FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Chapter 25

Thud.

Thud.

Thud.

A hollow, echoing noise.

Was someone blowing a horn in the far distance and the sound was carried by the wind?

Where is the gust then?

Swish.

Swish.

Swish.

Just some distance away echoed the sound of a broom swiping a marble floor.

The hair striking the tiles with increasing speed, the rustling becoming louder and louder.

And then Spyro felt a hollow smack on his cheek.

He pried his eyes open only after the third time, the first two felt as if he would have bags of stones hanging from his eyelashes that kept them locked. Even though the world was a blur still, this gentle squint was enough to get a sense of the world surrounding him.

First thing he realized was that the sound he heard had nothing to do with a broom, it was a spiky tail being gently swayed across the desert land.

It was weirdly close to his draconic face, he had the tail basically leveled with his mouth, he immediately tried to close his maw only to find out that he couldn't move his lips, realizing that the first strange thudding sounds had nothing to do with a horn.

It was the noise of his own tongue echoing inside his waking up mind as it was beating against the unidentified material plastered to his snout, silencing him.

A maniacal laughter cracked nearby and with it his world started to twist, making small, slow circles, where the tail was getting smaller and bigger alternately.

Just when he got to the tail for the third or fourth tail it reacted to his presence, giving him a strong shove into the shoulder.

To his surprise he was pulled back strongly by an invisible force, only to be smacked by something at some point and being sent sideways. The tail becoming suddenly distant, just to disappeared from his sight for a second when the world started to spin suddenly, his eyes aimed at the twisting ground as if his own head would be drilling into the soil there.

But he wasn't moving down.

His nose hanged above the ground.

Hanged.

He was dangling.

He instantly jerked his body, the tug forcing his upper body to bend so he was able to look up along his strained silhouette. He froze with his chest bent in almost ninety degrees, feeling an irritating strain in his spine, yet it was nothing compared to the sight of all his four paws being tied together, with barely any room in the shackles for them to move. He managed to also get a glimpse of his wings which barely protruded from behind his back, only then he started to feel the burning itch of some straps biting into his back, straps that seemed to ran all around the middle part of his body to finally meet at metallic rings near his tied legs where they locked the mechanism holding him down.

His bent body dropped, the momentum making him swing, this time he didn't and wasn't slapped by anything alive, he hit something ceramic and big, the thudding echo that vibrated into the air made the rope he was tied to quiver a little.

It was enough to push him into an uncontrollable spin where he managed to get a better look at the ceramic object. It was towering above him like a tower of a castle, becoming round at the top and more flat towards the bottom, he saw familiar shapes in the kitchen, this however was big enough for a dragon to take a bath in.

A kettle.

Hermits used such things too, their however-

His eyes widened, heart almost popping out from his mouth when a horrific thoughts crossed his mind.

Dragon meat is very nutritious.

Eyes grew immensely, mind filled with terrible scenarios of seeing his mate and friends being cooked alive, his panicking eyes throwing glances towards the top of the massive pot, watching with heartbreaking focus if there wasn't a tail dangling from the edge, with the flesh boiled from the temperature.

"Look how the little worm is squirming!" an amused blare of laughter exploded nearby, so deep that it made his guts vibrate

Then he received a snap that sent him wiggling in the air, truly like a worm on a fishing hook. The obvious aggression also awoken his instinct, waking up his elemental energy, however the moment he channeled his powers he felt a strong clench around his tied paws, followed by a flash of green light.

The drill of emptiness returned, burying into his very soul, as it turned out the rings where the ropes met were no ordinary metal but some magical ore from which the Moonborne must craft their weapons and tools. Unluckily for him this ore is a binding one, a real predator for elemental powers, exactly like the draining rain the Moonborne caused during the fight.

His tongue knocked heavily against the cover on his mouth, tirelessly trying to dig a hole through.

"Hey Millie! You want a treat?"

Before Spyro could identify the voice that strangely smelled of malice he roared instinctively into the material when suddenly he shot into the air like from an catapult, a comparison that was quite accurate considering that he flew quite far up.

"Jump Millie!"

There was a strange growl, immediately after it he screamed into the band stuck to his mouth when he was forcefully swung to the side, smacking into some armored flesh like that of an armadillo.

"This way now!"

Another bounce and another swing, this time he smashed into the kettle, the ringing, loud noise that now echoed provoked a powerful laughter from below, the entire Moonborne tribe seemed to greatly enjoy his plight.

