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The Legend of Spyro: Path of Delusions

Book IV: Into the night

Chapter 1

Delicate rustling sounds echoed in the cavern as the sound of scraping heavy letter could be heard, the yellowish glow caught into its light the limp flipping of pages. The golden letters sparkled whenever the yellow illumination reached them as the pages kept turning slowly, falling like leafs from autumn trees which then vanished into the dark embrace of the shadows. With one strong scraping sound the pages filled with the beautiful text appeared in the light in all its glory, glowing like sophisticated veins of gold. The pages began to flip quickly, turning to the point where they were last visible. The flipping ended when that happened, the curves of the writing shimmered invitingly.

*

They were currently holed up in a fortress built from resources plundered during the war. It is an impressive structure with many secrets. Formidable, durable, intimidating and unconquerable by everything that lives beyond the walls of the fortress.

Yet unprepared to face the evil within.

His furry fingers danced on the handle of his sheathed scimitar, a tic he developed during his mercenary life, as a blade for hire you have to always be prepared for a fight, even for those you can't win.

His other hand gripped the upper part of the window's frame in his quarters, his furry forehead was pressed too his extended forearm slightly above his head, his single brown eye was staring into the darkness outside.

He spent many hours under the open sky and the scary thought never it never occurred to him back until now.

Was the night always so grisly?

Only when you look into your enemy eyes you can understand how deadly your foe is, only then you understand how well you were prepared for battle. He spent the recent days observing his, THEIR enemy, and he learnt a one very important thing.

This fight they cannot win.

He was right, his friend was right, only he truly understood what they are up against, what true sacrifice means. During all those years he fought at his side, at first it was only a job for wealth, at least that's what he told himself, his mercenary lifestyle demanded compensation. Later it turned out to be something much more important.

He never would have guessed that he would be working for the one he called adversary when they were young, mortal enemies that later became co-workers. They were both different back then, future changed them even more, eventually they became friends, a relationship he didn't want to accept at first but later succumbed to the numerous promptings. Losing one of his eyes during one such suggestion had something to do with this.

The one who he can with all honesty call friend trusted him despite everything, sacrificed so much to get him on his side, sacrificed even more to ally himself with him. Every such step was shrouded in a mist of mystery, that, he can admit it now, was more important than any shimmering gem in the whole world. Being a longer all his life surely develops strange cravings.

Maybe this is what brought them together? Whatever it was it doesn't matter right now, it was time to repay for that trust, fulfill the last wish of his dead friend.

He blinked.

The darkness drew closer.

The hope of this world is safe, the scouts were very optimistic while giving their last report upon their return. As a reward they were granted swift and painless deaths. A job well done.

Many of them won't receive the same mercy, him included. He was running out of time, he can hear the sepulchral gurgles of his dying comrades, their screams bounced off the almost invisible clouds on the blackened sky.

It once more reminded him just how little time he has, It was eating at him, he could feel it spreading inside. So much to do and so little time.

The ornate door to his quarters opened.

" The girl is ready my King"

" Excellent" he replied without any dose of emotion " I'll be right there"

There was a slight pause and the door closed.

He straightened up indolently, as a mercenary it was hard to admit defeat, especially for a seasoned mercenary like him. He turned to his side and snatched the heavy object wrapped in a soft blanket like a child in a cradle from the small table and stormed out of the room with determined step.

If he has to go down he will go down swinging.

Hopefully he still has enough time.

*

When you learn the truth, truth that for the sake of mind should stay buried forever, you look at things differently. You see things for what they truly are, always trying to convince yourself that nothing has changed. But then you realize that you never before watched the sun disappearing behind the horizon with your breath held back. But hey! This isn't the reason to be scared, I've learnt myself that fear can be defeated. Do not let fear and despair dictate your life, I remember how my friend used to say:

"I have loved the stars too fondly to be fearful of the night".

Anonymous the First

*

His whole paw was tense, including the claws that were gripping the quill so tightly like his whole life depended on it. The ink left thick smudges on the paper, almost piercing it through because of the amount of pressure put into the task.

