FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Chapter 21

This one was the most awkward moment in his life, it had nothing to do with reaching Cynder's former lair, while uncomfortable, they were past the moment where it had a chance to truly cast a wedge between their relationship. The future looked too bright to worry about the past however, if it came to the two of them the Concurrent Skies were nothing else but another piece of land with a bad weather.

Silence accompanying the travel also wasn't the biggest of issues, most of the times he preferred this provisional tranquility over constant chatter, when people are left with their thoughts at least then there's a chance that the focus required for the job at paw will be that more greater. Improving perception was a key to success, Ignitus always said that the fight first begins in the mind, hours, days before claws actually clash on the battlefield.

What really made this awkward was the fact that this group, this team, had no true unity, identity, it was difficult to break the silence without risking offending someone in the process. There was already enough bad blood between his companions, adding salt to the already gaping, bleeding wound would only make things so much more drastic.

As could be seen at the beginning.

This awkwardness was also empowered by the fact that he was the one that actually began the silent era in the first place. Back then it felt intimidating, but also quite nice to know that the group reacted to his words and followed his lead whether they liked it or not. That moment of triumph was gone now, faded completely like sunlight during nightfall, it was quite clear, common sense dictated it, that if he is the one that started the silence, he should be the one to end it.

He didn't know how.

The blazing amount of pressure he felt on himself was making him boil from the inside. His breath took on the same intensity of heat, it bounced off the Nature's cool breathing and hit him in turn, making scales itch. He felt like a potato trapped in a boiling pot.

Sparx would know how to dismantle this weird atmosphere, his brother didn't really care if someone got offended, if people couldn't take a joke than let them choke on the stick they swallowed.

That was Sparx' tactic, there was power in such approach that he simply couldn't appreciate when it was around him.

Now he was alone.

And despite what people might say his kind heart is not only strength, but also a weakness, preventing him from hurting people, avoiding pain when he had a say in it.

The first words began appearing nevertheless after a while, shy ones, with no solid point of focus, words thrown into the air just to warm up the throat. For him it was nothing but silence still, he felt that sooner or later he will have to break it and do his job.

In this atmosphere days of travel went by, not tying the group together in the slightest. They were as much of strangers to each other as they were at the beginning.

Luckily for him he was spared the dilemma of deciding when was the perfect moment to speak up, nature did it for him, making him realize as they reached what those unfamiliar with the layout of the Dragon Realms would call probably the end of the world.

Huge mountains of ice and snow like jagged fangs grew in the distance, thick and serrated like butcher knives. They reached out towards the sky, impassable barrier behind which probably no life thrived.

In truth however the mountains hid the snowy continent where their former enemies hid, despite the triumph of the allied forces of the Dragon Realms the apes were granted their own land and peace. The apes had chosen it in fact, unwillingly, the snowy plains were always considered as a dangerous and unforgiving place where evil lurks, nobody bothered to cleanse it, believing that it was always like that, it is how the world works.

Basically a perfect place for creatures of evil like the apes.

That and the victorious races didn't have any will to draw any consequences against the apes as a race, both sides paid enough of a price during the war and no matter on which side you were during the fighting, nothing justifies genocide.

The number of the guards at the border were tripled, patrolling the sea, sky and the whole range of the mountainside, while the tension was still there, the apes were granted the privilege of basic trade.

They were forbidden from entering the more greener lands however.

It goes without saying that it didn't stop some of them from slipping through and diving into some skirmishes.

Until nothing drastic happens, this is how the situation on the border of the land will look like for years to come, many, many years come. People of the Realms don't forgive easily.

Dante's Freezer and the political struggle wasn't their goal however, what interested them and what was also the land's way of sorting Spyro's dilemma, was above, floating in the air.

The crystal land of Concurrent Skies danced in the sky.

Familiar itching ran through Spyro's body, confirming Danox' words in the most blunt of ways.

A Veil was up there somewhere.