Whatever creature Millie was an obedient mount, restlessly following her master's hand and commands.

While he kept swinging like a street lamp.

Only after another smack or two the tribe seemed to lose interest, this was also the moment when Millie was properly fed, the beast becoming docile in a span of a short second, dropping its rump and the tail together with it.

Spyro dropped down swiftly as if a bridge would collapse under him, his upside down position forced his horns to touch the ground first. They sunk easily into the sand to the very end of their length. With no horns stopping the fall in any way his head hit the ground with such a force that he could see stars dancing in front of his eyes.

Despite the dizziness he shook his head, kicking his horns up from the earth, spitting sand in every direction, something the beast he was tied to didn't like very much. Millie twisted her armored shape quite gracefully for its size. The creature's mouth parted wide right drake.

Millie roared furiously at him, spitting on Spyro all over from her snake like mouth, the pair of tongues that danced inside stretched out far, their tips smacking against his scales. While he leaned back from the overacting mouth, even though his position was far from perfect he still challenged the beasts for a battle of stares.

His two eyes against a single big one.

"Shhhhhh" a tender whisper rustled in the air, soft as a cooing of a lover

The rabid, pulsating eye shifted from an aggressive slit to a round, almost sweet, orb, its dark iris glowed with serenity and security. The parted mouth of a snake clamped shut, where once it had flapping, hungry tongues and sharp fangs now it stretched into an adorable grin of a jester.

The creature let out a weird, vibrating sound that between those snarls and roars from earlier it could only be taken for a purr. The beast moved out of Spyro's sight, giving him time for a long, breath of relief, years of experience on the field of prepared him for brief moments of respite like this and since then he never missed an opportunity such as this.

Not to mention that he was also a little defenseless against such a big creature while being practically hogtied.

A pair of barefooted legs appeared before him, clawed feet painted in red with a characteristic wolfish tuft of fur above the ankles that didn't fit with the slender and thin coat of the legs.

Legs he had no troubles recognizing.

It was the jackal.

And as if hearing his thoughts the leader of the Moonborne kneeled, leveling his face with the dragon's, the strange brand on the canine's chest was blinding from so up close, and as if created to taunt, the mark radiated a pleasant, inviting warmth. Those red eyes once more looked at him, though his posture and grimace showed no hostility, that bright, crimson hue in the orbs quite the contrary. Bloody eyes seemed to only radiate malice and hate.

The jackal extended his hand, brushing Spyro over the edges of his snout with the back of his fingers .

The dragon frowned angrily, with the lack of options to back away from the touch this was the only way he could communicate his displeasure.

The canine withdrew his fingers just to graze his nostrils with them, his sharp ears vibrated when he absorbed the scent.

"Interesting" the soothing voice was as comforting as a softly sung lullaby

His eyes traveled over the purple body, the unusual hunger in them made Spyro uneasy, with that stare the jackal could drill holes in him and the perspective of being dismantled like a toy made the dragon cringe.

The jackal cocked his head in visible surprise, Spyro had no idea what the canine could find interesting in him again, but the constant, almost raping stare was making each of his muscles to shiver in discomfort.

His hand extended once more, running over the tied, purple mouth and nose, back and forth as if giving the draconic face constant, soft smacks of a betrayed lover.

All this rather invading examination was getting on the dragon's nerves, being surrounded from all sides by enemies kept thoughts of violent protest at bay, nevertheless each new brush was thinning Spyro's patience.

The jackal kept going as if provoking him on purpose.

It didn't take long for Spyro to finally be fed up with all the touching, while he was intelligent enough to not give in to emotions in such unfavorable conditions, he spoke up, his voice rumbling like a growl behind the band on his mouth.

He emphasized his discomfort by strongly jerking his head, the sharp move smacked away the invading hand with ease.

The clap stirred a slight commotion in the Moonborne ranks, even Millie that was calm and docile shuffled her body, the tail he was attached to moved slightly closer to the jackal, clearly ready to spring up in his defense.

He did not care anymore.

"Whel all my fends!" Spyro yelled as loud as he could into the material, voice distorted by the band slipping inside his mouth whenever his lips parted a little too wide

The leader of the tribe acted as if he didn't hear him, his red eyes kept drilling into the drake with practical indifference. If not for the pulsing glyph on the chest, glyph that kept beating with a steadily increasing rhythm like the engine of a speeding up train, the jackal would never show any sign of even basic interest.

The face might lie, but there was no way of cheating the heart and the canine was unfortunate enough to have its representative clearly visible.

