LoS: Heirs of Shadow: Ch 5

A Tale of Dark Siblings

It was not long before Ravina left the ruins of the observatory, the sun still high in the sky as she spread her wings, heading back towards the valley of Avalar.

She had not gotten far before she noticed movement below her and turning her head, she saw Gravi heading up towards her from a small meadow, soon catching up.

“Gravi, I thought you headed back to the valley,” said Ravina surprised as he flew up alongside her.

“I considered it, but there was something on my mind that bothered me,” said Gravi.
“What is it?” asked Ravina with curiosity, unsure what Gravi was thinking of.

“What was it you needed to talk to Demetrius about?” he asked firmly as he watched her.

“Just needed to be sure he was actually staying at the Observatory so that I know where to find him,” told Ravina quickly.

Gravi looked at her unconvinced and let out a skeptical, “right.”

Ravina chuckled a bit at his reaction. “As sharp as your father, I see.”

Ravina pondered for a moment whether to tell Gravi, but quickly brushed any doubts aside. She did not have to keep it a secret, especially not when he was asking, though perhaps…

Ravina’s expression hardened, her voice firm as she spoke, “promise me you won’t tell Cynder what I am about to tell you…let me tell her if anyone should do so.”
Gravi nodded firmly.

Ravina sighed a bit and then started, “I…I am trying to convince Demetrius to turn away from any plans of conquest, turn away from the darkness and just live the rest of his life peacefully…”

Gravi seemed about to exclaim something, his mouth open when he suddenly caught himself in it, shutting his mouth and looking thoughtful for a moment. Then he slowly spoke just two words.“Like yourself?”

Ravina smiled, happy that he understood where she was coming from. “And like Cynder,” she added, “though Demetrius and I were a slightly different case.”

“You actually think it can be done?” asked Gravi skeptically.

“I have experienced it happen,” said Ravina in a hopeful tone.

“But, everything he has done…” started Gravi.

“I have done as well,” interrupted Ravina him and then sighed.

“By all rights I should not be able to get anywhere close to Warfang without everyone trying to kill me. I should be a fugitive on the run, not just an exile,” said Ravina slowly, “I should be treated no different than Demetrius, but two things have set us apart in that area.”

“My actions are buried under the atrocities Malefor committed, unlike Demetrius whose newer actions stand fresh in memory,” explained Ravina and then smiled deeply, “and my child is vouching for me, a child who has a lot to say in the world even if he just wants peace.”

“And Demetrius actions are far more well-known because a lot of it came after Malefor…and I am not exactly about to vouch for him,” said Gravi in understanding.

Gravi then looked at Ravina in confusion, “but, why are you trying to help him? With all he has done, to Spyro, to those near him…near to you…why would you want to aid him?”

“Because, for all he has done, I also remember when I called him brother…when he was my anchor in the world,” explained Ravina.

“Can you tell me?” asked Gravi.

Ravina looked at him surprised. “You want to know about me and Demetrius time under Malefor?”

“Well, yes,” started Gravi, “I wish to understand what it is you see in him…see in my father…that makes you hope to change him.”

Ravina nodded. “Then I will tell you, though do note it is not a nice story. While I may have some fond memories of Demetrius from that time, we were doing horrible things…I was not a nice person back then…”

“I think I can handle it,” answered Gravi with a confident smile.

Ravina smiled a bit as well, but it quickly vanished as she started delving into her memories. “Then get ready, because this is a long story.”

“I will start at the experiments,” started Ravina in a somber tone. “Malefor captured us, us being young dragons, barely adults, some of us younger than that. How many of us that were I do not remember and it did not really matter, because most of us did not live long.”

“Malefor put us through grueling tests and challenges, physical and mental. Anyone who fell behind, failed or died went to the experiments,” told Ravina.

“And what were the experiments?” asked Gravi though he was not sure he would like the answer.

Ravina looked at him and spoke in quiet voice. “Your powers, my powers, Acuan’s powers, Kyowin’s powers. The dark elements. Malefor grafted them into the body of unwilling or dead subjects and everyone one of us not on the table had to look on and dispose of the bodies afterwards.”

