"R-N-Oh-Three," Sulphide's voice crackled through.

        "Ah, hello Sulphide," Riptor breathed a sigh of relief, "any news up there?"

        "Nothing yet, a day has passed but I can't imagine what lies beyond."

        "Where are you exactly?"

        "I am north of this old volcano, extinct.  The locals in the jungle west of me say they call it the Death Nest, apparently a raptor tribe lived here before being trapped in the last eruption."

        "Interesting," she tapped her chin, "no survivors?"

        "Only one," he responded, "a grey raptor who was last seen with another raptor who could summon fire from his claws."

        "Fire...from his-oh."  Her eyes widened with a snarl bitterous.  "So THAT is where she came."

        "She fits the description yes, the last of her tribe."

        "Well I have even MORE reason to kill her now-"

        "Riptor, please."  His voice stiffened like a brick.  "Remember where we are."

        "Yes...yes, never mind," she shook her head demisting her thoughts as she sat on a stone in the sun, "how about that crashed ship?"

        "It's still in the desert," she felt him turn his head, "smoke's gone and the controller is dead but some parts could be salvaged-"

        "They will retrieve it themselves," she nodded, "best not to take anything so the humans don't suspect-"

        "I was just thinking the same thing.  How is the cave?"

        "Good!"  Riptor looked back at the entrance with her two guards.  "The tunnels are surprisingly varied, plenty of hiding spots and fresh water, with the nearby fields a good spot for hunting."

        "Anything else?" Sulphide's voice dipped.  "Any...visitors-"

        "You can say it, it's fine."

        "Hhhhh...hallucinations?"

        "No."  She smiled proud.  "Nothing inside those caves, never heard your voice nor any other that wasn't the guards."

        "That's good, so maybe we can discount the minerals reacting inside."

        "No one else seemed to suffer it either...actually that's more worrying, I would have preferred it be the minerals."

        "Mmmm."  The sound of smacking lips came through the comms.  "Well, there's nothing coming through now so you're fine, but if it ever happens again-"

        "I will call you.  Hopefully that will drive it away-"

        "Wait.  Something's coming."

The faint sounds of a droning machine came from the communique as Riptor squinted to tighten her eardrum.  Sulphide gasped with pounding feet as the sound flew over his head, shifting through their hearing.

        "What was that?!" she gasped.

        "Another of their ships," he replied, "heading to the west, not through the desert it's taking a very straight path!"

        "Are you planning to follow it?"

        "If you don't mind," Sulphide puffed his teeth, "whatever they are doing I must know, it could be plans to fortify defences."

        "Or worse," Riptor snarled looking up to the sky, "follow them, keep an eye on the vapour trail."

        "You don't think they're coming to Scar Island do you?"

        "I was thinking the same thing," she purred closing her eyes, "I'll head back now just in case, call me when you're ready to return."

        "The path it's taking I should probably be picked up at the Firesea, I know a few coves that are safe to depart."

        "Good.  See you soon Sulphide."

        "You too Riptor."

Clicking off her comms she stared at the cavern's mouth, two ultraraptors keeping a firm stance from just inside the entrance keeping out of sight from the local fauna whilst the sounds of crackling rock echoed from within.

        "Progress is good?" she asked them.

        "Yes Riptor," they bowed as one spoke, "we're expanding the passages for easier access still."

        "Good.  I'm returning to the island, keep yourselves stationed here and do not leave this cave under any circumstances.  Sulphide or I will return soon to check up on things."

        "Yes Riptor, please be safe."

They bowed once more as she departed, heading north and slightly west to trek over the swampy hills and feel the rain trickling off her back, a soft scattering of droplets that she barely felt from the steel platelets of her tail, the cresting spikes of silver from her spine extending like frills behind her head.  Half the day she travelled, Riptor hunted quietly chasing after a young triceratops child that was too strong-headed to listen to its pack as she licked her lips extending her tail.  She rushed to one side making its head turn before the wicked blade at the end of her tail twisted between its legs and plunged straight up through its throat, cracking through its spine to pierce through the back of its skull before slipping back out to reform her appendage draped with blood, a crumpling infant whose only solace was that it suffered only for a few seconds.  She feasted upon its body, picking it clean until not a single shred was left and patted her belly full with a belch of bliss and headed on rejuvenated, taking cautious steps as she skirted around the Mohberrin Village towards the northern seashore so as to follow it west to the Deep Mountains.  But then she saw it, hovering over the waves as she hid within the gulleys between the hills watching an egg-shaped pod skim through the sky and float over the village.

        "R-N-oh-three," she called to her comms, "I found the ship you were chasing."

        "What?!" Sulphide gasped.  "From what direction?"

        "North-east, past that mountain where the pterosaurs live, they're just stopping at the village now."

        "That...huh, that would be coming from the Firesea...why would they change course just there if they were heading to the village?"

        "I don't know, I'm going to keep watch."

Cresting on a hill she scanned over the settlement with her eyes swivelling slightly to activate their zoom function.  Peering amongst the denizens of pig-beasts and lizardmen, she watched a feather-caped lizalfos march off the ramp of the small ship with two purple dragons in tow, one of whom had a bandaged waist.

        "PEOPLE OF MOHBERRIN!" he cried raising his arms.  "I have returned, and discovered the truth of our mysterious thief as well as the symbol of our village!"

He brandished high the skillet as the crowd erupted with joy, cheering from all corners as the people whooped and hollered with stomping frenzy that caused the mud to splash in small waves.

        "Firstly, the thief wasn't anyone who lives in this world, but rather a hunter whom these two dragons were chasing down to stop a great monster from awakening."

Lizanaich swept his hand towards both Spyros who waved polite.

        "I know you're asking 'wait am I seeing double' don't worry, there are two of them, you haven't drunk that much moonshine."

