FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Chapter 2

She arrived back at the construction site, or at least that's how she remembered it from her last visit. Currently it was an open district, like many in this crowded city, whatever reconstruction was going on here, it has ended during her imprisonment.

Iris clicked her claws on the marble road several times and decided to investigate the place anyway, ignoring the wide eyes of the people following her. Something told her that the cat wasn't here, he took off when they put her in that stinky cell.

Weaklings.

The dragoness made her way to the front of the recently renovated building. She didn't care what purpose it served, she eyed the structure up and down. Completely ignoring the curious gazes of the many passers-by.

It was so perfect, so important, a sign that everything is turning out for the better, a milestone you might say. One of the many steps that were made to completely restore this city. Important stuff, even more important than her.

Pitiful creatures I will not be mocked.

Iris thrust her claws into the wall, the sharp tips of her natural weapons dug into the stone, finding tiny slits between rocks. A gust of cold air wafted from the holes, momentarily ice filled the small openings. The ice eventually pushed onto the outside of the stone, it was then when Iris swung her paw in an arch, sliding it along the wall like a painter his brush on a canvas who wants to draw a rainbow, starting from the color blue.

She withdrew her paw and then seconds later slashed with her claws, a visible crack, like a cut from a sword appeared on the wall along the whole length of the freezing trail. The stone began to bleed, melted ice dripped from the slit, like azure blood.

"What do you think you're doing?!"

The dragoness pushed her leg from the wall with one last sharp grind of her claws after hearing the loud shout. She turned around calmly while placing the paw slowly on the ground, claws glittered slightly in the light of the day, reflecting the sun's rays from their recently sharpened tips like from a perfectly, clean, edged blade.

Ahead stood one of the ratty midgets, it's widened in horror and indignation black, practically milky eyes enlarged by the stupid golden goggles it was wearing. Its hands ended with sharp, long claws were clutching the brownish helmet on its head as if trying to rip whatever piece of coat they could find underneath it.

"Devastation in broad daylight!" the mole yelled at the top of his lungs while throwing his arms up in the air "What is going on with this world?!" he screamed into the sky as if trying to draw the attention of some unnamed, and most likely non-existing god

The mole scuttled towards the building, many people stopped in their tracks and curiously observed what is this commotion all about.

The rodent basically pressed his long snout into the wall while he began to slide his long claws along the scar. His claws twitched every now and then as if the rock somehow hissed in pain.

"Why would you do such a thing?" he muttered, almost at the brink of tears " Do you know how much time it took to repair this piece of art?"

"I was supposed to meet someone here" Iris responded coldly, not even caring about the rat's hurt feelings

"And you wounded the building because you didn't meet your date?" the mole whined as he began to spin around towards her "Girl, we all get stood up every now and then"

The mole's eyes grew even wider than before when he aimed his goggles on the dragoness.

"You!" the mole yelped and jumped back in horror "First you beat up a guy and now this!? What's wrong with you?!"

"I will not be ignored" Iris replied in her typical cold accent

"You're crazy! Where are the guards?" the mole shouted and shifted his gaze along every curious observer that was watching them.

"Guards!" one of the passers-by called out when the mole's goggles landed on him

"Guards!" someone else chimed in

"Guards!"

"What's going on here?" a dragon roared as he descended from above, the bluish cape of the City Guards fluttered in the air

The mole swallowed and took an impulsive step back, intimidated and in awe of the magnificent beast that landed on the street.

"Sir! Much obliged that you heard our call" the rodent exclaimed and quickly dashed towards the building. His goggles bounced on his long snout frantically.

He pressed one of his long claws to the crack "Look what she has done! She ruined the building, I've seen it with my own eyes!"

The guards frowned as he followed the mole's claw, a visible crack ran across a portion of the wall. Devastated, right here, in a crowded street and during the day.

"What is going on with this world" he heard his own voice mumbling with shock inside his head as he turned towards the culprit

His eyes shot wide open in surprise.

"You again?! Didn't you learn anything?"

"AGAIN?" the mole exclaimed in disbelief "To the pillory with her! Some humiliation will server her right if jail can't!"

Iris turned towards the rodent, the murderous glimmer that ran across her diamond eyes kicked the breath out of the mole's lungs.

He took a step back.

The guard admonished the mole with an commanding look, clearly showing who is in charge here.

"Jail time usually does the trick, but if it isn't enough for you to reconsider your actions we might try a different approach" he addressed the dragoness

"Touch me and I'll gut you" she snapped fiercely

A gasp of shock escaped the throats of the many curious inhabitants of the city that surrounded them.

The dragon narrowed his gaze on the female "Threating a guard isn't wise" he made a step forward towards the dragoness "You won't cause any more troubles, you're coming with me"

Iris faced the dragon, an ominous screech filled the street as her silver claws scratched the marble underneath threateningly.