The aspiring writer didn't see, or perhaps, what is more important, ignored this particular detail. A thick smudge appeared on the paper that tried to look like a perfect, vertical, straight line but ended up being a wavering daub. The shaking claws holding the quill were quaking in every direction, like a drunkard who swears that he will walk along this straight curb, but is unable to do so thanks to his tipsy state that he finds himself to be in.

The paw eventually reached the spot where it wanted to go, a tiny trop of saliva splattered on the sheet, just right next to the smudge, the same paw wiped it off instantly. Judging from the way it jerked back when it touched the wet spot, the paw realized that it is making the situation even worse by smearing it around.

The ink covered quill touched the paper fiercely at the top of the pitiful line, it landed on the sheet so powerfully that it dented and almost pierced right through it.

The paw moved, in a horizontal line this time, the noise of creasing paper bounced off the walls. The writer stubbornly continued, the quill sliced through the paper like a sword and tore a hole in it. When it thudded against the wooden table underneath it got stuck in it, it was forced to continue and then it snapped, just like match. Splattering the remains of the dark ink on its tip across the whole paper and onto the red paw.

" I'll never do this again!" there was a sudden flash

Flare roared furiously and swiped with his paw sharply, sending the remains of the quill spinning across the desk on which he was sitting, spitting dark stains of ink everywhere. The dragon then crushed the paper angrily within his paw and hurled it to the side, where many similar paper balls were scattered on the ground.

The dragon looked up, at one of the bookshelves, on one of its wooden stills there was a note attached by a single, small nail.

FLARE was written in a very crude way on the piece of paper. The letters were huge, ugly and the ink stained the corners of every letter. No matter how bad the scripture looked like, there was no denying that they were there, for everybody to read. Especially for him.

The flames that seemed to awaken in his fit of anger in every burning part of his body died down, dimming the light inside the library considerably. The wrath from inside his eyes disappeared, replaced by longing and despair.

He sighed audibly and slammed his forehead into the desk.

" We...need a pause...sometimes...in all our...endeavors...I mean...attempts" Volteer commented calmly as he stepped from behind one of the bookshelves

" I did it once, I do it again!" Flare yelled and momentarily unglued his head from the desk, dragged forcefully another piece of paper in front of him and snatched another feather from the opposite side of the stained desk

The Electric Guardian shook his head, the boy didn't let him get close since his, what seemed like unending failures, started to occur. He pitied the boy, he was making progress from the very beginning, a quick learner, so focused on learning to write and read his name.

Focused, but not desperate, he was making faults and struggled through the whole ordeal but eventually he reached his goal, faster than anyone would believe and wrote his name. He even pronounced it slowly. A huge success no doubt, and the boy's broad smile only confirmed this.

However then came the unpleasant assembly of Warfang's inhabitants, they gathered in front of the City Hall and demanded answers. Both of them participated only for a while but it was enough to learn that the Guardians convinced the people to wait until the strike force returns from Boven. A strike force to which Spyro, Sparx and Cynder belonged to.

After that Flare never behaved the same, the note that was pinned to the bookshelf was no longer a sight of triumph, but more like a mocking sign, something close but still out of grasp. The boy desperately wanted to grab that non-existing object, yet never did so again. It was like he forgot most of the lessons he tried to pass onto him, and the ones he remembered seemed to bounce chaotically inside his head. The mess around the desk speaks volumes, it clearly shows how successful the young drake was.

" Flare my..boy, you-"

" I don't want to hear this!" the red drake cut off the amber dragon and hastily dipped the quill in ink and began to scribble

Another sound of ripping paper resounded within Volteer's sensitive head, especially sensitive for those kinds of sounds.

" You are...trying too...hard"

The drake growled and hurled the recently torn sheet into the mess gathered below his desk. " Leave me alone"

He grabbed another piece of paper.

The Electric Guardian approached the desk and placed his paw firmly on the blank page just when Flare was about to start tearing through it.

The red dragon's eyes flared up angrily as he looked at the amber dragon reproachfully " Leave me alone!"

Volteer's eyes shimmered with sincere care and pity " I...gave you enough...space"

The magical flames that were a crucial part of Flare's build blazed up intensely, like embers in a recently started fire, adorning the surrounding furniture with a quick, sharp flash of yellow.

