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Chapter 18 - Camp revisited

"Markus Finally!" Sparx shouted and flew towards him like a small bullet. Sparx where so overwrought he didn't notice Markus' bad condition at all.

"Ok... believe or not but even against my really bad, lets just say image of you, I need your help on something. You see, once you left we where having some fun not too far from here and suddenly orcs came and captured Spyro! And that black backstabber Cynder of doom. The case is I cant safe them since they where put into cage of some sort and those orcs are kinda blood-lust if you ask me..." Sparx kept explaining with fast, non-stop and barely taking a breath in middle, using his hands same time to visualise what has happened . Markus kept his eyes on anxious dragonfly as Sparx kept circling around his head.

Markus didn't understand a word of course but he knew something where clearly wrong.

"Are you even listening to me?!" Sparx shot suddenly right into Ranger face. Markus kept just looking at him before he realised he was waiting a reply of sort.

"Sparx.... Missä on Spyro ja Cynder?" He replied slowly. Sparx just slapped himself to head frustrated.

"Oh great... Yes, I am Sparx but Spyro is the one who you should help!"

"Missä... Spyro... Missä... Cynder?" Markus tried again more slowly and pointed surroundings with open hand. Sparx remained silent for minute, trying to figure what he said.

"You want me to lead you to Spyro and Cynder? Oi, Why you didn't just say so? Over there!" Sparx said hasty and pointed to south but his mouth fell open and eyes snapped wide open when Markus started to walk into opposite direction and began to rip some grass on the way.

"what you think you're doing? Spyro is in that way!" Sparx said pointing to south but Ranger just continued his clumsy walking towards one of the mini forests on base of small hill, the very same forest where dragons has slept two days earlier. He walked pass bushes and sat down.

"Hey! My brother need help and he needs it now!" Sparx shouted on Markus' face and kept his fists closed on both sides. Markus kept his facial and rather flat expression on his face and glanced briefly on Sparx before he dropped tall grass he has gathered next to him and began to attend his wounds. Sparx didn't notice that he looked like half dead, not to mention new wounds all around him until Ranger removed one of the many cloths protecting his injuries. Sparx snapped out from his frustration and anxiousness and gave new look on Markus.

"What happened to you?" He said after a moment more calm and surprisingly showing some concern in his voice. Markus halted for a second, thinking what he asked and how to response, if at all.

"Susia. Sudet kävivät kimppuun." Markus said with rather emotionless voice and began to clean his wounds.

"Oookay... well I just pretend you made some sense. Just be quick with that. Okay?

Meanwhile, hundreds if not thousands miles away in east, far beyond golden desert inside the lone stone structure, better know as Dragon temple, where 4 Guardians Lives and watches upon realms. Temple has seen it's better days as now long dragon war has leaved it's sings on it. Huge cracks on floor, walls and even on roof. Single red adult dragon. He has two sets of curvy horns in brown colours coming back of his head and his battle worn chest, filled by old healed scars, is orange in colour. He has crests shaped like wild fire varying in colours of red to orange. His tail was about the length of his other body and in the tip of the tail was crest also shaped like fire, orange in colour. His wings where large, muscular and had multiple small rips, holes in other words, in his leather like wings. Ignitus is his name, the guardian of fire and flame, and he kept looking into pool which contained green, slowly swirling liquid very carefully, very consternated but deep sadness could be easily seen in his face.

Heavy steps could be heard behind Ignitus as another dragon, Guardian as well, walked slowly next to him.

"Still looking into the pool of visions?" Said the male yellow dragon with slight concern heard in his voice. The yellow dragon had dark blue chest and underbelly and pointy horns match in colour, he had markings all over his body shaped like lighting with lighter yellow than his main colour. Crests, beginning from his neck and ending near end of his tail where also dark blue in colour and tip of his tail is crest shaped like electricity.. Old dragon's, much like Ignitus' body where battle worn and muscular. He is, as his colour gives away, a guardian of electricity.

Ignitus gave deep sigh, almost like in sorrow sound before he looked on yellow dragon.

"Yes. I just hope there would be any sings from Spyro or Cynder, dear Volteer. But I cant see either of them no matter how hard I try. It has been almost 2 months when they confronted the Dark Master. Malefor is dead, I can feel it in my hearth but..." Ignitus spoke slowly before he began faintly sobbing. Volteer walked slower and tapped his shoulder gently.