Once it was named Cynder's lair, back then Terrador described this place as the one where all hope goes to die. It was ironic how Fate likes to spin the words of theories and throw them back right at everyone's faces.

A place where hope was supposed to die was a place where everything began and from the looks of it right now it was the place where hope will actually thrive.

The land was far more different than the one he remembered, no longer ravaged by storms and unchecked electricity the sky above it was as blue as it could be, the area around it as calm as one would expect from a sky.

Concurrent Skies washed themselves off every past taint they were forced to go through, becoming calm crystals dancing in the air as if the rain from the clouds would wash through some invisible, freezing barrier and turned to ice, shaded in all different colors of the rainbow.

It was hypnotic to look at, none of them had the pleasure to see literal treasure dancing below the sun.

"Whoa" Flare gasped in sincere awe, his eyes scanning the floating lands above with intense verve "Look at that"

They did.

"I didn't know that earth stuff can fly. Can we go up there?"

One of Terrador's lessons was about safety being the most important factor when leading a group, personal happiness pushed to the background. His heart screamed in joy when he realized that no sacrifices have to be made, their destination lied exactly where Flare's happiness was.

If things will look like this then maybe this whole leadership thing won't be so bad after all.

He couldn't help himself but to grin in triumph.

"Up there is the place we call the Concurrent Skies, one of the Veils is up there"

Flare's body blazed in excitement. Eyes wide with youthful energy.

"We're going up there then?" burning tail began to swing in anticipation

"Yep"

This was the trigger that set the burning drake off, his tail spat out a tongue of flame, exploding as if there was dynamite hidden inside the burning tip.

"Yeahhhh!" Flare bent on his hind paws, preparing to lift off

"Wait!" Spyro leapt forward, wrapping his paws around the red tail as it was rising in the air, his weight pulling the red dragon back onto the ground, rump smacking into the earth

Flare stared confused ahead, blinking wildly, sitting in an upright position with all paws extended forward Spyro laid behind him, curled around his tail as if it was the last thing in the world that could save him from death.

Hunter and Cynder exchanged knowing glances, both bursting in giggles.

Iris rolled her eyes.

"Idiots" she rubbed her forehead, chanting patience,patience, patience under her breath

"Youth has no age" Danox cited, claw tapping against the ground, dark blobs pulsed after every touch

He observed the two dragons with intense attention.

"You can't just shot right up there like that!"

Spyro scrambled on all fours, wiping the blush from his cheeks by clearing his throat. He quickly moved away from Flare's butt and approached the startled dragon from the front.

"Why not?" the burning dragon mumbled, he was looking at him, but Spyro had a feeling that he wasn't really seeing him

"First of all, actions like this you tried to pull off are dangerous, you don't know what's up there, what if something big crossed the portal and it would snatch you?" purple eyes rose up, observing the floating crystal land above, just in case checking if there is no real merit to his words

It was empty.

"Besides, not everyone of us can fly, don't leave your team behind"

Every eye turned towards Hunter, impulsively seeking the point of focus that would confirm the words. Iris was the only one who did this move consciously, she examined the cheetah from top to bottom with a snout wrinkled in abhorrence as if the feline would be a rotting carcass.

The ice dragoness snorted mockingly.

"You got shriveled to the same level of crap Kit, I gave you an offer to keep your honor, you preferred to stomp it and waste it together with your competence. You're useless, you knew the lands are floating, how you plan on getting there? Maybe by using your ears? So desperate to feel important that you had to escort us and pollute the air with your stench? Go back escorting old hags through the streets, fuck off you worthless piece of shit"

"Hunter is going to ride you there" Cynder added immediately with a teasing smirk, knowing just well that it will work

Months of getting on people's nerves taught her enough, most of the times she knew what will trigger people. Iris was her most easiest victim, she knew that way before she said her sentence

Practically certain suspicion was confirmed when the ice dragoness glared at her, murder gleaming in the eyes.

Cynder shrugged with a grin.

