The Legend of Spyro: Sparx the dragon (A fanfiction)

The1upguy · Jan 17, 2013 5:35 AM

Hey everyone in Spyroforum, and thanks for reading this fanfic. As you will notice, it is very long and will contain some violence. All of the curse words have been handled by the site, so no problem there.

One thing, please remember where you left off, as I said this is a long story, well over 600 pages of type.

And please, let me know what you think and if I should make changes
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I do not own Spyro the Dragon, or any other characters affiliated with The Legend of Spyro Series.

I do not own the Skylanders name or any of the characters from that game, and I think it might be a good idea to tell you now, since you have seen the name Skylanders, that this story in no way has anything to do with "The Skylanders". I just found it as a good name for the military of the Dragon Realms. So if you are a Skylander fan...I'm sorry...this has nothing to do with the plot of that story.

However, I find it an exceptional way to exploit some of the many concepts that game has to offer, so you will see things like the Portal Master, and an individualistic army that will span the galaxy of video games, so on with the disclaimer.

I do not own Sonic the Hedgehog or any character in the Sonic series. See not a Skylander, but one hell of a General.

I do not own Jax or Daxter, you get the point..:)

To make this short (I know, too late) I do not own any other copy written characters that I have decided to add. However, the story is original. All other names are made up poorly, and with no real thought process what so ever.
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It was the day after the wedding. And I, Ignitus, the new Chronicler of this age, was most excited to see my friend after so many years. I was upset not to be able to attend, but other matters of more importance were at hand. Tens of thousands of inhabitants filled the Valley of Avalar to witness the union between Cynder & Spyro, and show great appreciation for the saviors of their world. A more joy filled & peaceful time the planet has never experienced. However, unbeknownst to all of us, there was another that was aware of this BOND...The Dark Master.

The Legend of Spyro IV: Sparx The Dragon

Chapter One: Spyro & Cynder's first Houseguest

It is a beautiful day in the Valley of Avalar. Dual waterfalls to the east and west drop into the valley from the high crescent cliff along the north end. The torrents of water flow unrestrained towards each other, colliding near the center of the valley. From there the raging river roars southerly like a full speed locomotive. This massive flow bends around the old abandoned Cheetah village to another steep waterfall. A large cave entrance sits just to the right of these falls.

Inside the cave, an entertainment system with full communication capabilities lining the back wall, and a lowered pit area to the left with a raging fire, prove this is not just a hole in the mountain but a dwelling. Not just any dwelling either, it is the new home of the greatest hero of Avalar.

Large portraits of Spyro and his new bride adorn the walls of the main living room along with many awards and medals from his service to Avalar. Moving through the cave, there is only one door attached to the main room. Through it, is a vast sleeping chamber where Spyro & Cynder are sprawled out atop a large pile of pelts and large cushions.

The young adult purple dragon has grown quite a bit, but still smaller then a guardian or even a full adult dragon. His gold horns are a foot longer, and the scales on his body are more pronounced then ever. Spyro's chest plate bulges with a more muscular upper body, and his forearms are massive too, his right arm draped across the stomach of his life long love and brand new bride, Cynder.

She has grown in height, looking more like she did when Spyro fist saw her. Her scarlet red chest and wings highlight her dark-colored body, and are the only things visible in the dark room.

However, a beam of sunlight coming through a crack in the cave is the only light inside, and as the sun slowly crosses the Valley, so too does this beam across the floor of the sleeping chamber. It hits Spyro directly in the eye, and he winces. The young dragon wakes up and yawns uncontrollably.

"Oh man...I've got to fix that!" he says to himself with exhaustion from the long wedding and even longer reception.

Spyro then looks over at his new wife and smiles. He gets up off the floor, easily so as not to wake her, then strides on all fours to the entrance of his new home. As he reaches the mouth of the cave, a smile crosses his features. A vivid picture fills his eyes and assures the young dragon he will always remember his first day of marriage.

"What a beautiful day," Spyro yelps as he stretches his paws out in front of his body like a cat.

"Yes...and it's because of you my friend that we may gaze upon a day like this!" An eerily familiar voice bellows from Spyro's right near the edge of the south falls. Spyro jumps mid-stretch, and looks over to see a dragon he doesn't quite recognize. His voice...it sounds like his old mentor, but he is blue-ish in color, not red.

"…Ignitus?" Spyro says, unconvinced at what he is seeing, possibly still sleeping or still a little drunk from the party.

However when Ignitus nods his head yes, a look of amazement fills Spyro's face.

"By the ancestors… I can't believe you're alive!" the young dragon bellows as he walks closer. Spyro begins sniffing the air and ground, still unsure. Ignitus just chuckles at his friend's reaction.

When Spyro hears that distinct laugh and can smell the scent of his old mentor, a huge smile fills his features. He rears up on his hind legs, standing a head taller then Ignitus on all fours. The blue dragon hops up slightly, himself, and the two dragons take each other in a tight embrace.

"Spyro...it is good to finally see you again after all these years," Ignitus whispers in his old friend's ear.

"I don't understand how this is possible!" Spyro replies, holding his friend tighter. "I saw you die."

"Yes...I know," Ignitus retorts and breaks the hug with his friend to look him in the eye. "I was not sure, myself, at first. I used all my power to throw you and Cynder across the belt of fire, knowing full well what that meant."

Ignitus pauses and sits down to recall the images that passed through his mind at that final moment of his life.

"I was dead, or so I thought. For a moment I felt nothing, but could see and hear everything," He says awkwardly, knowing how strange that sounds, then looks dead into Spyro's prying purple eyes, and loosens his mood seeing his friend intently listening to his every word.

The blue dragon focuses hard on the images that became more vague as his spirit was called away.

"I watched as you and Cynder went into Malefor's lair and faced him...then into the depths of Avalar to defeat him..." Ignitus' eyes blink with a no further recollection. "...but at the last moment, I blacked out."

Ignitus pauses and looks down at himself, his eyes show that he is still not used to his new color and looks back up to his friend as he continues.

"I awoke to find myself in a strange place. It was a vast library of ancient books, and a very old dragon was waiting there for me," the old guardian says with a pride-filled tone in his voice.

"You met the Chronicler?" Spyro asks with surprise.

"MET HIM!?" Ignitus barks with a bit of anger in his voice. "Are you drunk? Open your eyes Spyro...I BECAME him!"

"What!?" the young dragon yelps, but then his tired eyes finally focus and can see the amulet around his neck.

"BY THE ANCESTORS!" Spyro bellows a little too loud, waking his wife from her slumber.

"Hey! What is going on out there!?" She cries from her room loud enough for Spyro to hear over the rushing waterfall. His face shows anguish as he hears the anger in her voice for being woken so early.

"Sorry Cynder!" her husband barks sheepishly, then valiantly pushes the blame off on his guest. "...Ahhh, you might want to wake up and see who is here to visit."

"This early in the morning!?" She says to herself. Cynder sighs, but starts her wake up routine. The long thin dragoness stretches her razor tipped wings and long legs. Slowly she rears up on her hind legs, arching her back, then reaching to the ceiling, almost touching it.

Cynder is still as slender as she was five years ago, streamlined and fast. Her dark scales are almost black in color, but show their true deep purple hue as she walks through the beam of bright sunlight. Her vibrant red chest plate & wings light up as the focused beam of light hits the polished razor-blade-tip of her tail. Cynder notices the light her blade casts and repositions her tail to focus the beam up against the ceiling.

The room illuminates with a rainbow of color from the polished metal of her tail blade and Cynder smiles to herself.

"He's not fixing that hole, not if I have anything to say about it."

The dragoness lowers her head down to a pool of fresh water that is continually fed by the river outside the cave. She takes a drink then splashes some of the cold water on her face.

As the dark dragoness continues her wake up routine, Spyro and Ignitus continue their chat.

"Five years Spyro?" Ignitus asks with shock in his voice. "What were you waiting for? I figured you would've settled down with Cynder long ago."

"I was fighting with the Skylanders," Spyro replies with a bit of anxiousness in his voice.

"For that long?" Ignitus says with surprise. "I would've figured 'Spyro the Dragon' would be allowed a bit of leniency. Maybe sit out one or two fights."

"My thoughts exactly, but sometimes things don't work out that way," Spyro retorts with a smirk.

"Yes, I can attest to that." Ignitus walks over to his friend and rests his paw upon Spyro's flank. "So how were your adventures with the Skylanders?"

"Something I would like to forget at this time," he somberly replies and lowers his head down.

Ignitus looks at his friend with curiosity. "Why would you say that, Spyro?"

"Now don't get me wrong," the purple dragon barks, raising his eyes back to look his mentor in the face. "I appreciate everything that the Skylanders did for me. I am stronger, faster, and have a better knowledge for who I am, what I am, and what I can do. I also have friends all over the universe that would come at the drop of a hat if I asked..."

Ignitus feels the pause in Spyro's thought then helps him along.

"But…?" He says to press the issue.

Spyro looks down in defeat again. "But...I was there for five years."

Ignitus looks at his friend in amazement. "Why that long Spyro?"

"I don't really know why," Spyro responds, but then gives his friend a dumb look. "Maybe because I did something I wasn't supposed to do...or perhaps I annoyed the wrong person."

"Whom, if I may ask, did you annoy?" Ignitus asks already knowing the answer.

"Of all the people to anger, I picked the worst," Spyro replies with a humorous tone in his voice.

Ignitus stares at his friend with a stupid expression himself.

"Let me guess...the Portal Master?"

Spyro lowers his head and simply replies, "YUP!"

"Young dragon, you still have a lot to learn," his mentor laughs with a wry smirk upon his face. After a moment, however, his smile goes away for a more serious look, and he walks over to his old friend. "But that is no reason to keep you for so long, Spyro. I have never heard..."

Ignitus' thought is interrupted as Cynder makes her way to the mouth of the cave. The new Chronicler is not in view, so she asks her husband.

"Who are you talking to out here?"

However, she is startled when her eyes happen upon a dragon she knows is dead. A fearful look fills her gaze as she gasps with shock.

"What the hell...?" She blurts.

Ignitus & Spyro just smile at her.

"It's good to see you, too, Cynder," Ignitus replies with a slight grin.

"Oh...I'm sorry," Cynder blushes from her embarrassment, she looks at her husband with complete uncertainty. "It's not often you see a ghost."

"He's not a ghost," Spyro responds laughing. "He's the new Chronicler."

Cynder's eyes open wide and she turns her head back to the blue dragon. "You have the job of keeping track of history. What happened to the other Chronicler?"

"I don't really know," Ignitus replies with a vague tone in his voice. "He passed his powers on to me, and disappeared from sight. I don't even understand why I was given this gift."

"Well, they couldn't have picked a better dragon," Spyro says to his friend, and looks him in the eye. "I just wish I had a chance to thank him for his help."

"Well, technically you just did," The blue dragon bellows, and Spyro looks at Ignitus with a puzzled expression. The young dragon's old mentor can see the confusion in Spyro's eyes and tries to make sense of his last comment.

"You see, this body is just a conduit to hold my life force. I have all of my memories as Chronicler, as well as the memories of my former lives," Ignitus tells him, smiling. "It is this vast sea of knowledge that allows me to provide the best solutions for any situation at hand."

"Maybe you could give me some of that vast knowledge," Spyro barks with an embarrassed chuckle in his voice. "I sure could use it with a certain Portal Master..."

Ignitus puts his hand on his head, and Cynder looks over at her husband.

"What happened between you and him?" Cynder asks with a concern stare. "You never did tell me about it Spyro, and I know something went wrong. You've seemed so distant since you came back!"

Spyro turns his head down, away from his wife. He knows he can not tell her the truth.

"You know how I can get sometimes, honey. We butted heads a few times. I just wanted to come home...I was gone a while." Spyro can see that Cynder is not believing a word he says, and she quickly sighs to show her disapproval in his lie, but nevertheless, the purple dragon holds his tongue.

"Listen, why don't we go inside? We can catch up while relaxing a bit; besides, Ignitus, you haven't seen the new house yet." Spyro says sheepishly, trying to change topic.

Ignitus can sense his friend is holding something back, and so does Cynder. They both let it slide, seeing he does not want to speak about it.

The three dragons enter the main room, walking over to a small fire that is crackling in the lowered area off to the left. A thick layer of furry pelts line the area where Cynder, Spyro and the new Chronicler lay down and begin their talk.

Ignitus looks around the room and can see the spoils of being the most respected inhabitant of the planet. The cave is spacious and well decorated, mostly with gifts and medals to both Spyro and the now well-respected Cynder.

However, one portrait hanging on the wall takes the Chronicler's attention, and he is suddenly aware of the lack of chatter in the room. A small gold dragonfly is missing from this conversation.

"Where is Sparx?" Ignitus asks and Cynder immediately blushes, she looks to her husband and can see the emptiness fill his expression.

Cynder turns back to the dragon that has been missing for five years to let him know the terrible news, but before she can open her muzzle…

"He died in an accident two months ago!" Spyro quietly replies, and Cynder returns her attention to him with shock. He has not been able to even talk of Sparx since that day, but in the company of the only dragon he has considered a father, the young dragon is finally able to speak. "I tried to save him, but I was too late to help...I failed him."

"You didn't fail him Spyro," Cynder yelps grasping his paw, and draping her wing over his flank to hold him tightly. "I'm sure he knows that you did everything you could to try and save him."

The elder blue dragon also lies beside his former protégé, feeling terrible for his loose-lipped moment. Ignitus lowers his muzzle down to his friend.

"I'm so sorry Spyro!" Ignitus somberly whispers. "What happened?"

Cynder can see her husband's eyes begin tearing up from recalling such a painful memory. She suddenly feels helpless, but tries to comfort him by staying quiet and holding on to his paw. He has not spoken much of his brother, so she is happy to finally hear him release a little.

"It turns out we were wrong Ignitus..." Spyro yelps with a bit of a chuckle in his sadness. "He really was a hero...and he proved that at his final moment." Spyro looks dead into Ignitus' eyes as he continues telling him of his brother's sacrifice. "He selflessly chose to try and save the lives of several whelpling dragons...knowing full well that he was going to fail and was absolutely sure he would die in the process!"

Ignitus lowers his head, depressed but also with suspense. The elder dragon is afraid to ask and is upset that he does not fully know Spyro's life for the past few years.

"What if he died while failing?" Ignitus thinks to himself, but before he could stop his thought...

"Did he save the whelplings, Spyro?" Ignitus asks very apprehensively. He is shocked at himself for even saying that, feeling more like Volteer with his unstoppable muzzle. However, he is quickly relieved when he looks at his friend.

A gleam in the purple dragon's eye sends a chill down the former fire guardian's spine, and he knows the answer before it is spoken.

"Of course he did!" Spyro barks with pride. "He was MY brother!"

Cynder is beside herself seeing a smile on her husband's face, while talking about Sparx. He has even been short with her about the subject, but now she can see he is opening up to the 2 dragons that knew him the best.

"It was during a bad storm in the city of New Warfang. Five inches of rain fell in an hour, and the city was quickly flooded." Spyro grasps his wife's paw tightly, remembering that night. Cynder curls her wing against him tighter assuring him she is there.

"A small group of children were caught in the downpour… three of them were swept into a storm drain." Spyro lowers his head and takes a deep breath. He looks up to the sky and his pride filled voice cracks a few times. "Sparx held his breath for over three minutes, swimming against a strong current to unplug that drain, so the children had time to be rescued. If he didn't, all three would have drowned."

A quiet pause settles over the group, and Spyro stares at the portrait of the little dragonfly that was larger than life. A smile fills his features, believing he knows what his brother would be thinking at his last moment.

"I would bet he believed they would name a school after him!" Spyro says with laughter in his voice to break the silence, and Ignitus smiles.

However, the look Cynder gives him is a bit baffling. Her eyes show shock that he almost guessed it right.

"It's going to be more like a park, Spyro," Cynder yelps and squeezes her husband's paw softly. "Terrador wants to call it...Dragonfly Park!"

"WHAT!?" The purple hero barks with shock.

"I was going to tell you later when the plans were to be announced, but I think this is as good a time as any!" Cynder yelps with a smile. She can see the gratitude in his eyes, and Spyro lowers his head down for a moment.

"You did this?" he asks somberly.

"NO!" Cynder yelps, and Spyro looks up at her confused. "Believe it or not...this was Volteer's doing. He and Sparx grew very close, and he was as upset as you when he found out what happened."

Spyro suddenly feels bad for not expressing his emotion with Volteer that one time he asked… he never knew Sparx had made so many friends. A smile crosses his face, thinking about his best friend and imagining him flying around a park named in his honor.

"How could they be such good friends, I wonder...?" Ignitus bellows seriously, startling both Spyro & Cynder. He smiles at both of them and with a sarcastic tone finishes his thought. "…if neither could get a word in edgewise?"

All three dragons laugh simultaneously and continue to share story after story of the young dragonfly that annoyed his way into everyone's heart… even Cynder's.

Soon thereafter, Spyro & Cynder decide to give the new Chronicler the nickel tour of their new home, the entire Valley of Avalar, a gift given to them by the Cheetah Warriors, whom rightfully owned the land, and a perfect place for two powerful dragons to raise their family.

After hours of peaceful and thought-provoking conversation while strolling through the lands, the setting of the second sun tells the Chronicler it is time to leave. The 3 dragons flew easily back to the mouth of Spyro's cave as the light begins to fade from the sky.

"Well, do us a favor, buddy, and try to come again before another five years go by," Spyro yelps with laughter as they land upon the ground.

"I'll see what I can do," Ignitus quickly replies with a chuckle of his own. "...and once more I'd like to say congratulations and good luck to the both of you!"

"Thank you Ignitus, and good luck to you in your new endeavor," Cynder says with a smile.

Spyro strides over to his wife and wraps his wing around her, pulling Cynder side by side. He leans his muzzle against hers, pecking his wife on the cheek. "I'll be in in a little while, baby… if you don't mind, I would like to talk to Ignitus for a moment!"

"Of course, honey!" Cynder replies and rubs her muzzle under his chin. "I know you boys want some alone time, but don't take too long..."

Cynder turns her head around quickly, staring deep into Spyro's purple eyes. "...We have plans for this evening, remember!?"

Spyro smiles, knowing their plans are to do nothing but stay in each other's arms all night.

Cynder sees the approving smile from her husband, and she returns her attention to Ignitus once more. "Good night Ignitus, it was nice seeing you again."

"Good night to you, too, my dear," Ignitus replies with a slight bow of his head. The young dragoness yawns and turns into the cave, slowly disappearing from sight.

Spyro sits down on his hindquarters, next to his friend, lowering to his stomach and stretching his paws out. Ignitus lies beside his friend in the same fashion, and both look up towards a small blue speck of light in the night sky.

"You know something? It was actually nice to have a conversation with you, for once, that didn't involve death, destruction, or rescuing the world." Spyro yelps with sarcasm. "I don't think we ever did that before!"

"Yes..." Ignitus laughs deeply, but notices Spyro doesn't return the laughter. "...it was very...different."

The young dragon takes a deep breath, then returns his eyes to the sky. Ignitus can feel the cold silence of anxiety inside his friend. There is something he wants to say, but just not sure of how to say it.

Ignitus is first to break the silence.

"I felt your tension all day young dragon. I will talk with the Portal Master." The former Fire Guardian bellows and Spyro's attention is immediately returned from space. "Gaven is a good friend of mine, and I am sure he was not upset with you."

"Don't be so sure." Spyro retorts quickly.

"He has told me himself that you are his most powerful and fearless Skylander!" Ignitus barks proudly.

"He DID?" Spyro is shocked. He was treated so poorly by the Portal Master. "When did he say that?"

"I may have been gone for a while, but I still hear things from time to time," Ignitus replies and Spyro lowers his head.

"So you know!" he sheepishly responds.

"KNOW WHAT!?" Ignitus yelps. The purple dragon's former mentor becomes a bit aggravated at Spyro's cryptic responses and finally just asks "What the hell happened?"

Spyro looks back to make sure his wife cannot hear him.

"Well, it was more than just an argument at the end. Things got kinda heated, you might say. I am not proud of what I did." Spyro looks back into the cave once more to make sure Cynder is not listening, then lowers his head with anguish. "I don't even know if I'm still considered a Skylander."

The young dragon places his paws on his head to cover the shame on his face.

"What did you do?" His friend asks somberly, seeing the pain in Spyro's expression.

"I burned him, Ignitus!" he says coldly with no emotion. Then the purple dragon's rage begins to surface in his voice. "I was angry with the way he was treating me. I fought for him for four long years, watching other Skylanders come and go. Some would be there for just a week, or maybe a month. Then they were sent home to their families."

Spyro stands up and begins walking from the cave, knowing his voice is going to get louder as he recalls the more annoying moments with his military service. Ignitus follows his friend as he strides over to the southern waterfall. The crashing noise of water covers a bit of his voice, and the beauty of the falls help keep his anger in check.

"I dealt with it...as the purple dragon I know this is what I was meant to do, and I've always been happy to do what I can." Spyro pauses for a moment. His head lowers again, knowing that what that means on Avalar is the complete opposite in the eyes of Gaven the Portal Master.

"But he never said a word to me Ignitus, the entire time I was there. It was like I did something wrong from the moment I arrived," The young dragon almost tearfully tells his friend. "No welcome, no nothing, not even a 'hello'. He just handed me my first assignment and opened a portal."

"I'm so sorry Spyro..." Ignitus walks over to his friend and places his paw upon Spyro's back.

"I barely even know what his voice sounds like," Spyro yelps with a forced chuckle, trying to just make himself laugh at the tense moment in his head. "It was hard to watch him strike up conversation after conversation with everyone else, but he would just stare at me…it was very awkward. Why he said I was his best… I don't get it!"

"Well he did, Spyro!" Ignitus exclaims and stares his friend dead in the eye. "The greatest Skylander he has ever had!"

"Well I guess that was longer then six months ago," Spyro says sarcastically, and Ignitus pauses for a moment. He can tell he will finally hear what has eaten at Spyro since getting there.

"Tell me what happened six months ago, Spyro?" Ignitus asks sternly, more like his father than his mentor.

"I found out Cynder was ill," Spyro replies and looks up to the former Guardian. "I asked him if I could go home and be with her… I promised I would return. He said NOTHING." Spyro begins pacing around trying to relieve his anger, but still his voice gets more agitated. "I walked around his desk and told him I was leaving."

"You know what he did?" Spyro asks rhetorically as he stops his pacing and stares at Ignitus. Then Spyro answers his own question with more anger in his voice.

"He handed me another *bleep* ASSIGNMENT."

"Easy, Spyro," The blue dragon bellows to his friend, feeling his power starting to rise. "Calm down!"

"I never complained till that moment. I just did what I was told and he blew me off like I meant nothing… like Cynder meant nothing." Ignitus can see the anger building in Spyro's eyes as he turns to looks at him. "I lost it, Ignitus."

Spyro's voice and eyes fill with rage as he continues to tell his mentor what he did. "I was so ANGRY, I FILLED THE ROOM WITH FIRE. It was as bright as the Sun, and hotter then hell. I couldn't control my rage. I let loose all I had in one vicious blast, and destroyed that assignment while still in his hand."

Ignitus is in shock from his normally calm friend's outburst of rage.

"You didn't?" he replies with surprise.

"Yup, I did!" Spyro retorts then looks down recalling the next moment of his fight with the Portal Master. "...and when the smoke cleared, all I saw was his burned fist coming at me. I didn't even have a chance to duck, and I've never been hit that hard in my life."

"I can still feel it!" Spyro yelps rubbing his jaw from the phantom pain. "When I woke up some time later, he still never said a word to me. For an hour he just stared at me coldly. The silence made me feel even more nauseous than usual."

"What happened then Spyro?" The Chronicler asks when Spyro pauses for a long moment.

"He shook his head at me, looked down at his control panel, and opened a portal to the Valley of Avalar," Spyro replies with depression, then looks up at his friend with tears beginning to well up in his eyes. "Then he pointed angrily for me to leave… so I did. I've never felt so ashamed in all my life."

"I can't believe you would do that!" Ignitus yelps in shock.

"I couldn't believe it either, and I was there!" Spyro barks with another forced chuckle.

Ignitus walks over to his friend and grasps his shoulder. "Well I'm sure I talked to him before THAT little incident, or else he would have told me."

"Yeah, since you're one of the people he talks to, I guess," Spyro sarcastically blurts out.

The blue dragon gives a quick snort of laughter, but then becomes serious. "I just don't understand why he would do such a thing to you, or anyone for that matter." He replies, knowing Gaven for decades during one of the Chronicler's other lives. "I am going to go there tonight and I will talk with Gaven. I've known him years, and if he was acting that way, I want to know why."

"If you find out anything, please let me know?" Spyro asks genuinely as Ignitus begins to walk to an open area to take off. "I will not be able to rest with this on my mind."

"Nor would I," The blue dragon replies and looks back to his friend as his wings open wide. "I will get to the bottom of this."

"Thank you, Ignitus."

"No Spyro, thank you." The great dragon says with the utmost gratitude in his voice. "Good night young hero, and again, good luck to you and Cynder."

Spyro smiles at his friend as he takes off into the air. "Good night to you too… Chronicler"

The1upguy · Jan 18, 2013 9:18 PM

Chapter Two: Gaven and the Skylanders

Deep in space, a Skylander Portal Station slowly orbits the blue speck of light that Spyro & Ignitus were gazing upon in the night skies of Avalar. Through the large windows that adorn the outside of the spherical station, a large almost human-looking creature is sitting behind a steel desk with a massive amount of controls. A bandage covers a portion of his right hand, and he is resting it gingerly, only using his left.

The main room of the Station in a single word is bland. The walls and floor of the room are dull and gray. Only the eerie blue sunlight from the dwarf star it circles offers any color to the cold-feeling room. No pictures...no nothing. The only things in the room are the large work station, where the Portal Master sits and does his job, some control panels along the side walls, and a raised platform where a large disk of swirling energy is floating in mid-air; a portal, a rip in the fabric of space and time that allows easy travel for the Skylanders.

Standing at the base of this platform is one of Gaven's many fine warriors, a very diverse and strange group, but a powerful force to keep peace in the galaxy.

"Crash!" Bellows the deep voice of the giant sitting behind the desk, and the young bandicoot turns his attention to the Portal Master. "Step away from the platform for a minute...I think something just went wrong!"

Before the Skylander can move an inch, a loud bang and a streak of orange comes from the swirl of energy only a few feet from him. The colorful streak slams to the back wall and slowly slides down to the ground.

Inaudible yelps of pain come from the furry creature lying on the floor, as another emerges from the portal.

He is a humanoid with very long ears, and is covered head to toe with soot. The Skylander removes his goggles and looks around the room for his life long friend.

"DAXTER?" Jak coughs with smoke billowing from his mouth. "Are you OK!?"

The blue sunlight begins pouring into the closest window as the station spins to hold gravity, shining on the broken body of the little orange ottsel. A bit of fear fills his heart, knowing how bad his little friend was just hurt.

However, As Jak gets close to his small orange sidekick, he begins to raise his arm...

"Check Please!" Daxter blurts, and Jak immediately relaxes, he knows his best friend will be just fine.

"Very good work Jak..." Gaven yelps. "Now can you please scrape Daxter up off my floor?"

Jak holds his hand over his mouth trying to keeps his laughter in check, but it is no use.

"And the next time..." Gaven continues with a chuckle in his voice. "...don't let the color-blind idiot in the group cut any wires!"

"Yeah, I told him that was bad idea too, but you know Daxter," Jak replies to the Portal Master with a smile. "He always wants to be the hero."

Jak hovers over his friend, who is still smoldering, and looks down at him. "So, Hero, are you OK?"

"I don't think that was the blue wire...was it?" Daxter replies with smoke billowing from his mouth.

"Nope."

Jak picks up his little friend and walks out of the room. The Portal Master shakes his head in humorous disbelief, than re-focuses his attention back to the other Skylander in the room.

"Are you ready to go now Crash?"

Crash Bandicoot, being a mute, just looks at the Portal Master and shakes his head up and down. Gaven taps a few buttons at his work station, and another portal comes to life upon the platform.

Crash pulls a huge shotgun from his back, nearly half his size. He then looks back at Gaven with a creepy smile and leaps into the portal.

"What a nut job!" Gaven retorts to himself, then returns his attention to the view screens before him.

After a few moments of pressing buttons on his control panel, Gaven stops and flexes his hand with the bandage on it. It is clear that it has caused him some discomfort.

"*bleep* Dragon," he bellows with anger.

"That is not how I would hope this conversation would start!" barks a voice from out of nowhere, and Gaven is almost startled out of his chair.

"WHO'S THERE!?"

Ignitus walks from out of the shadows in the dark main room and into the pale blue sunlight, a very angered look upon his face.

"Me…you pompous *bleep*."

Gaven sees a blue dragon with his very old friend's amulet around his neck. The face is much different and younger, but the ohra around him reminds the Portal master of the dragon from his past.

"Constantine...no wait..." The Portal Master pauses remembering a New Dragon's Age has begun, and with it a new Chronicler to keep history.

"...it's Ignitus now...sorry!" Gaven yelps knowing several of the Chroniclers former lives.

"That's quite alright, Gaven..." Ignitus replies understanding the mistake his friend has made in several different instances of his former lives. "...You didn't stop calling me Aquis for over a decade!"

The Portal Master gives a slight smirk, but that smile lasts for only a second, as his new/old friend walks toward him with a fiery look in his eyes. He is sure he knows why he has actually made a personal visit, but tries to break the tension he feels already with a half-hearted joke.

"So...Are you here to finish that chess game?" He remarks, and Ignitus doesn't even crack a smile.

"Not really old friend..." He barks angrily and Gaven lowers his head feeling the verbal badgering forthcoming. "...I want to know why you shunned Spyro like that for so long. FOUR YEARS without a break…are you out of your mind? That dragon has done more for his world and the Skylanders than any individual should ever had to bare."

The Chronicler stomps over to Gaven's desk, and rears up on his hind legs. Ignitus slams his blue paws down on the steel surface, sending an echo that reverberates against the walls for several seconds. However, that sound is drowned out by the continued berating of the angry dragon in the room.

"You never spoke to him, or had a conversation with him? You would've learned a lot from that dragon. He is wiser in his young age than you are in your old age. I can not believe my FRIEND sitting in front of me could be so callous. Did he do something to deserve that treatment?"

The Portal Master could hear the question, but did not want to answer. He knew it was the wrong answer to give. Gaven

"No," he replies somberly,never lifting his head to look his friend in the eye,. and as he expected, Ignitus becomes even more irate.

"THEN WHY!?" , he yells in Gaven's face.

The Chronicler drops down off the desk, and walks around, continuing to howl and rant in rage at his friend's actions. "He had not changed since I knew him, and I still see and feel that same dragon I knew as a youngster. Happy, full of life, and for once with the one he loves. Both of you are not like this. How in the name of the ancestors did it come to a showdown?"

"He told you?" the Portal Master remarks.

"YES, he told me," The Chronicler replies, still with anger and volume in his voice. "How he burned you in a fit of rage when you ignored the fact his future wife fell ill. He had no concern for himself, only for her."

"Cynder & Spyro got married?" Gaven asks with shock.

"Yes finally, when he got back," Ignitus replies, knowing what a struggle it was just for them to be together. He turns his attention back to his friend with a slight smirk. "I'm not surprised you were not invited."

The Portal Master shows a bit of concern on his face. "I wonder if he told her," Gaven remarks with a blank expression.

"I'm sure he never spoken of this to anyone!" The blue dragon convincingly says. "I could see it in his eyes. He would never talk about what happened here. He was ashamed of himself..."

Ignitus pauses looking directly into the Portal Master's eyes...once again, anger fills his voice.

"...and looking at you now...I know that Spyro was telling the truth...YOU are to blame. You made a well-respected hero walk out of this room with his tail between his legs. How could you do that you son-of-a-"

"Stop...friend...please," Gaven interrupts, "...let me speak?"

The Portal Master rises from his chair, but still never raises his head. "I know Spyro never will accept my apology, but I am hoping you will. I know the friend Ignitus is to Spyro and the friend you have been to me through your other countless lives...so I have dreaded this day."

Gaven finally turns his head up and locks eyes with his old friend.

"I was ordered not to speak with him...to keep him here as long as possible...make him never want to come back."

Ignitus is dumbfounded by what he just heard, barking with anger for an answer. "In the name of the ancestors, why?"

"I don't know why," Gaven replies.

Ignitus pauses for a second and looks at his friend in wonderment. "Who gave that order?" He asks.

Gaven returns a somber gaze to the blue dragon, but before the Portal Master could open his mouth, an incredibly loud alarm begins to blare in the main room. Both dragon and Portal Master flinch at the sudden noise of the piercing klaxon.

Gaven looks down at the panel in front of him

"THAT CAN'T BE!" He yells as he looks out the window, towards the sun outside. His face shows grave concern as the giant blue dwarf star, only a few million miles away, starts to shrink.

Ignitus notices the room starting to get brighter, changing from a pale blue to a light shade of violet, then to a brighter shade of red. However, since the star is not visible to him in the large windows, he has no clue why.

His friend now starts pushing buttons on his control panel faster than HE has ever seen. It frightens the centuries-old dragon seeing Gaven with so much worry on his face.

"What is it?" The blue dragon barks with concern.

"Ignitus, get out of here. Go now. Get Spyro, and get back to me as fast as you can," Gaven replies never taking his eyes from the controls.

"Get Spyro...I don't understand," Ignitus yelps.

A portal opens directly in front of Ignitus, startling the blue dragon.

"PLEASE! I have no time to explain," Gaven replies and still never takes his eyes off the controls.

The station begins jostling around with a wicked vibration, and the room begins to change to an even brighter color as the star outside continues to shrink, becoming more powerful.

"Just tell him...I NEED HIS HELP," The Portal Master barks, finally looking up at his old friend.

Suddenly a loud explosion rocks the Portal Station, and Gaven can see the massive shock wave approaching through the large window facing the Sun.

"GO NOW!"

Ignitus leaps into the portal as the room turns almost white.

Gaven looks around the main room of the station he has worked in for a thousand years.

"Son-of-a-*bleep*. I finally had this place just the way I wanted it..."

The Portal Master smacks a large red button on his control panel and disappears just as the leading edge of the shock wave smashes into the Skylander's main Portal Station. A massive explosion destroys the entire space platform.

As the blinding light fades from the explosion, we find ourselves inside Spyro and Cynder's bedroom. It is late at night and both dragons are asleep.

Strangely, the sound of the explosion wakes Spyro from his slumber. He pops to his feet, sweating profusely and screaming in fear for his life. Cynder is woken by a sound she hasn't heard in a long time. The sound of Spyro frightened. She gets up to comfort her visibly shaken husband.

"SPYRO! What is it!? Are you OK!?"

Spyro tries to shake the cob webs of this weird dream, and grabs his wife's paw that she rested upon his arm.

"I don't know...I think so...it felt like a nightmare, but it also so felt real. It was kinda...weird. I can't explain the sensation. It's like I was there. I actually felt like I was in serious trouble."

A voice disturbs the silence coming from a dark area inside their bedroom.

"You are, young dragon!"

Both Spyro and Cynder are startled and look in the direction the voice came from.

"What the hell!?" Cynder barks.

Without warning Ignitus walks from the shadows, and into the beam of moonlight shining through the crack in the roof. The light illuminates Ignitus' face, showing that he is smirking again.

"Cynder... you really need to stop saying that every time you see me," Ignitus yelps with a chuckle as he walks up to the two tired dragons. A bigger smile crosses his muzzle as he looks into her green eyes.

"It's rude."

"RUDE!?" The dark dragoness bellows back. "I'LL SHOW YOU RU-"

Spyro grabs his wife and kisses her before she can say anything else.

Cynder gives him a dirty look mid-kiss, but then releases her anger for a moment to finish the kiss with a bit more passion.

Ignitus walks out of the sleeping chamber, and Spyro, after finishing his 'lip lock', smiles at his wife.

Cynder does not return a happy gaze. Instead she gives him the LOOK she was giving to Ignitus. Her husband lowers his head with worry of being slugged. Quickly he slinks out after his former mentor, allowing Cynder to calm down a bit.

The tall thin dragoness walks around the bedroom, trying to gather herself. She's so upset that Cynder talks to herself after Spyro leaves the room.

"RUDE. How 'bout popping up in someone's bedroom, unsuspectingly, in the middle of the *bleep* night? Rude! Some Chronicler, doesn't even know when the hell we're sleeping."

Cynder continues to blow off some more steam before walking out to the main room where Spyro and Ignitus are in mid-discussion. She can see concern on her husband's face and immediately listens to his response to the question she did not hear.

"I don't get it Ignitus...if it blew up...how do we go THERE?"

"I don't know, but that's what he said," Ignitus replies

Spyro looks down and scratches the back of his head to think for a moment. "I don't believe this. How could that happen?"

"Regardless, I will figure out a way to get back there, Spyro?"

"I'm sure you will Ignitus," the purple dragon replies with conviction, however his voice falls off quickly to apprehension. "...but do I want to go back?"

Ignitus snaps his eyes to Spyro, and walks over to his uneasy friend. The taller blue dragon grasps Spyro's shoulders and holds him eye to eye. "Realize this young dragon...here is your chance. He is ASKING for YOUR help."

Cynder finally has had enough of the cryptic talk, and still has no clue what happened.

"Who asked for help? What blew up?" She barks with a questioning tone that Spyro knows he shouldn't answer with the truth, but will not keep this secret from his wife.

"The Skylander Portal Station was destroyed," Spyro says somberly.

"Who is asking for help, Spyro?" Cynder barks with anger hearing the name Skylanders.

"The Portal Master."

Cynder immediately shakes her head and yells "NO!"

"Cynder," Spyro retorts, but she doesn't let her husband say another word before going off.

"NO. I don't want you near that place ever again. You didn't come back the same. I've never seen you so depressed. I'm sure if you stayed there longer...you would have lost yourself, and I don't want you to go through that misery again. We are together now, and that's what matters."

Spyro pauses for a long moment, and Ignitus can see that same look of anguish he saw just hours before. He knows the secret that Spyro is keeping from Cynder.

The silence becomes uncomfortable, and the former fire guardian tries to be his diplomatic self.

"Cynder, Spyro is a Skylander. It is his duty to-"

Spyro interrupts his friend. "No Ignitus" Spyro yelps then looks up to his old mentor's eyes. "...I need to tell my wife the truth...by myself."

"What are you talking about!?" Cynder replies feeling a bit of uneasiness in her stomach, noticing Spyro still will not look her in the eyes.

"Please...friend," Spyro softly whispers. "Let me talk to my wife for a moment alone."

"Of course...I will wait for you outside." Ignitus turns to the cave entrance and can see the frightened look on Cynder's face. He feels horrible that he has pressed this issue upon his friends.

As I walked out, Spyro began telling Cynder of his last day as a Skylander. When I reached the mouth of the cave, I was still able to hear him speak, but just barely.

His voice was somber and broken, and I could see him shaking. He never looked her in the eye, nor did he even raise his head. I believe, at that moment, he has never been more afraid of anything in his life. If he could...I'm sure he would have found a place to curl up and die, instead of telling his wife how ashamed he was of his actions.

From outside I watched Cynder's non-reactions to what her husband had said. She didn't say a word, but her face appeared as if she were as guilty as him, like it was her fault somehow. A completely drawn out expression filled the normally jovial features of the Dark Dragoness.

When Spyro stopped speaking it appeared as if Cynder was going to say something, anything just to ease his pain. I hoped, and waited, but then I saw it in her eyes. She was hiding something too. Luckily for her, Spyro never looked up.

She turned and walked away weeping uncontrollably, and Spyro turned his head up towards me at the mouth of the cave, then down again. I could see he was visibly shaken.

I've never seen him like that before, and I hope I never see it again.

The1upguy · Jan 19, 2013 6:18 PM

Chapter 3 An evil power returns to Avalar

In a small abandoned village on a remote planet in the Dragon Realms, fires raging in the background highlight the devastation. Three demon like creatures stand in the middle of the carnage looking upon a body laying in the center of the old town.

As the creatures walk up to their victim, seeing his wrist communicator and the colored badge upon his arm, it becomes apparent...he is...or was a Skylander.

The Hairy beasts, much like the Grublins that Cynder and Spyro rid from Avalar after the war with Malefor, walk over to their prey and remove the wrist communicator from his lifeless arm.

"We have it." Barks one of the large grublins, holding the device up for all to see.

"GOOD! WE HAVE NEW ORDERS!" Bellows a loud voice from out of view.

The grublin, that took the communicator, starts pressing buttons and a portal opens directly in front of them. Through the swirl of energy, the Valley of Avalar begins to come into focus, and the 1st demon walks into the portal.

Back in the valley, Spyro and Ignitus stand inside the mouth of the cave. A fast moving thunderstorm had just blown through, and both sought shelter from the quick deluge of rain. Flashes of lightning can still be seen as the large clouds move off in the distance. The clearing sky allows light from the moon and stars to reflect off the millions of droplets of water that cover everything...making this already beautiful valley, absolutely stunning.

The two friends continue their conversation staring at the peaceful valley. Ignitus has been the main contributor of the conversation...in fact...Spyro has said next to nothing since he spoke with his wife. His old mentor can feel the anguish in his young friend's heart, and tries to use the beauty of what sits before them to cheer Spyro up.

"What a view. I have never seen such beauty. You sure picked one hell of a place to settle down."

Spyro, still thinking about what he told his wife and how she reacted, barely hears Ignitus, even though he is only a foot away. The young dragon's mind is so preoccupied it takes a moment before he realizes that he was spoken to.

"What!" Spyro replies then looks around at the picturesque view, and with a very distant tone continues "Oh...Yeah...Thanks"

Ignitus shakes his head in disgust.

"Spyro...Cynder will get over this, but only if YOU can." He barks sternly but with compassion in his words. "In a way this explosion is a blessing in disguise. If you help the Portal Master, just maybe, you can put this whole ordeal behind you BOTH."

"I want to believe that. I really do. But..." Spyro pauses and looks up at his friend. "..I made her cry."

"She was crying for YOU, Spyro. The way you must have felt there all alone...shunned by the one you were helping. How you were almost in tears telling her how ashamed you were of yourself." Ignitus grasp Spyro's snout gently, and raises his head to look him in the eye. "Even when you were saying all these things that she could not believe. I still saw it in her eyes...She loves you...She was upset for you. It made her sick to see you like that."

Spyro closes his eyes causing tears to fall from each one. He pauses again for a moment then slowly removes his muzzle from Ignitus' paw. Spyro looks down at the ground and shakes his head, but a small smirk crosses his features and he looks back up to his old friend.

"Not exactly how I wanted my first week of marriage to go." the purple dragon says, to bring back a little levity in the mood of the moment.

Ignitus pauses for a second hearing his old friend trying to break out of his depression. The blue dragon smiles and turns his head away.

"The week is not over yet." Ignitus barks sarcastically and quickly returns his wry smirk to Spyro.

His friend begins to laugh, and Ignitus' smirk becomes a pure smile of joy. He can hear his old friend in the laughter coming from Spyro.

Suddenly both dragons stop laughing abruptly. A powerful energy strike both of them as they feel a strong and familiar power appear in the Valley of Avalar. Spyro and Ignitus turn their heads towards the east waterfall and can see a portal start developing.

"Ignitus...go inside and keep Cynder there." The purple dragon barks with great concern. "I can sense what ever is coming through that portal is very powerful."

"Yes I can sense that too." The blue dragon retorts. Ignitus turns to his former protege, and grasps his shoulder. "You may need my help."

Spyro just looks reassuringly into Ignitus' eyes...then turns his attention toward the danger.

"Please, my friend...just do this for me." Spyro asks with a smile and his former mentor can see the resolve in Spyro's eye.

"Very well, young dragon..." Ignitus replies and begins walking into the cave. "...I will be here you need me!"

Knowing his friend will stay behind and watch over his love, Spyro bolts off towards the portal at break neck speed, covering the distance in just seconds. The purple dragon plants his feet and springs toward his foe like a ram defending it's turf. The impact is so hard it drives the oversized grublin back through the portal it came from.

Spyro rolls on the ground, like a gymnast, and pops back up on all fours looking towards the portal. He can only see swirls of energy and light, and has no clue what is on the other side, or where for that matter, but he cares not. As long as Cynder is not there, it wouldn't matter if the portal transported him to hell itself.

Spyro strides quickly toward this spacial rift to take the fight away from his home. However, on the other side, The remaining 2 grublins saw their buddy come flying back through the portal and slam into a burning structure behind, but that is not all they see.

The beasts run over to the portal for a look, and can see everything on the opposite side...a huge advantage for these evil creatures. They watch and wait as Spyro gets closer to the portal, ready to strike the unsuspecting dragon.

Just as Spyro lifts his paw to step through the portal, the two grublins reach though the clear swirls of energy grabbing one of Spyro's horns each. The purple dragon is stunned for a second as he feels his head pulled down toward the ground.

Suddenly, in front of him, two legs come through the portal up towards his face. The impact surprises Spyro, and he is hurled backward slamming into a tree behind him.

Spyro yelps in pain and slides down the tree trunk to the ground, landing on his feet. The young dragon raises on his hind legs stretching his back out, and notices the two grublins now standing before the portal in front of him.

Blood begins to trickle from Spyro's nostrils, and he raises his paw to wipe his snout. Anger fills his features as he looks at the crimson color of his own blood smeared on his right paw. Spyro clinches his fist and stares at the 2 creatures before him.

"You're going to pay for that sucker punch." He barks angrily.

In a flash of purple and gold, Spyro flings his body at the grublins. He levels the one on the left with a devastating punch from his blood covered right paw. Spyro then plants his left rear paw on the ground and spins his body, flicking his tail at the other, slamming him in the face with the rock hard gold scale on it's tip.

Both demons, no match for the purple dragon's speed or power, are hurled across the valley floor. Spyro stands up on his hind legs, in front of the portal where the demons once were. He Spreads his wings revealing their massive span, opens his mouth wide, and unleashes HELL.

The Valley lights up from the inferno that Spyro blasts, as if the mid day Sun was shinning high. Both demons are incinerated where they stand, falling to the ground as ash, and blowing away with the wind.

Spyro glances at the portal next to him with a wry smirk. He can tell the one he initially sent back, was not one of the demons he just destroyed. The young dragon knows...there is a third.

Spyro reaches into the portal with his right paw.

Back in the burning village, the third grublin is just getting back to his feet and walking over to the portal to get a closer look at what his friends are doing to the dragon that rammed him.

However, the grublin is stupefied, as Spyro's paw reaches into the portal. Unskilled, like his friends, the demon freezes and the grayish white talons of his paw find their way around the grublin's throat.

As the demon is pulled into the portal, A massive foot comes down in the foreground of the burnt out village.

It is HUGE, and what ever it's attached begins to head for the portal.

Spyro yanks the third grublin back into the Valley of Avalar and tosses him to the burnt patch of ground were his buddies met their fate. The purple dragon gazes at his foe with malice intent. The blood from his nose has flowed into his mouth covering his sharp exposed teeth.

"So...You want to go after me and my family" Spyro snarls

He brings his paws up to his open mouth, pulling from his muzzle a ball of ice. The grublin, terrified by Spyro's power, turns to run away as fast as he can, but Spyro won't let that happen.

He whips the ball ice, striking the evil creature in the back before he could finish his first step. Yelps of pain and the sounds of ice crackling in the humidity fill the air, as the grublin freezes solid in seconds. Spyro stares at the frozen creature for a moment, then fires a small stone projectile from his mouth. The grublin shatters upon impact, and Spyro slowly retracts his wings.

The purple dragon again looks at the portal to his left and begins to relax as it starts to shrink in size. Spyro turns towards his home and takes a deep breath.

With no warning, a large arm...nearly the size of Spyro himself...comes through the shrinking portal. It grabs the purple dragon by the throat and squeezes tightly. Spyro reaches up frantically to pull the hand from his neck, and quickly begins to panic as he realizes he can not budge it. Spyro looks over in horror as the portal now starts to get larger...very large. Soon there after, a massive foot and leg emerge.

Back inside the cave, Cynder & Ignitus still wait out the fight. The young wife of Spyro continually pacing back and forth with nerves as she can hear and FEEL her husband battling outside.

"I can't believe were just standing here while my husband is fighting for his life." She yelps with outrage

"Spyro can not fight at his full potential if he has to worry about you." Ignitus replies. He grasps Cynder's leg as she walks by holding the young dragoness put, then stands up and embraces her tightly. "He will be fine, Cynder but it is best if he handle this alone. You will just get in his..."

Ignitus stops talking abruptly. He can sense the new threat, and that his friend is now in serious jeopardy. The blue dragon releases his embrace and quickly heads for the cave entrance.

"By the ancestors...WHAT IS THAT!" He yelps with fear seeing a fifty foot giant holding his friend in the air by his neck.

Spyro can see over the tree line to his home, and notices his wife as she reaches the mouth of the cave. He can see she is ready to charge, but Ignitus holds her put.

The Giant turns Spyro away from his home to face him

"Well...well...well...if it isn't the purple dragon!" He barks in his face "I've been looking for you!"

Spyro becomes restless knowing this giant is here for him, and judging by his first impression...this guy is not here for a friendly visit.

The purple dragon's color begins to show the strain of the giant's choke hold as his face begins to fill with blood. Spyro desperately tries again to pull the hand from his throat, but the giant squeezes his grip tighter. The young dragon's paws fall limp to his side, and his eyes begin to roll back into his head.

"NO." the giant yelps as he loosens his grip slightly. "Not yet!"

He drops Spyro, who falls to the ground like a stone landing in the muddy foot print of his massive foe. The purple dragon's muzzle splashes into the standing water that accumulated in the giant's deep impression.

Slowly the large creature lowers his foot down across Spyro's back, pressing his snout and chest down into the soft mud. The thick wet sand is forced into his mouth & nose, and around his body as the giant presses him harder into the ground.

Muffled sounds of pain come from under his massive foot, as Spyro tries to pull himself from under the Giant's crushing force, but with only wet grass and mud for traction, it is useless.

"Awe you poor thing!" The giant exclaims as the dragon's struggling begins to slow down.

Unbelievably, Spyro's overwhelming opponent picks his foot up, and yanks his face out of the mud. The purple dragon tries to gasp for air, but his mouth and nostrils are packed with the mud that the giant just pulled his face out of.

"NEED SOME AIR DRAGON?" He bellows with laughter

Knowing he has the upper hand in the fight, the giant actually allows Spyro a moment to get up. The young dragon spits and coughs several times to clear his throat and nose so he can finally take a breath. His upper body is covered mud, but also blood now from a deep laceration across his chest as well.

When he does get to his feet, Spyro is completely lightheaded and lethargic in his movements.

"Come on little fella...catch your breath." The giant taunts. "Show me your not this easy."

Spyro takes a breath, and can feel the life giving oxygen flow back into his body. He takes another painfully deep breath to fill his sore lungs to capacity. However, as he fills his chest with the air he needs, the Giant swings his huge fist into Spyro's gold chest plate.

All the air he pulled in is expelled immediately and Spyro falls flat on his back. The pain is excruciating, but with no air in his lungs he can't even yelp with the agony he feels.

The Giant creature reaches down, and puts his hand over Spyro's muzzle...smothering him.

The purple dragon desperately tries to pull the hand from his face, to get back the oxygen he just lost.

Spyro pulls the Giant's palm from one nostril for a fast gulp of air, but the giant quickly grasps his paw and forces it down against the dragon's body. With great force he begins to push his other hand down, and Spyro can feel himself once again pressed into the mud under him. His arms and lower torso are enveloped in the thick constricting mud.

Now, unable to even move and inch, the young dragon can feel it in his heart...this is the end.

The giant lowers his head down to the suffocating dragon's ear.

"I was asked to make you suffer. He creepily whisper. "How am I doing?"

Spyro shutters from the pain of suffocation, and his eyes start tearing up, knowing his wife is watching him die. His vision becomes blurry and his heart begins to slow down.

Cynder can see her husband's tail slowly stop flickering and fall to the ground limp. The dark dragoness knows, that is a sign that her husband is fading away. She freaks out, breaking free from Ignitus' strong grip, and runs to help her dying husband.

The Giant smiles as he can see the second dragon he is supposed to take care of...charging towards him. The giant removes his hand from Spyro's lifeless muzzle in time to grab Cynder. He picks her up around the stomach and holds her tightly forcing her to look down at her dead husband.

"To bad...he didn't make it!" The giant barks and Cynder breaks down seeing Spyro's lifeless purple eyes. The giant creature snaps Cynder up to his face and begins taunting her. "I'm sure he would enjoy watching this!"

The Dark Dragoness is hurled against the valley wall a hundred feet away. She yelps in extreme pain as her back slams into the rock surface, and falls to the ground unconscious. The evil giant turns his attention towards her to quickly finish his job.

However, Spyro was not fully gone, his eyes and ears see and hear his wife being assaulted, and a burst of adrenaline pulses through his heart.

A power that he has not felt in some time begins to course through his veins. His vision becomes crystal clear, his pain fades away to a distant memory, and quickly the purple dragon powers his body out of the mud.

The Giant creature can hear the disturbance behind, and turns to see what is going on. The shock on his face is apparent when his eyes lock upon Spyro.

Not only is he not dead, but he back on his feet. His reddish orange wings spread wide, and his gold chest plate pushed out with a FULL breath of air. Spyro's scales begin to get darker and darker until they are as black as the night sky. His eyes glowing white with no pupils.

The giant raise his right hand to crush Spyro, but the BLACK dragon is way to fast.

Spyro leaps up under the Giant's unsuspecting chin, and uncorks an upper-cut that lifts him off his feet. The entire valley shakes from the impact of the punch... and his return to the valley floor. Spyro leaps into the air, hoovering above his semi conscious foe, and lets out a ferocious yell to draw power.

The energy from the black & gold dragon gets brighter and brighter. From far away it looks as if a star just appeared in the night sky. He begins to spin like a twister...faster and faster. The energy around him swirling into a long cone shape, with a fine point.

Spyro rises above this energy vortex he has created, and stops spinning abruptly. He looks down at his foe, as the vortex below him continually spins faster.

"SUFFER THIS!" Spyro barks and dives full speed into the center of the energy spike driving it down at incredible speed into his would be killer's chest. The energy cuts through the Giant like a hot knife through butter, and slams into the bedrock beneath him.

Spyro stares his victim in the face, as he watches HIM gasp for air. From above a perfect circle is seen, glowing orange, in the middle of the Giant's chest.

Spyro slowly returns to his normal purple color, and somehow, is completely uninjured. He eagerly watches the large creature close its eyes for the last time.

He dare not drop his guard again, and makes sure it's dead before turning his attention to his wife. Spyro looks in the direction where Cynder was thrown. He can see Ignitus helping her up and can tell she is hurt. The purple dragon quickly rushes to his wife's aid

"Cynder are you OK!" He yelps with serious concern as he lands by her side.

The dark dragoness opens her eyes and stares at her husband for a moment. Her eyes well up with tears and she just hugs him...happy he is alive.

Spyro looks over at his friend while holding his wife tightly in his arms.

"Did you sense that power when he came through the portal?" Spyro asks

"Yes I did!" Ignitus replies quickly.

"I feel something is coming. Something BAD, Ignitus." The purple dragon yelps "I don't know what, but I'm afraid this is just the beginning."

Spyro holds his wife tighter knowing what he will say next is going to upset her.

"Let me know the minute you find the Portal Master, and I will be there."

Cynder breaks her hug with her husband and looks into his now stern expression.

"Spyro?" She whimpers softly

"I'm sorry baby...but I have to" He replies with a depressed voice "There was a power coming from that creature that was not natural. Someone or something is behind these attacks. I don't know who or why. I will be able to learn more up there."

Spyro looks up towards the stars in the sky where the portal station once sat.

"The Skylanders need my help. Regardless of my feelings towards the Portal Master. Find Gaven...then come get me."

Ignitus shakes his head approvingly and takes off into the night sky.

Cynder stares into her husband's purple eyes as he returns his attention to her. "Are you sure?" She asks him with sorrowful look

Spyro closes his eyes, and takes a deep breath.

"NO...but I have to do what I can to protect this world..." Spyro softly replies then returns a steady gaze into his wife's sparkling green eyes. "...and YOU."

"Finally..." The young dragoness bellow, as she hugs him again tighter then ever before. Cynder leans her muzzle against Spyro's neck and whispers into his ear. "...Now that...is the dragon I married."

Spyro lifts Cynder gently in his arms, and flies her back across the valley to their home.

The1upguy · Jan 20, 2013 3:30 AM

Chapter Four: The Dark Dragon Returns

In the outer reaches of the dragon realm sits an uninhabited planet that is completely covered with grassland, forests, and oceans. The pure green and blue sphere could be a perfect match to the Earth, if no one lived upon it that is.

Deep inside one of the many forests on the main continent, is a large round hill covered in grass and surrounded by a thick grove of dense foliage. Only a certain few know of the existence of this planet, and even fewer know what lays under that large hill.

It is an underground portal station. A secondary platform that is only used when the main station is under repair. However, with the destruction of the main Skylander Space station, this underground base has now become the temporary home of the Skylanders.

Inside the underground structure, the sounds of footsteps on the steel floor echo loudly through the hallway, as Spyro & Ignitus walk towards each other.

"It is good to see you again, my friend." Spyro bellows happy to see his old mentor again

"The feeling is mutual, young dragon!" Ignitus replies as they embrace in front of the large doors leading in to the main room.

"I knew you would find him." Spyro barks as he looks around at his surroundings. "I just can't believe you found this place in only 2 weeks."

"You want to know what I can't believe young dragon?" Ignitus replies with a questioning tone in his voice. The former fire guardian pulls his friend away from him and stares into his eyes as he answers his own question.

"YOU!"

Spyro is startled by his friends blunt statement "What do you mean by that?" The young dragon asks sheepishly.

"How the hell did you survive that battle...No...not just survive, but come out completely unscathed?" Ignitus retorts. "That was an unmerciful beating that giant gave you, and I saw the cut on your chest."

The blue dragon stares at Spyro's pristine gold chest plate. "Now look at you. Not even a scar."

The purple & gold dragon looks down with a deep concern on his features.

"You have to promise not to say word of this to the Portal Master" Spyro replies softly then looks back up to his friend "I can regenerate when I'm in my DARK state. I use the energy around me to heal my wounds."

"Regeneration!" Ignitus exclaims with wonderment. "That's remarkable...Why not tell Gaven? Does he even know of this power you possess?"

"Oh Yeah...He knows..." Answers Spyro with a great deal of sorrow in his voice. "...it was the week after I first became a Skylander."

Spyro closes his eyes recalling the moment he showed his true power.

"I used the Dark magic inside my body to defeat a powerful foe that no one had any success with. I figured I would be coming home to a hero's welcome." Spyro looks down at the ground in shame. "However, When I returned, I was forcefully removed from the platform and bound in chains."

"WHY?: Ignitus asks with complete shock.

"I could see it in their eyes. They were afraid of me." The young dragon replies with a note of sadness in his voice. "I didn't fight back. I just allowed them to take me away, to prove I was no danger. I spent hours alone in a dark cell...unable to move...restrained to the ground in chains. Later that day, I was told never to use these POWERS, or I would no longer be a Skylander!"

"But those powers are part of you, Spyro!" Ignitus remarks.

"They believe my DARK powers are pure evil." Spyro says with depression. "And a Skylander can never ever use evil."

Spyro begins walking towards the doors to the main room and Ignitus follows.

"I do understand their point though, young dragon." the Chronicler retorts. "Evil is not good...for anything."

Spyro stops abruptly and looks back at his friend angrily.

"Evil feeds off Good! It thrives on it." Spyro barks with more rage in his voice, and Ignitus is slightly startled at his friend reaction, but only more surprised at his friend's next statement. "I feel the only way to defeat evil...is with evil."

"That just doesn't make sense Spyro."

Spyro smirks at his former mentor.

"Sense...I was getting my *bleep* kicked by that Giant. I was DEAD!" The young dragon looks down recalling the painful but poignant moment that he can not remove from his memory. "In a way, I'm glad Cynder did what she did.

Spyro returns his eyes to Ignitus filled with anger as he continues.

"I saw that thing grab my WIFE, and throw her away like garbage, and in the blink of an eye, I felt that rage...that power. It triggered a part of me I haven't felt in years. The power pulsing through my veins was invigorating. I didn't feel any pain, in fact, I couldn't feel anything."

"That is probably what concerns them." Ignitus replies.

"What?" Spyro asks

The old dragon lowers his head down eye to eye with his former student. "Feelings are important young dragon, most of all in a fight. If you can not feel YOUR pain...then how can you feel the pain of OTHERS, that are suffering."

"That may be true Ignitus" Spyro quickly retorts "but that Giant had no feeling for me or anyone else. Just anger and hatred. It was unstoppable...But he didn't stand a chance against me when I went DARK. And at that point, I didn't care about HIS feelings either. I just wanted him dead."

Spyro turns and walks toward the door again, and Ignitus shows a bit of anguish in his friends reply.

On the other side of the doors sit an almost identical replica of the portal platform that was destroyed. The only differences are the lighting and there is no raised platform.

Being under ground there are no windows. The light is supplied by a massive chandelier hanging 30 feet from the floor. Of course, a drab blue light is coming from it.

The doors open and Spyro walks in followed by Ignitus. They see Gaven sitting at his new desk directly in front of them. The Portal Master is surprised to see anyone come through that door. Especially Spyro.

"Stop right there!" he barks with concern.

The two dragons stop mid-stride. Spyro looks at his friend, knowing the last time he saw this guy it didn't go well, whispering under his breath

"Yeah...this was a great ide..."

Before he can finish his thought, a portal opens a few feet in front of both dragons.

A blue ball zips out of the swirling energy, leaving a strong wake of wind behind. The blue streak goes out the door they just came through fast. REALLY FAST.

The violent gust of wind from the blue blur catches Spyro's reddish-gold wings, opening them like a sail. The force pulls the purple dragon up on his hind legs, and he almost falls over backward.

"WHOA... What the..." The startled dragon yelps as he regains his balance.

Seconds later a small orange-colored fox with 2 spinning tails comes out of the same portal much slower. The young Fox floats over to Spyro and begins laughing.

"I guess you've never met Sonic before."

Ignitus looks down the long passage way behind them...noticing Sonic is no longer in site. Just a smoldering trail highlighting the path Sonic took down the hallway.

"Not many have!" The elder dragon barks with a chuckle.

Tails continues after his buddy and the door closes leaving Spyro & Ignitus alone in the vast room with the Portal Master.

As they walk closer, Gaven stands up, and starts to come out from behind his desk. Spyro slows his stride, for he has never seen the Portal Master leave his station.

The bandage around his right hand is quickly visible to Spyro, and the young dragon begins to fear retribution.

Gaven steps up to the two dragons and extends his burnt hand out towards Spyro, who quickly flinches.

"Please accept my apology Spyro..." He bellows and the young dragon is flabbergasted. This is the first time he has been spoken to by the Portal Master, and it is not what he was expecting "It was cruel for me to treat you in such a fashion. I was wrong, and you didn't deserve that. I was given an order that should never have been followed."

Gaven closes his eyes while lowering his head in shame. The Giant humanoid takes a deep breath to say the toughest words any man can say. "I have no excuse, and would completely understand if you refuse my apology..."

The Portal Master's eyes reopen directly into Spyro's gaze, and the purple dragon can see & hear his sincerity "...but I still need your help!"

"That is why I'm here."

There is no pause in the purple dragon's actions as Spyro reaches out, and gingerly takes the Portal Master's bandaged hand.

"And I apologize for this." The young dragon continues with a deep sorrow in his voice.

"No need for YOU to apologize, Spyro." Gaven replies with shame in his voice. "This hand has been a painful reminder of what a jerk I was to you!"

The purple dragon sighs a deep exhale of complete relief, as Gaven places his massive hand softly upon his neck.

Ignitus can see only the weight of Gaven's hand now rests upon Spyro's shoulders, and a large smile crosses his muzzle. He can tell the young dragon...he practically considers his son...is finally at peace.

The blue dragon then turns his attention to his long time friend. "Gaven! You still haven't told me who gave that order? We were rudely interrupted the last time I asked that question." Ignitus quips with a bit of sarcasm.

"Yes...and let's hope this place doesn't BLOW UP too..." The Portal Master retorts...then removes his hand from Spyro's relaxed neck...heading back to his seat. He looks back at Ignitus with a slight smile on his face. "..but your still not gonna get an answer."

The tension in the room is gone for a moment as the Portal Master sits back down. However, it comes right back when Spyro hears his next words.

"So...The BLACK Dragon has returned."

A concerned look sweeps over Spyro's face. "How did you know?

"Come on Spyro...I'm not stupid." Gaven barks staring into the young dragon's purple eyes "That giant killed you. I saw NO life force coming from you on my read outs...You were dead. Then suddenly you were not just ALIVE, but stronger than I've EVER seen you. There is only one explanation. YOU USED YOUR DARK POWER! You were given a DIRECT order never to use that power again, or you would no longer be a Skylander."

Spyro looks down as his anxiety reappears . He knows the next words from the Portal Master will probably be asking him to leave.

"I have but one question." Gaven bellows. "Can you call upon this power at any time?"

Spyro looks back up at the Portal Master puzzled, and pauses for a moment. He is not sure if he wants to answer that question truthfully. Spyro lowers his head again.

"Yes...I can!

The Portal Master stands up and glares down at the cowering dragon, and strange smile appears before he speaks.

"GOOD!"

Spyro & Ignitus stare at each other in amazement...not believing what he just said.

"I think I have the perfect job for you then. No assignment this time. Just a fight!" The Portal Master continues, as he taps a few buttons at his station. A portal opens directly behind Spyro, and Gaven glares at the purple dragon. Spyro can see rage begin to fill the Portal Master's features. "This creature has killed 3 of my best Skylanders. He is ruthless, and I want YOU to be just as ruthless! NO RULES!"

"You WANT me to use this power?" Spyro replies with shock.

"YES!" Gaven barks with anger. "I want this abomination dead."

The Portal Master lowers back down into his chair and reaches into one of the compartments of his desk.

"He is very powerful though. You must be careful. If you feel over matched..Retreat. Do not be foolish."

He tosses Spyro a wrist communicator. It has a small LED screen, and 3 small buttons...two red and one green.

"Just press the 2 red buttons at the same time, and a portal will bring you back, to this point, at any time."

"This is new. I've never seen this before." Spyro remarks while looking the device over. He places it on his wrist, and quickly the communicator wraps itself around his paw.

"Spyro since you've been gone, Someone has been hunting down Skylanders." Gaven tells the young dragon. "We have lost 5 good men in 6 months. This device is a way to get them out of harms way, before it's too late."

"Who wants the Skylanders dead?" Spyro asks with great concern.

"I don't know who is behind this, but I'm hoping you can find out something in there." Gaven replies while pointing at the portal. "Watch your back Spyro. The scanners can not detect anything in that realm, so I can not help you from here with information."

Spyro turns to the portal

"I understand, and I will find out what I can, and take care of this killer" The young dragon says with total confidence, then leaps into the swirling energy disk and disappears.

Gaven & Ignitus are left in the vast room alone, as the portal Spyro jumped through blinks out of site. The Chronicler turns to his friend of many life times, with a deep expression of anger. He would not question him in front of Spyro.