He was interested despite the signs that his body language was giving, in fact Spyro could feel similar fascination for dragons that Hunter has.

The two exchanged stares, the sharp ear of the canine twitched, a glint of opportunity flashed in the red eyes that Spyro noticed without issues.

No, not for dragons.

For A dragon.

One with purple scales.

The clawed hand reached out, sinking into the material on the purple snout, claws driving deep enough to pinch the scales underneath, drawing blood. With one swift swipe the jackal tore the bond from the purple lips, splatters of blood sprinkled when the removed choker pulled on the freshly wounded mouth.

Spyro let out a prolonged hiss of relief and pain, tongue flicking immediately to scoop up the blood and offer ease to the irritated lips.

"Could you say that again please?" the jackal voice was as tender as honey

"Where are my friends?" the purple drake growled, eyes burning with anger, droplets of otherworldly white milk glistened in the corners of his irises , the rings around his paws glowed so brightly that the beast he was tied to whined in worry

"You will have to excuse my bluntness dragon" the jackal chuckled endearingly "But I fear that you are in no position" red eyes trailed the length of the rope, triumphant smirk vibrating in the corners of the lips "To make any demands"

"And I'm afraid that you overestimate the value of your surprise, I have tricks of my own and if I won't see my friends soon there won't be enough chains you can snap around my paws to stop me" Spyro rasped, his wounded mouth painting the fangs red, the white veil around his eyes started to pollute the purple color around the pupil, cracking the eye slowly, like black veins of an infection

The rings around the paws glowed so fiercely by now that they began to hum with effort.

The pulsing glyph slowed its tempo, the fire in the red eyes dimmed strands of fur stood up on the fluffy, wolfish tail. The jackal stared into the determined, basically psychopathic eyes of the dragon, each second of the confrontation turning the blood in his veins colder, there was something terrifying about those eyes, not even rage induced fighters were so intimidating as the dragon here.

A dragon that was understandably angry, a dragon that despite this was civil enough to pass his threats without screaming.

And threats without screaming have a different definition.

They were called promises.

He couldn't shake off the feeling that he was dealing with something divine here. A very dangerous combination of two opposite forces that no mortal being should have anything to do with.

Red eyes squinted when Millie unexpectedly and against the orders switch position, the moment she did that the rings around Spyro's paws wavered slightly, it was enough to reflect the light and blind the canine for a second.

Enough to draw his attention.

The fluffy tail made a nervous swing, the binders glowed like steel left in a heated forge, the bright illumination prevented him from seeing clear, but he could swear that he saw the rings twisting and bending under the pressure.

No dragon could break those bonds, not without biting off his own paws.

No normal dragon that is.

The jackal threw his hand up, snapping his fingers, a trail of magic, red dust splattered all around from the point where the fingers met. Immediately the canines and their striders moved, reorganizing their positions like the most disciplined army, a motion unfitting their ragtag looks.

But Spyro was more shocked by image that was revealed after the Moonborne cleared his line of sight.

His friends were there.

All in one piece.

Orbis and Cellsa were hanging upside down from a strider's tail like he did, the siblings were tied to each other tightly, back pressing against back. The girl was the only one who had her mouth clamped shut with a bond. Both siblings were high in the air, dangling over a pyre, here and there they spotted a burn mark, with Cellsa having more black spots than her brother did. Other than that they didn't have any more serious wounds.

Something that couldn't be said about Iris, she was pinned to the ground, thick leather straps were wrapped all around her, pressing her belly to the hot ground, each strap wrapped around a glowing ring that encircled her stretched out paws. If not for the shallow, quick breathing and her many bleeding, yet treated wounds that ranged from bite marks to sword cuts one could take her for a stuffed rug.

Cynder looked the most cared for out of all his draconic friends, she was the only one sitting with no bonds around her besides binding, green rings choking her paws that were attached to a nearby pole from which also stretched a leash that was attached to another choker above her original one on the neck. She was the only one with a gag in her mouth, instead of having a strap over her draconic face. Out of all the dragons she was the most healthy and with more freedom than the rest, her wings were free and she sported barely any wounds.

And finally there was Sparx, it seemed that some things don't change despite the years, he was locked in a lantern sitting on a rocky table where many bone dices were scattered around. Even from here he could see his brother thrashing about, smacking his prison and screaming, even though his specific cell was sealed so well that no sound could be heard from this distance.

