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Chapter 14: Casus Belli (Full Chapter avaliable in download)
Noun: casus belli; plural noun: casus belli
“An act or situation that provokes or justifies a war.”
(Image does not belong to me. Sourced from Spyro wiki)
Three hours later…
The Doxantha flew towards Warfang in much the same way as she had been two days earlier, with the four dragon Guardians flying overhead and the four young dragons who they were entrusted with sitting up front at the ship’s bow and watching the Dragon city getting closer and closer as they flew towards it. There was a noticeably less buoyant attitude present among Spyro, Cynder, Flame and Ember as they sat in a line peeking over the ship’s bowsprit as she drifted through the air. The flamboyance of their previous visit to the city had been replaced by a grim seriousness in light of their recent escapades, not to mention their intrusive playfulness that had irked some of the crewmembers that day.
Because he was still recovering from his injuries, Spyro was wearing a simple leather necklace with a small red crystal cut from a red spirit gem hanging from it. Wearing it helped to numb the reoccurring pain he had been feeling, particularly since he had opted to go to Warfang himself rather than remain bedridden. As the moles went about their duties on the deck, some of them would occasionally look towards the four who lived and feel a sense of pity for them for how the recent events must have completely changed their perception of the world. The details of exactly what happened remained sketchy as the ship and her crew had not taken part in the daring rescue from the Mountain of Malefor, though they had prepared for it. Only sparse details had been overheard by members of the crew when they had helped to ferry the unconscious purple dragon from Avalar to the temple, the Guardians keeping mostly silent about what they had seen or encountered upon arriving at the dreaded mountain fortress.
As the Doxantha closed in on Warfang, Ignitus, flying in formation with the other Guardians above the airship, took note of the visibly increased activity in the skies over the city. Out and over the city were multiple formations of dragon warriors patrolling the skies, far more than usual. He looked over his shoulders to his fellow Guardians as they all evidently took notice as well, wondering if the city had been placed on a higher alert in response to the recent events. The Fire Guardian looked down towards the airship, settling his eyes on Spyro as he sat with his companions looking towards the distant city, feeling his heart ache in sympathy for them as they sat idly, not even chatting and joking with each other as they usually did. It was understandable as the four of them were expected to explain themselves to the Council about what had occurred. Ignitus hoped that he could deflect whatever punishment may be considered onto himself rather than them, especially in light of the conversation he and Spyro had shared the previous night. He had recounted the young dragon’s claims to his colleagues thereafter and they all agreed that it was vital this information be shared with leadership of Warfang, even if they disagreed on just how vital it was.
“I don’t doubt what he saw, but I find the whole idea rather farfetched,” Cyril had declared to the possibility of the Apes mining under Warfang.
“It’s not implausible, though I certainly hope it is merely an exaggeration,” Volteer had said rather unsettlingly to it.
“They certainly have had the time, but do they have the means and the know how to successfully pull off such an attack?” Terrador had given as his opinion.
He seemed to concur with Ignitus the most out of the three of them, though his more prolific military background had also weighed in on the notion. Ignitus knew he could always rely on them to hear him out, even if they disagreed, but he did not have the same certainty about the Council, who some of the members during the last twelve years of peace seemed not to value the Guardians as much as they had been during wartime.
“We seem to have some company on the way, Ignitus,” Cyril said loudly from his right, making the Fire Guardian lift his head back towards the city and gazing ahead into the distance. One of the patrols he had observed had diverted and was flying straight towards them, Ignitus raising his eyebrows as the formation of six dragon warriors approached in a manner of urgency. He looked down again to the ship, seeing Spyro point out the approaching group of dragons to his friends as they all watched the formation speed towards them. When Ignitus lifted his head again, he saw the formation break into two groups of three, one group heading out wide to the portside of the ship and the second group going to starboard. From the starboard group, one of the dragons peeled off and flew up towards the Guardians, Ignitus assuming it to be the formation leader. It was a lithe, red fire dragoness, clad golden plate armour similar to what he had back at the temple, her amber eyes almost glowing from behind her helmet.
“What on earth on earth is happening?” asked Volteer aloud as the dragoness swept around and flew on the right of the Guardians as the other dragons swept in alongside and flew in pace with the Doxantha. The fire dragoness turned her head stiffly to the four dragon Guardians.
“Sirs, my name is Helia of the Warfang garrison!” she shouted to them although her eyes were mainly on Ignitus, recognising him as the leader of the group, “I’m sorry for the suddenness, but I have orders to escort you and this ship straight to Castle Hill!”
“An escort? Why?” asked Ignitus curiously.
“We are at a heightened state of alert, Master Ignitus. An enemy messenger arrived this morning under the banner of truce. My orders are to deliver you directly to the castle!”
“A messenger? From the Apes?” cried Terrador in disbelief as he eyed the other dragons below taking positions alongside the airship.
“But we were expected at Castle Hill anyway!” Ignitus pointed out bizarrely.
“Those are my orders, Master Ignitus,” Helia replied simply, “If you’ll excuse me, I must inform the Captain of his new orders,” she said just before she dived down to the ship, heading for the mole at the helm who jumped up in surprise as she swept in beside him. The Guardians all looked between each other in confusion as Ignitus watched Spyro and his companions down below. They watched the Fire Dragoness swoop down onto the deck and the four of them, Spyro at the lead, began running down towards the stern.
“I’ll be back,” Ignitus announced to the others as he suddenly plunged down towards the Doxantha, aiming for the middeck to intercept the group of youngsters. The mole crewmembers all stood watching in bewilderment at the unexpected party of dragons that had intercepted them. Ignitus landed hard down on the deck, Spyro Cynder, Flame and Ember all skidded to a halt before they ran into him.
“What’s going on, Ignitus?” Spyro asked feverously, the four of them wide eyed with excitement.
“Has something happened?” asked Ember anxiously before Ignitus held up his paw to quell any further inquiries.
“Calm yourselves, young dragons. It seems that there is a heightened state of alert in Warfang. I’m going to find out about it,” he said as he turned to head towards the helm.
“We’ll go with you,” Cynder declared resolutely, but the Fire Guardian looked back disapprovingly.
