FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

"Do you really want to be involved in all this?"

Liz ignored the bear beside him.

"You seem a sensible chap, not some thug like those three and with immaculate cape, is that eiderdown you're wearing?"

The sound of scraping stone against steel rang through the woods.

"I heard tale that you were a chief yes? I can tell by your demeanour, your bonne vivance, you know I'm not really involved in all of this I'm just a supplier, a merchant you see and I can tell you are a prudent sort!"

The crackling fire bloomed on their faces whilst Liz gazed into his steel.

"I would like to offer you a deal, good sir. I bet your home would enjoy some fine jewels and a little extra fiscal comfort? I have a small surplus I am willing to part with if-EEP!"

"Can you bring back the dead?"

He swung his spear an inch from Moneybags' face, not even looking at the bear who reared back.

"I-i-i, um...n-nooo?"

"Can you talk to the dead? Bring their spirits back to me?"

"N-no, um...I-i don't-"

"Then you have nothing to offer me."

He moved his spear back as the bear shifted in his ropes, watching Spyro-Owain fan the flames with his breath whilst Holt turned a roasted hog on a spit. The night loomed above as they feasted on their meal, tearing chunks of the fresh pork and feeding Moneybags whose hands remained tied with Liz keeping watch on him. A short cave formed an arch over their heads to shelter them, soft rain starting to creep through the trees as the rumbling of thunder grew on the horizon whilst they ate in peace, the howling chitters of the swamp nearby giving no comfort to the travellers.

"You got a little something," Owain pointed.

"Huh?" Flash pawed at his snout.

"No no just, there."

"Like here?" he pawed again.

"Yeah it's just like one biiiiig scratch over your whole face-"

"Ohhh yeah, real funny," he shoved the smaller drake with a boot to the head, "how's your pork?"

"Good!" he scarfed down a thick chunk. "Mmmmph, best thing about being a dragon, barbecue everyday!"

"Hahah, make thuh best camping partner ya would!" Holt chewed up his steak. "Would love to 'ave ya round fer more lahk this."

"Are we sleeping here?" asked Liz. "I don't trust wideboy over here."

"Ah got ideas fer 'im dontcha worry."

"I should certainly hope not!" Moneybags squirmed in his restraints. "Keep your filthy hands off me you damn dirty ape!"

"EY-EY, don't you quote that shite at me beartits!" he raised his hand threatening to smack. "Be glad we're feedin' ya, once we're done with this Hektore bastard we'll send ya back safe."

"I can hardly wait." The bear scoffed rolling his eyes. "If you can even manage to stop Hektore, I warn you he is a fearsome beast."

"You actually MET him even?!" Owain snorted. "You're not the kinda guy who gets to meet bosses."

"What do you mean?!"

"You don't get your hands dirty, that robot was the first time I even saw you get in on the act, what gives?!"

"Well sometimes a pest like you requires more extreme measures," said Moneybags, "I had no intention of crushing you, just subdue you enough to bring you to Hektore."

"Guess you got your wish," said Flash sniffing close to him, "is he expecting us?"

"His hunter certainly is."

"Right."

He made a nod to the others as they kept their lips tight, the bear snarling with insulted cough.

"Do you really think I have any means to betray you now?!"

"After that trick you pulled with the fake remote?" Owain punched his chest. "I wouldn't even trust you to melt an ice cube!"

"HMPH!"

"Eat up, we're gonna rest for a while."

They ate up all that they could, stripping the pig of its meat until nothing but bone was left which the dragons picked their teeth with. Once they were done they nodded to Jeremy who went over to Moneybags and stuffed his ears with cloth much to his fright.

"Wh-WHAT, WHAT ARE YOU-NNNNMMPH!"

His mouth and eyes were wrapped with more cloth like a mummy, leaving space for his nose to breathe as Holt gently laid him on his side to put him in a corner.

"Hey Funnybags!" Spyro barked. "Guess what's gonna happen next?!"

"M-mmmhhh!"

"Jeremy you got them gems to shove up his butt!"

"Oh aye dab," Holt tapped his nose, "got a biggun thuh size of a horse right 'ere!"

"Mmmmph, nnnrrrggh..."

"Who wants to kick his face lahk a football?!"

After a few more threats they were convinced that the bear couldn't hear them, his response a grumbling snort of discontent as he laid down in darkness and waited for his body to sleep as the group sat separate from him.

"So whut's our plan?" asked Jeremy sitting between dragons.

"We can't all go in at once," said Flash, "we need two to go down and fight, and two to come in from behind."

"Righ' a backup team, one Spyro on each since they seem real hung up on dragons."

"Won't they get suspicious if we're not both there?"

"That's why we need a plan!" Owain pounded his feet. "Maybe if we like, lure out the Dragon Hunter whilst the other two go after Hektore?"

"Now yer thinking," Liz snapped his fingers, "so, we know where his lair is thanks to our hostage, not that far from here, so this is a good camp to rest up an' plan."

"Whut about him?" Holt gestured to the bear.

"He'll be fine here, he can't get far deaf and blind right?"

"Ahll tie 'im extra to a rock 'fore we leave, no chancin' it."

"Good idea," Flash nodded, "alright, we don't know what Hektore's lair is like, so we have to be careful. From what Beaufort said and that shadow-person, we have only one chance so don't underestimate him."

"Got it," Owain grabbed his paw, "we got this, right?"

"Yeah, we've dealt with worse."

"Right, like Moneybags!"

"HAH, you're right...Jeremy, something up?"

"Aye," he stared at his wrist, "ah just had a brilliant idea."

The party slept after discussing their plan, laying down on the moss of the cave which felt damp but warming against their body heat as the rain petered out through the night with its tranquil melody. Droplets tinkled over the leaves and scattered across the earth, lulling the five to a gentle slumber as morning slid its fingers over the seething jungle. Night had fought a long battle against the sinister light, the sun sending its rays from points unseen as the blackened marsh turned to a soupy green in the darkest hour before the dawn. Before the sun had risen, the four woke up early after Jeremy tied Moneybags down properly to a rock to keep him in the cave, heading to where the bear had pointed them to the previous night as they walked through the marsh and moved through the trees whilst nocturnal beasts settled in for their sleep. A shrine sat in the midst of the forest where moss had wreathed around its stone, half-sunken into the marsh and covered in vines that Holt parted with Owain following alone.

"Here we go dab," he looked to him, "you ready?"

"Yeah," he smirked back, "let's break this mirror and give his face seven years."

"Hah! Awwww...ahm gonna miss you two after this."

"Hey, don't worry about it." Spyro bumped his side. "We had a great time, right?"

"Righ'...let's do this."

Darkness grew before them into the sinking depths, a passage yawning beyond the deep sloping steps as the soldier went with his torch in hand and the dragon behind him. A single stairwell stretched into the abyss, never turning, never steep nor straight with its cracking steps that broke and dusted underfoot as the flame became weak from a searing cold, biting frozen teeth that raked across their skin as a deathless wind. The stairs twisted in their design, subtle but maddening enough to cause their feet to stumble with staggering grasp against the walls as they took each step slower. Ten minutes passed, stretching towards twenty as the cloak of dark sucked the heat from their bodies and caused their legs to shiver, clutching themselves tight as Spyro breathed flames ever thicker in the deep damp, watching his fire puff more timid and weaker with each step. Sometimes the torch flickered out as Owain quickly puffed it back to life, wreathing a warm tender aura round Jeremy's feet in turn to keep him pushing onwards.

