Attack on Warfang; Enduring the Storm

No matter how hard she tried, Zyra could not fall asleep. The thoughts and fears of what was coming in the days to come frightened her. Sparx could tell something was bothering his niece and does what he can to help her but the words she spoke at the meeting with the Chronicler even made him uneasy. She tosses in her nest trying to fall asleep but could not. A shadow passes by outside her room making her and Sparx huddle together.

"Zyra…? You awake?" Erol tries to be quiet trying to not wake her but soon realize it's of no use. "You can't sleep either?"

"No, too scared."

"You know with Infernous gone I'm alone too; I mean he's my brother so I'm worried about him too. If you like I'll stay with you until they get back." "Okay…" he didn't want her to know but deep down he was scared too; being together was just as comforting for him as it was for her. He snuggled in on the opposite side to give her space but she immediately snuggles next to him curling into a ball and she falls asleep quickly. Sparx finds a place on Zyra's back to fall asleep. Erol stays up his body tensing at something suddenly; he closes his eyes and his vision suddenly finds Spyro and Cinder looking at him. He wasn't sure how he was able to see her mother but he knew it was real,

"I don't know what it is that you warned me of but it can't be good right? I promise I'll do what I can to stay with her and protect her." Erol says and they both nod in approval. Erol opens his eyes and finally goes to sleep as well.

…

Terrador leads the group over the valley under the light of the moon. Neither he nor the others say a word as they make their way to help Hunter and his tribe. Only the wind and flapping of wings can be heard in the small crowd of worriers. Shadows suddenly pass by the dragons. Terrador looks back making sure it was not his eyes playing tricks on him only to find the shadows circling back around.

"Be ready!" as the shadows charge at them, the soon take shape growing two sets of arms and a head with read eyes. They roar as they fly come closer, "Every one break into pairs!" the dragons scatter along with Volteer and Terrador pairing up. Two shadows chase after them as the use the air currents to their advantage. "Now Volteer!" Terrador cuts back around charging the evil beings rolling into a ball engulfed in green; Volteer fires lighting engulfing Terrador in a barrier of hot sparks. The impact of the combined forces pierces the shadow beasts burning them away. Once taken care of the two dragons head back for the group to aid the others. Many by now have engaged in one on one combat biting and tearing at the shadows. Infernous breaths fire igniting five of the shadows before cutting through them with the spear on his tail. Soon the rest of the shadows retreat from battle as the dragons regroup.

"What were those things Terrador?" a lightning dragon asks,

"I don't know. But something tells me this isn't over. Quickly we must reach the tribe." The dragons break into a mad dash. A shadow grows in the back of Terrador's mind as he leads the group on.

This was too easy of a win. Those creatures have yet to show us their true power…

…

Zyra wakes up alone in her room. Yet she finds herself alone in the nest,

"Sparx? Erol?" a dark presence seems to over come her as she looks around her room. She jumps out of the nest and heads out of the cave like room. Still even in the big entrance there is still no sign of her friends. "Sparx…Erol…? Come on you two this isn't funny." It feels as though something creeps up on her and when she turns Sparx and Erol nearly make her jump out of her skin. "Don't do that! You nearly sent me to the land of our ancestors…!"

"Sorry. You sleep ok?" Erol asks.

"I guess."

"Come on, just because the others are gone, doesn't mean training won't be going on…" the two dragons walk side by side as they made their way to the training grounds. Neither of them really wanted to go for today Zyra would train in a different element than fire; that meant Zyra would be alone and Erol did not like that thought especially with the warning Spyro and Cinder gave him to stay close to her. Yet it could not be helped all he could do was pray to the ancestors to watch out for her while she was out of his sight. He stops in his track before they have to separate, "Listen Zyra," she turns to him, "I…I know you're afraid of yourself in a sense when it comes to your powers…and that your afraid you may hurt someone. I know you may think you were a mistake but you're not. You've got more power and bravery than you give yourself credit for. So if anything should happen trust yourself and listen to your heart. And don't worry if something happens that we get separated from each other 'cause I'll find you. …Okay?"

