A giant crowd had gathered at the foot of the great temple. Dragons and other creatures of the land had come to witness the hatching of the eggs. Their roars, chirps, squeaks and yells shook the ground they were so loud. It was a breath taking sight for the guardians. The eggs were all placed in four circles, and the small shudders of the eggs told Ignitus and the others that it was only a matter of minutes until the newly born dragons would take their first glance on their home. Though Ignitus wasn’t really paying heed to what was going on. His eyes were on the skies and looked like he did when he was pleading the ancestors for answers.
“What is it Ignitus? The eggs are about to hatch” asked Volteer.
“He said he’d come … but where is he?”
“Who's he?”
         
But Volteer’s question was answered for him when a frightening yet respectful roar filled the skies. Even the audience had fallen silent to lift their attention to what was happening above. Ignitus beamed as an amazing, young dragon burst through the clouds, gliding gracefully towards them. His purple scales were instantly recognisable to the guardians, as Spyro landed and bowed his head in respect.
“I haven’t missed anything have I?”
“Ah, I’m so glad you were able to make it …” Ignitus sighed and placed a foot on the young dragon’s shoulders.
“Yes Spyro, after all it wouldn’t have been possible to bring these dragons into the world if you hadn’t saved us all from the dark master” Cyril added proudly. Spyro blushed slightly.
“It was nothing, seriously!”
“Hey, what about me don’t I deserve some praise?”
            
A tiny glowing insect suddenly appeared at Spyro’s side. Sparx folded his arms and puffed out his small chest.
“You too Sparx, I couldn’t have done it without you.” Spyro chuckled. Terrador grunted to gain the attention of the others and he nodded his head to the sun, which had suddenly started to flash bright colours of blue, red, yellow and green.
“It’s time…”
            
Each of the great dragon guardians took their place in a circle of eggs as Spyro stepped back out of the way. The crowd weren’t making a sound and the whole land seemed to hold its breath as nothing stirred. Ignitus closed his eyes as the other guardians did so too. Ignitus felt Immortal as he breathed deeply and bowed; he could feel the power of his ancestors coursing through his wings and his body, he felt like the young, powerful dragon he once was again.  Suddenly, somewhere far off, a loud chime of a clock shook the air. Taking it as a signal, all four of the guardians beat down on the air with their wings and hovered. Each of them let loose a mighty roar and an immense amount of elemental power erupted from each of them. At the same time the eggs started to fly around each dragon, absorbing each of the four elements. Then they fell softly back to the ground. It was over just as quickly as it had happened.
             
Ignitus sighed deeply and groaned. The crowd of dragons and creatures all cheered with joy, none of them noticed Ignitus padded away from view and collapse with exhaustion. Spyro galloped over to his elderly friend in order to see what was wrong.
“Are you alright Ignitus?”
“I-I’m fine Spyro, during such times I forget how old and fragile I really am these days…” He croaked. Spyro wings fell down to his sides. He could see how old Ignitus was. This filled the purple dragon with sadness.
              
But both their attentions were then turned to the eggs. One was shaking and rolling around furiously at Cyril’s feet. The ice dragon wasn’t fazed however; he just watched it with a strange interest. Suddenly, it came to a stop and a sharp cracking sound came from it. Bits of egg shell flew everywhere as it shattered to reveal a pure white baby dragon. It gazed up at Cyril with its huge, puppy-like eyes and gargled. Cyril puffed out his chest proudly and nudged it with his horn in a playful manner. Just then, a slim female dragon flew up from the crowd up to the temple and landed next to Cyril. Her scales were as white as the new-born dragon’s. Cyril dipped his head to the female, before lifting the baby gently into his jaws and passing it to her. With a grunt of thanks, she flew off with her child.
            
One by one, each egg hatched and parents arrived to take their young home. It made Ignitus happy to see such young ones, though it saddened him in a strange way too. Spyro could see these feelings reflecting out of the old fire master’s eyes, and it made him uneasy. Volteer strolled up to them with a very large, fanged smile.
“Ah such delight for us all eh Ignitus?”
“Yes Volteer” he replied breathlessly.
“What are we doing dawdling around here, we still have one thing left to see to” Cyril said sharply.
“Yes, no time to waste!” Terrador snorted and the three dragons turned to enter the temple. Ignitus sighed and heaved his great, hulking body up with great difficulty, then limped inside with Spyro and Sparx at his side.
“What’s with you then big guy, you too heavy for your legs?” Sparx asked casually, “I’ve always thought you needed to lose a few pounds…”
“Sparx!” Spyro snapped through gritted teeth at the dragonfly. Ignitus said nothing as they continued into the chamber.
                
The egg chamber that was once packed with dragon eggs was now empty except for the one nest in the centre. As Spyro let his gaze fall onto the four eggs, curiosity seemed to hit him like a lightning bolt. Sparx buzzed around them a couple of times before zooming up to Terrador’s face.
“What’s so special about this lot then?” he questioned. Terrador growled and waved him away like the annoying insect he was.
“Nothing that concerns you!” he snapped.
“Looks like someone got up on the wrong side of the nest this morning.” Sparx mumbled just loud enough for Spyro and Ignitus to hear. Ignitus smiled at his comment briefly. He glanced over at the other guardians, when he was sure that they were too preoccupied with the eggs, he turned to Spyro.
                 
