Skylands Legends

20.2 Of Bolt and Flame

The arcane energy of the stone vibrated in Spyro's palm, an immense sea of power just out of his reach. If he could only use it, he might be able to defeat the King of Chaos, but how? He needed time to figure that out. He needed to keep it away from the psychotic wolfman. He needed to find out where his family was being kept. Anxiety danced around the edges of his mind, but there wasn't enough time to deal with that now.

Closing his claws around the stone, he met the Chaos King's eyes. They watched him with a manic glee, a predator waiting for its prey to make a move. Spyro knew the man was dangerous, it had taken nearly two dozen Skylanders just to capture him the first time. He didn't stand a chance in a fight. That left only one option.

He dashed for the door at full speed, throwing it open and leaping into the sky. Working his wings as hard as he could, he flew off at a sprint, dashing over the great oak tree and away from the island. If he could just get away, if he could just buy himself enough time, he could figure out the Awakening stone.

Reality began to stretch around him. The skies shifted and suddenly he was no longer flying away, but instead back down towards his island. He spread his wings, grinding to a halt, hovering just above the oak. What the hell! He thought, whipping his head around in every direction, confused as to how he ended up flying in the opposite direction. He turned to fly away again only to find the Chaos King hovering above him, great dark wings made out of an oozing black sludge had sprouted from his back, keeping him in flight.

"I wouldn't run away if I were you," he taunted. "Otherwise I might have to find someone else to play with. Tell me, does your son enjoy games?"

Spyro felt anger beginning to well up in his chest again. Ignoring it, he tucked his wings and dove back down towards his house. He kept a firm grip on the stone, doing his best to try and draw power from it.

None would come.

The ground rapidly approached him, he spread his wings, softening his landing, before running for the house. Reality shifted once more, the blue sky and grass all fading away, replaced by a towering maze of walls that surrounded him. He took a step back from them, looking all around him as they faded to the dilapidated wood of an old manor. Rusted lanterns and torches hung from the walls, illuminating a never ending hallway.

Hesitantly, Spyro reached out to touch the wall's surface. He felt the rough wood beneath his hand, it felt much like the oak from his backyard. He pulled back as the Chaos King's laughter began to fill the hall. A wind picked up, rushing down the corridor, extinguishing every light one by one, racing towards him, plunging it all into darkness.

A bright light flashed followed by a roar of thunder. The manor caught aflame as fire spread rapidly from the floorboards, up the walls and through the ceiling. The corridor took on a hellish glow as it took to flame quicker than kindling. A single beam from the roof collapsed, narrowly missing Spyro. He stepped back, using his wings to cover his head from any further debris.

"Spyro!" A familiar voice called out.

He whirled around to find Smash Hit sprawled out on the ground, pinned beneath a fallen beam. The fire spread across it, scorching his flesh and singing his fur away. He let loose a painful howl, screaming for Spyro's help. He rushed to his side only for him to shift to an image of Cynder trapped beneath the beam.

"Help me, Spyro." She pleaded, tears welling up in her eyes only to evaporate from the heat. "Help me."

He reached for her hand but the hallway stretched between them, her calls coming from farther and farther away. He tried to run after her but she was fading away too quickly. The fire continued to spread, raging all around him. It erupted from the floorboards and the entire manor came billowing down.