"Okay…but how come you're saying this to begin with?"

"Just call it a hunch that you needed to hear that." A horn blows on the training grounds signaling for practice to begin, "Okay I'll see you later ok?" she nods before dashing off towards the dragons that were to practice with the element of poison for the day. He watches as she disappears with Sparx still next to him, "Watch out for her ok Sparx?"

"Do you realize how much you sound like your brother right now? What's got your tail twisted in a knot?"

"I don't know if anyone else can sense it in their elements or if Zyra can either, but there's a shadow lurking in the fire. It feels as though something is creeping up on us and closing in very fast. I don't know what it is but it's a dark and evil presence…please Sparx am asking you as her uncle don't lose sight of her at least until I can see her again."

"Hey don't worry about it, if there's one thing I know how to do, it's keep track of a dragon. I should know too, I kept track of Spyro for years." With that the dragon fry chases after Zyra.

Zyra stands in line with the other young dragons ready and keeping hold of the words that Erol told her in her heart as the teacher spoke. Sparx holds onto her wing making sure to keep his promise of keeping her in his sights.

Ok I can do this…I. Can. Do. This. She says in her mind with confidence building up in her.

"Zyra…" he body tenses at the familiar voice, "Zyra, can you hear me."

"Dad…?"

"Do not focus on me now only listen. You must find Erol now and escape Warfang." His presence is so powerful she thought she could see him faintly. "You must move quickly. Warn as many as you can to escape the city to the shattered plains on the other side of the world. The-" terrible shriek cut off her concentration from listening to her father. Elsewhere, Erol stops in mid flight hearing the terrible cry as well. All the dragons could hear it. The younglings all cower slightly as the older dragons stand and listen for the direction the cry came from.

"Zyra you must move now!"

"Everyone Run!" she screams at the top of her lungs and beyond. Shadows spring up from the ground taking on forms of serpents and scorpions. The young dragons panic causing some to get caught by the shadows they turn to stone before breaking apart in the grasp of the beasts. The other dragons try to work together to allow the younglings to escape from danger. Moles scurry this way and that heading for cannons and catapults to help aid the dragons. Zyra tries to keep her head on straight as she tries to figure out what to do first. There's a growl from behind her as a new enemy comes onto the scene: Wolves. They climb over the wall and enter the training grounds attacking dragons and bringing down mole operated weapons alike. One sets its sight on her helping Zyra figure out what to do first: run.

Erol lets loose a breath of roaring fire on a wolf before cutting him down to size.

"Zyra!" he looks around for his friend, "Zyraaa!" he charges through the battlefield dodging a stray ax or fire blast from others fighting and trying to kill each other. A shadow beast stretches up distorting its form to create a big net to catch him in. "Get out of my way!" he spins while breathing fire turning himself into a flaming wheel that burns right through the shadow. Uncurling himself the flames dissipate as he makes his way out of the training grounds. Leaving the battle to those more experienced spots something he doesn't like.

Zyra jumps over a ledge and onto a cobble stoned floor only to have the wolves pursue her over the edge. She lets off poison in their direction landing on the ground. It gives her some time to think of a way out.

"Fly already! Fly!" Sparx protests. Why hadn't she thought of that before? Before she can even spread her wings, a wolf pins her down. "Zyra!" Sparx tries loosening a finger from around her neck but with no luck. The wolf raises his sword

"For our great and powerful master…Die!" fire is doused on the wolf setting him ablaze as he steps back. Erol lands standing in front of Zyra angry and ready to kill.

"You first!" the wolf goes down still burning. The other wolf growls staring down at the young fire dragon. Zyra comes to stand next to Erol ready to help him but the wolf turns and makes a run for it. The dragons exchange confused looks,

"Both of you fly!" at Spyro's command they jump into the air climbing higher and higher. A shadow begins to engulf the entire city destroying every building in its path. The dragons flee flying into the air and scattering. Some of the younglings are chased by the shadows that take form of dragons to pursue them.