"There, there now Iggy. I'm certain they're fine. There is no telling what really happened in convexity and all we can do is just hope the best. You said you could not see them. So long you can't see are they dead there is always hope they find a way and come back one day." Volteer spoke gently, trying to hold on his usual pladering speech of wordstorm but speed of his speech where still considerable. Ignitus began to calm down and nodded slightly

"Come to eat with us, Terrador has hunted for you a deer, most delicious, scrumptious, luscious, ambrosial, erhm ehh..." Volteer spoke hasty, full of energy before he managed to calm down electric tongue of his. Ignitus chuckled a bit. No matter what the situation was, Volteer's hyperactive positive muttering always managed to sheer him up.

"I'll come in a few moments" Ignitus said before he turned his head back on pool. Volteer nodded and walked into room where huge dragon statue still stood on it's full might eyes still glowing warm magical yellow light. He passed another dragon, Light blue in colour, almost cold blue as ice itself, who was eating his pray. Blue dragon lifted his head as Volteer walked pass him.

"How is he?" Blue dragon asked. He had blue chest and underbelly but much lighter in colour than volteer's. He has one set of pointy horns blue in colour back of his head. His blue crests are pointy and almost icicle in shape and tip of his tail has sharp crest looking like ice blade. His wings, ice blue in colour, are slightly smaller than the others' but well developed. His looks clearly tells to everyone around that he is the guardian of ice and cold.

"Worse by the day, Cyril. He barely eats now. I sheered him up like always but I'm not sure how long my help is enough." Volteer spoke with concern.

"So he still blames himself letting young dragons go and face Malefor instead of himself?" Green huge dragon spoke with low deep voice behind dragon statue while he walked to other guardians and dropped two deers on ground front of him. Green dragon was very muscular and his chest scales where brown in colour, his single pair of strong horns, brown in colour as well, curved strongly backwards and his crests looked more like they where pieces of dark brown rocks growing from under his green scales. Crests came all the way from his neck to the tip of his tail where huge mace looking tailtip where. His green wings where huge as himself and very muscular as well. He is also know as guardian of earth.

"I fear you are right. Terrador. It hurts my hearth that he is still keeps on his grief and sorrow." Volteer answered.

"I fear Malefor was too much for the young. Even if Dark Master is gone now I can't get rid of the idea they perished as well. I just hope I am wrong."

"As do we all Cyril... as do we all." Terrador ended.

Back behind the desert, after orcs have reached their camp orcs lifted dragons' cage carefully and placed it in middle of their camp near small campfire. Edgard walked slowly to two dragons who where well aware what he was up to.

"Now then." Edgard began to speak with low tone. "Now when i have you exactly where I want you two lets continue from where we left off. Now... Creature left you, you say?" Edgard said with slight groan in his voice. Spyro frown on him, showing no respect at all, only hatred.

"Yes." Spyro said simply, imagining in his mind how he would rip him apart as he answered.

"And you believe I trust you in this? No, I think you just hid it somewhere. Where?" Edgard continued. Long silence came until Cynder began to emit faint snarl deep within her throat.

"Grr... Ranger left us and that's it! We didn't hide it up! Let us go!" Cynder shouted with snarl and shook chains which held her tightly in place.

"Persistent fools you are. Make this easy for yourself and tell where that thing is!" Edgard said becoming anxious.

"What you expect us to say, huh?! Put this thing into your thick skull; We don't know where creature is!" Spyro literally shouted from bottom of his lungs. As he yelled some split flew on Cynder's face but both dragons where too angry at the moment to notice it.

Edgard's dark green lips turned downwards and eyebrows tilted down, representing his frustration and spite on to dragons. He lifted his hand next to his ear and squeezed his hand tightly into a fist. Spyro closed his eyes and prepared himself to impact by turning his head away from him as much chains allowed him and he tensed all his muscles. Hit came on his muzzle with such force blood dripped out from his mouth. Spyro hissed from pain caused both Edgard's fist and chains holing his head in place tightly. He shook his head slightly to get rid of the all stars dazzling front of his eyes.

"STOP IT! He's telling the truth! We don't know where ranger is!" Cynder shouted both in anger and concern in her. Edgard turned his head towards her and never changed his expression on his face. Thinking about their persistent manner to say they don't know where ranger is he gave up to interrogate them longer.

"Fine... you don't know where creature is... too bad for you. I'll decide what to do with you tomorrow." Edgard said with voice what made Cynder fear the worst. Spyro finally recovered from Edgard's punch and tried to glance around himself before recalling being still in chains.

"Spyro, You're allright?" Cynder asked worried.

"Yeah... ow... that hurt." Spyro said hoping he could rub his muzzle where he have been hit. Edgard voice could been heard not too far away.

"I want them under watch constancy. I don't care how you do that but someone have to watch them always." Edgard said to surrounding orcs before he went inside his new tent. Orcs began to fight with their words who will be the unlucky one who has to be awake whole night. It took almost an hour them to decide, in another words who lost wrestling walked to campfire mummering something to himself while others went back to their tents outcluding some guards designated to patrol the camp.

