FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Chapter 21

The golem acted immediately, slamming its massive hand into the frame, crunching its big fingers on the edges of the door, both hands stretched to the sides, touching the wood of the door on their respective side.

Burning eyes aimed at the surprised purple dragon on the ground.

With the golem blocking the doorstep, there was no escaping from it.

Not that it had any intention of letting anyone considering that the escape option even exists.

The Keeper barged into the room, the noise of its heavy stride muffling the sound of the door and Spyro's yelp when he noticed the arm of the golem raising up and hand clenching into a powerful fist.

For a creature made of black, rough rock the Keeper was extremely flexible and swift, its body stretching, rocky joints parting, revealing searing flames connecting them, spongy and elastic as a spring.

Rocky spring with a huge arm ready to swing down to crush the purple creature below it.

Cynder's instinct kicked in faster than a brain is capable of sending a pulse of pain through the nerves.

She opened her mouth, powerful gust of wind erupted from her throat, blowing Spyro away across the ground, blowing him away from the falling fist of the golem that just slammed into the floor where he was just a moment go.

"Why is it always happening to us!" Sparx screamed as he took to the sky, avoiding the heat radiating from the golem

Not to mention his dramatic cry would get so much in power up here. It was good. Everybody needs to hear it.

"Can't something for once shake our hands instead of trying to bite them off?! Fuck! Just once!"

Spyro rolled sideways along the floor, managing to stop only when the magical gust lost its strength due to distance separating him from Cynder.

He immediately flexed his muscles, sternly putting them on the floor he began to rise, quickly. His ascent was paused however by another bolt of surprise. Creep's shadow was on the wall in front of him, it was different than always. More dissolved, rippled in places like a splotch of dropped paint.

The shadow looked as if it would be sliced by a sword and is being slowly sewn back together.

He didn't know for certain, but he believed he saw something beating under that thick layer of darkness with the intensity of a scared heart.

Or perhaps it was just the imagined perspective of his own emotions. He simply knew that golem is behind him, that burning with unstoppable, murderous fire golem is behind him. Wielding the very same flame that devoured his draconic icon of a father.

He could almost feel Ignitus' ashes grazing his burned snout.

"Belt of fire!" Spyro roared out all of his fear, anger and sadness, spinning around to face his foe, muscles flexing with painful memories

Cynder balked, wide eyes aiming themselves at her shouting companion.

"What?!" she screamed out, more out of the notion that she misheard things than actual disbelief

"That is not a normal Keeper! The flame from the Belt is keeping it together!"

Her startled gaze moved to the golem, the fear of the unknown evaporating the moment it charged into the room, now when facing the creature only her tensed, warrior instinct was having the major impact on her actions.

That didn't mean that fear was gone however.

Trauma can't be healed, it just can be forced into docility, into a crippling state, that doesn't change the fact that it is still there no matter what.

The sight of the flames filling the golem reminded her of that trauma. She immediately remembered the Destroyer, Malefor's control over it and especially she remembered her own actions that caused all of the nearly world ending consequences they barely managed to avert.

Nothing would have happened if she wouldn't let the reason behind the Belt free in the first place.

Trauma had another specific aspect, when you found a harbor it no longer dwindled and made you worthless. The memories made her furious, looking at the golem, knowing the aspect of what is keeping it together, it made her search for redemption all that more important.

Empowered.

Properly channeled trauma is stronger than any magic.

And if that poor copy of Malefor's whip still wants to stand in their way, it will learn what it means to go against Lightbane.

For once she will snuff the light out from something that deserves to die with no one innocent around to pay the price for her mistakes.

"Do not tug! Do not tug! Knot!" Creep's voice boomed warningly all around her

The golem's eyes pulsed with a stronger flame, it looked around, searching for its adversary with the hollow voice most probably. Not finding anything, besides the trio that was already here it charged its original target.