"I hope you know what you're doing." the blue dragon barks. "He has been out of the service for 6 months, and you just put him up against an assassin."

"YES!" Gaven retorts with no delay, a slight smirk upon his face. "I want to see that Power again."

"Well...I also don't agree with using his DARK power." Ignitus yelps with continued attitude.

"Really?" Gaven replies with some surprise "You...have a problem with that Ignitus?"

"It's not safe." Ignitus barks

A completely baffled look falls over the Portal Master's features, and asks with a great deal of puzzlement "Why do you say that?"

The blue dragon lowers his head with depression "Because, He was filled with that dark energy from the Well of Souls. It tainted the pure energy that pulses through him with its anger and hatred that has been brewing over the ages...It is EVIL."

"EVIL?" Gaven remarks with an attitude

"YES!...EVIL.." Ignitus barks and returns a stern gaze to his friend. "...and that is what Spyro is drawing his powers from."

The portal master slowly stands back up and looks down into Ignitus' angered eyes.

"Let me tell you this Ignitus. I don't know what happened in the Valley that night, but something in him snapped, and I felt a power I never knew existed. What ever it was. It was NOT evil."

Ignitus' gaze begins to ease as he can hear the resolve in Gaven's voice.

"He had no regard for himself, but only to protect others. That seems to be how he draws that power. To stop whatever is endangering the ones that he is protecting. It's not anger, or hatred. IT'S RAGE!...And I don't believe Spyro's rage is evil."

"I don't know." Ignitus replies then turns his attention to Gaven's bandaged hand. "He did burn you badly. He must have drawn on that power to do that kind of damage to you."

"Not even close." Gaven barks. "I'm lucky I didn't push his button. I was only mistreating HIM."

The Portal Master looks down at his sore appendage then returns his eyes to the dragon standing before him.

"If I had..." Gaven takes a deep breath realizing what kind of damage would have been done to him. "...I don't even want to think of that...I mean for heaven's sake. Didn't you see what he did? You were there."

"No I didn't see what he did." Ignitus replies softly, recalling the moment in his head. "I was tending to Cynder...I just saw a flash of brilliant light, and felt an incredible power, but I was not paying attention to the battle."

"It was amazing, My friend. I've never seen such a power unleashed. Spyro may be the one of the strongest beings in the universe." The Portal Master remarks with pride in his Skylander, but then his voice becomes uneasy. "We may need that power...now more than ever!"

Ignitus looks at his friend with curious concern.

"WHY?"

Gaven lowers his head down looking upon the large display screen at his desk. He can see a enormous power entering into the Dragon Realms. "The Dark Master is returning."

Ignitus' eyes pop open with a genuine confusion. He can not believe what he just heard

"But Malefor was killed...how can he be returning?" Ignitus asks with shock

The Portal Master is a bit befuddled, as he looks at his misinformed friend.

"Malefor?" Gaven retorts. "He was not the Dark Master. That dragon was only working with him. The Dark Master has not been in this area for eons. Before your time even, old friend. But he is coming now. His presence is getting closer and closer, and he is using these creatures for his bidding."

"You must inform Spyro!" Ignitus yelps.

"When he returns. I will." Gaven replies.

The chronicler stares at his old friend with anger, knowing his friend knew who is behind the attack, and is only using Spyro to try and defeat a deadly enemy.

"If he returns." The blue dragon barks. " Remember what you just sent him up against."

A smile crosses the Portal Master's features hearing the worry in Ignitus' voice. However, Gaven is not worried...not one bit. He has seen, first hand, Spyro's Power when he initially arrived. The day he was told never to use his dark energy again.

"I do not think Spyro will have much trouble. Not with that POWER."

"I hope your right" Ignitus remarks then lowers his head with a more serious thought in his head. "Do we know why the Dark Master is returning?"

"NO!...and that is the question I want an answer..."

An alarm on the control panel goes off, startling Gaven from his thought. The chronicler is also spooked...flashing back to the last time an alarm went off.

"NOT AGAIN?" Ignitus barks with fear.

However, The sound of a portal opening startles the both of them, and the Portal Master looks at his controls.

"Who is this" he bellows while looking down at his display screen. His eyes open wide and a deep fear fills his voice. "OH NO! It's Spyro. He's coming back already. This could be bad."

The Portal Master presses a button to alert the medial bay, and yells his command that echo throughout the station's PA system. "Get the medical bay ready. Code white...repeat Code White."

The light, from the chandelier, begins to turn bright white, as he portal starts flashing with the return of someone or something. Two members of the medical staff come running into the room just as Spyro limps through the swirl of energy...collapsing to the ground.

Because of the brightness in the room now, it is quite easy for all to see how badly Spyro is hurt. His left arm is visibly broken, and a deep laceration above his right eye is forcing him to squint.

Spyro is also covered in whip marks, and a thin blood soaked strap is wrapped tightly around his neck making him gasp.

However, as the young dragon turns his head, all four in the room can see he is gagging on something clutched in his mouth...that is not fully visible. Spyro begins to move around as the medics walk toward him, and he puts his good paw up to gesture them back.

A bright glow starts to surround Spyro, and quickly his scales turns black. The dark dragon begins to stand up slowly on his 3 good legs...then stretches his broken leg out to the ground. A slight wince crosses his muzzle when it cracks, then places it on the ground flexing it around.

His right eye opens full as the scar above it disappears, and all the whip marks on his body close and heal instantly. As the last of his injuries heal...the dark dragon's returns to his normal purple color.

Spyro unwinds the strap around his neck which seems to connect to the object still in his mouth, and spits it out for all to see.

Everyone...including the powerful Portal Master himself..is shocked at what they see. It is a hand with a whip clutched in its grasp.

The purple dragon uses his now fully healed left arm to wipe his victim's blood from his face, and spits several times to remove the remnants.

Spyro looks at the stunned observers in the room, and smiles through the horrible taste in his mouth.

"I thought you said this guy was tough. I didn't even have to use my power till I got back."

He barks with arrogance turning towards the door that Sonic the Hedgehog sped through moments before.

Spyro walks towards the exit with a bit of a swagger in his step, but stops and turns to the group in front of him. His smile gets larger seeing their jaws still on the ground from what they just saw.

"I guess the debriefing room is this way..." He remarks, then turns back towards the door, and starts walking away not waiting for answer from the stunned crowd. "I can just follow these scorch marks on the ground. Maybe I'll get a chance to meet this Sonic guy. Tell him he needs to slow down a bit, or he's gonna get knocked on HIS butt."

The door closes as Spyro walks out laughing, and the Portal Master looks over at Ignitus. A huge smirk begins to fill his features, as his tells his friend with a great deal of confidence.

"Now that is POWER. We just might have a chance old friend."

The1upguy · Jan 22, 2013 5:04 PM

Chapter Five: A Timely Mission

In the private chambers that Gaven uses to dine with his elite warriors, come the sounds of joyful banter. Countless echos of laughter come from the only two creatures in the vast room, Spyro & his new friend Gaven.

The purple and gold dragon is still wearing his new armor, a gift bestowed upon him by Gaven. A special award given to a very select group of Skylanders. Those that achieve the rank of General. The two swap humor-filled stories of a better visit this time around for the purple hero of Avalar.

A server brings a small feast, laying it before the two chatterboxes, removing the silver cover, and exposing the many choices.

Spyro immediately grabs a gigantic steak with his teeth, pulling it across the table to his plate. The hungry dragon holds it down with the talons of his left paw and rips a large chunk off. As the piece of meat breaks free...Spyro's heads snaps back violently. The chunk of flesh smacks the mid-sized dragon across the side of his muzzle making a very unappealing noise.

Spyro looks up at his friend as he pushes his plate away.

"OK... I'm not hungry anymore..." Gaven grunts with disgust,

Spyro swings the piece of meat up and into his jaws.

"THORRY." He yelps with his overstuffed mouth.

The purple dragon purposely chews his food loud then swallows the whole chunk. Spyro looks at the queasy Portal Master with a wry smirk.

"I'm a dragon...I don't use forks and knives."

Suddenly, and with an even more smug grin, Spyro lowers his muzzle down for another bite. This time being more civil, the young dragon uses his powerful jaws to cut clean through his food, not ripping it apart like a savage animal. He sits back up right, and chews his food easily with his mouth closed.

Gaven can tell Spyro is trying to get even further under his skin as the taunting dragon picks up a napkin, dabbing the corners of mouth in a very mocking fashion. However, he can not help but to laugh inside at his new friend. They have been going at each other with gags and jokes since Spyro returned, and this is just another in a long line of back and forth jabs.

"I hope you're enjoying that!" Gaven barks sarcastically.

The purple dragon smiles staring at all the food in front of the both of them.

"And it looks like I will be enjoying a lot more too!" Spyro retorts with pure pride in his moment of juvenile victory.

The young dragon lowers down, once again, and aggressively tares a large chunk from his steak.

Gaven suddenly smiles as Spyro tries to chew the oversize amount of food he put in his mouth.

"I wonder...Does that taste better than an assassin's hand?" Gaven bellows, and Spyro quickly spits out the piece of meat in his mouth, then violently gags.

"Come on man..." The young dragon barks as he begins to feel nauseous, remembering the taste of the rancid hand of the Dark Master's assassin "...You know I couldn't get that disgusting taste out of my mouth for weeks, and I still think I have hair stuck in my teeth."

Gaven starts chuckling as Spyro pushes his plate away and gets down off the high stool built for a dragon to eat at a table.

The purple dragon quickly walks away, trying not to upset his friend with his choking noises.

As he watches the young dragon fruitlessly try to spit hair out of his mouth and wipe his tongue off with his paw, something Spyro did for weeks after his fight with the whip wielding assassin, Gaven snickers again. The Portal Master happily fills his plate with food, and enjoys 'his' little victory, however, after finishing his first mouthful, Gaven looks at his new friend who is, for some reason, smiling again.

He becomes quite upset with his manors during Spyro's first four-year stint .

"That stupid order my brother gave..." He mutters to himself. "...Don't talk to him!"

The Portal Master once again loses his appetite, and pushes his plate away.

"Ignitus was right...he is a very special dragon, and I should have found that out a long time ago."

"I am so very sorry...Spyro.." Gaven quietly remarks, looking down.

The purple dragon returns a startled gaze to his friend, thinking he is apologizing for a good joke, until Gaven opens his eyes. Spyro can see real sorrow.

"...What a waste of time your first trip was!..." He says recalling a time in the young Skylander's life that must have left one hell of a bitter taste in the young dragon's mouth, far worse than any assassin's hand.

"I am honored that you came back, and have fought these last three months without reminding me once...of what a jerk I was.." Gaven remarks with seriousness, but then a smile slowly crosses his features. "...and I must admit to you...this has been the most fun I've had in centuries."

Spyro wells up with pride, but at the same time there is a deep yearning inside the young dragon. A depression in his heart for losing another chunk of time with the love of his life, not to mention the fact they only wed two weeks before he left.

That depression finds its way to his response.

"I would say the same, but I still don't want to be here." Spyro replies as he hoists himself back upon his dragon's stool. "I barely spent anytime with my wife, waiting for Ignitus to return...and now I'm gone for three more months again."

Gaven lowers his head, giving a deep sigh, and the purple dragon realizes he's making his friend feel bad. Spyro's voice softens with a more gentle tone as a smile returns to his face, knowing he is going home tomorrow.

"However...you are right, Gaven..." He remarks, raising the old giant's head and his spirits seeing a big smile on Spyro's muzzle. "...it has been more enjoyable this time around, and I will miss our conversations."

The hero of Avalar has had a much better tour with the Skylanders this time around, and has led many fierce battles against the Dark Master's minions. His incredible strength and skills have held the powerful master of evil at bay. So much so, that not a single attack has been made by him in the past month.

Both Portal Master and the newly promoted General stare at each other with grateful smiles.

"As will I, Friend...As will I!" Gaven remarks, staring at the stoic dragon in is blue & white armor, the Skylander colors of his home world Avalar. The Portal Master recalls the mission that Spyro accomplished to gain him such a grand promotion.

"I can't believe how fast you took down that fortress." Gaven barks with pride "The Dark Master had nowhere to go, but back to his hell where he came from!"

"Yeah...they were not expecting us to attack their base, I'm sure! But I figured it was the fastest way to end this!" Spyro replies with a smugness in his voice, but then lowers his head feeling a little guilty. "I kind feel bad though..."

Spyro looks up at his friend with deep regret.

"I put everyone in jeopardy, and got a promotion for destroying my enemy, Gaven." The young General somberly tells his superior, and lowers his head with guilt. "I only did that so I could get home quicker...so I could get back to Cynder!"

Gaven suddenly becomes quiet.

Spyro raises his head after a few seconds to see why his friend has become silent...wondering if Gaven is angry at him for such a selfish act. However, a look of anxiousness is on the Portal Master's face, and Spyro is a bit befuddled.

'What is it, Gaven?" The purple dragon asks, and Gaven becomes even more anxious. He fumbles his words trying to keep a rather big secret from his friend, knowing just how enraged he might become.

"About...going home...ahhh...I need to tell you...something!"

"I'M NOT STAYING!" Spyro barks as he now stands with his front paws on the table with an angry stare, and quickly Gaven answer that question with no falter in his words.

"NO... NO...Spyro you ARE going home tomorrow...I Promise!"

Then the stammering returns in his next sentence.

"It's...ummm...Cynder!" He yelps with nervousness, and Spyro's attitude flips from rage to fear in half-a-heartbeat.

"She's ahhh..." Gaven pauses thinking of how to phrase what he wants to say, and Spyro becomes more and more restless. The young husband is hanging on every word from Gaven's mouth, but now it appears to not be working.

"SHE'S WHAT?" The anxious dragon yelps with concern... "IS CYNDER OK?"

Before Gaven can answer his terrified friend. A voice comes over the intercom.

"Sir! You have an encrypted message from the Guardian"

Gaven's attention is quickly taken by a terrible thought...he rises from his chair and makes his way to the door.

Spyro still reeling from the cryptic way Gaven is talking about Cynder, follows his friend to the door...standing in front of it so he can not leave.

"WHAT IS GOING ON WITH MY WIFE!" Spyro barks with anger.

Gaven lowers down on a knee, and places his hand upon the dragon's helmet. The Portal Master stares into his friend's eyes with a solid gaze.

"You will see when you get home, Spyro...Trust me, she is just fine, but I must find out about this message...General, Please!"

Hearing the seriousness in his voice and believing his word, Spyro moves out of the way allowing Gaven to walk out. The purple dragon follows his friend to find out what has spooked him so badly.

The old Portal Master & new General proceed down the hallway where 2 maintenance workers are buffing another burn mark off the floor. Gaven decides to make another joke to relieve the heightened tension between he and Spyro.

"I'm going to start charging that blue idiot every time he burns my floor."

Spyro laughs for a second but then looks up at his friend with curiosity . His voice becomes serious as he changes the subject from Cynder and Sonic.

"Who is the Guardian?" Spyro asks with puzzlement.

"He is my brother..." Gaven stops just before the door as it opens wide. Spyro halts along side and looks up as the Portal master's eyes focus upon him. The purple dragon can see an odd look of indecision in the gaze of his good friend, as Gaven continues

"He is also the one who ordered me not to talk to you the first time you came."

Spyro is in shock at what he just heard and wants an answer. The dragon rears up on his hind legs leaning his front paws on Gaven's side. As Spyro brings his purple eyes closer to Gaven, the Portal Master can see the anger filling them. "Why did he give you that order?"

"I wish I knew."

Gaven's eyes show Spyro the same outrage as he has no answer himself, and the young dragon can hear the conflict in his friend's voice.

The Portal Master begins walking to his desk and Spyro drops back down on four paws as Gaven moves off. The Purple Dragon slowly follows his friend inside, as Gaven sits at his desk. He reads the message his brother sent and loses his temper, startling Spyro

"NO...*bleep* IT!" he yells "I needed him for this mission."

Spyro is quickly yanked out of his personal feelings. He can hear the tension in The Skylander Leader

"What's the matter.?" The purple dragon asks.

"My brother is the matter." Gaven barks while skimming through the rest of his message aloud. "It appears the idiot went to help a group of people who called on him...Even though I ordered him not to go anywhere TODAY. When he got there it was a trap... He took care of the problem and only now is he on his way back."

"So what's the big deal...That doesn't sound like a problem." Spyro sarcastically retorts.

"The problem is... He's not going to make it back to take care of a time sensitive issue." The Portal Master's voice is fairly agitated as he holds up an old brass key.

"I need this key placed in a lock at a certain time to open a portal that has been closed for 500 years." Gaven continues with more anger in his voice. "If he doesn't make it back it will be another 500 years before we can open it again. There is an incredibly strong dragon behind that door, and he is only going to get stronger as time passes. We dare not let it age another 500 years, or he could become too much for even my brother to handle."

Spyro looks down for a second to think, then blurts out exactly what Gaven was expecting to hear from the Purple Hero.

"What about me?" Spyro bluntly asks, and the Portal Master hastily snaps back his answer

"NO WAY!"

"I can use the key to open the portal, then get out of there fast." Spyro replies "Your brother can take care of him later."

Gaven becomes angry as he begins crunching numbers on his computer. "It doesn't work that way..." the Skylander Leader remarks. "If no one is there to stop him. He will go anywhere he wants, and that would be devastating."

Suddenly he slams his hand down on the steel desk in front of him, and Spyro jumps. "*bleep* him, He is not going to make it...He's going to miss it by an hour...500 years because of 1 hour."

"Let me go." Spyro says with total confidence in his words. His purple eyes never blink or break focus, and Gaven can see and hear his resolve. "I can hold out for one hour. Then send your brother to help."

"You won't last an hour with this foe!" Gaven sorrowfully retorts.

"You have no one else around to get there in time." Spyro barks back. "I have to go"

"Absolutely NOT!" Gaven denies and Spyro can once again see that look of anxiety return to his friend's face.

"WHY?" Spyro asks.

"I do not need to explain my orders to you General!" The portal Master replies with anger. His voice begins stammering as before "I will not...let yourself get killed...Not now."

"What is the difference between now and before." Spyro fires back, the young dragon places his front paws on Gaven's desk looking deep into his eyes. "I have laid my life on the line countless times in the past months, and that has never been an issue...Why all of a sudden now."

Gaven's voice falls off and becomes much more somber. "Because...I would not be able to look Cynder the eyes if anything happened to you."

Spyro smiles at his friend...hearing a genuine worry for his wife's emotional well-being, however, the purple hero knows his duty, and so does his wife.

"Cynder will understand." Spyro says with confidence . "She knows if I die, It was to protect her and the people I care..."

"CYNDER IS PREGNANT!" Gaven bellows, stopping his purple friend mid-sentence.

An uncomfortable silence fills the room as Spyro's jaw drops to the ground. He does a double take...then a triple take. The young dragon can not believe what he just heard, and remains speechless for several more moments...Then looks at his friend...angrily.

"Cynder is WHAT?" Spyro growls with a deep aggravated voice. "It's been 3 months...why am I just hearing this now...HOW LONG HAVE YOU KNOWN?"

"Two months!" Gaven replies with an even softer voice that is barely audible, however his words hit Spyro like a resonating yell.

"TWO MONTHS!" the purple dragon yelps...his scales begin to pulse in a darker color, as if he is about to change to his dark state. "She told you...but not me...*bleep* Her!"

"Easy Spyro..." The Portal Master tells his friend to stop his rant "...it was not HER fault...Cynder contacted ME. She told me the news the day after she found out, and asked if you could come home."

The Portal Master see his friend's anger...focus on him. He looks down ashamed of what he has done to Spyro once more.

"I told her I still needed you here and begged her not to tell you. This is my fault, not hers, but I needed your head here...not thinking about what's going on at home."

The portal Master raises his head back up to look Spyro in the eye. "I'm sorry Spyro, but I had no choice. The Dark Master is COMING."

Another long silent pause fills the room. Gaven can hear the pounding of his heart, and the deep angered breaths coming from Spyro's flared nostrils. However after a moment, the rage in Spyro's eyes subsides and he lowers his head down and with an accepting tone in his voice, softly replies

"I understand!"

"You do!" Gaven blurts with shock.

Spyro looks up at his friend with a forced smile.

"Of course I do" Spyro says with confidence. "I know you needed my help!"

"You, sometimes, can completely amaze me, young dragon!" Gaven retorts with a smile, and looks at the control panel on his left.

However, when he returns his eyes forward...they are startled to see Spyro standing on his desk. The young dragon is directly in front of the Portal Master, throwing a punch. It is not violently thrown, but still sends a message.

Gaven is blasted back into his chair and he grasps his nose in pain.

"That is for making my wife lie to me this whole time." Spyro barks with an attitude.

"OK..." Gaven replies with a very nasally sound to his voice. "I deserved that."

As the uncomfortable silence returns to the room, the young dragon returns to the floor.

Spyro turns and stares at his friend with a deep feeling of disappointment.

"Open a communication link to my house, Gaven." The purple dragon barks at his superior. "I must speak with my wife."

"Yes...of course." The Portal Master responds hastily, and is even quicker with patching the call through. Gaven taps on the controls for the view screen, and it comes down along the far wall.

After a moment, Cynder's voice crackles through the speakers of the communications system.

"Spyro...is that you?"

Static is all that is visible, and it is at this moment, Spyro realizes why Cynder told him she accidentally broke the viewer. A clever way to hide her increase in size, but now all Spyro wants is to see his wife with child.

"Cynder...Can you please turn on the view screen!" He asks softly, and Spyro can hear his wife gasp in the background.

"I...I haven't had Mason out here to fix it..."

"I want to see you...Cynder!" Spyro says louder, cutting her off mid-excuse.

"I want to see...my pregnant wife!"

Dead silence fills the air for what seems like hours, then comes the sound of laboring paws shuffling on a stone floor.

The static filled screen before Spyro flickers as Cynder presses the button to turn the viewer on, She appears on the view screen, standing before the large communication system in the living room. Tears slowly trickle from the dark dragoness' green eyes, as she notices the expression on Spyro's face. He is seeing his wife's very pronounced belly for the first time.

His purple eyes show shock, but his features still show anger.

"I'm so sorry I didn't tell you Spyro. Please don't be mad at me!" Cynder cries.

He pauses for a moment looking down, but as he returns his head up to face his wife...a giant smile crosses his muzzle.

"Mad...How in the world could I be mad..." Spyro yelps with excitement, so much so that his tail starts wagging uncontrollably "I am the happiest dragon alive...Look at you...Your pregnant...I'm going to be a father."

Spyro stops talking with a quick smack in the face from reality and repeats his last line.

"I'm gonna be a...Father"

He gazes at Cynder with the most grateful eyes he has ever shown. "How can I possibly be mad at you for that!"

Cynder still lowers her head, even after a Spyro's reassuring words.

"I lied to you." She replies somberly. "I should have said something...I didn't want you to find out this way."

"I know you wanted to tell me, Cynder..." Spyro looks over at Gaven once again with anger in his face, and the Portal Master lowers his head with shame. The purple dragon returns his attention to his wife..the sneer he gave Gaven no longer shown. Only a genuine look of want.

"It was not your fault... somebody here wouldn't let you tell me..." Spyro lowers his head, knowing what he would have done if he found out earlier. He looks at Gaven with a bit of a grin, and then back to his wife. "...and...it was probably smart that he didn't ell me!"

Cynder finally shows Spyro her intoxicating smile, and the content dragon gazes at his pregnant wife for a while.

However, after his moment of pride, Spyro's tail stops wagging abruptly and his eyes become distant. The young dragon lowers his head with a selfish depression for his feelings of duty.

There is now an even BIGGER reason for him to go home, and not take such a risk with his life on a near impossible mission.

This time though, it is not a feeling of duty but more a primal instinct that is driving Spyro. The blood coursing through his veins is practically yelling at him to fight this creature. It is a massive threat to all he cares about, and the one plus one he loves.

"There's a problem Cynder!" Spyro quietly says, and the pregnant dragon's emotions flip like a coin, hearing the seriousness in his voice.

"What is the problem?' She asks with her own primal instinct...that of fear.

"I need your permission...to go on a very dangerous mission..." The purple dragon tells his wife without fear. "Gaven has forbidden me to go, and that is how I found out."

"I cannot let him do this Cynder." The Portal Master cuts in sternly, startling both dragons.

He walks over to the view screen himself, standing beside Spyro. "I promised you he would come home safe." Gaven looks down at his strongest Skylander warrior, and shakes his head. "Where he wants to go...I may not be able to keep that promise."

Cynder is visibly shaken by his comment, and Spyro turns to him with anger.

"Gaven...be quiet!" Spyro barks

"NO" The Portal Master retorts "I will not...I am still your superior, she is still a Skylander herself, and I want her to understand that you have no chance to defeat this creature."

Spyro gets angrier as he watches his wife's expression change from Gaven's notice. The purple dragon turns his eyes up to his giant friend.

"I DON'T HAVE TO BEAT HIM!" Spyro growls.

The angry dragon pauses for a second then he returns his attention to his wife. His voice is less harsh and more comforting to her.

"I don't have to defeat him, honey. I only have to delay him."

"For an hour!" Gaven retorts again, and Spyro snaps.

"WILL YOU SHUT THE FFFFFF..." The purple dragon hollers as he jumps his front paws up on to the Portal Master's chest.

However, he quickly calms himself, seeing the upset look in Gaven's eyes, knowing he is only doing this to help him.

Spyro lowers down to the ground, and looks at his wife. He can tell Cynder is going to say no.

"Gaven" Spyro remarks sternly, while looking directly at his wife. "Is there anyone else who could get here in time?"

The Portal master lowers his head, knowing where the smart dragon is leading him.

"NO!" He bellows with disgust

Spyro continues to stare into Cynder's deep green eyes.

"And what would happen if no one was there, Master Gaven!" He barks with a more aggressive tone.

Gaven says nothing

After a moment without an answer, Spyro turns his head to his friend and commanding officer.

"WELL, Sir..." The purple & gold dragon barks sarcastically "As a Skylander...shouldn't she know!"

Gaven sighs deeply...and looks at the pure resolve in Spyro's eyes.

"And so should you Spyro..." The Portal Master replies with a quiet but solid tone, and the young dragon becomes puzzled.

"...He would remain there, getting much stronger, for another five-hundred years...MAYBE!"

"Maybe..." Spyro asks with curiosity "...What does that mean Gaven?"

"If he gets too strong...he would be able to break through the gate at any time!" Gaven exclaims, his voice uneasy and panicked

"We would not know he was loose until it is too late, and would destroy many worlds before we could catch up with him..."

Gaven then stares through the young dragon, sending a sense of seriousness in his next words.

"Considering the origins of this beast...The Dragon Realms would most likely be his first target...Avalar would be in grave danger!"

Spyro takes a deep breath and looks at his wife. He is now ready to disobey Cynder and go with or without permission.

However, the look in her reassuring eyes sends a chill down his spine. She knows he has to go, and nothing she can say will stop him, so better to give her unwavering support.

"You have my permission..." Cynder gasps with a great effort. The young dragoness tries to tell her husband something else, but becomes so choked up that the words do not come easy, though they are usually the easiest to say.

She does not want to cry in front of Spyro, but is helpless to stop the flow of tears, and not wanting him to see her so upset before a mission, Cynder reaches up and turns off the camera.

Spyro stares at the same blank screen he has looked at for the last two months when he has talk to her, and Cynder finaly gets the strength to say what she must.

"I love you!" He hears though her sobbing, believing deep in her heart it may be the last time she says this simple but important three word phrase.

Spyro begins crying as well, feeling the same emotion, and understanding how she couldn't say that to him face to face.

"I love you too!" He replies through his tears, but then settles himself.

He must comfort his wife with the strength of his words, so Spyro holds his emotion the best he can.

"I promise you Cynder...I will be home tomorrow." He says with great conviction. Spyro can hear her breathe a little easier, and smiles knowing that Cynder will be alright. The young dragon turns off his view screen and allows his emotion to return.

He holds his paw up to hide his tear covered face, then slowly composes himself.

Spyro wipes his eyes with the same paw as he returns it to the floor, and flips around to face Gaven.

"NOW...Give me the Key and let's do this."

"Very well!" The Portal Master replies and walks back to his station. He grasps an old key from his desk and tosses it to the young dragon.

"Remember Spyro my brother is an hour away...so pace yourself..." Gaven barks, while staring at his controls to open a portal.

Then he looks up at the purple dragon and with a stern tone, tells him "Please, Friend! Be careful...You are no match for this evil dragon's power!"

"Thanks for the confidence boost." Spyro replies with sarcasm. The young dragon smiles for a second, then lowers his head.

"I will not fail!" His voice becomes more stern and Spyro show his friend with the same look he has before every mission...that of confidence and strength.

"I CAN NOT FAIL!" Spyro yells with even more conviction in his words. "Cynder and my Child are depending on me!"

A swirl of energy begins forming before the purple dragon.

"You have 10 minutes to get that key there Spyro, DO NOT OPEN IT EARLY!" The Portal Master exclaims "Those extra seconds could be the difference between life and death. When my brother arrives...GET OUT OF THERE."

Spyro smiles once more at his friend to show he is understands and is calm.

"I will see you in an hour, my friend!" Spyro replies as he steps towards the portal.

"Wait!" Gaven barks, and the purple dragons stops one step from leaving, turning his attention back to his commander.

"No you won't..." The Portal Master remarks with a smile, and Spyro becomes puzzled.

"...tap the green button twice, on your communicator, then press both red buttons." Gaven says with a larger smile.

"I programmed it to open a portal...directly to your home..." Gaven pauses knowing it will be a while before his best fighter will be returning, and a look of pure gratitude befalls the great Skylander Portal Master. "Thank you Spyro, and again I am sorry...Give Cynder my best and God Speed!"

The purple dragon holds his head up with pride, and returns the same grateful gaze.

Even though his friend kept a very important secret from him, like his wife's pregnancy, Spyro still learned a great deal from his vast knowledge this time around.

He also made a new best friend.

"You don't need to apologize...I really did understand, and I am not angry with you!" Spyro replies, and turns to his friend with a reassuring smile. "Thank YOU Master Gaven...It's been a real experience, and a good one at that!"

Gaven bows his head with great respect & admiration as Spyro disappears into the portal.

The1upguy · Jan 25, 2013 4:51 PM

Chapter Six: The Dragon of Hell's Gate

In a deep confining cavern, lit up by countless fires that pulse from the ground, a small disk of energy forms. The right front paw of the fearless Skylander breaches the swirl of energy, and sets down upon the scorched rock of this hellish place.

Spyro immediately looks at his surroundings, and though many fires burns around him...it is still very hard to see because of the darkness. The purple dragon looks up to the sky, trying to determine where in the galaxy he has been sent, but he is startled, seeing no stars...no moon...just a vast black emptiness. However, the darkness works in his favor, as his eyes catch the gleam of a bright light further down the trench. It is the only thing apparent to the young dragon, with the exception of a whistling noise. Spyro has no clue where that is coming from, only that is annoying...and getting louder.

The young dragon begins heading in the direction of the bright light with a bit of haste.

"10 minutes to get somewhere...and I don't even know where that somewhere is!" Spyro yelps to himself. His wings begin flapping heavily to increase his speed, and the flying dragon starts blazing through the deep canyon towards the brightness in the distance.

"I thought he was going to place me in front of the *bleep* lock..." Spyro barks louder and more angered. He can feel the seconds ticking away in his head, and is not sure he is going the right way. However, that is not what is bothering him.

It's the noise.

The whistling sound is now almost unbearable to the ears of the flying dragon, so much so, that he raises his front paws to cover them in flight.

It is at this moment Spyro realizes that he is heading the right way. From his vast experience through-out his life...he has come to know one universal truth.

"If the path is getting harder to follow, then you must be heading in the right direction."

Suddenly, all 5 of the purple dragon's senses are rocked to the core, as he rounds a sharp bend in the canyon.

His eyes befall a golden gate of blinding energy, so bright that it forces Spyro to the ground.

The feeling of a power that is not of this world begins creeping under the scales of the young dragon, and the bitter taste of adrenaline fills his mouth. The smell of sulfur and smoke, that was overwhelming when he arrived, is now blanketed behind a strong stench of death.

However, it is still the incredible piercing noise that is now consuming Spyro.

The young dragon places the key in his mouth, recovers his ears with his front paws, and slowly makes his way to the large ornate doorway. A giant lock with a massive ruby in the center, holds this gate shut tight. The red gem stone has a small hole in its center, and is not quite lined up with the keyhole of the lock. It is this Ruby that keeps the door from being open for 500 years. Only when the stone and lock line up perfectly can the key be placed and turned. Spyro watches intently as the ruby clicks over one notch. He removes his paw from his ear and grabs the key dangling from his jaw, however he is overwhelmed by the noise again...which has now become much louder.

The purple dragon collapses to his knees from the pain of the piercing whistle. Flashes of bright light fill his eyes with the intense white noise.

Spyro desperately slides the key into the gem, but it will not go into the lock yet...It is still not lined up.

"NO!" Spyro barks with pain. "I can't...take this...much longer!"

The young dragon releases the key and covers his ears again...trying to stop the noise from pouring in, but at this point it is no use.

The sound echos in the canyon, penetrating his paws, and pulsing in his head. Spyro falls to his stomach, unable to move from the paralyzing noise. His head constantly spinning from the resonating pulses of sound.

After several pain-filled moments, the Ruby lock clicks into place, and the whistling intensifies once more. The ground begins to shake from the reverberation of the noise in its most powerful form. A deterrent to keep anyone from opening this gateway.

Spyro shutters from the tip of his snout down to the gold scale on his tail. The incredible noise is almost inaudible from being so loud, but the pulsing in his head has gotten worse. The purple dragon begins to fade out of consciousness, but his eyes focus at the last moment on the key still sticking from the gem encrusted lock. Spyro can see he must get to it now.

The young dragon uncovers his ears, and starts slowly pulling himself up the gate to the lock, and though it is only 3 feet above him, it seems miles away.

Spyro struggles to lift his weight, continually hoisting himself higher, but it is a fight to resist collapsing from the intense sound. The purple dragon knows he can not stop and that his time is running out, but his grip begins to fail and his paws start slipping. He knows if he falls now, he will not make it back up before the ruby dias moves, and 500 more years of waiting.

The purple dragon digs his talons into the gold bars of the large gate.

"Please..." He yelps out-loud, and reaches up with the last bit of strength he has.

His right paw grasps the brass key...slamming it into place, and Spyro turns it as he falls to the ground unconscious.

The young dragon lays motionless before the large gate, but is suddenly awoken by the odd feeling of his strength quickly returning to his body.

Spyro opens his eyes with relief, noticing the intense noise has mercifully stopped.

The young dragon slowly turns his heads to the doorway, and a bit of puzzlement befalls him.

The gate is still closed.

"Oh no...Why is nothing happening? Was I too late in turning the key." Spyro barks with fear. The young dragon stands up easily and stares at the lock.

"It looks like it's turned..." Spyro says to himself, while scratching his head between his horns. "What the hell..."

The purple dragon is quickly taken from his thought as the sound of large mechanical devices spring into action. The Large Ruby turns counter-clockwise and begins recessing into the lock.

A smile begins to highlight Spyro's muzzle, hearing the gate come to life...However, that smile is short-lived. The young General is caught completely off guard as the doors swing out violently.

Spyro leaps away, but is still impacted by the massive gate as it springs open. He is catapulted backward into the air, flipping head over tail several times before slamming to the ground on his gold chest.

Spyro rubs his gut and muzzle from the pain of being hit by the gate...then the ground. The young dragon shakes his head trying to wake-up his sense. His purple eyes finally pull back into focus as he turns his attention back to the gate, and a genuine look of fear befalls the young dragon.

3 giant black talons attached to a massive dragon's paw, sit directly in front of his face. Spyro hops up to his feet and slowly begins to back-pedal.

The small hero, his eyes filled with horror, gaze up the massive front leg of the creature before him.

"By The Ancestors!" Spyro barks with pure shock.

The young General has seen many dragons since he defeated Malefor over 5 years ago, and thus far, none have come close to the 1st purple dragon's immensity. However, Spyro now looks up at a dragon the size of which he has never seen...easily 10 times larger than Malefor.

An enormous black dragon with a dark red chest and wings now stands before him. The massive 40 foot creature, lowers his head down to the small dragon, and a slight smile crosses his muzzle.

Spyro readies himself to run at a moments notice...seeing the sheer size of this beast, The purple dragon fully realizes now that Gaven was right...he doesn't stand a chance against this foe head to head.

"What in the name of the Ancestor's have you gotten yourself into now Spyro..." He thinks, watching the dragon turn his attention down to him.

The large beast's red eyes burn through the young General as he lowers his head further, almost nose to nose with Spyro. His narrow black muzzle opens showing the massive teeth that line his jaw, and Spyro freezes with the pure fear of being dinner.

However, the purple dragon is shocked when a voice bellows from the open mouth before him.

"Thank You for releasing me!" The massive dragon barks, and Spyro is completely baffled. The large beast pulls his head back up and checks his surroundings. A look of relief fills his giant face, and he returns his attention to the small purple dragon standing before him.

"It is a great day, little dragon...Finally my return is at hand!" He bellows proudly to the young hero, and Spyro just continues to stare at him with awe. "I will have my revenge upon the Guardians of Avalar and all that stand in my way...Including that backstabbing *bleep*...Malefor!"

The large dragon turns his head down to Spyro and suddenly it hits him. The little dragon standing before him is purple & gold...just like Malefor. The massive beast quickly becomes angered believing Spyro is a direct descendant of the one that had a hand in locking him away.

However, before the large creature can lift his huge paw to crush the purple & gold dragon...

"Malefor?" Spyro yelps...shocked this dragon thinks he is here to help...but also that he knows of Malefor. The young General quickly decides to let his 'new friend' in on the news.

"Malefor is dead!...I killed him several years ago!"

The large black & red dragon stops his paw from lifting up, and returns a stern gaze at Spyro. He lowers his head down again...this time much quicker, and the purple dragon holds his paws firm.

"You killed Malefor!" He barks in Spyro's face then turns his head slightly to stare the young dragon keenly with his left eye.

Spyro never flinches or misses a breath...a smug grin crosses his muzzle as he nods his head yes.

"Why?" The large dragon asks with puzzlement "You look like his descendant...why would I believe you killed him!"

The young General can see the intrigue fill the red eye that is staring at him, and a great idea fills his head as he thinks to himself

"Why fight if you don't have to...you just need to stall...PLAY ALONG."

Spyro sits on his hind quarters, and folds his forepaws in front of his gold chest as he leans back.

"He became very greedy with his power, and he was the one holding the key." Spyro replies, and a smile crosses his face. He can see the large dragon begin to lay down and listen to his rescuer.

The young hero begins using one of his best weapons in a battle...HIS MOUTH. "I don't know why I did it...but something inside drove me to kill him...then led me here!... "

The purple dragon tells a new tale of Malefor's destruction, leaving out many truths and specifics, like fighting alongside the Guardians of Avalar. A very smart omission if you ask me.

For nearly 15 minutes, Spyro uses his gift of gab, to keep the massive dragon occupied. However, a story can only be told for so long.

The black & red dragon returns to his feet and looks down at Spyro with a grateful smile.

"I applaud your tenacity and thank you once more for releasing me, but it is time to go, now." His deep voice beckons, and the tall creatures peers down the long trench in which Spyro initially came.

"Go where?" The young hero retorts...acting dumb.

"To Avalar...Where I will finally end the Guardian's reign, and retake my rule over the dragon race!" The large beast returns his attention to Spyro. "I could use a powerful whelpling such as yourself...with your help nothing would stand in MY way."

Spyro smiles at his new 'friend' and nonchalantly replies.

"I'm sorry...Master...but that is not going to happen!"

The large dragon is startled and stares at the much smaller Spyro.

"What do you mean by that?" He barks with anger.

Spyro drops down to his four paws and lowers his head.

I'm sorry...but I didn't come here to release you...so I could help you...!" He says softly, and the large dragon becomes confused. He can hear a bit of sadness in his rescuers voice.

The massive beast lowers his head down to Spyro.

"Why did you release me?" He asks.

Spyro smiles and returns a stern gaze to his foe who is now face to face with him again.

"So I could KILL you!"

Before the words can register in the large dragon's brain. Spyro rips his tail across the bridge of the black dragon's snout..then quickly leaps into the air.

The black & red dragon is startled by the impact across his nose, and with his weight leaning forward, the large dragon falls face first into the ground. on his chin grasping the bridge of his muzzle with both front paws.

While his foe is still stunned, Spyro opens his mouth and releases a barrage of ice missiles, lacing the red & black dragon from head to tail with sharp rock-hard projectiles of frozen water. Spyro continues to release thousands of these long icicles that slam against the scales of the his foe covering him with a thick blanket.

After a minute of constant ice flow, the young dragon ceases his magical breath, and hovers over the downed dragon...waiting for any response to his attack.

The is no sound for a few seconds, but Spyro does not relax. He is not going to let his guard down against this creature, like he did against that giant back on Avalar.

Suddenly, the sounds of cracking ice and ANGER, begin to fill the air. The red & black dragon easily breaks out of his icy tomb and stares at Spyro with rage in his eyes.

"HOW DARE YOU ATTACK ME, LITTLE DRAGON!" He yelps, then swats his left front paw at the hovering purple dragon.

Spyro alertly dodges the massive paw, and quickly takes off down the trench. The black dragon opens his enormous red wings and gives chase.

The young General swoops down, low to the ground, picking up more speed to get away. However, Spyro is stunned when he looks over his shoulder and notices the larger dragon is overtaking him quite easily. Spyro is stupefied..he thought he would definitely have the speed advantage, but that appears not to be the case.

The young dragon watches in horror as a plume of fire begins building up in the dragon's huge black muzzle. Spyro can feel the searing heat, and banks hard to the left as a massive blast of intense flame is shot down from sky above.

Spyro hits the side of the trench wall with his paws, and catapults himself down to the ground, avoiding another blast of insane heat. He runs across the ground to the far wall...then stops dead in his tracks once more as another plume of fire lands inches in front of him.

Under the cover of smoke and fire, The young General turns 180 degrees and takes off flying in the other direction. He looks behind and notices the large dragon may be fast but is certainly not agile as he makes a wide turn to follow.

A smile fills Spyro's face as he knows now what his new strategy is. A very dangerous game of 'Catch Me If You Can'

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Meanwhile, in a distant place, the eyes of a very dark creature observe this fight with great anticipation. Watching this cat and mouse game through a portal, his sinister plan appears to be working perfectly

"That's right...use all of your strength and magic!...Make it easier for me!" The voice bellows creepily. His pupils narrow like a hawk's, gazing at his target. "Soon, Spyro...I can almost taste it...I will once more control the power of the purple dragon."

His smile increasing as Spyro uses more and more energy, waiting for his most opportune time to strike.

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It has been nearly half an hour since Spyro dropped his bombshell of a lie, and his tail, on the large dragon. He has easily stayed out of the reach of his foe with his agility, however, the purple dragon is now showing signs of fatigue. Spyro has had to resort to magic attacks to block his opponents view, just to allow him extra time to get away.

"I can't keep this up much longer." Spyro barks to himself. He can tell he is running very low on magic energy, and there is no chance of finding crystals, to regain his power, in this barren wasteland.

"Hurry...Guardian...Who ever you are!"

Spyro can feel the heat of his enemy on his tail again, but then it suddenly stops. He can hear the large dragon's wings thrust him away, and he turns to see him flying off.

"What the...!" Spyro barks, then notices a bright light in the distance. It is much like the glow he saw that led him to the gate, and that is the direction his enemy is now heading.

"OH NO!" He yelps.

The purple dragon takes off towards the light, realizing his foe may have just found the way out. Spyro flies as fast as he can, barely keeping up. He knows he has about 10 minutes before help arrives, but he now realizes he is out of time.

The young dragon must stall his foe anyway he can. However, catching him has now become a huge problem. The large dragon is much faster, and Spyro knows he has lost this fight with one quick mistake.

Desperate for any chance to continue this fight...the young dragon resorts to insulting his opponent.

"STOP..YOU COWARD!" Spyro yells and surprisingly the large dragon halts his flight.

The young General is startled as the massive black dragon looks back with anger...then lowers to the ground.

"Where do you think you're going?" Spyro barks with an attitude, as he lands between the massive dragon, and the lit area where the exit to the dragon realms awaits.

"I've grown tired of chasing you." The large dragon replies with no care to Spyro's aggressive posturing. "I have found the exit to this Hell, and I will be leaving now!"

"Why did you Stop then!" The purple dragon retorts with a bit of confusion.

A smile fills the dark features of the evil dragon, and he looks down at Spyro.

"You are a smug little whelpling...and I like that!" He replies arrogantly. "You have great power and the ability to use it well, but you do not posses the vast strength that I do...nonetheless, you could still prove to be a useful asset."

The black & red dragon looks over to the exit of this dark realm.

"So, I am giving you a choice...Live a life of royalty and be part of the new order..." The massive dragon barks, then returns his attention to Spyro. "...Or...I can crush you now...either way...I will be leaving this place..."

His black muzzle lowers down to Spyro and his eyes focus upon the young purple dragon.

"What is your answer?"

He watches Spyro's head lower in defeat, and his smile returns once more. He believes he has recruited a new apprentice.

However, Spyro did not lower his head in defeat, he is upset that he may have to lay his life down to stall for these last 10 minutes. A terrible choice for any expecting father, but if it will save his wife and unborn child, the young dragon will die willingly with no regrets.

"Very well!" Spyro answers somberly..then looks at his foe with a wry smirk.

He springs up with his hind legs and unloads a powerful uppercut into the giant dragon's exposed jaw. Spyro puts every ounce of his energy into the balled-up right paw he places precisely on the tip of his enemy's chin.

However, the proven warrior is rocked to his foundations, feeling the sting of his paw breaking on contact with the rock hard scales of this old dragon.

Spyro lands on the ground, and holds his busted right paw with his left. He looks up in terror to see the smile has never left his foe's face...nor did he move and inch.

Quickly, the purple dragon calls upon his earth skills, and blasts a solid granite boulder from his mouth. The stone slams into the same spot on the black dragon's muzzle and shatters...once again not phasing the evil creature in the least.

"Your elemental attacks are nothing...And your strength is pathetic!" The large dragon taunts, he raises his huge left front paw, and readies to strike. "I've changed my mind...You are not good enough to even serve me!"

He swats his massive paw down at Spyro, and alertly the young dragon leaps out-of-the-way.

Spyro rolls onto his stomach and uses all four legs to bound up at his foe once more. This time heading for a weaker spot...the softer scales of a dragon's chest plate. At the moment of impact...Spyro curls up and surrounds himself in a ball of rock.

The large dragon feels this powerful attack, and Spyro can hear the pain in his gasp. The General quickly drops to the ground and springs up again...slamming into the same spot.

However, Spyro realizes his huge mistake of using the same attack twice, as he drops down to the ground.

The large dragon moved his legs out the second time, allowing his huge body to follow Spyro down. The purple dragon is smothered into the hard rock floor under the incredible weight of the giant beast's red chest.

Spyro struggles to move, not budging an inch. The large dragon begins wriggling his chest into the ground, adding force and friction to Spyro's already stressed frame. The young dragon can feel his bones will begin to break under the incredible pressure if he doesn't do something. Spyro knows that he has no choice now, and begins building his last bit of energy up for one last elemental attack.

His electrical power...It is a devastating tool, however it spends magic fast. He has not used it yet knowing he had to conserve his energy. However, The Skylander feels one hour is almost up...help should be here soon. He has paced himself well enough, but now being this close to losing this mission, it is time to empty the tank.

Spyro lights his body up like a plasma ball, unleashing the rest of his magic in one long intense blast of electricity

The large dragon jumps to his feet...shuttering from the pure voltage coursing through his body. Spyro is able to stagger from under the large creature, and tries to quickly attack while his foe is stunned.

The purple dragon has no magic left in his body, and must resort to physical attacks. So he leaps once again driving his shoulder into the same spot on his enemy's chest.

With the sound of a loud crack, and the blood curdling scream of pain, Spyro knows...The third time was a charm...he did damage.

The large black and red dragon rears up on his hind legs, and grasps the long scale that spans the width of his chest.

Spyro can see blood seeping from under his black paw, and a smile crosses his face.

"Not so weak...am I" He bellows to himself, but then suddenly he sees it, the weakness he has created in his foe. A large split in one of the plate scales on the black dragon's red chest.

Seeing this, Spyro plays his final Trump Card, His Dark Energy. However, he knows he must kill this giant dragon now or HE will die. Using this power, without any magic in his body, will drain him so badly that Spyro would be rendered useless to do anything, but seeing his opportunity to end the fight himself, the young hero feels an overwhelming desire to achieve a victory never though possible.

The large dragon lowers to the ground, after his bout with intense pain, and is quickly startled at the change of Spyro's appearance. He was fighting a purple dragon, and a sure descendant of Malefor...Now he is Black, and could be confused as young descendant of himself.

However, Spyro's tenacity is apparent, as the dark dragon charges once more. He leaps into the air and drills the giant beast's muzzle with a tremendous punch from his left. Unlike before, where he broke his right paw, this time the punch is felt more by his foe than himself. Spyro quickly spins his body and smacks the same spot on his enemy's face with a fierce whip of his tail.

The Large dragon becomes angered, raising his right front paw to swat Spyro away. The young, but smart, General sees his opportunity, and waits for his opponent to swing. With his great speed in this dark state, Spyro knows he can quickly avoid any attack from this large creature.

As the large dragon thrusts his paw forward to strike, Spyro jets straight down to the ground. In a flash, the black & gold dragon bounds off the hard surface up into the lowering dragon's chest. Spyro drops his head and thrusts his wings back...propelling himself into the broken plate once more.

With the momentum of his swatting motion, and the speed Spyro is moving, the large dragon is once again sent reeling. The massive beast stumbles backward from the intense pain, and the force of Spyro's impact. He lands on his back and falls over to his right side.

Spyro becomes worried seeing his foe is still alive...he can feel his time running out on the over use of his body, and quickly glides down to his right to finish the job. The dark dragon lines up his flight to slam him once again. Spyro thrusts his wings back and picks up speed while his opponent is still rendered immobile from his pain.

However, at the last second his power fades completely, Spyro's color returns and the purple dragon falls to the ground unable to move a muscle. He tumbles violently with his momentum, rolling to a stop on his belly, alongside his intended target.

Both dragons lay motionless for a moment...until Spyro starts jostling around, and immediately tries to get to his feet. The young General knows his fight is over and must get away from this massive foe before it can regain its senses, but he is weak, and unable to rise to his feet. The young dragon is forced to drag his body to safety.

However, before Spyro can scoot even a foot away, the large left front paw of his enemy comes crashing down upon his back. Spyro yelps in pain and can feel the immense pressure of the massive dragon's weight being applied to his body, as it stands back up right.

The 3 large talons squeeze together around his purple frame, and Spyro eyes are forced shut from the crushing pain. He can feel himself being lifted off the ground and the young dragon tries to desperately break free.

It is pointless...Spyro has barely the strength to breath.

"I am tired of playing games with you little whelpling!" The Massive dragon barks at his right paw. He raises his clenched fist, with Spyro inside, up in the air...ready to slam the helpless purple dragon to the ground.

"Let see if you can survive, THIS!"

Suddenly, A portal opens-up by the massive dragon's face, and a fist of pure energy comes through it.

The powerful punch impacts the black dragon, snapping his head to the right with incredible force.

Staggered from the punch the large dragon is forced to regain his balance. He opens his right paw and lowers his leg back to the ground.

Spyro falls from 50 feet, bouncing hard against the rock floor. The young dragon shutters in pain, but realizes that he may have succeeded in his mission as his eyes reopen. A smile fills the purple muzzle of Spyro...seeing help has arrived.

A creature made of pure energy...swirling with a multitude of color...stands between the giant dragon and the severely injured purple hero.

A giant in his own right, roughly the same size as Gaven, this 'energy man' is still much smaller then the massive dragon before him, but that is not apparent in his speech.

"If you want him...You will have to go through ME!"

The huge beast becomes irate, and charges his new foe.

Spyro watches in shock as this incredible new fighter grabs the surging dragon's head and snaps its neck in one deft move.

The large beast is dead before it's body hits the ground.

"Are you OK Spyro?" The creature of pure energy bellows, and the young dragon is startled. He is still in awe of the power he just witnessed, and now is shocked that this guy actually knows his name.

"YES!...I think so..." He responds with a bit of confusion and a lot of strain in his voice. Spyro struggles to his feet never taking his eyes from this possible new threat. "...thank you...but who are you, and how do you know me?"

"I am the Guardian of the Universe...My brother sent me here to help you!" He replies and a huge breath of relief is expelled by the purple dragon. Spyro collapses back to the ground with exhaustion, but looks up at his rescuer with a smile.

"You are Gaven's brother?" He ask a bit sheepishly. "You're not exactly what I was expecting!"

"Neither are you!" The Guardian replies with his own sarcasm. "I was expecting someone much bigger than yourself!"

Spyro frowns at his new friend's joke, and now hears the family resemblance

"I was surprised when my brother told me you volunteered to fight against the Dragon of Hell's Gate". He bellows with some shock in his voice.

"The Dragon of Hell's Gate" Spyro barks with a bit of anger. "That's funny...your brother never called it that!"

The young General struggles to his feet again, walking over to the Guardian and his victim. Spyro looks at the large dead beast..then back to the man made of swirling colors of energy.

"I must have weakened him for you!" Spyro says with a chuckle

The Guardian looks down at the large smile on Spyro's muzzle, and is compelled to chuckle along with him.

"I can not believe you survived this long against him, Spyro! You are a remarkable dragon as I've heard...However..." The Guardian gives Spyro a dumb look, and his voice becomes very sarcastic. "I must say that to face a beast you had no chance of beating...You are either really brave...or really stupid."

"I would say STUPID this time!" Spyro yelps without pause. The pain in his body pronounced in his words.

"Are you going to be alright, young Skylander?" The Guardian asks with concern. He quickly becomes serious hearing the hurt in Spyro's voice. "Do you need me to help you to the Portal Station for medical attention!"

"NO!" Spyro snaps with haste, and looks at his friend with a smile. He is not going back to the Portal Station, and knows he's just a few taps on his wrist communicator away from being back home with his pregnant wife. "I think the first-aid I will be receiving when I get home will be all that I need, my friend!"

Spyro looks down at his paw to the embedded controls of his Skylander communicator. He taps the green button twice then both red buttons as instructed, and a portal appears a few feet away. Spyro smiles seeing his home in the swirl of energy.

He starts limping to the portal, and the Guardian notices how bad the purple dragon is hurt.

"Do you need a hand through, Spyro?" He asks and once again the young dragon is quick to respond in the negative.

"No thank you...I think I can make it"

"Spyro...You are injured and your wife is pregnant." The energy creature pleads. "I should go with you. I will guard your home until you are well enough to do so on your own."

"Thank you for that incredible offer, but I will be fine." Spyro replies once again, and the energy creature becomes a bit distressed. However, Spyro stops just before the portal, then turns back to his savior.

"However, If you would like to come for dinner. I think a home cooked meal is the least I can do for the one who saved my life."

The Guardian smiles realizing Spyro is saying yes to his help, but in a different way. He follows the limping dragon through the portal.

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Meanwhile, back at the underground portal station, Gaven notices Spyro's energy reappear across the galaxy in his home. He has been following the fight from his station, and though he was never able to physically see the fight, he was able to track both dragon's energies.

However, he also saw another large energy appear at the last moment, and was baffled by its presence. His brother had not returned to the station, so...

"How did he get there to help Spyro?" He asks himself. A deep fear fills his thoughts as the large power source follows Spyro to Avalar.

"Who is that?" Gaven asks himself again. "That can not be my brother!"

A thought that is immediately answered as the large door across from his desk opens wide, and two individuals he recognizes right away walk into the main room. A blue dragon that wears the amulet of TIME around his neck, and a giant man made of pure swirling energy. Ignitus & HIS BROTHER.

"OH MY GOD!" Gaven barks and begins working his controls faster than ever to open a portal. The swirl of energy begins to form as a loud alarm blares in the main room.

Both entrants to the room are startled by Gaven's response to their presence, and even more so by the piercing noise of the emergency beacon.

"What is going on!" The Guardian bellows seeing his brother working the controls of his station frantically. He speeds around to Gaven's desk and looks down at his monitor.

"Oh no!" They both say in unison, as they watch Spyro's life force...which was already dangerously low...drop to zero.

Gaven turns to his brother with shock on his face.

"I thought it was you brother!" He bellows, and The Guardian becomes confused, still not knowing what is going on.

"GAVEN!" The Energy man barks to startle his brother. "TELL ME WHAT IS GOING ON!"

The Portal Master quickly snaps out of his shock, and looks his brother dead in the eyes.

"A powerful creature showed up during the fight, and KILLED the Dragon of Hell's Gate in a matter of seconds..." Gaven retorts, and his brother immediately knows the only one who could have done that other than himself. A fear begins to fill his heart, but that fear is amplified when Gaven continues. "...That energy is now in The Valley of Avalar, Brother!"

Ignitus quickly jumps into the portal the moment he hears his friend is in danger.

However, before the Guardian could step towards the portal himself, Gaven grabs him by the arm and stares at him with great concern.

"Spyro is either dead or he is not himself, so be careful!" Gaven barks. "Hurry...I know now who that is and what he may be trying to do!"

"So do I, Brother!" The energy creature replies. The Guardian of the Universe walks slowly to the swirl of energy remembering countless years at war with the Dark Master's first purple puppet. He turns and looks at his brother with a great sadness..his voice somber at the thought of war starting with the dragon realms once again.

"If he does succeed at taking him, brother! We will have a much more difficult time keeping Spyro at bay...then we did with Malefor!"

The1upguy · Feb 13, 2013 12:52 PM

Chapter 7 Guess Who's Coming for Dinner?

A raging fire burns in the lowered pit area of Spyro & Cynder's home. A fire that has been burning for 3 months, or the length of time her husband has been away.

Cynder asked him to light it, and has kept it lit since the day he left. The young dragoness' way of having a piece of her husband at all times. His magic breath fills the room with a subtle light, but most of all, keeps his wife warm at night.

Now the pregnant dragoness just stares at this fire, crying, wondering about Spyro's well-being. An hour ago he told her he may be facing his death, and that has not left her mind.

Chills run down her spine thinking of a life without her purple hero. A life she knows only from her youth...a life she has tried so desperately to put behind her. Then the young dragoness looks down at her rounded stomach and rubs her belly with a gentle paw. Tears begin to flow again, as she is now crushed with the thought of her child growing up without a father. Her body quivers so badly with a cold depression, that even her husband's breath cannot warm her.

Cynder stares into the fire with her crystal green eyes...something she would never do, before she lived with Spyro. However, her husband loved to build fires, and would stare at them for hours.

Spyro, even being a purple dragon and in control of multiple elements, would always favor Fire. It intrigued the young dragon to watch the flames...as if the magic that came from his mouth had come to life in a dance of color and energy.

Cynder would lay beside her husband on occasion and watch the fire with him, not fully understanding why Spyro was taken by something so simple.

To her it was just a fire, nothing spectacular, but she would still enjoy the time beside him. Spyro would always be at his most relaxed state while watching the inferno.

However, one sleepless night, Cynder found out about her future husband's infatuation. She walked in to see Spyro, crying and talking to a raging fire, but did not disturb him.

"I miss you friend!" She heard him say, then he laid down and contentedly watched the fire until he fell asleep. She suddenly realized at that moment, it was his way of being with the lost Fire Guardian, and his great friend, Ignitus.

Now the pregnant dragon begins talking to the fire herself...hoping for any comfort from her husband.

"Please Spyro...You can't leave me alone..." Cynder bellows through her tears. "...not now!"

She looks down...seeing the roundness of her stomach, and is ready to breakdown again. She can not get away from the reminder of what may be.

Suddenly, a crackling noise from the fire, startles the dark dragoness. She quiets her mind, listening to the sounds of the inferno more intently.

Cynder can almost hear her husband, but it is not his voice, it is his heartbeat...the sound she always hears while lying beside him. She can almost feel the pounding rhythm that comforts her...The steady beat of the one that holds her tight when she is troubled, or pulses stronger in times of joy & passion.

Suddenly the black and red dragoness is startled by another sound, one that may have just been created in her mind. She again calms her movements and listens hard to the fire.

A smile fills Cynder's face and a deep comfort befalls her. She can hear the pure resolve of her powerful husband shouting back from the crackling fire.

"I promise you Cynder...I will be home tomorrow."

Maybe she hears it, or maybe it is just in her head, either way her emotions are swayed by the strength of his last words to her.

"No! You promised you would return...and I believe you" She tells herself, staring deep into the blaze...the rage of her husband dancing in the flames before her eyes. The young dragoness rubs her belly once more and smiles at the inferno "There is no way you will fail...not with so much at stake!"

The young dragoness gently lowers to the ground near the fire, and finally begins to relax. Cynder takes a deep calming breath and lays her head down

"I will see you tomorrow!" The young dragoness bellows proudly to the flames before her.

Cynder closes her eyes, and falls asleep to the flickering sound of Spyro's fire...a new found respect to the element he holds in the highest regard.

The pregnant dragon gets a good 15 second nap before a different type of crackling noise disturbs her. The black and red dragon turns her head towards the mouth of the cave and sees a swirl of energy begin forming just inside her home. Cynder gets to her paws quickly and into a defensive posture. Unsure of who is coming...she starts to power up her breath for a poisonous attack.

A fear fills her heart...this would not be the first time someone attacked her while Spyro was away. Several times, she had to defend herself in the city from unprovoked assaults. Luckily, Cynder had the speed to stay out of harms way, and retreat to those that would protect her. The Guardian's of Avalar.

Over the past 5 years, because of Cynder's ability to make peace, the young dragoness has found respect in New Warfang, however, there are still those very few unforgiving souls that would love to see her dead. Retribution for something horrible she did during her dark years under Malefor's control. The young dragoness would never fight back, understanding the pain of those who were angry with her.

These attacks have become less frequent, and she now has many friends in the city that walk with her...giving her peace of mind.

However, no one is around to help her, and Spyro told her he would be back tomorrow...so in her mind...she is ALONE

Seeing her only exit blocked by the swirling energy of a portal, the young dragoness panics. Even if she could run, being 3 months pregnant, there is no where for her to go.

Cynder digs her talons into the ground, as the portal in front her flickers with the energy of someone passing through. Her paws shake with nervous energy as her heart beats adrenaline through her body faster and faster. A green mist begins to seep from Cynder's open mouth, and her eyes focus squarely on her target.

As the intruder walks into the room, Cynder's eyes open wide. She freezes solid with the incredible shock, and relief, of who is standing before her.

"SPYRO!" She barks with surprise.

Overcome with so many joyful emotions, and after feeling so many of the opposite just moments before, Cynder forgets her muzzle is loaded with poison. She accidentally spews a ball of her green magic directly at her husband.

The small orb of poison lands at Spyro's front feet covering his chest, all four legs, and the lower half of his muzzle with a thick green ooze. The purple dragon's senses are blasted with the toxic odor, and he coughs from the immediate taste in his mouth. His eyes water from the nasty vapors and Spyro loses his balance.

However, before he starts to fall, the young dragon feels the secure grip of his wife's embrace. She lifts him up off his feet hugging him tighter and continually apologizing

The purple dragon is exhausted and shutters in pain from his wife's embrace, but says nothing to stop her. He can sense the fear that she was just feeling, and if holding him will help, he will not stop her...no matter how painful.

Cynder suddenly feels her husband is not returning her embrace and she gently puts him back down on his hind legs. Spyro immediately lowers to a sitting position to catch his breath. The young dragoness weeps seeing her husband so weak, and now feels worse for attacking him accidentally

Spyro wipes his paw across his eyes to clear them, but applies more poison to his face forgetting his paw was covered as well. The young dragon yelps in pain, making Cynder feel worse. She cradles his head softly and begins licking the poison from his face.

"I'm so sorry, Spyro!" She cries as she cleans her husband's eyes of the stinging liquid. "I didn't mean to..."

The purple dragon grasps Cynder's snout and pulls it down to the front of his. He kisses his wife passionately to stop her from apologizing any further, and to let her feel his undying love for her. With his eyes now wide open to look upon her...they gaze at each other with overwhelming joy.

However, as their muzzles are pressed together, Cynder can still see some pain in her husband's purple eyes.

"Are you OK?" She asks him somberly, and Spyro lowers his head to the ground.

The purple dragon takes a deep breath and returns his eyes to his wife. A vast smile crosses his muzzle, and Spyro uses all of his strength to stand once more and hug her. The purple dragon tightly embraces his wife, and opens his wings wide.

"I will be, Cynder..." He whispers in her ear and wraps himself and his wife inside a cocoon of his arms and wings. "...now that I'm holding you in my arms...There is nothing that can hurt me!"

Spyro lowers his paw down to her round belly, and Cynder smiles as she feels his heart beat faster from sheer excitement He kisses his wife on the side of the neck and she can sense a quick change in his emotion.

"I Promise..." Spyro's whispers sternly into her ear, still feeling the trembling nerves in her body. "...I will never leave you alone like this again...I swear it!"

Spyro grips his wife tighter and Cynder relaxes in his arms...completely at peace.

However the sudden crackle of the portal, that is still open by the mouth of the cave, startles the pregnant dragoness.

"Who is that?" She barks with a quick return of fear in her voice.

"Oh yeah...I almost forgot!" Spyro replies, and pulls his head back to look his wife in the eye. "I brought home a friend for dinner!"

Spyro opens his wings revealing the large creature of pure energy, and Cynder is startled.

She kinda recognizes the large creature before her, but he is a bit different from what she remembers.

"This guy came at the last moment and saved my life...without him I would dead!" Spyro says with pride looking up at his new friend. The energy man returns a very deep smile.

"Cynder, I want you to meet The Guardian of the Universe!"

Spyro turns his head to his wife and places his front paw on her cheek.

"This is my beautiful wife, Cynder!" Spyro barks proudly, but is suddenly shocked by the look on her face, and more so but what she says.

"That is not the Guardian...Spyro!"

The purple dragon is befuddled by what he hears.

"How would she know who the Guardian is..." He thinks to himself, but suddenly a different thought quickly sinks into his head, one that strikes fear into his heart.

"If this is not the Guardian..then who is it!"

"NO!" Cynder barks with a blood curdling fear filled voice, and time slows down for Spyro as he notices his wife's facial expression turn to one of shock.

He watches Cynder flinch her head not to look, and the purple dragon can almost feel the attack that is forth coming from behind. With his peripheral vision, Spyro sees a foot of pure granite swinging towards the right side of his head. At the last moment he turns to the left, but is still met with great force by the stone kick. The purple dragon's golden right horn takes most of the impact, snapping in half and spiraling to the ground.

Without a bit of magic or strength left in him, Spyro is in no shape to withstand any type of attack. The viscous unsuspecting kick hurls the purple dragon across the room...into the stone wall near the lowered fire pit.

The powerless dragon slams to the ground facing Cynder and this new threat...the supposed 'friend ' he brought to his home for dinner. The large creature, now made of pure stone, approaches his pregnant wife.

