darkSpyro

"If we don't fight... who will?!," Bikil called out to Omen. "We may be lacking in experience, but we make up for it in stamina and determination! That is why the elders have been training us all this time. We are the future and the future needs us NOW.," he commented.

Aretis brought out the supplies needed. It wasn't much, but it'd be enough food and water to last them for a month. He sighed looking up at the sky. "Starz, what have we gotten into? Why is it the young die and the old stay? Where are the armies of Ceaador? No one is truly ready to face what lies ahead. We aren't ready. Us hatchlings alone can't stand up against the power that has been nurtured and festered over thousands of years." Aretis looked at Starz. Then he looked down and grimaced. "And if....if Blackest Day is a part of this....I don't want to think about what will happen." He lifted his wings to take flight.

Omen stopped and glanced back over his shoulder. "Just because you have been training, doesn't mean you are ready for this. None of you are. You're not strong enough. You don't have enough training. Even if you did, Firefly has less training and skill than all of you, and she has no control over her powers. I can't allow her to run off and get hurt. If you all go, that is your decision. But I am responsible for what happens to Firefly, and I will not send her off to her death." He said stubbornly. Then he walked off towards his house.

"I can, and I will. Nothing will happen to her as long as I am alive. I will make sure of it." Omen muttered to himself. He then spread out his wings and flew off. He didn't want to discuss matters any further with the young dragons. In his mind, he was doing the right thing by protecting Firefly. She wasn't ready to face the danger that lies ahead, and he wouldn't let her get hurt.

Firefly figured that a small satchel might not hold enough supplies, so she grabbed a large one, instead. It was a black satchel made of leather that would strap to her waist like any other. However, this one was different. This one was magical. Imbued with magic, this satchel was much larger on the inside than it was on the outside, making it able to carry more than it would seem able to carry. It could carry anything, so long as it could fit through the opening of the satchel. To retrieve an item from the inside, one simply had to place their hand or paw inside, and call for the item, and it would come to their hand.

With the satchel strapped to her side, Firefly began gathering item to store in it. She first grabbed plenty of food and water and placed it inside. Then she went to her bookshelf. She grabbed some books on common monsters and things in the area, ones that are aggressive, and ones that would be prey. She also grabbed books on various forms of magic, and herbal books that explained how to make various kinds of potions. Firefly also packed several small vials, some already filled with a form of liquid.

Aretis beat his wings and began flying towards the library. "But we're not ready. And if...if we go fight. We'll be the first ones that will be overtaken if the darkness is too much for us. Let the armies fight. They are the ones, the adults that are trained, experienced and ready, to face this darkness. Not us. Not them. We're too young. And if one of us was overcome, would any of us really have the strength to fight one of our own if he or she turned? We aren't soldiers, Starz!" He looked away a little.

"I know. But we aren't ready either." Aretis called back, landing at the library.

By the time Omen had reached the house and gone inside, he found that no one was there. Already worried, he quickly went to check Firefly's bedroom. It was still furnished, but any item that personally belonged to her was gone. His eyes widened. "Oh no...." He muttered fearfully.

Omen then turned around and bolted out of the house. He stopped outside, catching his breath, and looking around in a panic. "Firefly!" He hollered, hoping for an answer. There was no reply. "The library. Maybe she went back to the library." He said to himself.

Omen then spread his wings and quickly took off into the sky. He zoomed off towards the library. One his way, his eyes scanned the ground for her, hoping to find her still in the city somewhere.

Aretis snorted in contempt. "Yeah. Take your supplies and leave, Oh wonderful guardian of Ceaador." He said in a sarcastic tone as he dropped the bag of supplies he was carrying off. His ears twitched. "If we meet again, our first stop should be The Emerald City." He said and then took flight and caught up with Omen. "I'll help you look for her. She can't have gotten far." He said, avoiding being with the group.

Omen looked to Aretis. "Oh, thanks for your help. I'm really worried. I just hope she didn't leave the city. She can't survive out there on her own."

Aretis nodded in understanding. "I don't see why she would leave the safety of the city. We'll split up and search around. I'll take the western half of the city." He said. Aretis didn't go out much, but he did know his way around the city...mostly.

"Alright, but we haven't been here very long. Neither of us really know our way around. I don't know where she would go, aside from the library." Omen said.

Firefly was currently wandering around in the marketplace. She was looking for items to buy that could help her on her journey. She had an idea of what all would be useful. However, while on her search, she got distracted by the small bookstore. Firefly immediately flew over to it and started browsing through the books.

"Well, if she likes books, there's a few bookstores around here. Do you think she'd be apt enough to find them?" He asked.