The air suddenly turned really cold.

"One more step and it'll be just a theory of a deadman"

The guard growled, his massive tail started to sway from one side to the other, like some kind of a radar, measuring the invisible waves of aggression between two would-be fighters.

"You don't belong here" he hissed

"I'm not planning to stay in this hole"

"The gate is that way!" the mole exclaimed releasing all the boiling emotions within him in one squeaky shout. Insult the lead voice in this chorus.

He pointed to the south-east.

Iris looked at him.

Letting out a pitiful whine, the mole covered his mouth with both hands.

The dragonesses diamond eyes locked themselves on the guard. They shimmered with an unspoken urge and murderous intent covering in the background.

The dragon read her intentions perfectly. The girl deserved another jail time at least, but seeing that she would be more trouble than she's worth he decided to let her be. Especially when she is practically exiling herself.

"I don't want to see you here again"

Iris leapt into the air, her angelic wings lifted her up.

"Do you hear?" the male shouted after her

She directed herself south-east.

"Don't come back!"

She wasn't going to, there is nothing these creatures can offer her, none of the dragons recognize her for who she is. They have their own leaders, here she is just a dragoness like any other, with some distinct features, but still ONLY a dragoness. They don't recognize her authority, why would they if this is the future, so she won't seek it out.

This time jump bought her time, nothing more.

Whatever.

She doesn't need them, the two of them is enough, as always they will do everything themselves. Gods how she hated those people, if she could she would blow this city to pieces, destroying the sick, friendly atmosphere, the happy chats and laughs. They would taste how life truly feels when she would be finally done with them.

Damn ignorant fools.

This city stinks, the sooner she won't see their stupid faces the better, if just-

Iris groaned when something bumped into her flank and ruined her train of thought.

Her diamond eyes narrowed and a growl rumbled within her throat as she scanned the air for the fool who has definitely too much time on his hands. If this was one of the many witty brats that polluted this place she would make sure that it learns a rough lesson on manners, if it parents can't take care of that.

A shrill cry of a falcon cut through the air, as if riding on the invisible gusts of the wind that made the sound so much stronger.

Iris impulsively turned towards the direction from which the sound came and instantly had to jerk her head back with a gasp when the avian creature passed right in front of her eyes. The scent of its feathers still fresh in her nostrils.

Another cry.

Her draconic eyes have located the creature, it was flying straight at her. It was a powerfully built bird, its brown, sharp and elegant feathers perfectly matched with the intimidating, deep black color of its malar. All of its features would be awe inspiring if not for the sight of its beak parting and another shrill sound coming out of it that seemed to sizzle her sound sensors.

Iris winced, this impulse was enough to lose the bird from her sight, when she eventually found it again the creature was practically in front of her nose, ready to collide with her. It cried out again which forced the dragoness to impulsively jerk her body to the side, she felt the creature passing underneath her.

"What do you want you stupid bird?" the dragoness growled as her hateful gaze followed the avian being when she turned around

The falcon circled her around, opening and closing its avian maw, every time that happened its throat was letting out that annoying, fucking SOUND.

"Shut up already!" the dragoness shouted. Cold, icy mist wafted from her opened mouth

The falcon spread its wings wide, with them held still like that it controlled the wind, bending the force of nature to its will. Using this freshly acquired power it began to turn, directing its body in such an arc so a minute later it was facing the blue dragoness once more.

Iris snarled as she narrowed her gaze on the approaching bird, her claws on her right front leg glimmer menacingly in the sunlight. With four flaps of its powerful wings the brownish avian was on her once more. The ice dragoness roared and slashed with her claws fiercely, the falcon dodged the attack with ease and mockingly passed in between her horns, making sure she feels the slap of its feathers on her scales.

That wasn't the only thing she felt.

The dragoness extended her paw to her head, sensing that there was something on it, exactly in between her horns. She ran her paw across the top of her head, feeling something sticky and pretty moist on her leg. She moved the paw in front of her snout and her eyes widened to the size of saucers when she noticed what precisely got stuck to her paw and is still glued to the top of her head.

Guano.

Iris' usually cold eyes flared up in fury like the eyes of a bloodthirsty demon.

"YOU SHIT ON ME?!" she roared wrathfully at the top of her lungs

Many laughs burst all around her, coming from the young and slightly older airborne city dwellers.

Somewhere among this commotion the falcon cried out a different tune which didn't interest her in the slightest.

Her diamond eyes narrowed themselves, her gaze was moving from one laughing inhabitant to the other. Rage and uncontrollable hate, hate for everything that breaths...gods how she hated all of them. The last worm she hated so much lost his eye, and she wasn't even a really capable fighter back then. Not like today, today she has so much more experience, these laughing cunts will lose much more.