"The strange, masked blue dragoness will live, she didn't want to go peacefully and tested our patience. She had to be pacified by force" the jackal explained immediately, even though Spyro still didn't gather his thoughts.

Logical analysis came later than the first notion of relief that overwhelmed him, he felt like a great burden was lifted from his heart. He knew that being a leader and a commander will eventually lead to something tragic happening, there will be a point when he will have to say goodbye to one of his companions, life already taught him that no fight comes without consequence.

But not yet, he wasn't ready to face the sadness after a loss of his friend, he didn't even want to start thinking what he would do if Cynder or Sparx would be gone because of his stupidity.

They were all alive however and that was all that mattered.

The chains around his paws lost their blinding illumination, the humming of the bonds ceased their cries, something that didn't escape the notice of the jackal who's ears were bouncing steadily as if irritated by the growing serenity.

Spyro coughed, feeling a burn running through his nerves when the draining magic renewed its parasitic feast with new vigor.

No matter.

It was worth it.

Seeing visible happiness in Cynder's eyes was worth all the pain and discomfort in the world.

The jackal's ears pulled his scalp back when they titled backwards, the color in the red eyes dimming like a covered up lantern when they turned towards the rings holding the purple legs together, rings that had several cracks visible on them.

"What do you want?"

The jackal balked at the sudden, blunt question, his eyes flaring up with renewed light, yet his attention remained locked on the rings, our of habit of retaining control of the situation than actual interest.

"Why the idea that I need anything?"

"Because I heard that you're barbarians that eat dragon meat"

The jackal chuckled roughly.

"In a world that hangs on the border of famine one is being barbaric because he wants to supply his family with nutrition. Before calling out names young dragon I would propose that you start building your theory from the beginning and only then renew your task of branding people around you barbarians, the true ones might be closer than you think. Look into a mirror and you will see what I mean"

"I'm not eating my own kind"

"Peculiar" the jackal kneeled in front of the purple drake, pressing his thumb against the lip to lift it up and reveal the fangs underneath

The canine tilted his head from side to side as he examined Spyro's teeth, reveling tooth after tooth.

Spyro observed the jackal calmly, allowing him to do what he pleases for now.

Eventually the furry face leaned forward, nose taking a solid sniff, only then Spyro pulled back with a grunt feeling the nostrils of the jackal stirring air inside his maw.

The red haired leader licked his lips slowly, scooping up the droplets of Spyro's saliva that got stuck to his mouth after the grunt.

The purple drake winced in disgust, never before seeing someone drinking his drool like ambrosia.

Clawed hand reached for the golden throat, blazing red eyes looked directly into the purple ones, the tip of the drake's tongue squeezed out from his mouth after the clench on his neck.

Red haired head leaned again, nose touching the pointing out tongue, its delicate surface being rubbed against the red flesh.

Spyro grunted in abhorrence again, limbs reacting on their own, trying to get him away from the creepy canine that kept molesting him. This time however no matter how hard he tried he couldn't get away, the grip held him tight in place. Not even the tongue could squeeze back away from the abuse.

Eventually the jackal pushed back, releasing the scaly neck, eyes glazing over and his head tilting back as if he would inhale a great dose of some mind numbing drug.

His red hair burned brightly, the glyph on his heart pulsing with a quick tempo.

"Peculiar and pristine. Why are they so afraid?" he reached for the purple drake once more

"Not again!" Spyro blurted out with a snarl, throwing his body into a swing, away from the stretching out hands "Stop touching me!"

The jackal chuckled, curling his fingers into a fist.

"So innocent. Unfitting" the smooth voice echoed like a melody of a sweet song

"Purple scale, company you keep" the jackal turned towards the held dragons "Feathered wings and a breather of ice, violent and brutal yet loyal. Breather of wind cladded in black armor, both magical and physical. Powerful, but surrendering out of care. A glowing creature of unknown origins, bright and swift, small yet determined and brave. Athron's toys, mundane and familiar, so out of place among you but standing in defiance to the orders of their mistress for reasons unknown"

"Bad company. Ragtag group" furry lips stretched to reveal a set of sharp fangs "Like us"

"You let us live because of sentiments?"