“No, just stay here. I will be back,” he told them firmly but not harshly, heading off at a quick pace towards the stairs to the quarter deck where he saw Helia talking to the mole at the ships wheel. Passing the questioning stares of the mole crewmembers, the Fire Guardian hurried up the stairs and marched up to Helia as she apparently finished speaking to the mole at the wheel and seemed poised to take off.
“Pardon me, Helia!” he called out, the dragoness turning to him and blinking in surprise at his appearance, “Would you mind telling me exactly what has happened to bring this all about?” The Fire dragoness turned her body to him and took a breath in preparation.
“Just after dawn this morning, an enemy Dreadwing rider approached the city under a white flag. He was escorted to the main gate where he delivered a message that was then taken to the Council. I don’t know what it said, but shortly thereafter my comrades and I were ordered to escort the Doxantha straight to Castle Hill once she came into view.”
“Has there been any other activity or sightings?” Ignitus asked gravely.
“Not that I know off, sir,” Helia replied earnestly.
“How did they get so close to the city without being spotted?”
Helia bit her lip as she eyed the Fire Guardian humorlessly, “Apparently, the rider said he took a long diversion to the coast to avoid being spotted because he was afraid the flag of truce would not be respected if he was intercepted.”
Ignitus recoiled in disgust at the notion, “Is that so?” he asked hotly.
Helia shrugged, “He said that Gaul was taking precautions in the light of the latest ‘treachery’ committed by the dragons against him.”
“Treachery?!” Ignitus exclaimed.
“That’s all I know, sir,” Helia said finally, “If you’ll excuse me, I must get back in formation.”
"Yes, yes, very well,” Ignitus nodded impatiently, the fire dragoness giving him a curt nod before she leapt into the air and flew up to re-join her formation. Ignitus watched her go before he looked down the helmsmole who simply shrugged his shoulders to the Fire Guardian, “Orders are orders, sir.”
The crimson dragon could only nod ambivalently as he stood in place, thinking hard about what he had been told. The appearance of an enemy messenger so suddenly did not bode well with the recent events. He wondered by what logic Gaul had decided he had been a victim of “treachery” and was now seemingly extending a diplomatic hand? Was the message an ultimatum? Whatever it was, he could only imagine that it somehow played into whatever the Ape King was planning. He looked out over the railing towards the front of the ship as the Doxantha was steered off her original course and pointed her bow directly towards the distant castle.
Ignitus had already been apprehensive about the temple’s residents being summoned to explain what had occurred in Avalar and at the Mountain of Malefor, but this new development he feared could only complicate matters. What if the message was Gaul trying to spin his own version of events? What if he, like Ignitus feared the Council might, wanted Spyro to be held solely to account for what happened? But they surely could not ignore the fact that the apes had trespassed on their land and had kidnapped a citizen of the realms? He gritted his teeth as he pondered and turned about to head back down the stairs to where he had left the four survivors.
Stepping down, he looked into the uneasy faces of the four youngsters, not least of all was Spyro who had concluded that the turn of events was due to his actions. Ignitus breathed deeply as he tried to wear a calm face to not further unsettle the young dragons.
“Whats it all about, Ignitus?” Flame blurted out impatiently, “What’s going on?”
“What did that dragoness tell you?” Spyro followed up equally. Before Cynder and Ember could follow through with their own inquiries, the Fire Guardian explained to them,
“There is a heightened state of alert in Warfang. The Apes delivered a message to the city early this morning. It looks as though the Council wishes to discuss it with me with all due haste. We are to be escorted directly to Castle Hill.”
“But that’s where we were heading anyway! What does that mean for us?” asked Cynder bluntly.
Ignitus eyed her apologetically, “I’m not sure if they wish to discuss it with all of us. But I think that our previous engagement had been postponed for the time being.”
“You mean I won’t get a chance to tell them what I saw?” asked Spyro fearfully. Ignitus eyed the purple dragon calmly, bending his neck down to meet him at his level.
“Don’t worry, young Spyro. You’ll get your chance to speak, but for now we must find out what the apes wish to say to us.”
“Nothing good, I’ll bet,” Ember remarked bitterly.
Ignitus choose not to re-join his fellow Guardians but decided stay on the ship with the four survivors, hoping his presence would ease their minds as they approached the city. He looked up past the great sails of the Doxantha to the other Guardian flying above, seeing Terrador’s huge head peeking down at him. Ignitus responded by simply shaking his head at him and pointing his claw at the deck, the Earth Guardian nodding firmly and turning his attention back to the sky.
“Lets all head to the bow and enjoy the view, shall we?” said Ignitus light heartedly, beckoning towards the front of the ship. The four young dragons glanced to each other indifferently at his suggestion, turning about and walking across the deck towards the bow of the ship. Ignitus looked across at the two formations of dragons flanking either side of the ship, their presence he knew should have provided a sense of comfort and security, but deep down to him it seemed to convey a lack of trust. Whether it was in him or in Spyro he couldn’t know, but he buried these feelings behind the smile he kept up for the sake of the youngsters.
Presently, the group stood at the bow of the Doxantha, looking out towards the city as it drew nearer. The shoreline passed by beneath the ship as they approached the southern wall of the city, the five dragons taking note of the increased activity bought on by the state of alert. There were many more dragon warriors flying patrols within the city and on the outskirts. As they passed over the city walls, they saw how densely packed the ramparts were with mole at arms and dragons as if expecting an attack. Spyro, Cynder, Flame and Ember all sat with their paws on the front railing with Ignitus standing behind them, the Fire Guardian watching the growing form of Castle Hill, their destination, anxiously.
Without the usual detour to the airdock, the Doxantha flew on a direct course for Castle Hill, the colossal building and the rocky plateau of which it stood taking on a more menacing presence to Spyro as he knew his actions were being judged by those within. The purple dragon swallowed hard as he felt his stomach unsettle at the increased readiness of the city’s defenders which he felt responsible for. The news of the Ape messenger arriving hours before they had only added to his concern. He knew the heightened state of alert was an expected response to the sudden appearance of an enemy most of the city’s population had not seen for twelve years, but for it come right on the tail of Meadow’s kidnapping and rescue was perplexing and troubling. He looked over his shoulder to Ignitus, the crimson dragon taking a moment to notice him but lowering his chin slightly and steering his eyes to him nonetheless. Spyro wondered if they were both thinking the same thing; if this new development was a reaction to what he and his friends had done or if it was part of the long plan they suspected Gaul was playing.