"Don't give me that look, you're only here to be our mule"

The aura around the dragoness was growing alarmingly cold, delicate, crushing noises filled the sky, small shards of ice glittered in the air when the magic collided with the current holding the crystal land above. The draft carrying the sparkling shards upwards until they melted under the sunlight.

"I'm going to ride you and when I do that I'll shove your spine through your belly"

"Iris, calm down! That was a joke!" Spyro gave his mate a scolding glance to which she just shrugged indifferently "A bad one, but still a joke"

"I won't be mocked" the dragoness growled, her piercing gaze painting targets on the black, feminine body

"Nobody is mocking your for Ancestor's sake, Cynder was just kidding and provoking you, just relax"

The white gaze turned to him, he could feel its pressure on him, squeezing his brain.

"Don't you dare telling me what to do dick. My patience is running thin Goldie, we had a deal and you are not keeping your end of the bargain. I'm getting tired of your prattle and the circus you gathered around yourself, I'm starting to think that you wanted to trick me. I don't like to be tricked"

He challenged her stare, already familiar with the fact that she didn't tolerate weakness, at least when it came to him. Being stern and confident wasn't his comfort zone, yet there was no other way of reaching to Iris then being what she wants to see.

"I don't want to trick you, or anyone else for that matter. I've told the truth and we are just moments from confirming it"

"Then move your ass, let's leave the cat here with his fleas and go. Show me this magical portal and you better be worth all this pungent stench of failure"

"Spyro said we can't leave our team behind Iris! Friends don't do things like that, right?" Flare noted, hopeful eyes looking for confirmation

Hunter and the two dragons he got to know first in this world nodded in acknowledgment.

He grinned in triumph.

Iris snorted.

"No dragon with a shed of respect for himself wouldn't allow a lesser creature to ride him like some rocking horse"

"Good thing that we're living in a world where your opinion doesn't matter" Cynder spoke up, single claw picking at the teeth in disregard for the receiver of her words, body language projecting the emotion behind the spoken letters

"I will gladly lend my back for our furry companion" Danox let out suggestive rumble "I have the size and no care for respect to make the journey"

"Typical. Flies are pulled towards shit"

"I can't ask you to do this" Hunter's ears flopped down, as a scout he was used to ignoring distractions and right now such distraction was Iris' rude remark

The black dragon chuckled.

"Please Hunter, you're a smart guy, under all that façade of a chivalrous poet hides a Chief that knows how to reap opportunity. You know the land, know where the Concurrent Skies are, you knew that with me around the chances to taste the dream again are very high"

The dragon grinned, pearl white smile adding immense, mysterious charm to the black snout. He leaned in, lowering his head to the level of the furry face, black eyes flashed white for a second.

"I'm the master of fear, desire doesn't tread too far from dread"

Iris snorted, the audacity to call himself master while he is basking in her presence was pitiful, worthy of nothing but spit. She couldn't deny however that under all of this layer of a foolish clown was something else, for some reason it resembled her of her uncle.

And that wasn't a good thing.

It was better to keep an eye on Shitscale just in case. DODAC OD IRIS SNORTED DO JUST IN CASE, IRIS PRZECZUWA ZE JEST COS SNAJOMEGO W DNOXIE BO INSTYKNTEONIE CZUJE ZE JEST ZDRAJCA, TAK JAK JEJ WUJEK

"I would be honored to accompany you for the rest of the journey" Hunter bowed respectfully "If you find no objection in me mounting you then I would be humbled once more"

Danox dropped on his bent paws, spreading one of his wings, rolling it out like a carpet for the cheetah.

"Just please grab the helm in the proper manner" he winked at the cheetah

Flirtatious energy could be smelled in the air.

"It's settled then" Spyro leapt into the air "Let's go and keep your eyes peeled, I don't expect trouble, but you never know what the Veil sucked through. Hopefully a structure"

If it would be a living creature he was sure they would hear about a strange appearance in the Concurrent Skies way before they decided to travel here.

