Chapter 67

To say that this place is one big mess was like not to say anything at all. They’ve grown up and battled vicious, smart evil before, one of them even weaved such plans herself. No matter how bad it was then, it was clear what their enemy’s goal was, rules were set and whether they liked it or not, they were forced to adjust themselves to them. It was a wicked time, but it was reality nevertheless where you knew what you were up against and what the motivations of your current foe are.

It all made sense, no matter how cruel or unjust it might have been.

Skyward and its leader especially were a complete opposite to that, to them it seemed like they were winging every single hour of each day. Athron made absolutely no sense, sending them after her supposed enemies just to let them go run freely in the castle was one such case. She clearly was disappointed, even though it looked like they completed their task as was demanded from them.

This whole place felt like a dollhouse, a world bent on adjusting to wishes of a single mind that doesn’t really know what it wants, but satisfies its impossible to describe cravings nonetheless. If not for all the surrounding walls one could really feel that it would take only a single, stronger gust of wind to blow someone off the edge.

They became certain that Ignus was right. This city was poison.

And judging from Iris and her constant mood sways, it was mind numbing in more than one timeline.

They must get out of here.

“How good do you know this version of your castle Iris?” Spyro loudly addressed the issue that bothered every present heart.

The question propped the blue head, eyes gazed upon the nearby wall, looking at it as if it would be a pristine mirror. Though its cold surface reflected one’s image, it was too distorted by all manners of cracks and bumps to be considered worthy of reality’s copy.

It didn’t bother the girl looking at it currently however.

Blue mouth parted the connection between the lips, as if trying to stimulate the twin looking back at it. The sibling remained indifferent to the coaxing however, its mouth sliced by a slit so black among all the whitish blue that it looked like it might lead straight into oblivion itself.

No matter how many distortions were present, diamond eyed girl still didn’t see any flaws on that image.

Silence, again, it accompanied Iris and all things related to her like a well-trained Death Hound following its master. Calling such turn of events uncomfortable doesn’t give it much credit, confusion and loss aren’t the most welcoming things in general, yet pairing them with a creature who’s mind is in constant turmoil made it that much worse.

It was apparent that the wounds the outfit made reached far deeper than flesh alone.

Spyro could swear he saw shades of the demons she mentioned dancing behind her eyes.

Iris reached for the reflection, all three of them winced instinctively, remembering well the troubling blood bond that was required to satisfy the walls previously. The paw slid smoothly though, caressing the cold as if it would be a welcoming blanket.

The freezing walls seemed to bat a bright green eyelid at her.

Whether it was their imagination or some trick of the light they couldn’t really tell, but it truly seemed like the wall reacted to her touch.

“Black holes don’t mend, they left blank spots all around, forever to rot.” Iris’ voice, as typical as it was, sounded like a starting up engine when its accented tone rebounded off something else than the tip of one’s nose. An engine where there is no place for anything else but blunt, predetermined functionality.

There was no point to exchange glances, they all knew they won’t get any better answer than that, all that was left was to rely on their skills when it came to reading between the lines. Even though Sparx was more than capable in this particular field, he too had troubles discerning the true meaning behind these words.

No matter.

Their silent agreement decided that it was better to accept it as confirmation than even more unknown. If Iris was aware of what she was saying, they all doubted that even she wanted to know that truly hides behind that sentence.

“I’m sure you had some secret holes you sneaked through when you were a kid. Where are those weaknesses?”

Iris swallowed.

Weakness, it was all about weakness. Mention of this word alone flexed her toes, ice had no equal when it came to rebounding noise and the one, particular, demonic echo resounding right now reminded her too much of flared up by withering, tail burning reality.

Bleeding marks reminded her well what it means to satisfy him.

“You won’t escape tragedy.”

“No one is saying anything about fleeing or anything like that!” Spyro quickly corrected himself, while he was not certain what was going in Iris’ head, he doubted even she knew, it was still safer to assure her that they don’t simply plan to ditch her mother

“It’s all about having options. It’s always better to have some tricks stashed away somewhere than not. Your mom taught you that well after all.”

She turned in his direction, seeing her cold, piercing eyes he understood immediately that Iris was back to her former self. His muscles flexed instinctively, prepared just in case to deflect incoming claws aiming for his neck. Her diamond orbs drilled into his throat far too intently for his liking.

Her forepaw pushed forward as expected, dipped in purple muscles reacted instantly, rising to meet it midway. She reacted just as swiftly, detouring from his neck she snatched the purple paw right at its bending point, with a tug forcing Spyro to bounce forward on three legs while his gripped paw smacked against the soft neck.

He could still feel the faded bumps from the wound that almost beheaded her.

It was enough to realize that she, exactly like him in her case, could read him too. And the way she rubbed her neck against his draconic palm told him that perhaps out of the two of them, he was the one who didn’t see the whole picture just yet.

“Follow.” She pulled back before veins could pump blood to the toes in guilt ridden crunches. There was no place for jealously and anger, everything dispersed among clouded in shock sense of duty.

Another proof that Iris knew how to sway between sentient creatures, even creatures greatly disconnected from royalty.

While calling her princess was mostly a taunting honor, they all were slowly accepting the fact that she was truly deserving of this title, in its most prime form one can imagine in fact, effortlessly swinging between commoners and royals alike she created an image of herself worthy of praise from all shades of the world.

There are only a few spectacular specimens during the world’s existence who brand their mark upon one’s memory. Sparx was certain that Iris in her prime, if a timeline wouldn’t end in an apocalyptic catastrophe, would have a statue in her name present among the Ancestors of today.