The whole room shook under every single one of the golem's powerful strides as it ran, flames shooting from its burning eyeballs and flowing out from its gaping in a rumbling roar maw.

It was fast.

Very fast.

The Keepers they faced before could also reach such speed, but only when their exchanged punches for a certain amount of time. Speed of their blows wasn't that much of a problem if you learned how to work around it, it pitifully compensated for their natural bulkiness.

This particular golem had none of the flaws of its predecessors.

It possessed the speed of a cheetah scout and dexterity of a swift draconic female, at the very beginning, there was no ramp of progress.

This Keeper was already on the highest podium, what remained a mystery was just how exactly high it can jump while standing on it.

The golem swung its arms down.

Spyro was ready, this was exactly the same way the first Keeper they met attacked. He jumped out of the way of the falling fists, remembering just well what happens when you push far enough from the creature.

Spyro immediately attacked, taking to the air, keeping close to the golem as to prevent it from using its magic he moved around the rocky body, making his way behind the black back and momentarily releasing an earth missile at the weakest spot the moment he found the opening.

The projectile never connected.

The Keeper regained its balance, body twisting unnaturally with waist remaining in the same position. Before he knew it there was no longer a back facing him, but the chest and head of the golem, with a swiping huge arm that smashed his missile in midair.

"Ancestors ashes!" Sparx yelled from above, slamming his hands on top of his head "This thing can kiss its own ass!"

The golem burped.

There was no ugly sound of stomach problems following that noise however, it was more like a fire infused by dry cinder and a gentle touch of wind.

Flame gushing from the golem's mouth was a perfect evidence how literal this analogy was.

"Shit!" Spyro squealed, pushing himself down with one fierce, strong flap of wings, the fire brushing across his gold horns

He hissed when some of the fiery sparks dipped on top of his head, searing his scales like acid

The golem was fast to take advantage of the opportunity its surprising move created. Its second arm followed, waist joining it in the spin, with the defense of the dragon weakened by the forced dodge the rocky hand had no troubles slamming into the scaly body.

With a grunt Spyro was sent flying across the room, he collided with the mural above the door, breaking the noses of some of the carved dragons on impact. He howled in pain, which was muffled by the crushing, rumbling sound of his collision when one particular small piece impaled itself in between his ribs.

He dropped flat on the ground with a hollow thud.

"Shit! Bro!" Sparx dashed towards his wounded brother without thinking

Cynder roared furiously, charging immediately to cut the distance between them and the golem. It might be a different version of a Keeper, but that didn't mean it didn't know the same moves like the ones they fought with before, only more powerful.

Unknown power is dangerous and this is what her warrior's instinct didn't want to allow to flourish.

Elemental energy circled in her body, ready to be unleashed, she loved environments with lots of light and shadows. Some of those dark splotches already began listening to her unspoken orders, slipping in her direction all across the walls.

"The knot! Do not tug at the knot Sugar!" Creep rumbled loudly, his shadow cracking, shrinking and reforming back together

Rippling like water.

"Shut up and help me kill this thing!" Cynder growled, running straight at the golem, determined to end the thing that dared to hurt her mate, determined to end the monster she created

She could feel every muscle in her body pulsing with each swift step she made.

"Wanderer will see! We are not prepared! Dangerous!"

"I'm going to kill this thing you hear me?" she snarled, shadows approaching her and forming a single splotch on the ground, climbing towards her paws from the tip of her tail

"Help or not, I don't care. This is my to kill the murderer and I won't waste it"

The golem acknowledged her, roaring, it raised its massive arms, preparing to crush the insolent creature running directly towards it.

"Live Sugar!"

Cynder repaid the construct with her own roar, completely ignoring the hollow rumble of her magical companion. The shadow reached her paws, dark splotch filling the stone underneath her and locking with her paws.

The golem titled its body backwards, empowering the incoming vertical swing.

This was the moment she waited for.

