{"sf1_id":1482843,"sf2_id":"B1QvQP6e","title":"23- Family","author":"Rifty","words":1562,"posted_at":"2019-08-29T08:34:00.000Z","tags":["Action","Adventure","Kara","Riften","Romance","Silvus","Sithris","Spyro","Story Series","rift"],"url":"https://fse.anthro.fr/stories/1482843-23-family","original_url":"https://sofurry.com/s/B1QvQP6e","image_url":"https://cdn.sofurryfiles.com/submissions/thumbnails/f4/ac/f4ace7ee-dd5e-466d-b85b-4bf02d2603f2","description":"#25 of The Legend of Rift Book II: Resurrection","content":"Sithris cooed at the comforting heat of his own Rift blanket curled around him. The fire in the cave kept it insulated. He looked at his strangely content... friend?\u0026nbsp;\n\n  \n\nThat kiss was definitely more than just a friend thing, but I won't press the issue. I'll ask him when it's all said and done.\n\n  \n\nRift licked the grime of of Sithris' face, leaving clean scales. He was comfy. He couldn't deny his feelings for the black drake, but needed to bring Kara back first. He pondered before he decided to answer one of Sithris' earlier questions.\n\n  \n\n\"So... about me popping out of the lake...\"\n\n  \n\nHe noticed Sithris look at him intently, nodding him to continue.\n\n  \n\n\"When I started feeling my life floating away, I suddenly felt this pressure on me, telling me I had to keep going. Next thing I know, I'm back in my body and in full control of my element. The whole thing with evaporating the water was because I thought it would look cool.\"\n\n  \n\nSithris stared for a moment before he burst into laughter. \"While I admit it was a spectacle to behold, I will exact my revenge someday. I was terrified that I had lost my only friend.\"\n\n  \n\nRift smirked. \"Poor Sithy would have to go back to his cogs and blue glowy things. Silvus probably knows I survived, he's weird and tends to just know things.\"\n\n  \n\nThe black drake yowled and laid his head on Rift's chest. \"It's really late pest. If you want to make it to Dante's Freezer, we need to head out pretty early.\"\n\n  \n\nThe fire dragon smiled and got cozy, closing his eyes as he quickly drifted off. \"Yeah, sleep sounds good. Sweet dreams Sithy.\"\n\n  \n\nSithris smiled and whispered, his words never reaching Rift. \"Sweet dreams too... my pest.\"\n\n* * *\n\n\"We've been flying nonstop for days. When can we land?\"\n\n  \n\nSithris groaned as his wings screamed in exhaustion. He wanted to sleep. He wanted food. He couldn't say it to Rift, but he wanted to feel the comfort of the orange dragon wrapped around him.\n\n  \n\n\"We should be just about... THERE! Alright Sithy, welcome to Dante's Freezer, where I nearly died on multiple occasions.\"\n\n  \n\nRift laughed at his friend's eyeroll and began his descent. He landed with a bounce. The snow covered his paws, immediately chilling the orange dragon.\n\n  \n\nSithris lifted up some of the white frozen water and gleamed. The black dragon nibbled it, feeling the snow melt in his maw. With a flop, he began rolling around in it, squealing in delight.\n\n  \n\n\"Snow! I've heard so much about it! It's beautiful and fluffy and I just want to jump in it.\"\n\n  \n\nHe bounced around and giggled. The black dragon spotted a mound of it and wiggled his hips. With a jump, he landed head first in the snow.\n\n  \n\nRift had his thoughts elsewhere. He closed his eyes and focused. There was a life force deep under the land. He looked at the now frosted dragon and began to lead the way.\u0026nbsp;\n\n  \n\nThe fortress was just as he left it, rubble. His past adventures with Alex the Human saw them blow the once proud structure to nothing. There was no trace of the way it once was.\n\n  \n\nRift padded through the area where he once fought Spyro's dark self. The memory of his chest plates being crushed and his chest being pierced by the dark dragon's corruption making him shudder. Near the center was a hatch.\n\n  \n\nLittle remained of the cover, having been destroyed during the demolition. Underneath however was a set of stairs, darkness overtaking the third step and beyond. His gut told him to move.\n\n  \n\nWith a puff of fire, Rift lit up the darkness of the stairs, followed by a long hallway. They walked for several tense minutes, preparing for possible battle. As the last of the hall passed, both dragons gasped.\n\n  \n\nA large stone room dominated their view. A strange glow lit it up, a single object dominating their view. Cold emanating from what had to be a special type of ice.\n\n  \n\nThis is it. A dragon is supposed to be in there...\n\n  \n\nRift closed his eyes and spread out his legs, releasing a large stream of fire. Several minutes passed and nothing had changed with the ice, almost like he needed to add another element to the beam. He nudged his friend.