" This is not your decision to make!"

" We...agreed that I'll....teach you...how to write"

" Yes! But we didn't agree that you become my stalker!"

Volteer gently rubbed down the page he was pinning, when he was done the piece of paper looked almost as new.

" Your...temper is...fiery. Have you ever...wondered why is...that?"

Flare slammed his forehead into the wooden desk and began to pull at his horns as if trying to tear them off " Just no more riddles!" he whined

" It's a...simple...question"

The red dragon's head jerked up, menacing flames danced in his narrowed eyes as he looked at the Guardian " I'm too stupid to know the answer for it, alright?! Go away!"

" I'm here to...help you"

" I don't want your stupid help! I don't want to answer your stupid questions. I don't want to see you! Go away!"

Volteer's friendly expression remained unchanged.

" Tell me...why"

" No more questions!"

" This...isn't a...question"

Flare slammed his clenched paw into the desk, the whole wooden object rattled in silent agony.

" GO AWAY!"

" Tell me...and I'll...go"

His wings burst with literal flames as he roared furiously " I don't want to have anything to do with backstabbers anymore. Diazen, you, Cynder, you are all the same!"

One of the crunched pages on the floor caught on fire as one of the sparks landed directly on it.

Volteer observed the quickly blackening paper cognitively.

" You're...mistaken"

" Yeah? I've heard lies the moment I showed up in this world. You all are full of crap"

The Electric Guardian made a step towards the young drake " Flare..."

The fiery dragon pushed away from the desk " Stay where you are"

Volteer made another step, confidently pressing through the hysterical shield that the boy has woven around himself.

" Don't go-"

The angry growl of the young drake was abruptly ended by the sound of the Guardian's tail gently smacking his hind leg. The strike itself was barely noticeable, the same thing couldn't be said about the electrical arches jumping from the old dragon's tail onto the young, reddish scales.

Flare yelped, the sudden shock forced his body to jump, he twisted his rump fiercely, impulsively trying to avoid the invisible, sharp electrical pike. The unexpected pain, and overall numbness running through all his body quenched the boiling anger and the flames erupting from his fiery parts effectively.

The young drake looked at the Guardian with wide eyes " Why did you do that?"

Volteer smiled friendly " My...own...version of...shock...therapy.

The young male frowned inquiringly, he didn't know what the Guardian meant by that, he might have even asked if not for the familiar scent of something burning invading his nostrils. His head instantly moved in the correct direction, his nose perfectly trained in localizing the sources of fire. The frown vanished from his snout the moment he spotted the now practically black piece of rolled paper still burning.

With a stifled grunt of surprise Flare momentarily jumped towards the blazing page and began to stomp on it quickly. His naturally resistant scales against higher temperatures protected him from feeling any discomfort as he hastily quenched the fire in a display of wafting smoke and ash every time his paw bounced off the wooden floor.

He was glad that he didn't torch the whole library.

" I'm so sorry about this" Flare muttered embarrassed as he stared at his stomping paw " I don't know what came over me"

The friendly smile never disappeared from the amber dragon's snout " No...harm...done. You're a...Fire Dragon...such accidents...are expected...from...hotheads...like you"

Flare started to touch his head spontaneously " It's not that hot"

Volteer cleared his throat merrily.

The red dragon winced and his paw slowly dropped on the ground with a barely audible click of his claws " It's another one of those sayings, idioms or whatever" he mumbled bashfully " I'm such an idiot, this is a waste of time"

Volteer approached the stained desk, reached into the stash of feathers which were stuck in a small cup and picked one. Then he grabbed another blank piece of paper and placed the two at the edge of the desk. Lastly he pulled to the same place a fresh dose of ink.

The dragon nodded towards the freshly prepared equipment of any aspiring writer.

