How did you find out?" Spyro asked, amazed his plan was discovered so quickly.
"Oh it was more difficult then you think" the boy said, stepping out from behind the rocks with a cocky smile on his plain face.
"You hid your intentions well, I congratulate you for fooling us for as long as you did, but you left a vital clue to your little scheme in the library. Your entire plan drawn on scrap paper, left out in the library, along with a piece of torn cloth from your saddle pack. You should have got that pouch repaired ages ago."
"Damn!" cursed Spyro, "So THAT'S where I lost it."
"Furthermore you should know better than to draw out a plan if you intend it being a secret" continued the boy, "still I must admit, if wasn't for you loosing it, your plan might have worked."
"And I would have got you back for messing up my flying practice session last week Remus" said Spyro, "I was picking sand out my scales for days!"
"We had intended to just repay the favour, but that branch is a great added bonus!" Sparx continued to laugh hysterically, the Griffon looking at him with a face that screamed 'you brought this on yourself you know!' and Remus leaning on one of the rocks with that same amused smirk across his face.
"Better luck next time milord" said Remus.
"Oh but my friends, you haven't got me trapped yet!" said Spyro his voice sly and his eyes now narrowing dangerously thin. "Forget what creature you're up against?"
Then using his all his strength he swung himself upwards, the twisting force snapping the branch clean off, then for good measure Spyro somersaulted through the air, using his wings to support him, then using his back legs he kicked the remnants of the branch off his horns, then let loose a small concentrated ball of flame, that proceeded to explode on contact with the branch, the visual spectacle rivaling the fireworks of many a unicorn Mage.
Then Spyro plumeted swiftly towards the Griffon, who immediately took flight, Sparx following suit, screaming in mock terror, Remus laughing as he too fled into the forest. Spyro pulled up quickly from the ground, and immediately gave chase to the Griffon, who flew up past the canopy and turned sharply left, heading north towards the Dracywlen mountains and the breathtaking Neighagra falls. Spyro followed, flapping his wings as hard as he could, eager to catch that cocky Griffon and show him why 'he' was a member of the Draig nobility.
Bursting through the canopy, Spyro quickly scanned the valley, catching sight of the Griffon, now fleeing at great speed towards the mountains. Spyro gave a another sly grin as he gave chase.
He flapped his wings hard and fast, his speed increasing expediently with each passing second, his eyes focused intently on his target. Within seconds he was right behind the Griffon, ready to tackle him out of the sky, when the Griffon suddenly pulled up and circled over Spyro, his speed sending him straight past where the Griffon had been, straight towards a waterfall.
Spyro instinctively turned left, his wings barely skimming the water as he circled around, his eyes quickly scanning the sky and ground before locating his quarry flying down the falls towards the ground.
Nice trick Ratchet thought Spyro, but your Praetor training won't aid you this time. He then folded his wings tight against his body, allowing himself to shoot down like an arrow towards the ground. Cold wet air and spray assaulted him as he sped downwards, his eyes still following the brown spec that was Ratchet, who pulled up near the bottom and headed left towards the forest. Spyro followed suit but kept Ratchet below him, slowly making his way down from above, like an Eagle hunting a pigeon, quite ironic it was now the Eagle who was being hunted.
Spyro kept his eyes on Ratchet, as the Griffon maneuvered through the trees below, zig-zaging in and out of sight as the trees began to grow thicker. He would have to get in closer now, or else he would lose him.
Again Spyro folded his wings against his body and shot straight down for 5 seconds before pulling up again 100 yards above the canopy, close enough to see where Ratchet was going, but far enough so the canopy didn't block his vision entirely.
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Meanwhile Ratchet was continuing to bob and weave through the trees, fully aware of the Dragon above him, but unfazed. If there's two things Griffons can do better then Dragons, its flexibility and stamina. He just has to keep Spyro flying fast, wasting his energy, then Ratchet would be home free. He was taught that by the Griffon Praetorian guard, "find your enemies weakness and exploit it" was one of the first lessons he was taught, the second being "if your opponent seems to have no clear weakness, then use their strength against them", both being put into effect right here.
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But Spyro had more patience than Ratchet counted on. He knew this trick, and wasn't going to waste his energy again on a massive burst of speed. He would wait until Ratchet made a slip up, then pounce, for now, he was just following him. Good excuse for a gentle glide anyway.
Suddenly a crossbow bolt appeared from nowhere, barely skimming Spyro's shoulder, sending him flailing to the ground in shock, just in time to see another pierce Ratchets back leg, bringing him down as well.
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Ratchet screamed in pain as he went down, the momentum and speed of his decent gouging out the earth as he came to a sudden stop infront of a pair of hard leather boots. Looking up he saw a frightening sight, a human in rusty maile armour, wielding a heavy black crossbow, upon his head a visored helm, plain and black and on his chest a tabbard bearing the coat of arms of a Dragon skull being impaled by a golden sword.
Spyro meanwhile had recovered from his initial shock just in time to dodge 2 more bolts whizzing out of the trees. Looking around frantically for the source of the missiles he quickly spotted an armoured thug concealed within the confines of an oak tree, and further to the right another in a fir, and another next to him.
Who are these men? No matter thought Spyro, they've attacked me and wounded Ratchet, and they'll pay for it!. Spyro then proceeded to charge the nearest thug whilst he was re-loading, dodging bolts shot from his mates in the nearby trees. Lowering his horns and folding his wings he dive-bombed the man, knocking him straight from the tree to the ground below. The man cried out in pain as he hit the ground, the fall fracturing his right arm and temporarily paralyzing his legs. Spyro bore down on top of him, fire burning in his eyes, teeth bared and claws out, only to receive a blunt blow from a stick to the left side of his body, sending him flying into a tree.
Quickly regaining his bearings he saw multiple masked men rushing towards him with thick wooden clubs and wielding medium sized, circular leather coated shields. Thinking fast, he breathed in deeply, then let loose a string of fire. In response the men raised their shields, brushing of the flames as with it was nothing. Great! thought Spyro, I forgot leather is a fire-proof material! But even so, how did they resist the heat?
Falling back on his melee skills, Spyro charged the nearest soldier, then dropped low to ground and slid between his legs, then again using his wings he quickly brought himself around and just as the soldier turned to face him and whacked his face with his tail. The man staggered from the force of the blow, allowing Spyro to grab him by the back, sink his claws in deep, and using his Draconic strength to fling him towards his companions, two getting out of the way in time, one receiving the full force of his companion right in his chest, dropping them both.
The rest of the band started to circle Spyro, attempting to pin him in, so Spyro again launched himself into the air, only to be met by a fresh volley of crossbow bolts, one of which skimmed his shoulder. These guys are good. I'll just have to fight on the ground then. Settling back on the ground he quickly looked at his assailants formation. For the most part it was professional, little to no visible weaknesses in the formation, and archers in the trees, then he looked down on one of the fallen and noted his shield. If there's no gap, make one! He then picked up the shield with his mouth and tossed it at one of the soldiers, who dodged out of the way, leaving Spyro the window he needed to escape. He charged straight through the gap, as bolts rained down around him and the enemy rushed to cut him off.
Then Spyro ran towards the nearest hilltop, gain the advantage of high ground, make use of his wings without the archers.....
"Hold Draig!"
A thick gravelly accent sounded to his right, prompting him to instinctively turn his head towards the source, and the sight he beheld stopped him in his tracks. Remus, Sparx and Ratchet were all held captive, Sparx sealed in a glass lamp, and Ratchet and Remus held by two men who held daggers to their throats, a third, presumably the leader judging by his black cloak and crested helm, standing with his arms folded facing Spyro.
"Stand down Draig, or your friends die."
Spyro was frozen in place with both fear and anger. He could hear the sounds to the other soldiers quickly gaining on him, surrounding him.
Then suddenly he felt the hard blow of a club of the back of his head, and everything went dark, and silent.
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When he came to, Spyro found himself tied up in moist, dark, moss filled cave, and gaurded by two armoured thugs, and right next to him, battered dirty where Ratchet and Remus, both of them in manacles, and Ratchets wings tied to his side. At first Spyro wondered where Sparx was, until he caught sight of a guard carrying a glowing lantern, out of which there came a continuous string of cursing, insults to his mother and various other colourful words that would be too touchy to print.
"You alright Spyro?" whispered Remus, "It looks like they hurt you bad".
"Arrgh, heh..... not as bad as it seems, I'm a dragon remember? Toughest skin around. Those must have been really powerful clubs to hurt the way they did though" he groaned, lamenting the fact he couldn't rub the still sore spot on the back of his neck. "I'm more concerned about you three though. Ratchet, your leg...."
"Yes...argh...it still smarts, though our captives were kind enough to remove the bolt and clean the wound. Don't understand why, but there you go. Must be more valuable alive".
"Who are they?" asked Remus.
"My best guess, bandits or slavers" replied Ratchet. "Unlike the citizens of Equestria, we Griffons come into contact with some unsavoury characters all the time from the Eastern lands, some made up of humans, others made up of, tragically, our own kin. Though I've never seen a band this organised before....."
"Hey! Silence back there!" shouted one of the guards, a bulky well muscled guard with a porky face, who proceeded to throw a stone at Ratchet, hitting him in the belly, causing him to groan in pain. "You don't speak unless ordered to, understand?!"
The trio glared at back him menacingly in reply, prompting him to walk threateningly towards them.
"Drake!" came a call from another guard sitting by what looked like a newly lit fire, "Ignore them, the Captain wants them alive and unspoiled."
"Screw his orders Tom, he ain't here to dictate how I treat scum like this! Besides, I owe my allegience to cash. No-one, not even the 'Shadow Lord' can change my mind on that issue."
"You'll be eating those words raw if he catches wind of this! You know what he's capable of, who he answers too."
"Heh, you're only repeating what he's told us. I don't think he can do half of what he claims, its all just an act to keep us gullible fools in check".
"I'm not repeating. I've seen what he can do. Wonder what happened to Bron last week? He expressed doubts about the mission, about our purpose, next day he's found with a hole burnt in his chest!"
"A fire arrow, or a torch, nothing more. Magic users don't exist among men".
"Really? Then how do you explain...."