“May I have a private word Spyro?”
“Sure Ignitus, what’s up?” Spyro replied. Ignitus turned to check on the other guardians before continuing.
“You must not breathe a word of this to Cyril, Volteer and Terrador. As you know, I am becoming very old. I struggle with everything these days. You saw what I was like back at the ceremony, and I’m afraid that I do not have long left…”
“But Ignitus-”
“Please let me finish! Those eggs that reside in the nest are the new guardians of the dragon world. They shall grow up to be what we are now, masters of the four elements, and we shall teach them everything until they are ready to go it alone. The other guardians are still fairly young and will be able to watch over them during their teaching. I however, do not think I shall be here that long. That is why I am asking you now Spyro…”
“Ask me what?”
“Will you watch over the new fire guardian as it grows up? Teach it everything I taught you about the fire element?”
                    
Spyro was horrified. He couldn’t believe what his friend was saying. Ignitus had been like a father to Spyro since he was young, and he didn’t want to think about Ignitus leaving the world to join the ancestors. But the look that met his face when he looked into the old fire masters eye’s told him that he must do as Ignitus asked.
“I-I will, but … why must I not speak of this to the others?” Ignitus let his head fall and he stared at his own feet with sadness.
“They did not want you involved with the new guardians until they were old enough to protect the land on their own, because you are not a guardian like us, and they believe that you’ll just interfere. I think it is nonsense but I cannot change their minds. Plus the news that I am dying will grieve them, and it’s the last thing they need as they train the young ones. But once I am gone I know they will let you take care of the fire guardian… as there is no other dragon with such experience with the fire element.”
                      
“Ignitus, hurry old chap they’re hatching!” Cyril cried over to him. Ignitus nodded his head to Spyro.
“Thank you for this, you must go now … may the ancestors fly with you.” Ignitus turned away to join the others just as Spyro took flight and left with Sparx close behind. All four eggs were shaking, and silent scratches could only just be heard coming from inside them.                                                                                                 
                    
Cyril opened his jaws and encased the blue egg in ice. But instead of the egg falling still, it began to shake more furiously. Volteer struck the yellow egg continuously with his powerful electric breath as bolts of electricity flew from his jaws. Terrador created a small tornado with his wings that swept the egg up along with clumps of the earth. Ignitus completely forgot about his own egg as he watched with amazement.
                 
Eventually, three loud cracks echoed around the chamber as the baby dragons broke free of the shells. Although they were only babies, they had the looks of mighty dragons already. The new ice guardian had glistening scales of white and blue, and his horns were slightly curved around his small head. His brand new wings were quite large for such a young dragon, with a claw on the tip of each one and covered in small clumps of ice. His tail was fairly long with icicles growing out of the tip. Cyril looked down upon him with pride.
                   
The electric guardian was female to Volteer’s surprise. She was very small compared to the ice dragon, and she had a much more lean and sleek body of shimmering white. Her thin yellow wings looked quite weak, but that was to be expected of a baby dragon. Instead of having two horns, she had one single unicorn horn growing from her forehead.
                    
The earth guardian was male and just slightly smaller than the baby ice dragon but still larger than the baby electric dragon. His build was quite gaunt looking and Terrador raised his brows at the new guardian, as his scales were not green as his were. Instead they were a light-grey, like an old rock, with silvery spines running down his scrawny back. The tip of his wings were covered in three smooth leaves and on the tip of his tail held a large oak tree leaf. Nonetheless, Terrador nuzzled him like any father would and the new earth guardian gave a high pitched chirp of delight.
                    
Ignitus wanted to roar with joy at the arrival of the new guardians, but it wasn’t till he noticed the glares of the others that he’d realised he’d forgotten is own egg. He glanced down at it. Unlike the other eggs that had been shaking when they’d arrived, this one lay still. Feeling nervous, he began to breathe gentle fire on its tough shell. For what seemed like an age passed with no sign of the new hatchling. Horror clasped the old dragon like prey caught in a predator’s lethal claws as Cyril lifted it up for examination.
“Hmm I don’t understand why it shows no life, it’s in perfect condition.”
“Maybe the tiny child isn’t ready, give it time.” Volteer said calmly, though his words didn’t seem to reassure Ignitus one bit.
       
The day passed by quickly into night. Ignitus had not budged from his spot beside the egg and he didn’t intend to until it finally hatched. But to his dismay, it had shown no signs of hatching whatsoever still. Eventually, he was interrupted from his watch over the egg by Terrador.
“Come Ignitus, we ought to turn in, it’s been a tiring day and you look like you could do with a peaceful sleep…”
“I’m not tired …” Ignitus snapped. This was a very big lie, He felt so exhausted that his whole body felt numb. But he didn’t want to leave the egg’s side. Terrador was the one who got annoyed now.
“Look I understand how this makes you feel my friend but you cannot sit here until it hatches, if it does that is.” He growled. Ignitus sighed heavily before decided that his friend knew best. He followed Terrador out of the chamber, but he had just enough time to look back at the egg before the ancient doors shut.