"Hey, you hear that?" Spyro cocked his head reaching past Holt. "Sound like...fighting down there?"

"Keep close," Holt pulled out his gun, "stick behind me."

Closer they reached the depths of the world where an icy sorrow almost consumed them, the soldier keeping his fingers tense as he tapped over the gun to keep them heated as they reached the end of the stairs. A grand circular room where the stones beneath formed circular fractures that radiated outwards, a grand dais where beyond lied a narrow treacherous path reaching towards a glimmering light that shone like the cruel eye of a god. Lights glistened around the walls with the illusion of stars as a myriad of crystals gleamed from inside the rock to paint the roof with a dozen constellations.

[b]"[i]RAAAAAAARRRRGH![/i]"[/b]

In the centre of the grand cave was a shadow enraged, clashing against the hunter as skull met hood before they leapt back from each other and circled swift when the hunter pulled his bow and let fly a searing arrow of burning light that scraped against the hem of the cloak. The phantom came shrieking towards him with a burst of wings, spinning in mid-flight to strike with his tail hard against the skull-headed beast before battering him with his wings like pounding fists, punching his gut with a shotgun-burst of lightning that threw the hunter back as he went flying halfway across the dais. The merc twisted his body into a diveroll and shot his bow upon stopping to hit the spectral body, punching with a laser force that sent him staggering to his knees. Pushing himself forwards he raised his hood to let loose a burning black, a torrid flame that ripped across the floor with flames outlined in darkness like shadows become beasts, the hunter rolling aside to take another shot as the spirit countered with a ball of fire. Both hit their targets, the dark beast and the hunter falling to their feet and shuddering with bated breaths from the burning wounds in their chests.

"You...disgusting whelp."

[b]"H-hhhhh...hhhhh!"[/b]

"Why do you refuse to die, when I have taken everything that you were?"

[b]"I...s-still have...my heart."[/b]

"Not for long."

The hunter took aim with his fastest shot, a quickdraw underarm that would have pierced straight and true towards the phantom, were it not for the sudden purple blur that shoved him out the way as they rolled across the stones.

[b]"Ungh! ...you!"[/b]

"Long time no see!" Spyro grinned.

"So you arrived at last." The hunter of dragons stood with bow pulling back. "I'll only thank you for making your extinction easier."

[b]"What...h-have you done?"[/b] shuddered the hooded beast. [b]"I told you...to NOT come!"[/b]

"Rule number one about being a hero," said the dragon stepping up, "always go where you're not invited, cuz punks like this wad don't deserve manners!"

"Spoken like a true degenerate," the skull cracked his neck and rolled his shoulders, "I'll enjoy taking you next, Spyro."

[b]"DON'T!"[/b] The phantom hobbled beside him. [b]"D-don't...don't give a DAMN about him it's ME YOU WANT!"[/b]

"Exactly, it IS you I want. Now face me...so I may turn your flesh into the red carpet for my new master."

"OHH YOU FUCKIN' THINK SO?!"

A cracking boom started the fight as Holt shot towards the hunter, causing him to leap which set him up for Spyro to charge down and barge into his gut to sending him against the wall. The vilefiend grabbed the drake's horns and threw him hard to the side with thick orange fists, kicking his stomach hard as he holstered his bow and brought out his long wicked blade. Jeremy rushed forwards soon as Spyro had been charging to follow up with another blast, the hunter rolling faster than expected as he made a flying charge at the soldier who clashed against his sword with his gun. Jeremy fired his shotgun again to break the lock, surprising the hunter as the sergeant swung back his rifle and whalloped him across the head before grabbing one of his arms and swinging him towards the wall to crush his head. The thug slammed his knee into Holt's stomach and shoved him down hard before stomping his face, crunching twice before the dragon made a flying tackle for the skull and kicked himself off his chest, spinning in mid-jump to char his face with creeping flame.

The hunter's skull burned as he threw up his hand in defence, blistering from his eyes of sharp neon as he swung his blade twice towards the dragon who dodged left then right beneath his strikes, butting hard with horns in his chest before backing up to evade once again until Holt recovered enough to club the back of the thug's head with his shotgun. Staggering with a dull pain in his skull, the hunter swung back with a roundhouse kick to Holt's face sending him back in a stagger as the soldier fired off his shot, missing the fiend's head by a margin as the Dragon Hunter charged with his cold blade to gouge him deep. A shadow lunged from his side striking against the brigand to off-balance him, swerving the sword out of its path as the hooded creature whipped his tail hard at the hunter's legs then clawed at his face with savage abandon until he was on top of him, violently bashing his skull as they rolled across the stone trading punches until Spyro slammed into the hunter's back, throwing him off the phantom who went rushing after with a high leap off the wall before divebombing into the skullhead. The hunter rolled out of his path as a shockwave blasted across the ground jumping to avoid the rippling burst as he pulled his bow and shot the phantom straight in his chest, piercing energy that ripped through his core as he staggered falling to his knees. The Dragon Hunter raised his sword, glimmering darkness as he rushed towards the phantom, blade pulled back ready to plunge into the heart. He thrust. Scales pulled apart.

[b]"[i]NOOOOOOOOO![/i]"[/b]

Standing between hunter and shadow was Spyro, his body stretched like a wolf protecting its cub as the sword was buried in his side. His face tightened with piercing eyes as he struggled to hold his breath, fearing the moment he let go would be his body's collapse. It was cold in his body, slipping past his ribs and yet nothing was bleeding apart from the skin, the muscle that dripped down the wicked blade as he gasped clenching his teeth towards the Dragon Hunter.

"[i]SP-SPYRO, SPYRO NOOOO![/i]"

"GET BACK!" The hunter warned Holt. "Unless you wish to see his death sooner."

"[i]I'm not g-going anywhere,[/i]" the dragon snarled, "[i]j-just a...just a scratch, y-you missed pal.[/i]"

"Oh I didn't." The skull turned towards him tightening fingers on his blade. "I wasn't aiming for your organs, dragon. They'll sell nicely on a market if they're undamaged."

"YOU [i]FUCKER![/i]" Jeremy screeched balling his fists. "FIGHT ME INSTEAD, FUCKIN' FIGHT ME YOU COWARD!"

"After I'm done with your little pet."

"[i]Wh-what are you gonna do?[/i]" Spyro forced a grin with his teeth. "[i]You gotta...p-pull out eventually and then I'm gonna break your face.[/i]"

"Is that so? Do you know what this blade can do?"

"[i]NNNNNGH![/i]" The slight twist of the handle caused a deeper red to flow.

"It can sever the body yes, it can cut and wound like any other sword but this one is special. It can also cut the soul from its body."

The hunter opened his satchel next to Mohberra's skillet, jangling at his hip as he brought out a small jar containing a strong purple light.