" Sit"

Flare threw a quick reluctant glance at the empty paper " This is a bad idea"

" Writing...isn't easy...and despite...common...sense...you won't...achieve...success if you...focus...on it...too much. Writing...is my hobby...I'm not an...expert but I can...tell you that...words fill...the pages...quicker and much...more...pleasantly when I don't...spend the whole...time thinking...just how...perfect the words...sentences or even...whole...letters should...look like"

" Practice...makes...perfect...true, but...practice is worthless without...pleasure. Fun is...essential, if...writing doesn't...make you...happy and just...thinking about it...turns your...stomach around...then there...is no point...in pursuing it. Even...hard digested...knowledge can...be remembered but...it will never...develop to its...full potential...if it...disgusts you"

Volteer nodded at the pinned piece of paper, with the young dragon's name written on it " How...did it...feel?"

Flare stared at his written name with longing eyes " Awesome"

" Was it...fun?"

" Yeah"

The Electric Guardian patted the desk " Then...come over...here"

The young drake swallowed and directed himself towards the desk, he didn't even feel the muscles in his legs, it was like they were moving on their own.

Volteer smiled, noticing the dragon's shrouded enthusiasm " Sit and...take a...quill"

He did as he was told, for a brief second he caressed the feather with his claws, only know noticing just how great it felt in his paw. So light and soft and completely under his command. He looked from the feather on the blank page, threw a quick glance up, noted his name on it and once more directed his gaze onto the empty paper.

Every portion of bliss faded instantly.

" What's the point?" Flare sighed " I'll only screw up again"

" No" Volteer sounded determined " I...swear to you that...until our...conversation will...end you will...write your...name at least...once"

" How?" the dragon didn't sound convinced

" First of all...you're going...to start from the...top, that way...you'll have more...room for...practice. Then you're...going to...clear your...head"

" How?"

The Electric Guardian nodded at the empty page " Begin"

Flare sighed, he didn't see any point in this, but if Volteer insists then he will do it, he owes him that much. He threw a quick glance up and narrowed his eyes on the letter F, he knew how it sounds to say it out loud.

" F" he mumbled under his breath and pressed his nose to the page " F" he muttered again and aimed his quill at the top left edge of the page " F" he lowered it down, a single, tiny droplet of ink splattered on the paper " F" he pressed the feather to the page

" Stop"

Flare's concentrated gaze widened instantly at the sound of Volteer's voice, he looked up at the dragon. The quill danced just inches above the page as he stared at the amber drake, bewilderment wrinkling his snout.

" Memorize your...whole name. Personalize it...single letters are...unimportant"

" What the hell" he heard his voice speaking inside his skull as he shrugged. There isn't much he can do to make the situation worse anyway. His yellow eyes landed on the pinned page, his slits traveled across the curves of every letter, his mouth moving slightly, his voice coming as a whisper as he almost silently mumbled, remembered, how to read each letter.

His eyes landed on the slightly stained page below.

" Flare" he mumbled and prepared the feather with a quick shake of his paw and then pressed it to the previously made dark dot.

" Who...is Diazen?

An almost numbing bolt shot through his whole body that quaked his every muscle. Flare cleared his throat and pressed the quill where it supposed to go once more, trying to ignore the images of his past flashing before his eyes.

" Nobody"

" I'm...like him?"

The feather began to form dark lines on the sheet.

" I don't know"

" You...think...that I'm... untrustworthy?"

Flare swallowed, his eyes never leaving the curves of the dark, thick lines.

" No"

" Is...Cynder...also...bad?"

The quill began to move faster.

" Of course not!" he sighed " Listen, I didn't mean any of this. I do lots of stupid things when I'm angry. Sorry"

" The....place you...come from, is it...really so...terrible?"

Flare clenched the feather tightly " I don't want to talk about this"

" You...need to...face your...inner...demons"

" Inner demons? I don't have any"

" Face...your...past"

The dragon shook his head, his eyes were still following the written lines closely " Cynder said I have a clean slate. I don't have to worry about my past"

" And...yet it still...haunts you"

" Not true"

" Whatever is...bothering you...you should...get it...off your chest.

For a brief moment Flare looked down on his orange scales just to return to observing his practically dancing paw.

" There's nothing on my chest"

Volteer smiled, no matter how many times he reminds himself that the boy is very literal in his understanding of many sayings and idioms he still keeps forgetting about that little detail.