The aura emanating from her started to grow colder and colder with each second, every invisible and loose particle of the sky, every tiny and big gust of wind, everything was sucked into the freezing, transparent cyclone around the dragoness. Iris began to inhale the icy mist deeply, the magical freezing essence filled her nostrils, lungs, and every vein and canal in her body, making her even more cold, both literally and lyrically, than she already seemed from outside.

Another shrill sound cut through the air, yet at this moment the dragoness paid it no attention. She was entirely fixed on murdering those laughing killers and mockers.

Another cry and the bird collided with her again, then again and again and again.

"Get lost!" Iris growled furiously and as her mouth opened a magical mist of ice wafted from her mouth, turning to ice even the invisible gusts of wind with that peculiar and strongly familiar cracking sound.

The avian creature parted its beak once more and once more let out that annoying reedy sound. Portions of the icy mist covered its brown feathers, making the still and fragile, yet even then the bird didn't stop harassing her.

And it was driving her mad.

At first the dragoness pretended that the bird didn't exist, wincing and snarling she forced herself to forget about its existence. However the falcon kept on roughly reminding her of its presence and eventually came the moment when the dragoness directed all her aggression at the bird.

Iris roared rabidly and threw herself after the falcon, the bird no longer was interested in harassing the female, but instead focused on staying ahead of the dragoness as far as it could. The bird dived instantly, its powerful wings were spread wide and flapping quickly, moving like a fan of a very feverish lady.

The bird went down towards the main crowded streets, no matter how powerful the falcon's body was, it was still just a bird, people in Warfang were used to seeing stranger stuff than a bird flying overhead. What really caused the city dwellers to jump back and gasp in shock was an ice dragoness following the falcon's tail like a rabid dog with shit on her head.

Iris prepared an elemental attack, she could feel the cold, boiling, magical energy flowing through her veins. She didn't care that people were in front of her, she will get that damn bird no matter what. She opened her mouth, a ball of ice was almost fully formed within her draconic maw, the stupid bird won't know what's going to hit it.

Suddenly the falcon changed its course.

The dragonesses mouth shut itself automatically when she saw the bird dashing into one of the more narrow streets, the creature obviously knew the layout of the city since there was no chance she would know of the existence of the tight alley between this buildings if the bird wouldn't fly in there.

She passed the entrance to the alley.

Iris put all of her strength to force her body to a halt, she gained so much speed while chasing the bird that it was difficult to dispose of it. Eventually she succeeded but not before shoving a cheetah into a pile of hay and wrecking one of the nearby stalls that had all kind of different dyes on stock.

Ignoring the angry shouts and demands of compensation Iris returned the way she came and aimed her gaze into the tight alley.

The falcon was there, slowly progressing through the narrow passage, it's back was facing her. It was like the bird has lost its way, confused by the darkness within the alley, or perhaps it was simply waiting for her to catch up, as if trying to digest, with great appetite, its successes over her.

Not caring what its motives are, or in what trouble it is, Iris darted after the bird.

The falcon immediately sprang up to life, with a powerful cry it renewed its escape with the same vigor as before.

She never got another opportunity to channel her ice powers again, the bird was maneuvering in such a way that she had to use all of her concentration to stay on its track. It kept using all of the less visible alleyways, or any other more and less tight passages, passages where there were only handfuls of people, passages that required constant turns.

She had no idea how much time she wasted on chasing after the bird, she didn't care really, right now she was blinded by the image of its feathers sticking out of her mouth when she finally will snap her teeth on its brownish body. She didn't even realize when they were once again in the open and a huge gate appeared before her eyes, she didn't care that once more she found herself surrounded by people that jumped out of her way as she cut through the air just slightly above the marble street.

The bird cried out again.

This is all that mattered.

It didn't even bother her that she collided with one of the blind moles walking down the road who was too slow to avoid her. As the impact slowed her down and threw her into an uncontrollable roll with the rat on the ground, making them look like a pair lovers fiercely playing in the sheets, everything she cared about was the flashing image of the bird before her eyes.

Eventually the roll came to an end, the mole was still on the ground, flailing its arms wildly and screaming something that she didn't want to hear. She was up on her legs in seconds, her gaze was fixed on the falcon, the bird was making a wide arc in the air and then it dived swiftly and landed on a cheetah's shoulder.

Iris' eyes widened when she recognized the owner of the bird. She once more recognized the sounds of reality.

It was the scout.

He was leaning against the wall, near the gate, one of his legs was bent and propped against the stony surface while the other was firmly placed on the ground. He was wearing the professional attire of a scout, a hooded brown coat with a dark reddish cape pinned to it with a yin-yang symbol with a falcon feather below it. A bow and a filled quiver colored just like his cape was strapped on his back, a pair of reddish angle bands covered the bottom portion of his legs, similar bands protected his forearms.