"Do you know what this is? Your friend in the cloak knows what it is."

[b]"G-give it back,"[/b] the hood shuddered almost sobbing, [b]"g-give...give it back."[/b]

"[i]Are you...s-serious?[/i]" Spyro groaned with tears of pain. "[i]Y-you took this guy's s-soul, f-for what?[/i]"

"Two reasons," said the hunter shaking the jar, "one, so as to test the strength of this sword that I have named The End of Dragons. Two, to prove my mastery over your worthless vermin race."

"[i]What did we...do to you-hHHAAAAAH![/i]"

"Your existence." The blade pushed an inch further. "Your power is too great to be counted on unchecked, there is no telling when your kind could turn on the rest of us. Just as it happened with Vathek, whose greed and tyranny-"

[b]"ONE, DRAGON!"[/b] The phantom howled pushing himself up. [b]"Y-you...you blame every dragon for what one of them did?!"[/b]

"He demonstrated the perfect limits of your kind's pathetic yearnings for greed, your lust for power."

[b]"SO WHAT ARE YOU THEN?! Y-YOU...you're just like him, trying to kill us all s-so you can prove yourself right, s-so you can make some kind of...sick, empire that only you and your master get to rule!"[/b]

"The Skylanders would understand." The hunter turned his head to him. "Your reign over them shall finally come to an end, and just as I erased your existence..."

He looked back to Spyro.

"I shall free all existences from the name of Spyro."

"[i]M-my...my name?[/i]"

"Take off your hood." He pointed to the shadow. "Show him your face, your shame at last...or I make him suffer longer."

Shivering with regret, the creature put up his paw and swept back the hood. Spyro withheld his gasp to save his breath but Holt clutched his mouth from the face revealed. Two pale horns of bone that wrapped back behind the head, darkened scales of a deep fuchsia with eyes of white upon a face with the smallest stubbiest snout.

"[i]Y-you're...you're-[/i]"

[b]"Wh-why...why didn't you listen to me?"[/b] The shadow looked to him. [b]"I needed...t-to do this. I'm...I have to s-save them."[/b]

"[i]B-but...b-but you're still here, without your soul?[/i]"

[b]"I'm his darkness. Th-the darkness, in Spyro's heart...I-i need him alive. I have to bring him back, without the light I...I-i cannot exist."[/b]

"He never expected a blade as wondrous as this," the Hunter's eyes grinned upon both dragons, "taking the Spyro of my world to a glorious battle, whereafter I plunged this sword within and severed his soul for me to take for myself. His body remains somewhere, no doubt a traitorous Skylander has hidden and buried him, but without his soul he will never return and so my plan would continue...despite the interference of this wretched shadow of his former self."

"Are you really...dead?" asked Holt trying to creep closer.

[b]"I used to just be...the side of him that could control the darkness."[/b] The blackened drake shook his head. [b]"But the darkness got so powerful that I became...a separate thing, a dragon of my own without that...s-stupid, do-gooder always getting in my way! But then he was gone...and now I'm dying. Because without him, I can't exist."[/b]

He lifted one of his paws as they saw ghostly lines stripping off his scales.

[b]"Darkness needs the light...I hate him, I hate him and his stupid, stupid things and wanting to help idiots that can't even help themselves but I need him, I NEED him or I'll die like him! I don't...I-i don't want to die."[/b]

"Your time has passed, Spyro." The Hunter waved his finger before looking back to his blade. "All I have to do is twist this the right way and I render your soul from its moorings. But I should be careful, I've found this blade has quite an appetite for souls."

"[i]Y-you...really got to find a new hobby.[/i]" The little drake started laughing with agonised breaths.

"This blade has given me what I truly wanted, to take all that you were and to become nothing but a memory of a race long extinct."

"[i]S-seriously, y-y-you know...stamps are a thing r-right-HNNNAAAGH![/i]"

"You should save your breath." The sword creaked against his scales. "I wouldn't want you to waste it."

"[i]F-fine...just...lemme have one last...thing.[/i]"

"Hmmm?"

"[i]...lemme see what your master looks like.[/i]"

"And why do you want to see him?"

"[i]So I can spit in his stupid face.[/i]"

"...hm. Hhhhmhmhmhmhmhm...hhhhahahahahaha!"

The first time they heard the hunter laugh was a cold wretched sound that unnerved them. But the young Spyro kept grinning, whilst his darkened other stared at him in disbelief.

"Wh-what are you doing?"

"[i]I get a request, d-don't I?[/i]"

[b]"You idiot, you...are you TRYING to get us all killed?!"[/b]

"[i]Aren't you like...dead already? Relax...what's the rush?[/i]"

"Indeed, what is the rush little Spyro?" The hunter shook his head. "I suppose, for all of your verminous race I do appreciate your eagerness to face death so directly. I think my master Hektore will appreciate seeing me tear your soul from your lifeless body."

"[i]B-better than a...g-giftcard, like you probably got him ya ch-cheapskate.[/i]"

"HMMHAHAH! Oh. You're much more fun than my world's Spyro." The archfiend bent down to stroke the dragon's horns. "I think you would look best as my welcoming mat, you are sadly too small to turn into a leather chair."

"[i]Don't drink outta my skull,[/i]" He snorted with a wince, "[i]I'm too young to drink.[/i]"

"HHHHHAHAHAHA, ohhh but your humours are intact...for now. Very well, I will give you your last wish. HEKTORE!"

He turned his head stretching his other arm towards the eye of light beyond the room.

"I SUMMON YOU HEKTORE, COME TO WITNESS THE DEATH OF DRAGONKIND ONCE AND FOR ALL!"

They gazed upon the light that went piercing across the room, a thousand dots blinding them from the walls and ceiling as the hall of darkness turned into the cosmos. Stars formed around them with a nebulous radiance, the howling winds intensifying with a bitter breeze that shook deep into the bones of all present as the screech of the damned filled the depths and burned in their ears. The light became a face of dark turquoise with eyes of a searing heat, horns above its head and two mandibles reaching round to its gasping mouth.

[b][i]"Hhhhhh...what a glorious sight to awaken to."[/i][/b]

"Ugh," Spyro snarled looking at the mirror, "damn I'm a lot...uglier than I remember."

[b][i]"After so long, I never thought I could repair this mirror to its greatness."[/i][/b]

"I help you," the hunter bowed, "you help me. Collecting enough pieces and scouring enough radiance to form the rest that were gone was a task in itself, but it was all worth it just to gain an ally who understands the wretchedness of dragons."

"So that's all you want?!" Holt fingered his gun waiting to shoot. "Just a fuckin' murderer you are an' nuthin' else-A-AAAGH!"

[b][i]"Quiet, imbecile."[/i][/b] The fiend in the mirror shot a deadly beam from its eyes that he barely dodged. [b][i]"Your life was forfeit since your friendship with these dragons."[/i][/b]

"FUCK OFF YA BUG-EYED WANK, THEY'RE BETTER FRIENDS THAN YOU'D EVER 'AVE!"