Spyro tries to move, but his body just will not let him. His eye-lids slowly close, and he is helpless to stop even that. The young dragon is so exhausted from his earlier fight that he can not stop his body from shutting down. Even the image of his wife being grabbed by her throat, can not keep Spyro from passing out-cold.

The dark dragoness gasps in the stone grip of this hostile visitor and he stares into her green eyes with an evil smile.

"Do you remember me Cynder?" He bellows to her face. "Look into my eyes, tell me you don't recognize your old Master."

Cynder gazes into his eyes, and is startled by a vision that has haunted her memory from birth. She knows the falcon like yellow eyes of the Dark Master when she sees them, and now his narrow black pupils are burning into her mind again.

"How can it be possible? We saw you die!" Cynder yelps, struggling to free herself.

The Dark Master laughs in her face, and Cynder halts her effort to break free.

"You thought you killed ME!" He replies through the laughter, but then becomes angry in the next breath. "I AM NOT MALEFOR!"

The angry stone creature thrusts her body back, and his arm extends longer and longer. Cynder slams back first into the wall next to the fire pit, where Spyro is still laying unconscious. The rock beast's arm continues to pour more and more stone...enveloping around her neck and holding her securely to the wall behind.

"Stay there!" The Dark Master smugly barks, as he walks over to Spyro's limp body. "I want him to see this...before I take him!"

Cynder stops struggling to break free once again, hearing the anxiousness in his last statement.

"Take Him!" She yelps with fear and confusion, and watches the stone creature lay Spyro down in front her. "What do you mean by that?"

Once again he changes his elemental form, and his fists of pure granite turn to bitter cold hands of ice. The Dark Master, a master of all elements, calls upon his frosty magic to coat the purple Dragon's entire body, with the exception of his head and neck, in a block of solid ice.

When he sufficiently coats Spyro in an unbreakable barrier of frozen water, the Dark Master returns his attention to one of his old servants...one that has turned her back on his order.

"I thought you were smart Cynder!" He quips at the dark dragoness hanging from the wall. "But perhaps I was wrong...maybe Malefor can explain better."

Cynder looks at him still puzzled by his cryptic response.

"I don't understand!" She cries.

The Dark Master stares coldly in Cynder's green eyes, as an evil smile crosses his face.

"YOU WILL SOON!"

The stone creature places his hand upon her pregnant belly, and Cynder stares into his narrow eyes fearing the worst. He applies force to her body, and the dark dragoness panics unable to protect the most important thing to her.

"NOOO" She screams, but is suddenly rocked by a strange sensation. The pressure from his grasp is not effecting her stomach in the least, however, she can feel her back sinking into the wall.

Cynder struggles to turn her head and look behind. The dragoness is mortified at the sight of her wings turning to stone and becoming part of the wall. Cynder again tries desperately to break free, but now feels the cold reality of her predicament.

Her movements become lethargic, as Cynder's long tail and powerful hind legs freeze solid. The dark dragoness watches in terror as the line of magic painfully works its way up her legs and from around her back, covering her red chest in a matter of seconds.

The Dark Master smiles in her face, and slowly strolls back to his other captured dragon. The one he is here for.

"SPYRO" He yells loudly, then smacks the purple dragon across his muzzle. "Come on, Spyro...Don't you want to say goodbye to your wife!"

The Stone creature grasps the purple dragon's unbroken left horn, pulls his head up, and smacks him across the face harder.

"I SAID WAKE UP DRAGON!" The Dark Master yells upon impact, and Spyro is jolted from his forced slumber.

The young dragon's senses are overwhelmed in a split second as he regains consciousness.

His face stinging from the pain of the solid hand across his muzzle, and his eyes are wobbly from the impact.

The taste of his wife's poison now mixed with his blood, fills Spyro's mouth. However, the bitterness of adrenaline is not present...since the young dragon has used every bit of strength his heart could pump.

The purple hero can smell the familiar scent of HOME, sending a harsh reminder of where this attack is taking place...and who brought him here.

But his 5th and final sense is what disturbs him the most...the sound of his wife trying to say his name.

"Spyroooo!" He hears in a painful gasp, and the purple dragon quickly snaps his head to the sound of her voice.

Spyro is horrified, seeing his pregnant wife almost completely frozen into the wall before him, and begins freaking out. He wriggles his head and neck around violently to break free, but his body remains locked tight.

"It is useless young dragon!" Bellows a voice to his left, and Spyro turns his head to his attacker.

"Why are you doing this?" The purple dragon barks with confusion. "Why didn't you just kill me before when you had the chance...why her!"

The stone giant lowers his head down to show Spyro the same eyes he showed his wife before.

"NO...that can't be...You're dead!" Spyro gasps, seeing Malefor's eyes staring him in the face. The young dragon is speechless looking into the falcon like eyes of the Dark Master.

The Stone creature wraps his arm around Spyro's exposed neck, then places his other hand over his muzzle and nose.

"I don't need to explain it to you...when I can just show you!" The Dark Master bellows into Spyro's ear. He yanks the purple dragon's attention towards the wall his wife is frozen to. "However, I want you to witness the end of your former life. Then I will make you understand!"

Spyro struggles to breath, not getting a single breath of air into his lungs. He tries to move his head from the stone grip of his foe, but with no leverage to speak of, it is impossible

However, his attention is not on whether or not he can breathe.

Spyro's focus is souly on his wife, as the stone magic begins to envelop her head. His heart stops beating as their eyes lock. Spyro can see the pure sorrow she feels for him, having to watch, and unable to help him in any way.

It is the same look she can see in his returning gaze.

A tear forms in the corner of her green eye, and the purple dragon struggles once more to break free. He can no longer watch and tries to turn his head away, but the Dark Master's grasps is too strong.

Spyro stops jostling as the green of Cynder's eyes fade to the drab dark color of the stone wall behind, and the tear curling down her cheek falls as a pebble to the floor.

"Don't worry Spyro she's not dead yet...but trust me it will not take long!" The Dark Master creepily whispers in his ear. "Look at her young hero, watch the immediate suffering of those that do not follow my orders!"

Spyro focuses again at his stone wife, and is startled to see Cynder still moving around. Her movements are slow and subtle, but she is still alive.

"Cynder will feel years of brutal torture in that hell I've sent her to!" The Dark Master bellows, and squeezes his arm tighter around Spyro's throat. "However, your hell begins now!"

A dark energy begins pulsing into Spyro's face, from the Dark Master's hand that is placed over his muzzle. Surprisingly he releases the purple dragon's mouth and lessens his stone grip around Spyro's neck.

The young hero, feeling the strain of a lack of oxygen and blood to his brain, is desperate for air, and takes a deep breath.

The Dark Master is quick to power a blast of his evil energy down his throat and into his lungs.

Spyro's eyes widen in pain, and his body shutters in the block of ice holding him immobile. He can feel the presence of a power in his body that is not his own, and quickly becomes nervous from the Dark Master's action. The Purple dragon senses the energy inside is already causing him to feel different...energy that is making him feel angry, and enraged...nothing like himself.

Spyro shuts his mouth tight not allowing another blast of evil power to be so easily forced in. However, not getting much oxygen with his lone breath, Spyro is still suffocating.

"Come on little fella...why fight it!" The Dark Master whispers in his ear. "You have nothing here to live for anymore."

Spyro becomes irate and struggles again, but uses the little air he took in, quickly. The young dragon slows down his aggression and begins to pass-out.

"That's right...there is nothing you can do to stop it!" The Dark Master barks proudly. He starts pouring energy into Spyro's closed muzzle waiting for him to fall asleep and take a breath. "Soon Spyro...very soon...I will have the dragon realms once more"

The Dark Master laughs with great anticipation, and Spyro lowers his head in defeat.

"I can not give up!" Spyro tells himself.

His eyes focus upon his wife once more to draw strength, but a cold sight of multiple scars that have quickly lined her body from head to toe is disheartening to the purple hero.

"How could I let this happen to you Cynder!" The young dragon continues to tell himself, feeling an anger of letting his wife down...allowing the one who first stole her to take her once more.

Rage builds inside of Spyro, and with the influence of evil in his body...he focuses his anger at his friends.

"Where are the friends I've laid my life on the line for...when they needed me!" Spyro barks to himself.

Being the only source of power in his weak body, the young dragon quickly becomes consumed with the evil inside him. "Why are they not here to help me...when I need them!"

A terrible thought crosses the purple hero's mind. "LET GO, SPYRO!"

The young dragon is ready to open his mouth and take a deep breath, allowing the inevitable.

Suddenly, a familiar voice crackles from the raging fire still burning in the pit to Spyro's right.

The purple dragon is startled and listens intently...hearing a voice he has never heard from a fire.

Only on certain occasions did Spyro ever hear anything, and even then it would only be a phantom thought in the young dragon's head.

However, this time, he can hear this voice crystal clear.

"My brother is much better than that, and would never give up!"

Spyro can feel the pure strength of his brother's soul. The comforting sound of his voice helps calm Spyro, and the purple dragon digs down deep for a little more time from his sore body.

"That's it Spyro...Hang on buddy!" His voice reassuring his brother "Trust me...your friends are on the way, and will not let you down!"

The1upguy · Feb 14, 2013 2:24 AM

Chapter 8 Uncontrollable Dark Power

In the home of the great hero of Avalar, the battle of his life unfolds in his own living room. The young dragon frozen in ice, and no longer able to hold his breath, is slowly fading out.

Spyro's face sits in a cloud of dark purple mist, spewing from the open hand of the Dark Master. The thick cloud of magic stings his face with the painful burn of dark crystals...it surrounds his head...waiting for him to inhale its evil energy.

The purple and gold dragon violently trashes his head around to get his nostrils to fresh air, but the Dark Master holds his nose in the cloud.

"Stop fighting it Spyro!" He says coldly & sarcastically "I can not use you properly if hurt yourself too much."

The taunting of the Dark Master rings in his ears with a harsh reality. The young dragon can feel the wave of unconsciousness returning to his body.

"I'm sorry Sparx!" The young dragon somberly says to himself. "I did...the best...I...could!"

Spyro's head lowers, and the Dark Master smiles as the young dragon begins breathing involuntarily. He watches intently as the first inhale, of his dark magic, enters through the nostrils of Spyro's purple snout.

"Now I will teach you the meaning of power and control" The Dark Master bellows while still holding the neck and head of his prize. "I will make you work non-stop to repair the damage you and that despicable wife of yours did..."

Spyro inhales another deep breath of evil magic, and shutters. His body begins convulsing violently, but he remains unconscious. A third breath is taken, and the Dark Master laughs with his victory.

"...you will be my servant, just like Malefor!..." The rock creature begins squawking.

"Not Likely!" Is shouted from behind startling the Dark Master from his taunt.

The evil creature's grip is broken from the purple dragon, when he is suddenly slammed in the back by a surprise attack. The Dark Master lurches forward and falls to the ground in front of the fire pit. He turns around to see his attacker is a blue dragon that reminds him of Ignitus, but he is wearing the Amulet of Time.

"So...they will let anyone be the Chronicler these days...!" The Dark Master smugly states, as he gets to his feet. "...Even those that can not properly protect their own. The dragon worlds must have little to offer, anymore!"

Ignitus stays calm through this insults, and turns his attention to the cloud of poisonous evil surrounding Spyro's head. With a quick flap of his wings...the air is cleared for his friend to breath, but Ignitus can sense the damage done.

He stares at the Dark Master with his steely blue eyes. "If you do not leave this place now...you will regret it!"

The Dark Master begins laughing as the old dragon drops into an aggressive posture.

"Are you kidding Ignitus...you do not have your Fire power anymore!" He replies...his laughter never-ceasing through his words. "You wouldn't stand a chance in a fight against me!"

Suddenly, his laughter halts abruptly, as the still opened portal flickers with a singular reinforcement.

"Oh...*bleep*!" The Dark Master bellows as the real Guardian of the Universe walks from the swirling disk of energy.

Equally matched with his power, the Guardian would tip the battle in their favor, and the Dark Master realizes his time here may have run out.

He is not sure if Spyro has taken in enough Dark energy to be influenced, but regardless, the evil master knows he can not finish his work now...or can he.

The rock giant quickly glances at the stone statue of Cynder, still jostling in pain upon the wall. Then he looks over to Spyro, and can see the effects of his Dark Energy on the purple hero. He returns his gaze to both Ignitus & the Guardian with an evil smile

"I will still have my revenge on him!" The Dark Master barks, then opens a portal behind himself to leave in hurry. However, before walking through, he fires a sharp stone projectile from his hand directly at Cynder. This master of evil knows...with the dark magic inside Spyro, and seeing the pieces of his broken wife...it may be enough to send the purple dragon over the edge.

He can see his shot is straight and true...heading for the rounded stomach of the frozen dragoness, and the Dark Master disappears seeing no one can stop her death in TIME...

No one...but Ignitus.

The keeper of the palace of Time, blinks his eyes, and the world around him stops.

He waited for the last moment, letting the Dark Master to leave, not allowing him see the true power he now possesses. The blue dragon hurries to the stone projectile, grabbing it in his paw, then quickly allowing time to return to its normal flow.

The Guardian is shocked when Ignitus disappears and reappears in front of Cynder, in the blink of an eye. The energy giant stares at the blue dragon with a bit of puzzlement. He knew he could do that, but is surprised that he did.

"You can get in serious trouble for that Ignitus, as Chronicler, you should no better not to influence time for a single individual!" The Guardian barks sternly. "They may even dismiss you for such a personal use of that power.!"

Ignitus turns to the large creature made of energy...then looks down at the purple dragon still frozen in ice.

"He has laid his life on the line, for me, many times...I am only risking a life, I have already lived." Ignitus barks with pride. "I could not in good conscience have let my friend's wife die, because I was thinking of myself, and if that results in my dismissal...then so be it!"

The dragon of time looks up at the creature made of pure energy...then places his front right paw upon Cynder's belly. He smiles at the Guardian. "...besides...She is not 1 any more!"

The Guardian lowers his hand of energy upon the blue dragon's flank, and with a confident voice tells his old...but new friend.

"I would have done the same thing in your place Ignitus, and I believe...you will be Chronicler for some time!" The Guardian turns his attention to Cynder...then looks back at Ignitus with concern. He can see her belly is much large than it should be for being only 3 months pregnant.

The Guardian immediately realizes where she is and becomes very anxious.

"Oh no! I have to get her out of there now!" He yelps. "Hurry and help Spyro...he's going to need the voice of a good friend, Ignitus!"

The blue dragon quickly trots back to his frozen friend, while the Guardian tends to the Dark Magic cast upon his wife. Ignitus cradles Spyro's head in his arms and can hear a snarl to his breathing. His old mentor can feel the anguish inside his friend, and tries to calm him by talking.

"Easy my friend...I've got you!" Ignitus says to the restless dragon, and Spyro's eyes slowly open.

The blue dragon is uneasy at the site of Spyro's eyes, they are blood-red and show no sign of recognition to his old friend. The purple dragon grunts and snarls as if unable to speak.

"By the ancestors what did he do to you!" Ignitus yelps with fear, seeing his friend as a mindless demon.

"Talk to him Ignitus!" The Guardian bellows from the background, his arms slowly burrowing into the wall around Cynder. "Let him hear your voice...quickly before he is lost!"

"Spyro... You have to fight this, young dragon..." Ignitus strokes his paw down Spyro's neck and his voice cracks as he continues to try communicating "...Please...I can not lose my friend like this."

The elder dragon suddenly hears the slight moaning of Cynder's voice, and he turns his attention to the Guardian's work. He can see him pulling The dragoness' head from the wall, and smiles seeing the color returning to Spyro's wife.

"Yes...You have to fight it now, Spyro..." HE yelps with a more joyful tone. "For Cynder and your child!"

Hearing that name, and knowing what he has been so desperately wanting his whole life, is just within his grasp, Spyro digs down deep for one more fight.

A battle within himself.

The dark energy pulses through his veins, and Spyro can not stop his heart from pumping this anger. Feelings of rage and thoughts of destruction fill the young dragon's head...he can feel himself fading fast.

However, his thoughts of Cynder are calming. The purple dragon suddenly envisions his wife holding a bundled whelpling, and it sends a feeling of great joy throughout his body.

The evil thoughts being to fade, as Spyro sees his future, and knows he only need open his eyes.

Spyro begins blinking, and shaking his head. His voice starts coming back as he softly replies "Ignitus..is that you?"

"Yes!" The Chronicler sighs with a deep breath of relief, as not only does he hear Spyro's voice, but his purple eyes have returned as well.

The young dragon looks up at his old mentor, and he can see the smile on his friend's muzzle.

"Why am I so cold?" Spyro asks calmly and his friend just laughs and hugs the purple dragon's neck.

Meanwhile, The Guardian stares into the stone eyes of the dragoness in his care. His arms buried deep into the wall pulling her neck slowly from the rock surface. He can see the green color returning to her pupils, and the hears the sounds of her voice as she softly moans from relief.

"That's good Cynder...do not worry...I will not let go!" He whispers to her.

Her eyes focus squarely upon the Guardian, and a smile slowly crosses her mouth. She can see the face she recognizes in the energy man before her, however, her smile leaves quickly and her voice becomes rushed

"Guardian! Please...hurry." Cynder softly yelps...then looks down at her belly "It's happening!"

A stern look befalls the energy man's face realizing Cynder has aged months in seconds, and is now in labor.

"No Cynder...You have to hold on! If you lay that egg now it may be lost forever." He yelps.

The Guardian lowers his head down to her face, and winches from the up close site. He can see several deep cuts across her muzzle, and the look of not having any sleep for days. The young dragoness is wasted, and the Guardian knows he has to work much faster.

"I'm sorry Cynder...but this is going to hurt like hell..." The Energy Man whispers into her ear. "...but I have to get you out of there now!"

Her green eyes focus on his and a slight smile crosses her muzzle.

"I'll be OK!" She replies softly "I trust you!"

The Guardian smirks at her resolve, and reaches deeper into the wall. The giant energy man grasps Cynder's wings and pulls as hard as he can without breaking them.

The young dragon's body jolts out of the wall several feet, but Cynder feels an incredible shock to her body, returning from a different dimension.

The dark purple and red dragon lets out a fierce yelp from the unsuspecting pain

Spyro hears Cynder scream in agony, and his eyes focus upon an energy man.

The same creature that saved his life, then came to his home and attacked him and his pregnant wife. The purple dragon's rage boils over and Spyro can not contain it. He has none of his own power left, but hearing the screams of his wife, Spyro calls upon the only energy available to him.

The Dark Energy forced into his body.

Ignitus watches in horror as his friend's eyes once again turn crimson red, and he begins to shutter violently.

"Easy Spyro!" The blue dragon barks, but it is impossible to get through to the rage filled dragon

Suddenly, Spyro's scales turn black, and a vast explosion of power shatters the ice around him.

Ignitus is tossed away from his friend by the force...slamming into the wall on the far side of the room.

The blue dragon is stunned, but can see his friend stand upon his hind legs and open his wings wide. A dark purple energy glowing from the black dragon's mouth

Spyro is filled with evil thoughts...to kill, something he tries never to do. He is also conflicted inside by the thought of using a power he should not, for this power...IS EVIL!

However, seeing the one that gained his trust...then attacked his wife and unborn baby, A single thought crosses his mind.

"You need Evil...to destroy Evil!"

"NO SPYRO!" Ignitus barks, but the blast of Dark Energy is already launched from his mouth, and it is intense.

The blindingly bright energy ball reaches its target in a split-second, and impacts The Guardian upon his left side.

With his mind solely on his work, he is completely caught off guard. The energy giant loses his balance, while still with a firm grip on the black dragon's wings, and as he falls over to the right...the unthinkable happens.

Cynder's right-wing, still stone and unable to take the strain, snaps off in The Guardians left hand.

The young dragoness squeals from the intense pain, and shock of seeing her wing held in front of her face.

The Guardian looks into Cynder's eyes, and she looks into his. She can see the worry on his face, and can feel the strain become overwhelming on her left-wing.

The energy man can feel the wing begin breaking, and he lets it go.

No longer holding her in this dimension, Cynder's body pulls back into the wall and freezes once again. Time slows down in his mind, as he watches the green eyes he was just looking into return to stone.

His focus shifts to the wing in his hand, as it returns to its red and black color. A sickening thought strikes his heart, knowing how he just left her in that dimension with an unbelievable handicap. The Guardian is appalled as her body begins showing more and more scars...at an alarming rate. He releases the broken wing in his hand as he falls to the floor in pain.

Spyro, charging at his foe to drive him away from his wife, also notices her wing falling to the floor. The young dragon halts his attack and slides to a stop in front of the piece of his wife lying before him. Spyro's turns his head towards the wall and Cynder.

His heart stops, and the evil inside his body no longer flows. All of his attention is upon his wife, and the fact she looks like she is suffering in PAIN.

However, what he notices most, is that she is THIN...Very thin...THE EGG IS GONE.

Spyro's black color fades back to purple, and he falls to his knees.

"NOOOOOOO!" He yelps in pain, grasping his wife's wing with his paws.

The young dragon looks down at her broken appendage, then back up to her body.

More and more scars begin covering her and Spyro becomes nauseous to the fact he can do nothing to stop it. He is taken by the site of his wife's suffering, to the point that he doesn't notice the Guardian getting back up next to him.

"MOVE!" The Energy man barks as he shoves Spyro to the side.

The purple dragon tumbles several times, and returns to his 4 paws, ready to strike again, However when he sees the Guardian reach into the rock wall around Cynder, and bear hug her stone body, he realizes that this guy is trying to help.

No longer concerned with the pain she will feel, the Guardian rips her entire body from the wall with one massive tug. He falls backward, landing upon the many pelts that cover the rock floor of Spyro's home. Cynder, still a stone statue, lays upon his chest.

The dark magic fades from her body slowly, and the horrific sight of her ordeal is spelled out, as her color returns.

Cynder is covered from head to toe with small bite marks, and the vibrant dark purple & red color of her scales are now faded from thousands of scratches on her body.

The young dragoness looks older, taller, and is very thin...almost malnourished. However, she seems to be in remarkably good health for someone in her condition. The Guardian can feel her heart beating strong and can see the dressing covering the stump of her missing wing is fresh.

"You were getting help recently." The guardian says to her unconscious body. He places his hand upon her head and begins reading her thoughts. "From who is what I want to know!"

Spyro, watching from the side begins to feel worse about what he just did, and slowly collapses to his stomach.

He can see the gentleness this energy giant is using with his hands on Cynder, as he easily lays her upon her side, and tends to her.

"What have I done!?" he says to himself.

Still feeling the evil energy in his body, and not wanting to hurt his wife anymore than he has, Spyro slowly stands up and begins backing out of the cave to get away.

"I can't stay here any longer...I have to get away!" Spyro tells to himself. "I can't control this..I have to lea...!"

Spyro backs into something and turns around to see what is in his path. He is startled to see Ignitus standing behind him.

"Where do you think you're going!?" Ignitus asks with concern, and quickly Spyro's eyes turn red.

The blue dragon can see that Spyro is not in control of his action, and pounces atop the purple dragon. With his larger frame, and the fact Spyro is running on fumes, Ignitus holds his friend down without problem.

"Easy Spyro...Stop fighting with me!" He yelps as the Chronicler lowers his head to the wrestling dragon's ear. "I want to help you!"

"Then let me go..." Spyro barks back. The young dragon raises his head to look at his old friend. "...I can't control it, Ignitus!"

The blue dragon places his front paw on Spyro head, and forces his jaw to the ground easily.

"It's because you are weak right now, Spyro! Nothing more!"

Ignitus removes his weight and helps his friend to his feet. "I should not be able to man handle you like this...that is the reason his poison is able to control you so easily."

Ignitus places his paws upon Spyro's shoulder, and the purple dragon looks up at his old mentor.

"You will not remain this weak for long...then you will have the strength to fight it, young dragon. Until then, I promise I will not let you out of my sight!"

His words are calming to Spyro, and his touch even more so. Ignitus raises his right paw from Spyro's shoulder and cradles his friend's muzzle up, to look him square in the eye.

"And if you try to leave again!" He says as a smile crosses his face. "I will kick your *bleep*!"

Spyro, unable to move his head in Ignitus' grip, closes his eyes, he wants to laugh at his friend's statement, knowing he is trying to bring light to this tense moment. However, Spyro can still hear the moaning of his wife's pain behind him, not to mention the fact she is no longer pregnant

"But look at what I did to her!" Spyro replies as his eyes reopen with tears. "I almost killed her, and my baby...is gone..."

"By the Ancestors" The Guardian barks suddenly, startling both dragons. "SHE HAS MEMORIES OF A SON!"

Without another word spoken, The giant man of pure energy stands up where Cynder once sat frozen in the wall, and puts his hands into the rock.

"Please be alive!" He barks as he pulls the stone wall apart forming a rift to the dimension Cynder was forced into.

The Guardian walks in, and the rift begins flickering with pulses of energy.

Both dragons trot over to Cynder, and Spyro looks down at his wife.

"A son?" He yelps, and turns his head to Ignitus, with a smile. "MY SON?"

Spyro runs to the rip in the rocks to help this Guardian, but most of all to see his son as soon as possible. However the young dragon is blasted away as he makes contact with the wall.

The purple dragon is thrown over his wife into the opposite wall, slamming his body alongside the memorial to his brother. Spyro slides to the ground unable to move, in fact, he can't even call upon the Dark Energy any longer. What ever hit him, zapped all the strength in his body.

Ignitus comes to his friend's aid, and Spyro watches in horror, as the rip in the wall flickers faster and faster...then disappears.

"My son..."

Spyro stares at the rock wall of his home and realizes his son is gone forever. A tear falls from eye, and lands on the ground. He looks up at his friend, and Ignitus can see the despair in his eyes.

An eerie silence fills the room. Only the sounds of Cynder's slight moaning in pain, and her husband's now uncontrollable sobbing can be heard over the roaring fire.

Suddenly, a bolt of lightning pops, breaking the uncomfortable silence. Spyro is shocked and elated as he watches the rift open once more. The Guardian falls out of the hole in the wall, and lands between he and Cynder.

His body of energy rolls on its side showing him holding a black adolescent dragon, and Spyro's heart begins pumping adrenaline. The young dragon can feel his own strength coming to the surface, and he drags his body forward to get a better look.

Shockingly, this young dragon has no scars, no bruises, and looks quite healthy.

The Guardian's eyes open and focus upon the young father dragging himself closer.

"Spyro!" The energy creature says, and the purple dragon looks to his family's rescuer. "I want you to meet your son...SPARX!"

The1upguy · Mar 21, 2013 3:37 AM

Chapter 9 A Desperate Choice

Staring at the young dragon held in arms of energy, Spyro only has one thought!

"This can not be my son...He's old!"

However, the purple eyes of Spyro can not deny the resemblance to himself.

This young dragon has a gold chest like his, but dark purple scales like his mother. Sparx is remarkably broad chested like Spyro, but sleek in the rear for better air flow while flying...a trait he no doubt got from Cynder. He has no dorsal fins like his mom, and his horns are white just like hers. However, he only has two of them, and like his father Spyro, they breach from his skull just over his ears.

Spyro is almost positive this near adult dragon before him is his son, but when the young dragon opens his eyes...the purple hero becomes certain. He can see his own eyes in the dark dragon before him, and smiles as they scan the room to see their new surroundings.

"Where am I?" The young dragon whimpers with pain, and blinks his eyes several times. His voice becomes very anxious as he continues. "I can't see anything Guardian!"

The giant made of pure energy releases his grip and lowers the young dragon to the floor on his belly.

"Easy Sparx!" The Guardian softly tells him while stoking his back to calm him.

Spyro becomes nervous as well hearing his son is blind.

"What is wrong with him!" He yelps with concern, and the young dragon turns his head to the voice he can hear.

"Why can't he see anything!"

The Guardian places his other hand on Spyro's neck, and forces him gently to the ground.

"You take it easy too...it is only temporary!" He barks with assurance. "It is a dark place where he lived for so long...his eyes will adjust to the light in a moment, but you need to settle down!"

Spyro raises his head back up and is started at the sight he couldn't see before. His son's back was against the Guardian, so he was not able to see the real proof...this dragon is his offspring.

A vibrant stripe of Spyro's purple scales run from a point between his white horns, widening down his back, then tapering off at the tip of his dark tail.

Spyro reaches out to his son, and runs his paw down the smooth purple scales of Sparx' neck, and the youngster turns his head once again towards him.

"Sparx...are you OK!" He asks his son.

The young dragon squints, trying to focus his eyes in the brighter environment. All he can see is a purple blotch with gold highlight, that he believes he recognizes.

However his voice is different, so Sparx is unsure with his response.

"Malefor?"

Spyro is immediately struck in the chest with his son's answer, like he was punched by the Dark Master himself.

"What did you say!" Spyro barks, startling his son. "How do you know of him?"

Sparx lowers his head knowing he said something wrong, but suddenly a voice from behind grabs his attention fast.

"No baby! That is your father...Spyro!"

His eyes light up with the sound he hasn't heard in almost 6 years, and one he never thought he'd hear again...His mother's voice.

Sparx breaks his grip from the Guardian and blindly searches for her.

His nose still works fine, though he thought other wise when he caught Cynder's scent upon arrival, and now uses it to find his way in the bright room. Within seconds the young dragon is nestling his muzzle under his mother's arm for protection

"Mom...how is this possible!" He yelps with joy. "The Guardian said you were alive, but I didn't believe it."

Her hugs her tighter then her sore body can bare, but Cynder does not yelp nor push her son away. She just allows Sparx to hug her as tight as he wants, and she smiles at every bit of the pain.

Cynder opens her eyes, and blinks several time from the brightness, however her eyes focus quicker then his, since she has dealt with this type of light before.

The shock on her face is apparent when she gets a glimpse of her young son, who is no longer young.

"Sparx!" She cries, while slowly wrapping her own paw around him. "What happened to my little baby!"

The young mother reflects on the first time laying eyes on his egg, and the terrible moment that followed when she made a desperate move Cynder never thought she would make.

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When the young dragoness returned to stone and the dimension she was thrust into, she was in such great pain. Her wing was gone and the young dragon was ready to give birth. However, the fear that filled her knowing were she was again, and knowing what enemies she faced, hurt Cynder much more.

Small dog like demons, haunt Cynder's mind. These 1 foot tall nuisances are nothing by themselves, however the are never alone. Hunting in packs of thousands, these creatures can overwhelm anything in seconds.

The only advantage to her, was her color. Being a dark dragon, and possessing the power of Shadow...Cynder could hide very easy.

However with no crystals to recharge her magic, Cynder has not been able to call upon her power for some time. The young dragoness knows she must remain quiet and unseen.

Cynder tucks her remaining wing to her side tightly, and smears her red chest into the soot below...a tactic she learned quick. Her bright red chest and wings would give her away all the time, and she was force to use much of her magic in the first few weeks.

Cynder would finally be able to flee her attackers with the other advantage she possesed...flying. But now, missing a wing, the young dragoness is grounded.

As her eyes focus in the dark environment she has returned to, Cynder is thankful for one thing. No one is around, especially the one she fears the most.

Cynder saw him twice, flying above, and hid both times never being spotted. She never believed the Stone creature that sent her here, but seeing the massive Purple dragon flying above, Cynder was sure why she was sent here...

For her child.

Just like Cynder, if they could get their hands on Spyro's child, they could have a new 'Terror of the Skies', and one far more powerful the just a black dragon.

Cynder looks around for a secluded place to lay her egg. The young mother quickly finds a spot only a hundred yards away, but is unable to make it even that far. As she takes a step the pain of labor becomes overwhelming, and Cynder lets out a great yelp in agony. She collapses to the ground where she stands, and begins straining from the contractions.

Cynder holds her tongue seeing several demons now investigating the sound they heard. She keeps silently still as their eyes peer in her direction, hoping she covered her chest completely. Cynder slowly squints her eyes so they show no reflection, and holds her breath throughout the next contraction.

These creatures can see very subtle movements and the young dragon knows she is completely defenseless at this moment.

The demons continue to look in the direction of the young dragon, and she gets a sinking feeling.

"oh no..They see me!" She thinks to herself, then is overcome with the pain of movement in her stomach. She lets out several breaths as easily as she can...but is fearful. The young dragoness is sure they see her painful breaths and the slight shuttering of pain her body can not stop.

However, when the creatures walk off, a sudden relief fills her soul. The young dragoness then feels even more relief as the last painful push is involuntarily given to free the egg from her body.

Cynder holds her tongue once more and closes her eyes. The pain is intense, in her back, and her (lower area), but she can not let out a whimper knowing how close her enemies are.

The young mother slowly opens her eyes, looks down at what she has done, and a smile crosses her face.

The black and purple colored egg that sits before her almost acts like a crystal, taking her pain and giving her strength. She looks in the direction of where she saw danger and smiles larger when she no longer sees a threat.

The young dragoness curls up around her egg, and rests for a just a moment.

Suddenly, and without warning, Cynder is overwhelmed from behind by a pack of ravenous demons. They quickly cover the young dragoness from head to toe biting and clawing at her arms and legs.

The young mother, exhausted from giving birth, is powerless to stop the attack upon her. She can feel every part of her body tingle with the pain of their claws and teeth. Then, the most painful sensation strikes her heart, Cynder can feel her egg being pulled from her paws.

"NOOOO!" She screams muffled under the cloak of evil dogs the cover her body. Cynder tries to scramble after the few that stole her egg, but she can not move fast enough with the vicious attack slowing her down. The young dragon is pulled back to the ground by the relentless pack and again covered by the swarm.

Cynder watches in horror as the several demons that have her egg, try to crack it open. As the scavengers they are, these demons don't want to steal it...they are looking to eat it, along with her.

"STOP!" She screams seeing them hit her egg with countless swipes from their claws. The young mother becomes hysterical screaming at the top of her lungs

"Please...Someone help me!" Cynder cries, but knows no one is there to help her.

The dark dragoness lowers her head in concession, hoping the demons will take her life, before she witnesses her worst nightmare.

However, as Cynder's eyes close from the pain in her body, she sees a bright purple glow come from the sky above. A beam of pure convexity slams to the ground and incinerates everything around the egg. She then feels 2 large arms wrap around her back to her chest and grip tight.

Cynder can tell right away who has grabbed her...for he has man handled her before, and his grip is still familiar in her head.

The flapping of massive wings and the sounds of huge bursts of power fill the air, but the young dragoness can clearly hear a voice she recognizes from her dark past.

"I've got you, Cynder!" He yelps with confidence.

The dark dragoness cringes with fear knowing who has a firm grip on her once more. She is helpless to stop her limp body from being lifted off the ground and towed over to her egg. His massive purple paw lowers from her body to grasp the young mother's offspring.

Malefor with a solid grip on both mother and egg, jumps into the air, and blasts away at great speed.

Cynder begins crying seeing the life she lived, will most likely play out for her child.

Her eyes lock upon the sinister paw of Malefor holding her egg, and she can not bear the thought of what her child will face if he keeps it. The young dragon begins to focus what little energy she has left for one last desperate hope to break free.

However just as Cynder is ready to strike at the throat of her enemy, Malefor brings the egg to her red chest.

"Hold on to your child with everything you have left, Cynder" Malefor barks and she quickly wraps her paws around the black and purple egg.

The large purple and gold dragon banks hard to the right to avoid another group of charging demon-like dogs.

Cynder begins losing grip of her egg from the sudden turn, but Malefor is quick to lower his paw to his chest and hold it steady against the weakened mother. The purple dragon cranes his head down to look her in the face.

"Hold on to it tightly, Cynder. You can not let go..." He barks, staring at her with his deep PURPLE eyes. "...NOT NOW!"

Malefor again turns hard and avoids another group of hungry demons. The large purple dragon pushes off the ground with his hind legs then wraps them around the lower half of Cynder's body to hold her still while he gains height.

"Just hang on for a few more seconds Cynder..." He barks seeing his body clearing the last point the demons can reach him from.

"Were safe now!" Malefor bellows, but Cynder does not feel safe...in fact she is very confused!

The black & red dragoness is startled by the actions of Malefor in the heat of this moment. This callous foe, that she has known never to be merciful, has saved her life, and given back her egg. He is being gentle but firm with his grasp, not allowing Cynder to even jostle around in his arms and legs. But at the same time, she can barely feel his grip.

His voice is different, soft but filled with confidence, sounding more like a dragon that is in control of his emotions...not mindlessly expressing his rage.

But it is his eyes that smack the young dragoness in the face, as she almost sees her husband in them.

Identical to Spyro's, his eyes now show the true color of his heritage.

"Cynder, please do not struggle..." he says feeling her trying again to shake free of his grip. "I promise I am not going to hurt you!"

"I don't believe you" She bellows and turns her head from his gaze.

The dark dragoness once again wriggles around to break free, but Malefor tightens his grip slightly, still trying not to hurt her.

"I'm sorry Cynder, I can not let you go!" He replies somberly, and continues to fly toward the mountains off in the distance.

Malefor lowers down to the front of the mountain range, taking refuge in a cave near the peak of a sheer rock face. With a view of the entire valley below, it gives this cave a very distinct advantage for someone who can fly. Allowing him to see anyone coming for miles, Malefor has kept this cave as his residence for many years.

"Rest for a while Cynder!" He yelps as he places her softly atop several pelts that line the floor.

Cynder, once feeling her feet on solid ground, violently shakes Malefor from her back. The large dragon backs off so she doesn't hurt herself or her egg.

Cynder places the black & purple egg down on the pelts and rears up on her hind legs between Malefor and her baby.

"You are not getting my EGG you *bleep*!" Cynder growls

"I do not want your child Cynder!" He replies sternly and shakes his head with disgust "I am trying to help you. Nothing more."

"I DON'T WANT YOUR HELP!" She yells and swats her claws across his gold chest.

Malefor winces from the pain, and backs away further to the mouth of the cave...not to provoke the young mother.

The purple dragon slowly looks down at the nearly 2000 foot drop from the mouth of this home he constructed with his Earth power.

"I'm sorry to say, that you are stuck here though...I don't think you can get down by yourself..." He remarks, then looks at her sternly once more. "..and I'm *bleep* sure that I will not release you to those demons in your condition!"

"So I'm your prisoner!" Cynder replies.

Malefor lowers his head. "I'm sorry, that is how you see it, and it is my fault for that, however, I do not wish to hurt you in any way Cynder...ever again!"

The young dragoness is startled by his words, but...

"Yeah I'm sure!" Cynder snidly comments.

"Believe me or not...is of no importance to me Cynder!" He replies with his own sarcasm "I am going to stay here and protect you weather you want my help or not!"

Cynder gets down on her 4 paws and walks around her egg. She curls her body around it tightly to keep it warm, then looks at Malefor with malice.

"I would rather you leave me with the demons...As long as it meant not being stuck here with you!"

The purple dragon takes a deep breath at her insult feeling it cut through his heart, but he completely understands, and that is what sends emotion to his voice.

"If you think you're my prisoner, then I will leave you to your solitude!" Malefor barks with anger. He opens his wings wide scouting an area for him to watch her.

"There is food and water available to you in that other room!" He retorts then disappears with a blast of his massive wings.

Cynder stares at the doorway of the cave as he disappears believing it is just another trick. She intently watches for hours never taking her eyes from the entrance, barely blinking, knowing he will return at sometime for his prize.

However, the young mother can feel her strength has left her body, so if he did return...there was not much she could do. Cynder can smell the food he was speaking of wafting in from the room to her right, and slowly stands on her feet. The young dragon walks to the mouth of the cave, and looks around to see her options.

Cynder can see there is no way down, however there is also no way up for the demons, a slight calm fills her heart knowing she will not be attacked like that again.

She scans her eyes across the mountain range, and is bewildered by the sight of snow atop the lone peak she is nesting on. Obviously another option Malefor made to his home with his powers.

For a moment, Cynder almost feels at home, She can hear the water running down the mountain, and smells the mist of rain falling from close by. The same smell she would have if she walked out of her own home.

The young dragon almost smiles at her prison, but then quickly remembers where she is, and who's her captor. Her eyes scan the peak directly across from her and she can see the large purple frame of Malefor lying still.

He is staring down at the ground watching like a hawk, making sure no one has followed him back. Suddenly he turns his head towards his home, and can see the one-winged dragon staring back.

Cynder immediately becomes angry, and Malefor watches as her slight smile disappears at the sight of his presence close by.

The massive purple and gold dragon can see he is still upsetting his guest, so he does something that completely baffles Cynder once more...Malefor turns and flies away

Cynder watches as he completely disappears from sight, but she stands there and waits, knowing he will return.

However, as time goes by, the smile slowly returns to Cynder's muzzle. Malefor does not cone back

She turns around to the egg and her smile becomes larger. The young mother trots back to the large purple & black egg, lifting it softly with her paws, and she strolls into the other room.

Her jaw hits the ground as she gazes upon a room nearly the size of the Valley of Avalar, and just as beautiful.

Several rivers run through the massive room, feed by the snow cap that Malefor replenished every so often, and a large pulsing ball of plasma electricity fills the room with artificial sunlight.

Many of the things she has taken for granted since being forced here over 3 months ago, now sit once again before her. Cynder can feel the soft grass under her paw pads, and the gentle heat the make shift sun is giving. The young dragoness lays her egg down in a bed of wild flowers near the closest river, and takes a drink.

Cynder's smile grows further, tasting the pureness of water. It has been a while since the young dragon had a drink of water, for there is none to speak of here. She has resorted to doing the unthinkable...drinking blood.

The young dragoness continues to gulp from the river, until suddenly her eyes focus upon something in the water...something she can not believe. The young dragon lowers into a crouch, not to be seen, and waits.

A primal look fills her eyes as she leaps into the water...pouncing upon a nice sized salmon. In one quick move, Cynder has the fish in her mouth and swallows it whole.

"By the ancestors...!" She bellows feeling something, more than a few pieces of rancid meat she finds lying around, finally reaching her stomach.

The young dragoness cranes her hear up out of the water, searching for another fish.

"I wouldn't do that again!" a small voice whispers from behind startling the young dragoness, and she turns to see who is talking.

Cynder's eyes see nothing before her, and she quickly trudges out of the water to her egg.

"Who are you...Show yourself!" She bellows while circling around to find where that voice came from.

Suddenly her eye focus upon movement several yards away, and she is shocked at the creature that emerges from the bushes.

It is one of the small dog like demons. However, unlike her ravenous counter parts, this dog is clean and alive.

Pure white fur coats this German Shepard like creature, with sparkling blue eyes. The young animal walks from behind the protection of the bushes and looks at the purple and black egg.

"Wow a dragon's egg!"

"What are you doing up here!" Cynder barks and lowers into an attack position

"Wait...please...My name is Snow...I'm a friend of Malefor!" The young female barks while backing away from Cynder's egg.

The young mother's eyes squint, locking her target in a tunnel vision. She lowers down further, and readies to pounce once more.

"Then I really should kill you!" The dark dragon yelps.

"For saving you life, Cynder!" Malefor's voice rings out from behind her.

Cynder turns to see Malefor standing a few feet behind her.

"I knew it!" She yelps and runs back to the riverside to defend her egg. "You are not getting my egg!"

Malefor shakes his head and gives a dumb look to his friend.

"She thinks she's here so I can kill her, Snow!" Malefor tells the white Shepard with a big smirk, and the dog like creature smiles with recognition. "Then take her egg!"

"This is the same Cynder you told me about!" Snow yelps and suddenly the young dragoness is beside herself.

"You were right Malefor...she is very pretty, and very strong-willed..."

The white shepard slowly walks back over to Cynder and her egg, with a bit of caution in her step this time. Her blue eyes focus upon the many scars that line the young dragons body, but most of all her missing wing. The young dog cringes at the thought of her pain.

"...and very injured!" She says with a wince in her eyes. "Can I please tend to that for you, my dear!"

Cynder is in shock at the willingness of this creature to help, even after she was treating to kill her. However, Malefor takes a step closer, and Cynder becomes defensive again.

The young Shepard backs away, not to be trampled by Cynder's reaction to Malefor.

The purple dragon stares at his former puppet, and smiles.

"You know...as warden...I should have laid out the ground rules of this prison!" He bellows with a chuckle, and both Cynder and Snow look at him funny.

"Prison?" The white Shepard barks with confusion.

"That's what she believes, Snow, so that is what this is!" Malefor replies as he walks past both women to the riverside

"However, Cynder!" He barks and turns his head to face her. "there are still rules you need to follow."

The purple dragon returns his focus up river, and can see the wake of trouble coming

"First rule being...Never Eat the Fish in This River...Without Permission!"

Sudden a large Serpent raises from the surface of the river. It stares with shock at Malefor, and lowers down to the massive purple dragon.

"Did that black dragon steal one of my fish!" It's raspy voice barks with anger.

"No!" Malefor replies sternly. "I gave her permission to take it, and I am giving her permission to take as many as she needs...is that understood!"

The serpent raises his head and looks at the black & red dragoness. His eyes sharply focus upon her and then they return to Malefor.

"That is Cynder isn't it?" The serpent squawks, and again the young dragoness is beside herself.

"Yes it is!" Malefor replies and looks back at her. "She is my guest here for as long as she likes, and you will treat her with the same respect that I have come to appreciate!"

The serpent lowers back into the water and pops back up next to Cynder. The young dragoness is startled and begins to tremble as the large eel like creature gets closer.

He lays another large salmon at her paws, and backs away not to scare her anymore then he has.

"It is an honor to serve the one who helped beat the Dark Master from his latest victim!" He retorts and bows as he returns to the water.

"What is going on here?" Cynder barks with aggravation. "You are trying to get me to lower my guard!"

Malefor lowers his head once again, and slowly walks toward Cynder. The young dragoness strides forward to meet him before he gets to close to her egg, and she rears up on her hind legs.

The dark dragoness swats at Malefor with her claws, and the purple dragon catches her paw before contact.

"I do not want to fight with you Cynder!" he says while looking into her eyes. "If you do not want to stay here...I understand, but I would ask you to remain until you are at least well rested!"

"I can't rest when I'm held against my will!" She replies looking at her paw in his clutches.

Malefor releases her paw and walks over to the river again.

"Take what you want from the river!" He replies with a bit of uneasiness in his voice. "Then follow it toward the back of this cave. You will find a path that leads to the other side of this mountain range. There are no demons to be found...in fact there is nothing to be found on that side of the mountain! You can stay there and starve to death by youself!"

Cynder lowers her head down feeling an awkwardness of being casted out of a place she didn't want to be. She picks up her egg and begins walking along the riverbank to the back of the cave.

Malefor sighs as he watches her leave his protection.

"I just hope the Dark Master hasn't figured out you survived his attack, and that Spyro's child is still alive!" Malefor retorts with one last attempt to keep her here, and it may have worked, as Cynder stops in her tracks.

"But you're the Dark Master?" She replies with confusion, and she can see the depression fill Malefor's expression.

"No...I am not the Dark Master...Nor was I ever!" He replies somberly, and Cynder watches with shock as a tear falls from his eye into the river.

"I was just his puppet!"

She can see the honest feeling of deep regret fill his purple eyes.

"I know you will never believe a word I say to you Cynder, but I must say it!" the purple dragon remarks then turns his head to look at her.

"I felt horrible doing those things I did to you, and I remember every painful moment..." Malefor looks down depressed as he continues his thought "...but I had no control over my actions...and I'm afraid if you leave, then your child will be forced to do the same!"

Cynder lowers her head feeling the conflict within herself. She knows everything about this evil dragon, but he is nothing like the Malefor she once knew. He is showing emotion, and fear for others, not himself. She makes hardest decision of her short motherhood..if only to protect her baby.

"I do not trust you at all!" The young dragoness replies then looks over her shoulder at the wing she is missing. "but I can not survive on my own like this, so I have no choice but to stay"

Cynder lowers her egg to the ground and slowly walks up to Malefor. She grasps the horn on his chin and pulls his head down to stare eye to eye with him.

"But if you go near my child...I WILL KILL YOU!"

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Back in the home in which she never thought she would be in again, her eyes focus upon her son...and judging by his condition she knows what he was forced to do.

"Did you go back to him!" She whispers, and Sparx cringes to the thought of telling his mother.

"I'm sorry, Mom...I had to." He says softly. "I didn't have anywhere else to go after you disappeared...please...forgive me"

"Stop!" Cynder barks and startles everyone in the room. The young mother looks at the Guardian with an angry stare, and he can quickly sense her rage. Her eyes then focus on her husband, and Cynder can feel an uneasy pain in her stomach

"I'm not mad at you...remember, I did the same thing!" She replies softly in her son's ear. Cynder lowers her head down atop of her son, and holds him as tight as she can. "Please, don't let your father know what we were forced to do Sparx! He will not understand!"

Sparx feels his mother lose consciousness as she lays across his back.

"Mom" The young dragon barks, and shakes her body with his paws. He can see her breathing is labored, and that she is exhausted from last 6 months of nearly constant attacks. The purple and black dragon slides out from under his mother then places a gentle paw against her side.

His eyes begin clearing, showing him for the first time...in bright light...the damage done to her.

He places his other paw upon her chest, and a bright glow begin to emanate from his touch. Both Spyro and the Guardian stare in shock at this young dragon's power as Cynder begins to breathe easier.

He grasps her paw gently and whispers into her ear "...get some sleep Mom...you deserve it!"

The young dragon turns to his father and the Guardian with a look of concern.

"She needs medical attention that I can not help her with!" Sparx bellows and begins to lift his mother off the ground.

"NO!" Spyro barks, as he painfully takes his feet. "I will carry her!"

Spyro limps over to his wife staring into the slightly darker eyes of his healthy young son.

"Are you sure you're OK to handle that, sir? I don't want you to hurt her anymore than she is already" Sparx asks with concern, as if some stranger was coming to Cynder's aid.

Spyro looks at him with a bit of anger.

"Sparx...I would walk through hell for her..." He replies softly. The young father places his paw upon the flank of his son, and looks at him with a more understanding gaze...knowing what he must have gone through losing her.

"...As I'm sure you have!"

Spyro's words are much like his mother's and they ring in the heart of the young dragon. He backs away allowing Spyro access to Cynder.

The purple dragon gently leans down to his wife, and strokes his hand down her back.

"Spyro!" She yelps waking up feeling his touch for the first time in 2 years, and the purple dragon lowers his head down upon hers

"Rest Cynder..I have you..." he softly whispers "...and I will never let go!"

The young dragoness turns her head to look her husband in the eye.

"That is what you told me 2 years ago...!" She replies somberly then passes out from exhaustion.

Spyro lowers his head in disgust. He knows this is his fault...if he could have controled his anger...Cynder would have been pulled from the wall, and at this very moment he would be watching her give birth to an egg. Instead, he is looking at a son whose childhood has come and gone, and a wife that has been broken.

The purple dragon slowly backs away from Cynder.

"What is it Dad?" Sparx says, and Spyro feels another deep pain...hearing his son call him father for the first time...without knowing anything about him.

"I can't!" The purple dragon bellows with tears in his eyes. "Maybe you should help her Sparx. I don't think she wants anything to do with me!"

Sparx grabs his Father's arm and holds him tightly The young dragon yanks his father close to whisper in his ear. "No Dad...you are all she ever talked about when I was a baby, and I know she is just upset right now...I can feel it!"

Spyro looks into his son's eyes with bewilderment.

"What do you mean you can feel it" his father replies and Sparx takes hold of Spyro's paw

The purple dragon is startled by a surge of power that begins flowing through his paw and up his arm.

"I learned to regenerate others!" Sparx yelps with a feeling of pride as his father's power begins to increase. He places his other paw on the back of Spyro's neck and stares into his purple eyes. "However, there is a wierd side effect to this transfer of power. When I touch someone like this I can see their thoughts and visions."

Spyro can feel this young dragon's mind communicating with his own, and holds his son's paw tighter against his neck.

Sparx smiles at his Father hearing the thoughts that sweep through his head second by second. Every single though about his love for Cynder, and the young dragon that stands before him now, but then he hits a sore spot, and Spyro can feel the anguish of when the attack first took place.

"NO!" The purple dragon barks, and slaps his son's paw from his neck. "You don't need to see that memory!"

"I'm sorry Dad!" Sparx replies startled. "I didn't mean to do that...I just wanted to know what happened!"

"One day...I might tell you..." Spyro retorts, then presses the buttons on his Skylander communicator. A rift opens in the room leading to the Portal Station, and the medical bay.

Spyro lowers his arms down to Cynder, and lifts his wife in the air. He sternly looks his son in the face. "...But today is not that day!"

The1upguy · Mar 21, 2013 3:38 AM

Chapter 10 Cynder's Nightmare

In the underground Skylander Portal Station's medical bay, Spyro & his son lay side by side on the floor...waiting. Both dragons stare into a window that faces Cynder's room, however, a curtain drawn before her bed blocks their view from a difficult and painstaking procedure. The re-attaching of her right-wing.

Sparx looks up at his father seeing his blood-shot eyes never blinking, watching intently for any movement. He has only known him for half a day, and already he can tell how much love Spyro has for his mother. He has not left his wife's side, regardless of how exhausted he is from his ordeals.

The purple hero faced a dragon that pounded him till he was completely drained, only to be assaulted moments later in his own home. Spyro can barely keep his eyes open, however, the strength Sparx gave him, still pulses throughout his veins, so he can stay with his son...waiting for any word.

"It will be nice to see Mom finally fly..." The young dragon remarks and Spyro turns to see his son with a smile on his face. "...I've never seen her do it before..."

However, the young dragon turns his head down to the ground for a moment and somberly continues.

"Well...she was forced to once...and it almost killed both of us!" Sparx says and chokes back an emotional feeling, remembering the moment she glided with 1 wing while holding him in her arms.

He looks back up at his father, and forces his smile back upon his muzzle.

"We spun in a circle three times and slammed back into the cliff she jumped off...!" Sparx says with a very forced chuckle.

"But now that I can actually think about it...I'm pretty sure she planed to do that!"

Spyro looks at his son as he stares at the curtain blocking his view.

"...however I was scared, Dad!"

Spyro walks over to his son and places his paw upon his side. "Your mother is a very resourceful dragon, and she would never put you or herself in harm's way without having a plan for escape!"

Sparx lowers his head knowing a dark truth he can not talk about, and the harm that Cynder did put herself and Spyro's son in, however, the young dragon quickly changes the subject

"She used to tell me how fast she was...and that she won many races!" Sparx yelps, working hard to keep his smile "Did you ever fly in a race against her!"

"Your Mother won the inaugural speed race at the 1st ever Dragon Games..." Spyro replies as a smile finally crosses his face. His eyes lock upon his son's "...and I was a distant second!"

The black & purple dragon can see his father accessing his memory and he quickly lowers into a position to intently listen to a story about his mother...told by his father.

Meanwhile, as Spyro tells his son of a great moment in his wife's life, Cynder...under sedation...is remembering one of her worst.

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Deep inside the cave, along the back wall of Malefor's hidden valley, the young mother nestles with her egg.

It has been 3 weeks since she has been brought to this paradise of a prison, and Cynder has made sure to stay away from her host...though it has not been difficult.

Malefor has purposely stayed away, never approaching her without a warning. He has asked everyday, from across the river, for her to join him for dinner and everyday she just ignores him.

However, Cynder is not alone in solitude, she still has two friends that will not take no for an answer.

A sea serpent, that she has no clue if he even has a name, that keeps dropping her off a fish every time she asks, and a White German Shepard, that continually talks to her, even if she doesn't want to listen.

Snow has become more and more brazen in her approach to speak with the young dragoness, even as far as to cross the river that she was told not to. Cynder made a fair warning to Malefor that the only way she would stay is if no one came on her side of the valley, but this White German Shepard does not seem to care about her rules.

"Cynder!" The white canine yelps, and the young dragon turns her head to look across the river. "May I cross and speak to you!"

"What's the difference!" She retorts, and turns her head away. "You are just gonna come over her and talk anyway...so why ask?"

"Because...Today I want your permission!" Snow replies calmly.

Cynder returns her attention to the stern look she is receiving from the White Shepard's blue eyes. She can see there is really something on her mind, and Cynder reluctantly nods her head.

"Thank You!" Snow says as she leaps into the river. The stunning white Shepard crosses the fast-moving stream and shakes her body dry as she comes out on the other side. Snow slowly walks over to Cynder and her egg.

The young dragon rears up as she starts to get to close. "Back off, Snow!" Cynder yelps. "I can hear you from there!"

"I'm not here to talk!" The white dog barks, and Cynder quickly becomes angry.

"Then what do you want!" The dragoness replies hastily, and lowers to the ground showing her teeth...ready to pounce.

Snow does not show any fear...she simply raises her nose and gives and over-dramatic sniff.

"Your wing is infected!...I can smell it" She replies as Snow catches the order of rotting flesh. By her reaction...She can tell Cynder smells it too. "Will you please let me take a look at that...before it's too late!"

"NO!" Cynder barks sharply "I'll be fine!"

The White Shepard gets angry at her response.

"NO YOU WON'T!" She hollers and Cynder is startled by her outburst. She has never seen this calm canine lose her temper once, since arriving, and Cynder has tested her patience several times...even as far as slapping her away.

Snow sits down on her hind quarters and stares down the taller black dragoness.

"If you don't let me take care of that...YOU WILL DIE!" Snow bellows with a stern deep voice, and walks straight up to Cynder. "Then you will have given Malefor your egg...is that what you want?"

Cynder's eyes open wide, hearing the bluntness in Snow's comment.

"No...I don't!" She replies somberly, then looks down at the small dog before her. "But what can you do to help me?"

"Nothing!" She yelps with a smile. "That is until you lower yourself down here...where I can see it!"

Cynder chuckles for a second, but then begins to feel bad. This small dog has braved up to someone nearly fifty times her size, and all she ever wanted to do was help her injury.

All Cynder would do is ignore her, or yell back, or just plain attack her.

"I'm sorry!" The young dragon cries, and lowers her belly to the ground "I've been terrible to you."

"Don't worry about that young lady!" She whispers in Cynder's ear. "I have been treated far worse. You can't stop me with a few shoves and a couple of bad names!"

Snow walks beside the young dragoness, finally able to survey the damage done. She winces at the site of multiple scars that cover her back and legs, many still fresh from the last assault while she was giving birth. Snow slowly climbs up Cynder's back towards her wing, and the dark dragoness is startled as she barely feels this decent sized dog walking atop her body.

"This is going to sting a bit, but then it will all go away...I promise!" Snow whispers softly, and begins to clean the wound with her tongue.

Cynder shutters from the initial intense pain, and yelps for her to stop, but Snow is determined to clean the infection from the broken stub of her right-wing.

The young dragoness bucks up on her hind legs and the white canine is easily thrown from her back.

"I said stop!" Cynder barks as Snow tumbles hard to the ground.

The young dragoness quickly turns to the white Shepard and can see that she is hurt from the fall.

However, Cynder begins to feel worse about what she just did, as the pain in her wing begins to subside completely.

"Oh no!" Cynder yelps seeing Snow stand back up with a gimpy leg. "I did it to you again!"

"That's OK Cynder...Maybe I should have warned you better than that!" The white Shepard remarks with a smile. "I'm sure that was more painful than you were expecting!"

Snow begins licking her injured paw, and Cynder can see a glow coming from her mouth. Much like a dragon, her power comes from her muzzle. The sound of bones cracking into place send shivers down Cynder's spine, as Snow then lowers her healed paw back to the ground.

"There that's better!" Snow remarks then gestures her healed paw at Cynder to get back down on her stomach. "Now can I finish what I started..or do you plan on tossing me off again!"

Cynder shakes her head in awe, and quickly lowers to her stomach. The White Shepard leaps upon the dragoness' back once again, and continues where she left off.

"Where did you...owww...get this power!" Cynder asks through her treatment, and Snow does not answer right away, she thoroughly cleans the broken wing then strides up Cynder's long neck to her head.

"I was given many different powers when I was taken..." The white Shepard replies, and begins licking another nasty cut to the back of Cynder's neck. "...but this power has always been mine, and I will never use those other powers anymore!"

The young dragon shutters once again from the sting of her initial touch, but Cynder is more confused than in pain.

"What do you mean...Taken?" The dragoness asks with concern

Snow stops her healing touch and lays down on Cynder's neck, She lowers her head to the young mother's ear.

"You believe Malefor to be the Dark Master...right!" Snow replies and Cynder slightly nods her head yes. "Then would you also be surprised to know, that for the last 3 weeks, you have been getting your fill of fish from...the Dark Master "

Cynder turns her head around to look her new friend in the eye.

"That's right...Your friendly little sea serpent there was once under the Dark Master's control!" Snow tells Cynder then lowers her head down to whisper in her ear softly.

"And so was I!"

Cynder's eyes lock on those of the creature laying upon her neck.

"What?" She barks with scepticism

"Yes, Cynder...I too was under his control, long before Malefor!" Snow replies and begins licking several other smaller cuts to the side of Cynder's head.

"This is not possible!" Cynder retorts

"Why?" Snow bellows as she stops once more. "Is it that hard to believe that long ago I was forced to kill without having any control over my actions! That I could be forced to destroy my home and kill the ones I loved...all the while, seeing my action as his mindless servant."

The White Shepard drops from Cynder's neck and walks around face to face with the large dragoness.

"Because of my size, many never thought me as a threat! But I was fast and powerful, and he took advantage of that!" She somberly says to the young dragoness, feeling a release in telling someone...other then Malefor...about her early life.

"Most never knew how close they were to death until they were gone." Snow says with a thousand yard stare in her eyes, remembering the countless lives she destroyed "And I can see every single one of my victim's shocked expressions as I sleep at night."

Cynder reaches out her right paw and pets the white Shepard crying before her. She lifts her lowered head gently with a her talon and stares into her teary blue eyes.

"I didn't know!" The dark dragon remarks with sadness in her voice.

Snow smiles seeing the compassion in Cynder's eyes for a former Dark Master, but then suddenly Cynder's eyes show anger, as she spots Malefor flying towards the back of the valley. The young dragoness once again starts becoming defensive.

The sound of the purple dragon landing across the river, startles the white Shepard and she turns around.

"What do you want Malefor!" Snow barks with a bit of anger in her voice, knowing he may have damaged any progress she is making with Cynder.

"Forgive my interruption, Snow, but I've come to make my daily futile attempt of being a proper host!" Malefor replies with sarcasm. "Cynder...I'm sure you're not interested in a warm meal, so I shall just leave you two alone! Good Day!"

The purple dragon once again opens his wings and begins to fly off.

"WAIT!" Cynder yelps, and Malefor stops dead in mid-flight with a look of surprise that she even said a word to him.

"I am getting tired of raw fish!" The young dragoness remarks to her new friend, then looks up at Malefor. "When should I be there!"

The purple dragon lowers to the ground in shock, and a huge smile crosses his muzzle. Malefor is so startled he fumbles his words to the young dragoness.

"It...umm...I...aahh...should have everything ready...in an hour or so!"

"An Hour!" Cynder replies with no emotion, then looks down at Snow. She answers his question still not looking him in the eye.

"Very well...I will be there.!"

Malefor lowers his head with a nod of appreciation, then quickly takes off towards the front of his cave.

"Cynder!" Snow barks with surprise of her own. "You know he will want to talk to you, so if you are not willing to...I would suggest you not come!"

"I think it's time I try listening, before I make another bad decision." Cynder replies and Snow places her paw upon the young dragon's cheek.

"Good" The white Shepard says as she rub her body up against Cynder's neck, then leaps upon her back once more. Snow lowers her head down to the young dragoness' ear

"I promise...he will behave himself, or I will take care of him...OK!"

Cynder smiles and lowers her entire body to the ground...allowing Snow to continue her healing touches.

From that moment on, Cynder realized that she had a friend to watch out for her, and that being in this prison may not be as bad as she once feared.

For over a year, the 3 former Dark Masters catered to the young dragon, and her newly hatched son, Sparx. Cynder has gained much of her weight back and is healthy as she can be. Her strength has returned as well, but the magic she used when first coming has still not been replenished. Other than that, and with the exception of not seeing her husband or the many friends she has made on Avalar, Cynder is almost feeling at home in her new surroundings.

Until one day...when that all changed.

The young mother watches her son playing around with the her new canine friend, and smiles as Sparx tries to catch the much faster Snow. She playful leads him around in a wild goose chase, and the young whelpling becomes frustrated. He has never caught her

The uncoordinated 9 month old, falls on his face several times trying to keep up, and starts to feel a rage burning inside from his failure.

"Come on little fella...you're never gonna catch me it you keep falling on your face!" Snow bellows with a sarcastic smile.

The young whelpling becomes further enraged knowing he can stop her, but only by doing something he was told not to. However, his youthfulness gets the better of the baby dragon, and he begins charging his powers...for an attack.

Sparx sits up on his hind legs and opens his mouth wide. Cynder can feel a familiar energy building inside her son and quickly jumps to her paws.

"SNOW LOOK OUT!" The dark dragoness screams, as a blast of fire comes from her young son's muzzle.

"Oh my goodness!" Snow yelps, turning to see a the raging plume coming straight at her. She freezes in the moment seeing no possible way to avoid being burned.

Suddenly, Malefor comes from out of nowhere, and dives in between the plume of fire and his best friend. He scoops the small dog up in his paw, before the blast from the young whelpling gets close enough to even singe her white fur.

Malefor places Snow on the ground gently as he lands, and stares at the young son of Spyro with anger.

"I told you never to use that power!" He yells at the little whelpling, and Cynder is quickly in Malefor's face.

"DON'T YOU DARE TALK TO MY SON LIKE THAT!" She screams, but then is taken by the thought that her son just used MAGIC.

"Wait a minute!" Cynder yelps as she looks down at her scared son. "How did he get that Magic power?...He was not born with it...AND WHO TAUGHT HIM TO USE AN ELEMENTAL ATTACK!"

The large purple dragon lowers his head, knowing he has overstepped his bounds, and broke the rules that Cynder laid out for him.

Malefor was not allowed anywhere near Sparx, and the last thing she ever wanted was for him to teach her son anything.

"I taught him how to use his power, and gave him some of my magic!" Snow yelps taking Cynder's attention from the one Dark Master she does not like...knowing Malefor is really to blame. "I'm sorry Cynder...that's my fault!"

The young mother stares into the blue eyes of her new best friend...and she can quickly tell.

"Why are you lying to me?" Cynder asks as a tear begins to form in the corner of her green eyes, feeling betrayed by the only one she's cared about.

"You don't need to lie for me, Snow! I want her to be able to trust you!" The purple dragon bellows. "Please Cynder, she is just trying to protect me!"

"I'm...sorry ... I just...!" The White Shepard somberly states, then closes her eyes and turns away with shame.

"I taught your son how to use some of his abilities!" Malefor barks with a stern tone in his voice. "I had to Cynder..."

"YOU HAD NO RIGHT!" Cynder barks cutting him off, but Malefor puts his paw over Cynder's mouth and for the first time since her arrival becomes aggressive to her.

"YES I DID!" He hollers back, and Cynder yelps from his tight grip. "I will need his help if we are going to survive, and yours for that matter as well...SO HE MUST START LEARNING NOW!"

"What are you talking about survive?" Snow barks from the background hearing the tone in Malefor's voice.

"The Dark Master knows they are here, so the attacks will be coming much stronger than before!"

Snow walks up to her old friend with fear in her eyes, and Cynder becomes worried seeing this reaction from the normally calm white Shepard

"The attacks have already been overwhelming to you Malefor!" She yelps knowing the amount of time she spent healing his wounds after the last assault. "What can we do if even you can not stop them!"