Laughter came briefly amidst sighs of relief and curious pointing from the children at the drakes.

        "But I have something else I have to tell you.  Something I been wanting to get off my chest for a while."

One of the moblins approached him, a black-skinned soldier with lance who put a thick hand upon his shoulder.  There was a nod between them as Liz took a deep breath.

        "I know you want me as your leader, because you all liked me the most.  But the truth is, I never thought I could be a leader.  Always I was the sous chef, but never the head cook.  So when you all voted me in as your leader I was terrified of letting you all down, because I always took orders and never gave them, always sat at the back thrusting my spear but never out in front commanding the charge.  I...I was scared.  Scared of failing you all, scared of...not being the leader you thought I could be.  But not any longer."

He tightened his fists and stepped forwards amongst his folk.  Two bokoblins stepped closer with smiles as one of them hugged a cloaked figure in red and white.

        "I fought against this hunter, the thief who dared to fight and attack our village then rob my dearest friend.  I had help from friends, friends from here and from afar and we survived against an unknown threat, in an unknown world beyond the sea.  All I cared about was getting my friend's memento back, but at the end I realised...that...I can be your leader.  Because I finally found what kinda strength I was looking for.  Maybe you all knew it before I did, but...I'm here."

He swept his arms out before raising the skillet high like a skywards sword.

        "I will fight for you.  I will protect you.  No matter what comes, I'll do everything I can to put you all before myself, I'll feed you, I'll clothe you, I'll give my life for all of you.  Because that's what I want to do."

        "THREE CHEERS FOR OUR LEADER!" cried Bokorie.  "HIP HIP!"

        "HOORAAAAY!"

        "HIP HIP!"

        "HOORAAAAAAY!"

        "Uuuugh jeez," Liz blushed with a cringe turning to the dragons, "maybe I went too hard on that."

        "Ey don't worry about it," Spyro the younger nudged his leg, "s'what being a hero's all about, someone for others to believe in!"

        "Is this what it's like for you guys?"

        "Yep!" Spyro the older grinned flashing teeth.  "You get used to it eventually, like Spyro said don't worry, just be there for them."

        "Right," Liz rubbed his neck, "thanks for all the help."

        "No prob," Spyro-Owain offered his paw for him to shake, "you helped out a lot too!"

        "I'm glad things are okay now," Spyro-Flash shook his hand in turn, "you take care alright?  This world needs a hero too."

        "You really think I...nah," Liz waved his hand, "n-nah come on I'm just a lizalfos I don't got the stuff like you guys-"

        "No."  The dragon stood tall and met his gaze.  "You CAN be a hero.  Anyone can, if they just try their hardest and fight to keep everyone safe.  That's what you did Liz."

        "You...y-you think so?" he rubbed his horn.

        "I think so.  I wasn't anything before they called me a hero, so who's to say you won't be one too?"

        "Hah...well, I mean if you put it that way-"

        "So just do yer best!" Owain winked at him.  "That's all you gotta do, that's why you'll be a leader!"

        "Do my best...heh."  He looked down at the skillet as his face shone within its surface.  "Is that how you lived your life?  ...hmmm...alright."

The lizalfos slipped it on his belt.

        "I'll do my best, like you said."

        "Heck yeah!" the dragon skipped up to the ship.  "Alright we gotta head off home, you take care alright?!"

        "Thanks again!" Liz waved them off.  "Safe travels to you all!"

        "Later!"

The dragons waved him off as the village replied in turn, shouting goodbyes and farewells as the ship drifted up into the sky and turned towards the east, flying back over the great marshlands and little valleys as Riptor watched the villagers disperse, their chief returning to his hut and patting the backs of bokoblins beside him.

        "Well they seem fine," the raptor shrugged, "seems they also formed a pact with the humans."

        "Really?!" gasped Sulphide in her ear.  "What did they say?"

        "I don't know, I don't recognise their language but I saw a wounded human in the ship, they must have been scouting a treacherous region."

        "Or facing another enemy, or both."

        "I'm heading back to Scar Island now, we'll talk when you get back."

Taking her journey to the Deep Mountains, she found the raft where two raptors awaited dilligent with their enslaved icthyosaur paddling near the shallows still tied to the boat.  A day and a half passed with only one stop between to rest before they reached their island home, stepping off as the slavefish returned to its dock and the raptors shored their boat.

        "FATHER, FATHER RIPTOR'S BACK!"

        "YEAH COME ON LET'S GO SEE!"

        "Childreeen," Sunscreech plodded after them, "stay close to me the sea is not safe!"

Four little raptors raced down to the shore to see their leader, barking up at her with wagging tails and excitable feet.

        "RIPTOR RIPTOR!"

        "Didya kill anythin' Riptor, didya see BIG beasts?!"

        "Hmhmhm yeeees I did," she nuzzled them all with snuffling grin, "we found a very nice cave full of little creatures that hide in the dark, and I saw an egg that flew through the sky."

        "An EGG?!" squeaked one.

        "Th-that's SILLY!" shrieked another.  "Yer silly!"

        "I am never silly," she tightened her eyes piercing into theirs, "I tell you the truth, a great egg flew through the sky."

        "Woooow," they gasped in unison before turning back, "f-father, father she saw an EGG!"

        "AND IT FLEW!"

        "Yeeees I heard," he snarled pushing them back, "keep away from the water, you can talk with Riptor later."

        "Oh I don't mind," she grinned patting his head, "you have such wonderful children, it's always delightful to talk with them."

        "They are about to hunt, we must go before it is night."

        "Alright...don't push yourself too hard."

        "I will manage.  Come children, we must hunt."

        "Awwwwww!" they whimpered stamping their feet.  "B-but, but-"

        "You can speak with Riptor after we are done, we must feed ourselves."

        "He is right children," she nodded walking past, "feed your family first, that is most important.  I'll talk with you when you get back, promise."