“I will spare you the details, but let us just say that the bodies were rarely recognizable of those where these new elements were not yet perfected…they were not stable…”said Ravina with a lowered head, “and we were supposed to clean up after that mess, knowing that the next person could be us. For some this was nearly impossible; they rarely lasted long…for others, like myself, we grew desensitized to it…and Demetrius…even then he stuck out as he watched, memorized and analyzed everything Malefor did.”

“Demetrius and I were among the last on the table and by that time the process was stable. However, by then we were just eight dragons left, eight dragons who now had to understand an entirely new element even as what they once had was forgotten.”

“What element did you have before?” asked Gravi with a look curiosity.

“I do not remember, everything from before the experiments is gone…” told Ravina.  

“How so?” asked Gravi.

“The experiments is when I gained the fear element, when the darkness became a part of me. Past that I was well and truly Ravina and anything before that slowly faded, a relic I felt I needed not dwell upon any longer…” said Ravina slowly and sighed.

“So, your childhood, your parents…?” asked Gravi slowly.

“Hazy images at best, places I might have been or seen…nothing that has ever made sense to me,” said Ravina with a sigh, “but to continue.”

“We were given time to come to understand our element with the only thing expected of us being that we trained. And so we did, for days, weeks and eventually months…though it was hard to tell the time as we sometimes were forced to stay underground for days at a time. Always Malefor’s minions were watching, insuring we did not escape…” told Ravina.

“However, escape was far from any of our minds as we soon discovered our new powers to be quite…intoxicating. I know now that it was the lure of the darkness, but at the time we happily threw ourselves into understanding and learning what we had been given. Gifts; that was really how we came to view our powers in spite of how many had died before us…” continued Ravina with a slight sigh as her head lowered.

“As time went on alliances and friendships started to spring up between those of us left. Most of us still realized that we might have to fight each other for Malefor’s favor, but most had concluded that he would need more than one servant…” Ravina’s voice was barely a whisper at this point, “serving him; that was really the conclusion we had reached, our past well and truly gone at this point.”

“It was then that Demetrius approached me, offering an alliance. I was surprised at the time. We knew not what he was, his heritage, but he was still different, like with the experiments…but so was I. I tried to blend in, make nice with the others, but increasingly I realized I did not care for them, that they were nothing more than pawns, their talk of power increasingly boring me…and Demetrius saw right through all that.”

“He told me about his heritage and my initial reaction was to use it, seeing it as an advantage to myself...but as time went on, as we spared I realized he had made the same conclusion about himself and that he had realized he still needed a partner. As he himself said it, I was just the most interesting dragon among those left.”

Ravina smiled just a bit as she looked at Gravi again. “I cant deny that I was flattered at the time, even if I think right then it was just words. However it was clear that it became more than words as time went on…”

“Eventually Malefor appeared before us. He did not need all of us, or rather, he would not be able to effectively keep an eye on all of us, as I realize his motivation no doubt was. It was up to us to figure out who would remain in his service…”

Three dragons attacked Malefor, no doubt hoping to show their strength and thereby prove their usefulness. Malefor struck them down in moments for their idiocy.”

“It was then that Demetrius and I struck at the three remaining dragons. The first fell quickly, surprised by our attack and unable to defend against us both, but the two others were harder to bring down. And Malefor watched the fight with a smile of amusement, a smile I remember clearly.”

“We managed to bring down one dragon, Demetrius slipping away from his own opponent and slitting the neck of the one I was fighting. This left me open to the last dragon though and I took a nasty wound to my side.”

“I pulled back, watching as the last dragon and Demetrius eyed each other. Both smiled as they watched me and at the moment I thought that Demetrius had thrown me away, given me up for an easy victory…but as soon as the other dragon turned its attention towards me again, Demetrius struck, injuring it and I found the strength to finish it off with a blast of fear.”

“We then both looked to Malefor who was smiling, a proud smile which I at the time did not realize was meant for himself not for us. He was proud of the tools he had created, not of what we had done.”