"Zyra this way!" Erol leads the way heading for the moon and an on coming storm. A group of shadow beasts spotting them begins to chase them down. The air currents are used to the advantage by both parties one trying to escape capture the other trying to close the distance between them. soon the storm clouds cover the moon as lightning begins to signal the arrival of a terrible storm.

…

The group of dragons led by Terrador begin passing over the twilight falls as they near the Valley of Avalar. Volteer flies up to meet with Terrador,

"We must stop for a moment Terrador; if we keep at this pace well, we will most likely… that is to say-"

"We won't have enough energy to fight if we keep at it." Infernous says. Terrador thinks for a moment as the group glides over the river,

"We can't stop."

"Terrador-"

"If we do…we will most likely meet our end."

"What do you mean?"

"Look below us." The others do as told finding a black form following them on the ground below. "They retreated too quickly earlier; they must have regrouped and have been waiting for the right moment to strike. If we stop now no many of us will make it. Surely you all noticed those things were holding back earlier. They merely tested us assessed our abilities."

Infernous looks down trying to calculate a way round those that pursued them. From what he could tell they merely crept over every terrain with ease they came across.

"If we land they'll just corner us; if we keep going we most likely won't have enough strength to fight off both them and what ever lies before us in the valley."

"Do you have any ideas?" Cyril asks.

"I'm working on it… this one is quite difficult."

"If we get too close to those things they they'll most likely just take us down."

"What do you want to do Terrador?" Infernous asks.

"If there was a way to lose them we could land for a rest."

"Land…you may be onto something."

"What is it Infernous."

"We may be able to use the earth to our advantage." Infernous explains his plan to the others before gathering all the other earth dragons to the front. "Now all of you materialize all the boulders you can to our left and when I give the signal release them into the air. Remember we must fly away as fast as we can otherwise this will not work." The dragons including Terrador use their abilities to create rings of boulders around them as big as they can. Infernous watches the reaction of the shadow below as it begins to distort its shape in confusion. "Now!" the dragons send the boulders flying to their left as the group flies right heading into a storm. The shadow takes the bait heading after the flying rocks. The dragons celebrate their small victory by letting off a victory cry.

"Well done Infernous." Terrador compliments.

"This is not good." Voteer interrupts the celebration, "This lighting is unnatural for a regular storm." Bolts a thick as the biggest tree trunk you could ever lay eyes on strike the ground setting the rim of the valley ablaze. One bole threatens to incinerate the entire group as it shoots down in front of them. Terrador tries to see if there is a way to safety but the lightning is too erratic and unpredictable to even head back the way they came and with no sign of shelter. The dragons were trapped. "Terrador we must not linger for too long!" Volteer says over a loud monstrous clap of thunder.

"Keep moving!" Terrador shouts, "Do not hesitate; we must push through it is the only way!" the dragons weave in and out avoiding the dangerous flashes of light while the few electric dragons in the group try to do everything they can to sense the next strike or even redirect it if possible. Terrador nearly misses a bolt as he flies around the edge it avoiding death all together. The further they go in however the more violent the lightning becomes and combined with a violent wind it becomes nearly impossible of avoid anything. A small group of three is taken when they are hit with a bolt. Another group is swept away by the wind never to be seen again. As more of the group dwindles down the only ones left are Cyril, Infernous, Volteer and Terrador.

"Terrador!" Cyril shouts, "We must find a safe place out of this storm!"

"There is no way through! It is suicide!" Infernous agrees.

Where are we to turn though? There is no safe place. The earth suddenly seems pulse with energy giving him a wave of calm. He looks to the east

"The shattered plains."

"What?!"

"This way follow me!" the three dragons turn with Terrador heading in the direction the wind is coming from.

"What about Hunter and the tribe!?" Volteer exclaims

"They are fine. If my heart is telling me- no if Spyro is telling me this, they will have already headed to a safe place!"

"Where?!"

"The shattered plains!"