She put more pressure on her Shadow element, sending a pulse to the shadow below her, ordering it to open like she did countless times already.

Nothing happened.

"What the f-" Cynder mumbled, looking down at her solid paws, tapping at the ground with her claws, feeling their every move and click

She couldn't believe her own eyes.

The warrior's instinct didn't allow her to ponder at the situation for long, forcing her head up.

She gasped, eyes shooting wide when she spotted two massive fists heading directly at her.

With a startled squeak she put her muscles to work and perhaps only due her natural agility she managed to jump out of the way and even avoid the pieces of rocks that went flying all over the place after the smash.

"Creep!" Cynder squealed, startled and terrified, never before feeling so defenseless

"Live Sugar"

The golem roared, preparing for its next attack.

"Crap! Dude!" Sparx gasped, in shock, seeing his battered brother crawling forward with painful grunts

He had seen his brother wounded countless times already, yet it never made him get used to the sight.

"You look like a mashed potato"

Spyro tried to get up, yet he dropped onto the floor with a thud, teeth rang inside his mouth when chin forcefully collided with the ground. Strong pain shot from his waist, paralyzing his nerves. With another hiss he rolled on his side, looking down at his flank, reaching towards it.

His paw wasn't long enough.

He jerked his body up, but that also caused a pulse of paralyzing pain which only forced him down again.

"Sparx" he grumbled a combination of agony and fury

The dragonfly shivered, balking instinctively, that grumble reminding him of his father, he always used the same tone of voice when he was about to scold him for his actions.

"Y-Yes?" Sparx muttered meekly

"Something got stuck between my ribs. Pull it out, quickly"

He moved immediately towards the bloodied waist, hissing in disgust when he got close to the spitting out blood, fresh wound and some rocky piece sticking out from his brother's body responsible for all of this ugly, crimson flow.

"Damn bro" he shook his head, wincing, he grabbed onto the protruding piece of rock, he could feel the heat of warm, draconic blood on his hands wafting from the injury

Sparx gulped.

"Ready?"

Spyro curled his claws, tensing his body, pressing his forehead to the floor and shutting his eyes.

"Do it"

"On three. One...t-" he pulled with all of his strength, the piece of rock popped from the wound followed by a thin fountain of blood

Spyro groaned audibly, claws leaving deep scratches on the floor.

He opened his tear filled eyes, just in time to notice Cynder's struck form sliding and rolling across the room.

He snarled, pulling himself up momentarily, instinct already telling him that they left way too much free space between their foe.

"Guys!" Sparx exclaimed, dashing momentarily towards the black, draconic body "Don't get hit will you?" he admonished the duo

Spyro charged, growling at the construct, already pumping his element to channel his Dash ability. He never got the chance to use it since, momentarily the golem clapped his hands.

His eyes widened at the sight of the approaching shockwave, he redirected his elemental energy, transforming into a boulder.

The magical force struck him, he could feel every part of his body being squeezed harshly, the discomfort lasting only for a while since seconds later the force that was pulling at his being let him go. The shockwave shot him backwards as if he would be some catapult projectile, he was sent flying all across the room, towards the far wall.

Sparx followed the flying boulder that was his brother with a painful wince for a while, before he returned to patting the feminine body below in search for any serious wounds.

"You're fine" he smacked the black rump "Get in there"

Cynder yelped, jumping on all fours immediately, she snarled, green eyes burning with fury.

"Slap my ass again and I'm going to bite your hands off"

"Hey, hey, hey!" he raised his arms up defensively "I'm not the bad guy here, get pissed on that thing that toss you guys like ragdolls"

"Get close to it, distract it so I can charge, I have no way getting past its damn shockwaves"

"Just sink into the ground when it comes"

"Do it Sparx" she snapped coldly, making him jerk his head back

She immediately felt like an ungrateful idiot, especially when he was here instantly to check on her. She rubbed her forehead.