        "OKAYYY!"

They galloped to the plains as their father followed behind with a curt look to his alpha who made tracks to the western forest and sat in her den, checking on other raptors both native and her own in passing.  Sunscreech headed east with his gaggle of sons and daughters, nipping at each other as they ran and frolicked in a circle grabbing their tails and rolling through the long grass except for one daughter of his who kept close to his side.

        "Are you okay?"

        "Hmm?"  He looked down to her.

        "Are you okay father?"

Her eyes twinkled brown with a mottled body of jade and ochre.  He sighed and licked her head.

        "I am fine Earthy, go play with your siblings."

        "But, what about you?" she grinded her jaws.

        "What do you mean?"

        "I...I-i know you've been sad about...things and I want to help."

        "That is not your concern."

        "But I'm worried!"  She pressed against his side.  "I don't want you to be sad father, I want to help."

        "Hhhhhh...Earthfang."

He knelt down closer to her face with his single eye turning soft.

        "Children should not have to carry the burden of their parents.  You must become strong, and continue our family by finding your own mate when you are older, and having your own children.  Would you ever burden your children with your fears and sorrows?"

        "I...I don't know," she muttered.

        "A father and a mother must protect their children, feed them well and keep them safe."

        "But who keeps you safe?"

        "Myself."  Sunscreech stood up and turned away.  "I must do that alone."

        "B-but...that's not fair, you shouldn't be alone-"

        "I know."  He walked to the plains as she followed.  "In a better world I would have your mother to help me."

        "Wh-what about uncle Radium, he looks after us when you're sick!"

        "That is different.  He cannot be my mate."

        "N-no, I meant just helping you look after us."  She went to his side to nuzzle at his waist.  "You get so tired, and...you sleep a lot, and I get worried.  I don't want to lose you."

Sunscreech stopped and looked down at his daughter, her dull-coloured fangs like a serpent as she trembled with a low sound in her throat.  He licked across her head and smiled.

        "I do not deserve a child as good as you."

        "Wh-what?"

        "If you want to help me look after your siblings, then you can.  Would that be alright?"

        "...yes."  She licked him back.  "I-i want to help you, and all of us."

        "Thank you Earthfang."

He pulled her in close rubbing his head down her neck, sighing with a tension of the heart that unclenched enough to let him breathe.  He almost wept, forcing his eye shut to pull himself back from the brink of tears as she felt the softest drop on her back.

        "F-FATHER, FATHER!"  One of the sons came rushing up.  "SUNNYS EATING CRAWLERS AGAIN!"

        "Ughhh..." he stood up and shuffled towards his other son clawing the dirt, "Suntooth STOP eating that!"

        "BUT IT TASTE GOOD!"

        "What if one of them is poison, do you want to die like a stupid fool?!"

        "I KNOW WHICH ONES AREN'T POISON!"

Regardless he grabbed his son round the neck and threw him away from the fresh mound of dirt, shoving him back on his feet and making them march.

        "We are not here to eat crawlers like filthy warmbloods, we are here to hunt MEAT!"

        "B-but, crawlers are meat!"

        "You are a hunter, you HUNT the prey out there, not these wretched little things!"

        "Father's right!" Earthfang stepped up butting into her brother.  "We have to hunt, we can't be better hunters when we grow up if all we hunt are crawlers!"

        "Uuuugh shut uuuup!" he spat dirt on her face.  "You're my sister not mother!"

        "SO WHAT?!"  She snapped with a bark that made him flinch.  "Someone has to stop you being stupid and if YOU can't learn not to be stupid then I'll act like your mother until you learn!"

        "...o-o-okayyyy um," Suntooth backed up with a nervous cringe, "s-sorry I guess."

        "Right, now let's go hunting!"

They followed after their sister as Sunscreech walked beside her, gazing towards the plains as a wind swept across with invisible hand through the rushing grass.  The children went into focus, following their father's example as their heads went low and their tails went straight as they fanned out towards a parasaurolophus that drifted just a little too far from its tribe in the distance.  It never stood a chance, trapped by two of the children to lure it away from the pack before Sunscreech came at its side and tore it down into the earth with a cloud of dust.  The prey kicked and staggered with gasping screams as the raptor father crushed his throat with a cracking twist, stifling its gasps as the herd started to run in a fleet to escape the bloodied jaws of feasting raptors.  The children ate up with gusto, shredding through the walls of its stomach and feasting upon the rich red entrails in a proud chirrup of their successful hunt.  Sunscreech smiled as his belly filled, looking to his daughter Earthfang beside him with a crimson snout as she chewed up the lungs of the dead beast with a lick of her lips.

Once they ate up as much as they could they returned to the forest in the west, skirting round the central mountain of the isle that shadowed above all with an ageless peak to the heavens.  The sun passed its zenith by the time they reached their nest, curling up together to watch the infinite blue sea and the peerless sky of sweet cyan hue.

        "Hello there!" a green-and-black raptor greeted them.

        "UNCLE!" the children rushed up to nip at his body.

        "Hahaha wow look at you all nice and big!" he licked at their faces and smirked.  "If you weren't raptors I would hav-"

A look from Sunscreech paralysed his words as he sighed with a grin.

        "Well, you're growing up to be very good hunters if you fattened yourselves up that well."

        "MMHMM!" Suntooth squeaked.  "I ate some crawlers too!"

        "Now why would you eat little bugs, you're a BIG raptor you need more meat!"

        "But they taste GOOD!"

        "Herbivores taste better surely," he nipped at his head.

        "But they're harder to catch!" the boy yipped with stamping feet.

        "Until you eat one that's poison," said Sunscreech nudging him, "then you will wish you never caught it."

        "There aren't any poisoncrawlers heeere father!"

        "How do you know that?"