"Hey!" came another shout from the lamp, "can't you guys stop arguing? It's getting irritating for everybody!"
"I thought I told ya to shut up!" Drake yelled at Sparx.
"Good luck with that pig face!" Sparx replied, "I'm an Insect! no matter how much you try to silence us, me and my kin will continue to plague your lives with our annoying presence!"
"Sparx, what are you doing?" yelled Spyro, "you'll be killed!"
"What, pork chop here? HA! He couldn't take a dung beetle, let alone a Dragonfly, come on fat-so! Show ol' Sparx what you're made of!"
Duke made up his mind then and there. Screw orders, this insect needs to be squashed. He took up a nearby hammer and picked up the lamp, setting it on a nearby slab of rock.
"Duke STOP!" cried Tom, rushing towards the big man, only to be met by a hard punch to the face from one of Dukes massive fists, dropping him unconsious. "He said keep the Draig alive. Nothing about his friends."
As Spyro looked on Duke raised his hammer high in the air, ready to bring it down. Time seemed to stop, as Spyro's fear and anger came bubbling up again, stronger than ever. This cannot happen, it. will. not. happen! At that instant, he felt a strange, burning surge through his body, his thoughts became instinctive, his senses heightened and his will an all powerful spear.
To Spyro he could remember nothing from that point, but to the bewildered guard and prisoners, Spyro's eyes suddenly blazed bright purple, and the gaps in his scales flared with a dark blue haze, and his muscles grew taunt, pulling at the chains holding him down, his wings pushing against the ropes that bound them to his back, and was actually starting to break them.
Drake was the first to come out of his stupor, picking up a nearby axe and rushing Spyro shouting "Prisoners escaping! Prisoners...!" before being thrown back by a blast of fiery blue energy, straight into Tom, who'd just recovered from Drakes fist, throwing them both into the far wall, both falling unconscious.
Spyro then proceeded to break his chains, and that of his companions, who still looked at him in awe and fear.
Remus was the first to speak "Th-th-thank you, Lord Spyro."
"That. Was. AMAZING" Yelled Sparx, "I know your dad said you were nearly ready but....oh...Bug...."
"What do you mean Sparx?" Ratchet said, now suspicious.
"Err, look, I'll tell you all when we get out of here. Now's not the time for explanations."
Outside the hallway came the faint sounds of clinking maile and muffled shouting. Their captives knew they were free.
"Quick Remus" said Ratchet, "grab a weapon, we'll need everyone's abilities if we're to make it alive, and....." he looked curiously at Spyro, who was still glowing blue, and now moving towards the west wall.
"Spyro, what are you doing?" asked Remus.
"Just watch and see" replied Sparx, earning him another curious look from Ratchet.
Spyro reached out with his right foreleg and drew with his claw a circle on the wall, which emanated the same blue light as his body. Once the circle was complete, he whispered 4 words that were barley audible, "Ddaear yn symud mi. At this command, for it indeed sounded like a command, the earth began to shake, pulling itself apart, creating a wide tunnel through the rock, straight out into sunlight. Immediatly after performing this amazing task, leaving 3 stunned friends paralyzed with awe, the lights around Spyro's body slowly faded, and Spyro himself collapsed into unconsciousness.
The sounds of the approaching soldiers suddenly became much clearer, snapping the friends out of their trances. "Looks like I have quite a job to do", said Ratchet as he picked up Spyro and eased him onto his back. "Remus. I'll have difficulty carrying you and Spyro but the fastest way out is to fly, so hold my talons tight!" He then flapped his wings and hovered above Remus.
"But won't that be too much? We'll fall!"
"I'm not leaving anyone behind Remus! And I'm a Griffon, I've born heavier weight than this, now take my Damn talons!" At this Remus grabbed hold of Ratchets outstretched talons. Then they flew out the tunnel, out of the mountain, and over the forest. Ratchet beat his wings as hard as he could, his muscles straining with every effort, but they remained airborne, and were soon out of reach of their enemies.
Back at the cave, the Captain gazed stoically at the hole in the wall, deep in thought. This was an unexpected complication. It looks like the Draig are starting to heal. He had no doubt his employer would be angry at this news, but maybe an opportunity could arise from this mishap.
"My Lord!" said his lieutenant, "should we pursue them?"
"Don't be foolish" the Captain replied, "they'll be far away from the borders of the forest by now, even with the extra weight the Griffon was carrying."
"Then what are your orders?"
"Abandon the cave, leave no sign we were here, no tracks or scent to follow. I think it's time to call up some old favours."
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The three escapees landed far from the forest, eager to put as much distance as possible from their ex-kidnappers. Ratchet set Remus down then gave up and collapsed in an exhausted heap. Breathing heavily, he looked over to Sparx, who had now settled on a nearby rock in a small pond.
"Now.....Dragonfly, tell me what in the Tribunals name happened back there?!"
At first, all was black, an empty void, sight, hearing, touch, smell, all senses were useless here. Movement felt heavy and slow, the air (air?) weighed down on his lungs, as if he was underwater, yet still able to breathe, if only barely. Then came a faint echo, a soft whisper that assaulted his hearing, as if the speaker was shouting rather than whispering. The words spoken were not Equestrian, Draconic or Human, in fact he didn't recall learning about this language at all.
The black void was suddenly torn aside, as a symbol of a dragons skull shot from the darkness, straight towards him.....
Spyro awoke, breathing heavily in shock and fear. If Dragons had sweat glands he would have been sweating bullets right now. But quickly he calmed down as he recognized familiar surroundings, the infirmary at Castle Dracyrs, home of the Human noble house Palentine, he could even see the symbol and motto marked above the door.
As his other senses returned, he could smell a lingering scent of herbs and vinegar in the air, the stone walls around him whitewashed and scrubbed clean of any grime, everything spotless and pristine, including his bed, which looked like it had been changed fairly recently with soft white linen sheets draped over him.
"Steady great Draig" said a calm voice to his left. Spyro turned to see house Palentine's resident doctor, Esclepious Yeoman-son, a thin yet strongly built man of early 40's, completely bald and clean shaven. Spyro didn't know him personally, but his reputation as a dedicated and experienced physician, knowledgeable on Human, Equine, Griffon and even Dragon was known far and wide. There were even rumours his baldness was due to him shaving it so no infected hairs would accidentally fall into the wounds of his patients. Amusing rumours to be sure, but as Spyro looked down at his body he noticed many severe scars, some of them bolt wounds, but others looked as if he had been burned alive. If the wounds were as severe as they looked, Spyro would owe this man his life.
"Tha...argh!...ank you...."
"Don't try to move yet. There's still some bruising in the chest and back legs, but you should be able to move in about 10 minutes, if you rest. You're lucky you have such strong skin and bones, those wounds would have left anyone else near death."
"Yes....those clubs were pretty tough.......wait, the cave! How did we get out? One of the guards was going to kill Sparx, then I felt angry, by body felt like it was on fire, then, nothing.
"Where are Sparx, Ratchet and Remus, are they alright? Are they.....?"
"Fine. They're all just fine. My apprentices have treated their injuries and they are now outside the door. Though before you see them I suggest resting for a few more minutes, calm your thoughts and let your body heal, then you'll be in a better state to receive them."
"I need to see them! Its imperative I speak to them now!" protested Spyro, before a bowl of sweet smelling herbs was held under his nose, and his anxiety slowly drained away, replaced by contentment and peace. He then fell back into a dreamless sleep.
..............................................
Awakening a few minutes later, his body felt much better than before, though a reminder of his ordeal still marked his shoulder where the bolt had grazed it, leaving a pink scar and a cracked scale on his otherwise flawless skin.
"Feeling better master?" asked Esclepious.
"Yes, thank you" said Spyro, who suddenly remembered how he came to be asleep, "Though that stunt with the herbs was uncalled for!"
"If I had not you would have jumped straight from the bed and run towards the hall, more than likely causing yourself more injury. This isn't my first week on the job."
Spyro had to admit, that was exactly what he was thinking of doing. "Point taken, now can I please see my friends?"
"As I said, they're outside the door waiting for you."
Spyro walked briskly towards the door and swung it open, to be greeted by a blinding gold light as Sparx flew forward and wrapped his insect legs around Spyro's snout, followed by Ratchet and Remus who both seized Spyro and wrapped all four of them in a tight embrace.
"You're alright! Thank every God and his mother, he's alright!" cried Sparx, too overwhelmed with joy to notice his friend struggling to breathe under the combined weight of his friends.
"YES......I'M FINE..........NOW PLEASE STOP.....TRYING TO CHOKE ME...TO DEATH!"
With that they both released him, apologising all the while.
"That's fine, just give me a heads up next time you want to rush me OK?
"Now. What happened?"
Ratchet and Remus looked to Sparx, whose face sank immediately.
"As you know, we were captured."
"You don't say?!"
"I know wise guy, hold on! Whilst you were unconscious we were led blindfold into the caves, well, Remus and Ratchet were blindfolded I just had a cloth thrown over my, ahem, cage......"
"I know you're trying to explain Sparx but you're stalling. Just come out and say what happened!" said Remus.
"Alright, alright! sigh I took a gamble, I purposefully aggravated fatso, hoping he would be dumb enough to open the cage to get me, allowing me to fly out, or failing that, getting you to.....unleash your hidden power."
Spyro looked at Sparx quizzically, "Hidden power? What are you talking about Sparx?"
Sparx again hesitated, before breathing deeply and replying, "I ran across your father talking with one of the Equestrian Princesess, Luna, I think it was, last week when she and Celestia visited to prepare the Castle for Midsummers eve. I was just flying along, minding my own business...."
"He was sneaking out to meet, 'an important contact', I think his words were" said Ratchet, chuckling suggestively.
"Watch your mouth you half Chicken! Elora's no........ARgh! Anyway......." continued Sparx ignoring his friends small smiles of amusement, "I couldn't help but overhear them speak, with my hearing as astute as it is", at this he wiggled his antennae, "so I made my way towards the door and perched on the door handle.
"Are you sure your grace?" said the Dark blue Dragon.
