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A few days had passed and the drake had finally reached the coast. He gazed at the endless expanse of water, shivering at the the thought. He couldn't swim, and thus feared it. And the long journey over the sea alone was not one he felt safe flying.

Think Rift, is there any chance I could try and get Silvus' attention from across an ocean? Hmm, that may work if the island isn't too far away. Guess I'll give it a shot...

With a sigh and a deep breath, the fire dragon released a loud, ground shaking roar. A few moments passed before he accepted that silence was all that he would get. The drake stretched, composing himself for the long flight before a blood curdling screech caught his attention. It sounded like a hybrid of a dragon's roar and a falcon screech.

A bolt of lightning flashed in the sky as a storm quickly formed. A four-legged creature shot from the clouds, landing in front of Rift. It was something he had never seen in person. A creature with the body of a lion, and the head and wings of a bird.

A gryphon.

The almost glowing red beast hissed angrily at the young dragon. Blood dripping from his black beak hinting that he had been eating before he was disturbed. "Hatchling, you're in my territory."

The size of the beast was much larger and easily much stronger than the small dragon, who had no wish to fight before his flight. Rift would have to play smart. "I do apologize gryphon of this land. I'll just cross the sea and I promise not to intrude on your territory again."

"You are a fool to think I will spare you dragon. I've hunted many of your kind much larger than you for a quick snack. You've invaded my territory, and your price is death." The red feathered beast screeched; "And I can see that wound on your chest is coated in dark magic. One small peck is all I need to finish you."

Rift winced, the injury he obtained during his first fight with Spyro always being a clear weak point. No one, even the purple dragon was ever able to help it. "I'm small and an easy target, sure, but I'm also an asshole. Don't think I'm gonna be a spicy treat without burning your ass."

Before the young drake could comprehend, the gryphon had him subdued. Long thick legs held him by the throat and tail while the beak slowly pressed around the orange dragon's wound, eliciting screams of pain.

After a few moments of white hot pain, a bright silver flash followed by a bang resonated. The gryphon dropped Rift immediately out of terror and looked in the direction of a bright swirling disk a few feet away. A hornless silver dragon with a green underbelly stepped out of the strange phenomenon, his wings folded against him. A look of displeasure plastered across his maw.

"Kraa!" The silver dragon yelled angrily. "What have I told you about hunting dragons just trying to cross the ocean!"

The gryphon immediately looked to the ground shamefully. "'No eating tasty morsals.'" Loosely quoting the very dragon chastising him.

"Exactly!" The drake cried. "Well not exactly but you get the point." He shrugged. "Now go on and hunt something other than my kin please."

Kraa opened his mighty wings and flew away from the two dragons, with nothing but a shameful look across his beak. The silver drake couldn't help but chuckle at the troublesome creature, then lost his grin as he approached the downed fire drake.

"I didn't expect to see you here cousin." He said crouching next to Rift, offering a paw.

The orange drake slowly took it, blood and dark magic seeping from his wound. "I didn't expect my day to involve nearly being a chili pepper for a gryphon, but here we are."

"Yeah, Kraa doesn't like to listen to me at all..." He trailed off, staring at Rift's wound. "That would explain it." He mumbled to himself. "Come, let us go to the island and get you fixed up." The silver dragon said, gesturing toward his silver swirling disk of randomness.

Staring momentarily at his cousin's wing, Rift nodded slowly and followed. "I swear one of us is always in trouble whenever we run into each other. Still feels like only yesterday my dad was helping you bring your friend into the house."

Silvus gave a half-hearted grin as he allowed Rift to lean on him. They approached the swirling disk slowly and stepped through it with some hesitation. What lay on the other side was a large hall of many statues of different colors. Sixteen to be exact.

"And now I'm bringing my cousin into mine." The ice dragon said, gesturing around with his wings.

"So this is where you spend your time when not running around like a mad drake. It's um... big. I'd go crazy living here. Well, crazier than I already am." Rift seemed drawn to one statue, a warm glow seeming to emanate from it.

The silver dragon gave a small smile as he saw his cousin look toward this particular statue. Silvus led the orange drake over to it. "This is Fotia, the first Guardian of Fire."

The orange drake gazed into the statue's eyes. "Something about her seems familiar. There's a warmth about her that feels... comforting?"

All Silvus could do was offer his cousin a warm smile. "C'mon cuz, let's get you fixed up...before you bleed out all over my floor." Then he proceeded to guide Rift to a set of stairs at the end of the Guardian Hall.

Rift faltered at that and looked at his chest. "I'm... sorry. I didn't mean to leave stains in a sacred place..."