        "I know EVERY crawler here!"  He beamed with a blood-spattered grin.  "I've eaten every one of 'em, an' they're ALL tasty!"

        "Ugh," his brother shoved him down, "shut uuuup you're disgusting."

        "YOU'RE disgusting shithead!"

        "Enouuuugh!"  Radium snarled with a slap to their heads.  "Don't ruin your day with pointless arguments, also never fight on a full stomach, trust me you won't win."

        "Okayyyy."

The two boys snorted and slipped down into the nest, their sisters joining with tired little bites as the black-and-jade raptor looked over to Sunscreech.

        "Everything alright?" he asked.

        "Well enough thank you, our hunting was good today."

        "I can tell," he looked over to the children burping as they settled in, "you're a good father, you know that?"

        "What?" Sunscreech squinted at him.

        "I don't think you hear this enough, but I am proud of you for how well you're raising the-"

        "Shut up."  The father growled walking past him.  "I do not need your pity or your grace."

        "Don't do that."  Radium snarled leaning close.  "Don't be some kind of martyr, nobody cares Sunscreech."

        "I can tell, all your tribe care about are my children."

        "If you burn yourself out, yes your children are more important, they are our future and you need to look after yourself just as much as look after them."

        "Are we done?"  He sighed feeling his legs shake.  "I am tired Radium, just let me be."

        "...alright."  He nodded swishing his steel tail.  "Please remember, they carry my blood too, I'm not just doing this for your sake or hers, this is my family too."

        "Fine."

        "Rest well Sunscreech."

Watching him leave the father curled his lip as he settled into the nest, centred between his children with sleepy tails and bloated stomachs.  Earthfang pushed herself up into her father's stumped limbs as he nuzzled her head with gentle licks, soft breaths whispering over her skin as they drifted off into slumber.

Far beyond the forest and the shores of the island across the ancient sea, there lied a ferocious flame that burned ever constant above the black molten scape.  Plumes of smoke surged from volcanoes cropping over the Firesea in small pockets, a scorching wind of foul brimstone that ripped through his nostrils with a burning stench that comforted him.

        "Hhhhaaaaah," Sulphide took a deep whiff, "what a wonderful place."

The smouldering fires crackled around him with rivers of magma crisscrossing the earth.

        "This might actually be my favourite place, I would love to live here...no other beasts around to bother me...hhhmmmmm not sure if Riptor would like this though but she wouldn't mind it."

He leapt over the lava and raced over rocks of shale that crested above the burning streams.

        "The lay of his land is far too different from the savannah...must have been a drifting isle that came from elsewhere and landed up here.  But from where?  And why did the humans' ship turn southwest from here rather than just head immediately that way?"

Scanning the horizon Sulphide tweaked his eyes to pierce through the smog and find the remnants of the ship's engine trail.  The jaundiced raptor flicked his steel tail with twisting snaps of clicking segments, whilst brief factuals of chemical content in the air came over his vision.

        "Hmmm, water vapour, carbon and sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide, methane, mercury, all the usual suspects...wait...that's different."

An unknown cleaner gas beeped on his scan as he approached one volcano that crested above the world, a grand towering monolith of chaos and destruction that burned through the savage wastes, a peerless tower of wroth incarnate that never ceased.  Sulphide became excited with a stiffening of his loins as a dangerous urge crept through his heart, vaulting over the lava streams and slinking through the arched broken rocks to find the quickest path.  The searing magma licked at his skin as he felt a trembling in his nethers, shaking with adrenaline as he almost dipped his claw into one magma pool when he thunked his tail into an overhanging rock and swung over the wide-reaching pond of burning death.

        "HAAAH!  HAHAHA, aaaah, ahahaha ohhh, ohhh I am never telling her I did that, hahaha...ah...where did this damn ship even go, was it just above here?!"

The vapour trail of the ship stopped above the volcano as he scanned through the length of the mountain.  For the first ten minutes there was nothing but the usual gases, all of them toxic to the normal beasts as Sulphide's lungs filtered all of the chemicals to repurpose them for his own, sucking deep breaths of the noxious fumes with a shuddering bliss.

        "Ohhhhhh I have to take Riptor here now this place would be a PERFECT base for an outpost, I mean I didn't spend as much time here before since it was all so dangerous but...wait...what's that?"

Something blipped on his scanner as a mineral's traces came trickling through the mountain, leaving a path that he followed towards one river of flames that meandered slowly through the wastes, ending at a pool half-buried in the earth as something beeped harder at the source.

        "Something is...something was left here, it doesn't match the composition..."

Sulphide bent over the small pit to see something poking out of it, a length of iron that shimmered coldly in the midst of burning steam as he wrapped his tail close to his face and twisted up his expression with a shuddering seethe.  His throat slightly contorted as his breath changed from its potent acid strength to something more lustrous and white with silvery tinge that he flecked over his tail.  Coating his appendage with a nickel extract, the raptor watched it gleam with stronger metal before dipping swiftly into the magma and wrapping his tail round the foreign object to pull it out before the molten burn sunk in too deep.

        "Phew...well, chemistry was always my strong suit but now...what, IS this thing that I-...wait."

It was oddly familiar to him, not by its shape but by the dark rusted seen as he gazed upon a long wicked blade with a curved outer and a straight inner.

        "This is...that...Riptor, Rip-I mean, R-N-oh-three, are you there?!"

        "Sulphide, yes?!"  She called through the comms.

        "I found something...that, your blade, the one you attached to your tail, do you still have it?"

        "Yyyyes...why?"

        "I just found another exact replica, here in the Firesea."

        "Wh-what?!"

        "I think the humans were disposing of this, it fell into the volcano and I found it from a magma stream but it's completely intact.  Still...cold, even."

        "That...how is that possible?" she gasped.

        "I don't know," he shook his head staring at the sword, "what should I do with it?"