\n\n  \n\nSithris could almost feel the frustration of his friend's and formed a plan. He walked over and pressed his cheek to Rift's, before opening his maw to release his electricity. The two elements mixed, creating plasma.\n\n  \n\nThe ice began to glow. With a crackling noise, webs spread throughout the ice as it began to open. The ice exploded, forcing the two to hide under their wings. When the area settled, the dragons looked.\n\n  \n\nIn place of the ice now stood a very groggy dragon. In place of scales were a shimmering coat of yellow fur. He opened his eyes and stared at the dragons. His voice came out soft, yet knowing.\n\n  \n\n\"I appreciate you getting me free. I was stuck in there for a thousand years. I had to see everything from the birds that flew past. May I get your names?\"\n\n  \n\nSithris smiled and looked at his friend.\n\n  \n\n\"This here is Rift, and I'm Sithris. Pleasure to meet your acquaintance.\"\n\n  \n\nThe yellow fluff bowed. \"And I am Zapras, the last life dragon. I owe you two my life, thank you. Is there any way I can repay you.\"\n\n  \n\nThe area went quiet as both Zapras and Sithris looked at Rift. He was scared. He wanted Kara back, but was afraid of losing hope. He sighed and looked at the life dragon. He explained the story of Kara's death, to which Zapras pondered.\u0026nbsp;\n\n  \n\n\"Hmm, so it was not willingly. I can't promise this will work, but I will try. Do you by chance have one of her scales?\"\n\n  \n\nRift looked at his shoulder and pulled away the white scale he had worn for a year. He followed Zapras' instruction and set it on the ground. Both dragons stared at the scale, taking in its vibrance.\n\n  \n\nZapras motioned for the two dragons to back up before looking at the scale. His eyes went white and the scale glowed. The brightness increased to the point of temporarily blinding the dragons.\n\n  \n\nThe light faded out and their vision slowly regained. Sithris' jaw dropped and he turned to Rift. The orange dragon was already reduced to tears.\n\n  \n\nIn front of them stood the white dragoness by the name of Kara.\n\n* * *\n\nThe dragoness looked around in confusion, examining her white scales for any wounds. Strangely enough, there were none. She knew she was brutally beaten and worse before her death, but there was no trace.\n\n  \n\nShe looked at the three drakes in front of her. The yellow one she had never seen before. The black drake she had been watching for some time in the spirit world, admiring the way he seemed to have swooned her beloved. The orange dragon was in mid air.\n\n  \n\nKara squeaked as Rift tackled her to the ground, the orange dragon bawling his eyes out as he pressed his face against her shoulder. She smiled and rubbed his neck. She pecked his cheek and smiled.\n\n  \n\n\"You brought me back. I should have known that you would be too stubborn to let go and move on. But I guess this way, we can finally enjoy our lives together.\"\n\n  \n\nRift squeezed her tighter. \"You know me, I'm too dedicated to just move on. But I would have been dead long ago had I not had someone by my side.\"\n\n  \n\nSithris was struggling to come to terms. The mission was a success. Rift had been reunited with Kara. He should be happy. But his purpose was over. He had feelings for someone that he couldn't have. All that was left was his stockpile of cogs. He looked to the ground and sighed before turning around to part ways.\n\n  \n\n\"Where do you think you're going?\"\n\n  \n\nRift watched as the black dragon froze. Their eyes connected and the orange dragon smiled. He lifted his wing invitingly.\n\n  \n\n\"You're not going anywhere alone anymore. If you'd like, I have enough love for two dragons. Will you be our mate?\"\u0026nbsp;\n\n  \n\nThe black dragon didn't hesitate, charging in with the couple and squeezing both of them. He cried happy tears. He had a purpose and a family now. He was complete.\n\n  \n\nZapras smiled at the sight and laid down, giggling as the three dragons in front of him cried and wiggled Into a pile. Even after a thousand years, I still love seeing dragons bond.\n\n  \n\nThe morning came and the pile of dragons slowly stirred. Sithris yowled and opened his eyes. He looked around himself and smiled. Two beautiful dragons, all his. He slept better than he ever had. His life at that moment was perfect.\n\n  \n\n\"A pile of misfits, how cute. I almost feel sorry that I will enjoy dissecting each part of you all and burning them to the ground.\"\n\n  \n\nSithris watched Rift begin to growl at the voice. The black drake found the source of it at the base of a staircase. A burgundy dragon with a missing horn was watching the pile of dragons with a murderous yet smug expression on his face.\n\n  \n\nKeltin\n\n  \n  \n\n","series":{"name":"The Legend of Rift Book II: Resurrection","previous":"https://fse.anthro.fr/stories/1482838-22-breaking.json","next":"https://fse.anthro.fr/stories/1482849-24-when-fire-flickers.json"}}