" If...you forgot...about your...past then...tell me why...you are...so angry...especially after...your...friends left"

" Only one friend" the drake dipped the quill fiercely in ink, he removed it so quickly that droplets of the dark substance splattered in every direction.

" Spyro...is a...good boy and so...is Sparx"

" Sparx maybe but not Spyro"

" Wh-"

The quill snapped. The sudden snapping sound was lauder than any other sound Volteer heard before.

Flare's paw clenched, seconds later he looked at the pinned note above and like nothing ever happened reached for another feather and continued his practice.

" Yes, yes I know. Spyro is great, awesome, Spyro is this and that, there is no one better. You wanted to know who Diazen is? I tell you, he's Spyro"

" Please...elaborate"

" Purple dragons are all the same, I've met many of them, some were different than others, good you might say. In the end they all turned out to be manipulators and the reason for every bad thing that's happening around you and to you. Diazen made my life hell and I couldn't do anything to stop him"

His writing sped up.

" Now Spyro is doing the same thing with Cynder. I don't know how yet, but whatever will happen he will be the cause of this. Doesn't matter if he'll cause her harm deliberately or not, purple dragons are bad news and bad things happen to everyone that stick with them sooner or later. I warned her about him, but she didn't listen and went with him, if I knew what was going on I would go with her, I would make sure that nothing bad happens"

His paw began to move even faster, the fiery color of his burning wings intensified for one quick flash.

"And again I couldn't do anything, every time I stood up against purple dragons I ended up being powerless. Now my only friend is at risk and I'm stuck in this stupid library. So for once I will make something right, for once I will do as I please and write my stupid name again!"

Another quill snapped under the angry, uncaring, tight grip of a red draconic paw. A growl rumbled within the young dragon's throat as he reached for another feather. Writing didn't feel so divine any longer.

Volteer stepped in when he heard and seen the drake beginning abusing another page. The Guardian pinned the boy's paw, the feather flattened underneath it. The moment the amber dragon turned his gaze onto the reddish head he was greeted by a pair of literally burning eyes.

" If...you doesn't...matter for you...any longer...you'll have...no problems...facing it. At...least all this...anger will be...good for...something"

Flare's eyes widened, he began to jerk his trapped paw, there was no wrath shimmering inside his eyes this time, only sheer terror.

" I'll never go back there!"

The Guardian released the boy's paw, Flare yanked it back so forcefully that he almost toppled on the ground.

" Then...we must...find another...way for you...to...release...your...anger"

" What's the point? It's just me, a...hothead"

" You're...different than...any other Fire...dragon I've...met. You...share a...common trait...short temper...yours...manifests...differently, it...intrigues me. To...understand it...more observation...and tests...are needed"

Flare's paw automatically wrapped itself on the gem embedded in his chest.

" No experiments!"

Volteer shook his head " Tests...you will...be your...own...pupil and...mentor. Research...into your... physiognomy...will...progress only when...you'll...test...yourself"

" What for? You said yourself that this a natural thing for dragons like me"

" Because...only with a...clear...mind....you'll...succeed and...gain..." Volteer reached for the piece of paper lying on the desk and presented it to the dragon "...control and...satisfaction"

Flare's eyes widened and his mouth went agape when he laid his eyes on the, practically fully filled page with his writing. Those weren't just incomprehensible scribbles, in places he could easily recognize some letters. Starting from the top there was only F visible, but as he progressed down the F became more and more solid and better looking in general while at the same time more and more letters began to form themselves on the sheet.

Sometimes he failed, when he expected the word he co craved to learn develop even better it collapsed entirely. Yet even after those failed attempts that almost killed the hope in started to improve later on. Starting from one letter again, to two just to finally end of five.

FLARE was written on the bottom side of the paper, usually the name was pretty ugly, it was doubtful that anyone would be able to read it without him telling them which letter those shaky lines represent. However when the reader would go lower, he would have no trouble reading what was written there.

FLARE

That one single word filed the end of the page, not once but three, even four if the reader would be understanding and he would count the not fully completed words where the quill evidently broke.

" Holy crap!" the red dragon exclaimed and stanched the paper from the Guardian's paw. His shaking eyes traveled once more across the whole page, and then again and again.