        "Bring it back here, if the humans want it disposed of then it must be something they fear."

        "And if it's too dangerous for us?"

        "Nothing is more dangerous than me."  Her voice strengthened in his ear as he shuddered with a grin.  "Find a shore to depart from, I will send a raft to depart tomorrow."

        "Yes Riptor.  See you soon."

He clicked off his comms and headed west to where the black silted shores met the sea of mist, where rivers of magma flowed into the ocean and burned with sizzling heat that frothed the waters deep.  Sulphide kept his distance and waited, clutching the cold blade in his tail as he gazed upon it with suspicion.

        "Did the humans make...the other one of this too?  What exactly are you?"

Third Energy Research - Subject Sixteen ("Spyro and Spyro")

04-09-2046

Recorded by Sgt. Jeremy Holt

Arriving on schedule within the week of our planning, Subject Sixteen came in the form of two dragons named Spyro.  Despite having the same name, the same colour and other similarities in their past, they came from different dimensions having arrived following a different faction of enemies each.  One was a small militia of rhinoceros-type humanoids (called "rhynocs"), the other a horde of shadowy apes that assaulted not only our base, but also Mohberrin Village.

Aligning ourselves with both Spyros, I along with Chief Lizalfos of Mohberrin Village chased after the commander of the apes and rhynocs to a floating island that arrived as the biggest part of the anomaly.  We discovered the commander was a hunter of dragons, working for a warlock who had cursed the island's inhabitants into petrified statues.  We captured one of his henchmen before destroying the warlock's source of power, which in turn freed the inhabitants thankfully.  We rounded up the rhynocs and disposed of the apes before sending them back with both Spyros to their different homes.

        "Aaaand that's that!" Amy twisted the last joint with a click.  "Alright take it for a spin!"

Holt shifted himself off the bed and thunked his foot on the ground, feeling the shift in balance between the warm flesh of his left and the cold steel of his right.  Taking a few steps he walked the length of the medical bay whilst a small audience stood watching near the door, both dragons in front with Owain being checked on by Kevin slowly repatching the wound in his side.

        "You were really fucking lucky you know that," said the doc.

        "Yeah that's what they tell me," the dragon smirked.

        "I mean like he actually did miss all your organs it's almost scary how precise this is."

        "Well hey, makes yer job easier right?!"

        "I guess," he shrugged daubing over the sealed wound, "since you're not bleeding out everywhere like Jeremy was."

        "Ey ah think ah did a bloody good job!" Holt shook his fist.

        "Well yeah not saying it was BAD just yanno, limbs!"

        "How's the new foot?" Amy clasped her steel paws.  "Feel all good?"

        "Yeaaaaah," he chuckled trying to flex his feet, "feels pretty fantastic."

        "I mean we could make out a new model for it if you think it's too basic, I can make anything."

        "Ya think so?"  Holt looked to his plastic foot.  "Ah mean, not sure whut ah would want besides a peg leg."

        "Or a dragon foot," Flash gave a wide smirk, "for when you have to cross those dangerous lands."

        "Let him touch yours," Kevin smirked standing up to stretch, "think I got a spare Escafil device laying around how about it Holt?"

They all looked at him funny as Amy shook her head struggling not to laugh.

        "Really, none of you fucking read Animorphs?!"

        "Sweetie no, please-"

        "Fuck I am wasted on you guys."

        "Actually," Holt's eyes twinkled as he rubbed his stache, "that sounds a really buzzing idea."

        "Wait what?"

        "Uhhh...d-do you think it'd be alrigh' to make me a dragon foot?"

        "Were you serious?" Owain turned to Flash.

        "I mean, since he idolises us so much," the older dragon shrugged, "I had this idea actually but I wasn't sure if you wanted to go along with it."

        "Ummmm, what?"

Flash leaned over to mutter something to the smaller drake who cringed slightly at first, before nodding with a smile of understanding that grew on his face.

        "Right, right yeah that actually sounds kinda neat!"

        "Wot, wot's happening?!"

        "Soooo, Spyro and well, me," he thumbed to himself, "we thought since ya liked us so much weeeee...uhhh, well it's his idea really but-"

        "We were shedding a few scales," Flash rubbed his neck, "and I thought, maybe we could make something out of them for you to keep, like a memento of us."

        "Wha-...a-awww."  Jeremy clutched his mouth with a slight mist over his eyes.  "Awwww dabs, you...s-serious?"

        "Only if you like the idea, I mean...well, you helped us a lot and considering how much you love dragons we-"

        "Just wanted to leave ya something!" Owain padded his feet.  "Even though it's kinda weird to ask 'hey want a necklace made outta my scales' like if I told a girl that she'd prob'ly jump five portals to get away from me!"

        "I know it might sound weird, but-"

        "No no, NO!" Holt waved his arms with a little hop.  "I-i-i um, I...I'm really honoured for that-"

        "Just to be clear you ARE offering him your dead skin flakes?" Kevin muttered rolling his eyes.

        "Yeah organics are so weird," Amy gasped beside him.

        "OH I got an idea!" Owain leapt forwards.  "What if we got like enough of our scales to cover your new foot, make it authentic!?"

        "S-seriously?!"  Jeremy clapped his hands.  "You'd do that, fer me?!"

        "If you want," Flash nodded.

        "I AM gonna need to make preservatives for them though," the reploid wolf raised her hand, "cuz, you know, it IS dead skin you're offering him."

        "Alrigh' then go fer it!" Holt did a little tap-dance with a clackety-clank.  "Hohohooo fuck me ah never thought ah would ever have this happen to me!"

        "I'd rather have a yeerk shoved up my ass," Kevin rolled his eyes walking round his desk, "but alright if you wanna dragon foot I guess I'll get to making one but I'm gonna need a model-"

        "OOH OOH, ME!"  Owain scrabbled onto the table with a flapping leap.  "I never been a model before, make sure ya get my good side alright?!"