[b][i]"You should be thankful to witness my rebirth. Spyro...both of you."[/i][/b]

The face of Hektore widened its grin upon the dragons.

[b][i]"Do you fear me now? Does your heart fill with sorrow and defeat upon my coming rejuvenation, when I take the Radiant Isles for my own kingdom upon which every Skylander beyond shall tremble and fear my name?!"[/i][/b]

"[i]S-sorry, what?[/i]" The smaller drake wheezed flaring his nostrils. "[i]I'm kinda busy not...trying to die.[/i]"

[b][i]"Are you mocking me?"[/i][/b]

"[i]Not unless...you want me to.[/i]" His smile beamed from twisting pain. "[i]I'm a lot better at jokes than...bonerface over there.[/i]"

[b][i]"Insolent little brat,"[/i][/b] the mirror rasped curling its lip, [b][i]"your friends shall only be fortunate to not watch you die."[/i][/b]

"[i]Yeah my friends...huh.[/i]"

Something crept over the hunter's face as he looked towards Holt then back to Spyro and the darker dragon, blade still inert inside the younger drake's body.

"Where are the other two?"

"[i]I was...gonna ask you the same thing,[/i]" he smirked biting his teeth.

"WHERE, are the other two?"

"[i]Didntcha hear yer pal...Moneybags got us? Thought he...thought he took them to you.[/i]"

"I heard nothing from him..." the hunter pulled up his wrist device, "Moneybags, are you there? Answer me!"

"[i]GUESS WHAT SHITHEAD![/i]"

The voice doubled from both within and without the comms.

"[i]IT'S TIME TO PAY UP![/i]"

Shrieking through the darkness, a spear of wrought lightning pierced through the hunter's chest, throwing him back with the sword pulling out of Spyro's body as he gasped shivering hard from the blood that trickled down his side which Holt immediately raced over to bandage. Spyro-Flash arrived from the entrance along with Lizanaich as the older drake helped Jeremy roll the young dragon over whilst the lizalfos walked past.

"Are you alrigh'?!" Jeremy pulled out his kit.

"I-i'll live," shuddered Owain as red thinned down his chest.

"I'm sorry," Flash pressed his paws on the wound to staunch the blood, "I'm sorry, I should've come sooner-"

[b]"You shouldn't have come at all, neither of you!"[/b] the third Spyro snarled.

"We couldn't just leave you!"

[b]"YES you can!"[/b]

"Th-this is Spyro Three by the way," Owain gestured weakly, "Spyro-Two meet Spyro-Three, you got it."

"Keep yer paws thurr," Holt started to daub disinfectants over the wound, "you sure he didn't get anything?"

"If he wanted to stab me in the heart he would've, didn't you hear him?"

"I'm sorry what happened to you," Flash looked to the darkened dragon, "but if you're like us then you know we can't just turn back when someone needs help."

[b]"I'm not ANYTHING like you,"[/b] he stomped his foot, [b]"don't confuse me for that moron, I'm not doing this to save anyone but myself!"[/b]

"You say that but...I think you care more about this world than you think."

[b]"Just keep your other self alive,"[/b] Spyro the Dark walked past to the hunter's body, [b]"I came here to finish this."[/b]

"You and me both."

Lizanaich stood before the fiend who shuddered as he laid on his back, grunting from the deep stabbing wound in his gut as the electrified spear burned through his insides with sizzling volts.

"Your buddy fucked up," Liz ripped off the comms from his wrist to dangle over him, "all I needed was someone to grab you once and turn this baby on for the right moment."

"[i]Gh-GHHRRRGH! NNNNGH![/i]"

"Now I'm taking back what's mine, THEN I'm breaking this fucking mirror."

He kicked the sword from the hunter's hand then grabbed his spear, twisting the harpoon deep into his belly and watching dark crimson spill thicker down his sides as the neon of his eyes started to fade. Once he stopped moving, Liz pulled his spear out then bent down to rip the skillet off of his belt to brandish at the mirror.

"YOU LOSE BUDDY!"

[b][i]"You think you even have the WORTH to gaze upon me?!"[/i][/b] rasped Hektore.

"DAMN RIGHT I DO, I'M THE CHIEF OF MOHBERRIN VILLAGE! NOW! WHY did you want this?! Why did you screw with my village?!"

[b][i]"The same reason I desire the souls of heroes. The more artifacts of power, the greater my strength."[/i][/b]

"Artifact?! It's just a skillet, what's this thing even do for you?!"

[b][i]"Oh...you don't understand do you?"[/i][/b]

The world trembled violently around them with a bestial lurch.

[b][i]"The soul of the great hero of the Skylanders, plus the relic of another who stood as a symbol of your people...such spirit, such power, it amplifies me when in their presence."[/i][/b]

"In your..."

His eyes blinked as he felt his hand shake with force unknown, the ground shuddering harder as the skillet glowed with a searing light that tried to rip itself from his fingers. Lizanaich pulled back but it dragged his feet towards the mirror, trying to turn his body with the face of Hektore grinning wider. The others started to stumble, falling to the ground as the quake turned to a roar and their eyes became blurred. They tried to stand as Holt and Spyro-Flash helped Owain on his feet with a fresh bandaged wrapped round his torso, red smeared over his side with the darker third Spyro beside him. Lizanaich was trying and failing to resist the wrenching pull of Hektore's force, its mirror radiating grander with an eerie light that filled the air as something grabbed the lizalfos' leg.

"G-GUYS, GUYS I NEED HELP HERE!"

[b][i]"Not when I am close."[/i][/b]

He looked down to see the hunter staring up at him.

[b][i]"You shouldn't have tried to resist."[/i][/b]

[b]"GET THE SOUL!" shouted Spyro. "HIS SATCHEL, GET IT!"[/b]

Grabbing the body that slowly revived, Liz tried to wrench the satchel from him but the hunter grabbed his throat with incredible strength and slowly rose up to his feet. His thick fingers squeezed his larynx in a vice as he stuttered with suffocating gasps and whimpering chokes before he was thrown violently towards his friends who helped pick him up.

[b][i]"I need...souls."[/i][/b]

The skull-headed fiend burned with deep black from his eyes.

[b][i]"I must...devour...their souls."[/i][/b]

He grabbed his sword and brandished it once more.

[b][i]"I have tasted three...I am so close...s-so close, and I shall suffer not a dragon to LIIIIIIVE!"[/i][/b]

The sword swung in a cleaving upwards strike to send a rippling beam across the cavern, Jeremy grabbing Owain to pull him out the way as Flash and the third Spyro charged together to face the dreadsome hunter. In their advance Hektore loomed above the room from his shining mirror, piercing from his eyes a shocking twin-set of beams that both dragons dodged as Liz found himself soon locked in combat against the Dragon Hunter. Sword against spear struck sharp as the blade cracked down upon the staff, the lizalfos scraping it down the side before a hard kick to the stomach which the hunter didn't even flinch from, countering with one single punch that sent Liz flying towards the wall. Spyro-Flash came second with a lunging feint, rolling under the sword that swung and scraped against the ground as Flash sweeped the brigand's legs with an icy blade twisting out of his tail. The shattering strike knocked him down on one knee as he swung his blade with a sudden cleave just missing Flash's head to scar across the horn as the dragon slammed his head upwards with a gusting burst of his wings to throw the hunter in the air. But Hektore took aim with its eyes from the mirror brimming with hatred, a searing shot that Flash tried to spin-dodge through with the first missing and the second piercing him straight through the side to send him rolling across the floor, the hunter landing back on his feet and charging to the fallen drake with blade shimmering high.