They kept their guard up, Cynder especially, she didn’t trust Iris at all, prepared to be led in another trap, after all the girl already proved where her true loyalties lie. She didn’t protest however, years spent in total darkness with Corruption constantly whispering into your earhole taught her that even the tiniest spark of hope is worth chasing.

When it comes to shadows, this might be the only shade of good one can ever count for.

Her step was steady as one could imagine for someone with blue blood in their veins, even the shameful marks she wore left behind that disgusting outfit seemed to infuse her with much arrogant pride. A feeling so terribly irritating for many was such a needed commodity right now, especially when working in their favor.

Corridors flew by them, seemingly in random, yet clicking, silver claws ahead lost nothing of their gait, pushing forward like legs belonging to a hero entering a feared beast’s lair.

Only for the hero to smash his head into a stalactite.

The sudden thud stopped them in their tracks, it was a surprising sound, yet an understandable one, as a group who was focused on its tasks so hard sometimes that their forgot about the world they found nothing strange in colliding with an obstacle that was irrelevant in current life’s flow.

Irrelevant as long as you slip past it.

Iris destroyed that well-formed image, not only crashing into a wall, but constantly pushing against it despite its freezing bumps painting bloody stars on her forehead.

A scale snapped, Cynder winced, realizing that it crushed like many before it under her corrupted fangs. Losing control of your own mind not necessarily means having an ominous voice belonging to an evil godlike creature whispering in your earholes.

A well timed, incomprehensible event was all that it took, as Warfang proved not so long ago.

She quickly reached out, pulling against the bluish tail so strongly that everyone heard Iris’ spine whine in pain.

Instinct kicked in immediately, pushing the body into a spin it directed the fierce mouth at the culprit behind this discomfort. She snapped her teeth, yet they were too slow to catch the black intruder, fast enough though to force the pained head to lose contact with the world for a moment.

Iris lost her balance, blindly tapping with her paws across unexpectedly slippery floor she tried to remain steady.

In vain.

Legs gave away, smashing her against the nearby wall, blow pushed her away, sitting her on the blue rump. Collision irritated the hurt spine, sending a freezing pulse right to the brain. Eyes flapped out of their own will, presenting a world before her that wasn’t there before.

A thick wall grew where she believed a tunnel to her favorite hiding spot once was. The most pleasant dreams always visited her there as if she would be falling asleep among hordes of caring spirits.

The longer she stared at the wall though, the more she became aware that it was nothing more but a cold blockage like many present across her heart right now.

A dead end.

“Are you-“

“This is not the place.” She chimed in immediately, reaching out towards the cold ice. Her posture flexed when chill embraced her paw, yet nothing else pinched her nerves besides it, the spirits weren’t here.

What she was even doing here?

She felt herself diving into the unhealable holes, shadowy splotches that were becoming more and more numbing with each passing minute. Fucking Silence was sipping in through the cracks, provoking with its promises of despair.

It wasn’t alone in its calling however. Long forgotten spirits moaned together with it.

Somewhere. In the distance. Between fantasy and reality.

“They are here.” Exhale that could easily be mistaken for her departing soul lifted her up on all three, free paws. Toes clenched, slicing their way across the ice to form a proper grip. Bright green peaked from the openings, ready to bite like a lunging snake, it never sank its fangs in her paw though, backing away as if she was more poisonous than the most deadly toad.

She leaned in closer, listening in to the vibrations with tenderness administered to a tired heart. It was a steady rhythm, an echo drawing a dotted line right across the walls, leading somewhere she had already been to.

She met a spirit there.

It wore her mother’s face.

She pulled from the wall, without a word pushing down a corridor, shoving her way through both purple and black shoulders. Icy aura alone enough to make each limb shake into action, following the trail left by the hips without a word.

Droplets of blood glistening on the walls were enough of an argument for maintaining silence.

A vulnerable peace as it turned since it took only several turns for Iris to bump into glistening with sweat body of a muscular, young dragon. Physics played their part immediately, rebounding the girl back, something that didn’t have any impact on the boy however, powerful legs remained in place, despite their visible weariness.

A rare sight of formidability around this place.

“Watch where you’re going you blunt buckler!” Iris rubbed her stinging nose, turning it bright red from all the blood that slipped annoyingly from her head.

Among all this ice it looked like slowly ignited cinders of a fire.

Orbis glanced over the yelling girl, responding to her insult with nothing else but a prolonged sigh. Judging from the wrinkles on his draconic face, it wasn’t the first taunt he heard today either.

If rocks would be capable of displaying emotions, this is how they would show annoyance.

“I didn’t tell you to stop! Move those legs! Timing bro! Athron said it’s all about proper timing!” a voice vibrated from around the corner, too energetic and sizzling to mistake its wielder for anyone else than a rather enthusiastic electric dragoness the group recently met.

“Hey! It’s our merry band!” Cellsa flopped down on her brother, dancing orbs between the horns tugged at the sweat drops, irritating the scale below like sharp strands of grass. “With the rotten fruit no less!” Glee ridden eyes turned at the bloodied face “Juices missed some spots, can help you rearrange that, I’m kinda known for my good claw slice. I pried meet from some very tough bastards before, can paint you red anytime. I’m feeling really helpful today for instance, just for your information.”

Iris snarled, no matter how much her head hurt, all the demons whispering around were still nothing compared to that squeaky, blood boiling whine coming from that disgusting pipe serving for mouth.

Of course Silence, as was its forsaken custom, never showed up when she needed it.