        "Uhhhh," the medic looked at the dragon's paws, "you serious about this huh?"

        "Well yeah if yer gonna do it," he showed off his feet with the soles stretching underneath, "you gotta do it right!"

        "Well now you got no reason not to," said the wolf nurse opening a sketchpad, "I'll just get the schematics and uhhh you give me the...skin...samples."

        "No problem!"

Whilst the medics took references for a new foot, Haytham Durai was sharing a lunch with Andrea in her laboratory as they sat in the control room, bathed within the glow of the third energy gate that hummed with a gentle infinite power.

        "This is really nice," she said chewing a sandwich, "reminds me of this really nice hill I used to chill on near my house."

        "What sort of settlement was it?" Haytham drank from his coffee.

        "It's a pretty famous city in my area, couple of films were done there, it's called the seafood capital of Alabama so everybody loves to make shrimp jokes.  But despite being a city technically it's pretty small as heck, only about a couple thousand but it's like super old, more than most places in America."

        "I see so some form of charter yes?"

        "Basically," she sipped from her mug, "mostly it's just for fishing, but my parents worked in the theatre."

        "I remember you saying yes," he took a bite out of his burger, "your father was the makeup artist and your mother an actress?"

        "Yep!  Actually what about your parents what did they do?"

        "My mother was an esteemed jock, riding the chocobos in the races where she met my father in the crowd whilst he was on a parlance with his group.  He was an arithmetician."

        "Oh wow he got paid to do math?"

        "Indeed."

        "What sorta jobs would he do?" Andrea sat back in her seat.

        "Mostly involving architecture," Haytham took another bite, "mmmph, lovely, very moreish but yes he would assist in proofreading schematics that concerned the numeric datum."

        "Was that a good paying job?"

        "You would be surprised how much people pay for a calculator."

        "Your mom bought more than that," she raised her mug of hot chocolate, "here's to them by the way."

        "Here here," he clinked with his cup, "I must ask, concerning your long visitation in this realm, are you not afeart for your family's condition on your return?"

        "Oh, I'm ready to deal with that don't worry."

        "Really?"

        "I told my parents what I was gonna do, and that I might not see them again.  It was a long talk, it was something I was building them up to but in the end they knew it was my choice and I made sure to give them the last days of their time with me the best I could give.  Even though I did lie to them about where I was going?"

        "Ohhh, what for?"

        "This whole mission we're on is secret," she gestured to the gate, "this all is secret, things the public in our world can't know about because people would panic and get ideas about dumb irresponsible shit."

        "I must admit I agree," Haytham nodded, "the vox populi as a collective are not to be trusted with the minute and intricate."

        "I told my parents I was on a mission to space, sent out to the space station and then to a rocket further beyond to explore a new potential planet and it was all super hush-hush.  They're probably dead by now, but I've accepted that, the moment I teleported this base and sent it back to this time period, I was ready to deal with that.  It's kinda fucked up when I think about it, like sorta trying to get used to someone having a disease that might not get cured."

        "You are a brave alumnus to have taken such a step," he patted her knee leaning forwards, "I have always admired your staunch vigour in resolving the nature of existence, I daresay others would have fallen far before you ever reached this."

        "You think so?" she pulled at her hair.

        "I know so.  I have communed with the gods and travelled the length of many worlds both sweet and fearsome.  But there are only a thimble's few that I would trust more than you, my dear Andrea."

        "Thank you."  She grabbed his hand pulling it up to her chest.  "I'm really glad you're here Haytham.  It's just so nice to have someone to talk about this with without being given the dumb look."

        "Not that you are disparaging your fellow chrononauts of course-"

        "Oh no, god no I don't mean like that, I just mean like, having someone who can keep up and just, work on the same length without having to stop and explain."

        "I understand completely."  The old astrologer rubbed his fingers down her shoulder.  "Gods I am forever thankful we came to this land."

        "I love having you and James here...you especially.  I haven't...I've missed feeling someone in bed beside me to just lie there and talk and not expect to do anything."

        "The few times we have do not diminish our conversations."

        "Right exactly, that just makes them more special."

        "Agreed."  They leaned forwards to kiss each other's lips.  "But tis a rare gift the gods create one whose mind and body reflect a synchronous beauty."

        "Ohoh god please," she broke a widening grin, "every time you use more than two syllables to describe me-"

        "I mean what I say, your mind bewitched my heart and that is no means a trifle."

        "Pffft...ohhh..."

Dixon leaned forwards to push her head into his chest.  They hugged for a moment that stretched into minutes as they savoured the thrum of technology, an odd soothing constant that burned deep into their bones and sent vibrations through the soul with wonders alight of its potential.  A soft kiss between as they sighed rubbing each other's shoulders, staring upon the portal whilst sneaking bites out of their food.  Haytham fell asleep, only briefly as Andrea smirked and kissed his hair to see him smile back.

        "Mmmmm...ah, yes!"

He shot up with starry eyes.

        "I have made spectacular progress on the Ark plan, I have formed a concise and reasonable evaluation, I just need to translate it to your language."

        "Aw thank god," she sighed hard leaning back, "I mean, you wanna go do it now?  I'd feel a lot better getting it out the way."

        "Lead on my good madame!"

He stood up offering his hand as she took it with a blush, Durai kissing her fingers as they walked together to his room.  For the remainder of the day they worked on finalising the plan, transferring it to English from the Ivalician script with small addendums whilst they noted down all of the major tribes they would have to speak with for permission of the plan.  Four hours would pass, the two scientists swinging their arms with cheerisome faces and flushed cheeks as they headed to the meeting room.

        "This everything?" Thomas leafed through the pages.