"Listen" she said softly "Just do it ok? And be careful, please"

Sparx groaned "Fine" he pointed at her "But you're going to owe me"

He darted immediately towards the creature, flailing his arms in every possible direction, intensifying his glow in calculated pulses. He moved away from both dragons, to the other side of the room to direct the attention of the golem completely from his draconic companions.

"Hey! Over here you stale piece of black poop! Why don't you pick on someone your size, huh?" he hurled at the golem whatever shards of rock he managed to break off the various decorations on his way

The golem ignored the dragonfly, it instead walked towards the two dragons, sending shockwave after shockwave in their direction.

Sparx sped up, ripping a claw from one of the nearby carvings and hurling it at the construct, it connected with no problems whatsoever.

The shockwaves were no more.

The golem turned its attention at the new aggressor, roaring it began its charge.

"Creep, don't block my powers do you hear me?" Cynder articulated sternly

"Wanderer S-"

"I don't care about some Wanderer!" she snapped at her magical companion, Creep's shadow wiggled uncomfortably "I'm not letting that thing hurting anyone else you hear? I won't let it throw my friends around, I'm going to kill it, this is my chance to kill something in me that I hate, so either you're going to help me or get the fuck out of here. Stopping my powers right in the middle of a fight has nothing to do with liking me"

"We are one Sugar. You were never at risk, I know, I like you"

"You didn't hear me so let me spell it out for you" she flicked her tail tip close to her mouth, eyeing Creep's shadow with stern, narrowed gaze "Be one with me or go away, nobody will tell me how should I live my life"

The black orb on her tail tip flicked, shadow on the wall faded away just to reappear moment later, smaller than usual.

"This is a mistake"

Cynder shrugged nonchalantly.

"Mistake is my second name. I wouldn't be here, I wouldn't have what I have without them. Enough is enough tho, I'm not going to make any more mistakes that will endanger those I care about, even if I do, I will rectify them"

She flicked her tail blade, observing the black orb of darkness flickering uncertainly on her tip.

"Right now that golem is a mistake and it has to be rectified. What comes next doesn't interest me. Do you understand?"

Creep's shadow wiggled on the walls, mending and breaking apart alternately, as if not knowing what to do.

Cynder flicked her tail back where it belonged, slowly beginning her charge towards the construct.

"You're either with me Creep or against me. There is no middle ground here, this is the only valuable thing mistakes taught me"

"GUYS!" Sparx screamed in panic, dodging another blow of the golem

He was quick, yet the massive slab of stone seemed to be getting faster than the flap of a dragonfly wing with each thrown punch.

"Let's kick this thing's ass" Spyro joined his running black companion, four eyes aimed at a common enemy "I'm tired of being kicked around. You ready?"

Cynder looked at Creep's shadow following her along the wall.

"I like you Sugar" hollow voice intoned

She nodded.

"Ready. I strike, you control"

With no more words they split apart to the opposite side of the rooms, preparing their attack and making sure that if any surprises will come their way, they won't take them both out of the fight.

Cynder channeled her wind, releasing a powerful gust at the construct that made it totter, chipping a bit of rock from its legs.

Besides gaining the attention of the golem she also made it burn brighter, feeding the flames within with her wind breath.

The closer it got the hotter it became. A warning signal that danger is approaching.

She didn't stop.

As she ran one of her eyes remained locked on Creep's swimming shadow, she couldn't shake off the feeling that they were racing. Rendering one special fact unimportant, the golem seemed not only resistant to elemental energy, but also able to process some of it into its own weapon.

She got closer to the construct.

The Keeper thrust its massive fingers into its chest, echo of crunching rocks filled the hall. It ripped part of its body, revealing a gaping, burning hole, its deadly essence swirled inside chaotically.

Tongue of searing flame gushed from the opening, stretching horizontally into an arc resembling the usual shockwave the golem created. It flew right at Cynder.

The Keeper rose its massive arm, prepared to crush the invader if she somehow manages to survive the attack.