"I don't know!" Malefor replies as he looks into her eyes "...but I do know one thing...Cynder, you and Sparx must be ready to leave at a moments notice!"

The purple dragon returns his attention to the young dragoness standing before him, and the whelpling now in her arms.

"If he gets his hands on Spyro's son...the dragon realms will suffer greatly!" Malefor turns to the mouth of the cave and begins walking away. "Cynder...I must show you something...so please don't argue, just leave your son here with Snow, and follow me!"

Cynder looks down at her friend, and seeing the concern upon her face, the young dragon quickly lowers Sparx down beside the white Shepard, and follows her old enemy. She wants to know what has gone on behind her back.

Malefor has gone to great lengths to keep the brutal truth from her, but now he knows her time to recuperate is over. The attacks against his home have increased since the day the egg cracked open, releasing a powerful young dragon. However, being inside the tranquil valley, Cynder has no clue that Malefor has been fighting nearly non stop for the last 9 months.

"The day he was born I was searching for some food and supplies nearly a hundred miles away!" Malefor tells Cynder as she walks along side the large purple dragon. "I felt his power like he was standing next to me, but so did every evil creature in this hell!"

The two dragons walk into the small room in the front of the hidden valley. Cynder can already hear the howling noises coming from outside the cave below.

"What is that?" She asks with puzzlement and concern.

"Take a look, Cynder, but be careful!" Malefor replies

The dark dragoness slowly steps over to the mouth of the cave and can see the swarm of millions of demons gathered at the base of the mountain.

"By the ancestors!" She barks with fear, and backs away from the ledge quickly.

"That is not what I wanted you to see Cynder!" Malefor tells her, then walks to a solid wall of granite. With his earth power the massive dragon pushes a large section of rock to the side revealing another room behind...a bright green light comes from the newly exposed area.

"This is what I NEED you to see!"

The young dragoness cautiously follows Malefor into the back room, but is startled the moment she crosses the threshold of the door. Her eyes light up seeing a large bunch of magic-filled ancestral crystals nestled in the corner, filling the room with their vibrant green glow. There is also a small pool of water barely an inch deep with a flat calm surface like a table top.

Malefor walks over to the pool and begins to stare into the water.

"Please Cynder, recharge your magic...this will take a moment!"

The young dragoness walks over to the cluster of gems and rears back her paw to strike them, but she holds for a second still unsure of Malefor's loyalty.

"Why did you not show me these crystals before!" She asks, and Malefor breaks his concentration hearing the anger in her voice.

"I didn't trust you...Cynder!" Malefor replies and hunches his shoulder with disgust in himself

Cynder lowers her head and remains silent though she wants to blow her top. She releases her anger upon the cluster of gems before her. Malefor can sense her rage as the shards of crystal fly in every direction with great force.

The energy quickly absorbs into the young dragoness who has been starving for magic power nearly one and half years.

As she gets her entire fill of Magic, Cynder slowly turns to see the pool before Malefor is now glowing with light, and an image she has starved even longer to see.

"Spyro!" She cries with joy

He is staring directly up from the pool and Cynder realizes she is looking at her home, seeing what her statue frozen in the wall is seeing.

Spyro is holding her wing and tears are frozen in time on his cheeks, but the look in his eyes strike Cynder through the heart.

"He is going to blame himself for this Cynder!" Malefor softly says, and looks at the young dragoness. "He was not in control of his actions, and you must make sure he knows that...!"

"How do you know what my husband is going to THINK Malefor?" Cynder barks with anger at his assumption. "You know nothing about him!"

"You're wrong Cynder!" He replies and returns his eyes to the shallow pool of water. "I see those eyes every time I look at my reflection in the river."

Malefor shows the same stare with his purple eyes that she can see in the pool from her husband. It is a look of complete helplessness, and despair.

"I know exactly what he feels right now Cynder...!"

The young dragon looks away no longer wanting any part in what Malefor is showing her. She is upset at her predicament to begin with, but now having the strain of seeing her husband's suffering as well, it almost feels like he is trying to incite her.

"What did you mean before when you said that you didn't trust me!" Cynder remarks as she watches the crystals she destroyed already grow back. "I mean it seems you have an abundant source of crystals here, Malefor...Why did you not let me recharge myself when I first got here?"

The purple dragon again sighs as she becomes defensive with him.

"I was afraid that you would have hidden yourself from me, and I would have no chance at redemption!"

Cynder disappears into the shadows in the blink of an eye and Malefor closes his eyes in disgust.

Suddenly 3 claw marks appear on the left cheek of the massive purple dragon, and he grasps his muzzle in pain.

Cynder uncloaks her body from the shadows, and wraps her left paw around Malefor's neck. She opens her right paw in front of the eyes of her old master, and shows her sharpened black talons.

"Why would you ever think you could redeem yourself for what you did to me..." She barks loudly and directly into his ear.

Cynder digs her claws into the scales of his neck, but does not penetrate the skin underneath "...I Should just kill you! That is the only redemption I will have."

Malefor lifts his paw to his neck and grasps Cynder's arm. He turns his head forcing her claws into his neck further, and Cynder is startled. His weathered purple eyes stare at her coldly.

"All you would be doing...is ending MY suffering Cynder, so by all means...DO IT!" He bellows with a dead calm voice.

"However, as my hell will finally end...your son's will have just begun...and there is nothing you can do to stop it unless you listen to me!"

Cynder can see the blood begin trickling down his neck, and can hear an almost eagerness in his voice for her to either just do it, or finally listen.

"But you ruined my life!" She whispers with pain, still unsure herself, if she is going to end his suffering.

"That...is something we have common Cynder!" Malefor retorts, his voice still dead calm.

The young dragoness begins releasing tension on her choke hold, however, Cynder still has her claws firmly embedded in his throat as a voice from their right startles both dragons.

"Mommy...Stop!" Sparx cries and quickly trots into the room. He broke free from his babysitter, Snow, who is embarrassed as she enters after him.

Sparx is alarmed seeing his mother in such an aggressive posture against the purple dragon. He has never seen Malefor be anything but gracious to his mother, so why is she attacking him...but something deeper is bothering the young whelpling.

Cynder seeing his emotional state, calms down and leaps from Malefor's neck, she quickly meets her son half way across the room, and hugs him tightly.

"I'm sorry you had to see that Sparx!" Cynder whispers in his ear to comfort him, but she can feel a shuttering in his body that even her embrace can not stop

"What's the matter, baby?" She asks and looks deep into his panicked eyes.

"I don't understand!" Sparx remarks then shuts his eyes tightly, and becomes very apprehensive. He is finally going to ask a question that he has never asked, still wondering about himself and his surroundings, and why he is remarkably similar to this dragon she is attacking.

"Isn't he my DAD?"

Cynder's body begins to shutter harder than her son's, and Sparx knows the answer without a word spoken.

The uncertain words her young son bellows, cut through Cynder like a blade, and the young mother just thinks to herself...

"What have I done!"

Cynder turns her eyes to Malefor, and he immediately can see her rage.

"NO!" He somberly yelps as Cynder grabs her son tightly, then once again disappears into the shadows.

The sound of her footsteps echo towards the cave entrance, and Malefor becomes gravely concerned, as he knows there is no where for her to go...but straight down.

The blood curdling sound of Sparx yelling with fear, as Cynder leaps from the high perch, sends a chill down Malefor's spine.

He has helped the young dragon for only a few weeks and already he feels a strong bond with the son of Spyro, but the thought he has for hurting Cynder again, overtakes the large purple dragon.

Malefor runs to the mouth of his cave and looks down for any sign of the black and red dragon in her daring leap to get away.

"CYNDER!" He screams from high above, hoping she would falter and show herself. However, he can not see a sign of the 2 dragons falling to the ground.

Malefor becomes concerned with the millions of demons at the base of his mountain, even if Cynder was to survive this jump, she would be quickly overwhelmed in seconds.

The purple dragon leaps from his perch and zips to the ground at great speed.

The swarm of dog-like demons begin to frenzy in anticipation of the dragon coming down from the mountain. They open a hole in their masses allowing the large dragon to land.

Malefor pays no attention to them...he just scans the skies and the ground for any sign of Cynder as she returns to the valley floor. Hundreds of small dog-like demons pour atop the large dragon from several platforms above his head, these creatures are relentless in their attacks, but Malefor is still not paying much attention to them.

"CYNDER!" He screams again, but then barks with pain as one demon bites a sensitive area on his neck. Malefor grasps the Shepard-like demon and crushes him in his paw, whipping him into the ground at the mob of creatures swarming him.

The large purple dragon begins flapping his arms and wings to keep the area around him clear. Hoping to catch a glimpse of Cynder as she makes it to the ground, or at least be able to see the group of demons attacking her so he can rescue the cloaked dragon.

"Please Cynder!" He yelps, and flails his arms harder to clear his view, however the demons become even more aggressive.

Malefor, not seeing his guest or her son, fears the worst. An overwhelming sensation of loss befalls him and no longer struggles to stop this attack. The large purple dragon gives in to the millions of demons...allowing them to finally end his suffering. Malefor is inundated by the swarm, and they pull the full-sized purple dragon to the ground on his back.

The small angry creatures burrow into his mouth and nose to suffocate him as fast as they can.

From high up on the ledge of his home, Malefor can hear the faint screams of his best friend and only the regret he will have to leave behind.

He looks up at the White Shepard, and she looks down upon him. Snow can see the disdain in his purple eyes, and realizes that he is finally giving up.

"NO!" The white Shepard barks from above, but Malefor ignores her cries.

He knows she will be upset at his choice, however, Snow has lived for thousands of years before Malefor, and she will learn to adapt.

"At least you will have a place to survive this time, my friend." The large dragon says to himself with a smile.

However, as Malefor stares at his distraught friend, a slight movement catches his eye. He watches as a few rocks fall from a ledge just below the mouth of his cave.

"Cynder!" He says to himself, shocked at seeing the young dragoness clinging to the wall with her child in hand.

The site of her and Sparx still alive, sends a pulse of pure adrenaline through him.

Malefor tries to struggle to his feet, but the swarm of evil creatures will not let him up. The mass upon his body is too great for him to roll off his back and more demons continue to pile on.

She was not stupid, and had no plans of heading to the ground, but she had to get away from an influence she does not want on her son. The dark dragoness spiraled several times, cloaked in shadow, then speared her talons into the cliff.

Cynder now watches from her high perch, holding Sparx tightly to her chest, not allowing him to see this vicious attack.

However, the young dragoness is in shock, as she realizes she is also sympathetic and has feelings of remorse...for Malefor. Seeing him enveloped by these relentless creatures, a cold thought that she is to blame for his death, becomes unsettling.

Suddenly, a rumble from below, and a familiar power that Cynder has not felt in years begins to surge from the valley.

The dragoness' green eyes focus squarely upon the pile of demons swarmed atop the large purple dragon. With a vast explosion of power, Malefor stands back upon his feet.

A glow surrounds his body, and slowly the purple scales of this impressive dragon turn jet black.

He turns his head up to stare at Cynder with his blank white pupils, then looks away.

Malefor draws upon the power of Convexity, and focuses a shock-wave of power in every direction...except towards his mountain

Cynder watches in awe, as the entire valley is wiped clean of any and every living thing by the powerful wave of pure energy.

Malefor stands in the epicenter of the destruction, and slowly begins to flap his wings. The large dragon gains altitude, and Cynder once again becomes nervous.

The purple dragon stops as he approaches her, and hovers a few feet away.

"I have given you a way out Cynder...If you are going to leave, please do not take time in your decision!" He bellows with a deep depression. Malefor turns his head towards Cynder and can see she is just as distraught as he is. "I'm sorry for what I have done...and do not blame you for wanting to leave"

The old dragon stops his speech and turns his attention to the set of purple eyes that are gazing at him from under his mother.

Malefor lowers his head to break eye contact, and Cynder is startled as a tear rolls from his eye down his cheek.

"I know he is not MY SON, and I know that you want me to have nothing to do with his upbringing! So it is best that I stay out of his life!" Malefor somberly bellows, then turns his head to look Cynder in the eye one last time. "Good Luck my former foe and one time friend...please be careful!"

Cynder is overcome with raw emotion

The young dragoness is happy as she watches Malefor fly away...finally leaving her and her son alone. However, at the same time, she is upset at how she has treated him. Even thought, deep in her heart, she could never forgive him...he was a gracious host, and did much to keep her and Sparx alive.

Cynder is also fearful of the unknown, trying to survive in a land that has nothing to offer, giving up the one place that she could guarantee her child would be able to eat.

And the young dragoness is also heartbroken...she is leaving a good friend behind...Snow. A strong-willed female whose heart was twenty times her size.

Malefor suddenly stops after only a few feet, startling Cynder from her thought.

"I will still be watching Cynder, and you will always be welcome to return!" He retorts with a smile, and the young mother feels a slight relief, knowing she now has 'the option' to come back.

"Thank You Malefor!" Cynder answers with the most respectful tone she has ever spoken to her former master. "And I'm sorry too...but I have to do this!"

Malefor hovers in place, and says not a word. He looks down at the young dragoness cradling her son, and once again a tear falls from his eye.

"I understand!" He softly replies, then smiles as his reddish gold wings begin flapping harder to lift him up to his cave. "Spyro is a lucky dragon, Cynder...and I hope he will meet his son soon!"

Before he become to emotional Malefor takes off like a shot, and Cynder watches him disappear into his high cave.

The young dragoness slowly releases the grip she has on her son and relaxes for a moment on the ledge she perched herself on.

Still nearly a thousand feet up, Cynder has a perfect view of her surroundings. The valley is completely devoid of any activity thanks to Malefor, and Cynder can see a path that she will be able to walk down.

"Easy Baby!" Cynder tells the shaking whelpling under her body, and she begins licking the tears from his face. "Everything will be OK Sparx!"

"I'm sorry Mom!" He whimpers with fear that this is his fault. "I didn't know...!"

"Shhhhhhh!" the young mother whispers in his ear and covers his muzzle gently with her large paw. "That was my fault Sparx...I should have told you a long time ago, that he was not your father...but...I was afraid..."

The young dragon pulls his mother's paw from his mouth, hearing her long dramatic pause.

"Afraid of what Mommy!" Sparx asks with concern seeing his mother begin crying.

Cynder holds her son tightly and tells him her worst nightmare.

"I'm afraid that we may be here forever, and that you will never get a chance to meet your father!"

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Back in the medical bay, Cynder wakes from the painful thought in her memory.

However, her pain is not just from a memory

Cynder turns her head slowly to the right and is startled at the sight she has not seen in over 2 years. Her right-wing, heavily bandaged and very sore, but it is there, and she can feel it.

"CCYYNNDDEERR AARREE YYOOUU OOKK!" A voice slowly and creepily calls to her from the left, and Cynder turns her attention to an odd looking man with pointed ears.

"I'm Doctor Stanley, and you are in a Skylander medical bay!" His voice becomes a bit more coherent but still fuzzy to her. "Can you hear me?"

Cynder is zonked out of her mind on pain killers, but she nods her head slowly to let him know she can hear his question.

However, the young dragoness can also hear something else. Something that quickly takes her attention...Laughter. And not just any laughter, it is a laugh she has not heard in years, and one that she recognizes right away from her husband.

Cynder again slowly turns her head towards the window of her room and is overwhelmed by a sight the young mother never thought she'd see.

A sight that sends a warm feeling deep into her soul, taking away the terrible chill of the nightmare she just had

Sparx is laying across his father's back, talking in his ear with a big smile.

A deep sigh of relief comes from her muzzle, and she turns back to the doctor.

"They seem to like each other!" She remarks, still whacked out of her mind on pain medication, and the Doctor smiles at her.

"It's been over a day of surgery, Cynder, and they have not left that room." The doctor replies, and walks over to the dark purple & red dragoness. He grasps her paw gently, and looks deep into her eyes. "Even when your husband passed out from complete exhaustion, your son just laid beside him and slept."

Cynder smiles and looks back at her family.

She chuckles as Sparx tries to playful bite his father's horn, like he would do to her when he was young, but then Spyro jostles his body, and flips Sparx over his back with a loud crash.

She can hear her son laughing, and realizes they are still playing.

"Can I see them Doctor?" She asks while slightly laughing herself.

"NO...Not yet Cynder...I need you to rest a little longer!" He replies with a solid grip of her paw, knowing his answer is not the one she wanted to hear. "I can not give you any more medications, either. I'm afraid if I give you another sedative you could slip into a coma, so I need you to just relax and get some sleep."

"Can I watch them until I fall asleep!" She asks apprehensively, and the doctor chuckles at yet another question asked by her drug induced state.

"Of course you can, Cynder, but only if you promise me you'll get some sleep!" The Doctor replies with a bit of sarcasm, and walks out the door.

"I don't think that will be a problem!' She replies to no one in the room.

The heavily sedated dragon can feel her eyelids lowering again, but is not afraid to fall asleep for once. Seeing her husband and son playing and hearing they have not left each others side, Cynder is sure she will finally experience...good dreams.

The1upguy · Mar 26, 2013 6:07 PM

Chapter 11 Visiting Hours

Laying in a hospital bed, in and out of consciousness, Cynder has spent nearly 3 days away from her family...separated by just a simple window. Now, that pane of glass feels like it is miles thick.

"When can I see them?" Cynder asks the nurse that is checking her pulse.

"You can see them through the window for now!" The nurse coldly replies, hearing this question for the hundredth time. "When the doctor says you're out of danger...he will let them in here but not a moment earlier!"

Cynder looks down in depression being yelled at for just wanting her family's company.

The pointy eared nurse can hear her give a deep sorrowful sigh, and feels the sharp change in her pulse. The young women dressed in pure white lowers her head as well.

"I'm so sorry Cynder! I didn't mean to snap like that" She continues with a great deal of humbleness in her voice. "It's been a long few days, and I have not slept much, you've given us quite a scare...twice, but thankfully I think you are almost out of woods!"

The nurse continues her work adjusting her medication, and checking the information displayed on Cynder's vital statistics. The young woman lowers her hand down to lift Cynder's muzzle, and she smiles at the young dragoness as their eyes meet.

"And judging by these number...I don't think you will have too much longer to wait before you can TALK to them!" She tells her with a great deal of joy in her voice, and winks her right eye at the young dragon. "In fact...I gonna go find Dr. Stanley right now, OK!"

Cynder's smile fills her face in the nurse's gentle hand. She releases her narrow muzzle, and walks to the door. However, as the door opens wide, the young nurse turns her head back to her patient.

"Now...don't go anywhere!" She barks with seriousness, and Cynder rolls her eyes with a chuckle of laughter.

"I promise!" The young dragoness replies sarcastically, and the nurse smiles large. She can see that Cynder is now completely in control of her wits, not groggy or incoherent as before.

"I think you better get ready for visitors, Cynder!" She says confidently. "You seem to have you're senses with you, and I see no problem with your vitals. I'm sure the doctor will allow you a visitor...or 2!"

"Really!" Cynder bellows with relief and the young nurse nods her head. "Thank the ancestors!"

Suddenly a look of confusion falls over the nurse's face and she turns around quickly...looking out the open door.

"What is it?" Cynder barks with a puzzled look as the nurse checks down the hall.

"Nothing...I guess!" She replies, still with a confused look upon her face. "I though I felt a gust of wind..."

The nurse shakes her head and walks over to the thermostat on the wall, rasing the temperature in the room. "...This underground station stinks...it's so *bleep* drafty! Anyway...I will be back in a few minutes, and again I'm sorry for bef...!"

"Don't worry about before..." The young dragoness barks cutting the apologetic nurse off.

"...I can be a pain in the butt...just ask my husband!" Cynder says with a laugh. "I'm sorry!"

She begins to feel excited...knowing that the doctor may finally say YES, and she will be able to talk to her husband & son. With great anticipation she watches as the nurse smiles and turns from her room.

Cynder gazes out to the waiting room at the foot of her bed and the window she has seen and felt the emotion of her family, not being able to come inside to comfort her.

However, a look of confusion fills her face seeing only Spyro laying outside the large picture window, sleeping. The dark dragoness was sure Sparx was laying beside him only a moment ago.

"Where did Sparx go?" She yelps out loud, with an upset tone in her voice. She is finally going to be able to have them in her room, and all of a sudden now, her son decides to leave?

"I'm right here, Mom!" His voice softly whispers, and her son appears from out of the SHADOW he cast upon himself.

The shock on Cynder's face is quick to disappear...to a look of pure joy.

"Sparx!" She yelps seeing her son standing by her side.

"Hi Mom!" He whispers and gently lays his head down upon her chest. His dark purple paws slowly envelop her body and he hugs her softer then his words.

"I missed you so much!"

Cynder looks her son up and down, from the tip of his nose to the point of his tail. She can see the same dragon she left behind, just that he is more than 10 times the size. She lifts his head with her weak grip and Sparx raises up with her movement.

"It appears...I missed much more than you!" Cynder cries and lowers his head back to her red chest. The upset mother cranes her head atop of his, like she would do when he was afraid.

Only this time, it is Cynder who is afraid.

"My baby is not a baby anymore!" She says with deep sadness and worry. "How long has it been Sparx?"

"6 years!" Her son replies and Cynder squeezes him tighter then before.

"And how long were you with him?" She asks with fear.

Sparx raise up from his mother's grasp, knowing he will disappoint her with his answer.

"The whole time, Mom...the whole time!" Sparx closes his eyes with the sight of his mother's disappointed look.

"I had no choice after you disappeared!" He says softly, but Cynder snaps at her son.

"I don't want to hear about it!" She barks feeling rage for her choice of even letting Malefor see her son. Cynder turns to Sparx and can see the despair in his eyes, she quickly grabs him and pulls his muzzle back to her neck. The dark dragoness looks out the window at her husband and begins to feel regret.

"Not yet...Sparx...please, not today! I can't..."

"OK Mom! I will wait until you are ready!"

Even though he has lived a different life the last 6 years, the young mother can still feel the same shaking in her son when he is worried or preoccupied with a disturbing thought.

"Calm down baby...I'm not mad at you..." Cynder yelps trying to stop her son's shuttering. "I'm mad myself! I never should have put you in that position!"

"No Mom, you had no choice either..." Sparx says in her grasp. He raises up to turn his head towards the window at the dragon his mother is still staring at "...and from the little bit I know about my father..." Sparx once again turns to face her and show his mother the same confident purple eyes she has seen many times from her husband...and from Malefor.

"...he will understand!" A smile fills his features and his gaze becomes more relaxed, reminding Cynder of his youthfulness. "I sure of it!"

"I don't know Sparx...!" Cynder whispers. "...there is a lot of anger in your father for what he did to me when I was your age...I mean...when I was a whelpling!"

Sparx turns his head to look at his father once again, sleeping in the waiting room, the same place he has spent the last 3 days.

"Well...I don't think he is ever going to leave you...regardless of what you tell him Mom!" Sparx yelps then again returns that stern gaze from before. "However, I did notice first hand, that he does not like when someone keeps a secret from him! He knows I'm keeping one, and it hurts to lie to my Father, especially when I'm still just getting to know him."

Sparx turns his head back once more to stare at Spyro. "I mean...how can he trust me if I can't be straight with him from day one"

"What are you lying to him about?!" Cynder quips with slight wonderment.

"He keeps asking how I survived by myself for so long...!" Sparx says with anger, knowing the Guardian opened his mouth about someone else with the young dragon

"He knows I was not alone, but he does not know who I was with, and you told me not to say anything, so I haven't!" Sparx lowers his head with depression, then turns a teary eye to his mother "But I hate this! Please, Mom! Don't make him wait for the truth if he asks, because I want to speak to my father with a clear conscience!"

Cynder again grabs her child and holds him as tight as she can.

"I will...I promise!" She whispers in his ear. "But only if you're with me when I tell him, Sparx!"

"Of course, Mom!" He replies and slowly backs away from her chest. The young dragon lays down on his stomach next to her bed keeping his head up for her to look at him. "I will stay right here!"

Cynder smiles at her son's pure devotion to her...even after such a long absence of her presence. She reaches her paw out to his muzzle, and rubs the bridge of his nose. Sparx lowers his head down on her bed with the pure enjoyment of his favorite place to be scratched.

She flashes back to one of the few decent memories she had in her nightmarish hell, and it reminds her of a good friend. The only thing that made her time with Malefor bearable.

"How is Snow doing, Sparx?" She asks with a smile, seeing in her memory the white Shepard's smiling face as Sparx hatched from his egg. "I never had a chance to say goodbye!"

Sparx immediately becomes apprehensive, picking his head up from his mother's bed, and backing away from her gentle touch. The look on his face is one of complete despair, and Cynder doesn't even need to hear a word spoken.

"Oh no!" She yelps and her heart begins to race. "What happened?"

Sparx pauses for a moment and Cynder becomes even more anxious seeing his reaction. Her son looks like he wants to run and hide, and not tell his mother what he did.

"It was my fault Mom!" Sparx replies with nearly a sound to his voice, and tears begin to pour from his eyes uncontrollably.

"HEY" A voice bellows from behind, startling both dragons.

"What are you doing in here Sparx?" Dr. Stanley remarks with anger, then walks over to the display screen that show Cynder's vitals are going up. "I told you your mother needed rest, and the last thing she needs is for you to get her excited! Now you will have to leave, and I will have to sedate her!"

"NO! I'm sorry, doctor..." Sparx yelps feeling an unbelievable regret for overstepping his authority. "...I promise I will leave but you have to let my father talk to her first. Please I can't go out there and explain that I kept him away from her any longer then he has been."

Dr. Stanley can see the deep feeling of sorrow in the eyes of the young dragon, almost like the eyes of his friend laying in the waiting room.

"Remarkable" He says with a snicker "You're just like your father!"

He turns his attention to Cynder, and with a smile calmly says

"That will depend on your mother, Sparx! Can you settle down for me Cynder...maybe take a breath or two!" Dr. Stanley says with a bit of sarcasm "If you can calm yourself down...it will prove you are well enough, and I will let Spyro come inside as well!"

Cynder looks up at the doctor with a smile, and lowers her head. She takes a few deep breaths and tries to calm her emotions. Cynder looks out the window of her room and can see her husband just laying peacefully. THe young dragoness recalls, in her memory, a better time and place.

Her wedding day

She can envision the look Spyro gave her just after Terridor spoke those most important words...

"I now pronounce you husband and wife"

His eyes were filled with the love he has never had for anyone else, and the shuttering in his body as he grabbed her gently, gave her the chills.

But the kiss is what she is focusing on.

The most passionate kiss she ever received, and the feeling of deep love that came with it.

The pounding in her chest, matched his heart beat, and echoed with the thunderous applause from below. It shook the foundations of the Valley of Avalar, and made that moment even more defining.

Cynder smiles in her hospital bed and looks back up to Dr. Stanley.

His eyes focused dead on the display screen next to her bed, watching her vital statistics intently. Dr. Stanley returns his gaze to the dark dragoness in his care, with a stern look.

"Dragons!" He bellows, and Cynder smiles

"Well...doctor, can I see my husband...please?" She asks with a deep wanting in her voice.

The doctor keeps his mouth shut and begins to walk toward the window. He places his hand upon Sparx' side.

"I don't know!" He replies...looking deep into the distraught eyes of her son.

"Please!" The young dragon somber asks.

A huge smile suddenly crosses his face, and his sarcasm returns in the next sentence

"It all depends..." He barks with a snicker, then taps on the window with his knuckles. "...Do you think he will wake up!"

Spyro's eyes open with the first tap, and he turns his head in the direction of his wife's room. His eyes open further, seeing the doctor and Sparx standing on the other side.

"Hey!" He yelps and jumps to his feet.

Spyro excitedly wastes no time in running down the hallway, back through the nurses station and into his wife's room. As he gets to the open door his eyes lock upon hers...she was watching intently, waiting for him to appear.

"Cynder!" Spyro yelps with a deep love in his voice, and she just smiles at him knowing he is completely taken be her.

The purple hero of Avalar slowly strides into the room, and lays his head down upon her red chest plate. He wraps his arm around his wife gently and just holds on to her as easily as he can.

Cynder places her paw upon the top of his head, and softly scratches the area behind his broken horn. Spyro shutters from the sheer feeling of his wife's touch but begins crying, knowing how close he came to losing her.

"I'm so sorry Cynder!" Spyro whimpers, holding her a little tighter, but not hard enough to hurt.

"This was my fault!"

Cynder lifts her husband's muzzle to look him in the eye.

"NO it wasn't Spyro!" She replies, but can see in his eyes that he doesn't agree.

"Sparx, Dr. Stanley! Can I talk to my husband alone for a minute, please" She softly says and lowers his head back down upon her chest.

Sparx without a word spoken, walks from the room quickly and stands by the open door, but Dr. Stanley stays behind for a moment.

"Do not upset her Spyro...She is finally in stable condition, but that doesn't mean she can deal with a great amount of stress!" He replies.

The pointy eared surgeon walks over to her display screen, and points at her blood pressure reading.

"Just be mindful of what you say. If I see her pressure go up too much...I don't care who you are..." The doctor retorts sternly. "...I will remove you from this room...understood!"

"Yes Doctor...I understand!" He quickly replies, and the doctor turns to walk away, however, Spyro grabs his arm as he goes to take his first step.

"Thank You Dr. Stanley..." He says with a great deal of appreciation and looks up at Cynder's repaired wing "...for everything!"

Dr. Stanley places his hand on Spyro's neck and stares into his eyes.

"NO Spyro...you never need to thank me for anything..." He replies with a greater appreciation in his words. "It was my pleasure to help the greatest Skylander of this age...and My Good Friend!"

The purple & gold dragon lowers his head humbly, and a tear rolls off his muzzle to the floor. The doctor slides his hand from the back of Spyro's neck to his jaw, and lifts his chin up high. His eyes focus deep into the young father's purple eyes

"It's MY DUTY!"

Spyro stands on his hind legs towering over the 6' 4" doctor and embraces him tightly.

"My friend...it is MY DUTY to do what I do, but what you have done is given my wife back, and my son his mother..." He whispers softly. The young father can see his boy standing just on the other side of the door, and watches a smile cross his face.

Spyro pulls back from his embrace and returns a deep gaze into Dr. Stanley's dark brown eyes. "...if a thank you is not called for now...then when is it!"

Dr. Stanley pause for a moment, and pulls Spyro back to him. "You're Welcome..Spyro!" He replies with his own humility, and pats the purple dragon upon the hard scales of his back. "Now, go and talk to your wife, my friend...Cynder has been asking for you the minute she woke up...at nauseum!"

Spyro nods his head and returns his attention to an embarrassed, but smiling, dark purple and red dragoness. He strides back to her bed, and sits upright gently grasping her paw.

As Dr. Stanley leaves and the doors close, Spyro once again breaks down with tears and lowers his muzzle down to Cynder. He pecks her gently on the cheek, and is overwhelmed by the amount of scars on her face.

From outside the window, her husband could not see the minor injuries to Cynder. However, up close, he can see now that these small wounds and scars are the real reason she was in such terrible shape. There are thousands of them covering her body, and Spyro can feel more and more anguish in his heart.

"Look at what I did to you!" He yelps and Cynder sighs feeling his regret.

"It wasn't your fault!" She replies with a bit of anxiety.

"I sent you there...I did!" He softly retorts. "I was the one who attacked the Guardian while he was trying to help you, and I am the one who forced...our child...to live there for almost 8 years.."

Spyro lowers his head down to her and cries uncontrollably

"...how can you ever forgive me for that!"

"*bleep* it Spyro..." She yelps with anger and grabs the nub of his broken horn, to get his attention with pain. She pauses for a second and then stares dead into his teary purple eyes before telling him sternly.

"This was not your fault..." The dark dragoness lowers her head, turning her telling eyes away from him. "...and I know that as a matter of fact!"

Spyro can hear the seriousness in her voice, and can feel the pain from her grip. He settles down quickly, and realizes what she just said and how apprehensive she just became.

"What do you mean you know..." He replies with puzzlement, but then Spyro becomes more anxious. "Were you able to see everything!"

"No!" She replies sheepishly still unable to look her husband in the eye. Cynder's voice becomes a bit strained, as she continues, knowing she is heading down a path of questions she does not want to answer "I heard...from a reliable source, lets just say that!"

"A reliable source?" Spyro retorts and backs away for a minute. "Who?"

Cynder begins to breathe heavily and can tell her pulse is rising. The dark dragoness can feel a pain begin to build in her chest, knowing that her husband will be heartbroken to know who she had received help from...again.

"I can't Spyro...I just can't!" Cynder replies with tears pouring from her green eyes, and Spyro can see how upset he is making her.

"Stop Cynder, I'm sorry...please take it easy..." He yelps and hugs her tightly to quiet his wife. Spyro lowers his muzzle down to her ear and softly whispers "I want to know, but I don't want to hurt you to find out, so you tell me when you are ready!"

Suddenly, being in the embrace she has longed for for 2 years, the young dragoness can sense the love from her HUSBAND. Cynder knows it is the right thing to tell him, even by herself. She wanted her son in the room with her for support, but realizes, she has never gotten more support than from the purple dragon holding her now.

"I'm sorry Spyro...I had no choice!" She remarks with difficulty

The alarm on the display begins to ring, and the purple dragon glances over to see her heart rate has doubled.

"Cynder, calm down, you don't need to tell me!" Spyro replies feeling her pulse thumping through her chest. "Please just breathe easy!"

The doctor bolts into the door, and immediately becomes concerned seeing his patient having trouble breathing.

"Spyro, back away...quickly!" He retorts, and grabs a syringe from the table. He hastily fills the needle and injects a sedative into the young dragoness' hind-quarters.

Cynder squeals from the pain, but thankful her body shuts down, and her pulse begins to slow to normal. The young dragoness passes out from the sedative, and the doctor turns around to her husband.

"What the hell happened?" He asks with concern "I was out of the room for a minute, Spyro!"

"I don't know, doctor!" Spyro answers, just as clueless as him. "She was going to tell me something, but then became really upset...I told her to stop, that I didn't need to know!"

Spyro looks down at the ground in shame. The same pain Cynder is experiencing, inner doubt, fills his chest.

"I can't stop this feeling that she and my son are keeping something from me...but I don't know what." He says to his good friend. "It scares me, doc..that she is this worried to tell me something, and I can see the look in Sparx' eye as well."

Spyro glances back at his wife with a great concern.

"What the hell could be so frightening to her that she will not tell me!?"

"Mom is worried about losing you Dad!" Sparx replies from the doorway, and both Spyro and Dr. Stanley are startled by the young dragon's sudden appearance. "She feels that this secret will drive a wedge between the two of you!"

Sparx strolls into the room never taking his eyes from his mother's face. He walks up to the far side of her bed across from Spyro and Dr. Stanley. The young dragon places his paw on her cheek and a sudden flash of power is sent through her entire body.

Dr. Stanley & Spyro are startled once again, by the flash of power from his paw, and the fact that Cynder's vitals stabilize in a second.

"This will help Mom!" He whispers then gently slides his paw across her neck, down her arm, and grasps her paw. "Get some sleep...I will tell him, so you do not have to!"

"What did you do to her?" The doctor quips seeing Cynder is no longer in danger.

"She is so weak, and I am feeling better, so I gave her some of my strength!" Sparx replies nonchalantly. "It will help with her healing...I hope!"

Sparx slowly looks up at his Father, who is still in awe at what he just saw his son do.

"It sounded like Mom was going to tell you...!" Sparx says with a slight grin. "So I wouldn't be breaking my promise if I finished what she was going to say...would it?!"

Spyro is still stunned, but asks a question that has him baffled.

"How did you hear what she was saying Sparx?" The purple dragon barks with a puzzled expression.

Sparx suddenly disappears in a poof of dark smoke and his voice rings out from the shadows.

"I'm sorry Dad, but I never left the room!" He says, then places his paw upon his father's side.

Spyro jumps from being touched by his invisible son, but also has a feeling of déjà vu. This was a favorite trick that Cynder would do to scare her purple boyfriend, back in their earlier days. The dark power of Shadow that courses through Cynder, is now a part of the young dragon that stands...somewhere...in front of his father.

Sparx reappears before the purple & gold dragon and smiles. "I knew she was not going to keep this secret from you, and I didn't what her to be alone." He lowers his head feeling bad for not seeing it sooner

"But now I see...when my Mom is with you...she is not alone!"

The two toned purple dragon places his paw upon Spyro's shoulder, then returns his eyes to his father's with a confident stare.

"Walk with me Dad!" He whispers in his father's ear. "I'm sure she can hear us and I don't want to upset Mom anymore than she already is."

As father and son make their way to the door...a soft whisper stops them both in their tracks

"Nooo!" Her voice begs, Sparx & Spyro turn around quickly to see her eyes open and locked upon them.

Dr Stanley quickly turns around to Cynder, and she holds up her paw slightly to stop him.

"I'm OK doc...but I must say something!" She softly replies.

"Good luck!" he retorts with a chuckle. "I fully expect you to be out cold again in a second or two!"

Cynder just stares at her friend and smiles.

"Dragons!" He bellows, and turns to Spyro and Sparx. "Well...before she passes out..."

Sparx quickly runs to his mother's side, and is met with a stern request.

"Do not tell him yet...Sparx...you promised!" She says with a strain in her voice from the sedative. "I will tell him later!"

"Yes Mom! I promised!" Sparx replies somberly.

"Spyro!" She softly says and Sparx turns to see his father already approaching her bed side.

"I'm here Cynder...What is it, Baby?" Spyro asks eagerly to hear her voice and her request.

"Please stop asking Sparx about the past...he does not want to keep a secret from his father!" She says, and Spyro can see the sparkle of tears forming in her green eyes. "He is upset not to be able to tell you...but I asked him, and he promised."

"I will no longer ask!" Spyro replies and strokes her paw with his own to comfort her, but is no use. Cynder begins to cry from fear...looking into the eyes of her love.

"I'm sorry Spyro...and I love you!" She whispers. "But I had no choice..."

Cynder begins to succumb to the sedative Dr. Stanley gave her, and her eye lids close uncontrollably .

Spyro can see a restless look upon her face, and another nightmare for his young wife, the look he has seen many times from his window.

This nightmare is not of a beating while defending her son, to Cynder it is much worse...how to tell her husband she spent a year under the evil Dark Master's protection.

Cynder is unable to say or do anything, and slowly begins to lose complete consciousness.

However, at the last moment, the young dragoness can feel Spyro's embrace, and hears his voice whispered in her ear.

"Shhhh...do not worry my WIFE!" He says and strokes his paw around her neck and up to her muzzle. The purple dragon gently kisses her on the mouth and returns his head down to her ear. "There is nothing you can tell me that will EVER make me stop loving you...NOTHING!"

Spyro can see his wife take a deep breath, and can see her body begin to relax. He turns his head over to Dr. Stanley and her monitor. Noticing Cynder's heart rate return to normal, the purple dragon smiles.

"Well I guess she will need more rest after all huh, Doctor!" Spyro retorts with a chuckle.

Dr. Stanley just stares at his purple friend...

"DRAGONS!" He bellows with a smirk and walks from the room with a bit of an attitude in his step.

"Is he mad at us dad?" Sparx asks with a bit of startlment hearing the angered tone in the normally calm doctor's voice.

"NO!" Spyro replies still looking at his wife, then turns his head to his son. "He is envious us son, and the abilities we have..."

Spyro walks around Cynder's bed and puts his arm around his son. He stares at his wife's wing and can see the intricate work that must have been done to re-attach it, and allow his wife to fly once again.

"...but I envy him for what he can do sometimes!"

Suddenly both dragons jump as a voice bellows from the purple dragon's paw.

"SPYRO...are you there!" The voice of Gaven barks from his wrist communicator.

Spyro raises his paw with a bit of anger and barks back to his commander.

"I'm in my wife's room with my son...if you don't mind, Gaven...What is so *bleep* important...Sir!"

"Sorry Spyro...I didn't know!" He replies with a bit of apprehension. "However there is something here I need you to see...and I don't think it can wait!"

Spyro looks over at his son with a bit of puzzlement, then is startled again, when Gaven's voice returns. "And if at all possible Spyro...bring your son with you...I would very much like to meet him."

Spyro again looks at his boy with a bit of shock.

"That's odd!" Spyro quips, and lowers his brow to think.

"What is it Dad?" Sparx replies with a bit of worry in his voice.

"It's nothing son I'm sure...he just never allows a non-Skylander access to the Main Portal Room..." Spyro remarks, then looks at his son with a smile "...especially such a little whelpling like yourself!"

"WHELPLING!" Sparx says with some anger and a bit loud, and Spyro shows embarrassment in his expression and gestures his son to lower his voice.

Sparx becomes just as embarrassed, and lowers to the ground.

"Oops sorry Dad" Sparx whispers feeling really stupid at this moment, but his father grasps his shoulder and lifts him up.

"I was just trying to make a joke Sparx...you look very tense!" Spyro says and turns to see his wife didn't wake from her son's outburst. Cynder is out cold but now she is smiling. The young dragon smirks himself then turns his eyes back to his son. "You are still thinking about your mother's secret, and that you are keeping it from me...right!"

Sparx becomes even more tense and his father feels it in his pulse and the tightened muscles along the flank his paw is upon.

"Stop Sparx...I said I will not ask you, and you do not need to tell me!" He says softly. "You're mother will tell me when she is ready, and I have no problem with that"

"I do!" Sparx says even softer.

"What was that?" Spyro asks, and his son just shakes his head to imply he said nothing important.

"Come on Sparx...let's leave her sleep...I want you to finally meet someone very important to me..." Spyro remarks and gestures his head for his son to follow. "The great Portal Master, Gaven. A good friend of mine, and your mother."

Sparx falls in behind his father as he walks from Cynder's room and back towards the nurses station. The young dragon is about to speak when his father barks to the young nurse behind the desk.

"Please, let either my son or myself know when Cynder is awake!"

"Of course, Spyro...she will be in good hands trust me!" The young nurse replies and Spyro continues his journey into the waiting area he spent 3 days with his son.

"Dad!" Sparx finally yelps and Spyro stops when he hears the seriousness in his voice. "Mom told me, you and Gaven didn't get along very well!...How is he your friend?"

Spyro turns to look at his wife lying peacefully in her bed, and gives her a look.

"She told you that, huh!" Spyro asks with shock.

"Mom told me a lot...she made sure she told me everything about my father!" Sparx replies with authority and Spyro turns his attention back to him.

A smile crosses the purple dragon's muzzle and he steps over to his son.

"Yeah you could say our first four years of friendship were trying!" Spyro says with a bitter smile, remembering the silent treatment he received. "But the friendship I have found over the last few months have been worth the pain of those first 4 hard years!"

Spyro looks deep into his sons eyes

"You never know who your friends are going to be...until you really get to know them!" He says with his head lowered "It just took a while to get to know him."

Spyro takes a deep breath and smiles, then he turns his head back to his wife. "I would talk with Gaven while on a mission, and he kept my mind sharp but relaxed, but most of all, he would tell me what Cynder had on her mind that day if I couldn't speak to her myself."

Spyro returns to his journey to the Main Room. The purple dragon and his son walk from the waiting room of the medical bay for the first time in days. As they enter the long hallway that leads to the Main Room, Spyro continues his thoughts of friendship with the Portal Master.

"He taught me alot Sparx, much more than I learned in my first tour with the Skylanders!" Spyro barks proudly and turns his head around to his son with a smirk. "I'm sure you can learn a few things yourself from him as well!"

Sparx does not return the smile instead he still has a puzzled look on his face, and Spyro notices. However before the young father can ask his son what's wrong.

"Mom told me you were mad at him for not saying she was pregnant!" Sparx barks with confusion, and Spyro again comes to a dead stop in the hallway.

"SHE TOLD YOU THAT TOO!" The purple dragon yells, and his voice echos down the long narrow corridor. "I mean is there anything she didn't say!?"

Sparx cowers thinking he is being yelled at for knowing such knowledge about his father, but Spyro's paw is quick to his son's chin to hold it up.

"I'm not yelling at you Sparx...I'm just surprised your mother told you THAT!"

Sparx' depressed eyes lock on his father's, and Spyro can see and hear the pure despair in his boy.

"We had a lot of time to talk Dad, and sometimes that was all were able to do...for days!"

Sparx sits on his hind quarters, and pulls his head from his father's grasp gently. The young dragon again looks down at the ground, but this time to recall memories. He returns his now teary eyes to his father, whom now is becoming upset himself at the sight of his son in anguish.

"The attacks were relentless, and unending...especially after we left Ma...!"

Sparx stops talking quickly, and looks at his father. He knows he started saying something he shouldn't, and sees the reaction from Spyro right away.

"Left Who?" Spyro barks and immediately Sparx begins sweating.

The young dragon's eyes dilate with the fear that he almost broke his promise in the first minute. Sparx turns his head away, but can quickly feel the tight grip of his father's paw across his muzzle...pulling him back to face him.

"what did I do!?" he says to himself looking into the same eyes he sees in his own reflection. "I can't tell him...mom would never speak to me again...especially after what I did!"

He can see the anger in the purple eyes of his father, and can feel the rising pulse in the paw holding his face still.

"I have to tell him...I feel his anger...as if it were my own!"

"DAD!" Sparx yelps, and Spyro is quick to hold his son's mouth shut.

"Your mom told you not to tell me Sparx!" He softly but sternly repeats her wish.

Spyro's eyes can see the look in his son's, and knows his own eyes when they about to give in. He lessens his grip on Sparx' jaw, and slowly lowers his paw down the young dragon's neck. Spyro pulls his son into his chest and holds him tightly.

"I don't want you to tell me now...I want to hear it from her, son!" Spyro whispers into his ear. "I want your mother to know that she can tell me anything...and that I will be there for her!"

Sparx raises up on his hind legs and hugs his father tighter.

"I'm sorry dad, I just..."

Spyro cuts his son off by squeezing his grip tighter and holds his head closer to his ear.

"You never need to say you're sorry for this..." Spyro barks, then pulls his son's head back to look him in the eye. "...DO YOU UNDERSTAND!"

Sparx humbly shakes his head yes, and Spyro returns his son's jaw to the side of his neck in a tighter embrace.

"Never!" The young father cries and holds his son for all he is worth.

In the grip of his actual father, Sparx has an epiphany. The young dragon experiences something he has never felt before...a true feeling of a father's love for his son. From this moment forward, he knows his life will be much different and a whole lot better.

After a long embrace with his son, Spyro releases his grip, and wipes the tears from his eyes. The emotions he feels cracks the purple dragon's usually solid voice.

"And you mother will have to learn that too!"

As Spyro returns to his voyage towards the Main Room, Sparx holds him steadily before him, and Spyro's eyes snap back to his son's. The rested purple dragon can feel a real solid grip, from Sparx, for the first time.

"So will you, DAD!" Sparx retorts sternly, and stares at him with different eyes. A look he has never seen from his son before, and one that reminds him of someone.

Though his eyes are purple, and fluctuate with his power like himself...Spyro finally sees the difference. They are sharp & direct like Cynder's. A warm feeling shoots down the purple dragon's back, as he almost sees his wife, for the first time, in the dragon before him.

"This was not you fault either!"

Spyro smirks at the thought, and how Sparx sounds just like Cynder as well, but the purple hero believes differently.

"Yes, it wa...!" Spyro begins to say, but Sparx grasp his father's muzzle and shuts it tightly. His father gives him a startled look, and his full attention.

"NO DAD!" Sparx bellows, and again stares into his eyes. "It was the Dark Master...and NO ONE else...DO YOU UNDERSTAND?!"

The1upguy · Mar 27, 2013 1:35 AM

Chapter 12 Don't run in the hallways

There is dead silence in the long hallway of the underground portal station, as both father and son stare at each other. Sparx does not blink nor does he release his father's snout, he just waits, looking for a response to his statement.

Spyro is still startled...the sudden flip in his son's emotion, very much like his wife, is something he has never witnessed before. But most of all, the purple and gold hero is spooked by the power of the young dragon before him. Even if he wanted to, Spyro can feel he doesn't posses nearly enough strength to break his son's grasp.

He can feel an almost steel grip upon his jaw and shoulder, and though it is solid, luckily it is not tight. Sparx is not trying to hurt him, but he also doesn't want his father to just ignore the fact, that he is not to blame. Spyro stares back at his son still seeing his wife's eyes, and the way they would look when she wanted an answer...RIGHT NOW!

The young father bows his head with a somber pair of eyes, still not believing what happened to Cynder was not his fault.

"I just couldn't stop Sparx!" The distraught dragon says muffled by his son's paw.

"I know Dad!" Sparx replies, quickly lifting his father's jaw to get Spyro to look at him again. "I know a lot..I know you had no control of your actions, and I know it was the Dark Master who influenced you to attack!"

Sparx release his grip upon his father and lowers back down to his four paws. Spyro lowers beside his son, and can hear the deep concern in his voice.

"I also know things that I must tell you, being a Skylander..." The young dragon remarks as he walks a few strides ahead of Spyro, then stops and turns his head sharply to look back at his father.

"...but that would break my promise to Mom...so I don't know what to do!"

Spyro drops his head felling the anguish in his son.

"You must honor your promise to her, Sparx...!" Spyro bellows, then walks over to his son. The purple dragon drapes his wing around his boy and pulls him close to whisper in his ear. "...Your word is the best way to show your character, and I know that you are a dragon of good character."

Spyro removes his wing and walks around face to face with his son. His eyes focus sharply, and Sparx can see the same stern look he sees in his own reflection.

"However..." Spyro's voice becomes deeper and more commanding. "...considering what you just said, if your Mother does not tell me the next time she is awake, then you must tell me yourself...understand!"

"But Dad!" Sparx barks back, and Spyro grasps his muzzle holding it shut.

"No Sparx!" The angry father shouts in his son's face. "I know you promised your mother, but now I can not ignore the fact, when you tell me there are things I must know as a Skylander..."

Spyro suddenly pauses with a blank expression then looks over at the door to the Main Room, just yards from the two dragons.

"Oh *bleep*... " Spyro bellows then returns a more anxious stare to his young son, and he grips his muzzle tighter. "...DO NOT repeat a single word to Gaven, of what you just told me, or HE OR I will kick your *bleep*...you got that!"

Sparx quickly raises his head up and down, and Spyro release his son's mouth and stares at him with anger. "We will finish this little discussion later!"

Sparx just stands in the center of the long hallway...depressed. The young dragon feels bad that he and his father were arguing for the first time, and that he may have to break a promise to his mother.

"*bleep* I got a big mouth!" He says to himself.

The two-toned purple and gold dragon watches his father walk to the large door's control panel, with an angered stride...almost stomping. His tail wagging feverishly and slamming to the ground every so often, just like Sparx' tail would when he gets mad. He can tell Spyro is not happy, and his depression sinks in deeper.

Spyro reaches his paw out to open the door to the Main Room of the underground station. However, as his claw is just about to hit the button, the door opens by itself.

The purple dragon becomes a bit nervous thinking Gaven was standing by the door, sure the Portal Master of the Skylanders overheard their conversation.

Spyro cranes his head to look into the room, sure to see Gaven standing in front of his face, however, his eyes open wide and he becomes even more concerned at what he sees. A portal...open in the center of the room, and a blue ball begins to speed out of the swirl of energy.

"SPARX...LOOK OUT!" Spyro yells seeing his son in the path of a new scorch line from Sonic the Hedgehog.

Sparx is startled out of his hazed thoughts and looks up, at the last moment, to see the balled-up hedgehog charging straight at him. The young dragon digs his claws into the steel floor, lowers his head flat with his horns, and braces himself.

Sonic opens up his body to slow his momentum, and drives his sneakers into the ground...but it is far too late. The blue hedgehog had built up so much speed while performing his signature departure from a mission, that he has no chance of stopping in time.

The power from the impact shakes the underground structure to its foundations, and sends a massive wave of energy...and gold rings...down the length of the long hallway. The lights that fill the room explode with an overload of power and rain a vast amount of sparks to the floor. The alarms in the station blare, and the blast door next to Spyro shuts tight to close off the explosion of energy.

"BY THE ANCESTORS..." The worried father yelps with panic, as he is forced back a step by the power of this collision. "...SPARX...ARE YOU OK?!"

However, Spyro is shocked as his son calmly replies...

"I'm fine Dad...!"

Suddenly, the emergency lights do their job, illuminating the corridor. Spyro is baffled to see Sparx still standing on his feet, and staring at him with a slight smile

"...how are you?!" The young dragon retorts with a chuckle

As the room lights up, Spyro can see the full carnage. One blue hedgehog lying flat on his back, and thousands of gold rings strewn all around and down the long hallway. The lights that line the corridor are sparking from the power surge, and his son...standing only an inch back from where he was.

The proof...claw marks in the steel floor, showing the force Sparx took from the speeding hedgehog

The purple dragon stares at his son...surprised he has no clear injury and asks the question again, just to ask.

"Are you sure you're OK!?" He says with amazement in his voice.

"Really Dad..I'm fine!" Sparx replies, then looks down at Sonic and sarcastically continues. "I don't think he is though!"

"Owwww!" A struggling voice whispers from the ground. "What was that!"

"That was my son you slammed into!" Spyro replies with a chuckle in his voice, seeing the blue hedgehog moving around slowly.

"Ohh!" Sonic yelps while continuing to hold his chest in pain. "I was wondering why Gaven would put a brick wall up in the middle of the hallway!"

The blue hedgehog looks at the young dragon before him, and is startled at his size and strength.

"Wow Spyro! What are you feeding this kid, I mean for heaven sakes..."

Sonic stops talking abruptly, pauses for a moment, then turns his head towards Spyro with a vast look of astonishment on his face.

"Wait a minute...you don't have any kids...I mean not yet...I just heard last week, before I left, that Cynder was pregnant."

Sonic looks back at the young son of Spyro, who is about as old as his father was when he joined the Skylanders,

"This can not be possible...was I gone for a week or a decade!"

"No it's only been a week!" Spyro retorts...some anger fills his voice, that rage becomes more apparent in his next sentence. "And I'm glad he told you too, and probably everyone else that my wife was pregnant...EXCEPT ME!"

"I'm sorry Spyro!" Sonic says feeling regret for knowing that piece of valuable information before the father even knew. "I thought you had known for months...when did he tell you!"

Spyro lowers his head and looks down at his friend, still sitting on the cold floor.

"The day before I was supposed to go home!"

"What a *bleep* he can be sometimes!" Sonic barks with a slight bit of humor in his voice, and Spyro nods his head with a chuckle of his own. However his thoughts return to the near adolescent dragon standing before him. "So...how can this be your son Spyro, He looks old!"

Sparx frowns at the blue hedgehog, then turns his head to see his father's face fill with anguish

"It's a long story, my friend..." Spyro replies and looks over at his son. "...and one that I can not wait to hear myself!"

The spiky blue hero tries to stand on his feet and console his friend, but he is knocked to the ground quick by a rising pain in his back. A nasty cracking sound is produced and Sonic screams in agony as his body practically collapses.

"Oww..my back!" He yelps forcing him to lay down to try to stop the throbbing, but it is no use. Sonic aggravated what ever was wrong by trying to stand up, and a streak of fear shoots through his soul, as he feels his legs go numb.

"OH NO!" Sonic cries

Spyro reaches down and grabs the white gloved hand of the blue hedgehog and can feel his friend's grip is not as strong as it should be. The purple dragon turns to his son with fear in his eyes.

"Sparx quickly...run and get Dr. Stanley!" He yells and Sparx is startled for a moment, but doesn't run for help.

"He's kinda busy with Mom..." The young dragon remarks and his father gives him a startled look for his lack of concern.

Sparx walks over to the broken hedgehog, and places his left front paw upon Sonic's belly.

"I can handle this, Dad" The young dragon says and a glow begins to emanate from his paw

"What are you doing?" Spyro says with deep amazement in his voice...watching this light consume the lower half of Sonic's body.

The young dragon stares at his father with a smile, and replies confidently, but sarcastically.

"I'm trying to find out what I did to the poor fellow, so I can fix it!"

Spyro gives his son a double take, not really believing or understanding what he means by that.

"He'll be alright Dad, it's not that bad..." The young dragon says with a more serious tone, and Spyro's astonishment fills his eyes as he looks upon Sparx and the power he possesses.

The young dragon turns his head down to Sonic's, staring into his fear-filled eyes.

"I can fix this! I promise you!" The young dragon says calmly trying to comfort him with his WORD

Feeling the power surging through his legs and seeing the look in Sparx' eyes...a gaze he has seen many times from Spyro...the blue hedgehog relaxes slightly and takes a deep breath.

"OWW!" He bellows loudly, as his lungs expand in his sore chest. Sparx moves his paw up several inches, and once again Sonic lets out a squeal of pain.

"You broke a few ribs too!' The young dragon says, with a deeper sarcasm in his voice.

Sonic's eyes open wide with pain and he stares at the young dragon. His voice is strained, but stern, and sarcastic as well.

"Yeah I know, so if you don't friggen mind...could you stop standing on them!"

Sparx leaves his paw on the hedgehog's ribs, but lifts most of his weight off. The dark purple dragon lowers his head down to Sonic.

"I need to apply some pressure to heal them!" Sparx says softly, then smiles. "It's gonna hurt like hell, so I guess I'll just say I'm sorry now"

"What..." Sonic retorts, but Sparx quickly presses his paw back down...covering half of Sonic's chest.

The blue hedgehog yelps in pain and Spyro is quick to become nervous.

"What are you doing?" He hollers, and moves to grab his son's paw.

However, the purple & gold dragon stops suddenly, noticing the two are quickly linked. Spyro steps back and watches in awe as both dragon and hedgehog breathe in unison.

The young father stares at his son with pure amazement, at the similar but stronger power he has. Sparx' pupils have faded from the whites of his eyes, and the purple stripe down his back is now pulsing with the same dark energy that he has.

Spyro has a weird out-of-body experience, almost sensing himself standing before himself.

Suddenly, Sonic begins to pulse with the same glow of energy, and Sparx reaches his right paw under the hedgehog. The young dragon stands the glowing speedster upon his feet and straightens his back with a loud crack. Sonic once again yelps in pain but is fast to calm down, as the sting of injury leaves his body quick.

Dragon and hedgehog stare at each other for a moment, then both smile and begin to laugh.

The dark blue color of Sonic, and the vibrant purple stripe upon Sparx' back, return to their normal colors.

"That was, without a doubt, the weirdest thing I have ever felt in my life!" Sonic remarks to the young dragon standing before him.

The hedgehog squats several time and runs in places at great speed to test his legs and back. A huge smile crosses his face as he looks down to see the smoke building up from the speed his feet are moving at. Sonic stops suddenly and turns back to the young dragon standing nearly eye level with the shorter hedgehog. A look of pure appreciation fills his face.

"Thank You young dragon...What ever you did to me was amazing!" Sonic reaches his hand out and grasps Sparx' right paw...shaking it vigorously. "I feel like a kid again!"

"Well you are NOT!" Bellows Gaven's voice from the opened blast doors. "So maybe you should stop running down the *bleep* hallways!"

All three are startled by his voice, and the fact he was standing there for a while, when he continues his statement.

"Young Sparx...that is an incredible power you have...where did you learn that!" He asks with curiosity.

The two-toned purple & gold dragon becomes very nervous...very quick, knowing he can not answer that question. How can he tell the Portal Master of the Skylanders he learned this and many other things from Malefor...especially with his father standing before him.

"I had to learn a lot of things on my own!" Sparx yelps with apprehension, and Spyro knows his son is lying. He has heard this tone before, when he asked about his past.

"Why don't I believe you!" Gaven remarks with anger, knowing his brother told him the same thing he told Spyro. His voice becomes agitated...being kept in the dark by his brother, and now this young whelpling

"I heard you where not alone in that dark place..so who was it that taught you this magic"

The young dragon cowers down in fear, but will not say a word. Sparx can feel the burning anger from the eyes of the Portal Master, and his legs begin to shake with nerves.

"WELL!" Gaven shouts and Sparx jumps back up to attention...scared straight. However, the young dragon turns his head away...and remains silent.

Spyro can hear the sound of his son's deep breathing and feels the emotion of his anguish

"Gaven..." Spyro barks and Sparx looks over to see his father staring at him. "...Let it go!"

"What!" The Portal Master retorts, startled to hear Spyro come to his defense. "I figured you would want to know more than I!"

"I do!" Spyro remarks, still staring into his Sparx' eyes. "But not at the cost of my son's respect!"

The purple dragon turns towards his friend and commander.

"He promised Cynder, and I do not want him to break his word" The purple dragon says sternly.

"His word, General! I do not care about his WORD!" Gaven retorts and stares at his friend with anger in his eyes.

Spyro does not blink. The two look at each other with the same cold expressions from the purple dragon's first tour of duty.

"I have already lost too much of my son's life, Master Gaven!" Spyro remarks, breaking the uncomfortable silence. "I will not lose anymore by making him despise his father. And if that means I must leave the Skylanders...with my family...then that is not a difficult choice!"

Spyro lowers his head and turns to look at the scared young dragon. His son's expression shows the worry of making his father look bad, before his commanding officer.

"I will not force him to tell me until his mother gives him permission, or until I...as his father...ask him to tell me, Gaven!" Spyro turns back to his friend, raises up on his hind legs, and places his front paws upon the Portal Master's chest. The shorter dragon cranes his head up as high as he can to look his tall friend eye to eye.

"He wants to talk Gaven...without a doubt in my mind!" Spyro says with a confident tone. He turns his head around to look at his son once again as he continues. "He doesn't want to keep this secret anymore..."

The purple dragon returns a stern gaze to his commander "...but I have told him to remain quiet for now, so do not be angry with him, sir. Be angry with me!"

Gaven stares into the deep purple eyes of Spyro, and can see his resolve.

"Just answer me one question then..." Gaven retorts with the same serious stare his friend is giving.

"WHY?!"

Spyro lowers his head, knowing his reasons are personal, and mean nothing to the Skylanders.

"Because my wife needs to tell me herself..." He answers softly, then returns his eyes to his friend. "She is fearful to tell ME what happened, Gaven...and I need her to remember that she can tell ME anything."

Deep emotion fills Spyro's eyes, as well as tears.

"I needed her to know, regardless of what she says, that I will still trust her...and that I will still love her!"

Gaven pauses for a moment then turns his attention to the young dragon standing beside Sonic. The look of shame in Sparx' eyes send a chill down the Portal Master's spine. He can see the same shame-filled eyes only a foot from his face.

"I understand General..." The Portal Master replies with a whisper, then steps to the side allowing Spyro to fall back to his four paw stance. Gaven lowers to a knee and wraps his arm around Spyro's neck in a solid embrace. "...but after the attack in your home, we know the Dark Master has not given up. Now is not the time to keep secrets!"

"SECRETS!" Spyro barks and snaps his head to stare his friend in the eye. "Where the hell is your Brother...he's the one with all the secrets!"

Spyro jostles away from Gaven's grip and slams his tail upon the ground with anger. The impact ripples the floor, sending Sonic's rings up in the air and back to the ground with an abundant amount of jingling.

"He knows who was with my son, and didn't say a word to you either...and now he's been gone for three days!" Spyro remarks with rage in his voice. The pupils of the purple dragon's eyes begin to fade. "You know where he is and won't tell me, nor will you tell me why he ordered you to keep me here for four years...so who's the one keeping secrets...Master Gaven."

"That's enough General..." Gaven barks with anger himself. "...unless you no longer want that title!"

"Maybe I Don't, if that means serving with you!" Spyro replies without delay.

"STOP!" The young dragon's voice bellows from the background, anxiously.

Sparx steps forward and stares at the Portal Master of the Skylanders, and his father's commanding officer. "I will tell you what you need to know!"

Both Master & General are in shock at his statement, and stare at the young dragon.

"What are you talking about..." Spyro barks at his son, and takes a few steps towards the two-toned purple dragon. "...you can't break your promise Sparx!

The young dragon turns his head away as his father approaches.

"No Dad, if I have to tell him...I will!" He remarks, then looks up into his father's eyes with a deep regret. "I don't want to be the reason Spyro the Dragon was dishonored."

Sparx once again turns his attention away from his father, and faces down the hallway towards his Mother's room. "I believe Mom would be more angry with me...for not talking, and I would be angry with myself!"

"She told me so much about your pride & honor...in life and in battle. How you give everything you can, only to help others in need, and still have the compassion for your enemies when they are defeated!" Sparx bellows, remembering the countless stories Cynder told him of his Father. "Mom told me...this is your best quality!"

The young dragon turns his head to look back at Spyro. "She said it is the part of you she loves the most, and I'll be *bleep* if I'm taking that from you...or her...by remaining silent!"

Sparx lowers his head, and takes a deep breath. The youngster turns around and walks up muzzle to muzzle with his father.

"My word is important to you Dad, and I understand that!" Sparx says softly and compassionately. "However, I believe this is far more important, so please, don't think less of me for doing what I think is right!"

Spyro grasps the back of his son's neck and pulls him to his chest. The young father holds him tightly and lowers his head down atop of his son's

"You're a good boy!" The purple dragon whispers, and Sparx can feel a tear roll from his father's eye and land on the back of his neck.

"..I will wait out here, while you tell him!"

Sparx pulls his head back from Spyro's grasp, and returns a serious look to his father.

"No, Dad!" Sparx replies sternly, then suddenly Spyro can see worry in his son's eyes, and Sparx voice fills with a bit of childhood fear as he continues . "I'm afraid...and I want you there in the room...with me!"

"That will not be necessary!" Gaven bellows stopping both dragons conversation. He lowers his head and shakes it disapprovingly. "It was wrong of me to ask you like that. I am still angry with my brother, and there is no reason I should push that anger on to you, young dragon!"

"I will not continue to press the issue, Sparx!" The Portal Master says, then turns his head back up to look at his prize General, along with his powerful son. "I can see you are willing to part with this information, but I am not willing to pay such a high price!"

"High price?" Sparx replies with puzzlement

"I do not wish to anger the most successful Skylander in history..." Gaven barks with pride, and walks over to the son of his powerful General. The tall Portal Master drops to a knee and lowers his head down to get eye to eye with the smaller dragon. "...by forcing his son to feel dishonored. Please forgive me, Sparx...that was very foolish!"

Gaven turns his head to Spyro, and thankfully can see a slight smile across his muzzle.

"And I apologize to you to General!" Gaven remarks somberly.

Spyro holds his paw up and begins to shake his head NO, however Gaven is quick to grab his paw and stare him in the eye.

"No Spyro...how dare I speak such nonsense. " Gaven remarks with deep concern of Spyro's feelings and his friendship with the purple dragon. "I couldn't believe the words, as they were coming out of my mouth. To ask Spyro the Dragon to step down...How could I?!"

The Portal Master repositions Spyro's paw in his hand to hold it with gratitude, and he places his other hand on the back of Spyro's neck. He solidly shakes the purple dragons paw and grips his neck several times to show his appreciation.

Spyro is a bit startled at his commanding officer...this is the most emotion he has ever seen from the old giant

"The thought of you leaving the Skylanders someday...scares me!"

Suddenly, a large smile crosses his face and he looks over at Sonic, who has begun picking up the gold rings off the floor. His companion Tails, has joined from the other room and is helping his hero friend.

"I mean...look who you'll be leaving me with!"

Spyro looks over at his friend Sonic, and can not help but laugh when he sees the blue hedgehog's reaction.