The Doxantha adjusted her course, turning to port for a few seconds before straightening out again to as she made for the western side of Castle Hill. The airship’s altitude began to slowly dip as she approached the capital of Warfang. The central keep and its huge red dome now loomed over the sails of the airship, as did the pointed red spires of the four towers built on the plateaus four corners, connected to the castle by four separate stone bridges. Gazing up at the castle, the passengers and crew of the ship could see the faces of numerous moles armed with crossbows watching the sky as the Doxantha slowly drifted by below. The castle matched the style of the rest of the city, its huge mass constructed of the same brownish gold stone that typified the city. It was a mostly square structure save for the four rounded turrets on each corner and the large red dome that rose from the centre of the roof like a mausoleum. On each turret were more of the same canons as found on the city battlements, only these weapons exclusively used canister shots rather than solid cannon balls so that when fired at flying hostiles they would cause less damage to surrounding structures if a shot missed.
“Make ready to dock!” the Captain ordered as the crew went about making their preparations. The hull of the airship passed over the daunting cliff face of the plateau as they flew directly parallel to Castle Hill. The top of the plateau had been flattened out when the mountain had been almost entirely mined out during the city’s construction centuries ago. The interior below the castle was like a giant ant colony with numerous tunnels and rooms constructed and finely furnished. It served as a hub for the city’s most wealthy residents and important figures as well as being the governmental and administrative heart of Warfang. It was also where Warfang’s most valuable treasures were secured in heavily reinforced vaults. It was in these vaults that the second batch of dragon eggs had been kept during the Year of the Dragon event twelve years ago. Unlike at the temple, all these eggs had survived and hatched to become the population of adolescent dragons that called the city home. Access to the castle itself was granted by several elevators like those used at the airship dock and spiralling staircases, although the castle was generally off limits to the general public unless they had official business there.
The roughly square top of the plateau was covered in grass surrounding the castle, with colourful flowerbeds and gardens and a blue and white tiled path that formed a loop around the outside of the castle. On the northern and southern sides of the castle were two great bandstands made of glistening white marble, surrounded by flowers. Each one was comprised of six marble pillars and a flat roof with the carved figures on top of a great dragon looking down at a mole beside it holding a scroll in his hands. One the western side of the castle, facing towards the main gate of the city was a stone balcony extending out from the plateau by some fifty feet. It was adorned similarly to the floors of the airship dock with the same blue and white squares and an immaculate gold dragon head emblem. As they approached, Ignitus and the others looked upon the whole scene as the Doxantha slowed to dock at the balcony.
There was a party of four dragons and six moles standing ready on the balcony to receive them. The group was standing in a square formation with one dragon on each corner and the six moles standing between them in two ranks of three. Behind them was the wide tiled pathway that led back towards the castle, where a great pair of ornate armoured rectangular doors led to the interior. The doors were bronze coloured with gold edges and each bearing the image of a dragon’s body snaked around like an ‘S’ with the head and neck turned around to face the other. Standing beside their feet were the images of a pair of spear wielding moles with their weapons pointed out towards an imaginary foe. The airship crept slowly before she halted directly parallel to the figures waiting on the balcony. Ignitus, along with Spyro and Cynder, Flame and Ember, eyed the group with an unhealthy helping of uncertainty.
“Should I feel nervous, Ignitus?” asked Spyro tepidly, looking up at the Fire Guardian. Ignitus took a step ahead of the group as he eyed the welcoming party curiously as the mole crewmembers began throwing mooring lines across and readying gangplanks to disembark the ship.
“I don’t think it is you they are interested in, Spyro,” Ignitus replied suspiciously as he heard the loud whoosh of a pair of wings and four feet land hard down on the deck behind them.
“Ignitus,” said Terrador after he landed, followed by the swift arrival of the other Guardians as they landed beside him, “What’s the news?”
“I think we are about to find out,” he answered mildly as the gangplanks were secured and the party of moles and dragons marched rigidly towards the ship. His eyes focused on the mole in the centre of the first rank, who unlike the other mole at arms was wearing armour of brilliant bright white with a blue cape hanging over his back and had a much shorter trimmed grey moustache compared with most of the others. The Fire Guardian recognised him as Damir; Warfang’s Ambassador. He was one of the members of the Warfang Council and despite his militarist appearance; he was the appointed representative of the peace delegation. His scabbard was always without a sword and his armour was the colour of truce, signifying him, ironically perhaps, as someone who fought to maintain peace and prevent war. The group stopped just beyond the reach of the gangplank, but the white armoured mole marched on, hopping up the ramp and walking towards Ignitus. The dragons and moles aboard the Doxantha viewed the visitor with confusion and awe at his grand appearance. He stopped at the end of the gangplank before Ignitus and saluted him briskly.
“Good morning, Master Ignitus,” Damir said formally, “I’m sorry that this is all so impromptu, but I must ask that you accompany me inside. The Council wishes to speak to you immediately.” Ignitus raised his eyebrows, even though if Damir’s words aligned with his suspicions,
“Speak to me? My understanding is we were all to meet with the Council to discuss the actions of…”
“I’m afraid everything has changed,” the mole said sadly, “I must ask that you follow me and that the rest of you stay on the ship.”
"What?” asked Spyro fearfully as he and the other young dragons looked to each other questioningly.
“I do say, I beg your pardon?” demanded Cyril as he stepped up in a flustered manner, “Are you forgetting just who we are?! Who are you to demand…”
“It comes straight from the Council,” Damir replied swiftly, “I’m sorry, but with the happenings of today we are enacting certain measures. Everyone save for Ignitus must remain on the ship. That’s everyone; crew and passengers. You will be allowed to leave once he returns.”