Her eye kept following the shadow, she completely ignored the heat, she felt that looking at Creep was more important than anything else.

His shadow started sinking, however it didn't move and slither on the floor, rather when it reached the ground it started to disappear as if the ground would be devouring it.

The heat of the fiery arc grew on strength.

The world vanished from her sight soon after, she wasn't scared by the fact, or surprised for that matter. It was natural, she had done this many times already.

When colors of the world appeared again the heat from the arc was just a memory, flying far away behind her tail after her shadow walk.

She could feel the thick presence of the golem, yet her focus remained locked on the wall and the shadow moving on top of it. A shadow that stretched into a jumping pose, soaring directly at another black splotch that showed itself on the wall.

It had the shape of the massive fist.

She sensed the change in the air, natural flow of breathing atmosphere interrupted by nothing else, but the arm casting that shadow.

Creep jumped, directly at the fist.

Cynder done exactly the same.

"What are you doing!?" Sparx blared out, not believing his own eyes, Cynder was actually throwing herself at the fist which falls down to crush her

There was no wet smack however.

When the fist was supposed to connect with Cynder, her whole body turned into a mist which retained her form. With a silent puff she shed her flesh and morphed into a shadow.

The rocky hand went right through her misty form, rippling it, until it eventually slammed powerfully into an empty floor.

Cynder appeared in flesh again only when she reached the top of the golem's elbow. She ran along it, bouncing and swiftly climbing along its huge arm, avoiding to sink her claws into the fiery cracks and making sure her pouncing is as light as possible.

She reached the shoulder, it was then when the golem reacted, using its other hand to swat the pesky dragoness like a fly.

It missed.

Before the hand connected Cynder already took to the sky, feeling bits of sharp rock scratching her hind legs that were sent flying when the Keeper smacked its own shoulder. She quickly moved behind the golem's head, immediately turning into a twister of destructive wind as she circled around the neck, making sure to direct all of her magic at this one, weak spot the golems were known of.

It was working, in other spots on the golem's body where the magic was practically useless, here it was doing what it supposed to do. The rocks were cracking and vibrating, slowly and steadily being torn apart.

The Keeper roared, spinning and flailing its arms to strike its enemy.

Spyro was ready, due to experience managing to quell the shock of surprise Cynder's new abilities caused.

He released a strong, flame breath even before the golem began its counterattack, predicting perfectly how the construct's next move will look like. He also had some new powers in his arsenal.

He rose on his hind legs, reaching for the end of the fire breath, his paws wrapped themselves around perfectly. The fire transformed itself at the touch, adopting the form of a long, sturdy, burning whip.

He focused and the fiery lasso encircled the golem's, huge, moving arm. Searing itself into its rocky flesh.

Roaring, he jerked his body fiercely, putting all of his strength into the move, forcing the Keeper's arm to change direction.

The punch that was aimed at his friend changed its target, finding its mark on the golem's face.

Deafening rumble filled the room when the Keeper punched itself, its whole body tottering and flailing, head forcefully jerking backwards, so hard that its head basically hit the back. Streams of fire gushed from the enlarged cracks in the neck when the head was forced into an unnatural, even for the golem, position.

Spyro was no expert, but he could easily tell that the force that was keeping the construct swift and flexible had to strain its power to prevent it from beheading itself.

The shower of rocks that followed the blow, exploding in every direction, darkened the room for a while.

"HA!" Sparx yelped triumphantly, throwing his arms in the air in victory "How do you like that!"

The golem roared, as if trying to say that it was really unhappy about this situation.

Something it proved by touching the burning whip on its arm and sending a counter pulse through the connection.

Spyro's eyes widened, he immediately knew he lost control of the whip, the quickly approaching pulse of heat confirmed that precisely well. He let go off the whip and instantly ducked, covering himself behind his natural armor of wings.