Sonic tosses the rings he has in his hand on the floor, and stomps over to his commanding officer.

"What...I'm not as good a General as your #1 over here!" Sonic replies, and Spyro can hear the pure sarcasm in his friend's voice.

"That's messed up!"

Gaven snickers along with Spyro, and the Portal Master breathes a sigh of relief seeing his friend sit down on his hind quarters beside him. The still kneeling Portal Master looks over to his General.

"You know what would be messed up Spyro..." Gaven remarks with a good amount of sarcasm in his voice.

Hearing a long pause...Spyro turns to face the old master, and seeing his expression, the purple dragon plays along with the question.

"What?" He says very condescendingly

Gaven, hearing the playfulness once again in Spyro's voice, smiles. He can see he did not do too much damage to their friendship.

The Portal Master returns to his feet, and looks down at the much shorter hedgehog.

"It would be messed up if I called maintenance...I'm sure they would have no trouble cleaning this floor quickly" Gaven bellows and both Sonic and Tails' jaws drop.

Spyro also holds his mouth open seeing the thousands of gold rings covering the floor.

"That would be messed up, Gaven, but it would also be pretty funny... " Spyro retorts trying to hold his laughter. He turns to Sonic with a giant smile and begins to chuckle "How long would it take you to pick them all up..I bet not faster than that maintenance crew?"

"Thanks Spyro. Now we see who is the Master's pet!" Sonic yelps at his friend, and the purple dragon begins laughing harder.

"Come on you two!" Gaven replies with a smirk. "You know I do not look at any one Skylander in higher regard...you both have unique talents, and beside..."

The tall Portal Master turns around and starts walking back into the Main Room "...Boomer is better than the both of you combined!"

Sonic and Spyro stare at each other with a shocked look at their commander's statement, and both begin laughing uncontrollably.

"Yeah right!" Sonic barks to Gaven's back. "You just like him because he's an idiot, and follows your orders without question!"

The Portal Master stops and turns his head slightly back to his two Generals. Gaven shoots them a look with his left eye and snidely comments

"Well at least some of you know how to respect your commander!"

Sonic chuckles and begins to pick up his gold ring, however, Spyro sits up on his hind legs and crosses his arms.

"So, Master Gaven...why did you pull me away from my INJURED wife's bedside...hum!" The purple dragon retorts with a snide tone himself and the Portal Master lowers his head. "What job will you have me do this time...you know, while Cynder is in the hospital...I mean it's not like she's PREGNANT or anything..."

"OUCH!" Sonic replies with his back facing the Portal Master, but he can quickly feel Gaven's eyes burning into the back of his spiky neck. "I'll be quiet, Sir!"

"GOOD!" Gaven remarks and looks at Spyro. His eyes show remorse for that last comment.

"See...this is why I like Boomer!" The Portal Master retorts and looks down. "He's too stupid to understand when I insult him."

Spyro begins to chuckle, and Gaven raises his head.

"Don't worry friend...I know that is not what you meant...I just wanted to see you squirm again" Spyro replies and lowers back to his four paws. The Purple dragon walks over to his commander. "Now what is so important that you asked me to leave Cynder...I really want to know what spooked you so much to call me away from her."

"Come with me Spyro! I will show you!" Gaven replies and returns to his journey back into the Main Room.

"Sparx!" Spyro yelps, and his son is staring at his father before Spyro even turns his head to face him. "I want you to help Sonic clean this mess, while I talk with Gaven...it is partly your fault."

"Yes Dad!" the young dragon replies with no delay, however before he even reaches down to grab one ring...

"Sparx...I want you to come with us..if your father doesn't object!" Gaven barks, and startles everyone standing before him.

"Why would I object..." Spyro replies in shock. "...I just didn't think you would allow him in the Main Room."

"Then why would I ask you both here...Spyro!" Gaven remarks sarcastically.

"I figured you just wanted to meet..." Spyro stops mid-sentence and his brow lowers with deep thought.

"Why would you ask him here then Gaven" The purple dragon asks with concern. "What do the Skylanders want with my son!"

"It's not the Skylanders nor I that has an interst in him" Gaven replies, and looks down at a stumped purple dragon. "I received a message, Spyro!"

"A Message!" The purple dragon remarks still very puzzled. "What does that matter?"

Gaven begins to head back into the Main Room and his voice becomes very serious.

"Because the message was address to Sparx, son of Spyro the Dragon!"

The1upguy · Mar 28, 2013 8:12 PM

Chapter 13 A Message from a Dark Place

Inside the vast library of the Palace of Time, Ignitus lays reading by candle light. To his right, three small books, and propped up before him, one very large book. It is also the one he is reading very closely.

Melted down to almost nothing, the source of light from the candles around him begins to flicker, making it harder on the already tired eyes of the reading dragon.

The Temple Guardian of Time, begins rubbing his eye lids, and gives a great yawn. The blue dragon reaches his paw out and turns another page of the massive two-toned purple & black bound book.

"You are wasting our time Ignitus." barks the Guardian of the Universe as he walks into the room, seeing his friend still reading the same few pages. The Guardian dragon turns his attention, from the massive book before him, towards the giant man made of pure energy.

"Time is something we actually have on our side here, my friend" He replies with a smirk, knowing he is able to manipulate time, without recourse, while in the palace. And though they have been there for weeks...reading, only a few days have gone by in the real world.

"I must figure out what his purpose was!"

The bright glow of the energy man's body illuminates the area rendering the candle pointless. The books now laying before the blue dragon are highlighted by the rainbow of color the Guardian's body produces, showing the four dragons they are reading about.

The now thicker book of Spyro sits atop the more brightly colored book of Cynder.

Spyro's story has increased in size with his countless victories as a Skylander, and as Cynder's life has become more clear, so too has the shade of darkness left the binding of her book. Both lives were a quick read, and not surprising in the least to either Guardian.

However, the two other books have brought a great deal of shock to Ignitus and his energy friend, and the reason they are taking such time.

The smaller dark purple book of Sparx, has a vibrant stripe of his father's color running down the spine of its binding, and is remarkably thick for a dragon of just under 8 years. Nearly as large as Spyro's book...the life story of Sparx is filled with many battles as well, however, most of the young dragon's fighting was in defense of his life. Never was he the aggressor.

"Maybe there is no underlying purpose for it Ignitus...except to protect Spyro's son...I was skeptical myself, when I first spoke with them...but after reading this book...I believe Sparx now." The energy creature says, remembering the days it took him to return to the rift with Sparx.

They were not alone.

He sits down before the Guardian of Time, and picks up the "Life story of Sparx", holding the book before the blue dragon's eyes. "Everything that young whelpling told me was true, and so too, what Malefor had said as well."

Ignitus turns his head towards the Guardian and gives him an uneasy stare. After a long pause, the blue dragon returns his eyes to the pages before him and continues to read.

"This little dragon learned much from him Ignitus!" The Guardian remarks while practically shoving Sparx' book in his face. "Whatever you feel that you need to know about him now...is in THIS book!"

Ignitus closes his eyes and turns to his old friend of many lifetimes.

"I know this dragon, my friend." He replies as his eyes open sternly. "There must be a reason for actions..."

"That is not who he is Ignitus...Stop focusing on this one chapter of his life!" The Guardian barks cutting his friend off, as he rises up to his feet.

"Is that how you look at Cynder...as the Terror of the Sky, Ignitus..." The energy man gripes, reminding him of his acceptance of a former evil dragoness, and her uncontrollable actions.

The angry energy giant's eyes glow red and focus sharply on the dragon before him.

"...Is that how you see ME...old friend?"

The Guardian of Time lowers his head with depression and remorse...though he has only been Ignitus for 5 years...he has been friends with this energy giant for centuries...in other lives. A sharp pain shoots through the blue dragon, knowing the haunted past of this old warrior standing before him.

"NO." Ignitus somberly replies, feeling he has insulted his friend.

The Guardian walks over to the blue dragon and lifts his muzzle to look him in the eye. A distinct smile crosses his face of colorful energy and his eyes return to normal.

"Then maybe...even Malefor deserves another chance..." He remarks, and places his hand upon the giant book of the former Dark Master.

"The proof is right here Ignitus..and no matter how many times you read this part..." The energy creature turns the pages from the beginning of the book, where Ignitus was reading from, to the back, and the brighter pages showing the part of his life where he protected his enemy's wife and child.

"...This is who he is now!"

The Blue Guardian dragon stands up on his feet and turns away. He walks several paces from his large friend and the even larger book of Malefor.

The indecision on his face is apparent, however, Ignitus turns to the energy Guardian and takes a deep breath.

"You're right, my old friend..." He says softly then looks down at the ground. "I am letting my personal feelings get in the way..."

Suddenly, a bright flash of light, from the back page of the large book, startles both Ignitus and The Guardian.

"What is going on?" The energy giant asks with apprehension, never seeing this from any of the books thus far.

Ignitus, not as startled, walks over to the large book, and turns to the last page. Both Guardian's eyes sparkle with the burning fire of history's pen, as a new set of symbols and words begin to burn into the pages.

"It is a moment in his life the history books feel necessary to record..." The Dragon of Time begins to remark, but quickly becomes distracted by the first symbol that begins to appear.

His eyes focus sharply and Ignitus holds his breath tight seeing the same symbol that adorns the cover of the purple book to his right.

"Spyro!" He says with shock.

Suddenly, the same bright glow coming from Malefor's book begins to fill the back pages of the purple hero's book, as well as the book still in the Guardian's hand.

"I think we have run out of time, Ignitus!" The energy giant barks with great concern, as he reads the pages filling with a very startling story.

"YES..." The Palace Guardian of Time replies sternly. His eyes open wide seeing history unfold before them.

"...We need to get back now!"

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Meanwhile, back in the temporary Portal Station, Sparx' eyes wander around the large main room, taking in the magnificence of this important place. The large chandelier fills the Main Room in a pale blue light...allowing the young dragon's eyes to focus easily in this room, and what they see fill his soul with wonder.

Barely able to see three days ago, and only focusing on his injured mother being carried by his new father...Sparx didn't notice anything the first time through the Main Room. Now with his eyes use to the brightness of this dimension, and with the even cooler feeling of shade upon them in the blue light, the young dragon can see this room is filled with many technologies that he has never seen before.

Video screens, tactical displays, and many different computers circle the room 360 degrees. Sparx is intrigued by the amount of information that passes before his eyes.

After staring at the many display screens, the young dragon looks above the flashing lights of technology, and can see a display of weapons & armor.

Along with a the vast history of battlements, is an archive of the Skylanders...and great moments frozen in time, by the camera's eye.

Thousand's of pictures, past and present, adorn the spherical walls of this dome-shaped room, and his eyes stop dead upon one in particular. Apprehension crosses Sparx' face, looking up at Spyro, in his General's armor, posing happily alongside the Portal Master.

However, there are no happy words being shouted from the office just next door.

Spyro and Gaven entered the room moments ago, and the yelling has not stopped since. Sparx can hear them bickering about the secrets he and Gaven's brother are keeping, and can't help but feel ashamed.

The young dragon tries to distract himself from his sorrow, by walking over to one of the many computers. He has never seen such a device, and tries to comprehend this technology.

A large screen shows a view of many places inside the Portal station, and quickly Sparx realizes what he is looking at. He can see himself in one of the pictures, and notices the camera on the wall to his right.

With the computer easy to understand, and Sparx being no dummy, he changes the feed to the security camera in the medical bay. With some quick manipulation...the young dragon focuses the camera, he noticed on the waiting room wall where he spent 3 days, to face Cynder's bed.

A smile crosses his muzzle, seeing his Mother resting peacefully.

However, The young dragon jumps suddenly, as another loud yelp from Spyro can be heard from the back office, quickly followed by Gaven's raised voice.

Sparx turns back to the view screen and lowers his head with depression.

"Please Mom...You have to wake up soon!" The young dragon says softly.

He walks away from the security station of the Main Room and slowly strolls over to the door of Gaven's office. He can hear the heated argument still brewing as Spyro continues to drill his commander for the whereabouts of Ignitus and The Guardian. The young dragon approaches just as Gaven gives in to his General's angered pleas.

"ALRIGHT ALREADY...SPYRO!" The Portal Master yells, then Sparx hears a thought-provoking reply.

"They went to the Palace of Time...to find out more of your son's...so called protector!"

Suddenly the room becomes quiet, and the young dragon gulps his saliva in fear.

"What does that mean?" He asks himself "What is the Palace of Time?"

Sparx so desperately wants to get closer to the door to listen in, however he is sure it would open by itself if he gets to close, and would be in deeper if caught eves-dropping. The youngster thinks better not to get in even more trouble, and turns away from the door.

The two-toned purple dragon slowly walks to the one piece of furniture in the room that caught his eye upon entering, and the only thing he was told not to touch...Gaven's steel desk. A non-impressive piece of craftsmanship, however, the desk is a technical marvel. The young dragon stands in awe at the amount of information displayed for the Portal Master, and begins to scan the countless screens with amazement.

He can see readouts of different missions, taking place at this moment, as well as the health level of each Skylander involved.

Along with the ongoing mission reports, the countless screens at the work station flash news from hundreds of worlds...and many messages to the Skylanders.

One in particular catches the young dragon's attention...as he scans the desk, and his eyes focus with shock as they read the header.

URGENT Message!

To: Sparx...Son of Spyro the Dragon

Origin: UNKNOWN

Sender: UNKNOWN

The young dragon completely baffled, but also intrigued, feels compelled to read this message. Sparx quickly reaches his paw over to the display, and taps on the screen, however, as soon as his talon touches the header of this message, the power shuts down at Gaven's desk and a loud alarm goes off.

Sparx hastily jumps back from the desk then lowers his shoulders with depression.

"Maybe I should have just walked to the door!" He says to himself out loud, knowing he has done something really dumb.

The young dragon turns his head toward the door of Gaven's office as it opens wide. He is not surprised in the least to see both Portal Master & his 'General' Father giving him an angry look.

The tall elf-like Portal Master glances at his work station, and can tell what has happened by seeing the power shut down. He refocuses his eyes on the young dragon, and can see his sheer regret for touching something he was told not to.

"I'm sorry Gaven!" Sparx yelps quickly. "I didn't mean to..."

The Portal Master snaps his hand up, and Sparx is quick to become silent.

Gaven gives the young dragon a very uneasy stare, then without a word walks over to his desk to re-power his station.

A sharp pain shoots through Sparx' chest as he turns back towards Spyro...seeing the stare of disapproval he is getting from his father. The young dragon slinks over to his dad with his head down and his tail dragging behind him.

Sparx crawls alongside his father and lowers completely down to his belly. He turns his head slightly towards Spyro, then quickly looks away, still seeing the angry glare he is getting.

"That was stupid of me Dad" Sparx says somberly, and lowers his head all the way to the ground. "I'm so sorry for what I am doing to you...I must be making you look foolish before your Master"

Sparx is startled by the touch of his fathers wing against his flank, and more so as his Father lies beside him holding on tightly with that wing, then his arms. Spyro rests his muzzle between his son's white horns, as he lays his upper body gently atop his body holding him down.

"He is not my Master...Sparx. He is my commanding officer...and my friend, " The young father says to his boy calmly. "And you are not making ME look foolish...You are making yourself look foolish"

The young dragon sighs deeply feeling out-of-place in this world. For his entire life, Sparx only had four others that he needed to respect, he also only had one rule to follow...Stay alive.

Now the young dragon has countless people that surround him, all telling him what to do.

Spyro can hear the anguish in his son's deep breath. He lifts his head and moves to his son's side, grasping Sparx' muzzle gently with his paw. Spyro pulls his jaw to the right, so he can look his son eye to eye. The young father can see the uncertainty within them, and Spyro tries to comfort his child as best he can.

"I am not angry with you Sparx, neither is Gaven...and I'm sure you will never disrespect him like that again..." Spyro remarks with a kind tone in his voice, not trying to be overbearing, but still letting his son know what he did was wrong.

Spyro looks over at his superior officer and can see the old Master shaking his head. "We both know this is all new to you, and you are still trying to adapt..."

The purple dragon returns his now stern eyes to his son, and his voice becomes deeper and more direct. "...but you're gonna have to start listening to the people around you, Sparx...as if you were listening to your mother."

The two-toned purple dragon nods his head in acceptance, and continues to focus on his father's words.

Spyro close his eyes and takes a deep breath. He can see that he has Sparx' full attention, and the young father realizes, at this very moment, his son is learning his first life lesson from his DAD.

"In the little time I've known you...I can honestly say that I am impressed with the way you have handled yourself..."

Spyro opens his eyes and grasps the lower part of his son's muzzle gently but firmly. "...you've shown a lot of character by keeping your promise to your mother, while being scolded by a father you've only meet days ago. I can not imagine how difficult this has been on you, and I want you to know that I am here for you if you want to ask me anything."

"I can see in your eyes, you don't want to disappoint me, and I would never be disappointed at you, for sticking to your principles...especially under such pressure. However..." The purple dragon exclaims and lowers his head down to his son. Their eyes lock as Spyro continues with a somber tone in his voice. "...I will become very disappointed if my son can not respect the word of others."

Sparx closes his eyes feeling the pain his father's voice fills him with, but also because he knows how disrespectful he has been, and not just to his father.

He has disobeyed the Doctor, by going into his mother's room before being given permission, and Sparx knows he didn't just do it once. If Spyro and Dr. Stanley only knew how many times the young dragon was laying by Cynder's side, immersed in shadow...this speech may have come earlier.

Now, he has ignored an order from the Skylander Portal Master, and even though Sparx knew what he was doing at the time was wrong, he still did it.

It is just not the lifestyle he had become accustom to.

"I will try to do better, sir" Sparx says apprehensively...realizing it will take changing nearly every aspect of his old life, and some of the freedoms that he has taken for granted.

However, when he looks into the confident purple eyes of his father, Sparx remembers the countless stories his mother has told him of this great hero's pride, and the blood line that flows through himself. He quickly envisions that a life with this dragon as his guide should be nothing less than exceptional, and the youngster feels that fear quickly slip away.

Sparx smiles with his own confidence, and makes his WORD official to his FATHER.

"NO...I will DO better, DAD...I Promise!"

Spyro releases his son's jaw, and stands up on his four paws with a solid stance of pride. He reaches his left paw down to his boy, and the two-toned dragon grasps his father's arm. Spyro hoists his child to his feet, and holds him steadily before him with both front paws.

"That is all I needed to hear, My Son..." Spyro replies choking back some emotion, barely able to contain the pride he feels. "...I trust you will never disobey an order like that again and I consider this little incident handled...so I will not punish you."

The young dragon breathes a very large sigh of relief, and follows his father as he walks over to Gaven's desk.

"However, young dragon..." The Portal Master remarks, still with his back facing Spyro & Sparx. "...I am not as forgiving as your father!"

Sparx stops dead in his tracks, and lowers his head & tail down again in fear. Spyro can see his son cowering once more at the thought of his wrong doings, and quickly becomes angry.

"Stand up straight, Sparx!" Spyro bellows, and the young dragon is startled that his father is now yelling at him. The purple dragon strides over to his boy and grasp his jaw tightly lifting his head. "You do not show fear for making a mistake...understand!"

The surprised dragon is quick to shake his head yes, and quicker to appreciate the advice his father is still giving, even though this lesson is being taught with a more physical approach.

Spyro releases his son's jaw, then looks up at his superior office with a slight smile.

"You will make plenty of mistakes Sparx...trust me on that..." He says with a humorous tone in his voice, then turns his attention back to his son with the same smile. "...over the years, your father has made some of the more classic bonehead moves in history."

"That's for sure!" The Portal Master retorts, and Spyro's smile becomes larger.

The purple and gold dragon turns his body, alongside his son, to face the Portal Master. He wraps his left arm around Sparx' neck and pulls his head close to whisper loudly in his son's ear.

"Even the great Portal Master makes his share of blunders." He remarks, and Gaven's eyes show a bit of anger.

"ME! Never." The Portal Master arrogantly retorts.

"See son..." Spyro replies while looking at his friend. "...no one wants to make mistakes, and never do they want to admit them, but they still happen."

"What mistake?" Gaven asks with more arrogance, becoming a bit unnerved by his general's cryptic lesson to his son.

"Just ask him about the Siege of...Pandora's Tower!" Spyro sarcastically says to his son, and Sparx can see the expression of the Portal Master change from anger to embarrassment in a second.

"That's not fair Spyro, that was not fully my fault..." Gaven barks, with the voice of someone trying to cover his *bleep*, but the purple dragon's stare burns through him. The Portal Master quickly changes his tone, knowing that his general is the one who completed the mission...then never told anyone the truth. His head lowers to the ground as he admits his little mistake. "I didn't know it was Pandora's Tower!"

Gaven's head pops back up and his eyes focus upon Spyro.

"And I'm glad you didn't open that box...when you leveled the entire place with your Fury!"

The purple dragon's shoulders slump with embarrassment, and he takes a deep breath as well. He turns to look at his son, whom has already spun his head around to see why his father suddenly gasped.

"Like I said...We all make mistakes..." Spyro jokes, quickly changing topic "...but if you can learn from them Sparx...you will find that you'll make less and less..."

Spyro makes sure his next point is driven home as his eyes & voice become very serious. "...but you can never be afraid of making mistakes, or you will give your enemy a huge advantage from the start."

The young dragon understands the definite wisdom in that statement, however, Sparx still lowers his head again...this time not with fear but with depression.

Spyro can see the anguish in his son's face, and becomes upset. He can tell there is much more to this reaction, but doesn't know if asking his son will be broaching the subject he swore not to talk about.

However, a fatherly instinct takes over, compelling the purple dragon to ask

"What is wrong Sparx?" Spyro's voice is filled with great concern. "Why are you so upset?"

The young dragon turns to his father with glassy eyes, and a cracking voice. "It's so different here, Dad..."

Spyro hears the long pause from his son, and can see the even longer stare fill his eyes. Tears begin to form in the young father's eyes as he feels the pain of not being there for his son so many years...not knowing why he is suffering like this.

The tough hero gently wipes the tears from his son's eyes while still staring deep into them. Spyro can tell his feelings are about something in his past, but still he wants nothing more than to comfort his son, and it is frustrating that he can't without knowing what is bothering him.

"Why?" Spyro asks...sure that he will not get an answer, but that does not stop a father from wanting to learn what is troubling his boy. "Please...Sparx, tell me why it is so different here?"

The young dragon lowers his head once more in silence, and Spyro drops his head as well seeing Sparx clam up quickly. He can tell he will not be getting an answer anytime soon...until.

"I have made some pretty big mistakes in my life too, Dad..." Sparx suddenly says, and Spyro's head snaps up quick to attention, as does Gaven's. "...but if you made a mistake there..."

Sparx suddenly pauses, and a different look fills his eyes...one of pain. The young dragon lowers his head once again, and in a very somber voice continues.

"...somebody always got hurt, or worse yet ..." He remarks, then raises his head and looks his father dead in the eye. "...someone would die!"

Spyro can hear the resonating sound of pain in that last statement by his son, and knows something he did cost him dearly. The young father embraces his boy tightly, allowing him to feel the comfort of a secure grip and a voice of reason.

"It is not that much different here my son..." Spyro replies with a soft whisper, remembering his brother, and the one whom Cynder honored...giving his name to this special dragon.

Spyro lowers his head recalling the exact moment when he made a bad choice himself, and the price he paid for his mistake. A simple choice to stay in the Valley when his brother told him of an impending storm, the likes of which New Warfang had never seen.

He remembers thinking his brother was over-reacting again, and that there was no possible way 'a rain storm' could be so devastating to him.

"...even a small mistake, can make a large impact on your life."

The purple hero's voice is barely audible, to the young dragon, as he finishes his thought. Sparx can feel his Father's embrace tighten, and also that he is breathing heavily from emotion.

However, Spyro suddenly stops his heavy breathing, and Sparx can feel his father's embrace change. The sound of breath in his left ear lets the young dragon know, his father has turned his head to face him, and is about to say something important. The two-toned purple dragon holds his breath himself, to take in a very poignant lesson from his wise father.

"These are the mistakes that stay with you forever, and you will feel as if the memory of that person is betraying you, even haunting you..." Spyro continues...then pulls his muzzle away from his son's ear. He shows his child a deep look of remorse, but then a smile begins to form on his face. The young father's voice becomes more clear and unwavering.

"...but you will also come to learn the most from these mistakes, and in that way, their memory will remain a part of you...to teach you...so you will never make that mistake again." The purple dragon tells his boy, feeling a moment of inner peace himself. "That is when you will find their memory will no longer betray you...but instead, be a guide for you."

Sparx pulls his father back into a tight embrace and whispers a heart-felt thank you in his ear. For the first time since returning to his rightful home, the young dragon feels like he has been able to discuss a part of his past, with his father.

Spyro can feel a large amount of tension leave his son's body, and the smile on his face becomes wider. He allows his boy to hold him as long as he wants, feeling a bit of the tension leave his body as well.

Gaven turns from his work station, as it begins to power back up, and watches the new Father and his Son in a loving embrace. The old Master feels a well of pride for his young General, and can not help the smile quickly form on his face. However, he is just as fast to stop this show of affection, wanting an answer to this message.

"I would give you two a moment alone, but there is still this urgent matter at hand!" Gaven barks startling both dragons. "So if you don't mind General...could you hug your curious son over here, so he can have a look at this message he was in such a hurry to see."

Spyro snaps out of his moment of compassion for his son and looks over to his commanding officer with a bit of embarrassment on his face.

"Sorry, Sir!" The purple dragon yelps, and looks into his son's eyes.

"I guess we better get over there before he gets angrier with you, and decides to cut off your paw for touching his desk." Spyro says with humor, and his son gives a slight chuckle himself. The purple dragon smiles hearing no fear in his son's laughter.

Spyro begins walking, with his son by his side, over to the large steel desk offset to the north side of the Main Room. He has a proud look on his face now, as his son strides step for step with him, no longer feeling the fear of his mistake, ready for what ever punishment Gaven decides to give him.

As Spyro and Sparx come to a stop along the side of the large desk, The Portal Master opens a small drawer to his right. Both dragons gasp as his hand retrieves a large ornate knife...then lays it on the surface before Sparx' eyes.

Spyro knows the significance of this blade having seen it before himself, and is amazed that Gaven has pulled this knife from his desk. However, seeing the reaction of Sparx, the purple dragon quickly quiets himself not to give anything, that he knows, away.

Sparx, on the other hand, quickly becomes nervous and stares at the jewel-handled knife sitting two feet from his face.

"Well now, young dragon..." Gaven barks, snapping Sparx' eyes to him. "It seems you have a problem following orders."

Gaven smirks at the now shuttering dragon, and picks the knife up in his large hand. He moves towards Sparx and lowers to a knee to get closer, and though he wants to run like hell, the young dragon does not back away.

"Show me which paw you touched my desk with young whelpling?" Gaven creepily asks, and Sparx looks over to his father with concern, however, he can not see his reactions. Spyro has turned his head away, not wanting his son to see the smile on his face, knowing that Gaven is not just busting his chops, but he is also about to bestow a great honor upon him.

Sparx looks back at the Portal Master and can see the seriousness upon his face. The young dragon is in such inner turmoil, not wanting to lose his paw, but also not wanting to disobey the words his father just spoke to him.

Apprehensively, the two-toned purple dragon slowly raises his right paw out to Gaven.

The Portal Master snatches Sparx' paw in his left hand, and slams the butt of the knife into the young dragon's palm.

"This blade is given only to the personal valet of the Portal Master." Gaven remarks with pride, and stares into the still shocked dragon's eyes. However his voice becomes deeper and more direct as he pulls Sparx face to muzzle "And you will do...what ever it is I tell you to do...without question. Do You Understand ME!"

Sparx raises and lowers his head quickly, and Gaven stands back to his feet. A slight smile fills his face as he looks down at the young dragon staring up at him. "In the process, you will learn so much more than how to just listen."

A look of astonishment fills Sparx' face as he realizes his punishment is to be taught a lesson, or two, by the Portal Master of the Skylanders. He glances back to his father seeing a big smile on his face, and a single tear coming from the pride filled eyes of Spyro.

"Now...if you don't mind, my new apprentice..." Gaven remarks, as he touches the screen that Sparx had placed his paw upon earlier. "...can read this message for me!"

Spyro's smile leaves his face, as his brow lowers with a look of deep concern.

"You can not read the message that was sent Gaven!" He remarks, knowing the linguistic capabilities of a Master with such a diverse group of fighters. However, as the large screen before them fills with strange symbols, Spyro can see the Portal Master's boggle. The message is written in an extinct language, and one symbol strikes fear into the eyes of the purple and gold dragon, as he scans this encrypted message. He quickly gasps a deep breath and walks up to the screen with angry stare.

"What is it General, can you understand these symbols?" Gaven asks with shock.

"No!" Spyro remarks with apprehension, then quickly snaps his head over to the Portal Master. "I only recognize one symbol, but I do know what language this is!"

Spyro turns to his son, and can see his eyes locked on the symbols before him in awe, and realizes he is able to read the message.

"I've seen it once before...deep in the catacombs under the old city of Warfang. It is the first language of the dragons, used by the great ancestors of Avalar themselves!" Spyro says aloud, then turns his head back to his friend. "And the one symbol that I do recognize means...Dark Master!"

Spyro then snaps his head back to his son.

"Now what I want to know, is how you can read a language that is long since forgotten, Sparx!" Spyro barks with some anger in his voice "And I don't want to hear that you can't, because I saw you hold your breath as you were reading it."

Sparx immediately understood the message before him, and knows exactly who has sent it. He turns to his father and lowers his shoulders.

"I can read it, Dad, and I want nothing more than to tell you what it says, and who it is from " Sparx replies sheepishly, however his eyes focus solidly on his father and his voice becomes more stable and direct "But you told me not to say a word until Mom woke up."

Spyro eyes open with shock and he walks up to his son.

"So...this message comes from someone in your past?" He asks with shock, and quickly becomes a bit bothered knowing his son will not say a word now.

"YOU WILL TELL US SPARX...or I will take that knife and cut off more than just your paw!" Gaven barks, and the two toned dragon looks up at his new Master with fear.

However, Spyro turns to the tall old man with a look of anger and rises up on his hind legs.

"Stop already Gaven...Can you not see how confused you're making my son feel." Spyro remarks, then returns to his four paws and faces the young dragon. "How can you force him to do something I just told him not to do, and still believe that he would respect me."

Spyro strides gently to his son and places his paw upon the shaking dragon's neck.

"I'm sorry Sparx." Spyro says to his son, trying to calm him down.

"I know you can not tell me everything the message says..." His voice is calm and gentle, like a father asking his son, not a General scolding a recruit. "...but is there anything you can tell us that will not break your promise. We really need to know what we can, and I would not ask if I didn't believe this to be so important."

Sparx lowers his head for a moment, then looks back up at the screen. His eyes focus at the top and he slowly reads the old symbols of an extinct language.

"Stripe...your family is in grave danger. The Dark Master is aware of your return to the Dragon Realms, and his return will be forth coming."

Suddenly, the young dragon takes a deep breath, and looks at Spyro as he read out the next set of symbols. "I must speak with your Father immediately!"

"ME!" Spyro yelps with shock, knowing this is the same ONE that Cynder & Sparx will not tell him about.

The two-toned son of Spyro lowers his head and looks back at his father.

"That's what it says, dad...but the rest I don't understand." Sparx turns his eyes back up to the screen, and the lower half of the message. "It is just numbers...and I don't know what they mean."

"Numbers?" Gaven quips from behind his desk, and Sparx snaps his head around to the old master. "Read them out to me young dragon...I think I may know what they are."

Sparx shows him a look of confusion, but doesn't hesitate to read the long series of numbers. Eight sets of four digits to be exact, and Gaven knows right away what these numbers are for, he just couldn't read them.

"Just as I thought..." Gaven remarks as he taps the numbers, Sparx is yelling out, into his computer.

Suddenly the blue light of the chandelier goes dark, and millions of small white lights begin to streak against the wall, from the large fixture. Like a planetarium, this massive dome now shows a stellar map of the Skylands galaxy and the Realm of the Dragons. The Chandelier begins to change its shape, and the map focuses on one part of the galaxy as it zooms in. A small red planet comes into focus, hovering as a holographic ball in the center of the Main Room.

The dark red planet spins around several times finally coming to a stop and showing a white dot on the northern hemisphere.

"...Coordinates!"

Spyro turns to his son with a smirk after seeing the bright dot on the red planet before his eyes.

"It looks like you won't have to keep that secret much longer after all Sparx!" He yelps and gives his commanding officer a nod.

Gaven taps several more buttons on his control panel and the map of the stars disappears. The chandelier returns to its normal shape, and the soft blue light once again begins to shine from the center of the Main Room.

Suddenly a portal opens filling Sparx' eyes with a familiar and terrifying sight. He can see a baron wasteland, through the swirl of energy, just like the place he called home for nearly 8 years. The young dragon notices his father ready himself to walk through the portal, and quickly jumps in front of Spyro.

"NO!" He yelps with a twinge of fear in his voice "You will learn of Mom's Secret on your own...and I can not let that happen!"

Spyro holds his paw up, hearing Gaven take a deep breath, knowing the Portal Master is about to start yelling at his boy once more for interfering with a mission.

The purple dragon stares his son eye to eye.

"What would you have me do then Sparx...ignore this message to my son, who by all intensive purposes should not have been born yet...What would you do?" He says with a stern voice and no emotion, finally having his fill of these annoying secrets. Sparx lowers his head, hearing a tone in his father's voice of being fed up.

"...Should I just forget that your mother is keeping something from me that you both believe would break up our marriage..." Spyro continues with more rage in his voice, then grasps his son by the shoulders. "...or the fact that a message, TO MY 3 DAY OLD SON, regarding the Dark Master was sent by the one who you will not tell me about...AND he wants to talk to ME!"

The young dragon turns his head towards the portal, and gazes at the world he left behind.

"I'm sorry Dad...you're right." Sparx says somberly, and steps out of his father's way. However, as Spyro walks by, the young dragon grasps Spyro's left forearm.

"Let me go with you...please" Sparx asks with deep sincerity in his voice. "I think it would be for the best, if I can explain what you find out Dad."

Knowing his translation of this message will certainly uncover the secret Sparx swore not to tell, the young father almost feels guilty. Spyro is about to nod his head yes to let him come...however.

"Not a chance!" The Portal Master barks from behind, and Spyro looks back at his commanding officer. Gaven can see the look he is getting from his General and immediately repeats his denial.

"No way Spyro...He is not a Skylander, and is not permitted to go on any mission."

The purple dragon says nothing, but looks back over to his son. He can see pure anxiety begin to fill his youngster's face, and Spyro lowers his head in thought.

"I can not go then, Master Gaven..." Spyro remarks and his son opens his eyes wide with shock. Spyro lifts his head up and smiles at his boy, he then turns and walks over to the Portal Master's desk. "This is a strange environment...I would be a fool to go there without a GUIDE, and my son is familiar with this area..."

Spyro arrogantly smirks at his commanding officer and begins to quote regulations to him "...under code 145 A: regarding new areas of exploration...a Skylander can be accompanied by a civilian with possible knowledge of the..."

"ENOUGH...General..." The Portal Master barks cutting Spyro off. Gaven's eyes narrow with a bit of anger knowing his General is pulling a very dirty trick. "...I know the *bleep* regulations...I wrote them!"

An uncomfortable silence fills the room again, until Spyro begins to laugh. Gaven gives him a smug look, then the old master smiles himself seeing his friend is just trying to be the peacemaker he is...doing what he can to make everyone happy. A trait that this purple dragon has shown many times in the past with great success.

"Come on, Master Gaven...I know he will stay by my side." Spyro replies confidently.

The General walks up to the Portal Master's desk and hops his front paws upon the surface. He arches his head over the steel surface, littered with controls, to look his friend in the eye.

"I trust him with my life Gaven...he is my son!"

The old Portal Master gives a great sigh, turns to his right, and opens the same drawer of his desk where the knife was stored. He reaches in once more, this time pulling out a plate of armor, tossing it to the young dragon standing by the swirling portal.

Sparx looks down at the plain piece of tail armor with a sheath for the knife he was given. Unlike the jewel-encrusted blade, this armor is bland and unattractive, however, his eyes still light up as he can see the insignia on the back. The Crest of Avalar interlocked with the Skylander's symbol of the purple dragon.

Spyro's first set of Skyland armor.

The two-toned purple dragon quickly places the tail plate on his back...strapping it across his gold midsection. Sparx sheaths the jeweled dagger into its holder, and turns with an awe-struck look to his smiling father.

"You may trust him Spyro because he is your son, but you still do not really know him...so be careful!" Gaven says quietly to his General, and Spyro turns back to his friend hearing his concern

"I can not detect anything on that planet, since it is beyond the Outer Realms, so if you encounter any trouble and if your son chooses to run..."

"Never!" Spyro barks before the words fully come from Gaven's mouth. "He is not just a part of me, but he is also a part of Cynder..."

Spyro drops his front paws back to the ground and turns towards his son and the portal before him.

"...the word RUN is not in either of our vocabularies!"

The purple dragon strolls up to his son and stands tall over his head. Spyro slowly raise his right front paw and cups Sparx's jaw, gently lifting it in his palm. He does not look at his son right away, only staring over his head into the swirling image of the portal behind him with his chest proudly out.

Spyro then looks down at the focused young dragon, and can once again see his wife's steady eyes in the purple iris's of his son.

"I know you will be there for Me, Sparx, and I do trust you..." Spyro says with a great deal of pride, however, he lowers his head, grasps the back of Sparx' neck and pulls his ear towards his muzzle. "But now you better start trusting me...because I lied too..."

Spyro places his other paw upon his son's muzzle and pulls his head up violently to stare him in the eye. A deep anger fills his hushed voice

"Of course I can read the ancient language of the dragons..." He says smugly "...and I can not wait to hear what Malefor wants to talk to me about...or what you will have to say about it!"

Sparx eyes open wide as his father releases the tight grip upon his neck and walks into the portal. The young dragon gives the Portal Master an uneasy stare filled with embarrassment, then quickly follows his father, once again, dragging his tail in fear.

The1upguy · Mar 30, 2013 6:15 PM

Chapter 14 Confessions of the Soul

On the dark red surface of a small planet, far beyond the Outer Realms of the Dragon Worlds, forms a disk of swirling energy. Just a second after stepping trough the portal in the Main Room, Spyro places his front paw down on the rocky surface of this distant planet. The purple dragon strides several paces away, clearing the way for his son who should be following shortly. He turns his head left and right, scanning the area for any hostile activity, but mostly, his eyes search for the one he has come to see...Malefor.

Butterflies fill his stomach, as a feeling of déjà vu overcomes his senses. Spyro can smell the familiar scent of his old foe, but he can not see him. He turns his head around to check his back side, a place where the Dark Master always attacks from, but all he can see is the portal behind him and a vast wasteland beyond that.

Suddenly, Sparx steps from the swirling disk of energy, then loses his balance. He falls face first to the ground, not realizing the portal was hovering over a foot in the air.

Spyro gives a slight chuckle seeing his son fall victim to a rookie mistake, but quickly returns a stern gaze of anger as he helps Sparx to his feet. The two lock eyes and Spyro can see the fear he has put into his son with his look, and the statement he made moments ago.

Sparx lowers completely to the ground cowering with the pain his father's dead eyes give him.

"I wanted to tell you Dad...honestly I did, but seeing your reaction, maybe it was better that I didn't." He remarks looking back up at Spyro. "Mom said you would take this news very hard, and I never understood why."

"It's because of who he is, Sparx, and...what he did to your Mother!" Spyro yelps, then lowers his head feeling the same pain his son feels. Knowing a secret his wife told him long after Malefor's defeat, one that still burns inside of him to this day.

Sparx raises his head from the ground and turns to his father with a curious look.

"What did he do?" The young dragon asks with a solid voice of want. "Malefor would never discuss his time with Mom...he would always tell me he was too embarrassed of what he did."

"As well he should be..." Spyro barks and looks back at his son. "He turned your mother into a ruthless killer, forcing her to do things I only hear about in her nightmares..."

Suddenly, Spyro looks away from his son, and sharply stares towards the horizon. His eyes never blink...just focusing on one spot.

Sparx can see his father's small ear flaps turn forward to catch any sound, and his attention is now focused on what is in front of his face.

"What is it Dad?" Sparx asks, now staring in the same direction as Spyro, scanning for any movement. The young dragon is familiar with this land, though it is not the same place he spent 8 years...it has the same feel...hell like. Sparx looks with his father for any sign of enemy attack, but neither see anything.

"I thought I heard something, Sparx!" Spyro says cautiously, still staring towards the noise he heard. Both dragons continue to gaze in the same direction, waiting for any sign of life.

"Dad..." Sparx says quietly, breaking the long period of tense silence. "...since the cat is out of the bag, and we appear to be alone...do you think we can discuss this a little more."

The purple dragon takes a long deep breath, then finally blinks and looks down at his son. Spyro smiles slightly at the young dragon and finds a place on the ground for himself to lay down.

Not seeing Malefor or any other signs of hostility in the area, the new father decides this is a good time to have this odd conversation with his son. He finds a flat area, next to Sparx and the still open portal back to the station, laying down cautiously...still looking around like a hawk.

"What is on your mind, son?" Spyro says calmly and Sparx raises his head up higher to speak.

"Are you angry with me?" He asks with a timid voice, and Spyro takes another deep breath.

The young dragon can tell his father is upset, and is sure his response is not what he wants to hear. However, Spyro shocks him with his reply.

"Absolutely NOT!" He says, and places his arm around the young dragon to his side. Spyro lowers his muzzle down atop of Sparx, cradling his son's head against his chest.

"And I am not angry with your Mother either...she was placed in a position that she could not avoid, and what she did, saved my son's life..." Spyro remarks with a sorrowful tone in his voice. "...there was no way she could be handicapped like that, and still survive for that long by herself"

Sparx can hear the shakiness in Spyro's voice, but also can not believe the sound of understanding in his words. The young dragon pulls his head back to look at his father's distant stare.

"You knew before the message...didn't you?" Sparx asks with apprehension, and Spyro's eyes refocus back to his son.

"Why would my son call me...Malefor." Spyro replies, then stands back upon his feet. The purple dragon walks slowly from his son, and looks up at the stars in the sky. He takes several deep breaths wondering what his boy must be thinking.

"I had a good suspicion when Cynder would not speak to me Sparx!" Spyro says, still looking up at the sky. His eyes finally locating the binary star that Avalar circles, allowing him to think of home.

"Your mother could always tell me anything..." The purple dragon remarks, then cranes his head around to look back at the dragon that reminds him so much of Cynder. He lowers his head and continues with barely a whisper.

"...except about the darkest moments of her life."

Spyro walks over to his son, and once again lays down, this time directly in front of his adolescent boy. He grasps the right paw of Sparx and stares into his eyes.

"I could tell just by looking at her, Sparx...that this was one of those darkest moments." The young father tells his son gently.

"Also by the way you and the Guardian were acting...It was easy for me to figure out."

The two-toned purple dragon lowers his head and closes his eyes.

"Why didn't you say anything, Dad?" He says feeling a great deal of bitterness in his father's deception.

Spyro can hear the angst in his son's voice and moves his paw to Sparx' jaw. He raises his boy's head to look him square in the eye, and a smug grin crosses the purple dragon's features. Spyro sees the same look of pain in his son's eyes he had himself, that of being lied too.

"I didn't do that to hurt you Sparx...I did that to help you, and your mother!" Spyro says with a confident voice. "I did not want the Skylanders to know that my wife and son were consorting with the Dark Master, until I was able to find out...Why!"

"Consorting!" Sparx yelps with surprise. His eyes begin to show rage hearing Spyro talk of his mentor and protector, as the enemy.

"If you consider protecting your son and your wife consorting...then yes...he's guilty!" The young dragon retorts with an arrogance that smacks Spyro in the face.

He can not believe that Sparx is defending Malefor.

"How dare you!" Spyro remarks and grips his son's jaw tighter in his paw. "The Dark Master will pay for how he's influenced you..."

"He is not the Dark Master...!" Sparx snaps with pure anger, yanking his muzzle from his father's grip, feeling this is the time to actually come clean with all the details. The young dragon stands up and backs away from Spyro a step. "...if you think he is, then so is MOM."

"WHAT DID YOU SAY?!" The purple hero barks as he stands up on his feet as well. Anger fills his eyes, and the two dragons stare at each other, both in a defensive posture.

"I said if you think Malefor is THE Dark Master, because of how he was influenced, then so was Mom..." Sparx snarls with conviction. He takes a step forward getting muzzle to muzzle with Spyro, and stares into his eyes with a fierce rage of his own.

"...and so were you, when you attacked the Guardian, and sent her there!"

Sparx continues to snarl in his father's face, however, he stops abruptly as Spyro's eyes open wide with shock. The young dragon watches his father take a step back and fall on his duff with a thousand yard stare on his face, and suddenly feels bad about what he said.

He can see Spyro tear up from the quick flash back of that moment, still only 3 days fresh in his mind, and the young dragon becomes even more upset. He wanted to defend his mentor and protector, but not at the cost of his father's feelings.

"Dad...I'm sorry...I didn't mean it like that!" Sparx says somberly, and sits down alongside his stunned father. The young dragon rubs his muzzle under Spyro's jaw, and places his head against his gold chest.

"I was just upset at how you were talking about Malefor!"

Sparx can hear his father's heart skip a beat, hearing him talk of his enemy as a friend.

The young dragon lowers his head away from his father, feeling no response to his touch. Sparx can tell he has upset him with what he said and decides it is best to just walk away.

However, Spyro lets his son get only a step from him before he grasps the young dragon in his arms, pulling his back against his chest. He places his massive forearms across Sparx' gold chest plate, holding him in place.

The startled young dragon does not struggle in the secure grasp of his father.

"I want to know everything Sparx." He says softly in his son's ear. Sparx can feel a tear fall atop his head as Spyro continues to speak. "Tell me why my son feels it necessary to defend such an evil dragon!"

Spyro can feel his son power his arms out from under his strong grip, then he reaches them up to hold his father's embrace tighter to himself. The young dragon takes a deep breath, readying to tell his father all he knows.

"I need to tell you something first..." Sparx says, looking down at the purple arms of his father, seeing the remarkable resemblance to his own...only lighter in color.

"I love you Dad...and in these 3 short days, I have quickly found that you are the dragon I was supposed to be, and the one I want to be!" He says confidently, but then holds his father's arms with a stronger grip, knowing what he will say is not going to sit easily.

"But, I love him too!" Sparx whispers, and Spyro's embrace becomes incredibly tight, almost to the point of suffocation, and though he feels it hard to draw breath, Sparx continues to talk about his 'Guardian'.

"He took me in when Mom disappeared, even after she had turned her back on his help and ran away. Malefor never made me feel like I was unwanted, and helped me understand the powers of this incredible bloodline that flows through my body."

Sparx turns his head up to look into his father's eyes.

"He is not evil...and you will see that when you meet him."

Spyro continues holding Sparx, unable to speak after hearing what he heard. The young dragon knows he has hurt his father's pride this time, but felt it necessary to stop lying to him.

"I understand why you feel this way Dad..." Sparx says, and is startled as his father man-handles his body to stand him face to face.

"YOU UNDERSTAND!" Spyro yells, feeling his rage for Malefor rise to the surface. "You can not possibly understand, if you think he was helping you for no reason."

"NO Dad...Your wrong! I understand more than you think I do." Sparx replies with no delay, staring dead into his father's eyes. "I understand that you know him only as the Dark Master, and that his reign of terror was horrific...But that is not who Malefor is"

The young dragon again breaks the hold his father has on him, quite easily, then walks several paces away staring across the horizon of this barren planet. Spurts of fires in the distance and the faint smells of sulfur and death, fill Sparx' nostrils with a scented reminder of his hellish home.

"I know of him only as a father-figure, protective of all he kept under his watchful eyes..."

Spyro jumps to his feet, and cuts his son off with an angry bark.

"A FATHER!"

Sparx snaps his head back to the angry purple dragon, and quickly realizes that was not the right thing to say.

"I didn't mean it like that Dad..." The young dragon replies to Spyro's fast response. Sparx strides quickly back to his father...tightly grasping his shoulders, and staring him dead in the eyes. "You Are My Father!...and he made *bleep* sure I knew that every day."

Spyro peers through his son with a devastated look of shock. He is still angry, but can not help but feel a certain joy in his son's last words.

However, he can also see Sparx' eyes fill with deep sorrow, and tears begin to form as his son takes a deep labored breath.

"And so did Snow..." The young dragon softly cries, then release his grip on his father's shoulders. Sparx drops back down to four paws and skulks away in a fog of depression.

Spyro sits for a second, still trying to get over the bombshell his son just dropped. The purple dragon knew that Malefor was his protector, but never did he think that Sparx was his guest voluntarily. The young father stews in the thought of his former enemy influencing his son in such a way, that he thinks of the Dark Master as a father-figure.

However, Spyro's eyes see the heavy depression in his son's stride, and even more so as his falls to the ground and breaks down in tears.

"Sparx!" Spyro yelps, overcome by his son's emotional outburst. The young father quickly rushes over to his side, laying atop his boy and holding him tight.

He says nothing to the young dragon, but gently rubs the area behind his son's horns, letting him know he is there. Spyro can feel the pure sadness rushing through his son's shaking body, and can not help but to feel his sorrow. The purple hero slides his body to the right side of his son and looks into his tear-filled eyes.

"I miss her so much Dad!" Sparx says with a great pain in his struggling voice, and Spyro is quickly taken by the fact he is not upset about Malefor, but of this Snow individual instead.

The young father once again grasps his son tightly, holding him in his arms, trying to take his pain.

"Who is Snow?" Spyro softly asks in Sparx' ear, wanting to hear of his son's past, hoping he can help ease his suffering with knowledge.

However, Spyro becomes anxious as his son becomes more distraught. He can sense that may not be what he wants to talk about, and quickly tries to calm him down again.

"It's OK Sparx...You don't need to tell me if you don't..."

Spyro stops talking abruptly as a slight chuckle comes from the two-toned purple dragon in his arm...followed by a large smile.

"She was so beautiful, Dad..." Sparx says with a forced voice of happiness "...and her fur was as soft and white as new fallen snow."

Sparx straightens himself up, and wipes the tears from the side of his muzzle. He looks at his father with a great deal of humility in his eyes.

"She was a small thing, looking much like that cheetah warrior, Hunter, that came to visit Mom. Only, she couldn't walk on her hind legs like him, and was less than half his size..." Sparx says, trying to give his father an accurate description of the White Shepard.

"...but her heart, Dad...that was as big as a dragon's." Sparx continues with pure pride in his words.

The youngster pauses for a moment in his memories, and his emotions again return to sadness. Sparx takes a deep breath to cleanse his thoughts, and grasps his father's paw. He looks into his eyes to show the pure feelings he has for this unknown creature.

"She was the one who saved my life...and helped during my darkest days..." Sparx says softly, then looks down at the ground. "...right after Mom disappeared."

The young dragon begins to tell the tale of that fateful day, and how he was ambushed in the home Cynder had found after leaving Malefor.

He had argued with his Mother that morning, telling her thathe would be going to find food this time, not wanting her to leave the safety of their small cave.

The magic Cynder had filled herself with before leaving the comfort of Malefor's lair, had long run out months ago, so she could no longer hide herself in Shadow. However, that did not stop a desperate mother from going out every day to find food for her baby.

"I would see her come back with more and more scars, Dad...just so I could have something to eat, and she would never take any for herself!" The young dragon cries, and looks back up to his father's concerned and attentive eyes.

"I just couldn't let her go that day...she was so weak" He says with a pain in his chest, remembering it as the last time he saw his Mother "She was so stubborn, and just wouldn't let me go"

Several gathered tears fall from Sparx' face, as he once again looks down in shame, seeing his last moment with his mother, and the image of her limping towards the cave entrance to forage for whatever she could find.

"I was so angry that I yelled something mean that made her cry" Sparx says staring at a rock by his front paw, wishing he could crawl under it. "I don't remember what I said...But I do know, I ran off without saying I loved her!"

Regardless of his mother's feelings, the 18 month old whelpling when out to forage on his own. Countless thoughts race through his head as he flies away from his crying Mother, quickly becoming upset venturing out by himself.

Sparx had been left at home alone many times, but this was the first time he was outside the home, Cynder found, on his own. He stops after only a few hundred yards and looks down, seeing his Mom is now standing at the entrance of the small hole burrowed into the base of the mountain. He can see the anguish in her eyes as they stare at each other, but knows he can not go back without food for HER.

Sparx looks away from his mother, and Cynder quickly feels the fear in her heart as he flies off.

" I heard her yell NO, Dad..." Sparx says somberly, still unable to raise his head to look at his father. "...but I didn't stop...I couldn't stop...Mom was dying and I was just not gonna let that happen"

In the mountains near Malefor's lair...but still very close to the new home that Cynder found for herself. Sparx is quick to find a stray demon, and even quicker to pounce. Though they are dirty, and evil to the bone, they still have meat...and that is what Cynder desperately needs.

With a fear of being alone and knowing how malnourished his mother is, the whelpling works fast. With the advantage of flight, something Cynder did not have without a wing, Sparx easily strikes the unsuspecting creature from above. He digs his talons deep into the back of this fairly husky creature, then bites down hard upon the neck of his prey. Sparx shifts his weight to the right, then viciously snaps the head of the dog-like animal to the left, killing it quickly and as quietly as possible.

The young dragon releases his kill, and looks around to make sure no one heard the slight yelp of pain from his victim. He eyes focus down the mountain at a group of demons that have gathered, staring up in his general direction. Sparx quickly crouches down out of sight, but keeps a visual on them until they decide to walk away...and luckily that is what they do.

The young dragon takes a deep breath, looks down at his accomplishment, and smiles. He hastily digs his front claws into this large meal for his mother, and some for himself with this guy's size. Sparx looks around cautiously again, then spreads his wings. With a strong leap from his rear paws, the young dragon catapults himself from the mountain, gliding silently back to his home. He thrusts his rear talons into the beast for added grip, and streamlines his body the best he can for more speed.

"I remember feeling so proud of myself, knowing that I was finally not going to be such a burden to Mom...but be more like her hero. She would never have to see the dragon that she hated, if I could take care of her..."

Sparx once again looks down at the ground, and Spyro can feel the pain well up in his son.

"...But, when I got back home with my prize...and my pride ..." Sparx says with great emotion, then looks back at his father with tears flowing from his eyes. "...she was gone!"

Spyro grabs his son and holds him tight as he breaks down crying, trying his best to comfort him.

"I ran outside and yelled as loud as I could for her..." Sparx wails in his father's arms. "...even though Mom said never to do that...I didn't care. I knew something was wrong, and I was scared...I just wanted her to come back"

Spyro can feel his son begin to shake harder in his arms, so he embraces him tighter as he continues to release emotion from that day. The young dragon cries heavily for a moment feeling the pain of her disappearance all over again.

Suddenly, Sparx composes himself, remembering his Mom is alive and well just on the other side of the portal next to him.

Sparx breaks his embrace with Spyro, and looks him in the eye with a compassionate stare. The young father can see his son's thankfulness for him just being there to listen and hold him.

Sparx once again continues to tell his father of the day that changed his life, and a new "Mentor" that took him by the horns.

"I ran back inside to make sure I didn't miss something...anything, but that was a big mistake." Sparx says with a fearful remembrance of that exact moment. "My yelling had brought hundreds of demons, which found their way into our home, blocking the only way out."

Heavily outnumbered, Sparx knows he has no chance of powering his way through the mass of bodies now standing inside his home.

However, running is not on his mind.

He can tell with the speed in which these creatures swarmed, they must have been close, and are probably the ones that took his Mother. His eyes focus upon the lead dog of this ferocious pack, and the blood dripping from his snarling teeth.

"You killed my mother!" He growls, and the lead demon becomes startled.

The young dragon's pupils fade from his eyes, and the streak of bright purple scales down his back begin to darken.

"I don't remember much of what happened after that..." Sparx remarks to his father, "...but I was told that I wiped them all out with some sort of wave of power from my body...then I passed out."

Spyro grasps his son's paw in his own tightly, hearing him once again pause to take a breath.

"Suddenly, I felt myself being dragged across the ground..." Sparx says with a timid voice "...but I couldn't move a muscle to stop it...I was completely drained from whatever I did."

The young dragon can feel his body being towed by his left horn, pulled through the small entrance of his home. His eyes opening for short periods, seeing only the scorch marks upon the walls of the tunnel out, and several dead demons laying on the ground.

Unable to move his head, Sparx cannot see who is pulling him. However, with the heavy breath upon his skull, and hearing the snarling sound of this creature's breathing so close to his ear... the young dragon is sure a demon has dug his fangs deep into his horn, and is pulling him out of the protection of his home.

Yanked into the open area outside, the young dragon becomes frightened seeing several demons heading towards his position. He realizes now that his limp body was dragged outside only for them to feed upon him easier...just like his mother.

Sparx cries, knowing there is no one to come to his aid anymore.

Suddenly, shock fills the young dragon's eyes, as he finally sees the one has pulled him out.

"It was Snow..." Sparx remarks with a smile, as he looks at his father. "...she was the one pulling me out, and stood her ground before them, to defend me"

The white Shepard growls at the encroaching group of demons, and her eyes flash red with her rage. In a flash of white fury, Snow leaps at the group of evil creatures thrashing and swatting with her paws.

Sparx watches in a haze as this small white dog, he remembers as docile, rips apart several demons much larger than her, without breaking a sweat. She quickly strides back in fear to the young dragon, whom still is unable to move.

"Are you OK Sparx...where is your mother?" Snow asks quickly, knowing another wave of demons is sure to be coming, especially after the noise that came from their friend's slaughter.

However, as Sparx begins to cry uncontrollably, the white Shepard becomes enraged...she needs no answer to her question.

"Get him out of here NOW!" Snow barks, as she looks over the young dragon to someone behind him, then turns her head to see the next group of evil creatures approaching...the ones she intends to take revenge upon for killing her friend, and trying to do the same to her baby.

Sparx watches as Snow stands firm before him, and a glow of white light begins to encompass her body.

Suddenly the young whelpling feels himself lifted off the ground, and secured in a pair of large paws. Sparx head is gently cradled up, and he can see the massive purple dragon that is holding him tightly.

"I'm so sorry Sparx!" Malefor says, seeing the tears pour from the whelplng's eyes, then looks down at his close friend. The white Shepard returns the same angered gaze to the large dragon holding Cynder's orphaned child.

"Make them Suffer, Snow!" He yelps, and quickly Malefor takes off into the sky. He holds Sparx' head gently against his chest, not allowing him to see the devastation he knows his friend will be laying out in mere moments.

But the young whelpling does not need to see what happens...he can feel it. The air around him warms with the heat of an incredible blast, and his ears are filled with the thunderous sounds of Power, and Pain.

However, his eyes do finally catches a glimpse of the large explosion, as Malefor is jostled by the shock wave.

He can see the blast consume thousands of demons and his home along with it. A deep feeling of sorrow fills his heart, as the white flash fills the sky, knowing his mother is truly gone. The young dragon closes his tear-filled eyes and passes out from exhaustion & depression, in Malefor's arms.

"I suddenly woke in the same place I was born..." Sparx says as he slowly lays down on the ground, now feeling physically spent from this emotional roller-coaster. However, the young dragon also feels a bit of satisfaction at the same time. He can see his father is no longer angry, just intently listening to him, not showing the rage as before when even mentioning Malefor's name.

"...it was very confusing and scary at first...I thought I was just waking up from a long nightmare..." Sparx continues with a deep sigh. "...but I noticed things were different right away. There were broken shards of green crystal surrounding my body, and I felt energized in a way I never experienced. I also noticed that I was clean for the first time in months, and the wounds on my body were dressed..."

Sparx turns his head toward the portal flashing a few feet from the two dragons.

"...But what I noticed the most...is Mom was not there, laying her head atop of mine, keeping me warm and safe."

Spyro grasps his son's paw waiting for another emotional outburst, but it startled when Sparx begins to laugh.

"However, there was someone...laying across my side..." He says with a smile looking back at his father. "...trying desperately not to fall off when I moved."

Sparx laughs remembering a sleeping Snow, losing her balance, sliding across his stomach, and falling to the ground. She quickly hopped back to her feet with a smile and strolled up to his nose, brushing her soft coat against his muzzle. Then laid down in front of him and fell back to sleep.

The young dragon smiles, remembering the feel of her fur against his face at a moment when he was so depressed, and how it reminded him of his Mother's gentle touch.

"I felt safe with her..." The young dragon says with deep feeling "...and it was easy to fall asleep again, with her there."

Sparx tells his father of the one true reason he is the dragon he is today. A small Shepard-like dog that took the place of his Mother, and taught him everything she knew about her friend Cynder, making sure that Sparx would still be guided by HER ideals.

For 5 years she helped him grow to be who he is, teaching him what she remembered from her friend Cynder, along with her own vast knowledge and experience. She stayed with the young dragon in the same place where he was hatched, not in the sleeping chamber of Malefor's den, where she normally slept. And though it was never her intention from the start, she quickly developed a strong bond with him as well.

Just like Spyro and his brother...they were inseparable, and a very odd pair.

Snow would play with Sparx, even though his size was much greater, making sure he would still enjoy some type of childhood. However, she would also lay down the law, even though his size was much greater, showing a stern but loving hand with her discipline.

But unlike Cynder, Snow would allow the young dragon to spend time with Malefor...under her supervision!

Knowing she could not teach him anything about being a dragon, the wise canine knew some exceptions had to made. She kept his visits limited at first, but noticed quickly that Malefor himself was enforcing the same rules that Cynder believed, and would lax in her supervision as time went by.

"I loved her Dad, and I started feeling bad...believing that I was betraying Mom's spirit, because she reminded me so much of her, that I couldn't help it." Sparx looks at his father...his smile becomes larger, and his eyes well up with tears. "But now that I've met my Father...I would say she was actually, more like you...NO...In fact, I would say she was exactly like you"

Sparx lowers his head and closes his eyes, the confident sound of voice, sends a chill into his father's spine, as he describes this beautiful creature that helped saved his soul.

"She was kind and gentle, but fierce and determined...and she could read me like a book..." the young dragon says, still with his eyes closed, picturing his adoptive mother in his head. "...Snow would know exactly when to leave me alone with my feelings, but also when it was not a good idea for me to be by myself."

Sparx smiles inside at the memories in his head, of the way she would ignore him when he got mad and would storm off...every time coming back and talking to her about his problem. But also, when she kept him from doing something stupid, because of his anger.

"It was her heart Dad...that is what YOU remind me most about her..." Sparx says quietly, turning his opening eyes back to his father. The young dragon takes a deep breath, and reaches his paw out to Spyro. He stops his open palm inches away from the gold chest of his father, and his smile fills his muzzle from cheek to cheek.

"...It was just as strong as yours...and I could feel its steady beat without even touching her."

Sparx places his paw against his father's chest, and closes his eyes again. He relaxes his tension feeling Spyro's pulse, then slowly opens his eyes to look up at his taller father.

"But there is one huge difference..." The young dragon remarks, sliding closer to his father. He wraps his arms around Spyro, and places his ear against his gold chest in a soft embrace. "...this is the pulse I hear when I close my eyes, and listen to my own heart."

Sparx turns his head up, looking straight at the strong jaw of his father, and Spyro lowers his muzzle to return his son's gaze.

"You are my Father...that I know for certain...and I will never again make you feel that I believe otherwise...I promise" The young dragon says with a deep feeling of guilt from his earlier words. Sparx lowers his head back down holding Spyro tighter, and can suddenly feel his body gently lifted off the ground.

Spyro stands on his hind legs, wrapping his forearms and wings around his son and himself. The purple hero is humbled, feeling the incredible amount of love and respect from a child he has only known for days, and believing his every word as if spoken by himself.

"I love you Sparx..." Spyro softly whispers into the winged-cocoon he has wrapped his son in. The young father kisses his boy on the head, then cradles his muzzle against the side of Sparx' cheek. "...and I'm sorry that I made you go through those painful memories like that. I should have just listened to MY SON from the beginning."

"No Dad...you did listen..." The young dragon replies, feeling so much security in his father's arms, that he holds nothing back. His voice is soft, but sure, as he continues. "...you sat there and listened, even when I saw the anger in your eyes. You didn't say a word...just like Snow...allowing me to see what a real FATHER could be..."

Sparx pauses, listening to the pounding beat of his Dad's heart.

"...and that is something I never got with Malefor."

Once again, a faint sound suddenly snaps the attention of the purple dragon to his right. And once again, Spyro can see nothing. He is confused knowing he heard something, but still his eyes deceive him.

However, Spyro does not stay focused in that direction for long. He can feel his son begin moving and turns his attention back to him quickly.

Sparx releases Spyro, gliding down from his tall father to the rocky surface. He takes a few steps away and turns back around with a somber expression upon his face.

"I'm sorry that I said he was like a father-figure before..." Sparx says, and lowers his head. "...because I didn't know what a father really was..."

Sparx looks back up at Spyro, and a large smile crosses his muzzle. "...but now I do...DAD!"

The purple dragon strides over to his boy, and lifts him up in his arms again. Spyro, like any new father, is not sure of what to say...feeling a pain deep inside his soul. However, his son's embrace fills his heart with an even greater pain.

"It's OK Sparx!" The young father says holding him tightly. "I am not angry at that...I was just upset at myself...knowing I was not there for you or Cynder."

Spyro begins to weep himself, feeling the deep regret of his actions, still 3 days fresh in his memory, causing the situation he is facing now. His breathing becomes very rapid, and so does his pulse.

Sparx can feel the change in his father's heart-beat, and knows something is not OK!

"What is wrong Dad?" His son, says somberly, feeling linked to his father now, and noticing his pain right away.

"It was my fault, Sparx..." Spyro says, uncontrollably crying, knowing he has lost 8 years of his son's life because of one big mistake.

"You said it yourself..." Spyro lowers his head down to cradle his muzzle against his son, and whispers into his ear. "...I sent her there!"

"NO!" Sparx angrily barks and grasps his father muzzle tightly in his paw. The young dragon spins around to face him, holding his snout straight in front of his own.

"You did not do that, Dad..." The young dragon's voice is filled with rage, and the pupils of his eyes begin fading away. "...The Dark Master did that, and NO ONE else."

Spyro shakes his muzzle free of his son's secure grip, not accepting what he is told.

"Your wrong, Sparx!" Spyro replies, closing his eyes, and taking a deep breath. "I did make a mistake!"

Sparx' pupils reappear, hearing the resonating tone of defeat in his dad's strong voice. The young dragon lowers to the ground on his feet, and looks up intently at his father.

"OK Dad, it's my turn to listen now." Sparx says softly with a great concern. "Please...Talk to me...Tell me why you feel this was your fault?"

Spyro lowers down to his stomach, and raises his head eye level with his standing son. Again Spyro draws a deep breath, feeling it difficult to talk about the one moment in his head, he regrets most.

"I brought him home to my pregnant wife..." The purple hero says with great pain. Spyro pauses, dropping his head, unable to look his son in the face as he continues. Tears pour from his eyes to the ground, as he continues to show the real reason for his pain. "...and the worst part about it is, that you and your mother were the ones forced to suffer the consequences...of MY mistake!"