“This is most unprecedented!” cried Volteer in displeasure as Terrador scowled crossly,
“What has the Council to say to Ignitus that they cannot say to us?” demanded the Earth Guardian.
Damir shook his head impatiently, “It was not my decision, Master Terrador. Now if you’ll please Ignitus, we are expected,” he said as he waved for him to follow. Ignitus looked to his colleagues and the young dragons forlornly but sighed reluctantly as he nodded to the mole ambassador.
“If it is their wish,” he mused as he prepared to step over the gangplank onto the balcony.
“Ignitus, wait!” cried Spyro as he hurried after him, the guards standing on the balcony watched him closely as he ran up to the Fire Guardian’s right side. The crimson dragon looked down to the purple dragon punitively.
“You must wait here, Spyro,” he instructed him as Cynder, Flame and Ember all followed after him, perhaps anticipating the need to stop him leaving the ship.
"I know,” Spyro answered hastily, “Just be careful, okay Ignitus?” he cautioned solemnly.
The Fire Guardian smiled at his concern and gave him a firm nod in reply. He cast his eyes a last time over the faces of the four survivors and his fellow Guardians before he looked ahead and walked across the plank and onto the stony balcony. Damir walked in front of him as the party of dragons and moles formed around the pair and escorted them towards the door to the castle. The four young dragons all grouped together at the start of the gangplank as the Guardians stood in a row behind them as Ignitus left.
“This isn’t all because of us, is it?” asked Flame nervously as he looked at the line of faces beside him.
Ember added grimly, “We didn’t cause that much trouble, did we?”
“I hope not,” replied Cynder with concern, Spyro noting the unusual fear in her voice. She was not one to normally take punishment too seriously, but beneath her exterior she seemed as nervous as Flame. Spyro turned his head forward as he watched the large doors slowly open as Ignitus and the dragons and moles accompanying him marched through to the castle. Spyro’s eyes climbed the towering edifice of the fortress as they inevitably settled on the huge red dome that he knew hung over the Council chambers where Ignitus was due to appear. Just then the top of his view was interrupted by the chin of Terrador as he stepped up close behind him, his huge head looming overtop of the young dragon. He heard the Earth Guardian’s chest rumble as he sighed moodily.
“Has this ever happened to you before, Terrador?” asked Spyro curiously.
“No,” he answered flatly, “We’ve had our differences with the Council but they’ve never put us under arrest before.”
“Arrest?” exclaimed Volteer, “I don’t believe that’s the words they used, my friend.”
“Call it what you will,” sneered Cyril, “But such fervent disrespect to us Guardians is outrageous! Its simply not cricket!”
“What’s cricket?” asked Ember, but the flustered Ice Guardian simply turned away without answering, yet another act that Spyro noted was unusual as Cyril would normally make all the time in the world for a fellow Ice dragon. They watched as he walked towards the back of the ship and began descending the stairs to lower decks.
“Don’t worry, I’ll see to him,” sighed Volteer as he peeled away to follow Cyril, leaving Terrador alone with the four youngsters. The Earth Guardian grumbled under his breath and shook his head disapprovingly.
“So, what do we do now?” asked Cynder irritably. There was no answer from her companions as they all looked between each other while the wind swept over the ship. Terrador then cleared his throat and drew their attention to him.
“Well, all we can do is wait,” he said flatly.
“It could be all day before Ignitus returns,” Spyro said dismally.
Terrador chuckled, “I wasn’t talking about waiting for that, but how long it will be before those two start bickering again.”
It was right at that moment as if on cue, the five dragons and crew members of the Doxantha looked towards the stairs as the muffled voices of Volteer and Cyril began thrashing about below decks, arguing about the current situation. Terrador sighed,
“I’ll see to them,” he said as he turned towards the stairs, “But you four stay on deck, let’s not give any more reasons to be used against us.”
“Yes, Terrador,” the four who lived said together. As Terrador left, Spyro and Cynder, Flame and Ember remained on the edge of the gangplank, staring longing out at the castle that although they regretted the reasons why they were going, they had been looking forward to seeing the inside of. The thought of being confined to the ship when they could so very easily leave it by flying contradicted their natural adolescent free spiritedness, but they all accepted the gravity of the situation and for once they all seemed content to follow the rules, even Cynder.
“Well,” Ember announced brightly in an effort to raise the spirits of her friends, “Shall we play hide and seek?”
“Not really in the mood,” Flame replied lowly, dipping his head and walking away slowly.
"Yeah, me neither,” added Cynder moodily as she about turned and strode away. Ember’s heart sunk in disappointment as she watched them go, turning back to Spyro with one last glimmer of hope. Feeling her eyes burrowing into the back of his head, the purple dragon slowly turned his head to face her and sullenly shook it at her. Ember sighed gloomily and turned her back on him, leaving Spyro alone at the gangplank. The moles went about their business behind him, complaining how they were not allowed to leave the ship as he stared at the place Ignitus had gone. The doors had been shut quite swiftly after he had passed through them, almost making Spyro feel worried for the Fire Guardians safety. At the very least it seemed his reputation was at stake. Perhaps the Council had opted to have Ignitus be held solely responsible as he was ultimately the ranking Guardian, responsible for his colleagues and the four who lived.
As the bickering below decks continued to make its way up the stairs, Spyro finally turned away and walked across the deck to the portside. He stood on his hind legs and placed his paws atop the railing, staring out across the western side of Warfang and the green fields beyond. He watched the skyline and the distant fields apprehensively, thinking off what may be looming above and below the city. He could only hope that what he and Ignitus suspected was wrong. The tapping of claws on the deck to his right drew his attention, Spyro looking to see Cynder wandering over beside him. He wanted to smile to her, even though he didn’t for some reason. She stood up as he did and placed her paws over the railing, staring out at whatever he was viewing.
“See anything, Spyro?” she asked softly, unenthusiastically.
“No,” he replied shortly, but then feeling his answer was insufficient he added, “But I’ve got a bad feeling.” Cynder lowered her head slightly, her emerald eyes blinked slowly and heavily,
“Me too.”