"I'm not, Nerevor" replied the equally dark blue Alicorn, a look of uncertainty and worry painted across her beautiful face, her eyes betraying worry buried deep in her heart and mind, "I sensed something different about him whilst I was performing my duties. I've never felt such hidden power in an individual in my life, not in Twilight, or myself, or even my sister. I don't think he is even aware of this power."
"What does this mean? No Draig has been that powerful for over a millennium."
"I don't know, although if it is true, then your son might become a target for those who wish the Dragons to remain powerless. I need your permission to investigate further before taking any rash actions."
"I don't think that would be advisable your highness. Draig dreams are very different from the dreams of your subjects or humans. Even with our power diminished, in our dreams we hold more power over ourselves than anything else in the world. Anyone who tries to interfere or interact with a Draig dream is not likely to come out unscathed"
"I know, which is why I will need your help and that of your fellow Draig. If I'm to enter into his dreams and find the source of this than I......."
"I don't think that will be necessary Luna" came another voice, this one a female, and by the clip clop sound on the stones, an Equestrian.
"Why not Twilight?" Luna asked the mare.
"Because I may have found the reason for it in this book", at this Sparx's curosity led him to silently enter the room and fly up to the rafters, confident the shadows would hide him and his vibrating wings too soft to hear. He looked down and saw a purple Alicorn mare, slightly shorter than Luna, with a more human like face, holding an ancient tome, very ancient by the look of it, nearly coming to pieces in her hooves as she opened it.
"Right here, on page 324, 'a human prophesy that speaks of the return of the Barnwr, the Judge, a Draig that used to be the bridge between the humans and the Draig in their homeland of Targaris, and the source of both the Draig and Humanities prosperity. He exemplifies the best traits of both races, processing the strength and wisdom of the Draig and the courage and compassion of humanity, and more than that, he mastered all the elements of nature'.
"So this creature was a guardian of sorts?" Luna asked.
"The most powerful guardian in the world" replied Nerevor, "a hero transcending multiple generations, sometimes born as a human, other times a Draig, the Barnwr is the prodigy of our connection to the physical world and Vallhalor, the realm of the unknown. But the line was broken two thousand years ago."
'The last Barnwr was a Draig from the North, whose name was Iscenharct, or Iscen as he preferred to be called. When the storms of Amon bore down on Dawnsbreak, Iscen fought against the oncoming storm, and seemed to be winning. But through unknown factors, Iscen was brought down and killed at the pinnacle of his victory, allowing the weakened storm to resume its destructive course.
'Though the city was saved from most of the destruction, the power of the Barnwr and the Draig disappeared that day, and both Humans and Draig lost their connection to the Earth, and to each other.'
"From there it details the history of the break up, the War with Tirek and the fall of the Kingdom of Dawnsbreak, nothing else mentioning the Barnwr" Twilight finished.
"So what are you saying?" asked Luna
"It's only a faint possibility, but from what you've told me, the power you've sensed in Nerevor's young son could be because......"
"NO!" said Nerevor loudly, "The Barnwr line died with Iscen. My son is not the Barnwr!"
"I only said it's a possibility....."
"And its not so. I don't wish to discuss this further Luna. This matter is closed!" He then unfurled his wings and took to the air, flying straight out a large open air window. Luna sighed deeply, then seemed to decide not to press the issue, she and Twilight walked out the room, leaving Sparx unable to speak.
"I didn't say anything because, I suppose like your dad, I was afraid of what this could mean, and I didn't know for sure if what they said was true, or even possible. But for curiosities sake I went to read up on the subject and I found additional information in the library on the Barnwr, discovering another passage in the book that vaguely described Iscen becoming extremely powerful under emotional stress, using that power to weaken the storm.
"I couldn't find anything else on him, so I decided to let the matter be, thinking it was just theory, until we were captured, then in a desperate move I purposefully aggravated fatso to try and hurt me, if he opened the cage, I'd be home free and come back here to get reinforcements, if not, I hoped to heaven you did have some crazy powers, just for one chance for us to escape. A desperate gamble, and...a friend manipulating another friend" Sparx looked downcast as he said the last line, clear guilt reflected in each of his numerous eyes.
Spyro didn't know what to feel at this moment; Betrayed? Grateful? Excited? Afraid? He couldn't bring himself to say anything, his words stuck in his throat as though it where a river dammed by a huge bolder.
"I'm, sorry for using you like that" said Sparx, "but please understand why I did it. I never intended...."
"It's okay Sparx" interrupted Spyro, "you don't need to apologize. This...is just a little confusing, that's all."
"As it is for the rest of us buddy" said Ratchet.
A melancholic silence filled the room as the friends pondered through this revelation. Was it possible? And if so is this the reason why they were ambushed by well armed and armoured soldiers in Equestria of all places? What did this mean for them, and most importantly, why was this kept secret? Something as important as this had to have been hidden from Spyro for a reason.
At last after a whole minute, Sparx broke the silence, "so what do we do now?"
"Now?" replied Remus, , "I think we find out more about the Barnwr, any information we can get. If someone's trying to find you, then its likely they won't stop at one failed raid. The men who captured us will likely keep trying and hurt anyone who gets in their way.
"So needless to say we need everything we can find to prepare for their return."
"I agree" said Ratchet, "and we can start here in the castle, Spyro's dad was there at the meeting and it's likely Lord Cassius will know something thanks to his connections with the Court of Canterlot."
"Not to mention said court right here in Dracovale for the Summer Solstice Festival" continued Remus, "as the son of Cassius Palentine I think I might be able to garner an audience with one of the Princesses."
"Will your dad allow you that privilege?" asked Spyro, "you know how strict he is regarding law and Royal favour."
"I'm well aware of that, but I think in this case he'll understand. He may be strict on law and tradition but he's not stupid. Trust me, I'll persuade him."
"Very well" said Spyro, now more confident and sure, "I'll go find my dad and confront him on this issue, as will Remus. Sparx and Ratchet, I'd like you to search the library and archives for any more information on the Barnwr and the history of Draig and Human cultures."
"We're on it" said Ratchet.
"We'll find that information faster than you can say 'maneesfas'
"maneesfas?" asked Ratchet quizzically.
"Yeah, man. he's. fast!"
"That Sparx, is one of your worst puns" said Remus. "With a track record like that I wouldn't be surprised if you called a mountain Boy-is-it-big!"
..............................................
Meanwhile just a few miles West of Dracovale on the coast near Fillydelphia, (sigh, Equestrians are so fond of their terrible horse puns aren't they?) Spyro's old captors hid in another cave in a cliff-side overlooking the sea. The Captain looked out over the golden sunset, as the night began to set in. He was waiting for an old contact of his, someone, or in this case something, who was perfect for the task he had in mind.
As the last rays of light melted away beyond the horizon, the Captain turned away towards the inside of the cave, coming face to face with his contact. From the shadows he could not make it out clearly, its clothes and skin blending seamlessly into the shadows, his dark green eyes the only indication he was there.
"Make this quick Aviur" the shadow spoke, his voice hoarse yet carrying a hint of charm, as though it had sounded different before.....whatever changed it happened.
"You've been a valuable ally in this strange land Shade, despite what you think of us" replied Aviur, "now comes your most important task yet.
Remus walked briskly down the hall way leading to the great hall, narrowly dodging the dozens of servants rushing back and forth carrying a huge assortment of food, drink, brightly coloured cloth, wall hangings ect, each one bowing qucikly and muttering "master" when he passed before moving on with their chores. It was that time again, the Summer Solstice, a celebration for both Equestrians and Humans both, one held in honour of their monarch, the other in remembrance of their arrival in Equestria, after the armies of the Lightbringer drove them from their lands.
Before moving on with our tale let me tell you a little about Remus' house and its history. House Palentine is the second strongest Noble house of the last vestige of those who supported the Draig against the armies of the Lightbringer, driven from their homes and lands in the year 6 C.R., they sailed across the seas towards the west, where they landed upon the shores of an unclaimed part of Equestria. There they and the Draig settled and formed a new kingdom from the ashes, named Rhaedor, their capital city, New Dawnsbreak, situated on the East coast, inside the harbour known as horseshoe bay.
Mind you, this was before they encountered the Equestrians, who had formed their own nation to the West, led by an Alicorn King named Solaris, father to the later dual rulers of Equestria, Celestia and Luna. Solaris was as proud and fiery as the sun he commanded, and fiercely loyal to his people, but also was mistrustful of outsiders, having earned a deep scar across his left eye as a memento from a Griffon, one he once called a friend, who betrayed him to a group of Changelings who sought to enslave the mighty God-king. He barely escaped with his life. The Griffon in turn was betrayed by his Changeling allies, who devoured him instead of Solaris. So needless to say a human landing on land close to his borders did not sit well with Solaris, who immediately sought to find out about these strangers, prepared for any sign, any slight hint of treachery.
Humanity on the other hand had never seen these creatures before. They had horses they had brought from Targaris, but none like the people they saw now. Human like faces with Equine features, severely shortened bodies whose pelts ranged from every colour under the sun. And what's more these Equines had built an entire civilization, without the aid of thumbs. One thing to have a highly intelligent brain but quite another to use it to make tools, build structures, write and construct laws and create art and culture (true some of it was questionable, the rather simplistic trade regulations for instance, but for these creatures an incredible feat).
But worst of all for both groups was the simple fact that as they owned horses, the type that couldn't speak, this caused some controversy between the two races, some Equestrians fearing these Humans enslaved their horses and would do the same to them, and a minority within the human camp wishing it would be so, calling the Equestrians 'pack horses' and 'drafter', insults still used in modern Equestria by the more bigoted humans.
It looked as though war was certain to follow, but through the efforts of Janus Palentine, 1st Baron of Dracovale, and a Unicorn court mage named Starswirl the bearded both sides were reconciled, and through compromise and necessity the two Kingdoms were merged into one Alliance, dedicated to the support and unity of all races within its borders. Solaris grew to trust again, and aided in the growth of this new Alliance in honour of his new found comrades. It is said that he later disappeared whilst defending his kingdom from the Chaos of the Draconiquis Discord, succeeded by his daughters.