        "All we gotta do is talk to them," Andrea smacked her hands, "we'll need someone from the raptors, the Birthlands, Mohberrin Village, the Skylands and I think that swamp place with all the crocodiles."

        "You forgot the bloodfeathers," Jane tapped her copy.

        "Huh?"

        "The Yurgovuchia, "they're next door to Oddclaw's tribe, they'll need to be discussed as well."

        "Oh shit, you're right Oddie's brothers-in-law come from there sorry."

        "I would suggest," Haytham tapped his lips, "to not have the discussion here at the base, rather that we confer with them on a neutral station somewhere on the veldt."

        "That's a good idea," Brightman nodded, "that way everyone's off on equal footing."

        "Makes them feel more at home rather than at the base," Jane clapped her hands, "it won't be easy to convince them, do you mind if I add a few suggestions for how to present this?"

        "Go for it," Dixon shrugged, "we wanna make this easy as we can, try to explain it like, we're not blaming them for things that'll happen in the future, but we need to like move this land to another place-"

        "I think I've got a good idea how to explain it, just you let me think on that."

        "Thanks Jane."

With the brief meeting adjourned, Haytham walked back to his room with Andrea wrapping her arm around his at a slow meandering pace, trailing their feet with butterflies in their stomachs and a giddyness in their knees.

        "I don't know why I'm so excited about this!" Dixon giggled.

        "Tis not a common day when we administrate a gathering of diplomats from all creeds of this prehistoric realm."

        "This is some Marvel shit and I am HERE for it like god damn, I just really hope the crocs don't end up eating everyone-"

        "Now now," he shook his finger, "let us not prejudge our dignitaries as the antithesis of diplomacy."

        "You're right, sorry," she smirked, "god it's so weird like, I never really understood how the rules work out there, like sometimes the predators just DON'T eat everything they see and they can just be chilling next to each other out in the world."

        "I recall asking this to Stonevoice once, and he said that it is far less complicated when not observed through the lens of self-actualisation.  Survival overrides all, should hunger or death be a certainty, then all else matters not, as alabandical as it seems."

        "So what's Oddclaw's deal then?" Andrea stopped to lean on the wall.  "He seems different that way, when he was hungry he didn't try to eat us."

        "Apparently he is unique," Haytham tapped his shoes, "whilst those within a tribe possess antipelargy as part of nature, Oddclaw is one of few who has shown a compassion that extends beyond the basic needs of survival to other tribes."

        "Soooo what do the other raptors think of this?"

        "So long it does not interfere with their savoir-faire, they consider it a noble means."

        "Right, hm...well I guess this is gonna be easier than I thought."

        "I have faith in this world's sapience.  After all..."

Haytham slid up in front of her and pressed his hands to her cheeks.

        "You are a guiding hand against the whims of fate."

        "Ohhh I'm pretty whimsical," Andrea grinned smooching his face, "though, I gotta ask, are you planning to stay with me when I get back home?"

        "Really?" he gasped slightly.  "You would...have me in your world?"

        "Oh god yeah I would love to have you, when we end up in a retirement home you can frighten all the staff with your magic tricks."

        "Madame Dixon!"  He pulled back with a mock chagrin.  "I am most certainly not a trickster, all of my prestidigitation is fact!"

        "Hahahah, alright your legit magic to frighten the staff."

        "THANK you," Haytham popped the collar of his cloak, "though I daresay if you tell me your world lacks magic I fear I may attract too much-"

        "A-AAAAAH!"

        "Woah, what the fuck?!" Andrea gasped.

        "Is...is that...James?!"

Bolting off down the hall Durai headed to James' room where the sounds of a vicious tussle could be heard within.  Dixon opened the door with a code override as Haytham crackled lightning from his fist ready to fight.

        "JAMES GET DOWN!"

        "WH-wha?!"

        "...what, what James, what is this?"

Fallen from his bed, the lemming sprawled out on the floor with a bashful look as he huddled up against the wall shivering through his feet.

        "What happened?" Haytham defused the bolt from his fingers.  "Are you alright my lad?"

        "I-i-i...yes, s-sorry," he mumbled pulling up on his feet, "I-i just had a...awful dream."

        "Shit you don't look good," Andrea stepped forth, "you want me to get you a drink-"

        "No, n-no thank you."

        "Are you sure cuz you're looking a little pale-"

        "I am FINE."  He tensed his throat.  "Please, do not worry about me, thank you."

        "Alright.  Hey."  She offered her hand as a peace gesture.  "If anything's up you can always talk to me, okay?"

        "If I need to, yes, thank you.  Forgive me I am just rather...restless."

        "Andrea would you mind going ahead?" Haytham gave her a nod.  "I wanted to ask James something about a new theorem I was working on-"

        "Oh yeah sure, no prob."  Dixon headed out the door with a smiling wave.  "See you at the lunch hall?"

        "Of course my dear."

The door closed as Haytham sat on the bed, patting the space beside for James to join him which he did so with a nervous shuffle.

        "How are things with Chanoch?" he asked first.

        "What do you mean?" James squinted.

        "Since you have been sharing a room together I noticed you have become much more rambunctious.  It warms my heart to see you have found someone to divulge things that I could not be privy to."

        "I am not sure what you're implying."

        "Well...forgive my meander but..." he tightened his fingers locking them together, "I have become worrisome of you, as of late."

        "I know," James rubbed his head, "I'm just trying my best, I want to help my village but it's...it's just, why are they so ignorant?!"

        "You have more than enough time to-"

        "THAT'S NOT THE POINT!"  He stood up throwing his fists.  "I had a solution, a working thesis, and not only did my own people practically denounce me, but YOU looked at me like I was some sort of cursed beast!"

        "I am sorry."  Haytham clasped his hands.  "I was terrified not of you, but of what you had brought.  I wanted to explain but in the presence of the village folk it did not seem appropriate."