She noticed her eyes gazing at the one representing godhood in this place, but even he was useless in this case. Fucking males, a little smile and a wave of the hip is all it takes for them to lose their heads. Just imagining being a dream ridden idol incarnate and failing to do your healing job just because some crazy chick batted an eyelash made her sick.

Luckily the dead end where they are heading to will make it all up for it.

Sooner or later.

“How did you-“

“It’s all ME!”  Cellsa cut off the united question rising in the air. “How, why no way, can it be and every other boring thing you can come up with, all have the same answer. ME!” the dragoness grinned so widely that the corners of her lips seemed to draw blood from spots that biologically never meant to house a smile.

“I did guys! I’m finally where I belong, there go all the years of bullying and being tossed around like some toy! FUCK YOU BITCHES!” she howled, propping herself on the strong back, no matter how much pressure was applied to the green legs, they remained fixated in place.

Even though the crunched claws dug cracks in the ice so deep as if they wanted to tear at this world’s core.

Green pulsed across the walls, sending applauding glows that many would consider invitation on a cradle of cold demise.

“So it’s going GREAT! Let all those rest sods down below rot between hows and whys, I will be thinking about a new treat or maybe come up with some new game. All fun and no boring cause I DESERVE IT!” she blared at the non-visible moons again, unused to pure joy walls dropped several of their frozen chins on the floor.

One crashed near a pair of purple paws, its rattling echo resounding like a war drum announcing the enemy’s approach. A sound he got used to when dealing with Corruption, it too had a tendency to paint foes with sense of accomplishment.

Malefor smelled exactly the same when he set out to destroy the world for reasons he believed to be deserved.

They didn’t share goals with at least one of the siblings.

“What you guys been up to? Besides some recreational bitch slapping I mean.” Cellsa grinned at the bloodied dragoness.

The group hesitated, for a moment wondering if more falsehood will change anything in this place. Will an enemy or two more make any difference in an already openly hostile environment? Unlikely, the chance of acquiring even a single ally was far more enticing, no matter the cost.

“We’re looking for a way out of this place.” Every eye belonging to the group gazed at the siblings, though it was only the purple mouth that moved, it still spoke with each member’s voice.

The boundless joy burst from the electric shape, merging it like never before with the stoic frame serving as its support. Cellsa pushed back, jumping back as if the realization of such unity would be the most poisoning thing in the world.

“But Athron has plans for us.” She mumbled, pupils perfectly mimicking the dancing balls between the horns, swiftly bouncing along the group’s many faces. Such disgusting, disconnected from sweet reality perspective. To have everything offered at your paws only to willingly cast it away? To betray the only acceptable claws that look at you with regard worthy of a breathing creature that isn’t judged because she was born without a dick flopping between her legs?

“Even you? You dragged us here to see you Mother and now you will betray her trust after everything she done for you?”

“Mother knows I don’t like to be caged.” A chill ran up every leg after Iris’ mouth clapped shut, reaching even those who not necessarily use ground to traverse the world.

Ambiguity was such an electric jester.

“I’m going to tell her everything! I won’t disappoint her!” Cellsa sprinted away even before her words managed to stop echoing between the walls.

“Should we go after her?” Sparx asked cautiously, it wasn’t much of a pressure considering the fact that he, as well as everyone else around here, felt like they’ve been watched anyway.

“I will do it.” Low voice rumbling from the throat was as solid as one could imagine it to be when coming from a throat as stiff as a stone. A bright spark shone in the fake eye which stared at them with intensity worthy of a soul stealing monster.

“Beware Athron’s rage, it won’t be quiet. Through my sister I believe she showed me where disobedience leads. This castle houses heavy crates that have too much dragon-like souvenirs for my liking. Barbarism pollutes this world and I wouldn’t be surprised it reaches for the very heights, war forces you to grasp for straws and they offer the most effortless relief. Be on your guard.” Orbis bowed and marched after his sister, steps from his muscled legs echoed across the ice in creaky whines of an old tree too stubborn to fall.

Hearing this they immediately thought of Bones and his deadly dungeon, Cynder especially made her imagination run wild, adding up possibilities her heart never wanted to hear out loud. Mind was devoid of such options, pinpointing the horrid torturer after his arrival in the Upper City to Athron in some unspoken partnership where crates filled with, hopefully toys, were being supported by that particular provider.

And if those weren’t toys, well then, each limb is attached to bone and bone is surrounded by muscle. The latter can last forever in such a cold place like this, awaiting its moment to be served on a neatly prepared platter for example.

Sweet Ancestors.

She felt her teeth rotting.

“I need barrels of water in me, like right now.” Red tongue rolled from the black mouth, shoved out by sliding on breath’s exhaled waves soul.

Cynder’s uncomfortable hacking wielded worthy of addiction taint, forcing crunches even in stomachs that lacked proper imagination.

“Will you stop that Cyn?” Sparx winced, rubbing his irritated belly “You’re going to make us all sick!”

“Did I just eat dragon meat?” Black paw scrapped the dangling organ, scrubbing away tissue instead of taste however. First few droplets of blood peeked like shy eyes.

“My mother is not a barbarian you stupid bitch!” Iris snarled at the coughing girl “Pull out all those cocks from your mouth first then maybe you’re going to stop choking!”

“Guys enough! We don’t know what’s going on so let’s not jump to conclusions alright?” Spyro licked his lips, pretending as hard as he could to not show just how hard he fought to ignore the taste of rotten blood on his mouth.

Imagination is such a powerful tool when combined with logical probability.