His pointy ears were stretched to its limits, almost resembling those of a rabbit. One of his hands was placed on his bent thigh while the other was hanging close to his mouth, frozen in midair, holding an slightly gnawed apple. The bitten off piece was limply hanging from the feline's opened mouth, his blue eyes were wide as saucers and they were staring at her in unhidden shock. That stupid falcon was sitting on his left shoulder.

"Kit?" Iris asked surprised and irritated at the same time "That's your bird?"

Hunter didn't answer, his wide eyes were locked on her.

"Answer me!" she growled

He couldn't, the silence that has surrounded this particular spot of the city spoke volumes, it didn't escape Iris' attention. The dragoness began to look around, all of the nearby people were staring at her just like the feline was, and nobody said a word.

"What the hell are you staring at?" the dragoness hissed

Hunter just couldn't get his eyes off of her, the saying that someone ruffled your feathers takes quite a literal meaning in this situation. Her wings, once beautiful beyond imagination, were mussed up, they no longer resembled angelic wings but looked like a used mop, which was grated over stuff that even the most hardworking cleaner would have troubles digesting.

And this wasn't the end of it.

He didn't know if she didn't realize or maybe simply didn't care but she looked like, once again literally speaking, a clown. It was like she was thrown under the brushes of many blind and dense painters who wanted to just make a signature on her body without any sense.

Boy, she carried many autographs.

Her satin body was covered in colorful streaks and blotches , excluding her natural white lines, Hunter at least counted six other colorful streaks and two extra different blotches. The colorful mess covered practically all of her body, including her wings, feathers of which were already in a poor condition to begin with. It was like she took a bath in a pool of different dyes.

It was hard to decide if the stains on her body were more conspicuous or the birds excrement on the top of her head were. Hunter was certain of one thing however, if there would be ever a draconic bum on this world, this is how one would look like.

Hunter turned his shocked face on his avian companion, not believing that the falcon could go so far with his cockiness. The piece of the apple fell down from his still numb, parted lips as a clear proof of his dumbfoundedness.

The bird cocked its head while observing its feline companion, its golden eye shimmered with great satisfaction.

"I understand that rainbow is popular nowadays, but you sure girl took it to the next level"

Nobody knew who spoke this words, not that anyone cared in fact, people were too busy laughing their asses off.

Iris winced, her diamond eyes flashed and her claws left deep scratches on the marble street. The essence of a powerful, cold, magical energy could be felt in the air, the sensation bristled every tiny strand of Hunter's fur.

The scout wasn't finding anything funny regarding this situation.

The falcon on his shoulder let out a warning, shrill cry.

The cheetah swiftly pushed away from the wall, the gnawed apple dropped on the ground with a barely audible smack while the falcon on his shoulder leapt into the air with another alarming cry. With four quick strides he was already in front of the dragonesses snout, blocking her sight, his arms were spread wide open, just like a father would be preparing to embrace his child.

"If you want to reach them you'll have to go through me" Hunter spoke calmly

The falcon circling above didn't share his peace.

The increasing flow of magical energy and the dragonesses cold, diamond glare spoke volumes. She definitely wouldn't have any objections if his corpse would increase the body count.

"Without me you'll never find what you're looking for" the cheetah spoke again, feeling that he was losing the advantage of his surprise

"Do not manipulate me cat" Iris hissed aggressively

Hunter shook his head "I wouldn't dare My Lady, I'm offering a trade. My knowledge for their lives"

"You're testing my patience feline, and I have barely any left. You already tricked me once, you didn't show up, did you already forgot about our deal? Or perhaps you didn't care about it in the first place and decided to step up only because I'm about to turn your precious friends to pieces/ Nobody is going to toy with me"

The bird above cried again, Hunter knew perfectly that his avian companion had a different opinion on that matter.

The cheetah furrowed his brows, baffled by the female's words "Forgive my insolence, My Lady, but I don't think I did any such thing. You hired me that day and expected me to be ready when you will be released. I am ready as you see"

"I've been looking for you near that construction site where we last met. Where have you been?" she growled "Were you trying to avoid me?"

He threw a quick glance at the gate behind him and then his attention was once more fully directed at the dragoness. The feline dropped his arms to his sides and bowed apologetically.

"A misunderstanding has occurred, to meet your expectations I've packed my belongings and been waiting for you near the only gate out of Warfang, thinking that it would speed up our travel. I've been a tracker my whole life, I know that mere minutes might decide between life and death sometimes"

Iris eyed him carefully, the cat surely knew what respect is and how to behave among his betters. Yes, he may live for now, he will have his uses, yet errors demanded compensation, deliberate or not.

"Hunter stop your sweet taking and take your new friend for a parade or something. A troublemaker and a clown in one, people will pay big money to see her"

Another dose of laugher stirred itself.

The cheetah looked at the sun hanging among the clouds above the ice dragonesses rump.