Cynder's stomach growled loudly, protesting against the lack of food. Cynder blushed a bit and Spyro gave small understanding smile to her. Last meal they had was small rabbits for breakfast.

"Hey you there! Can we have something to eat? We haven't got to eat nothing for whole day." Spyro shouted to the guard.

"hmph... I guard you, not serve." He said with slight groan. Spyro came up an idea and whispered something to Cynder who nodded in agreement.

"There ain't much to guard if we don't get something to eat. We dragons need our regular meals or we might just fade away. Boof... just like that." Spyro explained, hiding his smile as he spoke.

"Why I care? Less work if happens." Orc said solid.

"Oo but I know Edgard. We are too valuable to let just vanish. What you think he do with you if he finds out we are gone?" Cynder tried to speak with believable voice. Orc rose his gaze from campfire and looked towards chained dragons, giving away he is concerned about his own safety.

"That's right... He wouldn't be so happy about it would he?" Cynder continued.

"Oww... my stomach... It hurts!" Spyro began to act like he was in pain. Orc began to hesitate and panic began to flow into his mind. Thinking in stupid head of his hard that what he should do. He stood up.

"Hold. I go get food. No tricks!" Orc said before he turned around and walked with haste into tent near edge of their camp. Both dragons chuckled, trying not to burst into laugh when they heard loud rattling noise in tent where guard has went into. It didn't took long when orc walked back holding various kinds of food before him. Spyro and Cynder tried to become serious again and Spyro began acting again.

"Give something fast! It hurts!" Spyro said with twisted face, pretending he is in huge pains but when orc offered some raw meat Spyro shook his head.

"Nono, feed her first!" Spyro said still acting. Cynder gave briefly small smile before she took serious expression back onto her face. She ate offered meat rather quickly and between every piece of meat she was offered she gave questioning expression on Spyro who just nodded while acting in a way 'Go ahead'. Once Cynder has eaten much as she found conformable to eat in that situation she refused to take another piece of meat she was offered.

"No I'm full. Feed Spyro now. He's the one more hungry." Cynder said sharp. Orc hesitated before he began to feed Spyro.

Two hours earlier further south Markus has finished cleaning his wounds and made new inspired camouflage suit from grass he as gathered. He stood up slowly and where surprised how much of strength he has already recovered but his hands still trembled a bit but he didn't give it an another though on it.

"Sparx, Olen valmis. Vie minut Spyron luo" Markus said confident. Sparx snapped out from his daydreams.

"Finally... you sure are odd fellah I give you that. Creepy and odd..." Sparx stated before he turned around and began to lead Ranger towards where he suspected dragons where taken to, to the north-west.

They didn't have to travel long when they already found huge path only two hills away and which where used recently with large group. Markus studied prints carefully and noticed path where used only twice and one's leading to south where far more numerous, at least 4 times bigger in number that one's which led to the north. Knowing that dragons could not be captured without giving a fight he came conclusion he should head to north. Sparx buzzed around his head constantly speaking about they should hurry or just otherwise mocking him being slow. But none of this mattered to Markus as he didn't understand what he spoke,

They followed trails slowly and away from path to remain hidden as much as possible. They faced few small search parties here and there but ranger managed to evade them all with variable luck. Closest call was when orcs almost literally walked over him when he squeezed against the ground and pushed Sparx under him. Orcs couldn't tell the difference between his crude camouflage's grass and grass growing naturally around him in the dark. Markus hold his breath and heart pumped violently. Orcs got suspicious yes, sniffed the dark, moisture air but kept walking back into night. Sparx naturally whined about feeling like crushed under him but Markus just extended his arm towards anxious dragonfly and rose single finger telling that was enough and to stop the whining. Markus' body language where most time hidden but when he show them they where strong and left nothing unclear. All of this made Sparx a bit nervous at times but he didn't change his cocky attitude of his..

Markus finally climbed on the last hill separating him from the orcs' new camp he lowered himself to the level of growing grass and stared upon the small camp. His eyes where not really sharp u he could tell that there was a cage of sort of lying next to campfire and faint purple colour could be seen inside it. Markus turned his eyes on rest of the camp, studying it carefully to learn their numbers, where guards move and what they do. Ranger kept doing that for almost hour until Sparx got frustrated again.

"Hey creepy one! What you're doing? Are you going to help them or not? Or are you just chicken out?" Sparx said in mocking tone. Markus glanced on frustrated flying pest and sighed faintly before he began finally to approach camp ahead of him.