" I did it!" Flare yelled happily once more " I wrote my name!" the page rustled in the air as he presented it to the amber dragon " Volteer look!"

The Guardian smiled " Congratulations"

The paper once more returned before his yellow eyes " I wrote my name!" the dragon roared joyfully and hurled the page into the air. It began to fall towards the ground in a swaying motion, like a leaf from a tree.

Flare grinned proudly " That's it, I'm going to write a book"

The Electric Guardian nodded "A...journey of a...thousand miles...begins with a...single...step"

The red dragon cocked his head " What has walking to do with anything?"

Volteer laughed.

*

A beautiful light blue dragoness laid on the ground, her belly was cut open, blood was running down from the gaping wound like lava from a volcano.

" MOTHER!" she screamed at the top of her lungs

Iris' eyes snapped open.

Darkness.

" It's your fault!" a one eyed white draconic maw emerged from the blackness of the cell and roared straight into her snout

Iris opened her eyes.

The rays of the waking sun were reaching through the barred window of her cell, illuminating her prison with an orange glow.

She pushed herself from the blanket and sat straight, pressing her curled tail and folded wings to the cold stone behind her. With her diamond gaze fixed on the slowly brightening floor she tightly clenched the medallion in her paw while catching a tiny portion of the tarnished gold chain in her mouth, twirling it in between her lips like the sweetest of candies.

It's taking too long.

One who has too much free time on his paws starts to think, intensely, about everything. What went wrong, how stupid one can be to trust someone else, why make this decision when you could make a completely different one and so on and so on. When you have too much time and silence you start reliving old memories, it makes you wonder why did you let your eyes close in the first place.

Iris ran her paw across her chest several times and looked at the corner of the room where a dirty bandage was splayed on the floor.

At least something good came out of it, even if it was as much pitiful in comparison to everything she went through. The wound has sealed itself, she was completely healed, on the outside at least, the invisible scars and bleeding cuts on her soul didn't count. She did it all by herself, without anybody's help, she will never ask for help again.

Never again.

The dragoness took a deep breath and her nose instantly curled itself in disgust. She aimed her piercing eyes at the ground near the bars that were now the door to her special room. Two bowls stood on the floor, one was filled with food, slowly rotting away, they brought it here to serve as her supper for her first night in the prison.

She didn't touch it, however that didn't prevent one of the guards from offering her some better meal for a quick thorough probe. She thanked the guard for the offer and politely declined it by smearing the food he brought into his stupid snout. It turned out that he was the huffish type since the remains of the food he spat out landed back in the bowl and remained here still, for three days, her stretch was supposed to end in two. People are so sensitive.

The other bowl contained water, the temperature and passing of time didn't serve it as well. However Iris assumed that shreds of the bloody bandage floating in the bowl she ripped from the patch on her chest sped the "going bad" process.

She released the chain from her mouth and aimed her gaze at the barred window above.

" You better be somewhere out there" she mumbled with a note of irritation in her voice

With the eye of her imagination she traveled far beyond this city, to a place surrounded by trees and rocks, she remembered the smell of leafs. The time they agreed upon is about to end, four days, you wait for three, you start searching on the next day, that is the first thing you do, everything begins at midnight. Judging from the still bright rays she has still like seventeen or maybe fifteen hours left.

It's taking too long.

She pressed her head to the stone and her eyes widened for a second. Commotion stirred in the guard room up above, the vibrations traveled across the whole foundations of the building, starting from the floor to end on walls, life taught her to be sensitive for those kind of things. Some were stronger, some weaker, but all of them were in that specific cadence she learnt to recognize so well.

Footsteps.

The door at the end of the hall opened, now the sounds of boots stomping and claws clicking down some stairs echoed loudly throughout the torch floodlit corridor.

" I don't think that's wise Miss" the hectic loud voice of the guard who so charmingly flirted with her bounced off the cold walls of the prison

" Don't worry about me dear, you see this greying fur? You don't get it if you're not cunning enough" a familiar feminine voice echoed throughout the hall, Iris didn't meet many healers since she got here, so she had no trouble pinpointing to whom the voice belonged to.