"Time is short" he spoke quickly, and partially truthfully, effectively hiding the concern for the people around "If we want to get there before dusk we must be on our way" he aimed his opened palm at the massive gate "After you"

An icy puff wafted from Iris' nose, she knew what the cat is trying to do. He wants to rush her so the chaos that would brew after would force her to forget, or at least ignore, the hate and craving for blood. He won't get away that easily.

"No, this disgrace can only be paid in blood. I want your bird"

The falcon above cried out again, differently this time, only Hunter knew that it was laughing mockingly.

The cheetah looked sincerely hurt "You would take my eyes then. For a scout without his companion is as blind as a mole without his hat"

Iris snarled, how she hated to be played and especially to be put against a wall.

She snorted "Fine, but next time Kit you won't be able to protect everyone"

Hunter nodded, he passed over the fact that with the way how she looked the aura of authority she tried to command and the threats she voiced were as meaningful as that of a poor comedian. At least for everybody else, he knew, despite her appearance, that she was serious.

When the dragonesses passed by him the feline threw a meaningful look at the one guy who was prepared to throw another mocking comment. The warning glimmer of his blue eyes made the guy think over his actions, hesitate, even if for a bit. It was enough.

They reached the gate without any incident.

Both of them stopped on the road leading from Warfang, their eyes locked on the horizon.

"We must make haste" Hunter said "The sun won't be our guide for long and we have a long way ahead of us"

The falcon landed on the feline's shoulder.

Iris watched the bird cautiously, it was picking at its feathers arrogantly, her anger still freshly boiling in her veins and it was openly provoking her. If the cat suggests that to speed up their journey it's better if he would ride her then she will tear him to pieces right here, right now.

Hunter rearranged his quiver and pressed forward "Let's go"

The dragoness nodded satisfied and followed the cheetah.

They perhaps walked for maybe like two minutes before roaring filled the sky above. Hunter stopped in his tracks immediately, the falcon on his shoulder cried again. The feline's head jerked up, towards the sky, his ears flattened on his skull and his blue eyes glimmered with worry.

With nothing better to do Iris looked up also, letting out a resigned and bored sigh.

A formation of dragons was approaching the city, she didn't find anything fascinating about it, so her eyes landed on the cheetah once more. The grimace on his face showed clearly that he didn't share her indifference, one of his hands was clutching the yin-yang symbol tightly.

Iris growled quietly.

"You better don't have seconds thoughts Kit and start moving again. Waste of time is just as deadly as mockery is" she thought to herself

Hunter didn't hear, obviously, the dragonesses thoughts, but even if he did there was a slim chance that they would cause any reaction. The group of dragons above took all of his attention, especially the absence of his friends among the formation and the small number of drakes that returned in general. The group was much more numerous when it left Warfang.

He didn't like it, not even a bit.

The scout blinked and his focus was once more drawn towards the road ahead. There was no time to waste.

"We run" Hunter announced with determination and darted forward. The bird on his shoulder leapt in the air, adding its own shrill words to the cheetah's

Iris' eyes widened for a second, the cheetah sprang forward with such swiftness that it impressed her. Not to mention that she has never seen a creature running so fast.

She dashed after him.

This journey won't be a waste of time definitely.

*

The return of the draconic striking team stirred the whole city, they landed in the main street that lead out of the city. Nobody no longer remembered Iris, Hunter or the havoc the dragonesses wrought, the broad street filled with people immediately. The mob that gathered was practically the size of the one that greeted Spyro when he returned from the battle with Malefor.

People started to shed tears of happiness and despair, some were reunited with their friends and loved ones, some, and they were in the majority, learnt that the ones they care about won't be returning. During Malefor's age people grieved when Death swept its scythe across the land, but as awful as it sounds they were expecting that the blade might touch their bloodline, or the bloodline of the ones close to them. It was a time of war after all.

However Malefor's age was over, The Dark Master was gone and with him went the war, peace and happiness should be the main actors in this play which is called life. People were unhappy, to say the least, to find out that their dream of serene prosperity is nothing more than a fool's dream. The word of the dragons return spread like fire through a forest, the angry people demanded answers, they were in no position to be swayed by the Guardians sweet words no longer.

After minutes the whole city heard the news, starting from the temple to the tiniest dark alley. News that some more creative ones leavened with pictures of their own desperate and scared imaginations. People were flowing through the streets like water in a flood.

A sole, unfortunate Ice Guardian walking down the streets was forced to stand against the reaper.

"CALM DOWN?!" a draconic female roared hysterically, tears were flowing down from her eyes in streams "I've lost my mate there and you ask me to CALM DOWN?!"

Cyril licked his lips, he understood the pain of these people, yet his pride and natural arrogance didn't allow him to feel despair. He's a dignified ice dragon, being like him face the truth and twists of fate with cold heart and calculation. For him it as simple, you grab sorrow by its flimsy throat and let you anger fuel the muscles in your paw, you don't let it control you.