"I let you live because you, young dragon, gave me the opportunity to chose" fingers brushed against the furry neck, red eyes twinkling like assaulted by wind pair of candles "You could have ended my reign, you had my life in your paws and you hesitated, a dragon held back his desire to kill and dominate. Unheard of this world of constant violence and famine"

"Your kind is a parasite, you eat and destroy everything, so addicted to your own superiority that you feed even on yourself. Dragons are a blight, devouring even their own kin"

"And then you appear, purple, with unusual friends. A picture of fairytales coming true. You wouldn't listen if I allowed you to be stripped of even one particle that makes you what you are. Only the integrity of your group could open the way to our conversation and it is very important that we converse young dragon"

He wants to use him for his own needs, Spyro could feel that already, you didn't have to be a scientist to figure it out, proclaimed slavers and barbarians hardly show mercy, even if the image Orbis painted might not be truly honest the Moonborne worked for their reputation one way or the other.

The jackal wasn't the first that wanted to take advantage of him.

But despite the many similarities the jackal had one thing other abusers did not. A sharp, adaptable mind.

The folks that tried to use him in the past were familiar with his abilities and knew who they were dealing with more or less. The Moonborne leader had no such knowledge, if Orbis and Cellsa were surprised by seeing a purple dragon, chances were very slim that the jackal met one in his life. Yet he faced the unfamiliarity of the situation with intelligence worthy of a prosperous leader.

And that made him as important as it made him dangerous.

"It is important that I know from what place did you come from" the jackal continued

"Give me a map and I'll show you" Spyro replied without hesitation

"I would prefer if you said it"

"Giving you a name won't change anything because you won't know what I'm talking about anyway"

The jackal chuckled, patting the purple drake on the cheek which made Spyro squint in irritation.

"You play a dangerous game boy, remember that you are on my mercy, your companions live, but that might change if you stretch your provocation too far. We are all civil here so I'm giving you an honest overview of our current situation"

"I'm doing what you are asking of me, what else do you want?"

"You would so freely give away the location of your home to a barbaric tribe as you believe us to be?"

"You won't get there anyway"

The jackal snatched the purple snout by the nose, clamping Spyro's mouth shut, despite his frail frame the grip was surprisingly strong. He jerked the draconic face closer, forcing the pair of amethyst eyes to look at him, he buried his gaze into the orbs, looking for trails of lie and mockery. Of all the things bad in this world he hated one detail the most.

Waste of time.

This war torn earth is running on borrowed time as it is, meeting a lying bastard who doesn't value this ticking clock of fate would only make the situation worse.

Their children also need a world to live in.

However no matter how long he stared into the draconic eyes he couldn't spot anything that would scream directly that the dragon was wasting time.

Then why he couldn't shake off the feeling that the boy wasn't entirely honest?

"End your tricks dragon, drakes like you don't walk these lands, no one ever saw a purple scaled dragon, nor a black one, nor a glowing fly, nor an ice dragon with feathered wings. And if there are those that did, which I'm confident there are, they made to keep you away from the world, by any means necessary"

Spyro frowned, looking in confusion at the jackal.

"Precisely what I'm talking about, you are not aware of the politics ruling our world, I can see it in your eyes, the innocence is honest and beating as strong as the heart in your chest. If you knew what was going on you would never travel freely with those two over there" the canine pointed at the siblings "You would never call them your friends"

Despite his best intentions to remain indifferent to the news, Spyro couldn't control his eyes, they shifted towards the siblings and even though his lips remained sealed, one question could be easily read from his expression.

Why?

"You would get slaughtered, the moment you would set your claw in the vicinity of Athron's troops you would be sentenced to death. You might ask yourself why the two didn't try killing you yet, but does it really matter? Might be cowardice, might be curiosity, might be the desire to increase their own chances, you alone wield power far out matching the two of them combined. Whatever the case may be young dragon, you were being led unwillingly towards a guillotine"

"Why should I believe you? You are a slaver, manipulating people is in your blood"

The jackal nodded.

"An honest opinion, we do what we have to do in this troubled times, but you must admit yourself that we aren't the way they surely painted us are we now? It's time you came to your own conclusion young dragon, you either follow blindly the guidance of two freshly met dragons or someone who has a debt of blood to pay. All our professions aside"

Spyro's eyes fell in concentration, every part of him screamed to not trust the jackal, he definitely has his own agenda and would benefit greatly from a small havoc in draconic ranks. He might as well be making it all up.

"To clear you doubts further" the jackal spoke up as if sensing his thoughts "Do you know what the reason behind this fighting is? Why dragon is fighting dragon?"

Before Spyro could answer he received a poke in his golden chest by the Moonborne's leader claw.