Spyro keeps his head down low, and his eyes shut tight, not wanting to see the reaction of his son to his words. The purple dragon knows Sparx must feel anger towards him, for allowing his mother to be attacked while so vulnerable...God knows he does.

However, Spyro is shocked, as he feels his son under his neck. The purple dragon opens his eyes to see Sparx lifting his head with his shoulder, and wrapping his own arms and wings as far around him as possible.

"I love you Dad...you believe that, Right?" Sparx whispers sternly into his father's ear, surprising Spyro even further. The purple dragon shakes his head up and down quickly to answer his son's easy, but yet, puzzling question.

"Then believe me when I say...This is not your fault!" Sparx unwraps his wings from around Spyro's neck, and backs up a step to look his father with a stern gaze.

Spyro can see the resolve in his young son's eyes, as if looking at his own. However, the great hero of Avalar can still feel the sting of his mistake, and once again lowers his head in shame.

"But, I am the Purple Dragon..." Spyro says, almost with a bit of unbeatable arrogance. "...How could I have let this happen!"

"Because...Deception is what he is best at, Spyro..." A garbled voice bellows from the right, startling both father and son. "...I should know..."

Suddenly, as they look in the direction of this voice, the vague image of a large dragon begins to distort their view of the horizon. It is a mind-boggling sight to Spyro, but a familiar one to Sparx, as the landscape in the distance bends with the reflection of LIGHT.

A smile crosses Sparx' face, however, anger fills the eye's of his father, as they watch the massive purple and gold dragon appear before them.

Spyro can see the exact dragon he remembers from 5 years ago, twice his size and the extra set of horns that sprout from Malefor's cheeks, are the only differences between them...that and their feelings for each other.

Spyro rises to his feet in a defensive position, blocking his son.

"Malefor..." He barks with the anger and emotion still flowing through him. "...What do you want from me and my family...haven't you done enough?"

However, as the former Dark Master opens his eyes, Spyro calms quickly with surprise. He can see another similarity, one that was not there before. Like his son's, and his own as well, Spyro stares into the now solid purple eyes of Malefor. A dominant trait like the gold chest and wings, his eyes finally show the true heritage of his bloodline. But what shocks Spyro most, is the sight of remorse in these familiar eyes.

"It is good to see you well Spyro..." He remarks softly, and quickly Spyro is startled again at the voice of his old foe.

Now, without the distortion of his cloaking magic, Malefor's voice is much different. The massive dragon speaks in a clear stable tone, untainted by the evil reverberation Spyro remembers from his fight against him.

"...I am sorry for what has happened, but I only wish to talk!"

The1upguy · Apr 01, 2013 11:23 PM

Chapter 15: Malefor's Sacrifice

Gaven, sitting at his desk in the Portal Station, watches the energy level on his monitor shoot through the roof. He can not see what is going on, but Spyro's wrist communicator now lights up with the power that a third purple dragon has brought to this gathering.

"What is going on over there!" The Portal Master barks to himself, then stands up from his desk.

The Giant elf-like man walks over to the swirling disk of energy, still open in the middle of the room, expecting Spyro and Sparx to return any second, but they do not come back. In fact, he doesn't even see them in his view through the portal.

Gaven strolls up to the oval disk of energy, and stares into the 2 dimensional view it gives him of this evil-looking red planet. Unable to look to the side, where Spyro and Sparx are having their conversation, the Portal Master does not know why the power has jumped so high.

"I hope they're not fighting with each other." He says to himself, continuing to watch for any sign of the young whelping and his father.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

On the small planet, outside the Dragon Realms, stand three of the most powerful dragons ever to live.

With his talons dug into the dark red stone under his feet, Spyro stares intently at Malefor. His posture, ready to strike at a moments notice, but his mind is still trying to understand this Dark Master's move.

The massive purple dragon is just lying on his stomach, with his paws crossed, unable to defend himself quickly. He is almost tempting Spyro to strike by showing his former enemy a weakness.

The protector of Avalar knows if he wanted to, he could strike Malefor's neck, cutting his jugular without effort, and that has him puzzled.

Seeing his enemy is not defensive, and hearing the WORD of his son, Spyro sits down on his hind quarters, but does not lower his guard. He can still pounce if necessary, and will not take his eyes off the large dragon.

"So...Talk!" Spyro says with anger.

Malefor takes a deep breath, and lowers his head. He can not help but feel humbled at Spyro's actual willingness to listen. He exhales his breath, unable to speak what he has rehearsed for many years, and looks back up at a younger version of himself.

"I have gone over this conversation in my mind a thousand time, and have thought of so many things I wanted to say to you..." The powerful dragon says somberly, and lowers his head again. "...but now, I find myself clueless of what to say...and I feel nauseous just being in your presence."

Spyro once again is shocked by the resonating sound of guilt in his voice, and Sparx can feel the change in his father's heart beat. It has slowed from a rapid pace, to a calmer more steady pulse, almost a normal rhythm .

The young dragon slowly walks from behind his father to his side, and turns his head up to look at him.

Spyro can feel his son's eyes burning into the side of his head, but he still doesn't look away from Malefor.

"However, There was always one thing that I was certain I had to say..." The large purple dragon says to the face of his former adversary, and Spyro can see tears forming in his eyes.

"...I am sorry for shaming the purple dragon in such way, with my Failure..." Malefor remarks, then turns his head away. "I was ignorant with my power, and never thought there could be such an Evil...but I couldn't be more wrong...and everyone on Avalar paid for MY mistake."

Malefor pauses to control his tears, but it takes several moments recalling so many terrible memories.

"There is no forgiveness for what I have done to our world..." The large purple dragon says, and turns his blood-shot eyes to Spyro. "...and I am amazed that you would even be seen in my presence."

Spyro is beside himself, hearing these words.

"Who is this dragon?" He thinks to himself, seeing the raw emotion coming from his former merciless foe. "This can not be Malefor!"

Spyro finally blinks his eyes, and looks down at his son is amazement.

"Give him a chance Dad..." Sparx says with a quiet but steady voice "...He is not The Dark Master...he is just a purple dragon like you, "

The two-toned son of Spyro & Cynder places his paw against his father's arm.

"But most of all...he's my friend."

Spyro relaxes his posture, feeling calmed by his son's touch, but mostly his confident words. The young father grasps his son by the neck and gently pulls him under his up-rite body. Spyro forces Sparx down to his belly by laying himself atop of his son, then lowers his muzzle between his horns.

"I don't know Sparx..." Spyro softly whispers, looking up with his eyes at the sobbing dragon before him "...he has brought such shame to the dragon race...I just don't know if I can ever trust him!"

"Trust takes time Dad...I know that..." Spark remarks as he turns his head up and to the right, forcing Spyro to move his muzzle and look back down at his son. "...but you must give him that time...or you will never know the dragon he is, and that would be the real shame."

Spyro stares into his son's confident eyes, and can not believe the wisdom from such a young dragon. The proud father feels a slight twinge in his heart, and once again looks at the massive purple dragon before he and his son.

"Forgiveness is not given, Malefor..." Spyro says to get his attention, and Malefor turns his tear-filled eyes to his counter-part.

"...only YOU, can redeem yourself..." He continues, staring deep into the large dragon's purple eyes. "...but redemption, like trust is earned, and it will be almost impossible for you to gain anyone's trust after what you have done!"

Malefor looks down at the ground and nods his head in understanding, and Spyro returns his eyes back down to his son.

A smile is across the young dragon's face, hearing his father talking to Malefor calmly. But what his father says next, puts a larger smile on Sparx' muzzle.

"However, you have earned my son's trust..." Spyro remarks, rubbing the top of Sparx' head with his paw. "...and I don't believe this dragon to be foolish."

Spyro stands up on four feet, straddling his still lying son, then walks over to Malefor. He places his paw upon his enemy's muscular forearm and cranes his head next to the taller dragon's ear.

"He is not like that for any reason..." Spyro whispers. "...Someone taught that boy how to be a man..."

Spyro snaps his eyes back to Malefor's and slowly backs away. He looks over at his son with a simple smile "...and I'm sure that was not because of my wife and some small Dog."

The former Dark Master, once again lowers his head in ashamed disbelief. He can not believe Spyro is being this receptive, and now is giving him praise for Sparx' behavior.

"Because of this...and helping Cynder..." Spyro says to his foe with a heavy heart. "...You have earned my ears...for the moment..."

Suddenly, Spyro reaches his paw over to Malefor's jaw, yanking him muzzle to muzzle.

"...and that is more of a chance then you deserve!" Spyro barks with anger, as his pupils fade to white.

The purple dragon keeps his legs crossed, before the posturing Spyro, to prove he is not going to attack, and gives a snort of laughter from his nostrils, unable to open his mouth. The large dragon takes some effort to free his muzzle and continues his laughter.

"Now there is the Spyro I remember..." Malefor says with sarcasm, then his eyes fade to white themselves.

"...Always with your guard up...never sure of the choices you make..." Malefor smiles as Spyro becomes more aggressive, knowing his every thought "...you remind me so much of myself, Spyro...that it's scary."

The large dragon's eyes return to their normal color, and once again Malefor begins to laugh.

Spyro does not laugh, nor does he back down. He steps closer to Malefor, and Sparx becomes nervous.

"Dad!" Sparx sheepishly yelps, trying to get his father's attention, but Spyro is irate.

"I AM NOTHING LIKE YOU!" He screams in Malefor's face. "I DIDN'T Destroy my home, or enslave the world I live upon!"

Malefor's smile leaves his face with this remark, and once again a deep breath of regret is bellowed from his large muzzle.

"You would have..." He says with anger, standing up on his feet and looking down at Spyro. "...if your friends weren't there to intervene!"

Spyro is smacked in the face with Malefor's words, and slowly his eyes reappear in the whites of his irises. The purple dragon sits upon his hind quarters, fumbling with the thought in his head of the Dark Master's brutal attack in his home, and how he almost lost himself.

"You think I wanted that to happen..." Malefor continues with more anger in his voice, looking up at the stars in the sky, staring at the binary system of Avalar. "...To have my life taken from me...while still living...then forced against my will to kill my kin."

Malefor closes his eyes with painful memories, and lowers his head back to the ground. Spyro watches as tears pour from the muzzle of this massive dragon, and he can not help but begin feeling Malefor's pain.

"...I was unable to stop it, Spyro.." Malefor says as he turns his eyes back to the younger purple dragon. "...I had no control of it."

Spyro can hear the resonating tone of sincerity in Malefor's voice, and starts to understand his feelings as the large dragon begins to cry once more.

"I watched with my own eyes, as he used my body to destroy my world and kill my friends..." The large dragon says with tears flowing, then takes a deep breath, and again looks down.

The younger purple dragon can see the pure pain fill Malefor's features, and hears the depth of depression that his voice sinks to. "...including a very beautiful wind dragoness...named Aerial."

A chill shoots through Spyro's back, as he knows immediately who this wind dragoness must have been, and an unimaginable pain strikes his heart.

"What if my actions had killed Cynder..." Spyro thinks to himself, knowing he very well came close to doing exactly that.

"...I couldn't image that pain!" Spyro says, continuing his thought out loud.

Malefor, turns his head to see the thousand yard stare on Spyro's face, recalling the moment he himself almost killed Cynder.

Suddenly his eye refocus, and once again Spyro turns his attention to Malefor.

"I'm so sorry..." Spyro remarks, and Malefor is taken by complete surprise. Spyro walks beside him, and places his paw against the large dragon's flank. "...I didn't know you had a wife before hand...that thought had never occurred to me."

Malefor snort's and angry breath from his nose, and looks down at the rocky surface beneath him.

"No one knows the truth, because the entire history of our civilization was lost when I destroyed the city..." He retorts with hatred in his voice. Malefor stands up on his hind legs, as the rage in his heart begins to consume him. "...AND KILLED EVERYONE I LOVED."

The vibrant purple scales of his body begin to darken, and Malefor howls into the air with pure anger.

Spyro backs away concerned, as the ground beneath his paws shakes violently, and quickly trots over to his son.

"I think we need to go Sparx!" The young father yelps, as he starts pushing his son back toward the portal. However, Sparx is not willing to move.

"Wait, Dad..." The young dragon says, holding back his father's charge. "...let me talk to him!"

Spyro immediately stops shoving his son toward the portal, not like he was making any progress, and looks into his steady eyes

"Dad..." He says with a timid voice, still watching Malefor's power increase further. "...he is not evil...he is just upset, like you would be if something happened to Mom!"

Spyro looks down at his son, and Sparx can see a twinge of pain in his eyes. He rears up onto his hind paws to get muzzle to muzzle with his father, then places his right paw upon Spyro's cheek.

"Please Dad..." Sparx says calmly. "...let me help him...let me show you, you are wrong about him!"

"Are you sure, Sparx..." Spyro says with an uneasy voice, that his son notices right away.

"I am sure, Dad..." The two-toned dragon says with a smile and moves his paw from Spyro's cheek to his chest.

"...as much as I am sure of this."

Spyro feels the gentle but firm paw of his son over his heart, and slowly closes his eyes. A deep feeling of love fills the young father, but at the same time a feeling of pain.

"You do care deeply about him, don't you..." Spyro says somberly "...much more then you want, or are willing to tell me."

Sparx can hear the disappointment in his father's voice, and looks back up at Spyro.

"Yes, Dad..." Sparx replies with no hesitation. "...and to tell you the full truth...I think of him as a father."

Spyro's brow drops across the top of his eye line, but Sparx feels a weight lifted from his shoulders. He is keeping no more secrets from Spyro .

The young dragon removes his paw from Spyro's gold chest, and drops down on four paws. Sparx turns around to face his father, and sits down on his hind quarters.

"What was I supposed to do Dad?..." The young dragon now asks with a slight attitude, and Spyro is startled. He keeps his brow down in anger, but hears the resonating sound of frustration in his son, and can not help but understand his point as he continues. "...I lost Mom, I lost my home, and it was certain that I would lose my life soon there after."

Sparx looks down at the ground feeling the pain of rushing through his memories again, then looks back up at his father with glistening eyes.

"Please understand, I didn't want to..." He says as his tears pour from his muzzle "...but because of the dragon he is...I couldn't help it."

Sparx now overcome with emotion runs and jumps back into Spyro's arms, and hugs him tightly.

"I love him Dad...as much as I love you..." He says with fear, feeling the pain in his father to hear such a thing spoken. "...and it hurts to see him suffer like this, as much as it hurt to watch you wait for Mom to wake up"

Sparx can feel his father's tension loosen again, and his arm squeezes his small body tighter against his chest. The young dragon is happy, believing his father is calming down from hearing his son's true feelings, however, Sparx is also upset with himself, knowing he just broke a promise he made only minutes ago.

"I'm sorry Dad..." His muffled voice remarks, smothered against Spyro's chest. The purple dragon loosens his grip, and Sparx moves his head to look up at his father. "...I said that I would never make you feel like this again, and once more I lied to you..."

Sparx pushes himself from his father and walks a few steps towards Malefor, still raging with emotions in the background.

"It's like the more I am honest with you...the more I feel that I am betraying my Father." Sparx turns back to Spyro with a look of complete despair.

"It was the same thing with Snow..." Sparx says as he moves back towards his father. "...how can I love someone as much as my Mom...but I did...because she was an incredible mother!"

Sparx grabs his father's paw and places his own paw in Spyro's palm.

"I am your son, and I will always be your son..." Sparx says staring into his Dad's teary eyes "...and I need my Father to know that, because I will want HIS guidance from this point in my life..."

Sparx turns his head back towards Malefor, still holding Spyro's paw. "...But he was also my father for a time, and though he is not now...I still love him and can not turn my back on him..."

Once again the young dragon turns back to his dad and burns a desperate stare into Spyro's eyes

"...But I need MY FATHER'S help!"

Spyro takes a deep breath letting his emotions settle, still in a state of shock. He is nauseous from the feelings in his heart. However, the young hero can also feel the pain and love from his child, showing him that he's in as much inner turmoil as himself.

"I don't know, Sparx...what help can I possibly be to him?" Spyro asks with a heavy voice, and Sparx looks up with a smile. He can see now that the incredible dragon his mother told him so much about as a baby, was true in every regard.

He has told his father this horrible truth, the one thing he has had nightmares about since having any feeling toward Malefor, and Spyro is still willing to help.

Sparx looks up at his father with a new-found confidence.

"I don't know Dad...I don't know..." He says with a slight smirk.

The young dragon releases his father's paw, and once again stands beside him, looking in the direction of Malefor. "...but you'll never know standing over here, will ya!"

Spyro looks down at his son, and Sparx up at him. His smile is contagious and quickly spreads to his father's muzzle as well, making the young dragon feel even more secure in telling the truth.

"You are truly wise, my son..." Spyro says with great pride. He spreads his large wings out brushing his son across the face softly

"...come on...let me see if I can find this dragon my son thinks he is"

The sarcasm in his father's voice, and the jovial spirit that Spyro is showing again, relieves Sparx to the bone. The smile on his muzzle is now ear to ear, and he leaps up under his Dad's chin.

Sparx opens his wings against Spyro's jaw just as softly, then hovers in front of his face.

"And you are every bit the dragon my Mother told me about, Dad..." Sparx says with a greater pride in his voice. "...I always believed she was just exaggerating to make me feel better, but that couldn't be further from the truth."

Sparx turns around and with a quick flap of his wings, takes off towards the dark dragon a hundred feet away from them.

Spyro sits for a second, feeling much better himself. He can see the undying devotion from his son, and knows that Cynder is the reason.

The love he feels for his wife overwhelms him. He had been sure that Cynder blamed him for what happened, but now hearing his son tell him how highly she spoke of him...Spyro begins to relax as well.

With a new-found confidence himself, the purple dragon takes off after his son. In seconds, both dragons are standing before the agitated Malefor.

The large black dragon is still staring into the sky, consumed with the thoughts of how he betrayed his world.

Malefor was sure Spyro left with his son, and is startled as he lowers his head to see both father and child standing before him

His pupil-less eyes focus on Sparx, whose infectious grin is still planted on his face. The large dragon feels the soothing emotion of his smile, and begins to breathe easier. Quickly his anger is brought back under control, and his pupils and scales return to their normal purple color.

He then turns those eyes towards Spyro, and is astonished to see his nonchalant posture. Malefor is even more surprised as his counter-part sits down on his hind legs then lays his front paws out, resting his gold stomach on the ground.

"I'm sorry for my outburst..." Malefor says with embarrassment. "...I'm surprised you didn't take your son and leave."

"I was going to..." Spyro replies, then turns his head towards the young dragon, and can see the smile still on his face. "...but Sparx said his friend needed help...and I couldn't say no to that face."

Malefor finally shows a slight smirk, and walks up to the young smiling dragon. He lowers his large frame to the ground and gently covers Sparx' head with his right front paw.

"It's impossible Spyro..." Malefor retorts, and looks at the younger purple dragon. "...believe me...I never could either!"

A striking pain shoots through Spyro's heart, hearing Malefor speak of his son as his own, however the purple dragon quickly sees the spirit of his son drop to the ground, and his smile disappears.

"Stop Malefor..." Sparx says with sadness in his voice, seeing Spyro's reaction. He brushes the large paw from his head, and looks up at his former guardian. "...please don't do that in front of My Father!"

Malefor is startled, and turns to Spyro with a deep look of regret, but before he can apologize.

"It's OK Sparx..." Spyro says with his paw up, gesturing him to calm down. The young father is hurt, but sees his son is not going to break his promise again, and Spyro realizes a bond of nearly 8 years would be impossible to just end.

"...I understand his feelings, and to tell you the truth..." Spyro remarks as he gets to his feet. The young father walks over to his son, and places his paw upon Sparx' lowered head. "...I'm really not that upset anymore."

The young dragon looks up surprised to see a large smile on his father's face, and slowly his returns as well.

Spyro rubs the top of his son's head vigorously, then looks at Malefor, and gives him a quick nod of his muzzle still with a wide smile.

The large purple dragon is shocked at Spyro's attitude, and more so by his former adversary's next words.

"Thank You Malefor..." Spyro remarks, and the former Dark Master is nearly floored by what he hears.

"For What?" He quickly retorts, completely startled.

Spyro removes his paw from his son's head, and lowers it under Sparx' stomach. The purple dragon raises his boy up in the air with one arm and places him on his back between his gold and red wings.

"You protected my wife & my son when I could not be there for them..." He says with a deep feeling of gratitude, then cranes his head to look back at Sparx, standing proudly upon his father's shoulders. "...I don't know how I can repay you for this."

Spyro lays down upon his stomach, and Malefor circles around himself, finding a flat spot to rest. Both dragons stare at each other in a different light.

Spyro can see this is not the Dark Master anymore, but a powerful dragon that is looking to make up for thousands of years of hatred and evil...a task that will not be easy in any way. However, judging by the few moments he has seen Malefor's emotion, and also because of the attitude of the dragon upon his back, Spyro can see this dragon deserves a second chance.

Malefor, on the other hand, is still in a state of shock.

"How can this dragon be so willing to listen..." He thinks to himself. "...I can't believe that he is not trying to kill me!"

But as Spyro gets more comfortable, the former Dark Master can see the sincerity in his eyes, and begins to completely relax himself.

"The least I can do is hear whatever it was you wanted to talk about..." Spyro remarks with calmness in his voice. "But please...If you don't mind...I want to know more about YOU first. I feel that I don't know this dragon lying before me...I only knew the hateful one who would never show any emotion but anger."

Malefor takes a deep breath, and a smile forms on his face, as he watches Sparx climb his father's neck. The young dragon positions his muzzle on Spyro's head between his good left horn and the broken right one, and quickly Malefor flashes back to a painful memory of his past...one that set things in motion.

"He did that to me as well..." The large dragon remarks, as he rubs his head around the left horn. "...that was the day I found myself outmatched, and would become the darkest day of Avalar!"

Malefor stares into the sky, then back to the 4 attentive eyes of Spyro & Sparx. His chest expands with a large breath, and the former Hero of Avalar tells his captive audience the day he lost so much.

For over an hour, Malefor describes the brutal battle that leveled the original city of Warfang, making the Burned Lands what they are today. His fight with the Dark Master was epic, and for a time, seemed unending.

"However, I couldn't keep that pace up..." Malefor says with a heavy heart. "...and with one quick strike...it was over."

Malefor once again grabs his head with his paw, feeling the phantom pain that knocked him out of the fight, then remembers waking up not as himself.

His emotions fall back to the ground, recalling his next moment as the worst moment of his life, when his wife stood before him to plead for him to stop.

"I killed her with my own paws!" Malefor cries with a broken voice, then becomes very silent.

Both Spyro and Sparx remain silent as well, allowing the large dragon to release his emotion.

With tears in his eyes, the new Hero of Avalar has the answers he was looking for. He has made up his own mind about this dragon, hearing the passion and pain in his voice.

"Sparx..." Spyro yelps, and his son pops his head up from his own. "...go back to the Portal Station, I want talk to Malefor alone."

The young dragon hops down from his father's back, and looks up at his face with concern.

"Are you sure I have to go?" The young dragon remarks with depression, and Spyro just nods his head yes.

"Can I say goodbye to him at least..." Sparx remarks looking at Malefor. "...I didn't get a chance to the last time."

"Of course" Spyro replies, and without hesitation, the young dragon leaps into Malefor's chest.

Sparx wraps his arms and legs as far around the large dragon's neck as he can, then raises his head to speak into his former father's ear.

"She forgives you Malefor...I know it..." The young dragon says confidently, then nestles his muzzle under Malefor's jaw. "because my Mother forgave you...and you did so much for me and my family, that I'm sure Aerial is not upset with you anymore!"

Regardless of Spyro standing in front of him, and feeling he is overstepping his bounds, Malefor lowers his jaw and raises his right front paw. He embraces Spyro's child as his own, and whispers..

"I hope you right young dragon..." with a deep sadness in his voice. "...I will be finding out soon I'm sure!"

Sparx breaks his embrace and looks at Malefor with puzzlement after hearing his last statement.

"What does that mean?" the young dragon barks, but Malefor does not answer.

"Please, go my friend..." The large dragon says as he lowers Sparx back to the ground. "...I do not have much time, and I must speak with you Father before it is too late."

"But Malefor..."

"I SAID GO!" The large dragon hollers, and Sparx jumps in fear, so does Spyro a little.

The young dragon lowers his head, then starts dragging his feet to the portal, but after only a few paces Sparx stops once more.

Malefor turns his anger up further and is ready to shout once more, however the young dragon is first to open his mouth.

"I will miss you...Dad!" He says somberly, and turns back to the portal. "...and I would have been proud to call you that."

The large purple dragon is struck as hard as any punch he has ever felt. That is the first time Sparx had ever said that to him, and quickly he feels the emotions that Spyro must feel every time he calls him DAD.

Both purple dragons watch as Sparx leaves the planet, through the large oval disk of energy, a few hundred yards to their right.

"That is the first time he ever called me that...and meant it!" Malefor says choking back his tears.

Spyro lowers his head with mixed emotions, but smiles and looks back at the large dragon, whom is still staring at the portal his one-time adopted son just left through.

"It's an amazing feeling..." Spyro says with a joy-filled tone in his voice that makes Malefor turn his head towards him. Spyro has a slight grin on his muzzle and his eyes are sympathetic

"...it goes right through your heart!"

Both dragons return their gaze to the portal, and take a moment to compose themselves.

"So..." Spyro remarks to break the uncomfortable silence "...What did you mean by seeing her soon...I thought you are immortal."

Malefor snorts a quick chuckle from his nose, and looks back to Spyro.

"I am immortal...but that doesn't mean I can not die." Malefor gets back to his feet and walks towards a range of mountains hundreds of miles in the distance. "I'm hoping the destruction of this planet should be enough to do the deed!"

"Hoping!" Spyro retorts, standing on his feet with shock. "Why are you hoping to die by destroying this planet."

Once again Malefor give a chuckle of laughter, and turns back around to his counter part.

"I have lived long enough, Spyro..." He replies, and his smile becomes larger. "...and I won't be the one destroying this planet...You Will!"

"ME!" Spyro yelps. "I can't destroy an entire planet!

Malefor's laughter becomes stronger, and he strides back to the younger purple dragon. He grasps Spyro's shoulder tightly and looks him dead in the eye.

"Not you yourself, Idiot..." Malefor says with a smirk. "...have that crotchety old Portal Master use some of his fire power to do it, but regardless of how it's done...this planet needs to disappear."

"Why the whole planet?" Spyro asks with concern. "What is so special about this planet that the entire thing needs to be destroyed?"

The young dragon brushes Malefor's paw from his shoulder, and stares into his eyes, waiting for an answer.

"This is not a real planet Spyro..." Malefor says with a smugness in his voice, knowing the Dark Master's inner most secrets. "...this is a base of sorts...a launching point for his assault on the Dragon Realms."

Malefor smiles with the knowledge that the destruction of this planet would bring.

"His grip on this galaxy would disappear in an instant, with the simple removal of this Evil Rock he created..." Malefor pauses and lowers his head. His voice becomes very soft and somber as he continues. "...only then...can I feel that I've redeemed myself to the Dragon Worlds."

Suddenly, Malefor snaps his head back up toward the mountain range in the distance. His ears and eyes focused on one spot, a black mass clearing the horizon between them and the distant mountains.

"Oh no..." Malefor remarks, then looks back at Spyro. "...we are running out of time."

Spyro turns his head to the left, and doesn't quite understand, until some movement jolts his attention.

"By the Ancestors!" He says with fear, noticing the entire horizon is vibrating with activity. "What the hell is that?"

Malefor walks toward the approaching mass, and Spyro curiously follows along.

"They are the remainder of a civilization that was destroyed long ago, and enslaved by The Dark Master..." Malefor turns his head towards the young dragon to his left. "...and that is what would have happened to the dragons, if you didn't stop me."

Spyro snaps his head up, giving Malefor his full attention

"An entire race was taken, giving the Dark Master a very powerful ally that can overwhelm anything they encounter." He remarks looking back at the mass that grows with every second that passes.

"They are mind-less creatures...and normally swarm in packs of thousands..." He says, then looks back to Spyro from the swarm of millions approaching. "...but this Army has a different purpose, and that is to destroy the Dragon Realms if he can not control them for himself."

"What!" Spyro retorts, looking back at the mob still growing as they clear the rise in the distance. "Avalar is still recovering...we wouldn't stand a chance against an attack of this magnitude."

Spyro lowers his head thinking of this hell unleashed upon his home.

"They would slaughter everything that can not fly..." Spyro says with pain in his voice. "...forcing the dragons to take to the air...one by one falling victim to the swarm as they become tired and fall from the sky."

A sudden chill shoots down Spyro's back visualizing these images and realizes Malefor might be right...this planet needs to disappear.

Spyro looks at the horde approaching in the distance, still getting larger and larger. He takes several deep breaths knowing the decision to destroy an entire planet, even this evil rock, is a very big deal.

"I figure we have 10 minutes, Spyro..." Malefor says to break the silence. "...please, try to make up your mind quickly..."

Spyro looks back at the large purple dragon to see a wide smile on his face.

"...I would prefer if this place was gone in say...9 minutes. I don't really feel like fighting anymore!"

Spyro gives a slight chuckle at Malefor, and looks back at the mob of demons.

"I agree with you..." He says with a nod of his head. "...I think this planet should be considered for destruction, however there is a flaw to your plan..."

Malefor's smile disappears as he sees the smug grin of his young counter-part.

"What Flaw!" He barks.

Spyro pauses and his smile grows a bit wider.

"You don't need to be here!"

The words take a second to sink in, but when they do Malefor does a double take, and becomes confused.

"Where do you suggest I go then, Spyro? The large dragon asks with an attitude.

The Hero of Avalar looks down for a second, shocked at what he is about to say, but knows deep in his heart, it is the right thing to do.

"Well first, you should follow me through that portal over there..." He says calmly, and again Malefor is floored. "...but where you go from there will depend upon yourself."

"NO!" Malefor replies without hesitation. "I can not go back...this is where I need to stay."

Spyro grasps the right horn of the dragon before him, pulling his taller head down to eye level. His voice becomes stern and angered "You can not redeem yourself...by killing yourself!"

Spyro releases Malefor's horn and lowers his head.

"My son would never forgive you for doing something so selfish..." He looks back up into the large dragon's eyes. "...nor would he forgive me if I left you behind, and destroyed this planet..."

Spyro eyes fill with pain from the hardest thing he is about to say

"...How could I look my son in the eye...if I killed his Father!"

"But I am not his Father..." Malefor retorts. "...you are!"

"NO!" Spyro says and once again lowers his head. "You are more his father then I am...at this moment...and I am not taking that away from him."

Spyro looks back at the disk of swirling energy, and can see his son standing before it in the Main Room, looking in. A smile fills Spyro's face, watching Sparx' curiosity, and knows in his heart, this is right.

"I can't Spyro..." Malefor remarks with a heavy heart. "...I would not know where to even begin..."

The large dragon trails off in the thought of how to fix what he has done, if even possible.

However, a different thought strikes Spyro, and he becomes very angry.

"No Malefor...you will not die here..." Spyro says with a more stern voice, and his teeth showing. "...I won't let you off that easy!"

Spyro snaps his head back to Malefor and strides up to him chest to chest.

"Cynder didn't just kill herself..." He snarls in the former Dark Master's face. "...She begged for forgiveness from everyone on Avalar, and some were not very accepting."

Spyro turns his head away with the real anger he feels towards him, again raging to the surface.

"I was forced to watch her speak with every family that her reign had touched..." He says and takes a deep breath. "...and I was not allowed to stop them if they attacked her!"

Spyro turns his eyes back to Malefor, showing his deep regrets of certain instances.

"There was several times I had no choice but to step in, or else she would have been killed..." Spyro remarks with sadness "...but every time she was angry with me for doing so."

Suddenly the young dragon's eyes refocus with anger, and he stares through the former Dark Master

"You will beg for your forgiveness, Malefor...just like you made my wife!" Spyro barks and gets muzzle to muzzle. "I will watch you humble yourself before all that you hurt, and I will not be so willing to step in...unless YOU get out of hand!"

Both dragons stare at each other, feeling the breath of one another on their faces.

Malefor's eyes squint with the heat Spyro is blasting from his lungs

"You know I could Kill you quite easily Spyro!" The large dragon exclaims with sarcasm, and the young purple hero gives a chuckle through his anger.

"Then do it..." Spyro replies with arrogance in his voice "...but after Gaven destroys this planet, and you die with me, no one will be there for Sparx!"

Malefor sits down on his hindquarters and leans back with a deep feeling of helplessness. He, obviously, is not going to kill Spyro, but he *bleep* sure does not want to go back and face the world he ruined. His eyes close with the pain of knowing his only choice is the hardest.

"You would really be there by my side?" Malefor asks somberly, and turns his humbled eyes to Spyro.

The young dragon smiles for a brief second, knowing Malefor has agreed, but his grin changes back to a stern look of anger.

"I will not be there to support you, Malefor!" Spyro replies

"However..." the young dragon remarks with a smile, then grasps Malefor's shoulder with his right paw. "...I won't let them Kill you either!"

"Well that's comforting!" The large dragon says while rolling his eyes.

Spyro beings to laugh and opens his wings. He hovers a few feet off the ground, eye to eye with the taller dragon.

"And every once in a while, if you feel someone hit you from behind..." Spyro says with a wide smile, his voice filled with sarcasm. "...don't worry...it's just ME!"

"You know something Spyro..." Malefor retorts with the same sarcastic voice "...I don't need to kill you..."

Malefor stands up on his hind legs, and opens his wings as wide as they can, showing his incredible size in regard to Spyro.

"...I could just beat you senseless, and toss your limp body back into that portal..." He replies, and thrusts his wings down to gain flight. He looks back at Spyro, who's jaw is open wide, realizing there is no flaw in that plan.

"...So if I were you...I would just shut up for the remainder of the time we are here!"

Malefor begins to fly towards the portal, and Spyro quickly chases him, gliding alongside the other purple dragon.

"You are actually willing to do this?" Spyro asks with puzzlement, knowing the purple dragon could just fly off as well.

Malefor stops in mid-flight, and Spyro hovers with him.

"No!" He says with a heavy feeling of guilt. "I do not want to go back, Spyro... but I have to..."

His eyes focus up from the ground to the dragon bobbing in the air beside him.

"...if you are man enough to give me a second chance..." He says with an inner hatred at his own cowardice. "...then who the hell am I, not to take it. Regardless of what happens...I will try!"

The smile on Spyro's face increases in size and he positions himself face to face with Malefor.

"I will be there to support you..." He says with his paw against the large dragon's neck. "...and I promise to make sure you are given a fair judgment."

From inside the Main Room of the Portal Station, Sparx is watching with great concern. After seeing Malefor stand and spread his wing, and unable to hear the conversation, the young dragon believes his two fathers are fighting with each other. However, when Malefor embraces Spyro in mid-air, and then he sees them BOTH heading towards him, the young dragon's heart fills with excitement.

"What is it Sparx?" Gaven remarks from beside his desk, seeing the whelpling's tail wagging with exuberance. "Can you see your Father?"

"Yup!" The young dragon remarks to the Portal Master, whom starts walking towards Sparx, to get a look himself.

However, when Gaven's eyes behold the TWO dragons, he quickly becomes surprised.

"WHAT THE F..."

From the other side of the rift in space, Spyro and Malefor see the Portal Master's reaction, and can also read his lips.

"I don't think he's very happy to see me Spyro!" The large dragon barks with a bit of laughter, and his new friend nods his head in agreement.

The two purple dragons land just in front of the portal, readying themselves to step through. Spyro watches Malefor's reaction to the Portal Master's continued tantrum. Unable to hear, the large dragon can still tell Gaven is irate on the other side.

"Relax Malefor..." Spyro says seeing the former Dark Master step timidly towards the portal. "...I think he's screaming at me right now."

The Skylander General strides beside Malefor and places his paw upon the large dragon's flank.

"Don't worry..." Spyro quips. "...I can handle Gaven!"

Both dragons quickly notice the Portal Master stop his tantrum, and his eyes focus squarely on his General.

"OH YOU CAN HANDLE ME NOW!" Spyro sees his lips say, and his shoulders drop like Malefor's.

The young purple dragon looks over to his larger counter-part, and smiles.

"Oops..." Spyro says with an embarrassed look on his face, then gestures his right paw towards the angry Portal Master.

"...You go first Malefor!"

As Malefor takes his first step towards the portal, the large dragon's tail swings across the back of Spyro's head. He glances it lightly off the left side of his skull, making sure to avoid the side with the broken horn. The impact is not hard and sends a quick message.

However, as the former Dark Master takes step number two, the portal before him begins to flicker. Both dragons are startled as the swirl of energy then disappears in the next instant.

"What the hell happened!" Spyro barks with shock, and a twinge of fear.

"I guess Gaven doesn't want me back." Malefor replies quickly with a bit of sarcasm, however Spyro is fast to shot down that idea.

"He was standing in front of us..." the purple dragon retorts. "...the portal can't be shut down unless he's at his desk."

The General taps the buttons on his wrist communicator, and nothing happens. He looks over to Malefor with a deep concern.

"I'm not getting anything from the Portal Station...someone or something is jamming the signal!"

Spyro and Malefor turn around and look at the horde of dog-like demons that fill nearly the entire landscape now as they get closer.

"Then we have a serious problem Spyro!" Malefor exclaims

"They are the least of you problems Malefor..." Replies a voice behind both dragons, and Spyro & Malefor's eyes open wide with the familiar reverberating sound...of the Dark Master.

"...I left you there to die..." The voice continues, and both dragons spin around and stand up on their hind legs ready to strike.

However, no one is behind them.

"...but you decided to come back..." The Dark Master's voice rambles on, and Malefor knows immediately how much trouble they are in. "...so I plan on handling you...Myself!"

Suddenly, Spyro is startled as he watches Malefor's body concave with a tremendous impact. He hears the noise, but can not see what has caused the large dragon to double over in pain.

Then, like he was struck across the left side of his muzzle, Malefor's head snaps to the right, but once again Spyro is unable to see what is causing it.

The purple dragon takes a quick step forward, and is met stiffly by a painful strike across his right cheek. The unsuspecting dragon is slammed to the ground by the impact to his jaw, and again has no clue of what happened.

Spyro spins around cautiously grasping his muzzle in pain, and staring at blank space.

"What magic is this?" He thinks to himself. "How can I fight what I can't see!"

The purple dragon is spooked as Malefor is, once more, slammed to the ground by a punch from nothing.

However, even getting his *bleep* kicked, the large purple dragon is not spooked, and quickly gets to his feet after the impact to his body.

"He's bending Light Spyro..." Malefor barks in pain "...Light up the sky yourself!"

Spyro pauses only for an instant, but quickly realizes what his old foe means. His sore muzzle opens wide, filling the area in front of Malefor with a raging inferno.

His eyes see an image inside the flames, as does Malefor's, whom ignites his fire breath in that same direction.

Suddenly the form inside the inferno becomes clearly visible, and Spyro & Malefor stop their attack, seeing that it has become pointless.

"How could you Malefor..." The now solid rock form of the Dark Master remarks with sarcasm. "...attack your master like that!"

"You are a master of nothing..." The large dragon snarls with hatred in his voice "...so just try that again, now that I'm ready for you, and I will show you who the master is."

"Oh really!" The rock giant retorts with a smile. "Let's find out!"

Malefor's eyes open wide with shock as the Dark Master turns his body from stone to a pulsing form of pure electric energy, then heads for Spyro.

Within the blink of an eye, the evil master strikes the gold chest of the purple dragon as a bolt of lighting, consuming his entire body in a net of electricity. Spyro screams in pain from the pulsing energy through his body.

His muscles constrict with the surge of electricity, forcing Spyro's body to begin curling up until he falls to the ground in the fetal position.

Malefor takes a step forward to help, but quickly stops as the Dark Master forces more power into Spyro's shuttering body.

"If you want me to kill him right now, Malefor...by all means come closer..." The Dark Master remarks as his body reforms in a swirl of pure electricity...his hand remaining on Spyro's back to keep the charge flowing. "...I simply don't want this weakling to interfere with our unfinished business."

The Dark Master sends a pulse of energy down his arm, and once more Spyro yelps with pain. His body constricts further from another powerful surge of energy, and the helpless dragon begins to lose consciousness.

The Evil Master removes his hand from the purple dragon, however the electrical flow continues to pulse. A small plasma ball is anchored to his back, between his wings, making sure that Spyro stays charged.

"This is between you and I..." The Dark Master says, and his body begins to change once more. "...and I'm going to show you what a real master is my old friend!"

Malefor's pupils disappear, and the purple scales of his body turn jet black. He digs his massive front paws into the ground, splitting the hard rock with his talons. His tail slams on the red surface of the planet several times, like Spyro's does before a fight, and Malefor's upper lip snarls showing his teeth.

"You will not find this fight so easy you arrogant fool!" The black & gold dragon remarks, this time ready for an attack.

The Dark Master laughs, taking a step forward in his new form, a turbulent swirl of tornadic wind.

"You really think you can beat me this time...Dragon!"

Malefor glances at Spyro and can see him struggling to move in great pain, covered with pulsing energy from the plasma ball on his back.

"I'll have you out of that electric net in a minute Spyro..." The large dragon remarks with pure confidence, then his pupil-less eyes refocus upon the Dark Master. "...maybe less!"

Spyro, barely able to keep his eyes open from the pain, can not believe what he witnesses.

Malefor leaps forward and spins his tail around into the wind whipped face of the Dark Master, who does not move an inch. The evil creature knows this dragon's physical attack has no chance of working against his air-filled body.

However, as the large tail approaches it's target, a sudden glow of white engulfs the swinging appendage.

The Dark Master is shocked at the sudden transformation of power, and even more so as Malefor's tail connects with great force across his cheek.

The tornado of wind is broken up, dispersing in every direction, and a loud yelp of intense pain is let out by the Dark Master.

Malefor runs to Spyro, and the white glow around his tail begins to surround his right paw. He grasps the ball of plasma energy from the purple dragon's back with that paw, and hurls it in the direction of the approaching mob of demons.

Malefor helps the stunned dragon to his feet, and gives him a quick transfer of his life energy.

"Are you OK, Spyro?" He asks, still looking in every direction for the Dark Master's reappearance.

"Yeah..." He replies with a definite shakiness to his voice "...I think so..."

Spyro himself looks around, but no longer sees the Dark Master

"...is it over?" The purple dragon asks with a hopefulness in his words, still feeling pain from the stinging pulses of electricity surging through his body.

"Is he gone?"

Malefor looks down at Spyro with his pure white eyes.

"NO" He remarks with a slight grin. "That was only round 1..."

His smile increases on his face as he turns his head back towards the open area before him.

"...AND THAT ROUND GOES TO THE DRAGONS!"

The1upguy · Apr 08, 2013 5:51 AM

Chapter 16: Side by Side with an Old Foe

In the underground Portal Station, a young dragon stares into the open view of a distant red planet, through the swirling portal before him. His eyes locked upon the two purple dragons he considers his fathers.

"I can't believe this...he's letting him come back!" Sparx says to himself, and his tail begins to wag with excitement.

His spirit is high, and the smile on his face wide, however, as Gaven soon stands behind him and begins to release a barrage of four letter words, Sparx can not help but begin to feel worried.

"Oh no!" He thinks to himself "What if Gaven won't let him come back!"

"What is going on here Sparx!" The Portal Master barks at the back of the young dragon's head, and Sparx jumps from his booming voice.

The two-toned purple & gold-chested dragon slowly turns his head with a hint of fear in his movement.

"Why is your father bringing him here..." Gaven's eyes open wide and his focus leaves Sparx, returning to the portal before them both. His thought is broken by what his eyes see Spyro say.

"...OH YOU CAN HANDLE ME NOW!" He barks, and the young dragon turns his head to see his father cringe.

Sparx becomes more anxious, hearing the Portal Master's anger now aimed at his father. However, he is split with a wonderful emotion, seeing Malefor slap his father in the head with a very jovial smile across his muzzle, and the best part, his father's smile is just as large after being struck.

"By the Ancestors!" Sparx say to himself, and his smile reappears upon his face. "They're playing with one another!"

The young son of Spyro and Cynder can not help but feel the overwhelming joy in his heart, seeing his father act like Malefor is just another dragon...but that joy is short-lived as the portal flickers in his next breath.

Sparx eyes open wide, and his heart skips a beat. Hundreds of emotions rise to the surface, and the young dragon panics as the swirl of energy vanishes.

"Gaven..." He screams with fear and anger, turning his head to look sternly at the tall giant. "...why did you do that!?"

The Portal Master's blue eyes look down upon the small dragon with the same shock.

"I didn't!" Is all he replies, and quickly Gaven runs full speed to his desk.

In two long quick strides the old giant covers the floor to his work station. He places his right hand upon the smooth steel surface, and leaps over the entire console, landing in front of his chair. In the same movement Gaven sits his large frame down, and works the keyboards of his many display screens.

"Something has shut down the power to our portal..." Gaven says to Sparx, whom is quick to jump up on the large steel surface of the desk, getting a better look. "...and what ever it is, will not let us reestablish a new one!"

Sparx watches in awe, as Gaven's hands fly across the controls, posting information faster than the young dragon can read, but yet the old Master is understanding of all he sees.

"I don't know if I can get through, young dragon..." The Portal Master remarks, then looks at Sparx with a stern set of eyes. "...but if I do...you better be ready to go in a moments notice...understood!"

Sparx shakes his head in disbelief and returns a startled look to the old Master.

"ME!" He yelps with great surprise, then sits down upon the surface of the desk before he falls over. "But... but..."

"YES! YOU!" The Portal Master yells cutting off the stammering dragon, and causing Sparx to jump back to his feet at attention.

"It has to be you Sparx..." Gaven remarks, and looks at the young whelpling. "...Sonic is the only Skylander in the station, and I think he's still picking up his gold rings and broken ribs from the hallway floor!"

Sparx eyes open wide and his embarrassment fills his face.

"It's his own *bleep* fault...I know that Sparx..." The Portal Master continues, seeing the young dragon's reaction. His right hand envelops the top of Sparx' head, gently rubbing the area behind his horns to relax him. Gaven smiles, looks back at his display screens, and once more begins to burn the keys of his control panel with his fingers.

"...I warned him that some day he would get knocked on his *bleep*!"

Sparx gives a slight grin hearing the Portal Master's jovial attitude in the midst of this moment, however, his head lowers again with a the thought that is really bothering him.

"That's not what I meant Gaven..." Sparx whispers with depression, and raises his head to look at the old giant.

"...I didn't think you trusted me!"

Gaven stops pushing buttons immediately, struck by the pain-filled words that this young dragon has spoke. His eyes turn from the display screens before him, and focus upon the somber face of Spyro's son.

He places his right hand, once again, atop the young dragon's head, this time pulling him closer to his face.

"You have been nothing but honest with me, even when you couldn't..." Gaven remarks with a stern voice. "...I may not have agreed with it, but I am truly impressed with your courage, and your honor."

The Portal Master moves his hand under Sparx' jaw, holding the young dragon's entire face in his massive palm.

"You are so much like your father..." He says with a great smile and pure intentions. "...and I would be an idiot if I didn't trust a dragon that reminded me so much of Spyro."

A tear fills the left eye of Sparx, and Gaven's thumb quickly brushes it away. A smile fills the old weathered face of the humbled giant.

"Skylanders don't show their tears in battle, my young apprentice..." Gaven says as his eyes begin to glisten themselves. "...but they do fight with their emotions, and I will need you to fight with those emotions if your going to help your father!"

Sparx can feel a bit of weight lifted, hearing the acceptance of his secrets and believing that Gaven has trust in him, however one thought is still bothering the young boy.

"But there are two dragons, Gaven" Sparx replies with concern. "What about Malefor..."

"What About Him!" The Portal Master barks, pulling his hand back and returning to his work.

Sparx drops down from the desk noticing that Gaven has lost complete attention at the mere mention of his former mentor's name.

"Am I allowed to help him too?" The young dragon asks quite sheepishly as he walks to the center of the room. His eyes turn back to see the Portal Master has stopped working again, and is focused on him.

"Why?" Gaven smugly asks, sending a chill down the whelpling's spine, but Sparx has no intention of lying this time.

"Because he protected and cared for me, when my Mom & Dad were not there..." He says and turns his body round to look the old Master in the eye with more conviction "...and now I must protect him if I can..."

Sparx stands confidently in the spot where the portal, he just came back through, once swirled.

"...if I didn't, I would be letting my father down... " The young dragon remarks, sternly staring into Gaven's eyes. "...BOTH OF THEM!"

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Laying underneath Malefor's straddled legs, Spyro is still tingling from the electricity forced into his body. Small wisps of lightning spark from his legs and muzzle, as the last few volts flow to the ground.

"How..." Spyro pauses uncontrollably as one last bolt of energy passes from his nose to the planet surface. "...oww...did he do that?

Malefor can not help but to chuckle for a second at Spyro, but before he can answer the question, Malefor realizes they are out of time.

"Can you fly, Spyro?" He asks with concern, looking to his left.

The young dragon shakes his head to regain his senses, and begins to rise to his feet. However, before he can even try to spread his wings out, Malefor wraps his forearms around Spyro and leaps into the air. His massive wings thrust down hard, and both dragons are catapulted high into the sky.

"Whoa!" The purple dragon yelps with shock from Malefor's quick bear hug, and the sight of the ground fading so fast. His shock quickly changes to gratitude, as he notices the mob of demons swarm the spot they were just standing.

Spyro cranes his head around to look into the eyes of the dragon holding him up, keeping him alive.

"Thank You, Malefor..." Spyro remarks in kind. "...that's twice you saved my life!"

The large dragon cloaked in dark energy smiles, and loosens his grip around Spyro feeling the younger purple dragon's wings begin to work again.

Spyro hovers out in front of Malefor's face, and both dragons look down at the swarm of raging creatures.

"I can't even image being under that pile..." Spyro remarks, watching them tare each other apart.

"Why imagine it Spyro..." That familiar evil voice rings out again, then suddenly the purple dragon can feel something wrap around his neck and put a tight grip upon the base of his right-wing. "...when you can experience it!"

Malefor's eyes pop up from the looking at the swarming demons on the ground to see the Dark Master reappear in his turbulent form of air. His windy appendages holding his new friend tightly.

The purple dragon struggles uselessly in The Dark Master's solid grasp, unable to move a muscle or understand how he can be held so tightly by air.

"Your wife had a lot of fun with my pets, Spyro..." He whispers in the ear of his captive. "...Now it's your turn!"

Spyro yelps with intense pain, as his wing is snapped with the tornadic force of the Dark Master's right hand, then released to fall back to his hungry army.

"NO!" Malefor yells, watching Spyro drop helplessly to the angry swarm of dog-like creatures below. He quickly lowers from the sky to catch him, however the Dark Master has no intentions of letting that happen.

With a heavy gust of wind, Malefor's wings are filled like a sail, and he is quickly forced away from Spyro.

The large dragon swoops around and tries for another attempt before his new friend hits the ground. Malefor circles fast, and sees the Dark Master readying another blast of wind to stop him, however, at the last moment, he snaps his wings back, streamlining his body to reduce his large profile. Burrowing through the micro-burst of wind, Malefor reaches down and grasps Spyro by the tail. The young purple dragon's eyes pop up from the swarm of angry beasts, to the feeling of incredible strain on his tail. Spyro can see the intensity of Malefor's eyes, as he reaches down with his other arm.

"Grab My Paw, Spyro...Hurry!" He yelps, trying to get the purple dragon hoisted into his arms, so he can fly faster.

However, as Spyro curls his body to reach up, Malefor is struck from behind by a ball of Plasma energy. Like before, the intense sphere of electricity adheres to the large black dragon's back, sending an uncontrollable amount of voltage into both Spyro and Malefor.

Spyro, once again, has no recourse to keep his body from curling up with the intensity of electricity running through him, however Malefor, being much stronger, struggles to hold his grasp and will not let go of his helpless friend.

With a hard flap of his wings, the large dragon makes his way, as fast as he can, away from the Dark Master and his minions.

Weaving hard to avoid a volley of intense bolts of lightning coming from behind, Malefor heads for an elevated clearing just off in the distance. As he reaches the higher plateau of land, and knows Spyro will be safe there for a moment, Malefor lowers and releases the young dragon, crashing to the ground shortly afterward in pain.

Spyro, dropped only a few feet in the air, and still curled up tightly, lands on the ground and rolls to an easy stop, however, unable to stop his momentum from the electricity surging through him, Malefor slams to the rock surface hard.

"MALEFOR!" Spyro barks with concern as he uncoils from his electrocution.

With his broken right-wing painfully dragging behind him, he runs over to help the still pulsing dragon, but Spyro is forced to stop a few feet before him, as bolts of electricity begin streaming towards him from the plasma ball on Malefor's back.

"Stop Spyro..." The large dragon barks "...don't touch me!"

Spyro steps back and looks around for any sign of the Dark Master, or anything that can help him get this ball of energy off Malefor's back. He watches with a deep guilt knowing he is helpless to do anything, as Malefor struggles to grasp the ball from his back with his own paw. It is nearly impossible for a dragon to bend his arm around to his back, and Spyro begins to become irate as Malefor suffers more and more.

Fed up watching him struggle to no avail, and with no regard for his own safety, the young dragon steps forward again, and reaches his muzzle out to grasp this intense ball of energy.

"NO!" Malefor screams, seeing what Spyro is about to do, knowing that this plasma ball is 10 times stronger than the one he was shackled with. Such an overload of electricity into his smaller frame alone...could kill him.

However, as Spyro is about to bite down upon this energy ball, he can feel his remaining gold horn grasped from behind. The purple dragon is yanked backed and up on to his hind legs.

Spyro flails his left paw back to break the grip on his horn, and is shocked as his paw splashes through an arm of pure water, severing the connection.

Suddenly another watery arm wraps around his chest, and the arm that was cut from his horn regrows before his eyes, then grasps his neck and lower jaw.

Spyro's muzzle is forced up, and his eyes behold the Dark Master's shimmering face of pure water.

"I warned you to stay out of this fight, Spyro..." The Dark Master angrily says to the purple dragon's tightly secured face. "...so I guess I'll just kill you first!"

The Dark Master cinches his grip tighter, and yanks Spyro's upper body into his chest. The purple dragon is startled, and is not even able to take a breath as his muzzle is the first part of his body enveloped into the Dark Master's watery frame.

Spyro kicks his feet into the ground to push himself through, but it is no use. He then tries to grab whatever is holding his muzzle in the suffocating water of this evil creature's body, however it is just water.

Spyro can sense the hopelessness of his situation, as he can feel only the scales of his own neck but nothing holding him. His eyes focus through the vibrating waves of water, seeing the air only inches from his nostrils, but can not move a single millimeter to get any.

Malefor, surging with electricity, is horrified at his friend's predicament, and desperately tries to get to his feet. The pain in Spyro's eyes, help the large dragon find the strength to fight the constricting of his muscles. Malefor struggles to straighten his legs underneath him, but The Dark Master doesn't let him get to high up on his paws.

The evil master douses the large black dragon with a wave from his watery hand.

The splash of liquid covers Malefor, surging the intensity of the plasma ball from his back to every single scale on his body. The large dragon yelps in pain and wisps of lightning and steam billow from him as he falls back to his stomach once more.

The sight of Malefor dropping to the ground, convulsing with pain, and the sound of laughter, muffled by the water in his ears, gets Spyro's blood boiling. His eyes fill the Dark Master's body with a bright white glow, and the scales of his frame turn as black as the soul of the creature trying to drown him.

Spyro snaps his head down, staring at the pulsing dragon laying before them, and digs the claws of his right foot into the ground. With great force, the dark dragon pulls his body towards Malefor, and spears his left talons into the ground a bit closer to him.

"Oh no you don't..." The Dark Master barks, taking a step forward himself to keep Spyro's nose and mouth concealed in the suffocating water of his body.

However, Spyro is quick to move his right leg further forward with the extra step his foe has taken, again anchoring his claws into the rock surface and pulling for all he's worth.

"...you will not break free!" The Dark Master shouts with anger, yanking Spyro's head back up to keep him from breathing. However, the smile on the dark dragon's muzzle puzzles the watery creature.

"Wasn't trying too!" Spyro replies muffled underwater, and snaps his tail between his legs striking Malefor's electrically charged body.

With a connection made through the black dragon, the Dark Master gets a nasty wake up call from his own device. At 186,000 miles per second, the intensity of the plasma ball fills the liquid body of the Dark Master. Even with all of his strength, this powerful beast can not stop the chemical break down of his body by the polar opposite element that now streaks through him.

The ball of energy on Malefor's back explodes from the overload, sending a shock wave that slams the Dark Master's body with more electricity, and shattering the control he has over his element.

Spyro coughs uncontrollably for air, from his uncovered muzzle, as the Dark Master's watery form splashes to the ground soaking into the cracks of the planet's rocky surface.

Malefor slowly rises to his feet, shaking off the after effects of his shock treatment, and slowly walks over to Spyro, whom also begins rising to his feet.

"I think that round goes to him, Malefor!" Spyro says with a bit of sarcasm, and a lot of pain in his voice.

"Well, we better not let him take advantage of us like that again..." Malefor retorts, looking sternly into Spyro's pure white eyes. "...or we'll lose this fight!"

Both dark dragons hold position back to back spinning their bodies around 360 degrees to keep an eye out for the Dark Master, or to spot a portal back to the station.

"How can he transform his body like that Malefor?" Spyro asks curiously, still limping in pain and circling defensively with the larger dragon.

"It's a trait he picked-up from one of his puppets..." He replies with anger, and stops his defensive posturing. Malefor turns to his counter-part and his voice becomes somber. "...a purple dragon, that could not control that type of elemental power when he was younger!"

"YOU!" Spyro remarks with shock. "How can that be possible...we can't do that!"

Malefor's eyes flash with a great power, and a wide smile crosses his face.

"Who says we can't!"

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Back in the Portal Station, Sparx is pacing faster and faster as time ticks by, knowing his fathers must be in great danger if someone is purposely keeping them there.

"Would you please stop doing that, Sparx ..." Gaven hollers from his desk. "...you are distracting me!"

The young dragon halts his pacing, rears up on his back legs, then slams his front paws down on the ground.

"I thought you were THE PORTAL MASTER..." The young dragon barks back. "...OPEN ONE ALREADY!"

Gaven looks at the young dragon with rage, but it is mostly the frustration of not being able to open a portal that has him so angered.

"I'm getting close, Sparx!" He responds with a calmer voice, knowing the young dragon is just as anxious about his father...and Malefor. Gaven also knows he is only seconds away from breaking through the interference, but the young dragon's pacing was driving him nuts.

"Please...you must try to calm yourself..." The Portal Master remarks, as he returns his focus to the control panel in front him. A smile crosses his face as he figures out a good way to keep Sparx occupied, and also give the young dragon a powerful boost at the same time

"...go inside my office and on the desk you'll find the helmet and bracelets that go with that tail armor...get them!"

Sparx looks over to the office door behind Gaven, and quickly runs towards it. However as the door opens wide, the old master gives one quick warning to the young dragon.

"DO NOT PUT THEM ON..." He remarks turning his head toward Sparx to make sure he heard him. "...Just bring them out here...UNDERSTOOD!"

The two-toned dragon nods his head and continues into the office.

Gaven returns to his control panel, working the keys with no distraction and making progress quickly. The Portal Master is getting faint signals from Spyro's wrist communicator, showing him the vitals of his friend are going down.

"Oh no..." Gaven says to himself. "...I fear we may be to late young dragon!"

The Portal Master, with a resurgence of anger, begins to work his magic. With thousands of years of experience, and a total disregard for his station's power supply, Gaven begins cutting through the interference surround this small red planet.

"HURRY SPARX!" The Portal Master yells, noticing a sudden break in the jamming signal, and quickly amps the power further to force open a portal.

However, it is mistake the old master quickly regrets.

The portal he opens is in the same coordinates as the last one, exactly where millions of small dog-like demons are crossing the landscape.

Hundreds upon hundreds of them pour through the opening in space, and fill the Main Room with the sounds of barking and howling. Gaven quickly slams the lock down button at his control panel, sealing the Main Room off from the rest of the station, however, he does not close the portal. That hole in space is the only chance his friend and General has, and he is not about to close it for a couple of dogs.

The old giant stands on his feet, and rolls up his sleeves.

"Well now..." Gaven remarks looking down upon the small creatures swarming in his station. "...someone should tell your Master that I don't allow PETS!"

Sparx, in Gaven's office, has the shackles and helmet in his front paws, and was gliding towards the door when it suddenly shut in front of him.

"GAVEN!" The young dragon yells, dropping the armor and banging on the steel blast door with his paws.

"Open the door!" He continues hearing the pain-filled cries of the old master, and the familiar sounds of the hellish frenzy of a thousand beasts.

Sparx pupils fade from the whites of his eyes, and the purple scales down his back darken with his rage. The dark purple scales of his Mother's heritage remain the same, but pulse with the energy of his father's blood, and his chest begins to glow on his darkened frame, filling the room with golden light.

His narrow muzzle opens wide, releasing a powerful blast of pure Fury. This incredible breath of Convexity, sheers the steel blast doors from their hinges, sending them clear across the large room.

Dozens of demons are plowed to their death by the forced doors, and the others look on startled at the young dragon standing in the now wide open doorway.

His eyes squinted with anger, looking upon this once magnificent room, now being destroyed by these hate-driven monsters, and it is the straw that breaks his emotional back.

These are the bastards that hurt his mother, and killed his adoptive one. These are the animals that haunt his every nightmare. And now, these few creatures will be the ones he is going to take revenge upon.

With a puff of black clouds and the mysterious floating claws that spread out from the Dark Magic of Shadows...Sparx body disappears from sight.

The young whelpling quickly notices Gaven huddled behind his desk, fending off countless attacks, and makes a bee line straight for him.

Spinning like a violent twister, Sparx' invisible body clears a path to the Portal Master with great ease. He grasps the old giant by the arm, and with every bit of strength his wings can muster, Sparx lifts the nearly 12 foot-tall, one-ton giant from the ground.

Unable to see him, the old master is quickly startled by the grip on his arm, and more so as his body takes to the air.

"Easy, Master Gaven...I got you!" Sparx' voice calls out with strain. "Just hold on!"

The Portal Master looks up at his arm with confusion, as he is hoisted into the air by nothing.

"Hold on to What?"

Sparx gives a slight chuckle, and raises up to the large chandelier in the center of the main room.

"Here..." The voice bellows with laughter. "...hold on to this!"

Gaven reaches over grasping the sterling silver frame, pulling himself on to the large fixture. His focus shifts to his right as the chandelier bobs from another landing upon it.

Sparx suddenly reappears from the shadows with his eyes locked firmly upon the ground, watching the swarm of countless demons continue to pile through the portal.

"This is crazy Gaven..." The young dragon remarks with concern. "...I've never seen so many of these things in one place..."

His white eyes turn to focus back on Gaven, perched beside him 30 feet up.

"...I need to go help my father, and Malefor..." He barks with even more concern in his voice. "...they can't survive an attack like this!"

Gaven grasps Sparx' muzzle pulling him face to face with the old giant.

"And you think you can!?" The Portal Master yells with anger.

Sparx does not flinch from Gaven's intimidation, and grabs the large hand upon muzzle with his right paw.

His eyes flash a bright glow of purple then fade back to white. With little effort the powerful whelpling removes Gaven's hand from his jaw, holding it tightly to keep the Portal Master face to face.

The giant elf-like man is startled by the overwhelming amount of force he can feel in the young dragon's grip, and more so by his nonchalant posture and arrogant smile.

Without releasing his hand, Sparx returns his attention back to the ground, and the swarm of demons still gathering. The small dragon opens his muzzle, and Gaven beholds a tiny white orb of pure light form in the back of his throat.

The intense heat can be felt by the old master, like the Sun had just risen inside the room, and he watches Sparx inhale a deep breath. A wide beam of focused light then fires from the dragon's mouth, incinerating every living thing it touches.

Moving his head back and forth, Sparx destroys all life in the room with the insane heat of a mini Sun, leaving scorch marks on the steel floor that even Sonic the Hedgehog would be proud of.

The young dragon looks back at the Portal Master, closing his mouth upon the ball of pure light, and showing the same arrogant smile as before.

"I know I can!" He remarks, still with the a bright glow coming from his muzzle.

Sparx drops to the ground before the portal, and incinerates the next batch of demons that try to enter, before they even touch the Main Room's floor.

Gaven leaps down beside the small dragon, and both stare into the swirl of energy.

"Are you sure you can handle THAT!" Gaven remarks, seeing the sea of creatures on the other side.

Sparx smile has disappeared, seeing the vast amount of demons, and he turns his head back to the Portal Master.

"That will all depend on you Gaven..." Sparx remarks with concern. "...can you reopen this portal if I asked you to close it?"

Gaven becomes quite confused and answers his question with a question.

"WHY?"

Sparx looks back at the portal and quickly lights up the next group that begins to pour through.

"Because they're not gonna stop..." Sparx replies still with the glowing orb in the back of his throat. "...not until they are all dead!"

Sparx flaps his wings to raise himself up to Gaven's eye level.

"I can stop this army, Gaven..." The young dragon remarks with confidence. "...but if this portal stays open, you will feel the repercussions of what I'd have to do, and I'm not sure this station could take it!"

The Portal Master's eyes open with intrigue of power, and his mind quickly begins to calculate.

"I don't know if I can, Sparx..." Gaven replies after a moment, looking at the swirl of energy that took so much of the station's power to produce. "...it took almost everything to open this one. I don't think I should close it!"

The young dragon lowers his head in defeat, and turns back to the portal, waiting for the next group of demons to stop from coming in. If this is all he can do, then he will make sure that portal stays clear for his father and Malefor.

Gaven can see the dejection in Sparx' posture, and begins to think to himself again. A small light bulb goes off in the old master's head, and a quick smile crosses his face.

"However..." The Portal Master remarks, and Sparx snaps his attention back to him. "...I think I know somewhere, or I should say someone, who can help get the power I need to do it!"

A smile fills the young dragon's face, as he watches Gaven walk to his desk, and sit at the controls.

"I will shut it down after you pass through..." The Portal Master remarks, then stops with startlement. He looks up at the dragon noticing something missing. "Wait...where is the armor I asked you to get Sparx!"

The young dragon, again shows an arrogant smirk, and turns back to the portal.

"I didn't want to destroy it!" He yelps, and removes the tail plate from his back. The two-toned dragon then leaps into the portal with his wings spread wide.

"DRAGONS" Gaven barks with frustration at Sparx, thinking how much he can be annoyed by these winged creatures, but also knows that overwhelming confidence is what makes them so special.

A slight grin crosses his face feeling a moment of déjà vu, remembering how Spyro is so much the same way.

HOwever he suddenly stares back at the flashing portal, and slowly breathes a deep regretful sigh.

"Please be careful, young whelpling..." The Portal Master says somberly, lowering his head with a feeling he has felt to many times with other young Skylanders, but more so now with Sparx. "...Cynder and Spyro will kill me if anything happens to you!"

Gaven shuts down the portal, then makes a quick announcement on the PA before killing the power to the rest of the station. He watches the energy level to the portal platform rise, but it is not enough to open a new one.

