"Yep, check it out." I showed off my new staff.
"A Dragon Rider Staff!" cried Castamir. "We must get you a Drake immediately, Sierra! Go speak to the Mother Drake, she will know if there are any eggs left."
"Okay, but first I have to speak to another drake..." I said.
Sunbrand was a nice Drake and his kind were being held hostage by evil golems, which we destroyed. But it was revealed the golems were created by Ivan Soulsinger, a wizard who had belayed the poor Drakes with honeyed words and deeds. We punished him.
"That is how it is," said Grace with a sigh. "You may think a person is kind by their actions and words but the outside may conceal evil intent."
I nodded and shrugged.
(Funny story - halfway through the battle, my Internet crashed and I was forced to exit out and couldn't get back on for six hours, which sucked. Luckily the game was merciful and didn't count it as a defeat and throw my back to the Basilica, but the girls had lost a lot of health, Sierra more than Grace. Nothing a quick trip back to the Basilica couldn't cure, and we finally kicked Ivan's evil lying butt... and got his shoes. Seriously, what is with girls and shoes? [covers head to avoid being pelted by rotten fruit from women for the sexist comment.])
The Matron Drake was very kind. "Yes, I am here for a Drake," I said.
"I have hidden the last of my eggs in a tower down the street," she said. "I sense there are only a few left... something must be destroying them."
"We'll rescue them," I said.
 |
| "The age of the Dragon Riders is over! Never again shall wing touch sky!" |
Moons later...
"Yeah, figured you'd be responsible for destroying the eggs, you wench," I sneered. "I'm gonna punish you in the name of... uh... well, something!"
We punished Valeska Redwind (with over 10000 damage! To be fair, she was Myth) and managed to recover an egg. I think it was the last one ever. I felt like crying when I realized that the Drake were all but extinct(they were ghosts now) but Grace hugged me and we got out of that heckhole.
"I have found my perfect mog weapon," said Grace, looking down the blade of Valeska's sword - it was indeed beautiful and I was sort of jealous! (Lucky drops! Grace got another rare sword, Redwind's Viridian Blade! It's a life sword and looks awesome.)
I remembered that place and warped back to Wizard City. I looked reverently at the giant dragon statue - I recalled how I got Tiku, the Mander who greeted us as we entered Krokotopia for the first time, a Flame Gem from this place. I saw the gems still growing there and placed the egg gently on them. The egg glowed red as it was warmed by the fire and began to shake. It was about to hatch!
The Matron told us that we needed a magic crystal hammer to help crack the egg so the hatching drake could break out of the shell, which required a lot of fights with Galladium Juggernauts. (Worst drop ever! It takes moons to get. Also, this is a battle with Viktor as I failed to get a shot of the fight with the Juggernauts.)
Then we found a warrior called Viktor Snowcrusher, who we defeated with the help of a Pyro called Autumn Stormcatcher. I put the drake egg on the hatching pedestal and tapped it with the hammer. It cracked and shattered, and I fell in love.
"I'll call you Chester," I said, hugging the little drakeling. He flitted onto my shoulder and turned invisible. (Yeah, they can do that, I'm not lying!)
"You have made a new friend," said Grace. "Let's return to the Mma Drake."
(Meet Grandmaster Farm Loot #2 - this guy drops the Ice and Balance Boots and the Fire and Storm hat. Autumn was trying to farm for the Shroud of Embers, which ironically Sierra got. I am not going to farm these bosses as the drop rates only give the boots and hat if you beat him in five turns, which is really tough to to do with our level of power.)
"Thank you," I said.
"But you are not done yet, young Dragon Rider," said the Matriarch. "It is tradition to learn the ways of the Drake from our matrons. So speak with the other mother dragons to learn our wisdom."
I spoke to Mother Warwing and Mother Flamestrike, and then returned to the Matriarch. Me and Chester learned much and Chester stayed with the dragons to grow while me and Grace went back to Castamir to talk with him about our next move.
"I think I am growing more wise every world I visit," I said softly.
Grace smirked. "You are maturing, Rra. Back when I started my detective agency, I felt despair that it would not succeed but I did not give up. We must not give up, we will prevail against Malistaire."
I nodded. "Let's go."
I explained what we did.
"You hatched a Drake Egg?" cried the Dragon Master. "I never dreamed it was so!"
"Believe it," I said, smiling. "So now what?"
"The young Drake cannot fly, not yet," said Castamir. "It must grow to size and its scales must become toughened. It must learn the ways of the Drakes and have armor as well... the Drake Smith might help. Go to the Forum and see if he can be raised."
"More exploring," I muttered.
I've given up describing the places of Dragonspyre - after a while, they all blur into one another.
"Stop being a Negative Nancy," I said. I showed off my Dragon Rider Staff and explained everything.
"You helped a Drake hatch?" he said. "Well, that's a different matter. You need to learn much before you can control a Drake in combat..."
*sigh* More studying the ways of the Drakes, their history and...
Oh.
"Wait, I think I know what happened to it," said Vidor. "Kraysys came to the Forum some time ago attempting to learn our ways. We gave him access to all our Knowledge Crystals, including The Fundamentals of Dragonriding, but he was ordered not to remove any of the crystals from the Forum Grounds. Go find him and force him to surrender that Knowledge Crystal!"
I'm sure that this Kraysys was...
Oh. He is a Draconian.
AND THEY LET THIS GUY STUDY THE CRYSTALS?!?!! ARE THEY INSANE?!?