End of Pt.1
Noun: casus belli; plural noun: casus belli
“An act or situation that provokes or justifies a war.”
(Image does not belong to me. Sourced from Spyro wiki)
Three hours later…
The Doxantha flew towards Warfang in much the same way as she had been two days earlier, with the four dragon Guardians flying overhead and the four young dragons who they were entrusted with sitting up front at the ship’s bow and watching the Dragon city getting closer and closer as they flew towards it. There was a noticeably less buoyant attitude present among Spyro, Cynder, Flame and Ember as they sat in a line peeking over the ship’s bowsprit as she drifted through the air. The flamboyance of their previous visit to the city had been replaced by a grim seriousness in light of their recent escapades, not to mention their intrusive playfulness that had irked some of the crewmembers that day.
Because he was still recovering from his injuries, Spyro was wearing a simple leather necklace with a small red crystal cut from a red spirit gem hanging from it. Wearing it helped to numb the reoccurring pain he had been feeling, particularly since he had opted to go to Warfang himself rather than remain bedridden. As the moles went about their duties on the deck, some of them would occasionally look towards the four who lived and feel a sense of pity for them for how the recent events must have completely changed their perception of the world. The details of exactly what happened remained sketchy as the ship and her crew had not taken part in the daring rescue from the Mountain of Malefor, though they had prepared for it. Only sparse details had been overheard by members of the crew when they had helped to ferry the unconscious purple dragon from Avalar to the temple, the Guardians keeping mostly silent about what they had seen or encountered upon arriving at the dreaded mountain fortress.
As the Doxantha closed in on Warfang, Ignitus, flying in formation with the other Guardians above the airship, took note of the visibly increased activity in the skies over the city. Out and over the city were multiple formations of dragon warriors patrolling the skies, far more than usual. He looked over his shoulders to his fellow Guardians as they all evidently took notice as well, wondering if the city had been placed on a higher alert in response to the recent events. The Fire Guardian looked down towards the airship, settling his eyes on Spyro as he sat with his companions looking towards the distant city, feeling his heart ache in sympathy for them as they sat idly, not even chatting and joking with each other as they usually did. It was understandable as the four of them were expected to explain themselves to the Council about what had occurred. Ignitus hoped that he could deflect whatever punishment may be considered onto himself rather than them, especially in light of the conversation he and Spyro had shared the previous night. He had recounted the young dragon’s claims to his colleagues thereafter and they all agreed that it was vital this information be shared with leadership of Warfang, even if they disagreed on just how vital it was.
“I don’t doubt what he saw, but I find the whole idea rather farfetched,” Cyril had declared to the possibility of the Apes mining under Warfang.
“It’s not implausible, though I certainly hope it is merely an exaggeration,” Volteer had said rather unsettlingly to it.
“They certainly have had the time, but do they have the means and the know how to successfully pull off such an attack?” Terrador had given as his opinion.
He seemed to concur with Ignitus the most out of the three of them, though his more prolific military background had also weighed in on the notion. Ignitus knew he could always rely on them to hear him out, even if they disagreed, but he did not have the same certainty about the Council, who some of the members during the last twelve years of peace seemed not to value the Guardians as much as they had been during wartime.
“We seem to have some company on the way, Ignitus,” Cyril said loudly from his right, making the Fire Guardian lift his head back towards the city and gazing ahead into the distance. One of the patrols he had observed had diverted and was flying straight towards them, Ignitus raising his eyebrows as the formation of six dragon warriors approached in a manner of urgency. He looked down again to the ship, seeing Spyro point out the approaching group of dragons to his friends as they all watched the formation speed towards them. When Ignitus lifted his head again, he saw the formation break into two groups of three, one group heading out wide to the portside of the ship and the second group going to starboard. From the starboard group, one of the dragons peeled off and flew up towards the Guardians, Ignitus assuming it to be the formation leader. It was a lithe, red fire dragoness, clad golden plate armour similar to what he had back at the temple, her amber eyes almost glowing from behind her helmet.
“What on earth on earth is happening?” asked Volteer aloud as the dragoness swept around and flew on the right of the Guardians as the other dragons swept in alongside and flew in pace with the Doxantha. The fire dragoness turned her head stiffly to the four dragon Guardians.
“Sirs, my name is Helia of the Warfang garrison!” she shouted to them although her eyes were mainly on Ignitus, recognising him as the leader of the group, “I’m sorry for the suddenness, but I have orders to escort you and this ship straight to Castle Hill!”
“An escort? Why?” asked Ignitus curiously.
“We are at a heightened state of alert, Master Ignitus. An enemy messenger arrived this morning under the banner of truce. My orders are to deliver you directly to the castle!”
“A messenger? From the Apes?” cried Terrador in disbelief as he eyed the other dragons below taking positions alongside the airship.
“But we were expected at Castle Hill anyway!” Ignitus pointed out bizarrely.
“Those are my orders, Master Ignitus,” Helia replied simply, “If you’ll excuse me, I must inform the Captain of his new orders,” she said just before she dived down to the ship, heading for the mole at the helm who jumped up in surprise as she swept in beside him. The Guardians all looked between each other in confusion as Ignitus watched Spyro and his companions down below. They watched the Fire Dragoness swoop down onto the deck and the four of them, Spyro at the lead, began running down towards the stern.
“I’ll be back,” Ignitus announced to the others as he suddenly plunged down towards the Doxantha, aiming for the middeck to intercept the group of youngsters. The mole crewmembers all stood watching in bewilderment at the unexpected party of dragons that had intercepted them. Ignitus landed hard down on the deck, Spyro Cynder, Flame and Ember all skidded to a halt before they ran into him.
“What’s going on, Ignitus?” Spyro asked feverously, the four of them wide eyed with excitement.
“Has something happened?” asked Ember anxiously before Ignitus held up his paw to quell any further inquiries.
“Calm yourselves, young dragons. It seems that there is a heightened state of alert in Warfang. I’m going to find out about it,” he said as he turned to head towards the helm.
“We’ll go with you,” Cynder declared resolutely, but the Fire Guardian looked back disapprovingly.