The portal Master shakes his head with disgust, and begins tapping buttons on his control panel, lowering the large view screen against the far wall. With the quick flicker of light, and the buzzing sound of white noise, an image of a yellow and blue dragon appears.

"Gaven..." The dragon remarks with surprise. "...It is a quite a remarkable, astounding, and an unbelievable coincidence that you have called at this exact moment...I was just talking to Cyril that I have not seen the Skylander Portal Master in such a long time that I was wondering if I had annoyed, or angered, or upset…"

"SHUT-UP, VOLTEER!" Gaven barks, stopping the electric dragon mid-rant. "It's good to see you too...but I need a quick favor from the guardians!"

"I'm Sorry, Master Gaven!" Volteer remarks, knowing to keep his answer short and sweet this time. "I will get Terridor for you right away."

"Wait..." The old giant replies as the yellow dragon turns to walk away. "...I actually need to speak to you Volteer...and would love nothing more then for you to stop by for a quick visit!"

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Back upon the red planet's surface, Spyro and Malefor continue to speak about the power the Dark Master has produced, and the origins from which he learned to do such things.

"What do you mean I can do that!" Spyro remarks, hearing Malefor talk of techniques never heard of before. "How can I change my body into a lightning bolt or ever water?"

The large dragon smirks at his younger counter-part.

"I had plenty of time to learn, Spyro..." He says, knowing how long it took to teach himself to manipulate elements in such a way, but also that after learning how to do it, he found it wasn't hard to teach another. "...and if that old crack-pot Gaven can manage us a way back, then I just may show you how easy it is!"

Spyro again is startled by what Malefor says, and he snaps his attention to the larger black dragon.

"You know The Portal Master?" He asks with the same amount of shock and disbelief, and Malefor cracks a very wide smile.

However, before the old dragon can speak of his history with Gaven, a sudden rumble from under his paws unsettles him from his thoughts.

"I grow tired of this boring fight..." The Dark Master's voice bellows in the air, and the ground begins to shake more violently. "...perhaps it's time to stack the odds in my favor!"

Malefor's eyes open wide as he notices the mountains in the distance getting taller.

"Spyro! Can you still fight?" He asks, realizing quickly that it's not the mountains getting taller, but the plateau they are standing upon on is actually lowering to the ground.

"If I have to..." The dark dragon replies with a cough, still clearing some water from his lungs. "...but I won't be looking forward to it!"

Malefor gives him a smirk then gestures his head towards the lifting horizon.

"I don't think we'll have a choice in the matter!" The large dragon retorts with sarcasm, and gives a quick laugh.

Both dragons stride to the edge of the plateau, looking down at the rising ground filled with the Dark Master's angry army of dog-like beasts.

"*bleep*!" They bark in unison, seeing that the millions of creatures covering the ground below is so thick that they can no longer see the red surface of the planet.

However, a sudden bright flicker of light in the distance catches their eyes.

"That's the portal!" Spyro barks, recognizing it as the exact spot where they were standing minutes ago. "We have to get back over there somehow!"

Without pause, Malefor grabs Spyro in his arms and opens his massive wings, but as the large black and gold dragon leaps into the air, the Dark Master's hand reforms from the rocky surface below, grabbing his tail.

Taken by complete surprise, Malefor loses his balance, and falls forward over the edge of the cliff. His grip on Spyro is jarred, but somehow the powerful black and gold dragon holds on to his new friend's left forearm.

"Whoa!" Spyro yelps, looking down at the thousands of chopping teeth less than a hundred feet directly below him. He turns his head up to look Malefor in the eye.

"Please...Don't Let Go!" He yelps with a sarcastic voice, seeing the pure strain on Malefor's face.

"I wasn't really planning on it..." He struggles to reply, but then a smile fills his face as he looks at the recessed wall of the cliff. He begins swinging Spyro to the ledge they are hanging from, hoping he can reach if he swings him hard enough.

"...yet!"

However, with a sudden jolt to his tail, the large dragon feels his body being pulled back by the Dark Master. His grip on Spyro weakens with the sudden movement, and sweat begins to form on the large dragon's forehead, knowing full well his friend can not fly with a broken wing.

Spyro is quick to realize Malefor's problem, and rips his left arm from dragon's paw holding him up.

Malefor panics in the first second as Spyro begins to drop, however, the younger dragon opens his working left-wing and circles hard to the right, slamming face first into the cliff. Even with the painful impact to his muzzle, Spyro digs the claws of his front paws into the rock wall, then dangles there for a moment. He shakes his head, clearing the cobwebs and looks up at Malefor with a slight smirk.

Malefor, feels the relief of Spyro's smile, knowing he is not going to fall. He coils his body back up the cliff with a thrust of his wings, and yanks his tail from the Dark Master's stone grip. The large black dragon circles around landing just next to the appendage sticking from the ground.

Waiting with anticipation, he watches the Dark Master rise from the rock surface, forming a solid creature of pure stone, eye level to the massive dragon.

"So Malefor, are you ready to finally go one on one with your former master?" He bellows with arrogance, but a smile crosses the black dragon's face, and the stone beast is slightly confused.

"NOPE!" He replies with pure defiance, seeing the front paws of Spyro dig into the cliff edge behind the Dark Master...and as his head clears the ledge, Malefor can see Spyro's muzzle is already open wide and glowing with magic.

With a taste of his own medicine, the younger dragon fires a sharp shard of solid Ice into the unsuspecting Dark Master's back. The projectile breaks a large chunk from the rock giant's side, and he howls in agony.

Malefor, in the same breath, leaps forward and snaps his tail into the same side that he just lost a part of. The impact cracks the Dark Master into 4 large pieces, and he once again falls to the ground shattering upon the hard surface.

"That was a much better round!" Spyro remarks, pulling the remainder of his body up over the cliff, and proudly walking toward Malefor with a bounce in his step. Spyro returns his attention to the portal flickering miles away,as he gets next to the large dragon. "Now, if you don't mind Malefor, maybe you should fly me over there, before he decides to pull himself together again!"

The larger black and gold dragon smiles, and quickly stands up on his hind legs behind Spyro.

The smaller black and gold dragon, carefully tucks his broken right-wing with his front paw, and waits for Malefor to grab him, which he does gingerly.

"Does that hurt?" Malefor remarks with a deep sarcasm in his voice, but also a tone of wonderment. The large dragon lowers himself easily upon Spyro's back, and grasp tighter to his left side, so not to hurt his wing any further. His voice is filled with arrogance as he continues in Spyro's ear.

"You know, In 4 million years...I never broke a wing."

"FOUR MILLION WHAT!" Spyro barks with complete shock, and turns his head around to look at the dragon holding him.

Spyro can tell right away he is not lying by his eyes, because they, like his son's, are just as solid as his own.

"Four million years..." Spyro thinks to himself "...That's impossible!"

However, before the young dragon can ask how, Malefor's eyes change to pure fear and they focus towards the portal glimmering in the distance.

"By the Ancestors...NO!" He yelps with rage and surprise, and Spyro quickly turns his attention as well.

His eyes focus upon a small dragon that has taken to the sky just outside the portal, and a fear he has never felt before fills his heart.

"SPARX!" The young father screams, waiting for Malefor to take off, and help. However, something else has taken the larger dragon's attention, and it happened when he decide to look behind him.

"Oh no!" The large dragon remarks, then spins Spyro's eyes away from his son.

The young father becomes angered at the complete disregard Malefor has for his son's well-being, however, when his eyes focus on what scared his former foe, Spyro becomes just as worried

"HE'S GONE!" Malefor remarks, seeing every pebble of the Dark Master's stone body has disappeared, and suddenly Malefor begins to pulse with an energy that consumes Spyro as well.

"He's going after your son!" The large dragon cries with fear, and without another moment, Malefor thrusts his wings forward, catapulting he and Spyro at great speed in the direction of Sparx and the portal.

Both dragon hurdle backward until Malefor turns his body in flight to face the direction he is flying. At that exact moment, both dragons become sickened at what they see...or don't see.

The portal has vanished...and Sparx is no longer in sight.

The1upguy · Apr 15, 2013 5:37 AM

Chapter 17 Honor

In an unknown and mystical part of the galaxy, reachable only by magic, sits an old palace in near ruin. The age of this place coincides with its resident, a Guardian charged with keeping the history of the dragon ages.

A bright glow emanates from a small window, high upon the only remaining structure that is still in pristine condition. A library, filled with hundreds of thousands of books, every story as individual as the life of the dragon that had lived it.

A rainbow of light flows from the window, shimmering with the spectrum of different colors, filling the normally dark room with a glow of pure energy.

"Constantine..." The swirling Guardian of the Universe says, forgetting the new name of his old friend. "...we need to get going now!"

"I am trying, Thomas..." The blue dragon retorts, working the controls of the only modern piece of technology in the entire room, a small portal platform. The Chronicler turns his head from the control panel before him, and stares into the eyes of his friend of several lifetimes.

"...and if I can get your name right..." He remarks with some frustration and anger in his deepened voice. "...then maybe you can get mine right!"

The Guardian's attention breaks from his thought, and he quickly is taken by his old friend's attitude.

"I'm sorry...Ignitus..." Thomas retorts with slight concern, knowing this faux pa never bothered him like that before. "...what is wrong?"

The Chronicler lowers his head, and returns his eyes to the screen before him.

"I can not get a portal open to their exact position..." Ignitus remarks with the same frustration, and the energy Guardian now realizes why his old friend was so bitter. "...he is blocking me Thomas...and I can't do a *bleep* thing about it from here...this thing doesn't nearly have the power we will need!"

With that thought, the energy giant turns back to the three books, glowing with history's pen. His eyes focus upon the open pages of Malefor's giant life story, and the new text being burned into the paper.

A smile crosses his face, reading about the large dragon fighting side by side with Spyro, and getting a vague image of a fight for the ages. However, Thomas' eyes catches a change in a Sparx' closed book, a different type of change, that spooks the old Guardian.

The binding has begun to darken.

"No! Not Sparx! I can't let this happen..." The energy giant says to himself, and the rage and frustrations of his past, fill his soul. "...NOT AGAIN!"

"Ignitus...return to the portal station now!" He barks with sternness in his voice that lets the blue dragon know this is his ORDERS.

The Guardian of the Universe turns his regretful eyes back to his old friend.

"I will handle this alone...I have to" He says somberly, and his eyes lock solidly upon the blue dragon before him.

"This is my responsibility, Ignitus..." Thomas' remarks with deep regret, and a single drop of pure energy falls from his left eye. "...tell my brother...I do what I must...and that I will miss him!"

"WHAT!" The Chronicler remarks with shock from what was spoken. However, before he can say another word, The energy giant disappears with a flash of mystical power.

"THOMAS!" The blue dragon yelps in the empty room, filled with the magical books telling stories of life and death.

His blue eyes focus upon the reason for his friend's sudden action, and Ignitus becomes just as spooked. The Chronicler's eyes return to the display screen before him, and quickly he opens a portal to the underground station. Ignitus then runs over to the small book of Sparx, that is now fluctuation with dark energy, and grasps it in his paws before heading to the swirl of light that has formed in the room.

He holds the book against his chest with his left forearm, running on three paws back to the portal he opened. The blue dragon becomes puzzled seeing the Main Room, through the swirl of energy, lit up with the glow of red emergency lights, but nonetheless he still jumps into the spacial rift without pause.

In the blink of an eye, Ignitus is transported to the room he was just looking at, quickly noticing a fierce battle took place.

"What the hell happen here, Gaven!?" The Chronicler barks, startling the Portal Master and his honored guests, two large dragons, of whom he is very familiar with.

"Ignitus?" One of the guests replies, a large green and orange-scaled dragon, who is quick to rush over to the new dragon in the room.

"By the Ancestors..." Terridor remarks, as he stands in shock before his old friend. "...I can not believe my eyes!"

The large Earth Guardian grasps Ignitus in his arms, lifting him off the ground in a tight embrace, and even though his thoughts are filled with impending danger of the Dark Master's attack, the former Fire Guardian cannot help but feel a bit of joy in his old friend's grip.

"It is good to see you too, Terridor..." Ignitus remarks, then turns his attention to the other blue dragon in the room. "...you too Cyril. I have missed my friends, and am glad to see you both in good health."

However, Ignitus' eyes notice one guardian is missing.

"But...Where is Volteer?" He asks, wanting nothing more than to greet all three of his former compatriots.

"I'm over here..." barks an aggravated voice from behind.

The Chronicler spins around, and is startled seeing the yellow dragon attached to the portal platform, pulsing with electricity.

"...for some reason...they think I'm a pink bunny rabbit with sunglasses and a drum!"

Gaven smirks at the pulsing dragon, and begins to laugh.

"And what a good battery you are, Volteer!" The Portal Master remarks as he watches the power level on the platform jump to its limits. "I should be able to open the portal in a moment, so be quiet and keep pumping out that pow..."

Gaven pauses, suddenly noticing Ignitus came back alone.

"...Where is my brother?" He asks with deep suspicion, and his old friend lowers his head.

"He said to tell you, he is going to do what he MUST!" The Chronicler remarks, knowing full well what that means.

The Portal Master also understands this cryptic message, and a deep fear fills his heart.

"Hurry Volteer..." Gaven barks with frustration. "...we need more power...NOW!"

"Sure...nothing outlasts, Volteer! " The yellow dragon retorts with anger, then gives an insane boost of his energy to the platform "...I'll just keep going, and going, and going, and going..."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Back on a distant world, outside the Dragon Realms, Malefor holds a distraught Spyro in his arms. Both dragons in their most powerful form cannot help but feel powerless at the disappearance of their son.

"SPARX!" Spyro screams with pain, held in Malefor's secure grip, still unable to fly with his broken wing. The young father can sense his son, and is terrified that he is under the sea of these vicious animals.

Malefor, on the other hand, has a different fear. One that has spooked him since the day he saw the raw power that Sparx has within, and unleashed that fateful day Cynder disappeared.

"He has him..." The large dragon says to himself, and suddenly his wings begin to slow, sinking both dragons from the sky with his depression "...all is lost!"

However, a rumble of energy and the flash of a bright light from under the sea of creatures, raises the spirits, and the altitude of the falling dragons.

"It's him Malefor..." Spyro remarks with joy in his voice, seeing Sparx rise up from the swarm, his body glowing brightly. "...That's my son..."

Spyro turns his head to look at the large dragon holding him, controlling where they go.

"...we have to go help him!"

But Malefor thrusts his wings in the opposite direction, and catapults himself away.

"What the hell are you doing, Malefor!" Spyro barks with anger and confusion as the large dragon spins his body around and picks up more speed.

"We have to get out of here now..." Malefor replies with concern, feeling the same power that shook the world one fateful day, and forced he and Snow to find an orphaned dragon. "...he is going to kill everything, Spyro..."

Malefor barrel-rolls his body, snapping his wings back to produce as much speed as he can, and heads for the mountains in the distance.

"...including us, if we don't get out of range!"

Spyro's attention stays directly behind, and he is stunned watching the power his son is drawing upon. Suddenly the rumble from behind increase a thousand fold, and Malefor drops from the sky, knowing what is coming next.

"Hang on Spyro!" The large dragon yelps as he streamlines his body to drop faster, approaching the ground at break-neck speed.

The smaller dragon doesn't pay any attention to the impending impact, his eyes are focused squarely on his son, whom has just exploded with a surge of power, sending a massive dome-shaped shock-wave in all directions.

"Sparx...No!" Spyro yelps fearing the worst, but suddenly his eyes go dark.

Just before hitting the ground, Malefor surrounds both he and Spyro in a thick ball of stone that slams into the rocky surface. The defensive shell of heavy rock burrows into the ground from the speed of its impact, leaving only half of the ball exposed to this powerful wave of energy. However, it is still enough of a profile to take a direct hit from the super-sonic wave of power.

Malefor's shell breaks upon impact, but takes most of the force of the initial wave. However, both dragons are still slammed down with the secondary pulses from such an incredible explosion, that occurred miles away.

Spyro shakes his head to clear his senses, and quickly checks upon the motionless purple dragon beside him.

"Malefor!" He barks with fear, seeing his normal color has returned. Spyro quickly checks his pulse and takes a breath seeing his chest move with life, however, he is unable to wake the unconscious dragon.

Spyro cranes his head, and his pure white eyes fill with shock at the sight behind him. A perfect circle ranging for miles in every direct has been erased from the surface of the planet.

"By The Ancestors!" the black dragon barks with shock, and his eyes focus in the center of this circle.

He is miles away, but Spyro's eyes can still spot the glowing brilliance from the gold scales of his son's chest.

"He's alive!" He says to himself with shock, and without thought of pain in his wing, or fear of the Dark Master who still may be in the area, Spyro runs full speed towards his child.

With every step, the young father can feel a great pain increase in his heart. Sparx has not moved an inch, and Spyro begins running faster than his feet can move.

"SPARX!" He yells trying to get his son just to jump from his voice, but he still lays motionless, and Spyro runs faster. As he gets closer, the tears streaming from his eyes blind him from a small rock that trips his front paw.

The black dragon stumbles and steps on his dragging broken wing. Spyro painfully pulls himself down by his own wing, falling to the ground hard, and rolling several times with his momentum. The dark dragon yelps with extreme pain, as his broken wing wraps uncontrollably around his body, securing his arms to his side.

Spyro rolls to a stop a few yards away from Sparx and begins to cry with the pain from his wing, and the thought that he has failed his son.

"Dad!" The soft voice of Sparx says, clearing Spyro's emotions in a second, and he quickly turns his head around awkwardly to look toward his son.

"SPARX!" He barks with a joy, seeing his son's eyes opened, and signs of life he didn't see before.

Spyro, despite the pain, is able to yank his left arm from out of the tight cocoon his broken-wing bound him in, then struggles to get to his feet. He quickly limps over to Sparx gently laying his body atop his son, and securing him tightly with his arms.

"I have you...Sparx..." Spyro whispers in his ear, his tears pouring upon his son's muzzle. "...and I will never let you go!"

"Well that will become a problem than..." The resonating voice of the Dark Master bellows, and the ground begins to rumble with vibrations below. "...how do you plan on keeping my new puppet in your pathetic arms Spyro!"

Suddenly a fist of pure rock comes up from the ground, missing the whelpling by inches, but striking his father directly on the point of his jaw.

Spyro is hurled off his son with the force from the unsuspecting upper-cut, landing upon his back and wings. The pain surges though him, but the black and gold dragon bounces back to his feet, finding a strength he never know he had.

His eyes focus sharp with rage seeing the stone hand envelop his son and raise to the air with the rest of his body.

"See...that was easy enough!" The Dark Master remarks sarcastically, holding Spyro's son before him, tightly secured in his stone grasp.

"LET HIM GO NOW, OR I WILL KILL YOU!" The dark dragon barks with a resonating tone in his voice, that spooks the Dark Master for a moment. His voice sounds like his own, and a concern fills the Dark Master's thoughts knowing Spyro possesses a power that can destroy him, however...

"You would only kill your son, Spyro..." He retorts with arrogance. "...and I know you wouldn't dare do that!"

Spyro smiles at the Dark Master, and he crouches down to draw upon that power.

"What is he doing!" The evil master thinks to himself, knowing full well that he can just shield himself with Sparx and take Spyro instead...a win win situation. "I thought you would be smarter than Malefor!"

Spyro continues to draw power, pulling every last bit of magic in his body he can muster into one blast of pure Fury.

The Dark Master smiles knowing full well Spyro will be spent on Magic power after a blast like this, and whether or not it is him or his son, the evil master will be going home today. His new dragon puppet to stay behind and rule under his control.

However, as Spyro lowers his head, opens his muzzle, and fires...the rock giant's smile goes away fast.

A blast of the pure-blooded power of his heritage slams the lower portion of the Dark Master's stone body, shearing him in half at the waist. Vaporized upon impact, the torso of this massive giant slams to the ground where his legs once were, but he remains up-rite and in one piece...just a bit smaller though.

"I wasn't expecting that..." The stone creature yelps with some embarrassment in his voice, after dropping eye level to Spyro.

However, with the upper part of his body untouched, his grasp upon Sparx remains strong. His eyes focus on the semi-conscious dragon in his rock solid arms, and he taunts the young father once more

"...but I am still not letting him go..." He remarks with arrogance, knowing, without the lower half of his body, Spyro is still no match for him. "...he will be my slave, and YOU will be his first victim!"

Spyro suddenly watches a dark cloud of magic begin to billow from the evil master's stone hand, surrounding his son in a fog of Dark Energy. His eyes fill with fear, recognizing this mist as the same poison that caused him to almost destroy all he cares about, only 3 days ago.

"NOOO!" The young dragon screams, and something inside of him snaps.

In the same breath, the Dark Master looks up at the howling dragon, and his eyes fill with shock.

A flash of power and a burst of incredible speed, places the angered father inches from the Dark Master, and before he can even lift a muscle to defend, he is slammed with a barrage from the black and gold dragon.

With a primal rage inside his body, Spyro spins beside his son's attacker, slamming him with repeated punches, kicks, and devastating tail whips to his side and back. But most importantly, the tornado of wind his body produces, clears the air around his son's nose, allowing him to breath freely.

After dozens of powerful hits, that knock chunk after chunk from the same spot on the stone creature's body, Spyro curls his arm and legs in, stopping his onslaught, but increasing the speed of his revolutions. At the apex of his last turn, he thrusts his tail out and puts every last bit of his strength into the whipping action. The impact is precise, hitting the same spot on his side, where he left a large crater.

The Dark Master shatters like glass, dropping the young dragon once secured in his now crumbling arms.

Spyro dizzy from twirling, and exhausted from his onslaught loses his balance upon touching the ground. However, his eyes catch Sparx' limp body falling, and he positions himself under the young dragon. Spyro wraps his son in his arms before hitting the ground, landing awkwardly on his broken wing.

The pain shoots through his body, but he doesn't let go of Sparx.

The black dragon begins fading back to his original color, feeling the great loss of energy from his attacks and the soreness of the beating he has taken. However, seeing the rock pieces of the shattered creature begin to move on their own again, his dark black scales begin to hold their color for a little longer. Spyro ignores the pain streaming through his body from his wing, and the complete lack of physical strength left in his muscles, because regardless of how much it hurts, he knows he has to keep going...he has to get Sparx away from this beast.

Spyro grasps his son in his front paws, rearing up on his hind legs, and running in the same movement. With haste in his stride, the black dragon heads towards the only shelter he can see...the more rugged terrain of the mountains in the distance. The jagged rocks pushed up where two continental plates have collided, should proved some cover for the exhausted father and his nearly unconscious son.

However, still standing at the epicenter of the explosion where Sparx used all of his energy to destroy a vast army, Spyro can see he has miles of flat terrain to traverse first. With every bit of strength he can coax from his burning muscles, the black and gold dragon runs as fast as possible to clear the large flat crater where he cannot hide.

Spyro holds his son in his left arm, cradled against his chest, allowing him to drop down on three legs and run faster. He uses his good left wing to compensate for his missing arm, thrusting it back in pace with his stride, picking up even more speed.

"Hold on Sparx!" His voice strains, hearing a constant moaning come from his son. Spyro has such a tight grip, not to let go, and will not loosen it at all.

Suddenly, Spyro can hear the stirring sounds of power coming from behind, but he does not turn to look, he keeps his focus forward,on the mountains ahead.

"Dad...LOOK OUT!" Sparx yelps from under his father's arm, his eyes focused behind at a bright ball of electricity bounding for them.

Spyro snaps his left wing down, to cover his son, pulling him hard in that direction. He falls to the ground, rolling with the momentum shift in his body. The plasma ball misses its moving target by inches, slamming to the ground in front of the two dragons.

The pulsing electricity from the powerful attack covers the ground around them with a positive charge, and Spyro cringes from the voltage surging into his paws, however, he bounds back up to a vertical stance and continues his race to the mountains.

Now staggering his strides to keep from running a straight line, Spyro gives the Dark Master an impossible target to hit...that and with the help of his son watching his back, Spyro dodges every blast of energy fired at him. He keeps his focus forward, never looking back, until a crackle of thunder that's so loud, startles him to turn his head.

Spyro's rotates his head left, looking under his wing quickly to find out first hand what the next attack will be, but eyes fill with surprise seeing nothing behind him, only the pulsing plasma balls that slammed the ground beside them as they fled. However, before he turns back to face the direction he is running, Spyro realizes what that loud crackling noise is all about.

Around his right side a flash of light fills Spyro's peripheral vision, and he snaps his muzzle forward to get a glimpse of what is passing him. It's a bolt of lightning.

His head stops abruptly and his heart skips a beat, with the sight that staggers his imagination. A wall of solid ice forms quickly as the rod of electricity hits the ground, and stands firm directly in front of Spyro's path. With no chance to stop in time, The black dragon turns his body to the left, and barrels through the barrier of ice with his right side.

Sparx hardly feels the slightest impact, as Spyro positions himself to take the full force, however, the whelpling knows something happened as the arm holding him fades back to its original purple color, then he hits the ground as his father falls unconscious.

"Dad!" The young dragon cries, still secured in his limp arm, and Spyro's eyes crack open with the sound of his voice, but then they close again.

"Wake up, Dad!" his son's voice echos once more, this time with fear and the sounds of a child's terror in his words.

Spyro's eyes snap open once more, and he looks down to his left arm. A smile forms on Sparx' tear-filled face, seeing his father snap out of it, and another pulse of adrenaline is sent through Spyro's body.

Seeing his son's grin, stands the purple dragon back on his feet, however as he turns to the mountains again, Spyro realizes they are no longer alone.

The young father brings his right arm around to hold his son with both paws, seeing the Dark Master standing only a few feet before him.

Spyro stares waist-level with the now ice giant, and cranes his head up to look at his foe.

"Well Spyro...I must say that you have an undying spirit, and never seem to know when to give up..." The Dark Master remarks, as he looks down at the first choice of Malefor's replacement.

"...I would have enjoyed breaking you!"

Suddenly the Dark Master thrusts his left hand out, wrapping it around Spyro's throat and squeezing.

The purple dragon struggles with his legs to break free, not letting go of Sparx. He will not release his son...and the Dark Master will have to pry him from his dead purple paws.

The Ice Giant lifts Spyro from the ground by his neck, holding him eye level, and Spyro's legs flail helplessly .

"However, that young whelpling you're holding, he is a far better choice..." he remarks, then raises his right hand to grasp Spyro's child. "...and would make a powerful Dark Master!"

The purple dragon swings his body away from the icy giant, jarring his neck, and wrapping his left wing around his son to secure him further. However, as his body swings back, the young father snaps his tail out across the Dark Master's face, breaking a small shard of ice from his left cheek.

It does nothing more than anger the Dark Master.

Enraged by this defiant act, the evil giant made of ice intensifies his grip around Spyro's throat, and the purple dragon is forced to stop his pointless assault. However, he holds his grip on Sparx, not letting up a muscle.

"You cannot hold your breath forever, Spyro...I remember!" The Dark Master taunts, reminding the young dragon of the first time they met in his home, and the moment he was force to breathe in the evil creature's magic.

"I could wait for you to just pass out, and just take him from you..." he remarks with a smile, then raises his right hand up in front of Spyro's fading eyes. The purple dragon watches as the Dark Master's icy hand reaches over his head, grasping the base of his left wing. "...but there is no fun in that!"

The Dark Master snaps Spyro's other wing, sending an intense pain throughout the purple dragon's body. He tries to scream with the agony, but cannot whisper a peep with the force around his throat.

Like his right wing, Spyro's appendage falls to his side limply, revealing the two-toned dragon secured in his weakening arms.

The Dark Master, again reaches out his right hand, this time grabbing the small dragon around his mid section. With great force, he yanks, but to no avail...Spyro still will not let go.

He pulls again, and the purple arms of Spyro hold fast, however the young dragon is beginning to separate away with ever forceful heave.

"This is what I was really hoping for Spyro..." The Dark Master says with a smile to the desperate father, feeling his grip fading fast, knowing that one or two more jerks of his hand and he will have his son. "...I wanted to see your face...when you realize that you lost!"

The Dark Master pulls again, and Spyro can feel his son yanked from his grasp. He quickly grips down on anything he can, catching his son's paw at the last moment.

"That's it Spyro...hold on...you can do it!" The Dark Master taunts sarcastically, watching the purple dragon's eyes lose their focus from lack of blood and oxygen to the brain.

He yanks Sparx once more, easily pulling him free of his father's limp paw.

"Look at it this way, Spyro..." The Dark Master continues coldly, then increases the pressure on Spyro's choke hold once more. "...at least you will not be alive to see your son become my slave..."

He yanks the unconscious dragon up to his mouth, using his voice to fill Spyro's last thoughts with unbelievable torment.

"...but I will make sure Cynder stays alive to revel in her son's glory...a life-long punishment for turning her back on me."

The Dark Master's evil laughter, and this new burning thought, consume Spyro, but he is helpless to do anything. His body is wiped out and has nothing left, not even an image of Cynder cowering to her son's power can spur the purple hero on. His arms fall limp to his side, and the yellow scale on the tip of his tail begins to shutter as the rest of Spyro's body shuts down.

Suddenly, an intense ball of fire screams from the sky, shearing off the Dark Master's left arm at the elbow. The unconscious purple dragon falls to the ground with the icy hand still around his throat, however the powerful choke hold no longer being applied.

Spyro is woken by the jarring force of his body hitting the ground, and the feel of oxygen filling his empty lungs. His eyes open slowly to see the Dark Master flail in pain, and suddenly release his son. His right hand grasping the sheared part of his left arm, and staring into the sky to see what has attacked him with such power.

Spyro notices the Dark Master's expression change as his narrow eyes lock upon his attacker.

"That's impossible!" The Dark Master barks with shock, and Spyro turns his head to see what has spooked this awesome foe.

The same shock fills his purple eyes seeing the image of a flying creature made completely of fire.

"The Phoenix!" The Skylander General remarks to himself, knowing it has been years since this mythical bird of fire has fought for Gaven. "I thought he disappeared!"

However, Spyro is shocked even further, as a familiar voice comes from the flying inferno, but it is not the voice he was expecting.

"Malefor!"

"So...my old master, it appears you can defeat a weakened father, trying only to protect his son..." The dragon of fire remarks, landing between the Ice Giant and Spyro. "...maybe you should try fighting someone, who is ready and willing to fight back!"

The Dark Master begins to sweat, as Malefor steps forward, as the heat from the massive dragon melts the pure ice of his body. He backs cautiously from the walking inferno, shaped in a dancing silhouette of the large dragon's frame, and stares at Malefor's intense eyes.

"I am not backing away, because I am afraid..." The Dark Master barks, and looks down at the young dragon he is leaving behind. "...I simply do not want to damage my prize!"

The Ice Giant turns his head towards the mountains Spyro was charging for, and gestures his right arm in that direction.

"Maybe a safer location..." The Dark Master remarks, then looks at Spyro as his voice becomes very sarcastic. "...away from the two whelplings!"

Spyro becomes irate at his comment, but can do nothing about it, he's so exhausted that he can't even lower his brow to show anger.

The icy hand around Spyro's neck melts off, flowing unnaturally against gravity to the foot of the Dark Master. The water soaks into to large giant, allowing him to regrow his left arm, and he flexes it several time to make sure it works properly.

"Well then, Malefor..." The evil creature remarks. "...Shall we see if you have learned anything from the time I gave you in hell."

The Dark Master smiles as Malefor's flames begin to fluctuate with rage, and can see the anger etched upon his fiery muzzle. This is what he loves, what he craves, and what he feeds off of.

The Dark Master looks back down at the semi-conscious Spyro, and fills the appetite for his other craving...anguish.

"I will be back in a moment to finish you off, Spyro..." The Dark Master remarks, as his icy body changes, in a breath, to a turbulent swirling form of violent wind. He turns his eyes toward Sparx and continues with a deep taunting voice. "...so if you have any fatherly advice you want to give your son...I would share it now!"

The Dark Master laughs as Spyro's eyes fill with tears looking at his son, laying his head on the ground in defeat.

"Not like he would learn anything from such a weakling like yourself...I can't believe you ever defeated Malefor!"

His laughter increases in volume, and his windy form breaks down to a vast gust of violent air, racing towards the mountains in the distance.

With a dagger to his pride, Spyro closes his eyes, hoping just to die from his injuries, not wanting to be tortured with his son's life.

"I can't do anything against him!" Spyro thinks to himself, his emotions filling his heart and his soul, knowing his best attack did nothing more than annoy the Dark Master. "He is going to take my son!"

His eyes look up at the stoic dragon made of fire, standing in defense of his former enemy, making sure the Dark Master retreats.

"How can I consider myself to be his father..." Spyro remarks to himself again, this time out loud, and Malefor snaps his head down to hear his sub-conscious rant. "...if I can't protect him!"

Spyro then focuses his attention up to large dragon made of fire, and tears pour from his eyes.

"You are the one that taught him...and the one that he looks up to as a Father..."

Both dragons stare at each other with an uncomfortable pause.

"...get him out of here, Malefor. I will cover your exit ..." Spyro remarks with pain in his heart, and the soreness in his body as he tries getting up on his feet. "...take care of him as you have, and I would be grateful."

Malefor's eyes open with shock, and the flames surrounding his body cease abruptly.

The purple dragon turns to Spyro and lowers his right paw down to help him up, but instead he grasps Spyro's sore neck and lifts him to his hind legs.

"HOW DID YOU DEFEAT ME!" Malefor barks in his face, startling the young dragon with the fear of his old foe's anger.

Malefor releases his throat, allowing Spyro to fall back to four paws, but places his paws upon his shoulders. The large dragon's grip keeps Spyro's attention focused on him, and also helps the exhausted father from falling over.

"You never quit then Spyro, and you're not quitting now!" He says with a more assuring tone in his voice.

Malefor peeks over his shoulder to make sure the Dark Master is continuing his journey, then looks back into Spyro's eyes with conviction. He delivers a pulse of energy through his paws into the purple hero's sides, and Spyro can feel the healing power of his magic and strength rise.

"You had help then from Cynder, and I am here to do what I can to help..." Malefor turns Spyro's head towards Sparx. "...but he is not my son, and I do not want that responsibility any longer."

Malefor pulls Spyro muzzle to muzzle.

"You are his father, you must take care of him...and you will, because you are who you are...A Purple Dragon." Malefor remarks with pride in his heritage. "And you will find you have more to give him then you know!"

Malefor's right brow raises inquisitively, and his voice becomes a bit taunting in its own way.

"However, you will also come to notice, that you will learn more from him then he will from you..." Malefor says, knowing the vast amount of knowledge Sparx learned from him in six years. "...but don't let that bother you...he had a good teacher!"

The purple dragon once again turns his head to the mountains, this time holding his gaze. He can see the Dark Master has stopped, and is becoming impatient.

"I must go Spyro..." He remarks still keeping his eyes focused on the evil creature in the distance. "...I will keep him busy for as long as I can, and I am sure that your friend Gaven will open a portal by that time."

The purple dragon turns back to look his new friend eye to eye as he continues, making sure Spyro can see his seriousness

"I will fight until I no longer can, and when I die...I ask you only one favor..." He remarks with a tear filling his left eye.

"Never tell your boy what a *bleep* I was to his mother...I know Cynder never said a thing, or he would not respect me the way he did."

Malefor thrusts his wings down and hovers several feet above both dragons, the tears in his eyes falling to the ground and splashing Spyro's paws.

"I want at least one dragon in this new age to think of the name Malefor with honor!"

Without another word, the purple and gold dragon heads off to a rematch he has waited millions of years for, but also knowing he will more than likely not survive. However, Malefor's heart beats strong with a great emotion, feeling his soul as clear as it ever has been.

"There are two, my friend..." Spyro remarks, watching Malefor charge up and shoot off to his own fate. "...and I will make sure that number increases greatly."

Spyro walks over to his son holding his shivering body tightly with his newly borrowed strength, another gift from an old foe. He pecks his son on the head, waiting for Gaven to open a portal back, watching Malefor intently.

"...your named will be honored...I promise!"

The1upguy · Apr 19, 2013 1:38 AM

Chapter 18 Brother Vs Brother

As he flaps his wings back hard to produce thrust, Malefor, heads quickly away from the only two dragons that respect him. A deep feeling of duty fills the purple dragon's heart, to protect them. With no hesitation in his flight, Malefor flies towards the tornado of wind spinning before him in the distance.

His pure white eyes locked upon the evil creature that ruined his life, and forced him to spend nearly an eternity thinking about what he did. Those thoughts now fill his head with the images of past friends and family...all of which were killed by his uncontrollable paws, and Malefor becomes overwhelmed with raw emotion.

Regret dominates his thoughts at first, knowing how many dragons were slaughtered over the past sixty generations, the time between Malefor and Spyro's births, and he turns that emotion to pure rage.

The scales of his body pulse with power, and turn black as Onyx with the amount of anger he is using to raise his energy. Malefor's gold chest and horns glow brighter from the contrast of his color to his body, and his eyes begin to change to a different color...that of his long great heritage.

The Dark Master sees him coming, breaking down to a strong gust of wind, and jetting towards the mountains that Spyro was heading for. With hurricane force, the turbulent flow of air steams away, but Malefor keeps pace, staring down the front edge of this wind storm, knowing exactly where the Dark Master's heart is at all times.

A very smug grin crosses his muzzle, feeling this energy from his foe, and now realizing he is not as outmatched as he once was. The Dark Master is only slightly stronger then he was two thousand years ago, when a powerful evil came to Avalar, and challenged its Ruler.

Malefor, however, has had four million years to get stronger, and understand the true limit of his powers. Because of the curse of immortality, and an imprisonment where time moved insanely fast, the black dragon has had plenty of history to reflect upon.

As they approach the mountains, two vague images consume Malefor's thoughts. Their faces becoming clearer as he gets closer to his destination, drawing upon their love as an emotion to build his anger up further.

A beautiful blue dragoness that shared his life in the beginning, and a small white German Shepard-like dog that brought light to his darkest time.

"I will have my wives' revenge!" He barks to himself, building more rage inside to strengthen his power. "Both of them!"

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Meanwhile, under his father's chest, the young eyes of Sparx watch helplessly, as his former father leaves in a hurry.

"Malefor!" His raspy voice barks, weakened from the assault he made moments ago, leaving him completely drained of power.

Spyro holds his son down, feeling the young dragon trying to pull himself from under his grip. The purple dragon can feel some strength coming back to his boy, but still Sparx cannot move far from his arms.

"NO.." He yelps in his son's ear, increasing the strength of his hold. "...he does not want you near him Sparx...and neither do I!"

"But Dad...he'll die if we don't help him!" The youngster replies, digging his claws into the rocky surface, trying to pry his way out of Spyro's tight grasp.

"Please...you need to stay with me Sparx..." Spyro remarks with worry, holding him now as tight as he can, feeling his incredible strength return with every pull.

"...that is what your father wanted!"

The two-toned dragon stops his escape abruptly, and snaps his head around to look his Dad in the eye.

He is tired of hearing Spyro speak of Malefor as his father, and now believes this to be an insult, but before he can say a word, the purple dragon's paw grasps his muzzle, keeping him quiet.

"To protect his son with his life...It is what any father would be willing to do..." Spyro remarks, and releases his hold, then looks him dead in the eye. "...even if that child is not really their own."

Spyro holds his son tighter raising his body up to his muzzle, and whispering in his ear.

"I know from experience..." Spyro remarks, focusing his eyes upon the large black dragon, getting smaller as he flies further away. "...because my Father did the same for me."

A huge smile forms on Spyro's face recalling one such instance in his life, where his father actually rescued him from an attempted kidnapping.

Drugged by a supposed friend only to be auctioned off to the highest bidder, the purple dragon found himself helpless against such trechery, and by the time Spyro regained consciousness, he was already muzzled and restrained by a much larger dragon.

"For a dragonfly..." He says with a chuckle of laughter, remembering an ineffective punch that came from his adoptive father. And though it did nothing to hurt the full-size dragon holding his son, it was enough to startle him to the point that he loosened his grip.

The auction ended quickly after that.

"...it must have been tough to pick some of the fights he did." Spyro says, hoisting his son up, and placing him upon his back.

Sparx cringes when his paw brushes against his father's broken left wing, raising it up quickly as he can see the sudden shutter of pain from his father. His eyes glaze over at the sight of his father's wings, snapped like twigs and dangling against his side. The young dragon cannot fathom the pain Spyro must be feeling, but is even more surprised at the smile still upon his muzzle.

"My father never backed down from anything..." The young dragon remarks to his son, without a single hint of pain in his words. Feeling only the pride for his old man.

"...and now Malefor is doing the same, for his boy."

Spyro cranes his head around to look his boy dead in the eyes.

"He may not be bound to you by blood..." The purple dragon tells his son with a determined voice. "...but he is bound to you by love, that I am sure..."

Spyro lowers his head, picturing the large dragonfly that taught him so much in life, making him the man he is today.

"...an undying love for a son that he knew was not his own..." Spyro says somberly, then returns his eyes to his young offspring lying upon his back. "...and that makes him more of a father than you realize."

Spyro turns towards the center of the large crater his son made, and begins trotting gingerly, not to step on his wings. His son holds tight around his neck, looking back as Malefor disappears from sight into the mountains.

Sparx becomes heartbroken in that instant, but holds his emotions. He does not want to show this great feeling of loss to his father. However, Spyro can hear the whimper of sadness in his breathing, and can feel his depression sink in further.

"It's OK Sparx...I understand your feelings, and you need to let them out!" Spyro remarks picking up his pace to a fast gallop, trying to get his son as far away as possible.

The young dragon grasps his father's neck tighter, not to hold on, but for his support as he breaks down crying.

"I love him Dad...I'm sorry..." Sparx wails in Spyro's ear "...I don't want him to die!"

The purple dragon stops short, hearing his pain, and grasps his son from his back. Spyro rears up on his hind legs to hug him tightly in his arms. Tears pour from his eyes, feeling Sparx shaking so hard that he cannot stop it.

"I know, Sparx..." Spyro says softly in his ear, trying to comfort his unsettled boy "...I don't want him to die either..."

Spyro then holds his son out in front of his face, looking the young dragon squarely in the eye.

"...but he knows what he's doing...I'm sure of that now, and he will stop at nothing to keep the Dark Master from taking you."

Spyro returns his son to his back, and lowers down to four paws.

"So if I don't get you out of here...then everything Malefor did will be forgotten, and he will die in vain..." The young father remarks, beginning his journey again to the center of the crater. "...I know I can't defeat such power...and would not survive long!"

Spyro picks up his pace with this terrible thought, and his voice deepens with anger knowing how outclassed he is.

"You would become his slave, and the Dragon Realms would plunge into darkness once more!" Spyro barks. "This is the one thing he made me swear not to let happen, and I tend to agree with him."

Sparx holds his father's neck tighter, understanding the logic in his words. He looks back over his shoulder to the mountains, and closes his eyes with the image of a one time evil dragon, turned hero.

"Goodbye Malefor..." Sparx whispers "...I will always remember what you did for my mother and myself..."

The two-toned whelpling returns his eyes forward, resting his head against Spyro's bobbing neck.

"...and hope you have forgiven me for the incredible pain I caused you!"

Spyro eyes glisten as well, hearing the heart-felt words from his son. The purple dragon again picks up his speed, now feeling just as obligated to go back and help, however, Spyro does not stop his charge...he knows he cannot go back.

Powerful blasts coming from the mountains, fill the darkened skies with a bright light, and Spyro keeps moving away. The thunderous sounds of the fierce battle echo across the land, shaking the ground with each blow, and Spyro keeps running.

He continues to run, until reaching the dead center of the crater, and the spot in which Sparx arrived back from the portal station, exactly where the new portal should open.

Turning around, with his son still standing on his shoulders, both dragons look back at the mountains miles in the distance. Their purple eyes glowing with the flashes of energy being used in this awesome battle.

"Come on Gaven...Hurry up!" Spyro remarks, feeling the intense power from so far away, and for the first time as a Skylander...feeling genuine fear on the battlefield. "Open the *bleep* portal already!"

"Easy Dad..." The young dragon remarks with a sudden confidence now, as he is finally able to sense the incredible power of his adoptive father. He can also feel the energy returning to his body bit by bit, and becomes more confident as his strength returns too. "...I think we have some time, now." Sparx says matter of factually.

The young dragon drops from his father's back, looking in the direction of the battle. "Malefor is still really strong...I can feel that now, Dad...it's intense."

The young dragon places his head against his father's side. He can hear the pounding of his heart, and can tell Spyro is very anxious.

"You need to calm down..." The young dragon remarks "...Gaven was sure he could open a portal with the help of some friend he knows, and besides...

Sparx pulls his head away from his dad's side, looking up to the worried dragon.

"...I am not without power anymore!"

Spyro turns his head down to him as shock fills his expression.

"It's a technique that Malefor showed me..." He says with a smile, looking into his father's wide eyes. "...regeneration!"

"I can regenerate too, Sparx..." Spyro retorts with some pride in his own faculties, but more so, feeling his son's energy increasing. "...but you'll need more magic for that."

The young father smiles, then places his paw upon Sparx' back to transfer some of the magic Malefor gave him. However, before an ounce of energy is sent to his son, Sparx slaps his father's paw from his body.

"No Dad...you should keep that for yourself..." The youngster quips with an arrogant smile. "...I can regenerate my magic as well!"

Spyro does a double take, than looks at Sparx with disbelief, as his body begins to glow a greenish color with the magic energy he is raising.

"That's impossible..." Spyro says with uncertainty, his eyes not believing what they see. "...how can you do that!"

Sparx can see the look of pure disbelief in his father's eyes, but also pride at what he is doing.

"Believe it or not Dad, it's quite easy..." The young dragon remarks, striding without a limp towards the mountains in the distance. "...when you have a teacher that has such a vast knowledge of our heritage, you find out a lot of things you can do that are considered impossible."

Suddenly, the young dragon begins recalling his youth, and the many reasons he had to learn such things. He turns his head back towards his father, and his eyes show anguish, more than any eight year old dragon should have ever seen. His voice becomes soft and somber

"When you lived day in and day out with relentless attacks...you're forced to do the impossible."

Sparx turns his head back to the mountains were the battle continues to rage, watching in awe with his father, the power that Malefor is using.

"He's been waiting for this fight Dad...for nearly an eternity he told me." Sparx remarks with a bit of fear in his words. "...hoping to get his chance at the Dark Master again, and has built his strength up higher than I've ever felt..."

Sparx walks back to his father, looking dead into his eyes.

"...but, there is no need for him to do the impossible anymore. I think we should go back and help him, Dad."

Spyro lowers his head with a terrifying feeling of fear, that he's not felt so strong before in his life. The purple dragon, never before having a son by his side in battle, is overwhelmed with a single thought

"STAY PUT"

"NO..." Spyro barks, placing his paw upon his son's head, and pulling him against his chest. "...I'm not going back..."

His grip becomes tighter, holding his son nearly to the point of suffocation. Lowering his head down to the young dragon's ear, and making sure his point is heard.

"...and neither are you...do you understand me!"

Spyro relaxes his grip slightly, allowing Sparx to look up into his father's shaky eyes. He slowly nods his head in acknowledgment, than buries his muzzle back into Spyro's embrace. The purple dragon can feel his son becoming upset, and quickly feels ashamed of what he believes is fear.

"I'm sorry Sparx..." The young dragon says to his son, pulling him from his chest, and lowering down to his eye level. "...I don't mean to sound like that...but..."

Spyro pauses, closes his eyes with the pain of his embarrassment, and shamefully continues.

"...I'm afraid!"

The young father's head lowers further to the ground, and he can barely talk with the amount of guilt consuming him.

"I feel so helpless..." He remarks quietly "...I cannot protect my own son, and I'm forcing him to stand with his coward of a father...while his real..."

Spyro pauses again. He opens his eyes, focusing on the young dragon to show the depression within him, but does he not refer to Malefor as Sparx' father again.

"...while HE...fights alone..."

The great hero of Avalar turns his head, so he no longer has to look into his son's eyes.

"...I am ashamed of myself."

Spyro stands up and walks several feet away to be alone. However, the sound of small footsteps and touch of his son's wing against his side is quick, so too are his words to try comforting him.

"You're not being a coward, Dad..." The young dragon retorts with assurance in his voice, then rests his head against Spyro's side. "...you're just trying to keep me safe...and that is exactly what Malefor would do if he were here."

The young dragon stands up, moving around to face Spyro.

"That is not being a coward at all." He says sternly. "That is the responsibility of being a father!"

Spyro shows no reaction to what his son has to say, and Sparx lowers his head with a grunt of anger.

"COWARDS RUN AWAY!" He barks with aggression, staring back into his father's startled eyes. "They don't fight an impossible battle for anyone, not even themselves, and that is what I saw when you attacked the Dark Master!"

Sparx steps forward, resting his muzzle against Spyro's cheek, and stretching his paw around to the back of his Dad's neck to hold him tightly.

"You didn't run..." He whispers in his ear. "...that is what makes you my father, and why I will stay here with you."

Sparx draws his head back, and gazes deep into Spyro's eyes.

"I will never leave your side!"

The pride wells up inside Spyro, and he rises up on his hind legs, holding his son tightly in his arms. The power of Sparx' words give strength to the purple dragon, and his heart begins to pound in rhythm with his son's.

"I love you Sparx!"

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Above the peaks of the mountains, Malefor hovers with a continuous gentle flap of his wings. His muzzle open wide and glowing with the remnants of energy that has pulsed non-stop until now. His eyes focused squarely upon his foe with frustration, as not a single blast has hit its target.

"Really, Malefor..." The Dark Master barks, stopping his frantic dodging of elemental attacks. "...I thought you were going to be more of a challenge the way you were talking back there!"

The Dark Master turns his back to the black and gold dragon, then lowers to the ground by a group of large mountains. This lack of respect smacks his former servant in the face, and Malefor becomes angered.

"How about if I give you a free shot." He taunts with a smile, placing himself at the base of a horse-shoe shaped canyon. His eyes look left and right at the high cliffs that surround him

"I can't get out of the way now..." He continues with such arrogance, that Malefor becomes enraged even further "...so hit me with your best shot!"

With the anger built from frustration, and the raw emotions of a lover's revenge, Malefor builds up a tremendous amount of his power, and focuses it into one huge blast.

A pulsing ball of pure purple energy is hurled at the Dark Master, and he smiles as it approaches.

"STUPID DRAGON!" He barks with laughter, and a portal opens behind him. Malefor watches as the Dark Master vanishes in an instant, and his energy ball slams to the emptied ground.

He lifts his left paw to shield his eyes from the vast explosion, staying alert for the Dark Master's reemergence. However his attention is taken by a dark purple glow of light coming from the crumbling rock.

"BY THE ANCESTORS!" He yelps to himself with great fear, seeing the millions of dark crystals now exposed by the collapsing mountains.

"What's the matter..." The Dark Master says from behind Malefor, startling the large dragon, and filling his heart with a great depression. He dropped his guard for a split-second again.

"...I thought dragons like crystals!"

Before he can regret the same mistake he has relived for four million years, Malefor is slammed in the back with a vicious blow, and catapulted into the avalanche of rock and purple gemstones.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A tremendous explosion from the mountains startles Spyro and Sparx, turning both of their heads, and filling their teary eyes with a flash of bright light. A massive blast of power is soon felt, and they watch in awe as several of the rocky peaks collapse down to ground level.

"WOW!" Sparx replies with fascinated shock, feeling that power had come from Malefor. A slight smile crossing his face knowing his former guardian is not holding back, and he looks at his father proudly.

However, his joy quickly turns to fear in the next moment.

"Oh no!" He remarks, and drops down from his father's arms, slowing striding towards the battle miles away.

"What is it Sparx?" Spyro retorts, seeing the sudden change in Sparx emotions, and keeping pace with his son's walk. "What happened?"

"Malefor's magic power is dropping fast, and I don't know why!" Sparx replies, looking back at his father with great concern. "The Dark Master is not doing anything to attack him...so I don't understand!"

Spyro looks puzzled for a moment, thinking about what can take power from a dragon so fast, but then his eye open with a deep fear.

"We need to get out of here, Now!" Spyro remarks with a deep note of terror in his voice.

"What is it Dad?" The young dragon asks, seeing his father's eyes open with a realization of the only thing that can drop a dragon's power to nil.

However, before Spyro can answer his son, the sound of a loud thump startles them both.

"MALEFOR!" Sparx yelps, seeing his unconscious body bounce on the rocky surface. He runs towards the large dragon without care of why or how he got there, but only to see if he is alive. His one-sighted view does not allow him to see a figure above sending something else towards the ground.

However, Sparx finally notices, when several small objects land directly in his path, and shatter like glass. His eyes open wide with the site of a different colored ancestral crystal, and one of his purple heritage at that. Like the cluster of green gems that he used in Malefor's cave, and the only crystals the young dragon has ever seen, these bits of purple energy swarm the young dragon.

He does nothing to avoid them, believing they will bring great power like the green ones, but only shock fills his body as the purple gems take him to the ground unsuspectingly.

"What is going on!" He thinks to himself, as his legs give out from a quick lack of energy. He cannot understand how a crystal that is the color of his body, can be so devastating to him. The young dragon remains on the ground, his head spinning, like Malefor's, from a tremendous drop of power.

Spyro on the other hand has seen these crystals before, and where they just came from. His heart jumps up to his throat, looking upon The Dark Master high in the sky, with one more crystal in his left hand, tossing it up and down for him to see.

"Well Spyro...I want to thank you and Cynder for making such a perfect receptacle for my power..." His voice booms from above with arrogance, making all three aware of his presence.

"...I want you to know, I will take care of him like he was my own."

Spyro's anger fills his soul, and a surge of power pulses through his body.

The Dark Master flings the last crystal in his hand at the purple dragon, but Spyro leaps far enough away, rolling painfully across the ground, but avoiding the scattering pieces. The evil master, once again in his windy form, becomes angry at Spyro's defiance, however, a quick smile fills his face watching the purple dragon struggle to his feet.

"You could have just taken your medicine Spyro, and felt nothing as you died..." The Dark Master taunts from high in the sky. "...but now I think I will just have some fun with you first!"

Still unable to fly with his broken wings, the young father becomes target practice for the Dark Master's amusement. The purple dragon dodges multiple blasts of elemental attacks, each time narrowly escaping with his life. Spyro's landings become less and less graceful, being blown over by the blast that get more and more powerful, causing him extreme pain to his damaged wings as he tumbles. He can hear the laughter of his foe getting further away, and that is when the young father realizes what the Dark Master's is doing...moving him away. However, he is helpless to do much of anything but comply, as the evil master continues to pepper the ground with powerful attacks.

Suddenly, the powerful giant returns to his stone form, and falls to the ground next to Sparx. The impact causes a ripple-effect across the solid surface, creating a large crevasse between father and son. Spyro looks back across the large chasm at Sparx with pure fear, knowing there is no way he can make that far of a jump without gliding.

The Dark Master reaches down and grasps Sparx by the right horn, lifting him high for his father to see. The young dragon catches a quick glimpse of his father's terrified eyes, before the Dark Master's other hand covers his face. The stone giant releases his horn and places that arm back around the young dragon's mid-section, holding him securely to his chest.

"You belong to me now!" He whispers in his ear, and a cloud of dark mist begins to envelop Sparx' muzzle.

A stinging sensation fills his mouth and nose, as he tries to scream for help, reminding him of the sensation he felt only seconds ago, when his body was shut down by the crystals. Sparx closes his muzzle tight, and holds his breath.

"He's just like you Spyro..." The Dark Master taunts the pacing father, looking for a way to get back to his son. "...he doesn't know when to quit!"

The Dark Master smiles at Spyro's anger, and continues to enrage him further.

"I thought he would give in like Malefor..." He remarks with pure smugness, knowing Spyro can do nothing from where he is. "...considering he raised him!"

The purple dragon focuses his eyes back to his son's captor, and his blood begins to boil. However, his mind is made up to do something, when the Dark Master tightens his grip on Sparx. The yelp of pure pain from his son, drives a father to try the unthinkable.

The purple dragon turns his back and walks several paces away, then returns his gaze back to his enemy. In three strides, Spyro is at his full speed, approaching the large gap, and makes the desperate leap. His broken wings flap painfully behind, and he knows he cannot spread them out to glide. In less then a second, Spyro feels an incredible pain begin shooting through his heart realizing...he is not going to make this jump.

As Spyro drops deep into the canyon, his death from this fall is not what fills his soul with anguish. It is the thought of his son being lost to this evil monster's rule, that makes him wish gravity would work faster. He closes his eyes, and waits for the inevitable end of his life in a dark hole. The perfect place, he feels, for his final resting place.

A sudden impact to his chest startles his heart, feeling the end has come, but he is completely shocked to realize it was not as painful as he thought it would be. Spyro opens his eyes again, and they fill with a glow of pure light. A swirl of energy in the form of an arm is holding him around his chest, and a voice, that is comforting the moment he hears it, fills his ears.

"GOTCHA!" The Guardian of the Universe barks, as he holds Spyro twenty feet from the ground.

From above, the Dark Master laughs as Spyro drops to his doom, and feels a complete confidence in his victory.

However, a bright flash of light from below, and the sudden grip upon his arm, lets the Dark Master know this fight is not over.

"Hello Brother!" A very familiar voice remarks from his left, and the Dark Master's eyes open with shock, focusing his attention upon the swirling energy hand that has grabbed his arm.

The Stone giant turns his head slowly, and is surprised by the sight of his brother, the Guardian of the Universe, holding Spyro across his shoulder.

"I think you dropped this..." He says with a slight bit of sarcasm, then pulls the Dark Master's hand easily from Sparx' muzzle.

With one quick move, the energy giant then twists his body, slamming his stone brother in the back with a powerful spin kick. The Dark Master breaks at the point of impact, crumbling to the ground in a pile.

"You dropped this too!" He remarks with more sarcasm, picking the younger dragon up from the heap of broken stone.

The Guardian walks over to Malefor, still lying semi-conscious from the overwhelming drop of his magic power, and places both Spyro and Sparx down next to him.

"Gaven will have the portal open soon, and all three of you must leave at that moment..." He remarks to the Skylander General, then turns his attention to the pile of stone. "...I will take care of my Brother!"

Spyro looks at him with a vast amount of confusion.

"YOUR WHAT!" He barks with shock. "But I thought Gaven was your brother!"

The Guardian turns to Spyro with a slight smirk on his bright face, hearing the genuine doubt in his words, but happy knowing everyone accepts Gaven as his sibling. However, that smirk goes away quick as Spyro's brow drops across the top of his eyes.

"He can't be your brother!" The Skylander General remarks with a slightly angered tone, not believing what he heard.

"He doesn't see the family resemblance..." The Dark Master retorts with sarcasm, as his body once again pieces itself back together. "...and to think I was really going to take such a dumb dragon as my servant."

The Dark Master reassembles his entire frame, then once again changes his form. Like his brother, The Dark Master's body begins to swirl with energy in a pure form, but unlike his brother, the spectrum of color is dark and flowing turbulently.

"Well Thomas..." The Dark Master says nonchalantly, striding up to his brother without a care in the world. "...what brings you to my humble home...are you going to try to stop me again!"

His hawk-like eyes focus down upon the three lame dragons before them.

"I know you are not here to protect these puny things..." He says to his brother, staring into Spyro's purple eyes, but then snaps his attention to the Guardian. "...so why are you here?"

Thomas looks into his brother's stern eyes, and can see he genuinely wants an answer, but he does not say a word feeling extremely guilty.

The Dark Master, knowing him his entire life, can see the anguish in his brother's eyes, and forces an answer to his question by digging deeper.

"You wouldn't dirty your hands two thousand years ago, when I laid siege to Avalar, so what has changed?" He asks with anger.

Thomas lowers his head with the regret of his past, and the knowledge that he could have avoided this many years ago, just by disputing his brother's claim on the Dragon Realms.

A deal he made long ago with his power greedy brother, not to fight. A deal that kept him from hurting the only family he has, and a deal that cost the lives of many inhabitants of Avalar, be they dragon, mole, or cheetah.

It is a deal he has made too many times in their long past, and one he no longer wishes to make.

Thomas' eyes lock on Spyro's, and he can see the true confusion and anguish inside the purple dragon, the Guardian's heart begins to pound in his chest.

"I will not let this happen again!" He says to himself, building up rage, then turns his angered eyes upon his brother.

"I have changed...Gerald!"

The1upguy · Apr 24, 2013 3:58 PM

Chapter 19 Two Brothers One Decision

Inside the under ground portal station, Gaven paces back and forth with a troubled look upon his face. The monitors at his work station show the incredible surge of energy being produced from the distant red planet. However, with a powerful shield around this rock produced by the Dark Master, Gaven is still blind to the true nature of what is going on.

"Why is he doing this now!" Gaven remarks to himself. A deep feeling of regret filling his eyes, knowing this was a decision his brother would have to face one day, but also hoping that day would not be today.

He turns his head from the display of his control panel, to the four dragons in the Main room with him.

Volteer, still charging the portal platform with his magic, fills Gaven's heart with hope that may be able to intervene. Even if it is only for a moment to gaze upon his brother's pure energy one last time.

Cyril and Terridor are standing to his left, staring speechless at their former friend, now colored blue, and wondering how he is here. The three Guardian dragons had no clue about Ignitus' promotion, and it is not habit for the Chronicler to just introduce himself to all, so the former Fire Guardian has the same awkward look on his features.

However, Ignitus' focus is still on his ancient friend, the one whom he has known for several lifetimes, and the one that has just told him he was going to do something he MUST. The Guardian of Time becomes immersed in his thoughts, to the point he forgets what is in his paw. Ignitus still holding a small book tightly in his grasp, looks at the old master, and can feel his anguish.

"I don't know what he plans to do Gaven..." The old dragon remarks with his eyes locked firmly on the Portal Master. "...he was very serious, and I could see the concern on his face."

Gaven lowers his head, but suddenly the book takes the focus of the Portal Master. It's binding has stopped pulsing with dark energy, and slowly returns to its normal color.

"Would you look at that!" Gaven remarks, knowing exactly what happened already, and pointing at it with a smile.

The Chronicler looks at his friend a bit puzzled, then down at his paw. Shock fill his eyes as he looks down at the book in his left paw and it is once again showing its true color, that of his mother and father combined.

"What is going on!" The Chronicler quips, now opening to the back pages of the magical book. His eyes fill with the scene of three dragons being kept from a terrible fate, but their future is still unsure.

"I knew he wouldn't let this happen again..." Gaven says softly, then looks at the ground with a great feeling of loss. "Thomas is going to kill his brother, Ignitus. He is going to right a wrong that has bothered him for thousands of years."

"HIS BROTHER!" The Chronicler yelps, his eyes opening wide with shock.

The old dragon of time has known the Portal Master and Thomas for centuries, also that they were not really brothers. However, they were just as inseparable as Spyro and a little dragonfly that he proudly called his own blood. He also knew that The Guardian of the Universe and the Dark Master were from the same race...a powerful race of energy creatures, scattered throughout the galaxies long ago after a devastating Civil War. But this new revelation hits the Chronicler hard, for he also knows that Thomas had told him of his very dark past, and a battle that ruined their lives. A fight that he started against his younger brother.

"By the Ancestors..." Ignitus remarks, looking down at the last pages of Sparx' book, and seeing the tremendous amount of energy the young dragon is feeling this very moment.

"...he is going to kill himself!"

"I know..." Gaven remarks with a deep depression, then looks back at his old dragon friend. "...and if we don't open that portal soon...Spyro, Sparx, and even Malefor will die along with him."

Again the Chronicler's eyes open wide with great fear, he turns his head to the yellow and blue dragon that he has called friend for decades.

"Volteer, you must hurry!" Ignitus yelps, and the Electric Guardian can hear the anxiety in his voice.

With no regard for his body, Volteer pumps up the power once more, and covers a vast range of different amperage to find the perfect harmonic balance with the energy shield. A small flicker of energy sputters before the four dragons and the Portal Master, but then quickly fades away.

The master of electricity sees this, and the precise power at which it happened. A smug grin crosses his muzzle, and he pulls up every last bit of power he can muster, focusing it at the same wavelength he felt before. Quickly the portal comes to life, and holds stable with Volteer's charge.

All five stare at the hole in space and see nothing, just several flashes that fill the Main Room with a blinding light .

"Where are they?" Gaven remarks to Ignitus, not able to see any of the three purple dragons or the Dark Master and his brother. The old giant elf-like man walks over to the flashing oval of energy, and his eyes open wide with surprise.

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Standing upon the ground by his son and an earlier predecessor of his line, Spyro, stares at the two giants of pure energy. As the only one with strength left in his body, the purple dragon keeps himself between his injured son and the posturing twins.

His indigo eyes fill with the pure power of both energy creatures, and a deep fear fills his heart overhearing a conversation that he did not expect.

"Why not join me this time brother..." The Dark Master remarks to the Guardian, his eyes look over at Spyro as he continues his plea. "...I will not take another worthless soul as long as we live...for WE will not have too."

"I cannot betray my friends like that, Gerald..." The Guardian of pure light replies, his eyes showing great indifference. "...but I can no longer ignore my brother."

The Dark Master smiles, hearing the indecision in his words. He lays his hand upon his brother's shoulder, and returns his narrow pupils to his kin.

"...You and I could rule this galaxy with a gentle hand..." He says with confidence that his brother will finally stop fighting and join with him. "...but a powerful one as well!"

Thomas can hear the anger in his brother's voice, and knows that there is nothing gentle about his past, he looks up at Gerald with rage, but holds his tongue not to express that anger

"You have never been one to show a gentle side, brother..." The Guardian remarks and looks at Spyro once more. "...and these poor dragons have been forced to suffer for my unwillingness to stop you..."

With deep regret, Thomas stares his brother Gerald in the eye.

"...perhaps together I can control some of this rage you carry."

The Guardian once again lowers his head in defeat, and continues with great sorrow in is voice.

"I will join with you, brother."

Spyro's eyes open wide, hearing the Guardian's words, and a deep depression sinks into his heart. The purple dragon cannot believe what he has heard, and becomes even more worried as the Dark Master walks up to the Guardian with no fear in his step.

The Dark Energy Giant places his hand upon his brother's shoulder, and a wide smile crosses his face.

"No one would be able to stop us, Thomas..." He remarks with great pride in his siblings choice. "...not even the Skylanders and that 'so-called' brother of yours!"

Thomas closes his eyes with anger, so not to show the Dark Master the rage building inside him is overwhelming. He keeps it bottled up for the moment.

Suddenly, the sound he was waiting for chimes in his ears, and his heart. The sound he has been hoping would come, for he was getting tired of bluffing. It is the sound that allows him to release his plan and his frustration.

It is the sound of a portal opening.

A smile fills his face before he opens his eyes, and the Dark Master can feel his brother's emotions flip.

"My so-called brother has found you a way home Spyro..." The Guardian remarks as his eyes open wide. With great rage, Thomas' narrow-pupils focus upon his evil brother, and he thrusts his right hand into the Dark Master's unsuspecting face. The evil giant is rocked by the impact and falls flat on his butt with total surprise.

The Guardian of the Universe turns his head towards the purple dragon with a stern look.

"...I would suggest that you leave right now!"

Without another word, Thomas leaps at his brother, still sitting on his duff, thrusting his knee forward at the last moment. The powerful strike connects with great force, sending the Dark Master skidding on his backside.

The younger brother slams into a small pillar of rock that jutted up from the earlier earthquake he created, glaring back at his sibling, holding his jaw in pain.