House Palentine was granted the lands below the foal mountains, that along with Unicorn range and the mountain of Canterlot, formed the 'Spine of Equestria'. There they built a mighty castle on a towering outcrop of rock, inviting both Equestrians and Dragons to settle, the Dragons carving out a series of caves below the castle and the Equestrians settling with the humans on the lands below.
Now the Castle of Dracovale was chosen by popular vote to be the next city to hold the Summer Solstice Festival, were Celestia herself would raise the sun, as she had done for centuries. And the castle was abuzz with activity, everyone from Noble to Servant determined to make the Castle as spotless and perfect as they could for the Princesses arrival.
That would normally make Remus excited for the upcoming celebration, but at this time all he felt was frustration. It was going to take forever to get through this number of people, and goodness knows were his father was. He'd been from room to room looking for him, until he found Maester Tohmen, who told him he was meeting with Severus Blueblood , a relative to the Equestrian royal family and Baron of Hoofington. The trick now was getting his father away from the proceedings for 5 minutes to ask what he knew. It wasn't going to be easy, but for Spyro's sake, he had to try.
*****************************************
"I trust your troops will be here shortly?" asked Lord Cassius, his aged, scarred face etched with concern and slight hint of exasperation.
"They should start arriving tonight, just before the celebrations, and we can march tomorrow" replied a white coloured stallion with a slightly darker shade of white for his mane, "I apologize for the delay my lord. I never expected anypony could have predicted...."
"No, that's quite alright. The appearance of the Draig Reikers in the North has us all scrambling, doesn't it? My son recently survived en encounter with them in Dragons Dale."
"Quite a feat, although I suppose that's child's play for a son of house Palentine".
"Blueblood, my son could have died!"
"I'm sorry, I only meant....."
"I know, I'm sorry, I'm just frustrated at this turn of events. I only wish these celebrations could be done with quickly. I know its too late to cancel it, but by Aerherus I wish I could."
"Have patience Lord Cassius, we'll track these vagabonds down in the morning and bring them to justice. And better still, we'll have two of the Princesses to aid us. Tomorrow you and I will charge into battle just like the old days."
"True" laughed Cassius, "but we both had less grey in our hair then, and we fought beasts and rogue Griffon clans, not, Dragon killers."
"At least the smell will be the same" laughed Blueblood."
Just at that moment a side door on the right of the great hall opened, and in walked Remus.
"Remus!" Cassius exclaimed, walking briskly over to him and embracing him tightly.
"Father" replied Remus hugging him back, "I'm sorry to interrupt you...."
"Sorry? What are you apologizing for? If anyone needs to beg for forgiveness it is the men who took you and your friends. But rest assured we are doing everything we can to track them down and make them pay for hurting you."
"Master Remu," said Blueblood wandering over, "good to see you up again. Your Father and I were just talking about your heroic escape from the Draig Reikers".
"About that Father, I need to talk with you about that" then added in a quiet whisper, "in private".
Cassius nodded, then turned to Blueblood, "as always my friend, its an honour" he said bowing slightly, "now if you'll excuse me I need to catch up with my son."
"Understood old friend" replied Blueblood, bowing back, then briskly exiting the great hall through the main door. Cassius then motioned towards another door on the west side of the hall, and they started to walk.
After a few minutes of silent walking they found themselves outside the great hall on a large marble balcony over looking a wide emerald valley, lying underneath the leering gaze of the snow peaked Foal mountains. Setting his arms on the top of the balcony walls Cassius turned to face his son with a look of understanding and sadness written across his angular features.
"I know what you're going to say, and I wish I had a clear cut answer for you, but I don't. The Barnwr is a legend among both Men and Draig, until now I had thought it was just that, Legend. I never thought that there would be such a person living among us, much less within our life times, or that Lord Spyro might be him".
"Believe me Father, its a shock for all of us, especially Spyro. What bugs me is why he wasn't told of this sooner, and who were those men who attacked us?"
"We believe they are Draig Riekers, Dragon slayers. They were very powerful and skilled mercenaries back in the days when we still lived in the homeland. When we fled across the sea, they were the vanguard of a force sent to hunt us down as we fled West, their main goal to wipe out the remaining Draig and our ancestors.
"It was thanks to a timely storm that they managed to evade them, though they never gave up searching for us, or the Dragons. It would be 200 years after we settled before we saw what we thought was the last of them. But now with this revelation, I must admit these killers are more resourceful and stubborn that we gave them credit for."
"I saw first hand their skill" said Remus, "though if they're Dragon killers, why did they capture us, rather than kill us?"
"That I don't know" replied Cassius, before turning to Remus with a stern, angry expression, "but they'd better thank their stars they didn't. No one hurts any member of my family, least of all Remus. Rest assured they will pay for every bit of pain they've inflicted on you."
"I'm fine Dad, I've recovered. What's important now is we find out why they attacked us and what they're after. Please, I need to know whatever you know about the Barnwr."
Cassius gave a short amused laugh, "You always get straight to the point. I understand, I'll answer what I can."
"Thanks dad" said Remus, "First, what exactly do you know about the Barnwr?"
"Only what's common knowledge. Before the exodus the Barnwr was the bridge between not just the different races of Targaris, but also the unknown. Don't ask me what that means, I don't know, I was told all this by Lord Nerevor, but he never went into full detail. But what's certain is that he was a very powerful individual, able to harness all four elements of nature, Fire, Air, Water, Earth, and bend them to his will, and more besides".
"Was he the only one?"
"Yes and No, many Draig at that time had power over one element, growing and developing along with it. There were Draig who could not only breathe fire but also shape it, bend it to their will, and the same went for the other 3 elements, Earth, Air and Water. The Ice Dragons in particular were renowned for their wisdom and patience, the Earth Dragons steadfast and unmoving and Air Dragons of such free spirit that Legend says even the winds themselves were jealous of their freedom."
"Well what happened? If Draig could do all these things.....?"
"The Storm of Rhaezir happened. Nerevor can explain more, but basically the Draig lost most of their power when they were exposed to the energies of this storm. I may not know much about magic, but I can conclude that storm wasn't natural. It completly drained them of their gifts, leaving them with a mere fraction of the power they held before. No longer able to control the elements the events that led to our exodus were set into motion, then as you we were driven from the homeland.
"And that's all I know. I'm sorry I couldn't be of more help." At this he bowed his head and closed his eyes, a single tear slowly streaming down his left cheek, "I'm sorry I wasn't there to help you. But rest assured I will personally ensure they pay for hurting you."
"Father! you.... I mean I.... but you're Lord of Dracovale, your people need....."
"And you're my heir and only son, there's nothing I wouldn't do to help you, as for the people, they are in as much danger as you were, if they are true Draig Riekers they won't hesitate to hurt anyone who gets in their way or worse. I know this much about the Men of the homeland, they as crafty as they are cruel.
"After the Solstice Celebrations are done we will ride out and hunt those Bastards down. I need you to take care of the Castle and estate while I'm gone. Duke Blueblood will accompany me with 20 Pegasai and 10 Unicorn soldiers, and we'll have the support of two Alicorns, Cadence of the Crystal Empire and Twilight of Everfree valley, hopefully with their help we have a good chance of tracking them down.
"I know this is a big responsibility, but I have every bit of confidence in your abilities. I wouldn't trust this to anyone else."
Remus sighed gently in defeat. Nothing would stop his father once he set his mind on something, and he was right of course, from what he experienced these Draig Riekers could be a threat to everyone in the valley, especially if they are targeting Spyro. But still, he knew what awaited his Father, and this time they would not be seeking to capture.
*****************************
Meanwhile Ratchet and Sparx were busy tearing through the library, or as the head librarian saw it, ransacking it beyond recognition. Steadily growing piles of tomes, history books, random sheets of paper and tattered scrolls lined the reading tables from one end of the Library to the other, not a large space mind you, the Library was barely bigger than 3 dining rooms in an Equestrian house, but nevertheless the collection of knowledge in here was extensive, though to the growing irritation of the two friends, they found hardly anything Barnwr related.
"You know, for a legendary hero of amazing power, its just boggling how much BUZZIK isn't here!" It had been barely an hour and already Sparx's patience was wearing thin.
"How do you have so much patience when it comes to spying, listening and stealth in general, and yet you can't stand an hour looking through books?"
"Ratchet, I wouldn't mind so much if we were getting somewhere with this! I'll I've found is a couple of references that don't lead to anything we don't already know, a book on law, a short description in a dictionary and for some reason he's mentioned in a guide on the many adventures and 'dangers' of a Cabbage salesmen! How in the flying BZZRUK does a legendary hero relate to CABBAGES!"
Ratchet sighed softly in agitation. "Look, I know we haven't found anything yet doesn't mean we just give up. Maybe there's another source somewhere else in the castle, lets put the books back and look and head to the archives."
Sparx immediately perked up, suddenly interested. "The Archives? The most secure and heavily guarded chambers in the entire castle?"
"The very same Sparx. But please keep yourself in check, I know what you're like around complex locks and security."
"Raatchet" said Sparx slyly "you hurt me(!) Why would I, a simple Dragonfly, wish to break into the most secureand challenging vault in Dracovale?"
"And I believe you've answered your own question my slippery friend." replied Ratchet softly chuckling. "Come on, the sun has nearly set and the celebrations should be starting in 15 minutes." He then got up from his seat and started to put back the books. "If we want to find anything before......"
Just before he could finish however he heard another enter the room. From the sounds of the foot, or rather hoof steps, it was an Equestrian. Looking towards the door he saw the last thing he expected. In walked a dark purple Alicorn, whose well kept mane and youthful eyes seemed to shimmer with the colours of a setting sun, on her brow sat a small, gold crown, and on her flank a mark of a large purple sun encircled by 6 silver stars. Ratchet could not believe his eyes, this was Princess Twilight Sparkle, the famed founder of the Knightly Order of Harmony, originally made up of 6 other heroes, each representing one of the people of Equestria, Unicorns, Earth Ponies, Pegasai, one was even a Dragon. Since then the order had expanded to include members from the Human race. She was famed for defeating the monster Tirek, and banishing him back to Tartarus.
Reflexively he stood to attention and brought a clenched claw to his chest in the old Praetorian guard salute.