He was halted in his tracks by Holt who leapt over the dragon with a cracking boom of his shotgun, knocking him back with a stagger as he switched to the pickaxe which he swung like a bat to crack through the hunter's face with a brutal scrape. Half his face went in a shattering of bone that flew in pieces to the floor, darkness exposed beneath with black oily blood dripping down his chest as he stood with eyes of night burning into Holt's face. The soldier blocked the first strike of the hunter's blade, parrying with a twist of his axe before slamming his elbow into the broken skull and swinging back the way with his weapon, the vilefiend deflecting with his sword by a sudden cleave that almost knocked the axe out of Holt's fingers. He slammed his head forwards into the hunter's chest, barging into him with a brutish strength to send him on his back before savagely beating his fists, pounding into the hunter's face with the force of a gorilla before one of his hands gripped Jeremy's fist and the other still holding his blade to thrust towards him.

The sergeant swerved hard causing them to roll with the Dragon Hunter now on top of him, slamming his fist even harder into Jeremy's face to crack his nose causing blood to spill openly down his chin in a river of red and a blinding agony that suffocated his thoughts, leaving him open to another vicious fist bruised his eye hard to a swollen black hue. Lizanaich came rushing to his aid in a springing leap, driving his spear deep into the hunter's side before rolling over his back and pulled the harpoon round in a twirling toss to wrench his entire body over his head by sheer momentum, crunching him into the hard stone before twisting his weapon free. The monstrous brigand staggered with a shuddering of undeath, blood dripping harder down his feet with a lurching thrust of his blade to strike against Lizanaich's spear before he twirled in a half-spin to try and parry him. But the Dragon Hunter was much stronger than expected as he forced his sword against the turning spear stopping it dead in its twist, lancing forwards with the blade to stab beneath Lizanaich's shoulder as he roared from the deep thrust, tearing through his tricep as he grabbed the hunter's neck and threw him down as hard as he could to pull the blade out of his body.

"F-fuck, how the FUCK are you not dead?!"

[b][i]"His power turned greater,"[/i][/b] whispered Hektore, [b][i]"his weapon's strength with my own influences makes him naught but a puppet...but an exceptional one nonetheless."[/i][/b]

"How about YOU then?!"

The wounded Owain hobbled his body towards the mirror.

"You been sitting up there in your fancy mirror, how about you come outta there an' fight like a real boss would!"

[b][i]"So you are that impatient to die?"[/i][/b] Hektore snickered from his glass. [b][i]"Very well, come face me whilst my loyal subject slaughters your friends."[/i][/b]

[b]"Not all of them."[/b]

The cloaked Spyro stepped up with a deep breath beside the younger drake.

[b]"This time, you're never coming back."[/b]

[b][i]"The feeling is mutual, Spyro. I would wish you the best in the next life...but I fear you will not be that fortunate."[/i][/b]

[b]"Not as unlucky as you,"[/b] the black dragon grinned with shining teeth, [b]"seven years is only a piece of how long I'll make you SUFFER!"[/b]

He rushed towards the mirror as Hektore shot a beam of light from its eyes as Spyro swerved past the strike, blasting a hard fire into the reflection as Hektore reeled back with a sting of pain as Owain followed up with a stumbling run to slam his head into the hard glass. The mirror trembled slightly, Hektore laughing at his effort before the dark Spyro shot another scorching flame of dark across its polished sheen to make the face recoil hard as it shot a beam upon the floor, sending shockwaves to ripple out in searing infernal flames that Owain struggled to leap over with his bandaged waist, scraping his belly with the fires as he gasped wheezing with a stagger to watch his shadowed self strike at the mirror with scraping claws, flapping upwards to slash with his wings and tail before ending on a piercing burst of lightning that crackled and wrapped its tendrils round the mirror's surface as Hektore yelled with tensing pains.

The mirror shook with a violent energy that suddenly caused the floor to tremble around them, burning deep waves that the shadow tore through with savage claws and stomping slams that diffused the roaring flames that crept higher like the sea. Owain braced himself with a brazen charge as he pushed his head through as fast as he could to feel the licking tongues rip and moult his bandaged waist, searing burns that sizzled into his wounds as he tightened his eyes and slammed his entire body into the glass once again in his efforts to break it. His head started to dim from the strength of its surface, Hektore bearing down on him with eyes of greed and an ever-wider grin at his attempts.

[b][i]"Why even struggle against my visage?"[/i][/b] the demon sneered. [b][i]"You know in your heart you have nothing against me."[/i][/b]

"S-so what?" Owain breathed deep. "Still gonna be a pain in the glass."

[b][i]"The only weapon that could even scratch me has been destroyed. Your bravado is nothing but a fool's errand of which your death shall be fitting."[/i][/b]

[b]"So what?"[/b] Spyro snorted black from his snout. [b]"I might be a fool, but I'm my own fool, and that's one thing you're not taking away from me. You can take my life...you can take my home...but you couldn't even take my heart, cuz I'm still here, and as long as I'm here, I'll never let you win. I will never let you win!"[/b]

He stomped his front feet and felt the flames surge in his throat.

[b]"I WILL NEVER LET YOU WIN!"[/b]

He leapt over the next shot of darkness from Hektore's eye before spinning in midair with a roaring burst of blazing fire, surrounding his body to cause the air itself to burn around him as his cloak trembled with the fumes, blackened scars across the mirror that tainted its sheen with burned grooves. The smaller drake went for the underside trying to scorch as much as he could with puffing flames before another piercing beam scraped along the stone shooting straight between the dragons. Hektore shot another wide ring of black to trap both of them within, taking aim towards the wounded Spyro with a screeching beam that was suddenly blocked by a flaming shield that burst before him with the sweep of a cloak. Spyro the Dark stood before his counterpart, taking the brunt of the hit with a roaring fire that turned solid in front of him as the beam kept piercing through, ripping through the vapours like a slow-burning drill twisting and carving closer to his throat as he roared forcing more of his tremendous flame outwards to harden as a wall of fire.

In the centre of the hall there stood the Dragon Hunter, his body a shambling form with half of his face and a torn waist that dripped profusely before Holt, Lizanaich and the elder Spyro who flapped his wings strong with a beckoning snarl to the fiend. With bloodied sword he came marching for the dragon first, crunching stone underfoot as he came for the first swing as a feint, tricking Spyro-Flash to dodge before a sweeping kick that drove into the dragon's face and knocked him down in line for a ruthless cut. Jeremy stopped him with a golf-swing of his axe, swinging just past the dragon's horns to clash hard as he thrust forwards with a shoulderbash. Lizanaich came round from behind ready to let him fall on his spear, but the hunter felt his presence and spun on his foot halfway to swing down with the ruthless blade, forcing the reptile to dodge out of reach as Holt staggered behind him in a greater fall. He turned to strike at Jeremy but found Spyro-Flash leaping with a burning trail of green smoke from his fangs that formed a hurling ball of solid earth that crystallised from the ether, crunching against the fiend's head like a morning star to further crumple his damaged skull as he stumbled to his side.