"You. It's been many years since the war broke out, if you ask your friends here about the war they will tell you the propaganda they were fed from hatching, about grudges or crimes the wind dragons committed and vice versa if you speak with the other side of the conflict. The generations of today are fighting more out of habit and false sense of loyalty than true determination"

The jackal dug his claws into the sand, scooping it up and watching it fall from his palm back onto the barren soil with a scratching noise od grinded bones.

"The cause behind the world's destruction is arrogance and fear, the two traits that pollute your parasitic kind. Athron and Nirdren are fighting over the dominance of the other, both believing that they are the saviors in fear that the other possess the ultimate weapon to end it all. A purple dragon, the steed of death, bringer of the End Times, the weapon of ultimate evil"

DODAC DO NOTATEK OD THE CAUSE DO ULIMATE EVIL. NIRDREN TO LEADER WIND DRAGONS.

Red eyes examined the tied drake from top to bottom.

"As it turned out you are no weapon of evil, but judgment, judgment that both Athron and Nirdren must be afraid of after the atrocities they committed. However I must admit" the jackal scratched his ear nervously "You do not make an intimidating first impression, you reek of innocence boy, of fragility and naïve hope. But there is something in you, something magical, the group you came here with, they love you, in their own ways, but they are loyal despite it all"

Innocence.

Pah!

If you only knew what were you talking about canine.

"You are laughing"

Spyro's eyes widened, he immediately pushed his lips together, with horror noticing that they were in fact stretched in a mocking grin.

"Whatever bad seeds flow in your blood boy is nothing but poison, it is not you, but the people around you see it, the ones you travel with see it, even strangers like me see it. It's finally up to you to notice it as well"

The purple drake shook his head, unable to believe that he was being chastised by a slaver. Right now he didn't care about it all, all he wanted was to set his friends free and get away from here. The jackal is only a phase, it was sad, but the truth is that in reality he and his tribe doesn't exist, their time has ended and no matter how much he tries nothing will change that.

Past has already happened, he cannot change it, he might pluck a variable out of it, but the races that were there have died.

He was speaking with ghosts.

He has to focus on the living.

I'm sorry.

"Why are you telling me all of this? And just how exactly can you know what is happening in a draconic society when even dragons being a part of it have no clue about what's going on?" Spyro grumbled suspiciously

The jackal examined his claws, twirling them around slowly, each natural blade hissing with a red mist.

"There were times when the world knew no societies and privileges, after all at the birth of a world each of us is equal in the eyes of magic. Magic simply doesn't care, it's the living that eventually shape the rules and decide to whom it belongs to" he stretched out all of his five fingers, canine blades glowing red "Each claw a generation of passed on knowledge"

Spyro frowned, either the jackal is making a fool out of him, or perhaps a single bloodline has the ability to pass wisdom and knowledge throughout generations, as if they were living Chronicles. It was as interesting as it was terrifying when you realize that even such amount of knowledge did not avert them from the end of the world.

Either the stored knowledge is false or simply the world and the races in it were too young to make any use of it in the end. Or, if Iris words about the Purging, combined with the jackal's words about warfare for power were correct, one might suspect that the creatures here brought the end upon themselves.

Blood can drown everything and when you dip something in it, there is no recovering it back.

"And this knowledge, from the very beginning, brings us to you boy" the red eye pierced into the soul of the trapped drake "You weren't there when it all started, you only appeared now, which makes me believe you came from a place unknown to us, a purple dragon would never survive here to reach your age, neither the population of this world would allow crossbreeding between two opposing factions. The feathery girl over there would be skinned the moment she hatched and I don't want to mention the fate that would have fallen on her parents. No, creatures like you don't exist in this ugly times, you came from someplace else and you will tell me from where"

"I'm from here" Spyro commented emotionlessly

The jackal sighed.

"I understand your anxiety, but don't you think that it is only fair that you would give something in return after I have shared my part? We are all civil here"

"So civil that you keep me and my friends tied, hanging upside down"

"Precautions, you are still a dragon, an enemy, its for your safety and ours. We do have children here"

"What guarantee I have that you don't kill us after I tell you what you want to know?"

"None, but isn't the fact that you're still alive a guarantee enough? Barbaric slavers aren't a definition of civility and yet you are still breathing, with the rest of your group. Is that not enough of an evidence that your death is the last thing we seek?"

The jackal had a point, there was no denying that, he knew how to talk, he had to give him that. It also didn't help that he also had a rather soothing voice that really numbed your awareness. The longer he spoke, the more you started doubting your own convictions and the jackal liked to talk.