Ravina took a deep breath as she slowly continued. “Even so he did one thing I remember clearly, he asked us our names…and I did not remember mine…”

“You did not remember your name?” asked Gravi in surprise, “so Ravina is…”

“My name, but not one given by my parents. Ravina was the fake name I had taken when I first met the dragon who would become my beloved mate…and it is the name we used ever since.”

“I see…” said Gravi slowly, “and after you were chosen by Malefor, Demetrius and you continued to work together?”

“Yes, but it was a bit more than that. He had saved my life, I recognized that and even though we have long since gotten even I am still unsure of why he did it. At the time, it was a proof to me that he really had seen something in me…and perhaps he really had.”

“Whatever the case we were taught directly by Malefor now, not just combat but also the skills we needed to fulfill the tasks he intended for us. I were to bring the fight to the resistance standing against him, infiltrating their ranks and destroying them while Demetrius managed his bases and his research when he was away.”

“More often than not I would report back to Demetrius, not Malefor and he would always welcome me back with a smile and we would share stories about what had happened since last we saw…who we had killed, who we had tricked, what we had learned. I would help with his experiments when needed and he would help me practice my cover stories, spotting flaws and gaps that others might pick up on.”

Ravina sighed deeply, but also smiled as if remembering something pleasant.

“We saw each other as equals, then as friends and finally something more. It was never love like what I felt for Electoru, but it is why I once called Demetrius my brother without even blinking…two dark spirits who only knew the twisted world that Malefor wanted to create.”

“Electoru showed me a different world and managed to make me question everything I had known, now…now I hope to help Demetrius in the same way,” finished Ravina.

Gravi was silent for a moment, pondering what Ravina had told him. Then he looked at her, smiling a bit, “do you need any help?” he asked gently.

“What?” exclaimed Ravina taken aback by the question.

“I can’t say I like Demetrius, but he is my father...and if he could be dealt with by talking, if I could aid you in that…” said Gravi slowly, “well, I was just thinking I might make it easier…he does seem interested in me, right?”

“He does,” acknowledged Ravina, but her expression turned grave as she continued, “but I would not want to expose you to undue danger. Demetrius is above all else a dangerous person and my view of him is no doubt tainted by the history we share.”

“I know, but I can handle it,” said Gravi confidently.

Ravina was about to object again when they heard a yell from above.

“Hey down there, what are you doing in a place like this?” sounded Kyowin’s voice as she came flying down towards them, a robed cheetah on her back, his crystal tipped staff instantly revealing to Ravina who it was as they landed.

“We will discuss it later,” whispered Gravi quickly as he turned to Kyowin with a smile even as the Observer got off her back.

“I take it you led her to us?” asked Ravina with a smile as she walked towards the Observer.

“She was getting worried about her friend, so it was the least I could do,” answered the Observer with a small smile, his eyes hidden beneath the hood.

“So, have you found anything?” asked Ravina and the Observer frowned.

Meanwhile Kyowin was floating around Gravi.

“So, did you find Demetrius? How did it go? What slowed you down?” she asked quickly and then as her eyes ran over him, she asked more gently “you are not hurt, are you?”

Gravi smiled reassuringly, “slow down a bit,” he said as she finally came to rest in front of him, her long slender body finally completely touching down on the ground. “I am fine.”

“Yeah, I see that now, but what happened?” asked Kyowin.

Gravi was about to speak when Ravina stepped up next to him, “we can tell you all once we are on the way again. Gravi and I just needed a short rest after the meeting with Demetrius and now we would like to be on the way again,” she said gently.

“Yeah,” nodded Gravi.

Kyowin looked a bit disappointed, but moments later she was in the air again, smiling down upon them and motioning for them to come.

Ravina felt something leap on to her back and looked back to see the Observer. “I got business with Spyro and Cynder, I hope you don’t mind if I tag along?”

“Just like old times,” answered Ravina simply with a small smile as she spread her wings, Gravi leaping into the air next to her.

Together they joined up with Kyowin and set the course home.