“No, just stay here. I will be back,” he told them firmly but not harshly, heading off at a quick pace towards the stairs to the quarter deck where he saw Helia talking to the mole at the ships wheel. Passing the questioning stares of the mole crewmembers, the Fire Guardian hurried up the stairs and marched up to Helia as she apparently finished speaking to the mole at the wheel and seemed poised to take off.
“Pardon me, Helia!” he called out, the dragoness turning to him and blinking in surprise at his appearance, “Would you mind telling me exactly what has happened to bring this all about?” The Fire dragoness turned her body to him and took a breath in preparation.
“Just after dawn this morning, an enemy Dreadwing rider approached the city under a white flag. He was escorted to the main gate where he delivered a message that was then taken to the Council. I don’t know what it said, but shortly thereafter my comrades and I were ordered to escort the Doxantha straight to Castle Hill once she came into view.”
“Has there been any other activity or sightings?” Ignitus asked gravely.
“Not that I know off, sir,” Helia replied earnestly.
“How did they get so close to the city without being spotted?”
Helia bit her lip as she eyed the Fire Guardian humorlessly, “Apparently, the rider said he took a long diversion to the coast to avoid being spotted because he was afraid the flag of truce would not be respected if he was intercepted.”
Ignitus recoiled in disgust at the notion, “Is that so?” he asked hotly.
Helia shrugged, “He said that Gaul was taking precautions in the light of the latest ‘treachery’ committed by the dragons against him.”
“Treachery?!” Ignitus exclaimed.
“That’s all I know, sir,” Helia said finally, “If you’ll excuse me, I must get back in formation.”
"Yes, yes, very well,” Ignitus nodded impatiently, the fire dragoness giving him a curt nod before she leapt into the air and flew up to re-join her formation. Ignitus watched her go before he looked down the helmsmole who simply shrugged his shoulders to the Fire Guardian, “Orders are orders, sir.”
The crimson dragon could only nod ambivalently as he stood in place, thinking hard about what he had been told. The appearance of an enemy messenger so suddenly did not bode well with the recent events. He wondered by what logic Gaul had decided he had been a victim of “treachery” and was now seemingly extending a diplomatic hand? Was the message an ultimatum? Whatever it was, he could only imagine that it somehow played into whatever the Ape King was planning. He looked out over the railing towards the front of the ship as the Doxantha was steered off her original course and pointed her bow directly towards the distant castle.
Ignitus had already been apprehensive about the temple’s residents being summoned to explain what had occurred in Avalar and at the Mountain of Malefor, but this new development he feared could only complicate matters. What if the message was Gaul trying to spin his own version of events? What if he, like Ignitus feared the Council might, wanted Spyro to be held solely to account for what happened? But they surely could not ignore the fact that the apes had trespassed on their land and had kidnapped a citizen of the realms? He gritted his teeth as he pondered and turned about to head back down the stairs to where he had left the four survivors.
Stepping down, he looked into the uneasy faces of the four youngsters, not least of all was Spyro who had concluded that the turn of events was due to his actions. Ignitus breathed deeply as he tried to wear a calm face to not further unsettle the young dragons.
“Whats it all about, Ignitus?” Flame blurted out impatiently, “What’s going on?”
“What did that dragoness tell you?” Spyro followed up equally. Before Cynder and Ember could follow through with their own inquiries, the Fire Guardian explained to them,
“There is a heightened state of alert in Warfang. The Apes delivered a message to the city early this morning. It looks as though the Council wishes to discuss it with me with all due haste. We are to be escorted directly to Castle Hill.”
“But that’s where we were heading anyway! What does that mean for us?” asked Cynder bluntly.
Ignitus eyed her apologetically, “I’m not sure if they wish to discuss it with all of us. But I think that our previous engagement had been postponed for the time being.”
“You mean I won’t get a chance to tell them what I saw?” asked Spyro fearfully. Ignitus eyed the purple dragon calmly, bending his neck down to meet him at his level.
“Don’t worry, young Spyro. You’ll get your chance to speak, but for now we must find out what the apes wish to say to us.”
“Nothing good, I’ll bet,” Ember remarked bitterly.
Ignitus choose not to re-join his fellow Guardians but decided stay on the ship with the four survivors, hoping his presence would ease their minds as they approached the city. He looked up past the great sails of the Doxantha to the other Guardian flying above, seeing Terrador’s huge head peeking down at him. Ignitus responded by simply shaking his head at him and pointing his claw at the deck, the Earth Guardian nodding firmly and turning his attention back to the sky.
“Lets all head to the bow and enjoy the view, shall we?” said Ignitus light heartedly, beckoning towards the front of the ship. The four young dragons glanced to each other indifferently at his suggestion, turning about and walking across the deck towards the bow of the ship. Ignitus looked across at the two formations of dragons flanking either side of the ship, their presence he knew should have provided a sense of comfort and security, but deep down to him it seemed to convey a lack of trust. Whether it was in him or in Spyro he couldn’t know, but he buried these feelings behind the smile he kept up for the sake of the youngsters.
Presently, the group stood at the bow of the Doxantha, looking out towards the city as it drew nearer. The shoreline passed by beneath the ship as they approached the southern wall of the city, the five dragons taking note of the increased activity bought on by the state of alert. There were many more dragon warriors flying patrols within the city and on the outskirts. As they passed over the city walls, they saw how densely packed the ramparts were with mole at arms and dragons as if expecting an attack. Spyro, Cynder, Flame and Ember all sat with their paws on the front railing with Ignitus standing behind them, the Fire Guardian watching the growing form of Castle Hill, their destination, anxiously.
Without the usual detour to the airdock, the Doxantha flew on a direct course for Castle Hill, the colossal building and the rocky plateau of which it stood taking on a more menacing presence to Spyro as he knew his actions were being judged by those within. The purple dragon swallowed hard as he felt his stomach unsettle at the increased readiness of the city’s defenders which he felt responsible for. The news of the Ape messenger arriving hours before they had only added to his concern. He knew the heightened state of alert was an expected response to the sudden appearance of an enemy most of the city’s population had not seen for twelve years, but for it come right on the tail of Meadow’s kidnapping and rescue was perplexing and troubling. He looked over his shoulder to Ignitus, the crimson dragon taking a moment to notice him but lowering his chin slightly and steering his eyes to him nonetheless. Spyro wondered if they were both thinking the same thing; if this new development was a reaction to what he and his friends had done or if it was part of the long plan they suspected Gaul was playing.