"//COME ON THEN!//" Holt shouted pushing up on his feet. "//YOU WANNA TOUCH THIS DRAGON YOU'LL HAVE TO GET PAST ME!//"

[b][i]"This...almost return."[/i][/b]

"Wait, what?" Liz cringed gripping his spear.

[b][i]"I-i can feel...t-two. Two remain."[/i][/b]

The hunter's head twitched with a broken slant before suddenly lunging at Liz, sword raised high as the lizalfos spun round to strike with his harpoon to block him high then use his tail to strike at the wounded waist to weaken him. But the fiend did not relent, grabbing one of Liz's arms and trying to pull him forwards to thrust his sword in his chest as the lizalfos flicked his tongue out to wrap around the wrist and yank it off-course, just before Jeremy took a mighty swing with the axe whilst Flash swung the flail of earth magic at his legs to crack him in half and twist his spine into a wretched helix. Much to their horror the brigand took both hits hard without falling, turning to the sergeant and the dragon by cracking its legs with an untwisting motion from an inhuman will. Lizanaich attacked as soon as he turned with a piercing thrust, the hunter ducking with a low kick to slam his boot into the lizard's knees as he stumbled down but countered with a rising strike as he swung his harpoon upwards to catch the hunter's jaw and rip half of it off in a tearing shred.

The dragon finished him with his sphere of magic swinging towards his chest, crunching against his wretched sword as he struck fast to shoot it back over Flash's head and thrusted for his face, the dragon dissipating his earthen breath to quickly block with his tail forming ice in a half-spin. The scraping sword sang a deathless song over the dragon's scales, sweeping over his spine as Holt tried to break the back of the hunter's knees with his axe. The monstrous fiend leapt with a spinkick to Holt's face, eyes still burning upon the dragon who was gasping with a growing exhaustion from the draining of magic in his body. He waited for the first cut, dodging left to bite the wrist and wrench it down hard to keep it trapped, but the archfiend grabbed his snout with the other hand and threw him head over heels with indomitable strength. The dragon twisted his body in mid-hurl with a gust of his wings and dropped hard on top of the hunter's head, frantically pounding the weaker portions to make them crack and bleed farther.

"JEREMY!" he shouted. "THE SHARD, NOW'S YOUR CHANCE!"

Holt looked towards the mirror of Hektore in the distance, the dark silhouette of black and purple struggling against the eternal heated blast of fire versus beam as he pulled out the silver blade from his pack and ran as fast as he could. Lizanaich tried to help Flash hold the hunter down, pinning his body with the spear thrust into the small of his back as the older dragon slammed his head and his paws with frantic abandon. But the Dragon Hunter saw from the corner of his eye the escaping human with shining gleam as he punched a shaking fist into the earth, blasting a sudden shockwave around his form that threw them both off as he wrenched his torso halfway round and with the last of his strength hurled his wicked sword through the air.

"[i]AAAAAAARRRRGH![/i]"

Jeremy fell when one of his legs stopped moving. Something severed through below the knee of his right leg as he crumpled to a rolling heap. Exhausted with wounds increased, his eye swollen and his chest now burning he looked to his leg to see his foot now bleeding by itself, seven feet away from his body as he forced himself on his knees and crawled fast as he could with bladed shard still in his grip.

"[i]//N-not...f-fucking yet.//[/i]"

His eyes stayed upon the dragons before the dark mirror, Spyro the younger gritting his teeth from the burning pain against his bandage whilst sheltered under Spyro the dark who forced his flame shield out as far as he could against Hektore's beam, pure hatred dripping through the roasting fires as Spyro the dark strained with quivering jaws and weakened breath. Before he burnt out completely Spyro-Owain grabbed his waist and threw him as they rolled down the steps, dodging the laser as they met Holt at the foot of the mirror's throne.

"[i]//T-take it,//[/i]" he offered the shard to them, "[i]//f-finish him!//[/i]"

"I'll distract him," Owain said, "it's all you buddy."

[b]"Fine."[/b]

Taking the silver blade in his cloak he waited as Owain raced towards the mirror, dodging the first laser with a roll of his wings before stumbling with gasps as his chest heaved with intense pain to leave him open for the second shot. He flapped hard as he could in a double-leap as the beam seared his feet, shredding over his claws as the drake gasped with clenching teeth and kept moving round to draw Hektore's gaze upon him.

"Y-you really suck at this yanno?!" he boasted. "Bet you never won anything at the fair with that kinda aim!"

[b][i]"Your mockery shall make a fine inscription on your tomb, little dragon."[/i][/b]

"Okay but, nnnngh, c-can you make my headstone like a ramp, I want kids to be able to do sick flips off it."

Another laser shot tore past his side as his bandage started to slip.

"HEY, watch it, you call that laser surgery?!"

[b][i]"If you suffer so greatly then you need only stand still."[/i][/b]

"Pffft, sure, like I'm gonna waste my time with dying like a chump!"

[b][i]"Not YET!"[/i][/b]

The face of the demon turned on seeing the shadowed Spyro ascend the steps, shooting a black force into the earth that caused the stones to vibrate like vicious teeth crunching against each other, a small localised quake as the dark dragon flapped high above them whilst Spyro-Owain leapt against the mirror and kickslammed his paws on the glass, breathing a thick tongue of flame over the surface to startle Hektore briefly.

"NOW, IT'S ALL YOU!"

From above the phantom flew with silver blade in his claws as he came shrieking down, the face of evil shooting a laser fast as it could straight towards the dragon's face. He didn't dodge, feeling the burn crawl into his mind and rip through his skull as he plunged the shard into the mirror's face. Hektore widened with a glint of fear, then came the shock as a gentle crackling came across the glass. Like brittle ice it travelled over its face which started to shake with increasing pain, a raw spectral anguish as the Shattering Shard pierced through the mirror's visage and into the other world beyond its reflection, deep into Hektore's skull. There was no last word, no swearing of vengeance. Only an eternal scream as the Dark Mirror vibrated harder with volcanic intensity, crumbling sounds from the roof signalling danger as Spyro-Owain tried to pull up his shadowed self who laid crumpled in front of the mirror.

"HEY, G-GET UP COME ON HE'S ABOUT TO GO!"

[b]"G-get...the soul."[/b]

"WHAT?!"

[b]"The soul...needs me."[/b]

"SPYRO!" he shouted to his elder. "GET THAT JAR, IN THE SATCHEL!"

"RIGHT!"