The fire shot from the end he was recently holding, splashing all across his winged cocoon.

Draconic wings are hard to destroy, they are resistant to practically all known magic and melee weapons. One smack was not enough to break them.

The heat of the Belt of Fire fell under the same rule.

The only difference was that it really hurt, a clear indication that not even the wings are capable of withstanding a continuous assault of this particular flame.

Spyro screamed, he had a difficult time comparing this pain to anything, but if he would guess that was probably how skinning alive felt. His wings shook under the attack, pushed into a hard to subdue spasms, he had to really dominate his natural instinct to avoid pain, instead he had to force his wings into withstanding this agony, something much more crucial would burn if that order would be ignored.

When it was finally over, he opened his wings, flaring them open and letting out a scream full of extreme suffering and relief out into the world.

Cynder ceased her attack during her strike she managed to reveal the hole to the golem's essence, tongues of fire gushed from the opening and were sucked into her small tornado.

She had no other choice, but to give up, the flames that got inside were already cutting her like swords, she didn't want to start imagining what would happen if she accidently sucked more of this flame.

The golem took advantage of it momentarily, its body twisting sharply, arms flailing for a strike.

It was very fast.

She pushed back, only by millimeters avoiding the fingers of the first hand, the other one however she knew was pretty much unavoidable by physical means of the body alone. Those thick, rough fingers will reach her no matter what.

They were unaware that people don't call her Shadow for nothing.

Green eyes looked for Creep once again, when they spotted him however they didn't narrow in confidence, but widened in fear. His shadow was different, it was not solid, not filled with that certain, ominous aura.

The shadow was broken.

It was rippled and torn apart, pieces of it floating on the wall as if they were bubbles from an underwater breath. It was like the twister she just used against the golem torn Creep apart as well.

For a second she thought it was just a bad thought, that perhaps she didn't pay enough attention to Creep's shadow, its reaction during fighting.

When she however looked at the approaching fingers of the golem she knew all too well that this is not a simple misgiving.

It was real.

She pushed back, as far as she could, channeling her powers, trying to reinforce connection with Creep by looking at his shadow.

She couldn't connect the scraps.

The rocky fingers reached her, this time there was no sliding through, this time she was unable to shift into her shadow form, this time she felt pain.

Cynder grunted, tips of the fingers smacked her across the flank, in all other circumstances she would be lucky, but unfortunately rock is rock, no matter how big it is, it hurts all the same.

The blow send numbing tingles across her ribs and crushed one of her wings, pressing it against her body and paralyzing in stiff agony the joint connecting it to her body.

She fell from the sky, spinning as she dropped down, one wing flapping hectically, pitifully trying to keep her aloft while the other shook and jerked, like a body in its final, mortal spasm.

The golem continued its attack even before the dragoness hit the ground. Pushing one leg forward it bent it in the knee, lowering itself while at the same time throwing a punch from above. Clenched fist following the falling form, a blow which would send the dragoness directly to the core of this planet.

There was a hollow thud and a painful feminine scream echoing in the gallery after Cynder finally hit the floor.

Spyro hated this sound, every limb was pierced by a cold shiver, what he hated more in this particular moment was the remedy that would silence her screaming once and for all. He whipped at the falling arm, aware of the consequences what his move will create.

He caught the falling fist, with a begging and furious growl he jerked his body fiercely, the twist was so rough that something snapped in his spine, for a second disconnecting his rump from the rest of the body.

It all became unimportant when Cynder's screams were muffled by the golem's own blare. The fist that was directed at his friend changed course, slamming right into the golem's extended and bent knee.

The magic he used was recoiled back at him, the explosion that followed when the power reached the end of the whip couldn't be compared in intensity to the rumbling noise coming from the golem. At least it managed to muffle his own yells of pain as he tried to dodge most of the flames rushing at him.

Rocks shot everywhere, combined with tongues and sparks of the Keeper's fiery essence. The golem toppled forward, unprepared to maintain its balance on one leg only.