The silver drake couldn't help but smirk at his cousin's guilt, a guilt he felt many times over. "No need to worry, I've made a few messes in there myself. Gabriel was furious.." Silvus went silent but continued to lead Rift through the maze of a temple.

"I was told to see the Guardian of Light, are you taking me to see him?" Rift questioned, not knowing how he felt about today's events.

"No I'm taking you to stabilize that hole in your chest, so you don't bleed all over the temple." Silvus said with a smirk. "As for the Guardian of Light, she is currently busy with training."

The orange dragon blinked in confusion. "Gabriel is a she?"

Silvus didn't answer until he got to his destination. The silver drake sat his cousin down and immediately began rummaging through medical supplies, gathering a handful of red spirit gems along with some frouta. He smashed the gems in front of the drake, not healing the wound of it's darkness, only stopping the bleeding.

Tossing his cousin a frouta, then proceeded to sit down in front of him, taking a bit out of his own white fruit. "I can only assume why you're here, Rift. Did you finally accept the position?"

The young dragon faltered. "Much has happened since I saw you last. I declined at first, but seeing as I have nothing left, I figured I try to make something of my life."

Silvus placed a paw on his cousin's shoulder. "Much has happened with me as well, we'll have to trade stories soon. But to answer your earlier question, no, Gabriel is not a she." He frowned for a moment. "I don't know why the Guardians didn't tell you, but...Gabriel is dead."

It was Rift's turn to put his paw on Silvus' shoulder. "I'm sorry for your lost cousin. My guess is that the Guardians we're scrambling to stop Spyro from taking over the Realms."

The Messenger of Light froze. "Spyro...what?"

Rift nodded. "No one will say much, but what I picked up, he went crazy after something about reflected? You know anything about that?"

His question was met with silence for a few moments, as Silvus looked off to the side. His eyes not focusing on anything. "I knew something was off about him after the battle..." He murmured. "Yes, I know just about everything about it, but tell me is he still out there? Is he still dark?"

Rift shook his head. "I'm surprised you hadn't heard about it. There was a large battle. Cynder, dragoness' named Mera and Ferrossa, a human named Alex, and I all took him on, which is how I got this." He pointed at his wound. "We ended up saving him, but Spyro still occasionally has some flare ups when he's without Cynder."

Silvus had a look of complete confusion, shock and even a little frustration. "I have...so many question right now, but I think we should focus on your Guardianship."

The drake nodded. "Thank you by the way for not making me fly over the sea. One wrong move and I'd be crab food."

"I don't think crabs eat dragons, Rift." Silvus chuckled. "But, you're very welcome. So, what instructions did the Guardians give you?"

Rift stared at him. "See you, get approval from the majority of Guardians, and a ruling by the Light Guardian. That's all they told me."

The silver drake stood up. "Well, she isn't exactly ready to give any rulings, but you might as well meet her." Silvus, began walking out the door, gesturing for Rift to follow.

The orange dragon followed, head hanging lower as memories of the last few weeks flashed through his mind. He stopped momentarily and shivered, trying to recompose himself.

After a few seconds he continued to follow Silvus as he led him to a large spiral staircase. They went up several floors, passing by several doors and halls with many different elemental symbols. The floor they walk into had the symbol for light carved on the door and in the hallway as they walked through it.

Several large white and gold banners decorated the large hallway. Much of the interior was white, like the rest of the temple, but had bits of yellow, shining bright like the sun. There also was many openings to the outside world to their left. Rift stopped to look out of them for a few moments, taking in the large white island before him, then followed Silvus as he stopped at an oak doorway.

The silver drake knocked a few times then waited until a female voice permissed him entrance. Upon entering, Rift noted the room to be some sort of study. Several books laid sprawled around, mainly atop a large white desk in the middle of the room. Parchment with several different symbols and drawings lay around the room as well.

Sitting in the corner of the room lay a dragoness sprawled on her back reading a book atop a white cushion, at the sight of a guest she immediately stood up in surprise. "You didn't tell me we were having guests!" She exclaimed to the silver dragon.

The dragoness had a strange appearance. Her main scales were completely white, while her underbelly was as black as the night. The border between her underbelly and the rest of her body had patches of both colors leaking into each other. She had light red eyes and her horns were curved back and then curve upward at the tips, they also had a red tinge to them. She had a tailblade quite similar to Silvus'.

"It was unexpected, relax and introduce yourself." Silvus said with a smile.

The dragoness walked up to Rift. "Ello, my name is Rose." She said with a smile.