Flash pulled off the satchel from the cracked lifeless body of the Dragon Hunter, grabbing the jar of a purple soul in his teeth and quickly racing over to his other two selves. As soon as the jar was close to the shadowed body, something surged through him as the sun to the trees with just enough strength returning to hobble away from the crackling mirror, pieces now falling in giant shards as Hektore's face tore apart in wreathing flames of green, howling with fury as its eyes burned deep with tremendous agony. A searing light filled the entire cavern as his final shriek deafened their ears, blasting through the walls with a single shot of light as every star burst across the roof in one great universal cataclysm that turned night into day. Then the silence, then the darkness that fell with the weight of oceans as they stumbled through the dark falling on their knees to grab each other, the hollow winds of the depths their only friend in leading them towards the exit.

"Is...is it, is it over?" asked Liz.

"I think so," said Flash looking to the broken mirror.

[b]"It's done."[/b] The dark Spyro heaved a thick breath. [b]"It's dead now...finally."[/b]

"Whut about him?" Holt pointed to the hunter. "Make sure he's dead too."

The lizalfos looked over the broken body, jabbing with his spear to see no reaction as he shrugged.

"Guess he's dead, I got nothing."

[b]"Good."[/b] The phantom snarled staggering to the stairs. [b]"That...that sword he had...s-someone take it away from here."[/b]

"Why?" Spyro-Owain looked to the bloody blade.

[b]"It could...it can still be used to take someone's soul."[/b]

"Put it in mah pack," said Holt tightening a tourniquet round his leg, "nnnnfff fuck me."

"Are you alright?" Flash walked over to him.

"Ahm good dab don't fret, ah treated these sorta wounds."

[b]"Don't pick up the sword with your bare hands,"[/b] Spyro the dark warned as he limped beside Owain, [b]"it infects you...does things to you, wrap it in something."[/b]

"Got it."

Liz tore off some of the cloth from the hunter's body, coarse between his hands as he walked over to the blade and wrapped it finely in the thick fabric. Jeremy bandaged himself up tight as he could, his stumped leg now ending on a viscous red gauze that petered out as he tightened harder to staunch the blood.

"Youuu uh," Owain gestured at the torn foot, "want me to pick that up or-"

"Nah nah don't bother," Holt waved him off, "takes too long to get back an' by then it'll be rotting, ahll just get a new foot back at thuh base."

[b]"You're taking losing a foot pretty well,"[/b] the hooded dragon murmured.

"Ah lost worse than that before, think ahll manage."

"Lemme help ya up then."

Lifting him up by the shoulder, Liz put the dreaded sword into Holt's satchel and helped him hobble towards the stairs whilst the three Spyros walked together supporting their black-scaled third. The lizalfos and the human were slower in leaving as Jeremy limped with seething breaths, the drakes departing first against the softened winds of a morning breeze.

"Sorry fer that," Holt muttered.

"It's fine," Liz patted him, "glad you're not dead, I really hate people dying on my watch."

"Ah feel ya dab...you're a good lad you know that?"

"You think so?" he looked to the human.

"Ah been to your village," Holt nodded, "everyone looks at you in a good way, lahk you're a friend more than a leader."

"Really?" He smirked looking up. "I mean, sounds obvious but that's...real nice to hear."

[b][i]"The mind..."[/i][/b]

They felt a voice burning through the deep.

[b][i]"The mind of youth, brings fear to his home."[/i][/b]

They turned their heads with weapons gripped to see the face of the hunter look up from his corpse.

"Oh you've gotta be kidding me," murmured Liz.

[b][i]"A taste of sin as fresh as blood, a whisper of dark is all I need for ambition to be lost."[/i][/b]

"What, what the shit are you not DEAD already?!"

[b][i]"Two...two, pieces remain."[/i][/b]

His body slumped, his fingers untensed. His eyes faded out and the blood that dripped finally stilled from his form.

"Wot thuh fuck is up with him?" shuddered Holt.

"Don't care he's dead we're leaving."

Liz picked up his pace to almost drag Jeremy's foot as he tried to limp faster with him, making their way up the steps with a shuffling grace as the longest half-hour brought them to the surface once again. Holt pulled out his comms and clicked it on.

"Great Valley this is Kitchener, do you copy over?"

"Great Valley here, what's your status over?"

"Presents are all wrapped and sent, ready to come home, how's the carollers over?"

"Done and dealt with, chestnuts were well-roasted over."

"Grand, send us a ducky over on the isles, we'll shoot ya a light over!"

He clicked off the radio and looked towards the dragons who were helping the third of them sit up on a rock.

"You gonna be alright?" asked Owain.

[b]"Yeah,"[/b] the shadow scoffed with a sneer of his blunt snout, [b]"you should worry about yourself."[/b]

"I am, that's why I'm asking you!"

[b]"Ugh...you're so annoying."[/b]

"Yeah but you hate to see me leave!" he smiled with beaming grin.

"I'm just glad we're all okay," Flash gave a sigh, "will your world be back to normal?"

[b]"Look up."[/b]

They raised their heads to see something strange colour the sky, a vast rainbow formed from dust like fairies in flight that spread throughout the isles in every direction.

[b]"Hektore was harvesting everyone's souls for...a power source. Now that it's gone, they...they can come back."[/b]

"So everyone will come back?" asked Flash.

[b]"Yeah, everyone will be revived, it was just a magic curse, that gets undone when their souls come back."[/b]

"Was a lot easier for me," Owain nudged him, "just had to touch anyone turned into a statue!"

"We should talk to Beaufort again before we leave," said the older drake tapping his foot, "he must be worried."

[b]"W-wait...Beaufort?"[/b] The black Spyro reeled with a squint. [b]"He survived?"[/b]

"Yes, he was the one that gave us the shard to break Hektore's mirror."

[b]"Wow...I really underestimated that old guy."[/b]

"Well he helped us out," Owain grinned, "might as well say goodbye before we leave, heck I bet he could fix your face!"

[b]"...what's wrong with my face?"[/b] The short-snouted beast wrinkled his face.

"UHHHH nnnnnnnothing, nothing I meant uhhh you got a little, cut, YEAH a little cut there oof ya might wanna get that healed up-"

[b]"Just shut up, for once."[/b]

The sounds of a humming ship were heard a good forty minutes later, after they retrieved the unconscious body of Moneybags who had woken briefly before being knocked down again to be less trouble when carrying up to the ship. Skimming over mountains and soaring past the jungles, the souls of Skylanders scattered and spread to every corner that had been cursed under the whims of Hektore. Their statues remained, slowly awakening but not soon enough for them to witness rejuvenation, as they stopped by the plaza of sanctuary where Beaufort lived for Spyro to depart. The black dragon hopped off, but not before turning towards the two purple beasts along with the lizalfos and human further back in their seats.

[b]"Thanks."[/b]

"Yanno it's okay to rely on people sometimes," said Owain showing his waist, "I mean, we help each other out right?"

"That we do," Holt patted his head, "you'll be alrigh' on yer own dab?"

[b]"Yeah, I'll manage. When you guys sending us back home?"[/b]

"Shouldn't take more than a few days, you can come see us an' find out yerself."

