10- The Predecessor
#12 of The Legend of Rift Book II: Resurrection
A week had passed since the two dragons had first set out proper on their journey to White Isle. They were currently huddled together on a beach as the sun shone its first rays over the sand, casting glitters across the two sleeping dragons.
Sithris sighed in exasperation as he woke to a stinging in his back, his eyes opening slowly to glance at his orange scaled friend. He had often woken to this, as Rift frequently suffered from night terrors.
I don't mind having some companionship after years of isolation, but he's really taking this loss hard... Sithris thought, attempting to shift himself to dislodge the claws in his back. Poor guy...
Sithris moved too much apparently, as the sleeping Rift began to stir. The weary blue eyes opened slowly, unfocused and wet.
"You alright?" Sithris asked worriedly, the concern in his voice not lost on the orange dragon.
Rift tried to pull away before realising his claws were hooked in Sithris' back. He pulled them back and turned his head away.
"Sorry Sithy..." He said solemnly, his voice weak.
"It's quite alright my friend," Sithris said, cringing at his sore back. "Just please stop calling me that"
Collecting himself, Rift stood up and stretched, looking out towards the sea.
"We're almost there. Just a few more hours"
Sithris stared out over the ocean, an involuntary shiver running down his spine. "Great... Oh well, at least there'll be things to learn over there, right?"
Rift nodded absentmindedly, his thoughts focused on Kara. "Yeah, sure... Let's just go, alright?"
Both dragons gave a nod, mostly to themselves before they both took off in a flurry of wind and sand.
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"I hate this. I hate it so much. This won't end well. This was never going to end well..." Rift rambled, his eyes constantly darting down to the ocean below.
"Not good with water?"
Rift turned to the black dragon, the voice snapping him out of his frenzy. He quickly turned back away. "No. Not really. Bad childhood experience. Never picked up swimming as a result."
Sithris nodded, his eyes aimed forwards. "Well, you might be able to relax. I see an island. Is this the right one?" He asked, turning to Rift after no response was given.
The orange dragon seemed to be flagging, his flaps becoming sluggish and his neck drooping.
"Hey, come on Rift, we're almost there! You can make it, right?" Sithris almost shouted, managing to catch his attention.
Rift looked up, his eyes foggy. "I... I don't feel so..." He trailed off, before his flaps ceased altogether, his body beginning to plummet.
"RIFT!" Shouted sithris in a panic, his wings instinctively tucking against him as he dived after the orange drake.
A loud splash announced Rift's collision with the surface, before the water swallowed him down.
SIthris watched the sheen from his silvery friend slip deeper, before he hit the water himself, almost knocking his goggles loose.
He forced his wings and legs to push against the water, before his head bumped against Rift's back. He reluctantly sank his teeth into the drake's neck, pulling him up to the surface. A loud gasp escaped him as he forced air into his lungs, adrenaline flooding his system as he pushed his body to land.
Sithris dragged the orange dragon onto the beach, sand clinging to both their wet bodies. He shook Rift roughly, trying to stir him.
"Come on! Wake up, wake up!!"
Pressing his head to the silvery chest, Sithris listened for a heartbeat. Fear gripped him as he heard silence. He stood quickly and turned Rift's head upright.
"I've got no choice here. You better not even think about incinerating me for this." Sithris stated, taking a deep breath and wrapping his maw around Rifts. He forced air into his friends lungs, releasing to take another breath and do it again.
"No luck. Oh no. Oh ancestors, what am I gonna do?" Sithris panicked, retrying to no avail.
"Try using some of your electricity. That is, if you're done trying to seduce him." A pale blue dragon walked up to Sithris. He was much larger and older, wisdom seeming to flow around him like an aura. Sithris was in awe until the dragon's last comment processed."
"Eek, nono. I was trying to wake him up. I-i mean, he fell unconscious into the sea and I was trying to save him." Sithris blushed, covering his face with his wings.
The blue dragon laughed. "You sure? Those mouth to mouths sure seemed longer than just trying to save him. No matter, give him a little zapparoo."
The now red-faced dragon nodded quickly and recomposed himself. A small zap to his friend was plenty to awaken the orange drake.
Rift jumped up, coughing up water. A few minutes in, and he finally regained vision, looking around.
Sithris was wiggling to his side, drawing a smirk from the orange dragon. To his right, a figure he recognizes as Ignitus.
Rift smiled, "I see we made it. About fucking time."
The old dragon chuckled. "You are definitely Void's child. You are quite vocal with those words just as he was. Had it not been for his quick temper, he would have become guardian instead of me. Anyways, come with me, we have much to do."
Ignitus walked out of the training room and looked at Sithris. "That young one is very stubborn and headstrong."
Sithris nodded slowly. "Are you sure he's healed enough to train?"
The blue drake smiled. "The move he's practising now is something his father created. Void meant to teach it to Rift, but Dragon's Claw fell before he could do so. It's supposed to be only used in a near death case, so I imagine he'll need to master it in a real scenario. Doesn't mean some practice would hurt him."
The younger black looked around at the massive hall of books. He lowered his head to the ground, pawing at it nervous. "H-hey Ignitus sir?"
Ignitus turns his head. "What is it young one?"
Sithris shrinks. "D-do I ever find a mate? Normally it wouldn't bother me that much, but with him being so focused on getting Kara back, the curiosity is there."
The blue dragon blushed for a moment before grabbing a book, black, Sithris written on the cover. "I-I suppose I could show you..."
Rift slowly got up as the fighting dummies burned to the ground. He removed his tail spade and wiped off his forehead.
Here's hoping I don't need to use this. I'm not sure I'd hit my target...
Approaching the other dragons, he tilted his head as his name was mentioned, followed by a squeak from Sithris.
Rift laughed."Yo Sithy."
Sithris, in a panic, shouted at him. "Hi pet!"
The orange dragon stared in shock, before finally regaining his composure. "Never... say that again."
Sithris blushed under his scales before he and his friend looked to the old dragon.
Ignitus chuckled. "You two have an interesting chemistry. Anyways, I can't guarantee anything, but there is a trapped dragon at Dante's Freezer."
Rift threw his head back and groaned. "Why do I always have to go back to Dante's Freezer?"
The Chronicler continued. "The dragon frozen there is said to shine like gold. His legend dates thousands of years. It is said that he can create life."
Sithris stared. "I heard about that from my master... The Legend of Zapras. They say he's about our age and was frozen during a tsunami many a century ago."
Rift looked at the ground. "If you say he can create life, that means he might be able to bring back Kara."
Ignitus noded. "It's a very slim chance, more unlikely if anything, but it still better than nothing."
Rift jumped up, and surprising Sithris, began wiggling in excitement. "What are we waiting for? Let's hurry up and get my mate back!"
Ignitus smiled. "Sithris and I will meet you outside."
The orange dragon excitedly dashes out.
Making sure the fire dragon was out of earshot, Ignitus looks at Sithris somberly. "There's gonna be some dark times young one. He is emotionally fragile and there's no telling what could set him off. I showed you some of the future, but there's still the chance of it changing for the worst."
Sithris nodded slowly, walking with Ignitus outside where his companion lay. Though Rift still held his look of determination, his body was relaxed, a glimmer of hope in his eyes.
Rift smiled, exchanging a nod with Sithris before turning to Ignitus. "Thank you."
The old dragon bowed. "I just ask that when all is said and done, you'll tell Spyro how proud of him I am. Now, go make history."
With that, Sithris and Rift take flight, their mission clear.