“Let’s just go before Cellsa draws more troubles on our heads. I really don’t want to find out if that bomb that Athron planted in us is real. We need to find a way out in case she decides to use it, she can’t reach us everywhere, every magic has its limitations after all.”

Motivation. Years taught him that it can be a strong focus point if property directed and Ancestors his witness, they really needed a distraction right now. Eating sentient creatures is taboo to put it mildly already, if there is really dragon meat on the platter then Iris’ mother is an already lost cause. When crossed, some borders simply lock the way back behind you, eating your own kin certainly counts for one.

The more time he spent inside the Veils, the more he started to wonder how life living on the same earth can differ from each other so much. They weren’t traveling between dimensions, they were changing timelines and each new one hid more terrible things than the last.

He wasn’t Malefor’s biggest supporter, but seeing the possibilities just how bad the world can become with his own eyes, he began to think that perhaps the Dark Master wasn’t completely wrong about the purple dragon’s destiny.

Just thinking about it gave him the creeps.

Creeps that morphed into complete shock riddled tremors when he considered the possibility in the far future for his own timeline taking a wrong turn where he wouldn’t be capable of taking it any longer.

Please Heart, fail me not, I beg you.

As it was typical for Skyward, there was absolutely nobody and nothing in any way related to the city and its people that even dreamed of standing in their way. Guards escorted them when they got to the castle, Peacekeepers battled them, crowds of citizens poured in to see them as some sort of exposition. Everything pointed out at unwanted fame and fortune.

Yet there was nothing but stillness in the air.

And of course the disgusting, never-ending feeling of being constantly watched.

At first they kept looking for eyes floating somewhere between the cracks in these cold walls, a logical behavior one might say considering the uneasiness bothering them. The subconscious plan even worked in the beginning, showing only their own pupils reflecting back at them it assured each and every member of the small band of their own uniqueness and earned by birth privacy.

Something that was being quickly dispersed among their eyes’ stretched out shapes with each new step they took. Green vanished from the walls, in slicing across the surface waves revealing colorful fogs of their own eyes with blinking in between them dots. Dots that kept resembling small, constantly vibrating eyeballs. Their shifting colors never adopting a shade one would expect to see when mashing two eyeballs wearing all three primary colors for example.

There was no grey among the shifting illumination. No order, no stability.

Everything always alien, always strange, always otherworldly.

Always demonic.

Ice’s creaking sounds echoed like moans of the dead more and more.

“Hello” Cynder whimpered ever so quietly.

“What?” Even though it was Sparx’ voice that asked the question it had enough vibration in it to be easily mistaken for a chorus made from vocal cords belonging to each remaining member of their small band.

Black dragoness turned her neck in short, hacking bursts, each new tug provoking a small bone crack until her eyes finally landed on the speaker. Beating from them ignorance could rival that of a brain dead patient.

“Hello?” Sparx leaned in, snapping his fingers to bring back whatever shred of attention that seemed to go on vacation.

“What?” Cynder blinked in confusion, eyes glistening with freshly morphed tears.

The role reversal locked in only two words would be perhaps comical if it would happen in a place far more different than a freezing grave.

“Who you were greeting?”

Feminine eye corner collapsed under the formed weight, letting a single drop carve a path down the black cheek. The surrounding ice seemed to act like a prism, reflecting bright magenta inside the wet path for a short moment.

Great luck considering the fact that there was no red close enough for the drop to catch it all by itself.

There was no need to hear any voice to understand that sealed into a thin line black lips weren’t about to share what they didn’t know. A single glance towards a pair of diamond eyes however was enough for them to realize the trouble that was bothering their emerald siblings.

They waded through similar muck for a long time already after all.

“You hear them too, don’t you?” White eyes blinked under the command of a voice so elegant that it made every surrounding feel like a royal garden.

“I’m going to hate myself for saying this,” Sparx gulped, “but I hope it’s that creep of yours licking your ear right now.”

Blank stare that Cynder could rival that of a corpse. Chin unglued itself from the mouth like a creaking, rusted door. A prelude to a laugh one could say.

What a mistake would that be.

Expelled breath depleted the lungs of their potential, there was no glee following it, all the rumble that echoed like a building up chorus belonged to the world. World that slipped into oblivion with a single, sharp tug, drowning everything inside an invisible see.

She could see her friends’ lips moving, they wiggled slowly, articulating words even the most keen mind wouldn’t be able to comprehend. Her brain power had advantages against the ordinary however, spending years serving whispers which would draw many insane, it was rather experienced when it came to dealing with all sorts of strange.

Quickly realizing that all this humming isn’t time’s pitiful cry, but moans from throats that ripped themselves apart so long ago that their guttural sound could create a new singing key.

Diamond eyes glaring her way recognized the whispering newcomers, she could practically hear them listening in to her thoughts.

Listening just like her to demonical murmurs.

Upstairs. Behind a wall. Among many like them. Humming through a crack. That is where they rest.

“I’m not imagining it.” Cynder spoke up, her beating heart hoping that she misspoke, missing one, proving uncertainty mark at the end of that sentence.

Brain knew better however.

And audible gulps coming from both brothers clearly stated it was right.

Iris wasn’t known for showing emotion, Cynder on the other hand was someone quite proficient in catching first signs of cracks appearing in believed to be unbreakable barriers. After all, wearing Corruption’s cloak for so long will make one more perceptive than others as proved when switching places with Creep.

You tend to notice things majority would consider fiction.

Like signs of relief on pupils as cold as ice.

