Skylanders: Found

3. Hugo

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Author's notes:

I'm rather hoping to actually get into some of the juicy stuff now, so do stay tuned. I know the last two chapters weren't amazing, buuut I'm really hoping that my writing has improved somewhat since the last two were written. That being said, I will not be redrafting the first two chapters for the time being, though I may in the future. Anyway, thank you for reading; on we go!

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"Where is it?" Impatiently whispered Hugo as he scurried through piles upon piles of artifacts which he simply had no use for. Written in the back of his mind somewhere or other was a vague memory of something he had read, something which could possibly serve his purpose...if he used it correctly, that is. Priceless treasure fell from his paws, one after another. Gold was not his pursuit; his goal was Eon, the one he admired the most.

"May I be of any assistance?" A harmonious voice enquired from behind.

"WA-" Hugo shrieked, falling onto his back in surprise. He closed his eyes for a few moments before he focused his vision onto his potential attacker. A emerald creature with eyes like that of diamonds, had appeared before him. Green leaf-like growths appeared to decorate its face, a feature which swiftly reminded Hugo of where he was. He took a long, cold breath in. "O-Oh, it's only you." He examined, allowing his hand to slip under his glasses and rub his eyes for reassurance. Yes, indeed, his observations were correct. He was in the presence of a watch wraith; this should not have been a surprise, however, for their primary residence – the Vault of the Ancients – was exactly where Hugo currently sat.

"I apologise if I frightened you, friend of the Skylanders." The watch wraith reassured, holding out a hand in which to help Hugo return to his feet. Hugo stubbornly refused his help and rose by himself. "What exactly is it that you are looking for?"

"Nothing." He replied, turning back around to continue his search.

"If you were looking for nothing, you would not have come here." Replied the watch wraith. He circled around Hugo to, once again, be before him. "I thank you for visiting, but please do allow me to help you in your search." Hugo thought about the request for a few moments and nodded.

"If you insist," he explained, reminding himself of his goal, "I am looking for the Gateway-Crystal." He looked into the blank eyes of the watch wraith and, for the first time he had ever observed, the watch wraith's expression changed.

"The Gateway-Crystal?" He frowned. "Why are you searching for such a fowl thing?" A few more watch wraiths began to appear around him. Hugo's eyes darted between them; about five of them were now present.

"W-Well," Hugo clarified nervously, "I seem to remember that it has the ability to increase the power of the portals." The original watch wraith looked to each of the others.

"Are the portals no longer functional?"

"N-No, it's not t-that." Hugo stuttered, beginning to question his safety at this infernal place. "It's Master Eon; I can no longer reach him!"

"Master Eon?" A pink-coloured watch wraith asked another.

"He's one of the great Portal Masters." Replied an orange one.

"Yes!" Exclaimed Hugo, "Which is exactly why we need him if Skylands once again is threatened."

"And you access him using the portals?" The original watch wraith asked, uncertainty still filling his voice. Hugo nodded. "In that case, I suppose I can see why the Gateway-Crystal may seem like a viable solution." He declared, his expression returning to its original form. The wraiths surrounding the original quickly dematerialised and Hugo took in another long breath of relief. "I am Pluck." The wraith introduced himself, "And you are?"

"H-Hugo." He returned. Pluck began to hover through a walkway and Hugo scampered after him.

"It has been a long time since anyone has spoken to us of the Gateway-Crystal." Pluck recalled, turning back to Hugo as he hovered, "I hope you understand the potential danger it could pose upon all of Skylands-" He warned.

"Of course." Hugo interrupted, "If it is wielded by the wrong hands, a great number of catastrophes could occur. Thankfully, these are the right hands."

"I'm sure you are right, Hugo – friend of the Skylanders." Pluck replied, stopping before a great monument. The monument itself was built entirely of a rich form of stone and depicted an ancient monster which resembled that of a boulder.

"Oh my..." Hugo gasped, "That is quite the statue."

"It is taught to my people to be the creature was slain by the Ancients to create peace across Skylands; in fact, the Gateway-Crystal is all that remains of such a reckless monster." Pluck confirmed, before rolling his glance back to the mabu. "Are you sure about this?"

"Yes!" Hugo peeped in, his excitement building up. His efforts with the portal before now may have been to no avail, but it would not be long until Master Eon was back with them. He watched in anticipation as the boulder-like statue began to crack in two, gradually moving further from each other. "Oh my!" Hugo sang as he observed his prize. Floating between the two statue halves was a perfectly spherical rock. Pluck, whilst humming a sweet tune, grabbed the rock in his luminous blue hand, before returning to the floor beside Hugo.

"Be careful, Hugo – Friend of the Skylanders." The watch wraith cautioned one last time before handing it to him. "Skylands will be in grave danger if-"

"I know, I know." Hugo cut him off as he began to scutter away back towards the portal, "Thank you!"

"It is my pleasure, Hugo – Friend of the Skylanders." He finalised, before he – too – vanished, leaving that particular section of the enchanted vault empty. Elsewhere, however, he returned to his people.

"Did he receive the Gateway-Crystal?" The pink wraith asked.

"Affirmative." Replied Pluck, "Although, I do fear that I will regret such a decision as that."

"Perhaps so," Continued the orange one, "but I too have some faith in the friend of the Skylanders. He may be able to wield the Gateway-Crystal."

"He may, but he may not." A red wraith confirmed, "What will become of Skylands if he does not have the willpower required to control the weapon?"

"We have lived for thousands of years; we have no need to fear the consequences." Replied the pink wraith, "If he missuses the device, we may have ourselves to blame, but – ultimately – we will not be affected."

"Perhaps." Stated the red wraith. "I do hope we haven't enabled him to cause large-scale damage, however. Even if, as you say, we have lived long enough already."

"It matters not; I still have faith as you all should." Argued the orange wraith. "We have given to the Skylanders before and have been rewarded for such behaviour. We may do it again and lose our faith, but for now we must keep it, my friends."

"But you cannot deny," A purple one tuned in, "that this could be the beginning of what may become the end."

"No, this is true." The orange wraith proclaimed, "I cannot deny such a potential."

"We have protected this vault for thousands of years, my friends." Pluck summarised. "Good decision or not, the actions have been made. Hugo – friend of the Skylanders – could be the one who does what is prophesised, but he could also not."

"You think this may be of the prophecy?" The red wraith responded.

"I think Pluck might be onto something." The pink wraith returned, "The Gateway-Crystal may have the ability to expose the elements."

"This may be true, but-" Pluck continued.

"But if we have contributed to the prophecy, what does that make us?" The red wraith interrogated. "We have done something which could end the universe as we know it."

"Calm, my friends." Pluck called. "We will find out soon enough what may have been done. We must have faith in Hugo – friend of the Skylanders."

"Yes, let us wait this out." The orange wraith agreed. "For, what else can we do?"