The group took to air, they all followed him, probably Cynder and Hunter the only two who listened and went after him without an agenda of their own. This conclusion could be easily justified thanks to Flare, he could see him jerking and twirling Impatiently, wanting to shoot forward like a crossbow bolt.

It was like he was stretching a chain wrapped around his paws, tugging at it all the time but afraid of breaking it nevertheless. This chain were his friends, the rest of the group, he didn't want to leave them behind.

The draft holding the land afloat became stronger, they no longer had to use their wings to gain momentum, all that was required to do was to stretch out the wings and gain proper balance.

There was nothing special about that, every dragon with wings was used to such thing, it was instinct and the deed wasn't a very interesting one to look at. Flying is a part of a draconic life, it's a ritual of sorts, when traveling long distances the joints start to hurt, yes, but nevertheless flapping of wings gives a sense of power and control, creates extraordinary feeling of being something else, a certain amount of pride about being the conqueror, predator, of both land and air.

That is why gliding was boring and uninteresting for dragons with the ability to fly, it stripped the instinct of control and domination.

Cynder and Spyro soon found out that gliding is not as boring as it looked like especially when you didn't have ordinary membranes.

Usually it was Flare who stole the show when flying, his wings drawing beautiful, mesmerizing fiery lanes in the sky, never ending, silent fireworks that stirred the soul of a child even in the most advanced in age creature.

The draft however stripped him of that ability, his natural sparks were being sucked and extinguished the moment they appeared, making him look like a flying apple leaking juice.

In this moment it was Iris who drew all the attention, her feathery wings looked majestic under the assault of the draft, no matter the feelings each individual of this group felt towards the ice dragoness, right now they all agreed that their blue scaled companion was spectacular.

The feathers with graceful perfection absorbed the blows of the draft, readjusting and shifting in flawless harmony with each other. When one feather bent all the rest followed, when another opened, its companions matched the father's pose.

The natural shift of colors present on Iris' wings completed the image of breathtaking magic. Depending from which side the wind howled the feathers overlaid one another, once white dominated and another time blue. It was like her feathers would flap on their own.

She was like a peacock brandishing its tail.

As a dragoness who gets a lot of attention, unwanted for the majority of the time, Iris sensed when she was being stared at. She looked behind her shoulder, with the intention to make sure that the fools realize that they are crossing a dangerous line.

At the sight of the blue neck turning both Spyro and Hunter looked away shyly, both clearing their throats.

Cynder looked down with a snort, deep frown focused on the bracelets on her legs, examining them thoroughly even if she knew every scratch and dent by memory. No way in Dark Realms she will give the bitch the satisfaction of knowing that there is something she finds interesting about her.

The only two dragons that didn't turn their gaze away was Flare and Danox.

Iris growled when she saw that, she was used to the second stare, seen it so many times already. A proud stare of a cocky fuck who thinks that he can get anything he wants for reasons she didn't give a crap about.

If not for the damn patience, she would punch that idea out of his shit covered snout. Fucking, typical males, just because they have big digs and inflated ego they think they can have any girl they want.

Confidence is disgusting, she really wanted to carve it on his eyes sockets after she will tear his eyes first of course.

Dick.

The first one however was of a different sort, something she hadn't seen for a long time, not that she didn't deserve it of course.

It was a look full of admiration and love, a look that she remembers people were giving her mother whenever she crossed the streets. She never got the same amount of attention,, or at least not such an honest and straightforward one as mother did.

People knew her for who she was, royalty, yes, but she was the daughter of the queen, not the queen. It was okay, mother was one of a kind, there will be no one like her again.

Yet there was this same look, directed at no one else, but her.

Such a sweet lie that was.