Welp, he's dead now. (This is the final Grandmaster loot pot - Kraysys drops the Life and Balance hats and the Storm and Life boots.)
It was time to read. I returned the crystal to the pedestal and, well, it was boring and long and almost put me to sleep but I soldiered through it all and there were diagrams to help out.
"Oh definitely," I said, tasting the Great Spyre so closely.
"Before we can have you ride, we must forge your Drake some armor," said Vidor. "And that means relighting the forge, which has been cold for so long."
"No problem, what do I need to collect?" I asked.
I wish I hadn't asked that. I HATE SPIDERS. ;_; (Feel your pain, Sierra - the drop rate is 30% for both the Coal Hearts from the Lavafang Spinners and the Lava Sacs from the Flamewings. Luckily we got two Hearts in the first battle and the Flame Sacs dropped first time.)
After I lit the forge, we had to salvage some Draconian armor. Always one eager to take down the Titan army, we went to it with relish. Christina joined us. "I want to be there to help you take out Mal." We then collected brimstone to fortify it. (I didn't show that as it was boring and nasty.) With coaching from Vidor, I dumped the armor and sulfur into the forge and it stank to the heavens.
"It's best that you leave this place," he said. "The secrets of Drakesmithing are best kept secret."
"Okay, we'll leave and come back," I said.
"Before you go, you can do one more thing for me," Vidor said. "The helmet must be lined with the scales of a father Drake. One such Drake is whispered about by the Draconians. It is in the old tower down the east sector. Can you go there and ask him for some scales?"
"Sure," said Christina. "Always willing to help out!"
(Later, after Malistaire was dead, we came back and helped an obsidian golem clean up the streets of undead draconians. Side-quest which I put off until after Sierra completed Dragonspyre.)
The tower wasn't too difficult, save the SPIDER ON THE GROUND FLOOR! ARGH!
I am ever-grateful to Grace's storm power. Seeing Jove himself rise up from the ground and point death at the enemies is always satisfying. ^_^
The father drake greeted us. "Can we have some scales, Rra?" asked Grace.
"Of course, I know why you want them, Dragon Rider," said the Drake. He pulled off some ghostly scales which became real when I touched them. I tried not to collapse from the sheer weight of the scales. "May you fly in glory and honor, young ones."
"The Father Drake must have liked you to give this many scales," said Vidor, lining the helmet. "Never has such armor had such a tale of such valor from such young women like yourselves before it was even forged! Go now, take this armor and give it to the Mother Drake."
I groaned again as I had to bear the burden. "Put it in my cart," said Christina. "I'll take it."
I sighed. "Thanks."
"Yes, it is," I said proudly, unloading Christina's cart.
"I am so proud of you," said the Matriarch. "The young Drake is ready for you now. There is one landing pad left in Dragonspyre Academy. The Drake will take wing and meet you there when he is armored. Go speak to Ashley the Fire Tree and she will give you the last bit of guidance." She nodded. "Go now, Sierra. All of our hopes ride on you."
I felt touched. "Let's go, girls!"
We saw the Drake fly down and touch landing on the pad. Ashley was excited too but then got serious. I consoled her. "I have all of my friends here," I said, nodding to Grace and Christina. "We three will work together to make sure Malistaire's ritual is disrupted. We need no more people."
"I just felt a chill down my spine!" she squeaked. She shook her branches.
"We will come back alive, Mma Ashley," said Grace, bowing. "The spirits of my ancestors will protect us. I promise you this."
"No need to worry!" said Christina with a salute. "We'll stop Mal!"
"Then go," said Ashley. "Be the heroes you were meant to be!"
Chester was there and I smiled as he spoke to me. "Of course I know you can't leave," I said, giggling. "I can't ride you like a mount, that's silly! This is your home and I will respect that, but I will never forget our brief time together. Can my friends sit on your back?"
"Vidor made saddles for them, he knew you three would go together," said Chester. "Get on!"
This was it. I looked around and mounted Chester. (Not that way, ew! Gutterminds! :( )
It was exhilarating. I was experiencing what Tamor Skyblade had told me about - the rush of hot lava-tinged wind, the glee of flight, it was all there and more. My friends were awed too....
"Whoo whoo! Awesome!" Well, Chrstina had her way of expressing awe. ^_^
"Time to do this," I said to my allies and friends. I looked over them both and recalled our first meetings...
Grace I met when I was still a young rookie in Wizard City. We meet in Olde Town and starting quest in Colossus Boulevard, helping me with the Gobbler Invasion.
"This is the end of our investigation," she said. "Once we confront Rra Malistaire, for better or worse, we will write our report in the office while drinking red tea. I don't know whether I can quest with you after this, but I will stay as long as you need me."
Christina I met when Grace had to go work for Clever Agnes the pirate, I was moping and got into a fight with rat crooks in Hyde Park, and she applauded me and called me carrot fairy for the first time! She was there when Grace couldn't be.
"It's been a thrill a minute with you, carrot fairy!" she said. "Let's do this!"
I saw the anvil crafting station nearby but focused on my task, but I still recalled my first days of questing in Unicorn Way with my old Wildclaw Bentley. (I do feed him from time to time.) I was wearing just the standard robes and only had a Blood Bat and some myth-elemental wand strikes to my name. Now I had my first Crafted House and had already started work on my Evil Magma Pea garden which would be filled with elder Magma Peas once I got the seeds! ^_^
IT WAS TIME TO END THIS...
[To be continued...\]
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