"Oh, yes, Firefly is very smart. She also rarely leaves home without a map handy. If anything, she would know her way around better than me, or would at least figure it out sooner. If there's any places with books, then she'll likely be there. Regardless of her reason for leaving the house, Firefly can get easily distracted by books." Omen explained.

Just as he predicted, Firefly was already at a bookstore. Forgetting all about her reason for touring the market in the first place, she browsed through the books to find ones that she liked. However, she had yet to find a book that she didn't like, and was in the process of buying a bundle of them. One can never have too many books. You never know when one just might come in handy.

Aretis then nodded and tried to remember where the bookstores around town were. He knew he'd visited them at least once each, but streets and shops all looked the same in town from above. It might be better to just go on paw. Aretis fortunately found a bookstore before he landed and honed in on that one, landing in front of the entrance and walking in, looking around the store.

Omen flew off to check another part of town, choosing to search from the air. He didn't know the city well enough to search by foot. He could only hope to spot Firefly from the sky. Thankfully, her red scales should make her easier to spot.

Firefly had purchased a few books from the store, and placed them in her satchel. She continued to browse through other books.

He looked around, frowning. It didn't appear that Firefly was in this particular bookstore. So, he rushed off to check another one a few blocks down. Weaving and worming his way through the crowd, he entered and almost immediately found the red dragon.

Firefly currently had her nose in another book, skimming through to it to see if it was one of any interest to her. She had enjoyed looking through it so far, but she knew she didn't have enough money to buy every book in the store.

Firefly was too involved in her reading to notice that Aretis and Starz had entered the shop. She was really enjoying her book, and had decided that she wanted to take it with her. She turned to the clerk to purchase the book, only to find that she didn't have enough money to buy it. She sighed and lowered her head. Then Firefly went to put the book back where she found it.

"You know... even I have my doubts.," Bikil said as he approached Shade. "They're all right-- to a point. None of us have truly prepared for what is ahead, at least not completely. I really hope this isn't all one big mistake.," he commented.

"It's a sad thing to lose the ones you love.," Bikil said looking down. "I never really had parents, but I had... guardians. When they were killed, I ran and never had the chance to face what killed them.," he said remembering his past.

Aretis 'ahem'ed a little to get Firefly's attention. "Well, that's definitely a good book. It has very insightful information and a touching storyline really." He commented seeing the book Firefly wasn't able to buy. "I don't think I ever introduced myself at the library. My name is Aretis." He said, trying to be as not awkward and as casual as possible.

Firefly paused and turned to face Aretis. "Oh, hi. It's nice to meet you, Aretis. I'm Firefly." She smiled. She then sighed as her smile faded. "Yeah, I really like this book, but unfortunately, I don't have enough money for it. I guess I got a little carried away." She sweatdropped. Then she smiled again. "I was trying to find books that would be helpful to us on our journey. I mean, that is, if we're all still going..." She trailed off quietly.

"Oh, hello." Firefly smiled at Starz. "I'm sorry, I didn't see you there. I didn't mean to ignore you or anything."

Firefly sighed and looked away. "Oh... Omen...." She muttered. I'm gone for only a few minutes, and he's already looking for me. I'll never get to leave the city and go help the others. I mean, sure, I might not be much help to them, but I want to at least try. But I can't, if he won't let me go. Apparently, sneaking out of the house doesn't even work. I'll have to think of another way to avoid him.

"He's so overprotective, I can't leave his sight for even a minute." Firefly sighed again. She then looked back at Starz and Aretis, a hopeful look in her eyes. "I don't suppose that..... You two could, oh, I don't know.... Just not tell him where I am....?" She asked sweetly.

"I know... I know...," Bikil said as he looked up. "But the love is still there and the loss. They were the closest thing I had. They raised me, they took care of me...," he replied. And I shall always remember them.

Bikil silently nodded and followed.

Sitting down, Bikil gently took the helmet and peered into the inside. Wow.. You really do trust me.

"Well, the reason we're fetching you is we're ready to start our journey. And since I guess Cenor sees you as one of the 'young dragons' he's going to send off like us, well we're gonna get going so yeah. Hey, if you want that book, I own a copy back at my house. I could get it." Aretis offered sort of as a gesture of friendship. "And well, Omen may be overprotective, but I can see he really cares for you. And I think it's a beautiful thing." Aretis added softly.

"Thank-you for trusting me. I can see why you cherish it.," Bikil gently said as he gently handed the helmet back. "This helmet.. this is your one last precession of the ones you loved and the life you once knew. Without it, you have nothing except for the memories and the pain...," he trailed off. "Tell me... what do you know of my past? Before Siyalor... before the raging seas...," he then asked after a moment of silence.