The Doxantha adjusted her course, turning to port for a few seconds before straightening out again to as she made for the western side of Castle Hill. The airship’s altitude began to slowly dip as she approached the capital of Warfang. The central keep and its huge red dome now loomed over the sails of the airship, as did the pointed red spires of the four towers built on the plateaus four corners, connected to the castle by four separate stone bridges. Gazing up at the castle, the passengers and crew of the ship could see the faces of numerous moles armed with crossbows watching the sky as the Doxantha slowly drifted by below. The castle matched the style of the rest of the city, its huge mass constructed of the same brownish gold stone that typified the city. It was a mostly square structure save for the four rounded turrets on each corner and the large red dome that rose from the centre of the roof like a mausoleum. On each turret were more of the same canons as found on the city battlements, only these weapons exclusively used canister shots rather than solid cannon balls so that when fired at flying hostiles they would cause less damage to surrounding structures if a shot missed.
“Make ready to dock!” the Captain ordered as the crew went about making their preparations. The hull of the airship passed over the daunting cliff face of the plateau as they flew directly parallel to Castle Hill. The top of the plateau had been flattened out when the mountain had been almost entirely mined out during the city’s construction centuries ago. The interior below the castle was like a giant ant colony with numerous tunnels and rooms constructed and finely furnished. It served as a hub for the city’s most wealthy residents and important figures as well as being the governmental and administrative heart of Warfang. It was also where Warfang’s most valuable treasures were secured in heavily reinforced vaults. It was in these vaults that the second batch of dragon eggs had been kept during the Year of the Dragon event twelve years ago. Unlike at the temple, all these eggs had survived and hatched to become the population of adolescent dragons that called the city home. Access to the castle itself was granted by several elevators like those used at the airship dock and spiralling staircases, although the castle was generally off limits to the general public unless they had official business there.
The roughly square top of the plateau was covered in grass surrounding the castle, with colourful flowerbeds and gardens and a blue and white tiled path that formed a loop around the outside of the castle. On the northern and southern sides of the castle were two great bandstands made of glistening white marble, surrounded by flowers. Each one was comprised of six marble pillars and a flat roof with the carved figures on top of a great dragon looking down at a mole beside it holding a scroll in his hands. One the western side of the castle, facing towards the main gate of the city was a stone balcony extending out from the plateau by some fifty feet. It was adorned similarly to the floors of the airship dock with the same blue and white squares and an immaculate gold dragon head emblem. As they approached, Ignitus and the others looked upon the whole scene as the Doxantha slowed to dock at the balcony.
There was a party of four dragons and six moles standing ready on the balcony to receive them. The group was standing in a square formation with one dragon on each corner and the six moles standing between them in two ranks of three. Behind them was the wide tiled pathway that led back towards the castle, where a great pair of ornate armoured rectangular doors led to the interior. The doors were bronze coloured with gold edges and each bearing the image of a dragon’s body snaked around like an ‘S’ with the head and neck turned around to face the other. Standing beside their feet were the images of a pair of spear wielding moles with their weapons pointed out towards an imaginary foe. The airship crept slowly before she halted directly parallel to the figures waiting on the balcony. Ignitus, along with Spyro and Cynder, Flame and Ember, eyed the group with an unhealthy helping of uncertainty.
“Should I feel nervous, Ignitus?” asked Spyro tepidly, looking up at the Fire Guardian. Ignitus took a step ahead of the group as he eyed the welcoming party curiously as the mole crewmembers began throwing mooring lines across and readying gangplanks to disembark the ship.
“I don’t think it is you they are interested in, Spyro,” Ignitus replied suspiciously as he heard the loud whoosh of a pair of wings and four feet land hard down on the deck behind them.
“Ignitus,” said Terrador after he landed, followed by the swift arrival of the other Guardians as they landed beside him, “What’s the news?”
“I think we are about to find out,” he answered mildly as the gangplanks were secured and the party of moles and dragons marched rigidly towards the ship. His eyes focused on the mole in the centre of the first rank, who unlike the other mole at arms was wearing armour of brilliant bright white with a blue cape hanging over his back and had a much shorter trimmed grey moustache compared with most of the others. The Fire Guardian recognised him as Damir; Warfang’s Ambassador. He was one of the members of the Warfang Council and despite his militarist appearance; he was the appointed representative of the peace delegation. His scabbard was always without a sword and his armour was the colour of truce, signifying him, ironically perhaps, as someone who fought to maintain peace and prevent war. The group stopped just beyond the reach of the gangplank, but the white armoured mole marched on, hopping up the ramp and walking towards Ignitus. The dragons and moles aboard the Doxantha viewed the visitor with confusion and awe at his grand appearance. He stopped at the end of the gangplank before Ignitus and saluted him briskly.
“Good morning, Master Ignitus,” Damir said formally, “I’m sorry that this is all so impromptu, but I must ask that you accompany me inside. The Council wishes to speak to you immediately.” Ignitus raised his eyebrows, even though if Damir’s words aligned with his suspicions,
“Speak to me? My understanding is we were all to meet with the Council to discuss the actions of…”
“I’m afraid everything has changed,” the mole said sadly, “I must ask that you follow me and that the rest of you stay on the ship.”
"What?” asked Spyro fearfully as he and the other young dragons looked to each other questioningly.
“I do say, I beg your pardon?” demanded Cyril as he stepped up in a flustered manner, “Are you forgetting just who we are?! Who are you to demand…”
“It comes straight from the Council,” Damir replied swiftly, “I’m sorry, but with the happenings of today we are enacting certain measures. Everyone save for Ignitus must remain on the ship. That’s everyone; crew and passengers. You will be allowed to leave once he returns.”