If only people were like him, of his majestic bloodline, they would understand the hardships of life. They would understand that you have to be prepared for anything, perhaps this could be avoided if these people were strong enough to face the hard truth.

Peace is just two fingers now, peace is just a phase. So take those fingers, tape them up and shove them up your ass and carry on.

Oh how we like to ride but never walk.

But he couldn't tell them that, they were just too simple to understand.

"If you would all just cease all this shouting!" Cyril roared and the people went silent. His status as a Guardian has its perks. He took a calm, deep breath "I want only to hear the fighters who were in Boven. Step up and shed some light on this situation"

"Our friends are dead and you want to debate?!" Brill shouted from the crowd "You were always one cold son of a bitch Cyril you know that?"

The Ice Guardian's cold eyes flared up, for a brief second he just dreamed of succumbing to his feral side and while he did so reap the fucking mole to shreds.

"I wasn't aware that you actually did something else besides waggling your fatalistic tongue since you got here" the ice dragon snapped

Brill climbed on top of the nearby stairs "Why do you waste these people time Cyril?" he straightened up and spread his arms wide while eyeing the gathered inhabitants "We all know what is responsible for this! Why waste time on words while we can act?! We must prepare ourselves, we are facing a foe nobody of us ever dreamed of!"

The mole's words stirred the crowd, which angered the ice Guardian even further.

"Perhaps before you start spreading your nonsense you let our noble fighters tell their story? Remember Brill that Warfang chose us, Guardians, as rulers of our community. We follow a certain law here, if you keep disobeying we have means to help you understand what you did wrong. Now be quiet and let the ones who spilled blood for us speak, they deserve that right more than the two of us combined"

Murmurs of appreciation spread through the mob. Brill remained silent.

"We fought against nobody of us expected to meet" a dragon stepped out from the crowd, he was young, practically the same age Spyro was

"Huge walking statues, impervious to our every attack, with only a single weak spot. We lost many of our friends during the skirmishes until we eventually learned how to fight those things. Spyro and Cynder showed us how to fight those things, it was like..." his voice trailed off as he looked at the mob

Cyril spotted like some of the dragons, undoubtedly his companions in battle were nodding their heads, urging the drake to continue.

The young male swallowed and rubbed his right leg tentatively "...they've met those things earlier" his eyes turned at the Guardian during the many gasps that shook the crowd

"How is this possible Sir?"

The Ice Guardian tried to ignore the shocked people as best as he could, to not let them drag him into this mess. However no matter how he tried his eyes always found the mole, he just had to retaliate seeing Brill's cocky, tiny smile.

"Simple, they have already faced this foe before"

"SIMPLE?!" someone roared from the crowd "That simple slaughtered our people you had no right to-"

"WE" Cyril cut off the hysterical speaker, whoever he or she was "decided that it was best to keep this secret for the time being, until we learn more"

"If you would told us what we were up against, none of this would have happened!"

The Guardian chuckled "Really?"

"Don't you have any sympathy for these people?!" Brill protested "Do you know what they have gone through? How can you mock them in such an impudent way?"

The mole's words stirred crowd, the irritated voices that echoed from the commotion were clearly in the mole's favor.

"Secrets or not this would have happened anyway!" Cyril roared, tired of keeping pretenses of a humble Guardian

"This was kept away from you because you weren't ready, and you still aren't, to face the truth. The war with Malefor weakened instead of hardening you, basically all of you wanted to rest on their laurels, thinking that everything is over. Now, when it is obvious that something is happening you aren't strong enough to stand against the tide! Because I won't believe that Spyro wouldn't warn you of the danger! I think you ignored him, and now you come here crying that everyone is to blame but not you! This is the price for your stupidity"

"How dare you!" Brill exclaimed at the top of his lungs "Power corrupted your cold heart Cyril! You were always arrogant but now you crossed the line! To blame people, YOUR people, this is simply disgusting!"

The sorrow stricken inhabitants of Warfang were clearly supporting the mole.

Cyril no longer cared.

"Don't twist my words mole" he spat the last word out in abhorrence "If there were only more dragons like me, we would be unstoppable"

"You egocentric bastard!" the mob spoke again

"This is the truth! There is only a handful of dragons, true dragons left! Tell me, have you ever seen Spyro whining like you do now? He has suffered loss like we all did, and he pushed forward, he didn't gather people around himself to cause disorder and blame the ones who for all these years protected this Realm as best as they could. What he did? He bottled up the grief, let out all of his fury on the one who truly deserved it! He kept on going, never resting, always prepared for the inevitable, because like it or not, every champion will be challenged. The winners have to work as hard as the pretenders or they will become failures"

Puff of ice wafted from his nostrils as he eyed the crowd with fierce gaze "You are really so desperate to find your culprit? Look in the mirror. You...we became meek and if we won't change, it will be our downfall"

The loud crowd was stirred again, yet this time Cyril heard voices of determination pushing through the buzzing sounds of defeat and weakness. Maybe not everything is lost.