A lot.

The comparison he thought about earlier about the leader of the Moonborne being like a Chronicler gained more and more merit as time went by. He had met charismatic bad guys on his path already, they had the power to woo anyone on their side, yet in their case their charm came in majority from their personality.

In the jackal's case it seemed as if he would be speaking through facts and remembered history. If this era would have a Chronicler then he would sound exactly like that, throwing convincing arguments while maintaining confident posture through each word, because the words he spoke were not his belief, but facts, plain and simple facts.

And facts are a thing that you can't change, no matter how loud you'll scream.

He can't lie to someone like that.

"I didn't lie" Spyro said, swallowing bitterly, his voice a monotonic recital of an school professor that repeats the same things but to different children each year "We are from this world, but from a different timeline"

He ended on this for now, looking at the jackal and examining his expression, wanting an answer if continuing was worth the effort. The canine listened to him attentively and there was nothing in his eyes telling him that he didn't believe what he hears, quite the opposite in fact, he could see the typical question brewing inside.

"We came from the future" Spyro added, anticipating the incoming question

The jackal's eyes flared up, the glyph on his chest sped up rapidly for a brief moment, the intensity of the color jumping up like an excited heart. He clearly liked the answer, the gentle sway of the wolfish tail confirmed it without a doubt.

He wasn't sure if this was a good sign.

"How and where did you enter?" the jackal whispered breathlessly

A red flag of an alarm sprang open inside Spyro's head.

"I'm not telling you that, this is my precaution, all I'm saying is that for it to work I need all my friends"

The glisten of sharp fangs blinded the drake for a second when the jackal smiled.

"Clever boy, insuring the safety of your companions, even if I know that the presence of the entirety of your group is a blatant lie"

"Believe what you will, I can't do it alone, whether you think I say the truth when I tell I need everyone or not doesn't change anything. If you hurt anyone you risk putting all the information I just gave you to waste"

The jackal laughed, it was a very relaxing and friendly sound.

"It's been a while since I was blackmailed, if not for the small issue that you are my prisoner your arguments might ring like a true offer of an mediator, but since you are where you are all of this is rather comical"

He waved his hand dismissively.

"No matter, believe me or not but I asked about the way you travel and where did you do it only out of sheer curiosity. Your previous threat about us not being able to get there sounded honest, I'm not familiar with the rules by which your abilities operate, but I can imagine that moving an entire tribe would be very taxing indeed"

He kneeled in front of the drake, smiling warmly.

"You can sleep easily young dragon, the Moonborne's future does not intertwine with yours. Our lives and fates are tied here and there is no one from us that would be willing to abandon it, think what you will, but we are a very self-respecting tribe. There is no room for selfishness here"

Spyro's brow raised in surprise.

"So what do you want from us if torturing us to get you out of here is not your intention?"

"I want you" he poked the purple nose "To give future to the Moonborne. You see before we managed to capture you, your feathery friend yelled some words that cradled my heart in shadow. She spoke about us being killed off, with perhaps only several individuals still breathing here and there, but when I asked neither of them displayed any prominent features"

He brushed his red hair, twirling a lock around his hand as he looked at the blazing strands with reverence.

"For our race to live on, there needs to be one among us who would carry the soul. I suppose there was no such individual from where you come from?" a glance was enough to read the answer he needed from the dragon "I want you to give life to the Moonborne"

Spyro shook his head.

"I don't get it, so you want me...us to take you back with us or not?"

"No. My place is here with my family"

"Then how do you expect this to work? For sure you know what it means when the eras change, it is impossible to change the future for a world that is getting burned to ash. No matter what we do, in our time, the Moonborne don't exist. I'm sorry, but from my point of view, you are only ghosts"

The jackal nodded in understanding.

"This is precisely why I'm asking you to change the future of our world. You save one life and I spare yours and those of your friends. A fair deal, yes?"

"I still don't understand what you want"

"I'm no expert by any means, but from my experience if you desire to cross a doorstep from one room to the other you need to open a door. The world ends in ash, so you have no knowledge that a tribe like mine ever existed, plus your feathery friend shapes theories that do not fit the current day, but that of years to come, meaning she is part of this famine stricken world, but much, much later in time, meaning that a door through which she came to your world had to open in your universe somewhere. And since I find no reason why one would cross a door to another dimension to wage war with a world that already ended, you had to shift the flow of time of your destination to find whatever you are looking for, or most likely, who are you looking for. Is my deduction correct?"