"Esceus Solrata Twilight Regina!" he proclaimed with fervor, as his Centurian taught him.
"ARGH!" the Princess jumped in shock.
"I'm sorry, I didn't realize....."
"Er oh no, I didn't mean......"
".....and you don't have to......"
".....I mean, its an honour to meet you....."
"Okay stop!" Sparx interjected, "lets not get into a to and fro conversation. We don't want to waste time with Royalty"
"Err....yes, of course" said Ratchet, calming himself before continuing, "I-I apologize for startling you your excellency."
"Please, there's no need for the pomp and ceremony, its just Twilight. Twilight Sparkle. And it should be me apologizing, I just didn't expect to be greeted so dramatically."
"Errr, yes sorry your high...I mean Ms Sparkle...."
"Please. Twilight. Just Twilight."
"Twilight. Its just how I was trained, the Praetorian guard is very strict in protocol."
"Well I assure you, you don't need to stand at attention with me around mr.....?"
"Ratchet, Ratchet Keehah, and this little rascal is Sparx, one of my friends here in Dracovale."
"Expert spy, scout, rogue and jokester extraordinaire Ms Twilight, delighted to make your acquaintance."
Twilight chuckled lightly "Likewise. Hey, I've heard about you two! You're Dragon Lord Spyro's friends aren't you?"
"Aye. Ever since I was a chick and Sparx a larvae. Are you looking for him by any chance?"
"Yes. Princess Celestia would like to meet with him before the celebrations." Her expression quickly turned somber, and a pensive silence filled the room. "We heard about your recent capture and escape. Myself and the Princeses are deeply sorry for what you were put through. We had no....."
"Its fine your....Twilight. We all got out and we're healed. And we have the Summer Solstice to celebrate. No time for dark thoughts to distract us from the present right?"
"Yes, of course." Twilight seemed to brighten up a little, a tiny spark slowly coming to her eyes, as though a happy memory had resurfaced after months of absence.
"You know, it was on a day like this that my life changed for the better. It was 2 years ago I was sent to Ponyville, where I met my first true friends, and well, everything changed. The Summer sun celebration has a habit of bringing out the best in us" Then she chuckled again, "Not to mention coinciding with life changing events.
"Well if you do find Spyro can you tell him to come to Lord Cassius' study? We'll be waiting for him there."
"Sure thing Twilight. We'll send him your way if we find him."
Twilight nodded in thanks and walked out the Library, her soft hoofsteps echoing down the empty hallway.
"Why do you think the Princesses want to see Spyro?" asked Sparx.
"Certainly something to do with our recent kidnapping and questions on Spyro being the Barnwr" replied Ratchet, "but I get the feeling there's more to this than we were told."
"You're suspicious of the Princess?"
"Perhaps not Twilight, I get the feeling she's merely the messenger, but I know politicians, both good and bad, and they're both good at keeping secrets. I think we should go to this meeting along with Spyro, or at least listen in. I'd like to see where this goes....."
"Wait! I think I've found something!"
"What?"
"There, behind the corner of the door where Twilight walked out."
Ratchet looked towards the left corner of the door and noticed a small, unremarkable piece of paper. Curious he walked forward and picked it up. As he unfurled the sheet he saw a terrifying sigil;
A Dragon's face, eyes of burning blue, his face angular, powerful, wise and frightening. He didn't know what this represented, who this Draig was, or if it represented a real Dragon, all Ratchet knew is that from the sight of the symbol alone he felt humbled, powerless, helpless before its gaze.
After 6 full seconds had passed Ratchet tore his eyes away from the image, confused and frightened at what had just happened. Looking again, the image was still there but the gaze that had held him was now gone. Looking below the image there was a message, written by a steady and practiced hand, which read;
He has returned. The Answers you seek lie in Frostvale. Do not wait too long, for Lightbringer casts his gaze over this Land, as he did Targaris. The Year of Red Sun has arrived.
"Year of Red Sun?" Sparx looked to Ratchet in confusion, "what does that mean?"
"I don't know, but whatever it means, we have to get this to Spyro immediately, he'll want to know."
"He's probably down in the catacombs looking for Nerevor."
"Then that's where we're going. Come on!"
Ratchet spread his wings and took to the air, turning to the right down the hallway, Sparx following as quickly as his wings would allow. Meanwhile, watching from the shadows, a robed creature watched them leave, then faded away into the cloak of evening shadow, its objective now clear.
*****************************
Spyro was on his way towards the catacombs beneath the castle, the intricately carved archways of human architecture slowly devolving into sedimentary rock, the caves giving off an illusion of natural erosion, when in fact they'd been carved out meticulously by Draig claws, the caverns growing larger and larger the further down he went, the light fading behind him, until at the bottom of the steps, when the last, faint glow faded into shadow, the cave roof was immediately lit up with a light blue glow, emanating from a trail of small, rough gemstones. Spyro and every Dragon who lived here knew them as Cave Saphires, special stones that shone only in complete darkness, any light brought down here would drown out their light, blocking out the trail which guided the Draig and their allies, through their immense caverns, whilst torch bearing enemies would find themselves hopelessly lost.
To Spyro, the blue light was normally welcoming, a cool and soothing presence that before today he felt could soothe any pain inside him, though right now all he felt was a mixture of confusion, sadness, anger, fear and perhaps a little bit of betrayal. Hearing Sparx speak about how he was supposed to be some sort of Dragon hero, maybe God, filled him with dread at his uncertain future, and added to this, his Father had known about this the entire time, and worse, that he seemingly lied to both Spyro and himself as though hoping the lie would make it true. Spyro admitted to himself, there were two parts of him at war over this issue, on the one hand the voice of his emotions, as immature as they sounded, was screaming with rage at being left out of the loop, that he was something he didn't know, everything certain now blown to the wind, and his father, HIS Father, had lied to him, and on the other the calm and collected voice of his intelligence and patience telling him his Father must have had a good reason for this, and even if he didn't anger was not the way to solve the issue. Besides, there are worse things that could have happened. At least he and his friends were alive, and who knows, this could turn out for the better. Yes, Dad has a good reason for this, he thought, No need to worry. Besides you're not a child anymore. Rage won't get you anywhere....Wait, What's that?!
He suddenly heard something, turning his head instinctively, his body tense, he scanned the caverns, until he heard a faint...what sounded like an explosion. Then Spyro remembered, the celebrations of course, they're setting of Fireworks. The long night had begun, which probably meant his father was probably at the festival too. So much for coming down here. Well nothing to do but go back to the surface and......
He heard another sound, this time not a muffled explosion, but a soft, barley audible scraping of leather on stone. Any human ears wouldn't have heard it, but Spyro's natural senses were more finely tuned than a humans, able to pick up the scuttle of the many Star Spiders that littered the caves, not an easy feat considering they were masters of stealth and disguise themselves, yet this sounded like....a human foot?!
Spyro quickly spun around coming face to face with his stalker. A man in a dark red robe lined with dirty gold etchings, his head covered by a blue mask, the type he saw at various human festivals on the east coast, where the guests would hide their faces to tease each other. You never knew who was who at these parties, though unlike those masks, this one was plain, un-decorated, just a plain face mask which covered the eyes and nose but left the mouth and chin visible.
Spyro also noticed that underneath his cloak he wore a black leather Cuirass, and carried at his side a hand-and-a-half blade. Spyro stood tense, readying himself for a fight, then the figure spoke.
"I knew I'd find you down here Barnwr. Its been too long since our last meeting."
"Last meeting? I've never seen you in my life. Who are you? How did you enter the catacombs?"
"Living among Draig my entire life has made it easy for me to find their nests, and slip by their fine ears and noses. As for our last meeting, you've never seen me in this life, but we've met in previous lives countless times before."
"Previous lives? You'd better start making sense soon stranger, or your cloak won't be the only thing that's red." To Spyro's amazement, the figure laughed, though not in a mocking sort of laugh, more like the type where you tease an old friend, and he finds your efforts amusing.
"This is by far one of the more interesting lives you've led yet Barnwr. Very well, I'll indulge you. My name is Vanator, and I've served your predecessors for countless years. I now come to you warning. The foe you faced two days ago is but one pawn in a larger game, your real enemies are cloaked in shadow and fear, and do not reveal themselves to their opponents. When the dawn rises today, the Sun will burn red, and an old foe of your ancestors shall return. Be on your guard at the festival, for the enemy has made the first move, and his first targets will be the Princesses and Draig both."
With that his form began to fade away into the shadows, his body becoming seemingly corporal.
"WAIT! What did you mean by that? Who's this enemy? What danger are the Draig and Princesses in? ANSWER ME!" But he was met with silence. Who was that? Why did he leave? The frustration of unanswered questions flooded back into his mind as he struggled to control himself. When he finally calmed down, he took in what this 'Vanator' had said. 'The Sun will burn red? An old foe returns? Festival....targets..Princesses and Draig both? He may be short on information but Spyro wasn't going to dismiss this possibility just in case it was right. He rushed back to the cave entrance, flapping his wings as hard as he could before taking to the air and flying straight for the entrance. Whatever was going to happen, it made him feel more than uneasy, even if it was a hoax, or maybe a trap, he had to see for himself. He had to stop it.
The celebrations were in full swing. The night sky was set ablaze with the constant explosion of fireworks, the myriad of colours rivaling even the stars themselves in beauty, the sounds of hearty laughter and energetic conversation echoed throughout the valley. Its joyous sound could be heard for miles around; the Castle of Dracovale a beacon of happiness and light that seemed eternal. Most folk could find joy and wonder in abundance here, but to Shade, the being of Shadow, it was just another reminder of what he'd had to give up to become who he was, just another memory of a time long ago when he could still feel happiness and love. Now his mind was set on one goal, redemption. One last job, one last mission and he would win back his life, his honour. He needed to capture the Barnwr.