She could swear a little girl wiggled around inside.

A moment that should stir conversation shared nothing with typical expectations. Iris pushed onwards, closely followed by her black companion. Spyro knew that the floating light around this place knew how to touch one’s spine to make it wiggle, yet despite its unwanted influence he still couldn’t ignore the fact that he could see a chain tying both girls.

A sign many would consider alarm worthy, if there would be some like them around here right now he would understand their complains. Strange behavior and mind control were hardly a welcoming perspective. Though his heart raced at the mere thought of having Cynder going through the same process that left her traumatized, exchange of glances with his brother was enough for him to not act. Being focused in such a situation is much more desirable change than beating yourself down with horrible ideas painting you as defenseless.

A tactical decision worthy of a true leader Terrador would most likely say.

He wouldn’t be aware that it was mainly his pounding heart making the decisions. It couldn’t simply ignore the sight of the chain, for all its horrible opinion it did lead somewhere wonderful in the end. Without a chain around his neck he would never get to know Cynder and truly fall in love with her, his life would be completely different and he knew immediately that there was no future out there that could ever compare to what they share today.

Who knows, maybe this terrible bond at first sight could lead to something nice for both girls. After all, in his eyes, they had some things in common, things that neither would ever admit to.

Sweet Ancestors, please, let it be the case.

They climbed up a staircase, patiently following in their slender guides’ wake, a gait that was immediately broken when Iris passed by a closed door. She stopped in place instantly, turning her head at the frame as if she would be expecting a monster to throw itself at her throat.

“Not from here.” Cynder urged the group forward, moving past the door like the worthless piece of wood it was.

Of course not, demons from that particular room will never go away, they are the ones who ate out the rotting spots. One pretends to be different, but he still waits exactly where she left him.

Iris pried her paws off, leaving deep indentations in the ice.

Sound of cracking scale resounded in the corridor louder than they could react, white paw smeared the blue lips above with it and immediately planted the scarlet induced kiss at the wall up ahead .

A mild thing for the rest of the group considering all imagined possibilities. Not as surprising as one might think.

Contrary to the seemingly solid wall sliding down to reveal a passage behind it.

It was obvious they wouldn’t be finding any exit when going upstairs, their definition of an exit changed without their consent after all. Yet having this secret wall open before them stirred a slight speck of hope in seeing an open field sprout before them. Their wishes almost came true, warm light pulsed from within. A sun in dawn.

Hope quickly dispersed when the color adopted a way too familiar shade of scarlet.

Though he hear the liquid splashing in his veins, pointing at the only viable comparison, Spyro cocked his head for completely different reason. That light was flashing through cracks, vertical ones, squeezing through slits.

Burden of a promise reminded his heart of its weight.

“The crystal, it’s behind that wall, isn’t it? You found it.” Spyro watched the floating light carefully, it followed no patterns, wiggling around randomly like sheets of tossed about paper.

Sparx narrowed his eyes, one would think that announcing coincidental success would give life to happiness, after all completing deals is a part of making them, a very welcoming part no less. That damn, unstable light though, it was impossible to ignore its unnerving appeal, its erratic movements were too much familiar to waving limbs of an knocked out fighter who still clings to battle with his falling asleep mind.

“I don’t like it. Did your mother tell you anything about a red crystal princess? Did she mention how important it is to her maybe?”

There was no reaction, Iris stood completely still, only scarlet flashed across her eyes, beating against her draconic face like a shadow cast by a wing of an windmill. Windmill that moved precisely to the rhythm of a beating heart.

Brothers exchanged glances, there was no will for joking in either pair. Spyro pressed his paw against the crack, blocking the incoming flash from touching Iris’ snout.

She blinked, world faded, Silence put her in its unwanted embrace. There weren’t many moments when she welcomed its touch, yet it changed whenever it smelled of death. Especially when it carried touch of her aroma within.

Like right now.

“No. The only crystal my mother values hangs around my neck.” The light returned, hitting her right in the nose. She winced away from its touch. Red was never her ally. “Her favorite color is blue. I don’t know why she wanted us to find it.”

“What do you mean? You didn’t find it by accident?” Sparx raised his eyebrow up.

“Commoners are such a nuisance sometimes.” Iris sighed, “Royal life is always a fight and you’re a fool if you think you outsmarted a master in a game he plays since hatching.”

The dragonfly gulped, he was right, Iris knew her way around the highborn. He didn’t really know why she had this sudden change of heart, but it was nice to see her use her knowledge to assist them.

White paw jumped up towards the blue throat, rubbing caress trailing along almost completely faded away line there.

Well, perhaps her reasons weren’t as strange as one would believe. Who wouldn’t question his beliefs after having someone finally extended a literally helping paw to you after years of, Ancestors only know, anguish.

He knows a girl like that already, even though Iris might not have Cynder’s potential, it might still be potent enough to assist them here.

And life already proved to them many times just how valuable help can be.

“Mother knew we would find our way here, she wanted us in this place. Pray that the plans she has for you extend long enough to be able to ask why.” Diamond eyes looked around the gloomy walls, gritty shadows circled all around stretching like scythes. Their disturbing movements so erratic that thousand more eyes would be required to even dream of grasping some shred of a pattern.

“She has great expectations for me.” Red welcomed her stare in its embrace once again, narrowing the pupils on the cracks. Slits replaced their standard structures and if they were really a mirror into one’s soul, that specific, aimed towards honesty canvas would see nothing else but a tad too lonely noose.