Quick steps echoed across the hall.

" But Miss!" sounded the terrified voice of the guard " She broke a guy's jaw! That's a serious crime, it isn't safe for a healer of your status to be taking care of her"

" I take care of all my patients, no matter if they are ruffians or priests. Besides you call breaking a jaw a serious crime? Especially among your kind? I personally sew wounds so deep that it would cut a cheetah in half and the dragon who I patched up said it was only a test of strength in a bar fight. He spent a single night in jail"

" She attacked a guard!"

" Attacked you say? I'm not saying that it surprises me"

" That's what I'm talking about ma'am! She just threw herself at him for no reason, she's dangerous I'm telling you!"

The sound of footsteps came to an abrupt end.

The healer narrowed her eyes cagily on her escort " No reason? That's serious"

The draconic guard nodded hectically several times and swiftly slid his body in front of the cheetah.

" Exactly!" he threw a quick, nervous glance behind his shoulder " She's irredeemable. This is why her stay here is prolonged"

" I see" she muttered half-heartedly and then lively clapped her hands together " All the reason to check up on her. Excuse me"

The dragon whined something incoherently as the paw of the cheetah gently pushed him aside.

After five or ten seconds the sound of the steps vibrated off the floor for the last time as they reached their destination. A surprised gasp replaced the noise, which in the empty hall sounded like a breath of a giant.

" What is this?" Amela growled, her fiery brown eyes never leaving the dirty bowls on the ground

The guard gulped " I...-"

She turned towards the dragon " She spent three days here without food and water?!"

" I-"

" She was wounded, what if an infection got through? You know how fast food spoils in this temperature? How bad it is for a weakened immunity system? We take care of our prisoners, do you take us for barbarians and sadists?!"

" She attacked me!" the drake cried out

" This is your excuse?!" Amela stomped her foot on the ground furiously " You are a guardian of law, it's embodiment. This is how you honor your duty? By staining the good name of Warfang's City Guard?"

" She is a prisoner, and forgive me Miss but what we do here is none of your concern"

The feline folded her arms " Is that so? Didn't the Guardians declare me as the head of the hospital and healers in this city? Didn't the Guardians appoint me as the keeper of the wounded and those in need of help?"

" Yes, but-"

" I don't recall them mentioning that some patients are deemed worse than others, I remember them saying that everyone has to be treated equally. This is my job, I know what my duties are. Every patient is under my care, there's nothing more to add"

" Bu-"

Amela raised her hand in the air, her palm was meaningfully opened presenting one of the most popular signals that no more protest will be tolerated.

" There's nothing more to add"

The guard snarled, his eyes traveled to the feathery dragoness in the cell, she wasn't paying them any attention and that angered him even more.

" This is wrong" he growled

The cheetah folded her arms behind her back " This is all. Carry on and leave me to my duties"

The guard narrowed his eyes on the healer " And what are you going to do here? She looks fine to me"

" Excuse me dear, but in this room there is only one person who specializes in medicine"

The male snorted " Fine, I'll be upstairs if you need me...ma'am" he bowed, turned around and made his way through the hall

The wrath that was boiling his blood was heard in every click his claws made.

Amela cleared her throat and turned her attention towards the sole prisoner.

" I see you're making friends quickly"

Iris didn't answer, she didn't pay the cheetah any attention in fact, her diamond eyes were aimed at the wall on the opposite side of her cell.

The cat's eyes went down, finding the bandage dipped in the bowl of water.

" I see you feel better, were there any complications? I'm sorry that I couldn't get here earlier, the boy you messed up had to go through a minor operation to properly set his jaw back without his natural healing process interfering too much. He suffered enough"

The dragonesses eyes remained stuck in the same spot.

" Talkative as ever"

Silence.

Amela started to pick at her earing.

" What do you want Puss?" the dragoness finally asked in that typical cold accent of hers, her gaze still frozen on that opposite wall

" Still with the nicknames" the feline touched her chest " I'm Amela" she bowed slightly

Silence.

Iris said nothing.

The cheetah eventually cleared her throat " What do I want? How about we begin with a fruitful conversation"

Silence.