The Castle's defences were impressive, the entire castle sat on a huge, smooth outcrop of rock, hardly any good places for scaling the cliffs, and of course the main entrance would be well guarded, much better security than Canterlot, not counting the Dragons presence, and according to the information brought by his mole the guards were highly competent, unusual for most towns he visited, for good reason. Dracovale had a long tradition of keeping its soldiers in tip top condition, only picking the brightest and best among their populace. Despite what the people of the Everfree valley and the snobs at Canterlot would have you believe, Equestria was never short of enemies, and Dracovale had seen her armies marching to war with the remnants of the Shadow King Sombra's armies, the Changelings and rogue Griffon clans to name a few multiple times, their commanders noting down every success and every mistake, so even if some of these guards were raw recruits they would have been taught to look out for all the tricks in a spy's book, even a relaxed atmosphere like this would do little to temper their vigilance.
He would have to resort to some unorthodox methods. It had taken him 2 hours but now he found the perfect spot, no lighted windows and no patrols. No one thought anyone could enter here. The cliffs were too smooth to climb and the walls were guarded by two mighty towers, specifically designed to counter ground and aerial attack, both empty. As long as his timing was right (and it rarely wasn't), he could make it. Taking out a dismantled crossbow from his pack he quickly assembled the pieces, then took out a large hooked bolt and tied a piece of rope to the end. He then took aim at the nearest tower, 4 floors above its bottom floor, nearly midway up, and pulled the trigger. The distance was considerable, but the bolt found its mark.
Shade then disassembled the crossbow and put it back in his pack, taking out a bar connected to two sets of steel wheels before closing up the pack, then shouldering it, then placing the bar on the rope, gripping both ends tightly, and pushing himself down towards the abyss.
The cold night air assaulted him as he sped down the rope, the calm summer air turning immediately into raging winter storm, his heart beating fast and heavy against his chest in subdued excitement. Then no sooner had he left the cliff face, he was now nearing the tower walls. At this speed he could crash head long into the wall, then fall to his death, but he had planned for that too. Pressing two small buttons on each bar he steadily slowed his decent, stopping just above the window. Then swinging his body towards the wall he planted his feet onto the edge of the window sill, then taking one hand of the bar and placing it on the frame, then once he was secure he quickly looked over the window, a standard casement, praise the Dwiaui for blessing him with such a simple obstacle. He then let go of the bar and reached into one of the 4 pouches on his belt, pulling out a small knife he carefully placed the tip in the center of the window, then he quickly cut a small circle into the glass. Putting away the knife he placed his right palm over the circle, slowly and silently easing the glass free, then put said glass into his mouth, gently holding it in place with his teeth before reaching again into his pouch for a lock-pick. Having obtained it he reached inside and tried the handle. As expected it was locked, so he felt around for the key hole, quickly finding it he put the lock pick into it and started to move it around, feeling the inside of the lock. It took him half a minute, but he finally heard the click of the lock, then he slowly opened the window and silently climbed in. Then he swiftly cut the rope, pulled out the bolt from the wall, carefully closed the window and put the glass back in place.
Now that was done he could turn his attention to finding the Barnwr, but first he needed to blend in.......
************************
This was certainly a celebration for the ages. As soon as the last rays of the sun had set beyond the horizon Dracovale was lit ablaze with countless festive lights, the silence of the night air broken by the eruption of drums, bagpipes, lutes, harps, crumhorns, hurdy-gurdies, recorders, sacbuts* and the melodic voices of court poets, bards, minstrels mixed in with Equestrian Classical, a brand of music especially popular in Canterlot. Mixed in with this joyful music were the sounds of idle gossip, joyful laughter, occasional bouts of drunken shouting (and it hadn't even reached midnight yet(!)) and roaring cheers down in the inner bailey as the finest Equestrian and Human Knights gathered to participate in the annual Summer Solstice Tournament, a tradition that Dracovale held once every year, inviting nobility and commoners throughout Equestria and beyond to witness the skills and courage of the best Knights in the land, and win or lose a bet or two on who would win of course. Of course in honour of the Royal visit the contest was more extravagant and crowded than ever, the stadium packed so full the crowd was like a can of sardines to watch such popular contests like Archery (both mundane and magical), Foot combat in full plate armour with blunted swords and pollaxes, and one of the most popular (if still a little controversial) sports, Jousting.*
How Remus enjoyed this celebration, and how much more he'd be enjoying it if he didn't have his mind on both Spyro's new status and the news he would have to take over management of Dracovale, a task he wasn't sure he was ready for. At the very least a couple of rounds in the fencing ring would give him something else to ease his troubled mind, and give the people of the Vale and Equestria a good show whilst he did it. Hopefully Spyro could find some enjoyment in this festival once he got back, the Old Gods know he needed it, especially after their encounter with the Draig Riekers.
"Is something troubling you my Lord?" asked Remus' squire, a boy of 13 named Lancel Owyn, noticing his rather pensive expression.
"Err, no Lancel, just preoccupied, that's all."
Lancel shrugged and carried on arming Remus, strapping on the left pauldron before picking up a pair of fingered gauntlets from a nearby chair.
"Lancel, may I ask you a question?"
"Of course my Lord" replied Lancel.
"When you were chosen as my squire, how did you feel? And I want an honest answer, no sugar-coating."
"Well.......I....I was nervous my Lord, that's a given, but also eager, like many Squires, eager to serve my new master with all my skills. That's it basically, nothing more or less."
"Did you feel frightened? That you were being given a task you feared you'd fail at?"
"Are you unsatisfied with my efforts my.....?"
"No, no. Your work has been commendable Lancel. I couldn't ask for a better Squire. I just....
"You know what, its not important. Lets just enjoy the night while it lasts. Hand me my helm."
Lancel obeyed and picked up Remus' helmet, an Armet* with a subtly pointed visor with the Phoenix of the Palentines engraved on the brow. Securing it to his head Remus walked over to a pollaxe propped up against the walls and took it up. Then he quickly made a note of his gear.
Sword? Check.
Dagger? Check
Arms and legs, nice and flexible.
Looks like he was all set.
"Oh! Lancel? Do you know where Lords Nerevor and Spyro are at this time? I don't I've seen a Draig at the celebrations all afternoon."
"I'm not sure my Lord, but the Tribunal has yet to make an appearance either, not since they arrived. And as for the Order of Harmony, they weren't able to make it here at all."
"What? Why, and where did you learn this?"
"From your Noble Father my Lord. He commanded me to tell you the Tribunal will be meeting with Lord Spyro this evening, and won't make an appearance until its time for the dawn to rise. Also the I heard Princess Twilight say that the order is currently engaged in another task in the Everfree Forest, she didn't say what, and would be too busy to make it to the Celebrations in time."
Well, this is certainly strange. Remus thought, I wonder if it has something to do with Spyro? No of course not, that forest is littered with dangers, from Bandits to poisonous plants and many strange and dangerous creatures, and it was rumoured the place had a mind of its own, traversable one moment and highly dangerous the next. You never knew what 'mood' (for want of a better word) that forest was likely to be in before you stepped inside.
"Well, wether or not Royalty is attending we'll put on a grand spectacle regardless. Lets show all of Equestria what the Men of Dracovale are made of."
"Good luck out there my Lord" said Lancel, "may your aim be true and your victory swift"
"Well hopefully not too swift. Wouldn't be that exciting otherwise."
With that Remus walked towards the doors leading into the courtyard, his pollaxe casually slung over his shoulder as he walked. Nearing the doors he heard the faint cry of the announcer, a woman by the sounds of it, or Mare or...to many races in Equestria to guess which one.
"Now for the match of the day, presenting the heir to the seat of Dracovale, renowned Swordsman and Son to your host, Earl Cassius Palentine...." The gates started to open, now for his entrance.
"Give your hands, hooves and talons for...Loooooorrrrrd REMUS!"
Stepping out into the courtyard Remus was greeted with a roar of applause, humans clapping and Equestrians stamping their hooves in the stands both roaring their praise and support. Remus blushed inside his helmet with barely constrained pride.
"And his first opponent!" the Announcer called out again, "Hailing from the Human colonies in the Crystal mountains, the White Wolf of the North, Champion of the Crystal Empire, give it up for.....Edmund Moor, Warden of the North!" Another deafening roar followed
Well Remus thought, this should get interesting. He'd heard of the famous White Wolf, a giant of a man, measuring six and a half feet high, dwarfing everything short of a Minotaur and nearly as strong, sporting a short, bright white beard, from which he derived his title, armoured in black plate steel and wielding a massive two handed sword whom he called 'Wraith'. He was also renowned for his excellent strategy and pragmatic intelligence, having fought many raiders from beyond the Crystal mountains, and had many more victories under his belt than defeats. So much for starting of easy.
The two combatants slowly walked towards each other, the crowd cheering them all the way to the center. As was custom they saluted each other by crossing their pollaxes, then shock hands.
"An honour to meet you Remus, son of Cassius" said the White Wolf, "I've heard plenty of stories of your skills from your Father."
"The honour is mine Edmund son of Ulfric, Warden of the North" replied Remus, "the Crystal Empire is lucky to have such a champion among its ranks".
"As does Dracovale with you. May both our houses win glory in this arena tonight."
The two then separated, both pulling down their visors and assuming their fighting stances.
************************
Spyro ran out of the caverns as fast as his legs could carry him, his head ringing with too many unanswered questions and his senses on full alert for any possible danger. This 'Vanator' had claimed the castle, his people and Equestrian monarchy were all in danger, but from what? And he said he knew him from 'a previous life?' Did he mean re-incarnation? Was the enemy those people who attacked him and his friends near Neighagra falls? What did any of this mean? He sought answers and only found more questions! He only hoped he could arrive at the party in time to stop whatever was going to happen.
As he cleared the last step he ran into Ratchet and Sparx, stopping mere inches before crashing into them.
"Guys! We need to get to the plaza! I don't know how or why, but something terrible is going to happen there!"
"Wait, did your dad tell you this?" asked Ratchet.
"Well....no, I met someone else in the caverns, someone who claimed to have known me in, 'a past life', and he told me something is going to happen tonight at the celebrations. He said the Draig and the Tribunal are in danger!"
As expected Ratchet and Sparx looked confused and bewildered (to say the least).
"Look I know its confusing, and yes, I'm aware that a complete stranger told me an attack is coming but didn't tell me what so I should be very suspicious right now, but my gut tells me that whether this guy means ill or good, something is going to happen tonight, there might not be any time to waste! I'll explain as we head to the veranda".