All the pain somewhere faded away when Cynder noticed one of the toppling golem hands coming right at her. Strength returned to her battered bones immediately when all she saw was the blackness of the incoming, opened hand.

Grunting, she rolled quickly to the side, ignoring the sting in her wing joint and ribs. The ground shook at some point, as if the earth itself was about to crack. The floor recoiled back, lifting her up, roughly ending her roll with a smack on the stony ground.

Usually it was not the most pleasant of things to drop on the back, but right now she couldn't feel even the smallest itch. She bounced off the stones as if they would be made of gum, rolling immediately on her belly, flexing her legs, preparing them to jump into a swift escape at a moment's notice.

From all the things she expected, she never imagined to see such a powerful creature like the golem on its knees.

The Keeper dropped on both its knees, massive head hanging low, embers of scorching flame radiating from its eyes blackening the floor below. It was supporting itself on both hands, looking like a victim of a massive vomiting.

Seeing a powerful foe actually getting hurt, presenting its weakened state for everyone interested to see was like a second wind for every fighter.

"Finish it Spyro!" Cynder blared out, with difficulties pulling herself up

Second wind or not, as a fighter she was also aware of the fact that cornered prey fights more viciously and unexpectedly than ever. She would prefer to keep her wounded rump far away when that happens.

Shuffling her legs while limping alternately she moved away. The golem twisted its head in her direction suddenly, the unexpected noise of crushed rock made her jump in fear.

"Oh no you don't!" Sparx snapped, appearing out of nowhere he circled the kneeing golem, making rounds around its head and hurling rocks at its face

The golem growled in what seemed to be annoyance, it turned its head to glare at the dragonfly, in the meantime slowly lifting itself up.

"Take that!" Sparx threw another rock, precisely aiming it at the golem's empty eye socket.

The golem roared.

It was hard to decide what was the cause behind this blare, whether it was the well aimed rock, or perhaps clawed, purple paws tapping against the black back.

Spyro took to the air when he ran up almost to the middle of the golem's downed body, making sure he will be relatively safe during his attack while at the same time buying Cynder some more seconds to of retreat and enlarging the window for her to catch her breath.

His wings burned with each flap, the Belt of Fire made sure to rip away part of their strength.

He reached his destination, hovering some distance away from the golem's exposed neck. Magic already circled in his veins, a freezing breath of ice coming out from his mouth offered the much needed relief.

His breath hit the exposed neck directly in the center, fighting a tough battle with the golem's essence. The Keeper's entire black body pulsed with fiery, intense light as if dynamite after dynamite would detonate from the inside of the construct.

The blare the golem let out was so deafening that chips of rocks started to fall from the surrounding statues, mosaics and walls.

The construct got on its feet momentarily, thrashing and spinning wildly, roaring rabidly all the way.

Spyro tried to the best of his ability to continue his assault on the golem's neckline. If the roars were any indication he could say that he was doing a relatively good job.

With another rumbling blare the golem crossed its arms. Spyro's eyes widened, the unending stream of ice that was coming out from his mouth was cut off abruptly, flopping down his jaw like water dripping through cracks of a dam standing in the way of its flow.

He knew what was coming, but he didn't understand why, he made sure to maintain the proper distance. It always worked, always.

And yet the golem released the shockwave.

It took him out from the sky instantly, hurling him and Sparx backwards like cannonballs. Cynder who was already some safe distance away and close to the wall were merely shoved harder against it.

Surprisingly the Keeper didn't charge, instead it reached behind its neck, sinking fingers into the hole in its popular weak spot. The golem pulsed with a fiery flame brighter than ever before as if a volcano erupted from within its body.

The lights from the braziers flickered, darkening the room in chaotic fluctuates.

Spyro grunted as he slammed into the wall, dropping down on the ground with a hollow thud like a rock.