        "I know, I know you explained it all."  He cupped his snout and sighed deep.  "I just wish you would trust me."

        "As I explained previous it is not you I do not trust but the texts that you sought-"

        "You KNOW these texts, they come from YOUR realm!"

        "And that is precisely why I am more than capable of denouncing them."

        "What are they then?"  James put his hands in prayer towards him.  "Explain to me, you keep trying to be vague and all it does is incite my curiosity."

        "James, please do not-"

        "NO.  No.  You speak to me as a colleague, not a child, I have been with you for far too long, I have faced great dangers with you and unlike that IGNORANT chief-"

        "Do NOT insult him!"  Haytham stood thrusting his finger.  "You of all should know the hardships he endured!"

        "And he should know better than to run away, this Great Darkness is never leaving us, we will just end up on another island, and then in the next forty or fifty years we will have to run away again, and I am DONE, I am sick of it."

        "Alright.  Alright."  He put up his hands.  "You have persisted, you have almost but ejurated your entire colony over this, if you are truly serious in your quest to face this darkness, then I will explain."

        "Thank you," James sighed dropping his arms.

        "If you had not already gone behind my back and devised it yourself."

        "Wh-what?"

Haytham crossed his arms with a firm look, but James did not cower as he crossed himself in turn.

        "Well?"

        "Hm."  The mentor shook his head.  "Why not explain it to me then, let us compare notes."

        "...very well."

He sat himself on the bed with Haytham beside him, smacking his tongue to compose the words that formed in his head.

        "The...book, that I managed to pluck from your realm told me of a city.  A city where a great and ancient power lies, I could not decipher the name but I know its location."

        "I know of the place yes."

        "It is a city by which there was a cult who studied the nature of darkness, and found a way to control it.  That is what I am seeking, to learn what they uncovered and ."

        "As expected," Haytham nodded, "is that everything you learned?"

        "Yes."

        "Then allow me to elaborate with what I know personally."  He shifted to face James proper.  "The cult was formed four-hundred years ago, I dare not speak its name for what I read of it is unspeakable as it is.  A priestess devised the means to control the very essence of darkness, for study at first but then she grew a powerful militia that threatened the stability of the world and ruled over a city's scape."

        "Was that her intent?" James asked.

        "Her intents are not the matter of the subject, it is the darkness itself that is a corrosive, soul-destroying wroth that whomever it touches shall become but a shambling pamphagous cretin whose mind is consumed by the most base of instinct, even lower than that of vipers who roam the plains of Ozmone."

        "And are they no longer around?"

        "No, they were exterminated by the Kildean faith, and good riddance if I say so.  I am by no means a zealot, but as my duty was to watch the gods and their consul shift, I know the soul is the most important thing that a living being can possess.  And anything that would threaten such, that would deny those such as you and those you love to stand at the gates of Faram to live beyond in peace and eternity, is a monstrous evil that should never be allowed to exist."

        "I see."  James rubbed his snout.  "So, you were worried about my soul, that some form of poison would taint it?"

        "Exactly."  Haytham took his student's hand with a squeeze.  "And as  I hear myself I know that I sound a sacricolist old fool but I have poured my heart into your wellbeing."

He wrapped his arm round James' back and pulled him in a hug.

        "I was frightened, James.  I read the stories of the corrupting dark, frightening things that lost their way and were condemned to wander the earth never alive nor dead, their souls torn asunder and their minds devoured by a cruel ignominious beast that hath no shape nor reason to be, but to consume everything.  And I would never want that to even my worst enemies."

        "I understand."  James squeezed him tight.  "Thank you for...telling me, finally."

        "Forgive me."  He pulled back with a tear down his cheek.  "I was terrified to think of it, so please...please won't you consider another path of research?"

        "I-i...master, I-i-i-"

        "Please.  I do not want your soul to be lost, I would give my own before you."

        "I...a-alright."  He hugged him once more.  "I will do something else."

        "Thank you."  Haytham sighed with a heavy pat.  "I...I am sorry for not explaining sooner-"

        "It is fine, I...I did not realise how frightened you were."

        "I hope my fear then serves its purpose."  He stood up patting his student.  "I did not mean for my failings to vilorate-"

        "It's alright master."  James smiled with patient grin.  "I only wanted you to trust me, that was it."

        "Perhaps then it was myself that could not be trusted," he chuckled wringing his hands, "as if the very vocitation would...somehow curse you, foolish as it seems-"

        "I forgive you."  The lemming nodded.  "I'm frustrated yes, but now that you've explained it I feel much more confident to find some other means for facing the Great Darkness.  We have time yes?"

        "Indeed, and I shall assist you every step, promise to that!"

        "Thank you."  James stood up and stretched his hands.  "I'm just going to shower myself before I get to work."

        "I shall leave you to it," Haytham bowed stepping out, "see you at lunch perhaps?"

        "I will go later, my stomach's still sleeping."

        "Hah, you are like your brother!"

        "I sleep far less than he does believe me."

The two laughed as Durai departed, heading down the hall as James closed his door and walked to the shower in its nook.  He slipped his robe off and sighed as the hot water ran down his back, glistening pink skin beneath his soft emerald locks.

        "Do you see now?"

James nodded to himself.

        "Just as I sought to stand against the darkness...so too must you stand alone."

        "I...I understand now."

        "Still he treats you like a child, that you are incapable of wielding greater than he."

        "He lied to me."  He closed his eyes.  "Just like you said."

        "You know the cult by which he speaks is still alive and well...all you need is to find them, and learn from their secrets."

        "Yes."  James turned to the wall.  "If they can control darkness, then-"

        "You shall become more than I ever could."

A face formed from the steam in his mind's eye.

        "You shall become...the true saviour of your people."

        "I shall...I must.  I know what I must do."

He smiled turning to the face with a peaceful nod.  It smiled back at him.