Spyro shivered, he had seen many creepy things in his life, Malefor himself was horror incarnate for the Realms for a very long time. And yet even the Dark Master didn’t stir in him as vile thoughts as this moment did right now. Having a faceless enemy as your foe was something he never experienced before and when looking at Cynder and her empty stare at the bloodthirsty wall he also knew that it was the only foe that made him truly afraid.

It was defeating them while they barely knew what they were up against.

Red flashed across the most sweetest green he ever saw, stripping them of their wonderful shine for a moment that felt like a slipping, never to return eternity.

Over his dead body.

He too had unexpected tricks.

He didn’t even have to focus, all of it happened like it was as normal as flicking one’s hair above the eye. Purple grew inside his mouth and blasted forth even before his paws managed to property fix themselves to the ground. Convexity blasted its way through the air, drilling a hole inside the wall in streams of gushing everywhere pus as if it would open a deep, rotten wound.

The sizzling in bile wall gazed at them with its pry open chest, birthing purple sparks hole looked as if would be winking their way. If inanimate things would be capable of displaying emotions then this image would paint a picture of total shock.

A noise of clanking binds echoed somewhere in the distance and after letting one, final cough of black pus the wall collapsed among ringing sound of a blindly smashing everywhere chain.

They found the crystal.

Red light blasted into them, it’s touch as warm as sunlight on a cloudless day. A warmth so thick that instinct screamed at the soul for it to stop drowning itself in blood.

It was everywhere.

Paws and hands rose to meet the light out of their own accord, driven by the intention to scrub the flesh clean. Crimson bent under their touch, spilling below their intrusion like a wet tongue wrapping itself around bone.

A bone full of thick marrow.

They could feel the red hue getting in between cracks they never knew existed, it spilled across their bodies, forcing claws and fingers to slid across it unending, wet attempts to find a holding point to finally free themselves from that vile itching.

It only grew thicker however, each pulse perfectly mimicking each toe crunch, making them feel like a canvas used by someone with macabre push of creativity to paint images with a dirty fingertip dipped in his own blood. Fingertip making circles round and round again. A harmony so enticing that it invited guests to join it, allowing pokes and bumps in completely chaotic patterns.

Patting like flailing about limbs.

Their eyes pierced the illumination, gazing upon a glassy, crimson, bubbling landscape where all sorts of limbs and body parts floated around as if they were caricatures of children held within a torn out womb. Slit eye structure gazed at them with its unstable pupil, several snouts and faces bumped against the glass, ranging from canine to draconic maws spread their jaws in silent scream. Their skeletal teeth scratched against the ground, between bumps inviting fingers and toes to join them.

All of them were pointing their way.

The light seemed to become so much heavier all of a sudden.

Seeing this soaked in crimson container with all manner of body parts belonging to all kinds of creatures living in this world managed to give enough room for clarity to slip through. The heavy light was no mere imagination, it stretched across the entire room, painting the room in slimy red it wrapped them inside a cocoon that with its almost membranous structure looking like tissue.

All these weird sensation making them feel like blood cells locked inside a vein as they traveled across Skyward became all too real very fast.

Eyes kept twirling inside the gluttonous container, their narrowing slits as transparent in their intentions as words spilled on an open book. They were trapped and the restless pupils found this discovery very enticing, narrowing several slits on each group member they evaluated everyone with a tendency worthy of a psychopathic medic examining organs from a still screaming patient.

A medic keen of finding the right organ, one more powerful than the rest, one’s personal signature if you will. Evolution might fancy similarities, but it stirs away from certain copies. Uniqueness was too vital, too special to ignore.

And what other way existed to make sure where one’s personality truly lied if not examination fueled by your patient’s wails. Wails getting so much stronger when nearing the part that marks one’s brand on Nature itself.

A correct poke was all that it took.

Dipped in red rays pierced the crystal, trailing traces across the air like bolts fired from invisible crossbows. Mesmerized group was too slow to react, surprising groans filled the room when their bouncing from side to side bodies were shallowly stabbed from random directions, with only one such strike feeling as if it would plunge deep into the very bowels, twirling around like a knife stuck inside the guts. Fangs sprang into action, twirling draconic heads to get a snap at the irritating foe. Teeth however slid past the light, leaving only noises of smacking lips behind.

Only then came the disgusting sensation as if you would be chewing your own skin.

The group began to spit, the fleshy wall shriveled in accordance with their coughs, blasting forth long pipes of meaty mess that struck the ground with a sound much more troubling than a falling corpse.

And that is a lot coming from someone who is no different to battle.

“The hell is this thing?” Sparx gagged, latching onto his mouth to keep it from provoking his already irritated gullet.

Iris parted her mouth to voice her surprise as well, but the sound was muffled by the undulating mass, sloshing around like melting metal it started to stretch itself out, growing from the dropped tentacles covered in meaty cloak figures which morphed like clay during a pottery lesson into four legged figures resembling dragons more and more.

The faceless creatures snapped themselves free from their gluey umbilical cords, twisting their featureless heads in what could be only their direction. The remains of their fleshy reached out across the floor, spilling like slime it went in the only way where it could still find paws still holding on to true bone.

Spyro’s heart skipped a beat, in its crucial echo chamber filling up his lungs with the only elemental power this version of the current world deserved. Fire blasted from his mouth, making the fleshy mass pop like meaty firecrackers. Tongues managed to graze over one of the figures, sewing into its undulating shoulder, digging a deep cut until it finally faded. A cut that was immediately reshaped back to its original form.

The featureless monsters charged, their fleshy feet sprinting with the sound of hundred, thick raindrops crashing against the floor.