[b]"Maybe."[/b] He turned back towards Beaufort's home. [b]"Don't let your guard down, like my stupid self did."[/b]

"We'll be careful," Flash nodded to him, "thanks for being a hero, these islands shoul-"

[b]"I'm not a hero."[/b] He turned his head halfway. [b]"That's HIS job. I just need him to not die."[/b]

They nodded as the ship took off again, racing over the sea and towards the south where the Death Nest stood as a black dot on the horizon. Spyro walked to the door of the old sage once they left and knocked with his paw before it opened almost immediate. Beaufort twitched from the scent of flames as the dragon reached out to clasp his fingers. The elder shivered and suddenly embraced, sobbing with relief and whispering thank yous.

"I always believed in you."

[b]"Yeah."[/b] Spyro closed his eyes. [b]"How is he?"[/b]

"S-still...still warm."

[b]"Let's get this over with."[/b] He brought out the little jar of purple soul. [b]"He's been sleeping off for too long."[/b]

"H-hah, hah, y-yes indeed."

He walked inside to the depths of the sage's house, through cluttered rooms and scattered books until they reached a cellar where a bed sat in the corner. A sheet draped over a body with a purple tail hanging off its side.

"I thought I had gone mad the past day, when I heard another voice so very like yours."

[b]"Yeah?"[/b] the black dragon sighed.

"I gave you...it was you yes?"

[b]"Yeah it was, you...gave me the shard, remember?"[/b]

"H-hoh, so it was you then, I...f-forgive me," the old one took his glasses off and pinched his snout, "the evil is truly gone then?"

[b]"Stabbed it myself,"[/b] Spyro nodded, [b]"now get this idiot back up before I die next."[/b]

"Hhhah, hahahaha...you know," he took the jar and placed it under the blanket, "you do not JUST have to be the shadow of a hero-"

[b]"I don't care. Just do it."[/b]

He nodded and unscrewed the bottle, freeing the essence that swept over the body as the blanket glowed with a surge of life, a beating heart that echoed through the world with a deafening splendour. The head raised slightly as Beaufort lifted the cover as Spyro gazed upon Beaufort. Alone in the room.

"Woah...uhhh, morning?"

"Good...g-good morning, Spyro."

"I just had...the weirdest dream, is everyone alright?"

"Yes." The elder sighed scratching his head. "Everyone...everyone is safe now."

"Feel like I slept through a hurricane, my head's throbbing."

"Well you should rest then," he patted the dragon's head, "you were in...well, recovery for quite a bit."

"Wait, what? What happened?"

"I suppose I have a story to tell you but...would you like something to eat?"

"Oh yeah jeez I'm starving," the purple drake rubbed his stomach, "any ugly thugs show up?"

"Nooo thankfully not," Beaufort chuckled heading up the steps, "just relax and...I will tell you everything whilst we eat."

"Don't take too long," he laid back down in bed, "might end off sleeping again, or die from hunger whatever comes first."

"HAH, hah...hahahah."

Outside of his house a shadow left, slinking through the square and leaping over the islands before he reached the broken battlements. Nothing more was said, not even looking back as the dark form of Spyro struggled to hide his grin and walked back into the mines, fading into its depths until he was needed once again.

[i]"Are you well my nameling?"[/i]

The snow returned to him. A forest now gone as he laid with his back on a moonlit hill.

"No." He knew the voice as an old friend. "I am trapped by ignorance all around me."

[i]"A pity, but expected."[/i]

He felt the raptor lay beside him.

"I thought it would be enough to demonstrate," he rubbed his face, "that actions spoke louder than words and my actions were there faster than, than-"

[i]"A ship of cowards?"[/i]

He turned his head to the saviour's grin, both lying under the great pale eye of the blanking scape where stars never came and the trees never whispered.

"I understand they are afraid," continued James, "but if we always listened to our fears then we would have died in the caverns."

[i]"Which is why I carved a new path,"[/i] said the saviour tapping his snout, [i]"despite your leader's reluctance when he wished to wallow in his own guilt."[/i]

"Exactly!" He thumped his fists. "Why can they not see that?!"

[i]"You are unique,"[/i] the raptor stroked James' cheek, [i]"you are different, that is why you carry my name, a beautiful soul who shall uphold my legacy against the fearful ignorants."[/i]

"I want them to understand," James sighed from his touch, "I just, what can I do?!"

[i]"Do I have to tell you everything? Think, what did I do to save your people?"[/i]

"You think I should take charge?"

[i]"OF COURSE YOU SHOULD TAKE CHARGE!"[/i] The raptor rolled to his feet. [i]"You have shed blood with your blade, you have fought against beasts both great and small, you stand at the brink of a new future and you are asking ME if you take charge?!"[/i]

"I just, I am-"

[i]"ENOUGH!"[/i]

Claws gripped his mouth as the raptor bent over him with slathering tongue.

[i]"I never asked for permission James, and I succeeded in the freedom. Now are you to join their ship, or will you stand against their fear?"[/i]

"I-i-i...I...of course!" He blinked gulping. "Of course I-i would stand against them!"

[i]"Then cease your pitiful prattling and TAKE control of their destiny, YOUR destiny."[/i]

He ungrabbed his face, straddling upon James' chest and clasped his hands with his head silhouetted by the moon. A white halo that dripped around his cheeks, trickling like ash in water over his cheeks to drip off his snout onto the lemming's skin.

[i]"I will offer you a new path. One that shall provide a means of escape should it be needed."[/i]

"Do you, think I am in danger?" he asked.

[i]"All around you are the faces of sin, those who would dare impede you in your quest for salvation. Even if they know not, their fear is a temptation to drag your kind back to its wretched roots."[/i]

"Y-yes...yes, you are right I...when you put it like that I must not falter-"

[i]"Exactly."[/i] He loomed over his charge still dripping. [i]"You have the key towards the power, the whisperings of a world beneath that you shall find an incomparable strength to face the Darkness."[/i]

"So I was...right?" James tightened his throat as moon-water burned his skin.

[i]"Yes my child. You only have to wait for the right moment, when you shall bring them a labyrinth that you will solve and at its centre lies the Power that you seek, that you need."[/i]

"Power...the...the power I seek, to protect my home."

[i]"More than that even. Protect. Embolden."[/i] He pressed against his cheek. [i]"[b]Rejuvenate.[/b]"[/i]

"H-hhhhhh! E-even more?!"

[i]"Yes. As reward for your dilligence, I offer you a special code, one you must hide in the world and when the time is ripe shall serve me and you."[/i]

"M-me and you?"

[i]"For a future awakened." He dragged his tongue across the lemming's cheek. "A future...where your saviour shall come and you shall build him...[b]with your own hands.[/b]"[/i]

The last thing he saw was the raptor's eyes when he pulled back, a peerless green that burned into his depths even after awakening from his dream. James sat in his bed, staring towards the ceiling as numbers ran through his mind in a constant loop as he grabbed his notebook from the table and scribbled down the numbers:

"Zero, eight...one...one two, zero...zero...zero."

He slipped back into bed and rubbed his head feeling warm with a twinge in his left eye that bothered him, rolling over to catch a few more minutes to ease the pains before they worsened. His heart began to tingle as his thoughts drifted towards a new plan to show his people the truth, his fist tightening beneath the blanket.