Needless to say both Ratchet and Sparx were now stumped. As simple as the explanation was, Spyro might as well have sprouted out a lecture on advanced mathematics and accountancy for all the sense this situation made to them. A complete stranger told Spyro that everyone at the celebration was in danger from....something....and they were supposed to go along with it?
Well what the heck, thought Sparx, it isn't the weirdest thing to happen this week
"Alright Spyro" said Sparx, "lead the way."
Spyro nodded in thanks, then took off again down the corridor, Ratchet and Sparx in hot pursuit.
"Right....I met a creature that calls itself, 'Vanator', and it told me that someone, or something, is aiming to ambush both my people and the Tribunal tonight."
"But...how Spyro?" asked Ratchet, running alongside him, "the Castle is guarded heavily and patrolled regually, not to mention there's only one easily accessible route in, and that's through the main entrance, where Remus' elite guard are stationed. How can anyone...."
"I don't know Ratchet. I'm just repeating what I heard. But if the Tribunal and Draig are in danger we need to get to the celebrations as soon as possible. In case it might be useful, did you find anything in your search?"
"Yes we did" said Sparx, "we ran into Princess Twilight in the library. She was asking for you to meet her and the rest of the Tribunal in Cassius' study, then we found this note on the floor, it had the face of a frightening Draig on the cover and a poem, which read.....
'The Answers you seek lie in Frostvale.' something about a being called Lightbringer returning, and 'The Year of Red Sun has arrived.' Does that ring any bells?"
"The Year of Red Sun? No, can't say it does, but I know of Lightbringer. He was the creature responsible for the exodus of Draig and Mankind, something that took the form of a man but was not really a man, turning a huge percentage of the Human race against us and our allies, driving us from the homeland. But that's something every Draig knows, so that's not helpful either."
"What about the first line?" Sparx asked, "The Answers you seek lie in Frostvale."
"That's up north" said Ratchet, "beyond the Crystal Empire, in the Crystal Mountains. An old human fortress that was abandoned 100 years ago. It was built to safeguard the North against the creatures beyond the mountain range, but is now a deserted ruin, home to nothing but shadow and ice."
Spyro groaned in frustration. No Draig or man had been up there in 100 years, with good reason. The remnants of the Shadow King, the being known as Sombra, still walked the lands beyond the mountains, even with their master gone they still persisted and were a serious threat to anyone they caught wandering in the area. There was no way the three of them would be able to journey there alone and survive. That would mean bringing Lord Cassius and his men into this, as well as his Father. And he knew how likely they would be to help, the legions of men occupied with protecting Equestria's borders from threats like Sombra's followers and the Changelings among others, and for all he knew, Nerevor was still in denial at this whole revelation, he didn't know which was worse, facing a father that would more than likely do everything in his power from preventing him from pursuing this matter, having the nerve to ask Cassius for military aid he more than likely could not spare, or the risk of this unknown danger threatening the entire castle.
But he didn't have the time to worry about that now. He had to find out whether or not the warning was true, and how to combat something he didn't know about.
"Well first we need to get to the Tribunal. Sparx, you said they were waiting in Lord Cassius' office?"
"Yes. Should we go there first or the veranda?"
"I'll go to Cassius' office, see if the Tribunal are alright and hear what they have to say, you two get to the Veranda and look out for anything suspicious. We'll be able to cover more ground and with any luck we'll find the source of what's going on, and if there's a threat...well, I won't let it harm anyone, least of all my kin."
"But what about everyone at the celebrations?" asked Sparx, "I don't think the excuse of 'a strange guy in a red robe told me dangerous vodoo is going down' is going to fly. How are we going to save everyone from a threat that may or may not exist?"
"We won't be able to. But with you and Remus on the lookout, we'll have a better chance to spot any trouble before it happens. It's not the best plan, but its the best one we've got."
"Very well Spyro, see you outside."
"Good luck guys."
With that Spyro turned left at the next corridor and sprinted towards Cassius' office whilst Ratchet and Sparx continued to the main entrance.
Meanwhile, hanging in a dark corner of the hall way, on the ceiling no less(!), an equine figure looked on at the 3 friends departure. Her body blended into the stone work, to anyone who looked up it would seem as nothing was there. Like a Chameleon she blended so well into the walls so well, he might as well be a part of them, until he moved, her colour and her body shifting into a black, skeletal form, her bright blue eyes devoid of any pupil, his true form sprouting insectoid wings from her back and a jagged horn on her forehead, though unlike her kin she was also moderately tall, three quarters the height of an average human, and despite her body being skeletal, he was also strongly built. To anyone who gazed on her and her race, she and they were the stuff of nightmares, a being of mystery, horror, and fear. She was a Boyarg, a Changeling.
****************
Shade was now working his way into the heart of the castle, having procured a very convincing disguise, a Palentine guard's uniform, which included an enclosed helmet, not completely face concealing, he'd still have to be careful who saw him, but enough to blend in. Now he was waiting for his mole to report, which shouldn't be long, Icararus was always reliable.
And right on cue he felt the presence of the Changeling approaching. Years spent as his partner meant he knew what signs to read for when she approached. He felt the familiar presence of her thoughts bonding with his, and doing as he was taught, closed most of his mind of from her influence, leaving only one area open for communications. As strange as this sounds, this is how Changelings communicate with each other, and with those they deign to call a friend. Then from the shadows a bright heavily armoured knight walked from the shadows, his chest emblazoned with the Palentine sigil, his armour highly decorative.
Eris, what are you doing? thought Shade, his minds voice barely holding back a tone of irritation, I thought you were a master of disguise and deception?
Oh Shade, grant me this one time? I've always found human clothing and armour fascinating, as well as their customs.
Your curiosity is a mixed blessing Eris, but time is wasting, what have you learned?
Well, it seems our employer was right. The Barnwr is here, he's heading straight for the office of Lord Cassius, he's meeting with the Equestrian royalty.
Damn! I thought the Tribunal were supposed to be gathered on the Veranda?
They were, but the Barnwr mentioned hearing about some kind of threat to him and his people. I don't think he knows of us yet, but it could be possible there's a third player in this.
To say Shade was intrigued would be true enough, though in his line of work he and Eris faced unexpected complications all the time, so all he felt right now was mild annoyance more than anything else. If its who I think it is, this task has gotten more difficult.
He really do like crashing our most important jobs don't he?
On the one hand this could be a huge complication in our original plan, on the other though this could present and interesting opportunity. Whatever the case, we'll have to stay close if we are to have a chance of capturing him. As long as we stay out of sight of the Tribunal we should still have a chance of succeeding. You follow them, I'll head to the Veranda, they're bound to head that way once they're done. Stay out of sight, and don't get too close, I don't need to tell you what will happen if you're caught.
Aww, you worried for little me?
Just get going!
All right Shade, you know that temper's not doing you wonders. You should think about taking a break after this job's done.
We will. Once this is done, we'll both be free from his servitude, but until then, keep your curiosities to a minimum and I'll try to control my temper.
I'll hold you to that deal Shade., then the knight faded away to be replaced with a small blue Earth Pony Mare, armoured again but this time in Equestrian royal armour, then she walked of down the hall way, giving Shade a cheeky wink before she left. Shade silently sighed with mild annoyance as he headed for the main gate.
Little did he know his rivals were watching him.
**************************
Meanwhile Spyro had now reached Cassius' office. Time to find out what the Tribunal has to say. He knocked the heavy oak door lightly, then a second later a calm voice answered, "Enter", and Spyro did so. Entering the office he found a tall white Alicorn with a shimmering, multi-coloured mane standing in front of Cassius' desk, flanked by two smaller Alicorns, one Dark blue with a mane that seemed to shine with the night sky, presumably Luna, despite the room being well lit, and another who he presumed was Twilight. So, this was the all-powerful Tribunal.
"Your majesties" said Spyro, bowing his head, "you sent for me."
"Spyro, Son of Nerevor, its good to see you at last" said the White Alicorn, who very obviously was Celestia, Princess of the Sun and arguably the strongest of the Tribunal. "I trust you know why you're here?"
"I do. You think I'm the Barnwr, and thus you want the story of what happened to me from my own mouth to clear up loose ends."
"That is so Lord Spyro" said Luna, "although I sense you have something to say that's of equal importance?"
"I do. If I might be permitted?" All three nodded, though Spyro noticed Twilight's eyes flinch a bit in surprise, whilst the other two remained completely emotionless.
"It may be a hard tale to swallow, but I assure you that what you'll hear is the truth".
He then told them everything that happened up to that point as brief as he could, the Tribunal listening intently, all three showing no signs of emotion. Then came the tricky part, explaining his encounter with Vanator.
"I went down into the caverns to search for my Father, I'm sure you know him very well, when I ran into a cloaked stranger. I don't know how he got in, or who he was, but he claimed to know me from, 'a past life', if that makes any sense to you, and told me of a danger that threatens to strike tonight during the festival. I don't know whether he was lying, or being true, but I do know that something could happen tonight, something that threatens both you and my kin.
"You don't have to believe me, just letting you know. Whatever is going to happen tonight, me and my friends aim to stop it."
"Not without our aid you're not" replied Luna.
Spyro cocked his head in mild confusion. "You're saying...."
"We believe you" said Twilight bluntly, "Don't get me wrong, if not for everything that's been happening recently, we'd have a harder time believing you without proof, as much as we'd like too. But what you've told us in light of what we know about, well, your heritage, this is all the proof we need."
"You do seem to know much about my 'heritage' your majesties, but that will have to wait for another time. What are your orders?"
"If we and your kin are indeed the targets of this attack" said Luna, "then we need to draw them away from the celebrations. No collateral damage, no innocent shall be threatened or harmed."
"And how will we do that?" asked Twilight, "we don't know where they are or what they're planning. For all we know they might be inside the castle right now."
"Yes. I do believe they are." The room fell silent after Celestia spoke those words. For half a minute no-one said a word in response, until Twilight decided to break the silence.
"Then, what do we do?"
"The only thing we can do. Work with what we have. No doubt they'll be waiting for the right moment to strike, perhaps when we go out to the veranda to perform our duties. I say we give them that opportunity."