"Stop staring at me or I'll castrate you" she snarled, her voice irritated and sharp as she spike on her tail

"Do not be afraid to bare your teeth, you were not brought to this world covered in blood to become a gentle, tamed thing" Danox dark voice boomed in the air, a combination of amusement and awe

"I don't have daddy issues" Iris hissed at the black dragon "Find some retard and direct your preaching to them Shitscale, I have no patience and will to listen to your worthless blabber"

"Why the hostile language sweet pet? We're all friends here, are we not? Allow myself to renew my introduction, my name is Danox"

"I don't give a shit for your name, call me a sweet pet again and you won't wake up from your next sleep"

"Lady prefers to address the ones she meets with nicknames. It's her will and we should respect it" Hunter chimed in politely

"Is that so?" black eyebrow rose in interest "What are yours nicknames if I might ask?"

"I'm Dynamite!" Flare announced proudly

"There's no reason to explain that one I suppose" obsidian eyes ran over the burning drake "Your appearance speaks for itself. Anyone else willing to share? Come on, don't be shy, we're bonding here"

"Do you mind my lady?" Hunter nudged

Iris turned her head around indifferently, focusing on the flight.

"Whatever" she rumbled

"I'm humbled to say that our dignified companion gave me the nickname Kit, which is a diminutive from Kitten"

"Awww, how sweet" Danox smirked "How about you two?"

"Iris, are you sure you don't mind?" Spyro whispered towards the blue dragoness who flew just right next to him

"Are you deaf?" she snapped coldly "Didn't you hear what I said?"

The purple drake shook his head.

"Cynder is called Tat, probably a diminutive from tattoos since she has all that markings and whatnot. Maybe there is something else, dunno. I'm Goldie as you heard, no idea why though, I doubt it's the horns. Iris, help me here?"

"No" the dragoness cut off short

Spyro let out a deep sigh, shrugging in ignorance.

"Peculiar" Danox scratched his chin so strongly that a rattling, scratching sound resonated from the scales as if he would be dragging his claws over a filled balloon

One of the scales broke under the pressure, red dot of blood appeared on the black chin.

"None of those names are blunt like mine, is there a reason why from all the names possible you picked one of the most offensive ones? That's unjust" black paw landed on the gold chest, snout winced in discomfort "I'm hurt. Why I am called Shitscale?"

"Because you have black scales and are full of shit" Iris ended this conversation, her eyes glared towards Spyro "Prove your worth, I'm about to be done here and I hate when people waste my time"

"I'm not wasting your time" Spyro explained "I've said I'm genuine and I meant it. You don't have to trust me Iris, I get that, I only ask you to believe me for a little while longer. After that you'll decide what to do. Okay?"

Judging from the mixed wrinkles of sneer and hate soiling the pretty, blue snout he could clearly tell that she was far from giving him even the benefit of a doubt. She reminded him of a parent during after a fierce earthquake that lost all hope and sense of life while sitting on the rubble of her home, keeping vigil only because she thought that she heard a muffled whimper from underneath the pile of rocks.

It was days after the catastrophe, all that remained was acceptance of reality, yet it was that brief, perhaps imagined noise, that made her stay.

"You're lucky that you're purple" Iris replied, her accented voice devoid of the usual notes of spite

It was a very pleasant sound.

White eyes remained locked on the crystal land ahead.

Spyro nodded, not entirely sure what she meant by that, all he knew she was willing to give him a chance and that was all that mattered right now really.

The draft became stronger as they got close to the floating land, the magical air was the most potent here, dangerous even for the most experienced of aviators. Especially dangerous was the spot right under the crystal earth, this is where the air gathered, humming deafeningly like a waterfall, pushing with all its might to keep the ground in the air.

They had troubles hearing their own thoughts.

Despite that, they managed to catch a loud Whoa! piercing the noise nevertheless, the sound drawing chuckles from some of the members of the group.

It was Flare, he hovered above the land, body straight, wings flapping horizontally, above the ground the wind was relatively normal, clearly proven by the trails of flame his wings left on the sky.

His eyes were bulging out, the black slits in his eyes adopting the form of huge, shocked orbs.

Even if familiar with the land Spyro, Cynder and Hunter still let out soft gasps of shock. Concurrent Skies looked way different during Cynder's reign, raging storms, chaotic tornados and blazing electricity was everywhere. The land becoming as dangerous as the mistress ruling over it at that time.