The feline sighed " I came to check on you, three days is a long time after all" she looked towards the stairs " Or perhaps I came to check on them, had a feeling their teeth were in danger. As it turned out my intuition wasn't that far from the truth"

Silence.

Amela turned her head, so only the profile of her face was visible for anyone on the other side of the bars.

" You're female, I'm pretty sure you know why I came here"

" I don't want your help" Iris finally responded

The healer folded her arms " Who says anything about helping? I'm a healer, I'm only doing my job" she leaned closer towards the bars " I hate bringing bad news, but you are extremely pale"

The dragonesses intelligent and sharp white orbs shifted towards the cheetah.

" It has to be the food" the cat shook her head " Ignorance of some people is heartbreaking, there is no place for carelessness around the wounded. Even a bit of bacteria that previously was harmless can prove fatal, especially if not treated early"

Amela's brown eyes sparkled briefly with a youthful feistiness as she looked at the trapped female.

" Someone should examine you" she reached down her pocket and retrieved a bundle of keys, a tiny silvery key was already held in between her two fingers " Whatever it is, this sickness can't spread"

She unlocked the dragonesses cell and pushed the door open, they creaked annoyingly.

Iris watched the door swing open, battling with her thoughts. Part of her wanted to leave this stinky cell right now, yet there was that part of her that protested and didn't allow her to move.

She won't need anyone's help ever again.

Amela began spinning the bundle on her forefinger, the keys smacked against each other, ringing like tiny bells.

" I wouldn't wait if I were you, judging from your state the illness is taking control over your body very quickly"

Iris' eye looked into the bowl with the spoiling food, maybe in fact something with her regeneration and the overall stench hanging in the prison weakened her immunity system, if ignored it may have drastic consequences in the future.

Whatever.

A very far-fetched explanation but it'll do.

The dragoness pushed herself up and made her way towards the opened door of her cell, her piercing eyes aimed at the smiling face of the cheetah.

" We must hurry, there is no time to waste" Amela said when the dragoness moved to her side and then went after her through the rest of the prison and up the stairs.

" What are you doing?!" the guard sprang up from his desk where he played cards with himself, he smacked the table with his tail toppling it to the side and spraying the card on the floor

" The prisoner is ill. I'm taking her to more healthy environment so she can get better"

" ILL?!" the dragon growled

" It's serious" Amela threw a meaningful glance at the dragonesses

Iris coughed.

The brown eyes of the cheetah returned to the guard.

" See? I need to prevent it from spreading" they moved towards the exit

The draconic guard jumped in front of them.

" Are you taking me for an idiot Miss?!" he roared " She's a criminal, and a perfectly healthy one at that. Her place is here!"

Amela folded her arms " To properly treat her I need sterile conditions" she narrowed her eyes on the guard " Which can't be found in this toxic environment"

" This is outrageous! I'm taking this to my superiors!"

The healer nodded " Of course, don't forget to mention the pitiful conditions she was kept in, starvation included"

The confidence vanished from the guard's snout in a second, instead of it sheer fury and defeat could be recognized.

" Go" he grumbled through clenched teeth and threw Iris a murderous glance

She didn't even look at him.

Just when the door of the Guards Post were about to close both females heard a loud sound coming from the inside, just like somebody would be kicking a wooden object...very fiercely.

Amela took a deep breath and looked at the dragoness " Well would you look at that. It seems you feel better already, it's amazing how powerful healing properties has the sun"

Iris scanned the lively city.

" Why?" she asked when she began to circle through the many eyes of the many passers-by looking her way.

Amela stared ahead, her gaze was distant" Because I know how it is to be full of anger, some quiet time despite everything doesn't help. You start to think, and when you think the wrath is starting to eat you up. Better to use that boiling fury on your enemies, than these people. I care about them too much to let them be consumed by your hate"

" Don't pretend you know me so well"

" Am I wrong?"

" I didn't say that"

" I'm old, I see things that other don't" her brown eyes turned towards the dragoness " I have met my match"

" Whatever. I'll be better on my way"

" Good"

And the peculiar ice dragoness was gone, yet something at the back of Amela's mind told her that the destruction didn't follow her.