“Stay close!” Spyro barked out as he bent his body for the incoming attack, his two female companions joined him immediately, forming a triangle of tails where each tip grazed over the other. Loudly echoing, wet noise announced the arrival of their foes, purple paw didn’t hesitate, charged with flames claws sliced across the running figure, cutting cleanly right through it. Both girls followed suit, striking their foes in similar manner.

“Guys!” Sparx yelled out, sinking his fingers deep into the featureless silhouette resembling his own body type. Creature kept on pressing as if it tried to smash into its target, getting closer with each jerk, sinking into its flesh arms kept steadily minimizing the distance.

A scythe like tail tip pierced it just after, ripping the creature to shreds.

Disgusting tissue smacked against them like wet towels, despite its ugly touch it left no other mark besides a very irritating dot on each draconic claw and a wing joint belonging to Sparx. The group hissed and instantly began to twist their irritated limbs around to free themselves from the abhorrent drop that stung their bodies as if would be biting them.

They flicked away the meaty nuisance, realizing instantly that its specific caress wasn’t their imagination. The drops bulged instantly the KKK moment they touched the ground, swiftly stretching out to form yet another faceless copies. They were different from the ones they saw earlier though, each individual possessed the same characteristic they bitten. Each draconic copy formed claws imbued with it’s victims element, while the one representing Sparx grew a solid wing on its back.

Behind them more holes grew in the tissue wall, sprouting more tentacles ready to spawn more disgusting silhouettes.

Their enemies rushed ahead among sounds of snapping sinew, this time the attacked group charged head on, disposing off the crippled enemies with ease. They immediately channeled their respective powers and blasted streams of magical energy all around the undulating wall. The room echoed with the noise of hundreds of cracking open scabs.

The crystal reacted immediately, beating inside it limbs smashed against the odd glass frantically, each new thump making the illumination that much stronger until it eventually blinded everyone with its crimson blast. In a world obscured by tightly shut eyelids the noise that drummed all around was no different from a tree sprouting new roots.

Just how fickle this image was proved anew opened eyes when they gazed upon pierced by tentacles wall of flesh.

“This thing is spreading like crazy!” Sparx pointed at one of the copies, besides imbued with fire claws it also possessed a purple flank with a working kidney visible through the incomplete body.

Cynder growled, tapping her forelegs against the ground, black, thick veins covered her body and shot from her paws, forming dark splotches on the floor which immediately spawned unwaveringly loyal, embraced by darkness warriors.

Iris jumped back at the sight, crunching her eyes tightly and shaking her head. Her soundless limps intoned only a single word in a loop.

Demons. Demons. Demons.

The shadow warriors charged into the featureless figures, their dark imbued swords cutting through the meaty flesh with ease, spilling chunks of it in every direction. Familiar lumps aimed to cling themselves to the soldiers, yet their unstable bodies were a poor latching point, making each piece slip onto the ground like worthless rubble.

Legs started beating at the crystal, the gelatinous mass vibrates, tossing body parts around as if a tornado would stir within. Each bouncing eyelid larger than the previous one, each pupil aimed only in a single direction.

“I think it doesn’t like you very much Cyn.” Sparx looked around carefully, his perceptive eyes scanning for anything that would serve as a countermeasure for such an attack.

Not long after all manner of mouths started gluing themselves to the glass, latching onto fluids left by other limbs. Their lips parted widely, giving birth to an expression many would consider a soundless shock.

“Fuuuck!” It was an impression quickly broken under Cynder’s painful cry. The rough scream tore at her throat’s tissue, mixing the spit out saliva with blood as she dropped onto the ground, thrusting claws into her temples as if trying to pierce her own brain.

World went dark before her eyes, spiraling lines of colors all around formed nothing else but images of huge hammers smashing against her skull. Each strike resounding with a high pitched wail, a scream so powerful as if someone would yell straight into her earhole.

Again and again.

She could hear Malefor blaring at her, blaming her for being a failure and a traitor, Creep was here too, no longer calling her Sugar, but Lemon. Sparx and Spyro joined the chorus as well, calling her an untrustworthy spawn of Darkness. Among them were also many others who twisted her brain as they seen fit. Their combined blares forming hooks that latched onto the skull, tearing and yanking at it from each side, each claw trying to squeeze out a little more brain for itself.

Corruption. It was Corruption screaming at her like Athron did no so long ago, but a far more bigger potential, potential that was melting her brain.

Black veins lost connection with their element, fading away they dragged each spawned soldier behind themselves, letting the mass they held at bay spill towards the group.

“Help he-“ Spyro’s shout was quickly cut off by his own painful groan when one of the faceless figures reached him from the flank, slashing at him with its fiery claws. He retaliated immediately, destroying the construct instantly as he covered himself in an electrical cage. Its sizzling energy snapping at the fleshy monsters, hurling their chunks around and pushing them back.

“Get Cynder up somehow! We need her magic or these things will overwhelm us!”

Icy waves appeared below Iris’ white paws, her glistening like crystals scales painted a chilly line as she walked around Cynder. The moment she stopped in front of the dragoness the freezing line surrounded her black body from the other side, forming a circle which quickly erupted into thick walls of ice. Separating the girl from all sides against the painful glares, leaving only one spot open, which was already occupied by Iris with her feathery wings spread widely.

Unable to break through the blockage the eyes focused their attention on the one target they could reach, forcing it to bend with their brain sizzling glares.

They couldn’t understand that someone who grows old listening to demonic whispers isn’t really bothered by their screams.