If they didn't know that this islands were here they would never be able to say that this are the dreadful Concurrent Skies people told stories about.

It was beautiful.

The land was known for its crystal surface, while during the reign of Cynder it was almost completely dark here, save for the constant electrical discharges, now the land was a palette of all sorts of colors. Crystals were everywhere, serving as trees and bushes, all glimmering in different hues, constantly changing hues, responsible for that were the electrical charges stored inside the gems. Whenever they exploded, the crystals shifted colors with a brilliant flash.

The crystalline floor reflecting all those colors, constantly changing like Iris' wings while gliding to this place.

Back then the crystals serving as tress were jagged with all sorts of smaller pieces, sharp pieces of other translucent formations, making them look like spiked clubs hungry for blood ready to crush somebody.

Now they were nothing but colorful mirrors, bestowing the place with relaxing, all the time changing light.

"Haha!" Flare exclaimed, claw circling between each and every hovering dragon "You guys look funny!"

Every drake automatically looked at his and hers own scales, their bodies were shifting colors as well, the amount of reflected light was strong enough to color their natural pigments and making their bodies adapt, almost similar hue of dragons wielding different elements. All of the four main ones and all sorts of mixed combinations.

Cynder grinned, giving the burning drake a meaningful nod.

"Hey, you're no different than us"

Flare stretched out both of his front legs, clearly surprised to see that he is affected by the same condition.

"You're right!" body exploded with overjoyed flames like a hungry fire that just ate fresh cinder. Red scales became yellow.

"Does this mean I can breathe electricity now?!" he spread his mouth open, a wave of fire wafted from his opened maw "Awwww" he let out a disappointed whine

Cynder giggled, finding the childish passion improbably sweet.

It turned out that she was the only female who found Flare's naivety cute.

"Move Goldie" Iris commanded "This idiocy is making me sick"

"I was a scout for many winters princess" Hunter tenderly rubbed the ying yang symbol with his thumb, the jewelry was extremely warm to the touch "The mind needs relaxation, even during strenuous mission, perhaps it is more crucial then. Small breaks, laughter, things like that enhance perception, they breathe new life into senses so to speak. I believe a creature as intelligent as you will profit the most from such breaks"

Danox smirked, giving the cheetah on his back a sly glance.

"Aren't you an eloquent asslicker"

Iris snarled, the flashing colors sweeping across her teeth stripped her fangs of all the intimidating power however. It was as if her teeth were a tail of an unicorn.

"I don't need advice from a retarded bug that bases its survival on a dragon's back" she glared at Spyro, the only color that didn't change under the assault of lights was the coldness of her white eyes

"Move"

"So soon?" Cynder whimpered, tapping a claw against her fang "And here I thought you're starting a puppet show for us with all the colors flashing in your maw"

"Now" the ice dragoness demanded, feathers bristling in barely contained fury

This was the moment where there was no longer time to delay anything, if he wants Iris on their side they had to move now. He didn't want to submit to her demands, but from the very beginning he knew that this won't be an easy partnership and sometimes he will have to bend Terrador's rules and give in to Iris' protests.

She was an ice dragoness, the only difference was that her natural sense of pride and inflated ego was pushed to the extreme. There was absolutely no choice to remain on her tolerated side without petting one and the other every now and then.

"Come on" he pushed the team forward by taking the lead

The moment his paws touched the ground a familiar jolt shot through his body, he could feel the energy of the nearby Veil pulsing on the translucent ground. When he made the first step he realized that _familiar_was a wrong word to use here, the tingles shaking his muscles were exactly the same as the ones he felt in Boven.

The portal they are approaching was of the same potency, he wasn't afraid of it this time though, in fact he felt first seeds of excitement blossoming inside his heart. The portal was of the same strength, yet he wasn't, the creature in Boven awakened something in him, made him reach another level of mastery of Time.

He was no longer in the dark, he felt the Veil and he knew with whole certainty what he can do about it.