"How can we fight against something that is nothing more than a mystery? From where did the golems came from?"

The Ice Guardian sighed, he hated explanations, how he wished Volteer was here.

Cyril chuckled under his breath, this must be the end of the world if he wishes for the waggling fool to show up.

The dragon cleared his throat "Strange portals started appearing throughout the Realm after Spyro mended the world. We can only speculate what truly caused their appearance, what we know for certain, and this is what's truly important, is that they connect our world, or more likely our time with the past"

Some curious murmurs started to echo from the mob.

"Alright, portals, great" a cheetah chimed in, the indifference and disbelief in his tone was palpable "I live on this world for quite some time now, and I know such horrible stuff doesn't happen just like that, someone is always pulling the strings. We must ask who is responsible for this"

The words didn't even get the chance to properly sink in before Brill shouted.

"But we know who is responsible. Malefor's only protégé!"

It was enough to shake the pot of wrath, these people lost much, they craved for vengeance. Doesn't matter if justified or not.

Cyril growled "Cynder has nothing to do with this"

"Are you so certain of this Guardian?" a powerfully built malachite dragon spoke up "Because we have a witness that can testify against her innocence"

The ice dragon narrowed his gaze on the earth drake "Oh, I'm sure you do" he mumbled under his breath

Capro looked at the crowd, his grey eyes spotted the one they looked for. A young ice dragoness stepped up, her lips were tightened fiercely, forming a delicate thin line across her snout. At first her gaze was aimed at the ground, she was shifting her paw back and forth like a shy child, however after she received a gentle tap from the malachite dragon's powerful tail her head went up.

As her lips parted, it was obvious that she was missing quite a few teeth.

"She killed one of our fighters" the dragoness spat and averted her gaze from the Guardian.

Angry shouts could be heard from the crowd.

"I've seen it with my own two eyes"

Cyril snorted "You want to tell me that Cynder attacked one of our own, just like that, and killed him?"

The girl's neck went even lower, her nose almost touched the marble below her paws.

"Who cares how it happened?" Capro chimed in, his voice was filled with disgusting, fake concern and fury "She's the one responsible for the death of our friend, and not just. How many countless others she slaughtered? She hasn't paid for any of those deaths!"

"First of all, I care how it happened. Cynder for all her troubling past set some goals for herself, if you don't want to see them it's your problem. One of those goals is redemption, if you are just too stubborn to see how she tries to make things right..." he shrugged "it's your problem again"

The crowd began to protest.

The ice dragon stomped his paw ferociously "I demand that you show me some respect and don't throw bullish right in my nose while you look straight in my eyes! If she killed someone, perhaps she did I don't deny it, it all happened as a circumstance of self-defense. Maybe next time you'll think twice before attempting to murder your betters"

"You call a mass murderer our better?!" Capro roared shocked

People followed in his wake.

"No, not a mass murderer. I call young Cynder our better. Even I, the egocentric bastard, admit it"

"But she is responsible for all of this dear Cyril" Brill finally joined the conversation after silently observing the unfolding scene of disorder

"Perhaps not the Cynder as the dragoness we all know her, yet I still believe that people can't change completely" he shook his head " But I digress. What I want to tell you, venerable citizens of Warfang, is that we don't have to fear Cynder as a dragon, we have to fear Cynder as an embodiment of pure evil"

Murmurs and shouts of agreement bounced from one inhabitant to the other.

Cyril rolled his eyes "What nonsense is this?"

"There was something else hiding in Boven besides the creatures of stone" the mole pointed his claw at the Ice Guardian "I'm speaking of a creature black as night, with a pair of eyes white and cold as the freezing touch of Death"

Cyril cackled derisively "What vivid imagination! Whatever you smoke during reading I suggest you put it away"

"This is the truth Sir" the young male who spoke earlier addressed the ice dragon with a serious tone

The smile vanished from the Guardian's snout.

"We don't know what that creature was" the young drake continued "It was powerful, way too powerful for any of us to handle. It killed without any remorse, the images of my friends being turned to ash and ripped apart will haunt my dreams. Whatever that creature was, it was surely not of this world, nothing and no one from the Realms could breed such horror"

"If it was so powerful then how did you manage to escape?" Cyril inquired

"We followed Sparx' idea, since the thing had a taste for draconic blood it went after the nearest dragon, with us gone the creature could only focus on Spyro, who was preparing to ambush it...begs the question...how did Spyro knew how to fight that thing?"

"How could you not tell us of such a deadly enemy?" Capro asked devastated

The Guardian shook his head "I have absolutely no idea of what you are talking about"

"You do Cyril" Brill spoke, drawing the attention of the surprised ice dragon, the mole turned to the gathered people "We all do. Whatever evil you saw in Boven, it is in all of us"

The crowd gasped and protested.