To Spyro's shock, neither Luna nor Twilight were shocked by this announcement, as
"WHAT.....? With respect your majesty, but wouldn't it make more sense to get everyone out of here?"
"That's just what I intend to do Spyro. After the last two times did you think I never learned from past experiences?"
Spyro gave a silent chuckle, of course, three years ago two of the most previous Summer Solstice festivals had been plagued by malevolent forces as well, first the return of Luna, who back then had been corrupted against her will and threatened to overrun the world in Eternal Night, on the millennium of Celestia's ascension to the throne no less, but then was redeemed at the end, and a second time when both she and Celestia were captured by plants running on dark magic, courtesy of their old rival turned ally, Discord, spirit of chaos, the following events which would eventually lead to the founding of the Order of Harmony.
"I've set up a contingency plan for every event where I, my kin or the Order of Harmony are attending, each member of the public is given a mark on the way in. For most folk this will be seen as simply a way to identify guests and allow them in again should they decide to momentarily leave. However unknown to all but a select few the marks are enchanted markers, created by a combination of Alicorn and Draig magic, if anyone is in danger of being attacked or captured I have a team of Unicorns on standby to activate the markets and teleport everyone out of the area to a nearby safe house, thus depriving any attacker of potential hostages. Its not the best plan, but at least no innocents will be caught in the crossfire, and we can deal with the threat without danger of collateral damage.
"The marks also alert nearby guards to the danger, thus making it easier to co-ordinate our forces. You can thank your Father for that little addition."
Spyro nodded agreement, yes, that sounded like an idea his father would come up with. Even if he wasn't a member of the Legions, Nerevor had a strong grasp of tactics and strategy inherited from his father, who served as a Dragon Knight* in the 3rd Legion (stationed near the Crystal Mountains). However with the mention of his Father, Spyro suddenly remembered he still hadn't found him, or told him of this threat.
"Your Majesties, forgive me for changing the subject, but I've been looking for him down in the caverns, but I haven't been able to find him or any of my kin. Since they're in danger as well....."
"We know" interrupted Luna, "We've been trying to find him as well, though we've been unsuccessful so far."
"Wait, are you saying my father isn't even here? How long has he been missing?!"
"For roughly 12 hours." replied Luna, "last we saw him he told us he was meeting with......"
Suddenly the sound an muffled explosion sounded just above them, the force of the explosion sending small shock waves through the room, followed by the sound of screaming and the drawing of swords. Springing into action the Tribunal and Spyro raced out the door towards the courtyard. What they found waiting for them was, chaos.
*******************
(2 minutes earlier)
The duel had reached a dramatic climax. Throughout it the White Wolf seemed to hold the upper hand, his size and strength, as well as his surprising dexterity and speed, kept Remus dodging and parrying constantly, never able to get a good blow in through his constant attacks. What did they say, the best defense was a good offense? Clearly the White Wolf had this down perfectly.
Meanwhile unknown-st to anyone, the enemy was moving through the ranks of the Castle guard. Once in position they swiftly and precisely slit the throats of 5 guards, then some members of the crowd were suddenly draped in green fire, their images shifting to reveal black, insect like equines and humanoids with eerie, pupil-less eyes.
Taken completely by surprise everyone in the courtyard had little time to react before hundreds of the insectoid creatures descended upon them. Down in the arena, Remus watched in horror as hundreds of the creatures crawled over the battlements, dispatching one by one the majority of the guard and swiftly making their way towards the nobility in the stands.
"CHANGELINGS! To arms! To ARMS!" Remus threw down his pollaxe and drew his blade and rallied the remaining guards to his side as the Changeling horde closed in around them. Then came a massive explosion as the nearest tower was engulfed in black fire, followed by the second, then the third.
Almost immediately the panicking crowd began to disappear in flashes of multi-coloured light, and more Changelings began to appear from below the ramparts, quickly overwhelming the castle defenses. Those who survived now found themselves cut of and alone as the horde swarmed around them. It was.....Chaos...no other word could describe it, complete and utter Chaos.
Then the Tribunal arrived.
All 3 monarchs let loose a quick succession of bright beams of concentrated magic on the horde, throwing dozens of Changelings at a time flying back over the ramparts. Whilst this went on Remus and Cassius (who had managed to fight of his as-salients) rallied all Human and Equine soldiers to them, gathering enough to form a group of 15 soldiers, who then quickly engaged the nearest Changeling, Unicorns blasting them with their magic, Pegasai and Earth Ponies hitting hard with hoof and teeth, and the humans bearing down with halberds, long swords and falchions. With the last of the party guests away more guards were brought in to deal with the invaders.
But the numbers of Changelings just kept on growing, with each one felled it seemed five more took its place. Again and again hundreds of insectoid beings, their vampiaric fangs bared, came rushing on the stalwart defenders like an unending tsunami of green and black, the more humanoid changelings bearing a variety of weapons, that disturbingly looked more a part of their bodies than any weapon made by hand or magic.
Spyro meanwhile had rushed towards Remus. Ratchet, Sparx (who had just managed to reach Remus a minute earlier), and a large armoured human he didn't reconize who were now back to back, Ratchet clawing at any that came near, the human slicing Changelings left right and center with a gigantic sword and Remus dueling a Changeling humanoid with bulky, intimidating armour seemingly attached to its body and a long-sword extending from its arm where it's hand should be. Spyro let loose a jet of flame on the nearest changeling, consuming it in a ball of fire causing it to roll on the sand of the arena screaming in agony. He didn't do much before one of the guards on the walls shot him with a crossbow bolt.
Spyro rushed to his friends, clawing another changeling in the face, drawing lines of sickly white blood, causing it to pull away, and be met by Ratchet, who had picked up a fallen spear, then ramming it through the Changelings back, killing it instantly.
Turning to Remus Spyro caught him being pushed back by the Changeling commander (as that's what he guessed it was) towards the parapets, dangerously close to the edge. Spyro leaped onto the Changelings back, causing it to cry out in a gravelly, otherworldly voice "EERKA, VU LIK THORN BARNWR!"* Spyro dug his claws in tight on the Changelings shoulders, and bit down hard on his neck, causing him to rear in pain before Remus charged in and impaled him with his blade.
As the Changeling collapsed to the ground Spyro jumped free from his fallen foe and turned to Remus.
"You okay?"
"Oh you know, doing fine as always" replied Remus.
"Spyro, that Changeling called you Barnwr." said Ratchet "Are they...."
"Yes, I believe they are. But questions will have to wait, right now we've got a battle to win." Turning to an approaching platoon of Changelings he let loose another ball of flame, driving them slowly back as they cowered behind shields that seemed (like their weapons) to be a part of their arms.
Meanwhile the Tribunal fought all the harder as the forces of the Changeling horde pressed down on them, the weaker Changeling Equine soldiers giving way to the stronger, more powerful bi-peds, wielding a variety of vicious, black weapons, including swords, axes, polearms, flails, war hammers, and all armoured in heavy black plate that like their weapons, seemed a part of their bodies. Some even had expert magical talent, throwing green fire balls and blue spears of Lightening at the Tribunal, forcing Celestia to throw up a shield around the three whilst Twilight and Luna kept on fighting.
"Where are they coming from!" Shouted Twilight whilst simultaneously blasting another changeling off the ramparts.
"It looks like most of the hive is here" replied Luna, "and where there's a hive, there's a queen."
As if in answer there came a massive jolt of blue energy from the behind them, its impact on the shield throwing Celestia off balance and nearly loosing focus as the shield flickered on and of repeatedly, like a failing candle in a heavy breeze. The noise of the blast was so loud it attracted the attention of nearly everyone on the Battlefield, only the Changelings continuing their attack.
Spyro swiftly dispatched another Changeling, catching a glimpse of this new attacker. It seemed like another humanoid Changeling, but far bigger, towering 2 feet over his human foes, his entire, muscled body armoured in dark blue plates, all smooth and subtle, and unlike his brethren, there were no spikes, no signs of deformity, in fact were it not for his skin being the same black hue and his bright blue eyes holding no pupils, this Changeling could be mistaken for a really tall Human Male. His face was concealed behind an enclosed helmet, his soulless eyes glaring underneath it, his mouth un-moving and neutral.
As he slowly approached the Tribunal, an aura of dread began to grip the minds of every non-Changeling on the battlefield, some of the braver ones starting to visibly shake, though they knew not why, and others starting to back away in fear, the sight of this new Changeling too much to bear, even Spyro and the Tribunal felt terrified by the mere presence of this creature......though they knew not why.
Finally he came up to within 5 feet of the Tribunal before Twilight and Luna gathered their courage enough to open fire, Fire and Ice spells both coming together against this new foe, only to be brushed aside with a flick of the wrist, the blast ricocheting back towards their source, throwing all three against the wall as Celestia used her remaining Strength to block the incoming blast.
As they struggled to regain their footing the giant quickly walked over to the fallen Tribunal, green fire seemingly bursting from his finger tips. Waving this hand in one motion, the fire transformed into a massive, black two handed Sword, and with his other hand he summoned chains to bind the three Princesses to the wall. Bringing this weapon down near the Tribunal, he looked as though he was about to deliver the final blow......but instead he called out to Spyro.
"Barnwr! Surrender yourself willingly to me, or the Royal line of Equestria ends tonight!"
Spyro unfurled his wings and flew straight for the Giant, despite his friends protests, stopping 4 feet above him. "You're bluffing. Kill them and you throw all nature out of balance, or don't you know that?"
"I do, I just wanted your attention Barnwr."
"The names Spyro, and if you don't want to become Ant Flambe I suggest you and your army leave, before my Kin come back."
"They won't come, Spyro." Drawing out his free hand he brought forth another ball of blue fire, which quickly grew in size and intensity until the center formed into something akin to a rippling pool. Reflected in this pool of flame was reflected Nerevor, bound and gagged inside a cave Spyro did not recongnize, certainly not the Caverns beneath the castle, struggling in vain against his bonds, which were made up of some kind of green slime, and surrounding him all the other Dragons bound in the same way, and standing over them, Changelings in the form of Dragons.
"I now repeat my demands Spyro. Come with me, or watch your people die."