He can walk through, but not close it, something was missing, he had no idea what it was, but he had quite a good hunch where to look for it.

It was time for another jump into the past, willingly this time.

He threw his companions a brief glance, trying to see if they feel at least anxious about it, he had to make sure that he wasn't imagining things.

It turned out he wasn't.

Everyone of his team didn't show any sign of nervousness, which he accepted with a great deal of relief and when his sight eventually landed on Cynder the relief got combined with joy.

This place was her lair once, the land a complete horror, a very important milestone in her history of tyranny, unforgettable history.

Cynder showed absolutely no hint of any distress, she treated this place like air, leaving the horrors and torments of it where they belonged, in dark oblivion of forgetfulness.

Her trauma was silenced.

And he couldn't shake off a notion of selfish pride at this realization, knowing that he played a big role in her recovery.

"The Veil is not far, stay focused team, just in case" he dived into the role of the guide and commander, leading his companions by a string only he could sense

There was no one here, neither their noses, or Hunter's sensitive ears caught anything that resembled life. Even potential arrivals from different time didn't want to get on a land with such a scary history.

Good.

If experiences are bad they should stay in the foreign, most of the times, zone of memory.

After some time of concentrated traveling the tingles running through his body became stronger, to the point where he feared that the tremors will shatter the crystalline floor below his paws.

"Are you cold my friend?" Hunter inquired worriedly

"The s-shaking is that obvious?" Spyro asked, his voice wavering as his whole body was

"Yeah!" Flare chimed in "It's like you stepped in a worm's nest" the drake gulped, looking around the ground in growing panic "There are no worms here r-right?"

"There's nothing here, it's the portal, its magic is working on me this way" the purple drake inhaled a determined breath "We're almost there, come on"

He wasn't wrong, soon big layers of snow appeared before their eyes, together with the swiveling form of the Veil dancing right above the piles of snow.

"Great" Cynder snorted "Snow. Where did I leave my coat again? All we need right now is more, annoying slippery ice, as if having a dim icicle as a company wasn't a test already"

Iris didn't hear the rather straightforward taunt or she decided to ignore it, eyes locked on the floating line of magic in the air.

She wasn't the only one, Hunter also examined the portal with a scrutinizing gaze, his mastered profession required him to evaluate potential dangers and unknown entities, in search of patterns and weaknesses that can be exploited.

There was also admiration of course.

Iris also showed interest in the portal, that one was obvious, yet her expression was emotionless, like a mask, a soulless face after shaving its brows. There was no way of guessing what was going on in her head right now.

Danox remained indifferent, bored even, like a worker who goes to the same place of work for the millionth time.

"What is THAT?!" at least the wail that came from the red throat was easy to read, radiating nothing else, but fervent excitement

"It's a Veil Flare" Spyro explained calmly, giving the magical portal a respectful nod "You came through one of those in Boven"

Flare shook his head, burning mane spitting sparks everywhere "Not that. THAT!" claw pointed at the pile of white fluff

"Snow my friend" Hunter clarified politely "One of Nature's gifts during its cold season. In this time of year there is no snow in this part of the Realms. I believe we can safely assume that it arrived from the other world?"

"Yep" Cynder nodded "The thing is though that the Veils, at least we think so, usually drag something to our side when they open. Why is there only snow here? Did it open in the middle of nowhere? Can you Sp-"

"Can I touch it?" Flare interjected, he was basically panting from excitement right now, tail making swings so wide that it jerked his rump from side to side

Four members of the group exchanged glances, all of them reaching a moment of unison by exchanging amused smiles.

Iris was the only one who was disconnected from the affair, white eyes locked on the twirling, bluish slit in the air.

"Sure you can" Spyro said with chuckle and to prove that there is nothing to be afraid of he grabbed a pawful of snow

This was all the evidence Flare needed, the drake momentarily dashed forward, leaping basically at the pile, thrusting both forelegs forward.

Eyes grew steadily and in perfect accordance with his sinking into the snow legs.