"Yes! That evil has taken your friends and loved ones from you! If you won't be vigilant it will take you too! Slowly, you won't even feel it until it's too late, this is what we need to be prepared against" he tightly grasped the golden eye sewn into his white robes "I've became acquainted with the taint, felt in on my body and in my blood. I've met our foe!"

"Truly?" the Guardian commented wryly "From what I know Spyro, Sparx and Cynder are currently fighting a creature of darkness so where have you met this evil? It sneaked into the temple? Not much of a priest you are if your holy prayers can't hold it back"

Brill rubbed his hands together as if he was holding something in them, his gaze was distant "You wouldn't understand" he murmured and seconds later focused returned to his eyes "That three again, doesn't it seem convenient that they are fighting against every danger?"

"Spyro is a hero, it's his job to protect us!" someone from the crowd shouted

Cyril rolled his eyes, job of a hero my ass. This is why these people suffer, they got used to the feeling that somebody else is putting his life at risk so they wouldn't have to bother. Meekness, this is what is destroying them.

The mole nodded "A hero no doubt, not all can save the world after all, however this is all in the past now. He challenged The Dark Master himself, the Taint's puppet, and defeated him! But it had an escape plan and returned to the toy it has already prepared for itself years ago- young Cynder. I wouldn't be surprised if the dark creature would be an embodiment of the taint, that's how we all would look like if we let evil show its true face. Like the dragoness did in Boven or even perhaps Spyro"

People once more started protesting.

"Think about it!" Brill exclaimed excitedly, his voice rose above the many shouts "Our hero is spending practically every minute of his time with his female friend. We all know Spyro's past, tales were told of his backstory, we all know that Cynder is the first dragoness he met in his life. He was a young boy then, everything was new to him, no wonder he became curious of his new acquaintance. One glance was enough, one look of those shining emerald eyes was needed to charm his mind and heart. Natural instinctive reaction of every young boy, infatuation and wooing is in our nature.

The crowd chuckled and scorned at the same time.

"However, what if...how young people call it...crush is more than a simple attractiveness? What if this doesn't have anything to do fascination at all? I believe something else entirely pushes the two together, or more likely one is dragging the other. We all've seen how Spyro is confused, taint works in a very sophisticated way, Cynder wrapped him around her claw. He is her instrument even if he might now know it. Just like that black creature you spoke off is, or these portals, those are the horrors she created!"

"Don't forget that you also have arrived through one of these horrors" Cyril commented coldly "Are you Cynder's instrument also?

Brill straightened up proudly, there was no doubt that the dragon's words had offended him.

Good.

"I'm an exception, every evil has a challenger and I'm the champion of good"

"This is exactly what Cynder's instrument would say"

The crowd stirred once more, among them were those who silently supported the Guardian. There were also those who cursed him for everything he has said. Religious people were in majority, and they just couldn't listen someone insinuating against their head priest.

"I'm the instrument of the Ancestors" the mole responded reverently "Evil cannot triumph, I believe that is why I came back from the past, to teach you how treacherous and deadly the taint can be. Back then I was just like you, unable to see the truth, for which of course I don't blame you, I was also tricked"

"Today I'm more experienced, I've seen through the veil! And I tell you people that if we won't act, we will be gone. Apathy means death!"

The crowd cried out loudly, mostly supporting the mole.

Cyril growled, he was furious at the stupid mole. But he was more angry at the idiotic people. Meekness, the inability to come to own conclusions, the lack of sense for calculation and the constant reliance on somebody's else to guide their hand.

If they won't listen so be it, let them drown in their own bile, we will see who was right in the end.

"How do you propose to solve this problem?" the Guardian asked, if he can't convince them to open their eyes then at least he can rush this stupidity so it will be over quicker

Brill cleared his throat with determination "First we must have the support of the Ancestors! Without their divine assistance we stand no chance against the powers of the Dark Realms! We will show them that we can protect ourselves against the taint, not let it corruptive force take our minds! We can only do that by defending our sacred temple from evil!"

The mole's eyes narrowed, a shine of madness flickered in his eyes "Then we eradicate the taint for all eternity by spilling the blood of those that are beyond saving, those the taint already possesses!"

The mob cried out again, whatever voices of protest could be heard were silenced by the wrathful crowd. People suffered great loss, vengeance is the only thing that can add sense to their lives. The mole knew that, and used that, and there was no turning back.

Brill looked at Cyril, his eyes shone fiercely "Do you support your people Guardian?" he said challengingly

"My people" Cyril scoffed inwardly "You sheep aren't worth this title. Earn it or be gone"

"Fine" the dragon announced

The bloodthirsty and devastated crowd cried out again.

Capro not able to withstand the stench of those idiots rested on the roof on the nearby building with a broad grin on his malachite snout. The pieces of the chessboard started moving.

The game has begun.