“This is most unprecedented!” cried Volteer in displeasure as Terrador scowled crossly,
“What has the Council to say to Ignitus that they cannot say to us?” demanded the Earth Guardian.
Damir shook his head impatiently, “It was not my decision, Master Terrador. Now if you’ll please Ignitus, we are expected,” he said as he waved for him to follow. Ignitus looked to his colleagues and the young dragons forlornly but sighed reluctantly as he nodded to the mole ambassador.
“If it is their wish,” he mused as he prepared to step over the gangplank onto the balcony.
“Ignitus, wait!” cried Spyro as he hurried after him, the guards standing on the balcony watched him closely as he ran up to the Fire Guardian’s right side. The crimson dragon looked down to the purple dragon punitively.
“You must wait here, Spyro,” he instructed him as Cynder, Flame and Ember all followed after him, perhaps anticipating the need to stop him leaving the ship.
"I know,” Spyro answered hastily, “Just be careful, okay Ignitus?” he cautioned solemnly.
The Fire Guardian smiled at his concern and gave him a firm nod in reply. He cast his eyes a last time over the faces of the four survivors and his fellow Guardians before he looked ahead and walked across the plank and onto the stony balcony. Damir walked in front of him as the party of dragons and moles formed around the pair and escorted them towards the door to the castle. The four young dragons all grouped together at the start of the gangplank as the Guardians stood in a row behind them as Ignitus left.
“This isn’t all because of us, is it?” asked Flame nervously as he looked at the line of faces beside him.
Ember added grimly, “We didn’t cause that much trouble, did we?”
“I hope not,” replied Cynder with concern, Spyro noting the unusual fear in her voice. She was not one to normally take punishment too seriously, but beneath her exterior she seemed as nervous as Flame. Spyro turned his head forward as he watched the large doors slowly open as Ignitus and the dragons and moles accompanying him marched through to the castle. Spyro’s eyes climbed the towering edifice of the fortress as they inevitably settled on the huge red dome that he knew hung over the Council chambers where Ignitus was due to appear. Just then the top of his view was interrupted by the chin of Terrador as he stepped up close behind him, his huge head looming overtop of the young dragon. He heard the Earth Guardian’s chest rumble as he sighed moodily.
“Has this ever happened to you before, Terrador?” asked Spyro curiously.
“No,” he answered flatly, “We’ve had our differences with the Council but they’ve never put us under arrest before.”
“Arrest?” exclaimed Volteer, “I don’t believe that’s the words they used, my friend.”
“Call it what you will,” sneered Cyril, “But such fervent disrespect to us Guardians is outrageous! Its simply not cricket!”
“What’s cricket?” asked Ember, but the flustered Ice Guardian simply turned away without answering, yet another act that Spyro noted was unusual as Cyril would normally make all the time in the world for a fellow Ice dragon. They watched as he walked towards the back of the ship and began descending the stairs to lower decks.
“Don’t worry, I’ll see to him,” sighed Volteer as he peeled away to follow Cyril, leaving Terrador alone with the four youngsters. The Earth Guardian grumbled under his breath and shook his head disapprovingly.
“So, what do we do now?” asked Cynder irritably. There was no answer from her companions as they all looked between each other while the wind swept over the ship. Terrador then cleared his throat and drew their attention to him.
“Well, all we can do is wait,” he said flatly.
“It could be all day before Ignitus returns,” Spyro said dismally.
Terrador chuckled, “I wasn’t talking about waiting for that, but how long it will be before those two start bickering again.”
It was right at that moment as if on cue, the five dragons and crew members of the Doxantha looked towards the stairs as the muffled voices of Volteer and Cyril began thrashing about below decks, arguing about the current situation. Terrador sighed,
“I’ll see to them,” he said as he turned towards the stairs, “But you four stay on deck, let’s not give any more reasons to be used against us.”
“Yes, Terrador,” the four who lived said together. As Terrador left, Spyro and Cynder, Flame and Ember remained on the edge of the gangplank, staring longing out at the castle that although they regretted the reasons why they were going, they had been looking forward to seeing the inside of. The thought of being confined to the ship when they could so very easily leave it by flying contradicted their natural adolescent free spiritedness, but they all accepted the gravity of the situation and for once they all seemed content to follow the rules, even Cynder.
“Well,” Ember announced brightly in an effort to raise the spirits of her friends, “Shall we play hide and seek?”
“Not really in the mood,” Flame replied lowly, dipping his head and walking away slowly.
"Yeah, me neither,” added Cynder moodily as she about turned and strode away. Ember’s heart sunk in disappointment as she watched them go, turning back to Spyro with one last glimmer of hope. Feeling her eyes burrowing into the back of his head, the purple dragon slowly turned his head to face her and sullenly shook it at her. Ember sighed gloomily and turned her back on him, leaving Spyro alone at the gangplank. The moles went about their business behind him, complaining how they were not allowed to leave the ship as he stared at the place Ignitus had gone. The doors had been shut quite swiftly after he had passed through them, almost making Spyro feel worried for the Fire Guardians safety. At the very least it seemed his reputation was at stake. Perhaps the Council had opted to have Ignitus be held solely responsible as he was ultimately the ranking Guardian, responsible for his colleagues and the four who lived.
As the bickering below decks continued to make its way up the stairs, Spyro finally turned away and walked across the deck to the portside. He stood on his hind legs and placed his paws atop the railing, staring out across the western side of Warfang and the green fields beyond. He watched the skyline and the distant fields apprehensively, thinking off what may be looming above and below the city. He could only hope that what he and Ignitus suspected was wrong. The tapping of claws on the deck to his right drew his attention, Spyro looking to see Cynder wandering over beside him. He wanted to smile to her, even though he didn’t for some reason. She stood up as he did and placed her paws over the railing, staring out at whatever he was viewing.
“See anything, Spyro?” she asked softly, unenthusiastically.
“No,” he replied shortly, but then feeling his answer was insufficient he added, “But I’ve got a bad feeling.” Cynder lowered her head slightly, her emerald eyes blinked slowly and heavily,
“Me too.”
End of Pt.1
Category Story / All
Species Unspecified / Any
Gender Any
Size 120 x 79px
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