The pile of snow was big enough to accommodate his legs to the very shoulder, he stopped sinking the moment his chin touched the white surface. He welcomed the cold, took it as a nudge to lower the intensity, which was already small to begin with, of his fiery aura. What he knew for sure was that cold didn't last long under fire and this snow was way too cool to destroy.

Flare whimpered, he sounded like a female hatchling finally getting the toy of her dreams.

Cynder giggled at the sound.

"It's so fluffy" the red dragon uttered in awe

He pulled back, with great difficulty scrambling backwards, he managed to free himself however. Freedom didn't last long though since Flare momentarily charged forward, jumping straight at the big pile of snow.

It turned out to be bigger than expected, with a hollow puff Flare sunk into the small, white hill, he went so deep that only the end of his rump stood out from the snow.

Cynder's giggles turned into sheer laughter, followed by Spyro's and Hunter's chuckling.

A muffled scream of joy echoed from within the snow.

Now all three laughed.

Flare started to wiggle, thrashing around like a worm eating through an apple, he kept jerking and twirling from side to side, harder and faster, burying deeper and pushing back alternately until he eventually dug through to the other side, with one swipe of the body slicing the hill in half, making the upper part of it fall down on him while the part he was digging through shot in the direction of his companions.

He managed to turn around in his wiggling, eventually pushing his head through the mound of snow, tongue lolling from the mouth, snow on the nose and top of the head.

He was grinning wildly.

His companions were smiling, at least most of them were, wiping off the snow from their snouts and faces. Hunter got struck in the head mostly, only small balls hit his nose, mostly his forehead and ears were white. Spyro and Cynder seemed to receiver the explosion of snow in the same places, the cold projectile striking them in their chests and directly in the snouts, they managed to save one side of their snouts only thanks to their reflex. Danox was too big to get hit in the snout, snow splattered directly on his chest however, he didn't seem to bother cleaning it off.

Iris was the only one who didn't participate in the joy, basically frozen in the same place, even when the snow hit her too. Without moving it seemed as if she received the most blunt hit, snout was almost completely white, the area around her eyes was the only spot that was spared the splatter of snow.

Flare cringed, biting on his lips.

"Sorry"

There was a moment of silence when everyone held their breaths and focused their attention at the blue dragoness, expecting her to snap at any moment.

"Can you open it?" Iris said softly, her accented voice was charming, devoid of hate, filled only with what seemed to be a plea

"Yeah, I think so" Spyro shook off his shock with a fast jerk of head, he approached the portal, exchanging surprised glances with his team

They shared his bewilderment.

"I think I've got this, but be ready just in case"

His companions focused on the Veil, Flare dug another hole in the snowy pile, sticking his head out from the top this time like a mole peeking from a mine shaft.

Spyro extended his paw with the sole intention to open the portal, the thought appeared in his mind automatically, after a moment the leg was acting on its own, like a hand of a experienced fisherman reaching into a bag of bait and knowing exactly which one to pick.

There was no doubt, no hesitation, the only thing he could do here is to open the Veil and find the key on the other side, he just felt it was somewhere out there.

Single claw grazed the magical slit, he could feel a charge of electricity jumping from his paw to the portal. Elemental energy stirred inside him, the type that made him feel as if his essence left his flesh, as if he was floating above the rules of the universe.

Ignition of Time.

The energy circulating inside him exploded, bursting like a bubble, the shockwave traveled to the portal, the Veil opening before him, spreading like the legs of a willing female.

Gasps echoed from behind him.

He was too mesmerized to hear them though, all he could think about was the fact that he managed to open a portal, a plain of snow stretched out on the other side of Time itself.

He opened a Veil without breaking a sweat.

Whatever happened in Boven, whatever that creature in the Core did to him, it will change everything.

It already did.

He has control over the world, on the brink of becoming the one who decides what crosses through and what not.

He was given the keys, now all he needs is to find the locks.

The King has moved unexpectedly on the chessboard.

And he knew that his opponent, for the first time in this whole game, didn't know what to do.