Iris gazed straight at the bulging eyes ahead, mouths that were gaping open just a moment ago slammed shut. The mass of limbs started twirling again, a familiar sight when facing a foe you couldn’t defeat and are bound to live next for the rest of your life.

She knew that well.

The crystal seemed to shake, the vibrations grew stronger, tossing about the gory cocktail in constantly speeding up motions. Body parts began slamming against the glass quicker and quicker, each limb smack separated by a crashing eye.

A hand. Red pupil. A leg. Blue pupil. A horn. White pupil. White pupil. White pupil.

Demons stopped their wailing, whispering only one, as clear as sky, question.

“Do I know you?” Iris’ lips moved soundlessly.

“Whatever you’re doing, keep going at it princess, it works!” Sparx gave the dragoness a supporting pat in the shoulder as he dived towards Cynder. Hissing in pain as he could his hand back, palm was completely covered in stinging frost, frost so hungry that it even made his skin crack in places.

“You okay there baby girl? We kinda need your mojo so snap back into action.” He gazed at his hand, noticing some small spikes protruding from the ice “Sorry for that.” He slapped the black rump.

Cynder screamed the brain numbing pain away, battle hardened instinct kicked in immediately, provoking her to channel her powers to summon new loyal soldiers to their side.

Iris didn’t care about anything that was happening around her, all her attention was drawn towards the white eye in the distance. A masculine, diamond pupil bestowed her with all its attention, its piercing glare so familiar, so soul-whipping.

Her paw rose up without her even realizing it, bent claws stopping in midair as if touching some invisible barrier. There has to be a mirror here, a transparent one surely, father can’t be looking at her from that glass. Claws scratched swiftly down, beforehand scrunched forehead prepared itself for an incoming screech.

A screech that never came.

Spyro parried another strike, with one swift strike of his own claws splitting apart the foe that remained his crippled copy for too long to stand any chance against its fully grown idol. His eyes caught Iris in their view, she looked as if she would be staring at stars, awestruck like a child seeing the night sky for the first time in its life. Having experienced something similar with Cynder, this specific bond only they could truly cherish, he wasn’t shocked to see Iris going through something similar.

What troubled him the most that she seemed to share it with that monstrous cocktail of horror. A nightmare that seemed to repay her with the same amount of attention.

“Hold on for a little while longer Cynder! I can almost get a shot at it, just get those things off of me!” He didn’t have to wait for the dark soldiers to lend him their assistance. Purple working with Black in total unison, he was glad that whoever worked on the legends couldn’t see this picture now. The world might have looked completely different otherwise.

The crystal swirled again, no matter how fast it twisted however Iris still managed to keep her stare locked at the white eye nevertheless. Contact that was abruptly ended by a womb smashing against the glass. There was an egg in it, something seemed to move inside, each kick tugged at her own muscles, perfectly mimicking the jerks made by that strange bean ahead.

Another body part slammed against the crystal, its silent thud making her feel as if she would be plunged deep into water. It was a blue, draconic belly, a big one, clearly feminine and slender. Like her own but mature and without white stripes. The fluid vibrated once more, slamming the previously visible womb right into the stomach, merging it with the seen eye as well.

Iris dropped on her forelegs when the combined body part slammed against the glass, crushing the wiggling egg inside the womb under its weight. She felt her own belly being pressed, trampled by an invisible knee constantly sinking into her body. The baby inside kicked at its prison, each twist of limb dragging her own paws away, splattering her onto the floor with a choking gasp. They flopped about like a fish dragged from the water, each new tap provoking the eye in the horrid canister to wide. It dragged her own eyeballs behind, stretching them so far that the thin scale around them began to bleed.

Father demanded attention and she could do nothing else but to obey, she could feel herself inside that crystal, twirling around in a place that felt so familiar, felt like a reflection. Felt like home.

My parents.

A deep cut slashed across the womb, forming a grin as predatory as one only seen in nightmares. The smile filled up in purple a moment after, splitting the crystal together with the womb and in splinters. Iris howled, sensing its terrible agony cutting right through her flesh, a short stab that seemed to carry the weight of the whole universe.

“Iris? Iris!” Cynder jumped to the fallen dragoness, among floating everywhere glass and serrated body parts looking for any obvious injury. Besides the only one she caused herself by sinking claws into her own head, there was nothing else clearly visible. “Don’t die on me after saving my butt, I would feel bad falling asleep like a baby after that.”

She let out a grasp of relief when the girl moved. Iris withdrew her claws, looking at her paws as if she would be surprised to see them.

“What the hell was that thing?” Spyro dropped on his butt with a loud exhale, tongue rolled out from his mouth, getting longer with each new pant.

“Whatever that thing was, I think it was responsible for the whispers in my head. I don’t feel anything anymore in there.” Paw immediately reached for the choker, adding more thoughtful scratches to its already well-used surface. “Speaking of…Iris didn’t eat any of that cursed meat, how come then you managed to shield me when it was clearly ignoring Sparx and Spyro?”

Iris remained silent, bulging eyes kept smashing from one side of the eyeball to the next, hurling streaks of blood like they would be flowers cast from a stage.

“No matter how many questions we might have, there is only one place where we can find answers for them.” Sparx gulped. “Sorry princess, but your mom has some explaining to do. We’re being toyed here.”

Pupils ceased their rapid shaking, diamond actors frowned in place as they stared at the remains of the womb in the distance. Still present slices of a child there closed its eyes in perfect accordance with the crimson curtain of blood obscuring her own eyelids.

“She’s not my mother.”