"How bad is it?" Cynder asked caringly, eyeing him up, luck wanted that he dropped right next to his mate

"I'll live" he gasped "Let's end this" he pulled himself up

"WANDERER!" Creep howled, as loud as his supernatural voice allowed him to.

The black flames on Cynder's body shrunk to barely visible dots, the shadow that reflected Creep broke itself apart completely, the bigger parts slinking to cover themselves below Cynder's black paws.

"HE KNOWS WE ARE HERE! THE PATH IS OPENED! AVOID IT SUGAR! RUN!"

Both dragons looked at each other, they weren't the ones who got scared easily in the middle of a fight, but there was something in Creep's voice that sped up the beating of their hearts.

Spyro hesitated, not giving to the feeling of fright, reserve for Creep's judgment and general existence still played a big part in his decision making.

Something that was quickly altered.

They both gasped loudly when suddenly the two other door busted open, two additional Keepers barged into the room, flexible and strong looking like the one they almost destroyed.

"RUN!" Creep howled once more

Cynder squealed when suddenly something tugged at her paws, pushing her towards the door through which the first Keeper attacked them. She looked down at her legs, eyes widening when she noticed her paws being literally inside the ground, disappeared within a splotch of darkness that swam forward, dragging her with it like some kind of creepy fish that just bit on a fishing hook.

She looked at Spyro, he didn't seem to mind Creep's interference this time, in fact he seemed very supportive of his idea to retreat.

The golems roared all around them.

"RUN!" Creep howled once more

They didn't need more motivation.

"Sparx!" Spyro screamed, rushing into a sprint as he called his brother

The glowing body of the dragonfly appeared from behind the recently downed golem's body, in a wide arc Sparx darted to his escaping companions sides.

"We're not staying for dinner?"

"To the door!" Spyro sped up, using his wings to dash in front of the group, ignoring Sparx' sarcastic comment

The golems started to send their shockwaves to chase them.

He thrust his paw into the depression near the door, their escape route clicking its announcement of being open.

Spyro jumped onto the door, shoving them open roughly with his shoulder, turning around swiftly to grab their frame to prevent them from closing. He held them open until the rest of his team passed through.

He let go off the frame.

The door slammed shut, he touched them, using the empowered ability he learnt from Iris he covered the door in a thick slab of ice.

One of the golem's slammed against the door from the other side.

All three of them jumped back, ready to fight if necessary.

Two more slams followed soon, first cracks began to appear on the slab.

Spyro quickly touched the cold block again, reinforcing it. Some of the cracks persisted.

Another slam.

"Don't stop" Spyro pushed away from the door and immediately dashed forward

"Where to Creep?" Cynder inquired

There was silence.

She looked at her tail and then on the walls in search of his shadow. Both symbols of his presence were barely visible.

"Guys, I feel something" Sparx raised his hands, sensitive wings reacting to the heavy changes in the wind current

Familiar heavy changes in the air particles.

"More of those freaks are coming from ahead"

All of them stared ahead, into the long corridor, possibly only one way corridor.

"Hey, you"

The trio looked at each other in shock, another unfamiliar voice resounded in the corridor, due to surprise all of them were blaming each other for this unexpected change of voice. Even if it was clearly male, Cynder didn't fall out of the circle of suspicion.

"Over here"

The muffled voice came from the wall to the right, all three of them cocked their heads, eyes instantly focusing on the same spot automatically.

There was another one of those carvings on this wall, the only difference was that one of the artificial snouts looked at them with live, draconic, orange eyes.

"Who the hell are you?" Sparx muttered, a deep, thoughtful frown wrinkling his expression

The eyes disappeared, when they fought that perhaps they all fell under some sort of a wishful illusion the carving in front of them moved, the dragon who wielded the orange eyes sunk back into the wall. Revealing a small, dark empty space behind.

The orange eyes appeared again, with a purple paw stepping into the light.

"My name is Diazen. I'm a friend"