Spyro averted his gaze, only confirming his own worries that he wasn't dealing with a typical barbarian here. This small hesitation was all the answer the jackal needed.

The canine swallowed, licking his dry lips.

"So I ask you alter the doorstep that now appeared in your universe, so when you finally cross it, and believe me that you eventually will, doors don't like to stay closed forever, sooner or later you or whoever is on the other side will open them. When that happens you will pluck a certain individual from there and give future to my race" he tenderly asked the purple snout to turn in his direction "You will save an individual looking almost like me, a canine with red eyes and hair, whether a boy or a girl, is that clear? Will you do as I ask?"

Spyro looked genuinely surprised.

"That's it? You ask me to do you a favor? A favor that nobody even knows that can be accomplished and when?"

"Yes"

"No bonds, threats, curses or any other hexes? Just my word?"

"Yes"

"That's insane!" he blurted out, immediately biting his lips when he realized that he might have blown their only chance to get out of here

The jackal smiled.

"I mean, what makes you think that I won't lie to you? I can say yes right now and you won't even know if I kept the promise or not"

"No I won't" his claw gently touched the golden chest, feeling the heartbeat "But you will"

Spyro gulped.

"You see, I have a wife, a mate in your words, I know what love is, the unconditional and willing, the true love. An evil creature will never know such a feeling, the scrapes they get never amount to the real feeling, that kind of purity I talk about is drawn only to those of good heart, even if tainted it still beats with the right determination. I see that kind of love for you in the green eyes of your black scaled friend, the same tremble in the pupils whenever my wife worries about me, she is shackled to you, just like you are to her, this cannot be faked and can only be seen by those who experienced it. This is what tells me that whatever is beating in there" he poked at the chest again "Won't allow you to break the promise, for your love's sake and yours"

Purple lips trembled in horror.

The jackal was right and he could not do anything about it, this golden heart that Cynder adores so much is like a ball attached to a prisoners foot which rattles with metallic clangs of the chains wrapped around it.

The deal was simply too good to pass up, a promise that who knows when he will be able to fulfill versus the freedom of his companions here and now. He would be a fool to pass up such an opportunity.

As for the promise itself?

He was scared and totally unhappy that his caring soul is used against him, but nevertheless the proposed deal was more than fair. There was always a chance that he will break the given word and simply reap all the spoils, small chance, but it was there and as ugly as it may sound it was a comforting thought.

Getting in deals with slavers, no matter how polite and eloquent, was a bad idea.

However there was still this spark of adventurous spirit twinkling in his soul, and this desire simply demanded that he will accept the deal. A promise that spans over several timelines? That would be a first.

"Okay, fine, we have a deal" he confirmed even though a small dose of regret was ringing in his voice

The jackal smiled widely. Sincere happiness brightening his expression.

"Splendid" with one swift motion the jackal cut the rope that held Spyro, the dragon dropped on the sand ground with a grunt, he unlocked one of the binding rings

"The other will remain until we escort you all out from our camp. Safety reasons"

"Yeah, I get it" Spyro dusted himself off

"Be careful in Athron's domain, when you will find your way to her castle locate a red crystal in the shape of a slit like a reptilian eye and destroy it. This way I will know you are serious about our agreement and that you had set the plan in motion"

"I need more information about the gem, there could be thousands crystals like that in there"

"More information is unnecessary. You won't miss it, I assure you"

"I don't like this one bit" he winced, shaking his head in disapproval

The jackal chuckled.

The drake coughed nervously "Did I say that out loud?"

"I suspect that altering the universe is no simple feat, but you must remember..." the canine's voice trailed off, ears twitching "What's your name young dragon?"

"Spyro"

"You must remember Spyro to go through it all with a smile. There's a power in you I cannot fully comprehend, nevertheless it tells me that you are going to do great things. You might not pay attention to what you accomplish, it might seem meager to you, after all I have a feeling you will, and already did, receive many other requests in your life. Many you possibly forgotten, was there a one you refused?"

The dragon bit his lip, his mind thrown back down the memory lane, instinctively seeking the answer for the presented question, but finding none.

"Exactly. You carried on, doing what you were born to, with a smile no less. I would only advise you to try not forgetting who you help, remembering the names of those you assist would spare you the discomfort of bewilderment in the future"

The red eyes of the jackal flashed brightly, his pupils dropping down as if a full of reverence and respect bow.

"Because the world will never forget yours"