"So you chose to fight me..." The Dark Master remarks with anger. "...it will not make a difference, brother...I will not be denied my destiny!"

The Dark Master rises to his feet, bolting towards his kin with aggression. His fist cocked back ready to fire, and his eyes locked upon the Guardian's jaw.

"I'm sorry to say..." Thomas remarks nonchalantly, as he easily catches his brother's punch in his left hand. "...you destiny will end here, my brother!"

The Guardian wraps his right hand around The Dark Master's neck and squeezes tightly. Gasps of air come from the evil giant feeling the full force of his older brother's rage, and the anger he has carried for generations.

"You have destroyed everything that we Azerians believed in..." Thomas says with great regret, remembering a race of powerful but humble beings that once ruled with kindness. "...and now that we are all that is left..."

His eyes fill with tears, still seeing his brother and one time best friend in the narrow pupils of the Dark Master.

"...I'm sorry that I must be the one that ends our pain and disgrace!"

Suddenly the Guardian returns his focus back to Spyro, and anger fills his eyes.

"Why are you still here!" He barks with such rage that Spyro jumps a few inches off the ground. The purple dragon's eyes have wandered about looking for the way home as he said, but not a portal is in sight.

"Where is it?" Spyro shouts with pure anxiety, not wanting to annoy someone who is manhandling the Dark Master like this.

Thomas himself becomes fluxed for a moment, he also cannot see the portal, but he knows he heard it open. For a brief moment the Guardian feels he made a strategic mistake, and is now going to kill the three innocent dragons he was trying to protect. However, a glimmer high in the air catches his eye, and Thomas smiles at the purple dragon, not realizing Spyro's handicap.

"Look up!" The Guardian replies, but then is forced to refocus his attention to his brother. The energy giant can feel the power of the Dark Master rise slightly and will not give him a chance to break free.

The purple dragon watches in shock as The Guardian begins to pulse with a great energy, and slowly starts to envelop his counter part.

"GO NOW!" Barks a distorted voice that shoots down Spyro's back, and quickly he snaps out of his trance of awe.

The purple dragon looks up into the dark sky as instructed, and his heart sinks into his stomach. The portal is open, but it is nearly a hundred feet off the ground, or the same depth as the crater his son created.

"What am I gonna do!" He says to himself, looking at Sparx and Malefor laying wasted upon the ground. "I can't get myself up there...let alone an extra five tons!"

Spyro turns back to the Guardian, but can see he is not going to get help from him any longer. The energy giant has completely covered his brother, and is continuing to increase his power.

The purple hero knows now what Thomas' plan is, and quickly becomes worried. He can tell nothing, not even the planet, will survive the tremendous amount of power the Guardian is building up.

In a split-second Spyro reviews his choices

One: "Stay here and die" but that thought is quickly dismissed.

Two, and the one he thinks about the most: "Give your energy to Sparx, and let him save himself!" A thought he mulls over deeply, and one he knows will not be successful. He knows that as much as he yells at his son to leave he and Malefor behind, the stubborn dragon will probably die trying to rescue his fathers, and impossible task for a dragon his size.

Thought three hits the young father at the last moment, and he quickly grabs Malefor by his chest and neck, holding him muzzle to muzzle.

"You have to get us out of here now!" Spyro barks at the semi-conscious dragon, and his faded purple eyes fill with regret.

"How can I do that..." His voice struggling and broken. "..I barely have the strength to breath."

Suddenly, a jolt of energy hits Malefor in the chest, right where Spyro's paw is placed, and his eyes open with the transfer of power.

"I hope you don't mind me...giving back your gift..." The purple dragon's voice trails off as he passes out, and Malefor grasps Spyro's body as it falls over limply.

Malefor stands up on his hind paws, tossing Spyro over his shoulder, between his wings, then gently picks up Sparx with his front paws. He spreads out his large wings, and turns towards the two energy creatures overloading with great power.

"I'm sorry Malefor..." comes a voice from the carnage. "...I should have never let it go this long!"

The large dragon shows confusion at this apology, but does not stick around to wonder about it. With a strong leap from his hind legs, and a vicious thrust of his wings, Malefor is off the ground and heading straight up to the portal. As he gets closer, his eyes focus upon Gaven and Ignitus standing on the other side of the swirling energy oval, and a strange calmness begins to fill his heart. He is no longer afraid to go back, in fact he cannot wait to be thrown in the brig, as long as it is no where near this explosion that is going to happen in a matter of seconds.

Suddenly, a pulse of energy fills the sky with light, and his heart begins to pound faster, this blinding flash lets Malefor know time has run out.

With a powerful shock-wave approaching, the massive dragon points himself at the portal, snaps his wings back hard, and barrel-rolls his body to produce more speed. The leading edge of the wave beings to singe his rear paws with excessive heat, as Malefor's muzzle hits the portal. The purple dragon and his cargo pass through the spacial rift, and back into the Main Room.

Gaven can see the devastation of his station will be coming only a second later, with the powerful blast-wave trailing only a few feet behind.

He turns to run to the desk so he can shut down the portal when Malefor enters, however, he can tell by years of experience, he will not make it before the shock-wave hits,

Suddenly, and with complete shock to the old Portal Master, the energy disk disappears the instant Malefor's tail is clear.

"What the hell happened?!" Gaven asks with great surprise, as the station only shutters from a slight influx of power.

"Time happened!" Ignitus retorts smugly, his amulet glowing with the residual energy of a time-warp.

The blue dragon is now standing beside the Portal Master along with Volteer, the only reason the portal was able to remain open, and a smile crosses his features. The Chronicler looks at his yellow and blue scaled friend, and rests his paw upon the electric dragon's flank.

"I thought it a good idea to pull the plug."

The Portal Master of the Skylanders gives a gentle nod of his head, and slightly smiles himself, knowing they will be safe because of the Chronicler's quick thinking. However, only a moment later, his smile disappears, and his eyes focus upon the spot where the portal once stood. An uncomfortable silence fills the room as the dust settles, and Gaven takes this moment to reflect.

"Good Bye Thomas...I will miss you..." He remarks with a great sadness, feeling his loss already, but suddenly an overwhelming sensation fills his heart. A feeling of inner joy flows through the old master, and his smile returns once more.

"...I hope you will finally find peace, my friend...MY BROTHER!"

He lowers his head down staring at the three dragons, all of which are still alive, and cannot help but feel better about his brother's sacrifice, and believing he was completely successful.

Spyro, still lying upon Malefor's back, opens his eyes slowly, and can see his good friend standing before him. The young General can see the genuine pain in Gaven's face, through the smile he is showing, and immediately becomes upset. He struggles to get to his feet, falling from Malefor's back, and lands face first on the steel floor of the Main Room.

Gaven bends down to a knee to help his General up, and is startled as Spyro is quick to wrap his arms around him. The old master can feel the remaining strength Spyro has to offer, as the purple dragon embraces him as hard as he can.

"I'm so sorry, Gaven..." The young dragon remarks with his emotions running high. He knows the exact pain that his friend is feeling, and is overwhelmed with guilt. Spyro lowers his head against Gaven's chest, reeling from his own personal pain, and how he couldn't help his own brother. "...I was there...and I still could do nothing to help him...what kind of hero am I."

"This was not your fault, friend..." Gaven replies, as he returns the embrace his friend was desperately needing. "...I have known Thomas' fate for centuries, but just did not want to accept it."

The Portal Master lowers his hand to Spyro's jaw, and raises his chin up. The purple dragon can see the smile on his superior's face, and is taken by the fact he is showing so much emotion.

"He chose this, Spyro..." Gaven remarks with pride. "...do not disgrace him by second guessing his choice!"

"I just couldn't save him..." Spyro remarks, but only with the thought of his brother fresh in his mind, and Gaven becomes slightly confused at the purple dragon's emotions. "...I failed again!"

However, one dragon becomes angry with Spyro quickly. He knows these emotions are from his own past, and quickly feels the resolve he has for his lost dragonfly friend..

"He made his choice too, Spyro..." Volteer retorts, startling the purple dragon's attention to him. "...He chose to do that because it was what his brother would have done...so don't you dare, disrespect, or dishonor, or shame your brother any longer by thinking he's dead, because of YOUR failure."

Volteer walks over to Spyro, still held in Gaven's large arms, and stares down at him with the stern look he would get from Ignitus...or his father.

"They both gave their lives for what they believed, and that is how anyone would wish to meet their fate..." Volteer lowers his head to the ground, and continues so somberly, that he doesn't stammer with an over usage of words. "...to put the lives of others before their own, and selfishly prove it with the ultimate sacrifice."

Volteer glances over at Malefor, now slowly rising to his feet, uncovering the young whelpling that bares his friend's name. His smile slowly returns as he gets a good look at Spyro's son for the first time.

"That is not failure my friend..." Volteer remarks, looking back at the young father, his joyful emotions showing through the tears in his eyes. "...it is success, and their names will be remembered."

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Would love to hear what you all think so far, so send me a message, and let me know

The1upguy · Apr 30, 2013 6:11 PM

Chapter 20: A Smack in the Face

In a deep slumber, Cynder wrestles with thoughts and images in her head that she cannot understand. Until suddenly, a sound fills her ears, and she quickly realizes that she is sleeping. A calmness fills her heart, and the black dragoness stops shuttering with fear from her imagination.

Like a cat's purr, but as loud as a chainsaw, Cynder knows the sound of her husband's snore. It is a noise most dragons make while they sleep, and a sound that Cynder has missed for two long years.

Her sparkling green eyes open with the light of the sun coming through the hole in the roof, and a smile fills her face knowing she is home. Cynder nestles her muzzle into her favorite pillow, and takes a deep breath, however, is shocked not to smell her own scent, in fact she smells nothing. A thought that bothers her for a second, but then is quickly dismissed by the feel of a paw resting upon her side.

Her eyes focus upon the purple arm, draped across her body, and she quickly grasps onto it pulling it to her chest.

"Thank the ancestors..." She says out loud with great relief. "...it was just a nightmare!"

The young dragoness holds the paw of her husband tightly, waiting for him to grab her too, however, Spyro's arm never flexes.

Cynder begins to turn her body over towards her husband, when she is startled by a voice from the living room.

"MOM!"

She knows that voice, and her eyes open wide. They fill with the site she was not expecting. Her son, but he is only a couple of years old.

Cynder begins rising to her feet, when a second voice holds her still with fear.

"Is she awake?" Remarks Malefor, as his silhouette now fills the doorway beside her young child. His eyes show great concern, as if he is worried for her life.

"Cynder, are you OK!" He asks, and the black dragoness' eyes fill with tears, not understanding what is going on.

The large purple dragon, picks up the small whelpling in his arms, and holds him close to his heart.

"Let's let Mommy sleep...Malefor..." The large dragon remarks to his son, then looks back down at the resting black dragon with a deep fear in his eyes. "...she has had a very bad experience, and we need to let her rest."

Cynder can hear the fear in his words and can see the pain in his eyes. He genuinely feels a deep concern for her.

"I will be just outside if you need me, my love!" The large dragon remarks with great emotion, and Cynder cannot believe what she is hearing. She is frozen solid, not able to move a muscle, and can feel her anxiety return. Malefor lowers his head, with the pain of a husband's fear, and walks away with his young son in hand.

"This is impossible..." She says, her heart pounding with a great fear. "...I love Spyro, not him!"

Suddenly she remembers, and looks down at the arm grasped against her chest. Tears fill her green eyes as Cynder uncovers the appendage draped across her body.

It is no longer a vibrant purple or warm with the blood of his pulse. The arm is cold, gray, and hard as stone.

She quickly turns over, and her heart stops, as Cynder's eyes fill with a terrible sight. Spyro, lying beside her, frozen solid like a statue.

She reaches her paw out, touching him gently upon his muzzle and suddenly a small crack develops where her talon comes in contact with him.

"NO!" She yelps, as the crack begins to expand fast, covering his entire body. The black dragoness becomes consumed with raw emotion, watching the only dragon she has ever cared for break apart.

"NOOOOO!" Cynder cries louder, and quickly wraps her arms around him, but Spyro crumbles in her grasp. His brittle body changes to dust before her tear-filled eyes, and blows out of her life forever through the gap in the ceiling.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" She screams as the top of her lungs, popping up from her stomach quickly, and feeling a sharp pain in her right wing.

Her eyes focus, but she is more shocked than ever, as her vision is not of her home, but that of the hospital room where she has spent the last few days.

Cynder's ears ring with the sound of alarms going off, as her blood pressure skyrockets, and she turns her head to the left. And even though her pulse doesn't show it, Cynder quickly calms down from the experience of a terrible dream. However, another sound rings in her soul, and her eyes open wide with a great feeling of joy.

"Cynder..." Spyro remarks weakly from behind her. "...are you OK?"

The black dragoness, not caring about the pain in her wing, swings her body around to see her husband.

"Spyro..." She says gleefully, overcome with the sound of his voice. However, her happiness fades fast as she notices his injuries.

"...What happened?"

Spyro lowers his head, lying in a bed next to hers. His wings held out to the left and right, heavily bandaged like Cynder's.

"I don't really remember..." The purple dragon remarks with grogginess in his voice. Spyro looks up at his wings, and Cynder can see confusion fill his eyes. The purple dragon pause for a moment, then looks back over at his wife.

"Cynder!" He says with surprise. "When did you get here?"

The black dragoness gives him a slight smile, then lowers her head with disappointment. She can see how medicated her husband is, and Cynder cannot help but become a bit angry. She can feel the anxiety of her last moment with Spyro returning, and the secret she is keeping from him.

"How can I tell him now..." Cynder remarks to herself, staring at her husband eyes, and knowing he will not understand a thing she says...

Suddenly the black dragon gets a very weird idea.

"Maybe I could tell him now..." She says to herself seeing a good opportunity to practice this speech. "...he won't remember a thing anyway."

Cynder looks back up to him and can see the smile on his muzzle, but that smile is not making her feel any better. She's sure it will come off his face the moment she mentions his name.

"By the way, Cynder..." Spyro quips, his voice distorted with the intoxicating value of the pain-killers coursing through his veins, loosely saying whatever is on his mind at that moment. Spyro tries to stare his wife in the eye, but she keeps moving around on him. He closes his eyes tightly, not to get nauseous, and finishes his thought with a smile across his muzzle.

"...Malefor wanted to say hello, but I think Gaven threw him in the brig."

Cynder's eyes open wide, and her jaw drops to the ground. She is flabbergasted by his words, but even more so as Spyro lays his head back down on the bed and begins to laugh.

"WHAT?" She yelps with complete shock, suddenly feeling like she is dreaming again, believing that she will wake up any second, and find herself in a worse situation.

Cynder smacks herself across the face, and quickly feels the pain. Then looks back to her husband with shock. She does not get the reaction she was expecting.

"You slapped your face, Cynder..." He remarks, now uncontrollably laughing, and the alarm on his bedside monitor begins to sound. The purple dragon is practically delirious, with tears pouring from his eyes, as he looks upon his wife. "...why would you do that silly!"

Cynder can only feel depression, seeing her husband is in his right mind. She lowers her head back down to the bed, and closes her eyes. Tears begin to soak the pillow under her muzzle as the sound of her husbands laughter burns in her heart.

"Why is Malefor here?" She says to herself, rubbing the cheek she just smack, her eyes focused back to Spyro. "Why is he laughing about this?"

These thoughts consume the young dragoness, until the sound of the door opening gets her attention.

"Cynder..." Dr. Stanley remarks, as he enters into the room. "...is everything alright in here?"

The black dragon picks her head up, and turns her attention to the man walking up to her. The light in the room, reflects the moisture built up in her eyes, and Dr. Stanley can tell already she is quite upset.

He glances over at Spyro, and is shocked to see he is awake.

"Spyro!" The doctor remarks with a bit of anger in his voice. "Go back to sleep right now, or I will give you another shot!"

The purple dragon's eyes quickly hold focus for more than a second, and his laughter stops abruptly. He remembers the pain of the last injection, and the deep fear he has of needles. Spyro lowers his head back down, and closes his eyes. Heavily medicated, the young hero is snoring again in seconds.

"What happened?" Dr Stanley remarks, placing his hand upon Cynder's muzzle to calm her.

"He knows about Malefor..." Cynder replies staring at Spyro, and wondering what else happened while she was out. She turns her head to the white-robed man. "...I should ask you that question, Jaxon."

Dr Stanley lowers his head with full knowledge of who is in the portal station, and how unhappy his patient will become if he confirms it.

"A lot has happened today, Cynder..." The doctor replies with indifference. "...somethings good..."

Dr. Stanley removes his hand from Cynder's head, and grasps a remote from the table to their left.

"...somethings bad!"

With the click of a button, the video screen in the room comes to life with a disturbing picture.

"NO!" Cynder remarks with anger, seeing Sparx lying in a hospital bed, no longer thinking about Malefor.

"He's alright, Cynder!" Dr. Stanley says replacing his hand upon her shoulder, holding Cynder from getting up. The doctor lowers down face to face with the concerned mother. "I swear to you...Sparx is fine, he is just exhausted from a terrible fight."

"A FIGHT!" She screams, and Spyro's snoring stops once more. His eyes open again looking around the room with total confusion.

"When do we get to open the presents Mom!" He remarks with a child-like quality in his voice, then quickly passes out again.

Dr. Stanley chuckles for a second at the zonked dragon, then focuses his attention back to Cynder. With a large smile on his face, he unhooks her injured wing from the restraint.

The black dragoness, trembles for a moment, seeing the doctor grab her broken wing. However, she can feel the gentleness in his movements, and relaxes her body with confidence in his ability.

"I think it's about time we moved you from intensive care, my dear." He says, slowly folding her wing down with great care not to hurt her. "You apparently have most of your strength back, and I think Spyro could use the 'peace and quiet' this time."

He gently braces Cynder's wing against her flank, and releases the brake on the wheels of her bed. Dr. Stanley disconnects the monitors from Cynder's arm, and places his hand on her paw.

"Besides, I think you will be just as happy with your new roommate." He remarks with a smile, and Cynder's attitude changes in an instant, knowing exactly who he means.

The doctor pulls on the handles of the bed dislodging it from the spot Cynder has spent the last four days, staring at the same walls. A deep feeling of joy fills her heart just to see the scenery move, but her eyes turn to Spyro and she feels a little of that happiness inside of her leave, as she's moved away from her love.

The doctor stops for a moment when Cynder gives a slight whimper in her breath, allowing the smitten dragoness to watch her husband sleep for a few more moments. Her smile returns seeing the joyful look on his slumbering face.

"He seems happy, Jaxon.." Cynder says, and turns to look into the blue eyes of a good family friend, her voice filled with a deep want. "...what did I miss?"

"I think it better to let Sparx explain it to you." Dr. Stanley says, as his smile gets wider. "That young dragon is very proud of his dad, and I'm sure he would love to be the one to tell his mother all about it."

The black dragoness' eyes begin filling with tears again, but this time tears of joy. She can hardly lay still, as Dr. Stanley pushes her through the door, and down the hallway to her son's room.

In a smaller room down the hall, Sparx lays curled up on his stomach in the large bed, contently waiting for a guest he knows is coming. His heart begins to race, as the door of his room opens, but his eyes show shock as Cynder is rolled in.

"MOM..." He barks with a bit of worry in his voice, not expecting to see her. "...What are doing here?"

Cynder can see the surprise on his face, however, she quickly becomes upset when Sparx does not smile. He is almost unhappy to see her.

"Why...do you want me to go somewhere else" She remarks, and he snaps out of his moment of anxiety when he hears the anger in her voice.

"NO!" He retorts, looking at Cynder with a deep feeling of regret for saying that. "Of course I would love for you to be here with me, but..."

The young whelpling turns his eyes away, and he pauses for a way to tell her who is coming.

"BUT WHAT!" Cynder, remarks getting angrier, and Dr. Stanley, still rolling her into position beside Sparx, becomes concerned.

"He's not coming now...is he?" The doctor asks Sparx, and Cynder snaps her eyes up to her friend.

"IS WHO COMING?" The black dragoness barks, believing she already knows who. Her anger-filled eyes return to her son, whom cannot look at her.

Suddenly the door opens again, and Sonic the Hedgehog walks in to the small room. His eyes open wide seeing Cynder in the room, and his focus turns to Dr. Stanley.

"You couldn't wait could you!" The blue hedgehog barks with anger staring at the old doctor. "Spyro told you not to rush this meeting, but you had different ideas."

"She needs to know, Sonic!" Dr. Stanley retorts, then folds his arm across his chest, staring at the blue hedgehog.

The blue Hedgehog rolls up to the tall doctor, staring up at him with a deep anger.

"You are not a psychiatrist, you're a surgeon..." Sonic looks over to Spyro's son, and his eyes fill with regret. "...I don't know if he should come in here now, Sparx!"

"If you talking about Malefor..." Cynder cuts in, then looks at the faces of everyone, as their attention is drawn to her. "...I know he's here...my husband told me..."

Her eyes then lock on her son's

"...but why is he coming to visit you?"

Sparx lowers his head, seeing the rage behind her glare, remembering that same look in her eyes from the day she left Malefor's Lair with a death-defying jump.

"Because your stubborn husband thinks your son can learn something from this dragon..." Gaven answers from the door, as he enters the crowding room. He gestures his hand out the door, and returns his focus to both injured dragons. "...I don't understand his reasoning sometimes, but Spyro is not stupid, and I may actually have to agree with him for once."

"Wait a minute!" Cynder remarks with shock staring into the Portal Master's eyes. "Spyro WANTS that son of a *bleep* to be near my son?"

"MOM!" Sparx yelps pulling her attention to him, and she is startled at the anger in his eyes. "He is nothing like you made him out to be, and I wanted to see him...that is why he is coming to visit."

Malefor slowly walks into the room with his head down in shame, hearing Cynder's disapproval from down the hall, and the argument between mother and child regarding him. The large vibrant purple and gold dragon, turns his head towards the black dragoness, then quickly turns away seeing so much hatred filling such beautiful eyes.

"Please, forgive what I have done Cynder..." He remarks with his head down, then forces himself to look at her. "...I never wanted this, but I was given little choice."

Cynder looks into his eye, and once again is startled to see her husband looking back. She has known him only as the Dark Master, and while in such turmoil being imprisoned in a hell-like atmosphere, she never even thought to gave him benefit of the doubt. However, still hearing the pain in his voice, and now seeing the resolve in Sparx' eyes for him, Cynder finally decides to lower her guard, and let him in.

"Please...everyone leave!" The black dragoness remarks, and her son sinks further into his bed with depression.

"Everyone, but you Malefor" She adds, and Gaven looks at Cynder with a defiant stare.

"Out of the question...I cannot leave a prisoner alone..." He beings saying, but Cynder is quick to finish his thought.

"...Unless a Skylander is present with a rank of Lieutenant or higher!"

Her green eye's blink sharply, then focus upon the Portal Master.

"Am I not still a Commander, Master Gaven!" She remarks with a stern tone.

The Portal Master lowers his head and gives a slight chuckle.

"Dr. Stanley...Sonic...lets go!" He says, then looks back up at his Commander, still lying in her hospital bed.

"I will be watching Cynder..." Gaven barks, pointing at the window behind him. "...and if I don't like what I see, you will not be happy with the rank I'll drop you down too."

Cynder nods her head, then her eyes return to Malefor, burning a hole into his soul with her stare.

Gaven turns to follow the doctor and the only Skylander left in the station the can walk a straight line, out the door. He stops beside the large purple dragon and places his hand upon Malefor's flank.

"Tell her everything you told me..." He remarks, and looks back at Cynder with a smile. "...she will understand that dragon she knew is long dead..."

His eyes return to Malefor, and his words of confidence overwhelm him.

"...and now...only this proud purple dragon remains."

The Portal Master looks back at Cynder, and can see the change in her attitude from his speech. He walks from the room, with a good feeling inside, however, he is quick to reappear in the large picture window to keep vigil.

Malefor feels the fear of being in an uncomfortable situation immediately, and cannot help but to remain silent. His eyes never look up at the black dragoness that he has caused so much pain, but he can hear Cynder beginning to breathe heavily with anger.

Suddenly the sound of talons striking the steel floor force his eyes up slightly, and more fear fills his heart as Cynder painfully gets down from her bed.

Sparx also watches with anxiety, knowing he cannot move from his bed, seeing his mother approach Malefor with rage in her eyes.

"Don't do it Mom!" Sparx cries, but she pays no attention to her son. Cynder is focused on one thing, Malefor's eyes, as they finally look up and lock on hers.

Cynder stops in front of the large purple dragon, and stares out the window at her superior officer. His eyes showing the discomfort of her first actions. She then returns her intoxicating green eyes to Malefor.

Not a word is spoken, and the silence in the room begins to make Sparx nauseous. He watches with concern as his mother stands muzzle to muzzle with his foster-father, not fully knowing what he means to him.

Suddenly Gaven and Sparx hold their breath as Cynder raises her right paw to strike, but Malefor just closes his eyes and positions his face for her to hit him. The large dragon waits with anticipation for the young dragon's anger, and does nothing to prevent it, hoping it will allow Cynder to let out some of her rage. However, he is surprised as seconds tick by, and he feels no impact.

His suspense turns to shock when his neck is grabbed tightly, and his head yanked down. Malefor opens his eyes to see Cynder's back and bandaged wing, and is startled feeling her chest against his in a warm embrace.

"I never thanked you, for rescuing my son and I, Malefor..." She whispers in his ear, then pulls his head back to look in his eyes. "...and I am the one who is ashamed, I never believed you, even when I knew you we not the same dragon."

Cynder looks over at Sparx, then back to Malefor and lowers her voice to a softer whisper.

"I could never forgive you for what you made me do, and how it is ruining my life to this day..." She remarks with a deep pain that Malefor understands right away. "...I can't look my husband in the eyes without feeling the pain you caused, and knowing how I am the one..."

Cynder pauses, looks at her son again, then tries to contain her emotions.

"You can't understand how this feels Malefor!" Cynder begins to cry from her memories of a life long ago, but one she cannot forget. Her voice becomes so soft that the large dragon before her can barely hear it.

"I killed them..."

Malefor finally returns her embrace, and lowers his muzzle against the black dragoness' neck.

"I'm so sorry, Cynder...if I would have known how our lives were to play out..." Malefor raises his head with tears flowing from his eyes. He looks down at the young dragon before him, and flashes to a moment in her life he regrets. "...I would have never sent you there."

Malefor releases his hug, and turns around quickly with a great pain in his chest.

"It was wrong for me to return...I will leave you and your family alone..." He remarks with a somber tone, then strides towards the door. "...I have done enough damage already."

"No!" The young whelpling barks from his bed, and Malefor halts his exit. The large dragon looks down at the son of Spyro and Cynder, and a smile crosses his face knowing his former child will be safe in such caring arms.

"I must go Sparx...I do not belong here with you." He says holding back his emotions, trying not to show the young dragon his pain. "I want you to know how much it meant to feel respect, once more..."

He turns his eyes to Sparx and can no longer hold back his tears, seeing them flow from the distraught dragon. However, Malefor smirks, and quickly makes light of another dark moment in his life.

"...even if that respect was from such a tiny little whelpling."

Sparx forces a smile across his muzzle, recalling how annoyed he would get at his adoptive father for calling him small, but then is overcome with his emotions, watching Malefor walk out of his life forever.

"WAIT!" Cynder yelps, as the door opens to the room, and once again Malefor halts his exit.

The purple dragon turns his head back to the dark dragoness, whom has her head down in painful thought. Cynder mulls over Gaven's words before, that Sparx can learn from him, and becomes a bit defensive.

"What can you teach my son, that my husband can't." Her eyes focus up, back into Malefor's, and he turns completely around to give her his full attention. "Why would Gaven say, my husband, thinks you can help his son."

Malefor closes his eyes, and takes a deep breath. He knows this is his last chance to talk to Cynder, and he uses his most humble voice to answer.

"I cannot teach him anything about life, that is Spyro's job, and I wouldn't dare try. He must learn how to become a man from his father" The large dragon says, looking over at the concerned youngster. "However, he had a great influence from the beginning, and I never had to teach your son right from wrong, learning that lesson well from his mother."

Malefor returns his eyes to a grateful smirk upon Cynder's face, his true personality finally getting through to the black dragoness.

"I can do nothing more than teach him to use his remarkable abilities..." Malefor says with apprehension, remembering how angry Cynder was the first time he offered to train him. "...and I don't think that is what you what, so therefore...I have nothing for him."

Malefor once again turns around, and heads for the opened door.

"But you do!" Cynder exclaims, grabbing the purple dragon's tail, stopping him in his tracks. She walks along side Malefor, standing before him and the exit, and steps forward, moving the large dragon back. Cynder continues to plow him backward until he is in the center of the room.

"You have plenty to make up for..." She remarks, turning her head back up to peer into his startled eyes. "...and you will make good on what you owe me...what you owe Spyro"

Cynder lowers her head with a slight grin, hearing the deep sigh coming from Malefor, knowing that for once she controls him. The young mother looks over to her son, and can see his eyes are open wide, and his ears are pointed forward waiting with anticipation.

"Sparx...you had better get some rest if you are to train with this dragon..." She says, and a smile fills her face as her son's tail begins to wag uncontrollably. Cynder returns her eyes to Malefor and continues with a bit of sarcasm that makes the large purple dragon blush.

"...as I remember...his training regiment can be quite demanding!"

The1upguy · May 02, 2013 4:37 AM

Chapter 21: My Father...The Hero.

His eyes cannot control the tears that now pour down his muzzle, seeping into the pillow his tired head has rested on for a week. Sparx has not moved from his bed in the last week, and even Dr. Stanley has no idea why the young dragon has not recuperated.

But this is not why his tears are flowing, or why he is feeling pain at this moment. It is the sound of Cynder, speaking unthinkable things to his father. Sparx keeps his eyes shut, not to show his mother he is awake, and hearing every angry word she has for Spyro.

Cynder, recovering from her third surgery, still lies beside her son in a hospital bed, and is arguing with her husband on a communicator. The purple dragon, possessing a regenerating ability, and having his strength return over the past week, has recovered from his injuries. Spyro has just informed his wife that he returned home for only a moment...which has started yet another verbal altercation.

This is all the young dragon has heard, lying in his bed, wondering why he cannot recover his own strength. A fierce battle between the ones he thought would never fight, and now it seems that even Malefor was getting a warmer shoulder then Spyro.

His heart continues to pound, and his tears flow faster. His breathing becoming more rapid, and soon loud enough for a mother to hear.

"Sparx..." Cynder remarks with a bit of anxiety, knowing her son is crying because of her anger towards his father. She disconnects the transmission to Avalar, and looks over at her child.

"...I'm sorry...I didn't mean to wake you with that nonsense...I guess I got a little to loud."

The young dragon does not move an inch, and tries to steady his breathing, pretending just to be having a bad dream. He does not want his mother to know the guilt he is feeling, and hopes she just leaves him alone. However, the sound of her talons hitting the floor lets Sparx know, his mother is coming. His body relaxes a bit knowing her gentle touch will soon be applied, but a fear fills his heart not knowing what his emotions will do.

Sparx knows the main reason for Cynder's anger is Malefor, and how her husband just forced him back into their lives. But the bigger problem, this is also what he wanted, and he has not expressed a word of that to his mother, fearing her anger.

He has lied straight face to his mom and cannot understand why, this has made him feel worse than the exhaustion he is experiencing. However, hearing the way his mother and father are bickering now, Sparx finally decides enough is enough.

"I have to tell her!" He says to himself, and feels a pulse of strength through his body, rolling over on his other side before Cynder can reach him. The young dragon puts his paw up to stop his mother's arm from grabbing him, and Cynder is startled a moment by his eyes. They are stern, and focused, unlike before whereas his eyes showed pain and fear.

"Mom...I have to tell you something... something that will not be what you want to hear... something I never thought I'd have to tell you."

The dark dragoness quickly becomes concerned at his tone, and sits down on her hind quarters, giving Sparx her full attention. The young dragon finds a bit more strength, and stands up on his bed getting eye level to talk to his mom.

"I don't know how to tell you this...so I'll just say it..." He remarks, and Cynder's ears point forward with anticipation.

"...I'm the reason Malefor's back."

Cynder's eyes change slightly, but never leave her son's...she takes a deep breath, and Sparx can see his mom is upset at what he said. However the young dragon continues before she can reply with her objection.

"Dad wouldn't leave behind the dragon that meant so much to me..." His eyes fill with tears, and Sparx lowers his head.

"...I love him, Mom...He's my Dad!"

Cynder feels a cold streak run down her back, and Sparx can hear the laboring of her breath. The young dragon looks up to see the tears in her eyes, and feels a terrible pain inside for reveling the truth. However, he also feels more of his strength return, clearing his mind from this secret to his mother.

"I never wanted to hurt you or my real father..." Sparx says, with a sudden confidence in what he is doing, feeling his power come back with every word, knowing it is finally coming from his heart "...and I never forgot the life that I would return too."

"I knew I was gonna come home one day..., " The young dragon remarks and reaches his paw out to his mother. Sparx lifts Cynder's muzzle back up to look into his tear filled eyes. "...my Mom would never let me forget that..."

Cynder remains silent seeing her son is not finished with his thought, but is pausing, trying to find the words for such a delicate situation.

"...I just never thought I would see you again, or have to tell you what I just told you."

"I never meant for any of this to happen, Mom..." He says somberly, looking at his mother with depression, but then Cynder sees a sudden light in her son's eye, and can hear his confidence return in one breath. "...but that is in the past...I have no regret for the life I have had, because I had the love I needed to survive."

Sparx again gets a slight boost of his strength, and stands taller on his bed, looking into Cynder's green eyes with a small smile crossing his muzzle

"I never fully trusted him at first, Mom..." Sparx says turning his head to the door, wishing Malefor was here right now, letting him hear the pride he has for his adoptive father. "...and that was a mistake on my part."

The young dragon once again spins around on the bed to face his mother. He strides to the very edge, forcing his weak muscles to hold his weight from falling, his eyes focused on Cynder.

"Learn from my mistake Mom, and forget everything you know about Malefor..." He says lifting his paw and placing it on her chest. The young dragon loses his balance slightly, and his mother is quick with a stabilizing paw to his side.

Sparx smiles muzzle to muzzle with his mom, feeling her gentle paw against his side, and seeing that she is willing to hear what he wants to say.

"...He is not the dragon that you remember...and I am living proof!"

Cynder stands up, lifting her son off the bed, and holding him in her arms. She gently embraces him, and wraps her good wing around them both. Sparx smiles as she starts bending the second wing around them gently, and is overcome with feelings of joy, watching her use this wing for the first time in his life.

"I love you Sparx..." She says to her son, now completely cocooned in her grasp. "...but there is so much anger I feel for him, that I just cannot forget.

Cynder can feel her son moving his jaw up to look at her, and she opens her wing to allow the light in, so she can see his eyes.

"I'm not asking you to forget your past...that is what makes you who you are..." He replies, then returns his embrace. "...I'm asking you only to realize that he is not that dragon from your past, and that only he could understand your anger more than anyone else."

Cynder suddenly becomes defensive, and places her son back down on the bed with a bit of force. The young dragon pinned on his stomach, is forced to look at his mother's eyes. He can see the rage building up inside, and becomes a bit worried.

"What did he tell you!" She barks with a deep fear that her son now knows a secret that Malefor has knowledge of.

"Nothing!" He remarks with surprise at his mother's emotional flip, but then settles down seeing the regret and fear building behind Cynder's angry facade.

"He never told me about your past, Mom..." Sparx continues, feeling he may have said the wrong thing, however, in his mind the lies had to stop. The young dragon looks away for a second then back to his mom with the same regret for upsetting her. "...honest, he never said a word...He was too ashamed."

Cynder calms down, noticing what she is doing, and seeing the expression on her son's face.

"This is why I can't do this Sparx..." She says looking down at her paws, and feeling more horrible for man-handling her son. "...I cannot control my anger when it comes to him."

"How can you be angry..." He says and Cynder stares into his stern eyes. "...if you don't even know him."

The young mother again looks away, then back to her son. His eyes never blink and Cynder is struck by his words and his attitude. He is calm and she can almost feel her husbands resolve in his stare.

Cynder then turns around and walks back to her bed slowly. She grasps the wrist communicator she was just yelling at Spyro with and taps one of the buttons. In a second, a response is returned to her call.

"Yes Cynder." The Portal Master's voice crackles.

"What cell is Malefor in, Master Gaven." She asks coldly, still giving the old master an attitude, for putting her son in harm's way.

A pause in his voice lets her know, he is fumbling for an answer "Umm...neither!" He quips with embarrassment, and Cynder quickly gasps.

"I no longer consider him a prisoner, and have given him free reign of this planet."

"YOU WHAT!" She barks with rage, and quickly storms towards the exit.

"I'm sorry Sparx, but that I cannot understand..." She says while walking briskly to the door, then pauses seeing her son becoming depressed with ever one of angered steps.

"...I may have to speak with this dragon..." She says with a sarcastic tone, that pops the young dragon's head off his pillow. "...I should find out for myself, why they let him go...and why my son cares for him so much."

Her words sink in fast, and Sparx quickly begins to wag his tail. The young whelpling stands up, and heads for the edge of his bed.

"NO!" Cynder yells, and Sparx looks up at her with a child-like frown.

The dark dragoness closes her eyes, not to look, then smiles and returns her stern gaze to him.

"And I can tell that face, NO, quite easily...so don't even try it!" She says, but deep inside feels the joy of seeing his 'sad face' again. She remembers it well from her past, and is happy seeing his youth is still intact.

"I will be gentle Sparx..." She says giving him a wink. "...but if you and my husband believe he is not the same dragon, then this is something I must find out by myself."

Sparx somberly nods his head, then walks a circle upon his before laying down and gazing at his mother with a smile.

"I love you, Mom..." Sparx says as his eyes slowly close. "...and I will be right here if you need me."

Cynder walks over to her son, kissing him on top of his head between his horns. "I love you too." She whisper, and Sparx can feel a tear land on his neck.

She quickly turns back to the door, hearing the small snore beginning to develop from her son's nostrils, and strides out of the room with a slight bounce in her step. Cynder is as proud as any mother could be, and doesn't need a wing to fly at this moment. Her son has an undying devotion to her and Spyro, and even a six year influence from Malefor, did nothing to break that.

"Why didn't I believe him." She asks herself, walking briskly to the Main Room. Cynder pauses by the door, now feeling a deep shame in her heart for being so callous to Malefor this past week. "I was there...and I saw it with my own eyes..."

"...He is not the same."

The young dragon takes a deep breath, composing herself, before striding up to the opening double-door. Cynder walks into the Main Room, to the sound of a gasp by the Portal Master.

"Cynder...What are you doing in here..." He says, standing at attention. "...you are supposed to be in bed for at least another day."

The dark dragoness throws him an angered gaze with her green eyes, then continues without a word to one of the many control panels that line the wall. She hops up on her hind legs, using her front paws to type in commands, staring intently at the screen in front of her.

"What are you doing, Commander!" Gaven barks, and Cynder finally answers, keeping rank.

"I'm searching for someone, sir." She replies, not turning a muscle to look at her superior.

"Maybe I can help you, if you told me who?" He asks with apprehension, seeing the cold shoulder an angry mother is giving him.

"NO!" She remarks, turning her head slightly, showing him only the corner of her right eye. "I think you've been enough help to me, Master Gaven!"

"He's outside getting fresh air, Cynder..." The Portal Master answers regardless of her feelings, and the young dragoness lowers her shoulders. Gaven watches as one of his best Skylanders walks from the room without showing any respect to her Master.

"...and I'm sorry for what I've done."

Cynder stops her walk, and turns to face the Portal Master. She strides up to his desk with such anger, that Gaven sits back down in his chair with fear.

"You had no right to put my son in that type of danger, sir..." The dark dragon remarks with a building rage. Her voice becomes louder with every word, showing her disdain for him, to allow a child into a fight like that...especially if the child is hers.

"...and now he is suffering, because of your bad judgment."

Gaven lowers his head with no response to her scalding, and the Portal Master listens to her walk away.

However, he suddenly hears her footfalls stop, and the old master looks up to see Cynder has paused by the door, her head lowered with shame, and he can hear the dragoness crying. Cynder turns her head to look back, then her whole body circles around. She slowly strides back to Gaven's desk, and around to his chair.

The Portal Master flinches a bit as Cynder rears up and wraps her arms around him. He was not expecting a show of emotion like this, but understands as soon as her soft whisper hits his ear.

"I'm sorry about Thomas..." She says, knowing his real name from the time she spent with him, and having as strong of feelings for the Guardian as Gaven did. "...I will never forget what he tried to do for me."

Cynder lowers back down to the floor then resumes her walk to the door.

"I wish it would have worked, Cynder..." the Portal Master remarks, also knowing the true reason behind Spyro's first visit to the Skylanders. "...my brother was so disappointed that he couldn't help you."

Gaven once again lowers his head. "It appears my brother and I have been nothing but a disappointment to you and your family."

Cynder can feel his depression, and suddenly becomes upset herself. She wanted him to feel like dirt, she thought, but now seeing how poorly her friend is taking this, the young dragoness again finds herself walking back to him.

"Your not a disappointment Gaven..." She remarks with the first kind words he has heard from her in a while. "...you just made a mistake, and someone very special to me just told me, you can learn well from your mistakes."

Cynder hops her front paws on top of Gaven's steel desk, staring at him with her sparkling green eyes, showing a smile from cheek to cheek.

"I know that is a mistake you will never make again...RIGHT!"

The Portal Master matches her smile, and places his hand upon the side of Cynder's face.

"I swear..." Gaven replies, then his voice becomes soft and filled with joy. "...Mommy!"

Cynder blushes for a second, then looks back up to the proud eyes of her superior, remembering the countless conversations with him while she was pregnant and Spyro was on his second tour. He was calling her mommy, the moment he found out, and Cynder quickly flashes back to a better day.

"I can't believe I'm a mother, Gaven..." She says, and her thoughts return back to the moment at hand, and why she still has this incredible gift. "...and I must finally make things right."

Cynder looks up at her friend, keeping the smile on her muzzle. "Where is Malefor, Gaven?" She asks, then waits for his hands to working the controls. However, when he does not move his hands for few seconds, Cynder bumps his hand lightly with her horn, then looks back down at his keyboard.

"Please...I need to talk to him about my son."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Laying in his bed, getting the first real bit of rest he has gotten since coming back, Sparx thinks of how his life will be in the real world. The smile on his face is wide, and he can picture his father teaching him about his home.

Suddenly, he can hear the sound of his father's voice, and the young dragon opens his eyes.

"Cynder..." His voice crackles from the other side of his mother's bed, and Sparx knows quickly it is the communicator on her bedside dresser.

"Cynder...I know your there!" Spyro barks with a jovial tone, and his son smiles for a second hearing his dad's playful voice for his mother, even after being yelled at so viciously.

However, when his tone change, so does Sparx'

"Please...Don't make me beg..." Spyro remarks, and his son can hear the pain of his unanswered call.

"...Because I will!"

Sparx uses the little strength he has to stand up and walk over to the edge of his bed. He lowers down to leap across to his mom's bed only a few feet away.

"I'm begging you Cynder...Please talk to me."

He can hear his father's emotion, blended with his plea, and Sparx begins to cry himself. The young dragon leaps as hard as he can, barley clearing his own bed with his weak jump, and falling to the hard floor on his face.

"She's not here DAD!" He screams in pain, but knows there is no way for him to hear unless he can hit the button to receive the call. The young dragon can hear his father crying, and uses every last bit of strength to stand.

"I just want you to know..." Spyro remarks, taking a deep breath, and Sparx slowly rounds the bed getting closer to Cynder's communicator.

"...I love you..." Is heard with deep passion, but then white noise crackles from the little device only a foot from the young dragon. Sparx leaps at the last moment, smacking the communicator from the dresser. He fumbles with the controls hitting several buttons.

"Dad... DAD!" He yelps, continuing to press buttons frantically.

"Hello" A strange voice replies, and Sparx becomes more flustered.

"Is my Dad there...please." The whelpling barks with a seriousness that startles the stranger.

"This is the galley." He replies, and Sparx becomes angry. He slams the communicator on the ground with frustration and yells at the top of his lungs.

"I WANT TO TALK TO MY DAD!"

Sparx can feel a sudden surge of adrenaline, and his power begins returning to his legs. The young dragon stands on his feet with ease, and heads towards the door with and angered scowl on his face.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Back on Avalar, Spyro is standing in the living room of his home, his eyes focused on the hundred or so Manweresmalls working his orders.

"General Spyro..." The lead mole worker barks, coming up out of the ground near the purple dragon's front right leg. "...we have completed the work in the rear of the mountain as order, and were wondering if you had any other areas that needed tunneling."

The purple dragon still caught up in his last phone call, takes a moment before he realizes he was spoken to. He snaps out of his daze when the agitated Manweresmall taps his paw, waiting for an answer.

"Oh...I'm sorry, Edgar..." Spyro remarks, returning his eyes to the small creature. "Tell Master Mason, that should be all, and that I appreciate all the work you guys have done here today."

Edger gives him a funny look, hearing praise from his friend like that. He has known Spyro for a decade, and has always been one to make a joke of their incredible skills.

"What's wrong Spyro?" The mole asks hearing an old friend speak to him differently. "I've never see you this preoccupied before."

Spyro lifts his head up to the communications system, and recalls his last transmission.

"She won't talk to me Edgar..." He remarks then looks down at his friend. "...now even this surprise I was planning for her, backfired in my face."

After a moment, the purple dragon lowers his head once more, feeling incredibly depressed.

"I can't believe I did this to her."

"Come on Spyro.." Edgar remarks, slapping his friend on the higher end of his front leg, or as high as the small creature can reach. "...she can't be that mad at you for doing this."

Spyro holds his breath then looks away, for if Edgar, or Mason, or anyone on Avalar for that matter knew why Cynder was really angry, they might just understand.

Suddenly the sound of an incoming transmission picks up the spirits of the purple dragon, and he answers the call before the second ring.

"Cynder...is that you?" He asks before the screen shows a man's face, and Spyro quickly feels his heart fill with disappointment.

"Oh...it's you Simon..." Spyro says with depression, but is quickly taken by the fact that the Portal Station's Chef is calling. "..What do you want?"

"General Spyro...I just got a very weird call from your son..." He remarks with seriousness in his voice, and Spyro's attention is quick to focus back to him. "...I heard a loud crash, and he screamed 'I want to talk to my dad'..."

Before Chef Simon could say another word, Spyro cuts off the com link, and makes another call quickly.

"Gaven..." He barks as the screen comes to live with his image. "...Patch me through to my son!"

With a quick nod from his superior, the screen changes once more.

Spyro gasps at the site of his son's empty bed, and quickly he taps the two red buttons on his wrist communicator, opening a portal to the Main Room.

With a father's fear moving his legs, Spyro is through the spacial rift before it is fully open.

"Spyro?" Gaven says with shock as he appears in front of his face. "What's going on?

"My son is not in his bed Gaven!" The purple dragon barks back with fear, running to the steel desk in the room. "...and neither is his mother."

Well Cynder I know about..." The Portal Master replies as his hands begin to burn across his keyboard. "...but I didn't know Sparx had left the room too."

"We have to find him Gaven..." Spyro remarks with concern. "..It sounds like he's running on anger, and I know how bad judgment becomes when that happens."

Spyro knows the last thing that happened to Sparx is that he was held by the Dark Master, and forced to breathe his evil. This sickness reminds him of his own pain, and the moment he used anger to power his body. It is what caused him to attack his wife's rescuer, and it is the moment of his life he most regrets.

"He can't get out of the station...can he? Spyro remarks to his superior, and with his words an alarm goes off.

"Warning, unathorized access... Warning..." The computer barks, and Gaven looks at his friend.

"He just walked out the North Entrance Spyro!" Gaven replies with a disappointed look on his face. "I should have locked it down...I'm sorry."

Spyro turns to his superior, and pats him on the back.

"It's OK Gvaen...as long as I know where he..."

Gaven cuts his friend off, feeling a deeper fear, knowing Sparx is in real danger.

"Spyro...It has been raining for weeks..." He remarks, and quickly Spyro's eyes open with a great fear. He knows that area well, along with the dangers, during the wet season, that fill the forest the North Entrance leads to. Without another word, Spyro runs full speed out the door of the Main Room, towards the Northern side of the underground station, his paws blazing a path like Sonic's.

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Flying high in the air, and taking in the splendor of rain hitting his scales for the first time in millions of years, Malefor contently circles around the large doomed hill where the secret station hides. His nostrils taking in every bit of fresh air this fertile planet has to offer, and the smile on his muzzle is irremovable.

Suddenly his eye lock upon the door he walked out of, and his smile disappears from his face. A dark dragoness with red wings stares at him coldly from the ground, almost taking his joy away with her eyes. Malefor banks a hard turn to the left, removing some of his speed, then lowers to the ground alongside Cynder.

"Am I bothering you out here as well Cynder..." he remarks folding his wings against his side, looking at her with an anger that she came to him. "Why have you come out here...I do not want any trouble."

"I didn't come to make trouble, Malefor." She says, then looks up at him with a sincere gaze. "I came to make peace."

Malefor is startled for a second, then a deep scowl returns to his face. The massive purple dragon lowers his head, and turns away from the dark dragon he has hurt so badly.

"There will never be peace between us Cynder..." He says somberly, then returns his tear-filled eyes to her. "...not until you can forgive yourself for killing Spyro's parents."

Cynder immediately breaks down, seeing their faces once more, an image she has never been able to remove from her head since falling for her love, and one that has consumed her ever since. Even the healing and mental powers of the Guardian of the Universe, could not pull this spike from her heart.

"I can't tell him now, Malefor..." She says crying uncontrollably. "...how could my husband still love me if he knew what I did to his family."

Malefor lays his left wing against Cynder, pulling her close to him, and holding her in his arms. The large dragon rests his head upon hers, and remains quiet allowing Cynder to feel only his comforting touch.

"I don't know what to do Malefor..." She says, returning the embrace her former enemy is giving, able to finally release her emotions to someone who knows.

The large purple dragon strokes his paw down Cynder's neck to her broken wing, and a memory from the reflection pool in his lair, fills his mind. He can see Spyro holding her wing, and staring up at his wife with those purple eyes.

His purple eyes.

Malefor breaks his hug with Cynder, and holds her muzzle before his. His eyes show Cynder a familiar stare, as if Spyro himself was talking.

"It doesn't matter what you tell him Cynder..." He says with pure confidence in his judgment. "I know those eyes, as you see them before you..."

Malefor smiles and pulls Cynder back to his chest with a stronger embrace.

"He loves you...and nothing you have done in your past will ever change the way he feels."

Cynder holds tight to her former task master, and unbelievably feels a great deal of comfort from his grasp and his words. She slowly begins to calm down, and Malefor can tell by her breathing and her pulse.

"My son was right..." She remarks, wiping the tears from her eyes as she backs away from the large purple dragon. Cynder composes herself for a moment, but continues with a good deal of emotion still in her voice. "...you are nothing of that dragon I once knew, and I can finally see that now."

Malefor looks at the sky and can see another deluge of rain is about to hit, he gestures his head to the right, towards an outcropping of rocks.

"There's a cave over there we can stay dry in..." Malefor remarks "...if you would like to accompany me, I would love to tell you a few more things about that incredible son of yours."

Cynder smiles at this dragon's willing to please, a trait much like Spyro, and she almost feels as if she was with him. She has been nothing but callous and curt with him, but nonetheless Malefor is ready to open up to her. The young dragoness, feeling the first cold drops of water hit her body, nods her head and begins to walk alongside her old foe. Malefor raises his right wing over Cynder's head to keep the rain from hitting her as they stroll nearly half a mile to the cave.

By the time they reached the entrance, the rain was pouring down, but that never slowed the conversation. The Evil Dark Master and the Terror of the Skies had been reunited at long last, but this time their meeting was filled with smiles and joy. Cynder and Malefor's laughter echos through the cave, as both dragons do not speak of the past, but of the future, and a young dragon they both call son.

As the two dragons continue to swap stories of their new life, Malefor suddenly becomes upset. He has been getting ready to tell Spyro and Sparx that he is leaving, not wanting to drive a wedge further into this family's bond, but now feeling a connection with Cynder, he now finds this decision even more difficult.

"I must leave Cynder." He remarks bluntly, and watches the smile leave the dark dragon's face.

"What are you talking about!" She says with shock, not understanding his reasoning. "I am not angry with you anymore, and I want you to stay."

Malefor lowers his head hearing the greatest words of his life, but also the real reason he must go.

"I cannot allow your son to keep believing that I am as much his father as Spyro..." He retorts, then turns his stern eyes to Cynder. "...and if I stay in your lives, that is exactly what will happen."

The large purple dragon walks to the cave entrance, and looks up into the sky, wincing as the drops of rain splash his eyes.

"I will be here..." Malefor remarks, then looks back to Cynder. "...if you ever need to talk, my old friend, please feel free to visit, but I will not be a part of your son's life any longer..."

Malefor lowers his head with depression, remembering the young dragon's face, and knowing he will never see it again.

"...He will not understand, Cynder...so I will need you to explain."

Cynder walks up to the purple dragon, placing her paw on his arm and looking deep into his eyes.

"I don't understand."

Malefor feels her tight grip on his arm, and begins to think he may be making the wrong choice. However, he quickly snaps his arm from Cynder's paw, and leaps into the air. Knowing she cannot chase him with a bad wing, Malefor heads high in the air at incredible speed.

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In a long hallway, leading to an impressive sized door, Sparx legs continue to move his sore body. The young dragon can feel he is dizzy from walking around for the first time in a week, but does not give up his search for Cynder. He can smell her scent strong now, and will follow it into hell if he has to.

The young dragon gets to the exit, and sits on his butt, looking up at the solid door

"How does this thing OPEN!" He says, and is startled as the large doors begin to OPEN.

"OH...OK" He remarks with shock as the entrance swings out, but then his eyes are drawn quickly to what is behind the door.

The young dragon walks out, but stops the moment a drop of water hits the tip of his muzzle.

"What is that!" He barks with shock, pulling back into the doorway. He taps the droplet of water on his nose with a cautious paw, and is quickly startled even further.

"It's water!" He says with more shock in his voice, however, he is startled again, this time by an alarm. Sparx watches as the doors start to close, and he quickly decide to step out, and not back in.

"It's only water, Sparx..." He says to himself looking out at the thick forest in front of him. "...but your mom is out here, and you have to find her."

Sparx burrows through the dense foliage surrounding the door, and breaks into a small clearing. He begins to panic realizing he can no longer smell his mother's scent, but only the damp smell of mold and pollen.

"MOM!" He yelps, suddenly overcome with misdirection. The young dragon lowers his head feeling weaker every second.

Sparx begins hallucinating, thinking he is on a mission to save his parent's marriage, believing it is his fault they are arguing

"I gotta find her, I can't let my Dad down." He says to himself out loud.

The young dragon begins to walk briskly down an unused path, and quickly catches a faint scent again with his nose.

"Malefor!" He says, and his eyes begin to show anger. The young dragon walks faster to find this dragon he is now associating with his parent's anger as well.

He comes to a stop near a clearing, and he can once again smell his Mom. Her scent is mingled with Malefor's, and the young dragon becomes angrier. His power begins to rise, and his strength increases with every pump of his heart. Sparx can see the eight paw prints of two dragons side by side, and his rage gets deeper.

"HOW DARE HE!" Sparx growls to himself, then follows the trail.

After a moment, he comes to a small cliff, and his eyes befall a cave in the distance. He is startled as Malefor takes off from the entrance, flying straight up. Then his eyes focus back to the ground and fill with more anger, as Cynder walks from the cave as well.

Sparx is irate, believing his mother is cheating on his father, his mind racing with all sorts of disturbing thoughts, and unable to control any of them.

Sparx, in a full blown rage, takes a ill-advised step forward, and is thrust back to reality as the ground gives way under his paw. His eyes open wide with fear, as he slides down the steep embankment and into a large puddle of mud.

Suddenly, Sparx is aware of his surrounding, but not how he got there. The young dragon struggles to lift his paw out of the mud, and clean the wet sand from his mouth. However, when he lifts his right paw, his left paw sinks further into the mud. The young dragon then tries to move his hind legs, to gain leverage, but they quickly sink into the ground just as easily. Sparx panics, and thrashes his body, only allowing it to settle further into the quicksand, and the young dragon begins to weep.

He has no clue how he got here, only that he is too weak to move, and is going to die.

"MOOOOM!" He screams, not even knowing if she is around, feeling his back and wings enveloped in the constricting sands.

With his right paw free, Sparx desperately reaches up to grasp at several vines, knowing they are well out of his reach. Tears begin to flow uncontrollably from his eyes, as this action forces him down further.

Sparx raises his head as high as he can, trying to keep above the rising muck, and gives one more desperate yell. However, as Sparx opens his muzzle, it quickly fills with the watery mud, choking off his last plea for help.

The young dragon takes a deep breath through his nostrils, but then feels them fill with the encasing sand that is squeezing his body tighter.

Cynder, who watched her son fall, has reached the edge of the canyon he fell into. She quickly leaps, spreading her wings, and starts gliding down to her drowning son. With over a hundred yards to glide, the dark dragon's right wing begins to buckle from the air pressure, and Cynder yelps in pain.

She lands in the same puddle her son is in, but thirty feet away, and quickly begins trudging towards the bubbles she can see.

"SPARX..." Cynder screams, powering through the mud as fast as she can, her emotions running faster than the tears from her eyes. "...NO...PLEASE!"

With his ears packed full of mud, sinking further into the soft ground, Sparx cannot hear his mother screaming only a few feet from him

"MOM...Where are you!" The young dragon says to himself, feeling his life fade along with the little oxygen left in his lungs.

"DAD...Please!"

Suddenly the young dragon can sense the impact and vibrations of someone above him. He can feel two arms wrap around his body, then the force of his frame being powered out of his early grave.

As his head comes free, Sparx can feel a strong paw stroke the top of his muzzle to clear his nose of the mud, and he quickly gasps a breath of air.

The young dragon chokes for several minutes to clear his throat, then feels his body embraced tightly. And even thought he cannot see who his hero is, Sparx knows by the beat of his heart.

"DAD!" He says with his sore voice, struggle to speak and shaking uncontrollably.

"It's OK Sparx...It's OK now..." Spyro remarks, holding his mud covered son tightly in his arms. He strokes his paw across his son's eyes, clearing them to open, allowing his boy to look into his father's secure stare.

"...I got you son."

The1upguy · May 08, 2013 4:21 PM

Chapter 22 Training Day

Sitting on his hind quarters, looking out across one of the many oceans on this beautiful uninhabited planet, Malefor feels at peace with himself. From the top of the cliffs that line the shore, the large dragon can see for miles, and nothing but pristine skies and clear blue water fills his sight.

Malefor closes his eyes, taking in his surrounding with the rest of his senses, feeling the strong breeze fill his wings with warmth. He takes a deep breath, enjoying the smell and the taste of the salty waters churning against the rocks below, his ears hearing only the sound of ambient noise, and a large smile crosses his muzzle.

Suddenly a slight sound from behind disturbs the large dragon, and his smile increases in size.

"You couldn't sneak up on a deaf dragon..." He remarks, opening his wings fast and trusting up into the air. A large rock projectile zips under his frame, missing only by inches, and Malefor begins laughing at his opponent.

"...really Spyro..." he taunts from above, staring down at the smaller purple dragon. "...you're going to have to do better than that."

Malefor turns his body to the right, snapping his wings back and taking off at incredible speed. Spyro tries to follow, but is struck by a wave of wind from Malefor's wings, and loses his momentum falling back to the ground.

"*bleep* it!" He barks with frustration, scanning the sky and seeing no sign of the large dragon. "He did it again!"

Spyro sits still for a moment to compose his thoughts, and takes a deep breath before closing his eyes.

"I know you're around here..." He says to himself, knowing even Malefor cannot fly that fast without using his full power. He sticks his nose in the air, taking a deeper breath, and using some of the tactics Malefor has helped him hone. "...I can smell you."

Spyro quickly spins one hundred eighty degrees, and releases a huge plume of fire from his mouth. Malefor quickly places his wings in front of his face to block the blast from his eyes, the only part of his body a fire could hurt.

"Gotta Ya!" Spyro yelps with pride, stopping the inferno from his mouth, and finally relaxing his tired body. The purple dragon is exhausted from this intense game of tag, and lowers to the ground on his stomach.

"Very good, Spyro..." the large dragon remarks, lowering his wings back to his side, and showing the large smile on his face. However, Spyro can hear the sarcastic tone of his old foe, and a smack to his pride as Malefor continues. "...not bad if you needed to win a child's game...but now maybe you should learn something for a big boy."

Spyro stands back to his feet, and gives Malefor an angered stare.

"Are you trying to annoy me..." He yells in Malefor's face, showing the large dragon he is ready for more. "...because I will make you eat that smile!"

Malefor grins and backs away a step. He looks down at the focused dragon standing before him, knowing how tired Spyro is, and takes a deep breath.

"Good...I'm glad to see you still have your stubborn side with you, because you're going to need it..." Malefor says lowering his posture into a slight crouch, but then he looks away for a moment and continues with a bit of regret in his voice

"I just hope I will not lose my new friend after this day!"

Suddenly Malefor swings his tail into Spyro's face, and catches the purple hero across the cheek with the massive scale on the tip of his tail. The unexpected impact takes Spyro completely off guard, and off his feet. Before he can even realize what is going on, Malefor grasps Spyro by the left horn, yanking him back in front of his face.

"What are you doi..." Is all Spyro can say with devastated surprise, before a vicious right paw is delivered to the opposite side of his muzzle. Malefor releases his grip on Spyro's horn at the moment of impact, sending the small dragon hurdling with the momentum of his powerful punch.

The young purple dragon crashes to the ground on his left side, sliding across the rocky surface of the cliffs. Spyro's wing is dragged under his body, tearing the membrane to shreds on the jagged rocks from the weight his body is pressing down with. As his agonizing slide comes to a stop, Spyro shakes his head, and rolls back onto his feet. The pain throughout his body is staggering, but his mind is in more turmoil.

"Are you crazy!" Spyro barks, grasping his muzzle, and seeing the blood coming from his mouth. "I thought this was just training."

Malefor's eyes show anger and his voice suggests no different.

"Training is over, Spyro...time to find out if you can handle real power."

Spyro eyes go blank, as Malefor charges him, realizing he has no way of getting away from him, and quickly feeling a deadly fear fill his body.

Malefor covers the distance between them in an instant, grabbing the purple dragon with his left front paw, and ramming his knee into Spyro's gold chest. A second vicious blow, to the back of his neck, is delivered a moment later from Malefor's right elbow.

Spyro slams jaw first into the ground and remains motionless from the assault his body just took. "Why?" The purple hero remarks with the little air in his lungs, trying to look into his aggressor's eyes.

Malefor places his paw down on the bridge of Spyro's nose, and quickly the younger dragon becomes even more frightened. Stone begins to pour from Malefor's paw, surrounding his snout with a strong muzzle, and a primal chill shoots down Spyro's back seeing this magic again.

"You are weak ..." The large dragon remarks, sounding more like his old self, flipping the smaller dragon over onto his back. He stares into Spyro's eyes, while grasping his paws tightly.

"...so how will you defend your son..." He continues, as he binds Spyro's paws to his chest with the same stone magic. "...if you cannot defend yourself!"

Malefor rams his right knee into Spyro's stomach, then lowers his powerful left forearm across his neck and jaw. Spyro gasps for air through his nose, as Malefor presses his full weight down, and stares at the younger dragon with his now cold eyes.

"Perhaps..I should be the one to raise him..." He taunts, but Malefor closes his eyes, and looks away for a moment. Spyro can hear a cracking in the large dragon's voice as he continues, and becomes more confused hearing his tearful remorse.

"...I'm sorry, Spyro!"

Without another word, Malefor removes his left arm from Spyro's neck, and places that paw upon his chest. It quickly begins pulsing with magic, and the young purple dragon can feel a dull pain. Able to lift his head now, Spyro's eyes fill with the disturbing site of his body being changed to stone, just like Cynder.

"NO!" He yelps through his nose, but Malefor continues to fill the young dragon with his magic.

Suddenly Spyro can feel his legs and tail become still, and his eyes lock on Malefor. "Please...Malefor!" He says muffled through the muzzle over his mouth. "Don't do this to Cynder...don't do this to my son!"

Malefor lowers back down to Spyro's muzzle, and stares into his eyes.

"You have to fight for them Spyro!" The large dragon barks in his face "You have to fight this feeling, if you want them back."

Spyro stares into Malefor eyes, and can see his own encouraging eyes staring back, trying to help build his strength.

"You feel the stone in your body Spyro...coursing through your veins...telling you to stop moving." Malefor smiles and looks deeper into his eyes. "Don't listen to it, friend! You are more stubborn than some ROCK...you tell it what to do."

The large dragon releases his grip seeing enough magic has been applied, watching the line of stone crawl up Spyro's neck to his muzzle.

"But, you are running out of time young dragon..." He says stepping back, allowing Spyro's fate to be his own. "...and I will not stop it, so soon it will cover that ugly round nose of yours."

Feeling some of his fear fade away, hearing a genuine will behind Malefor's voice, and believing this is just his psychotic way of training, Spyro settles his nerves and tries to concentrate. He can feel the pins & needles of numbness throughout his body, making it hard to focus, and the stone begins to envelop his face.

Spyro stares at Malefor with complete defeat in his eyes. "I can't do it!" He remarks, just as his nose is encompassed in the rock, closing off his only air passage.

"YES YOU CAN!" Malefor barks, bringing his eyes down to Spyro's, showing his anger for him not trying.

"You can feel pain, can you not?" Malefor asks rhetorically, knowing Spyro cannot answer.

"I know you do...I see it in your eyes." He says, then grasps Spyro's throat.

"Can you feel this?" again getting his answer from the purple eyes of his student, the only part of his body that has yet to glaze-over with stone. "Yes...you can, can't you" He says with assurance seeing the force of his grip straining Spyro's eyes.

"...if you can still feel my grip, young dragon, then there is still life left inside this statue of a dragon." He says softly, then looks deep into Spyro eyes as they turn gray and lifeless.

"You need to make the stone a part of you, and bring the whole statue to life."

Spyro can barely hear his words, but they sink in fast, slightly understanding their meaning. His sight goes blind, and his ears go silent, but his heart begins to beat steadily again. The purple dragon, forced to hear only his thoughts, remembers the words of the Chronicler, and allows the hard side of his personality to take over.

"Be solid, unbreakable...and a bit stubborn." He says to himself.

Malefor watches as nothing happens for a moment, becoming very anxious.

"Maybe he wasn't ready for this" He remarks to himself, and lowers down to Spyro's solid frame.

"Come on Spyro..." He barks at the stone statue. "...are you just gonna lay there and DIE!"

Suddenly Malefor is startled as Spyro's eyes flash brightly in his face, showing nothing but his white pupil-less stare. He is more shocked as a knee of solid rock is slammed into his stomach. Spyro then swings his right arm into the side of the stunned dragon, throwing him across the ground and into a large palm tree.

Malefor shakes the cobwebs from two rock solid impacts, and turns his head to look back at Spyro. A huge smile fills his features, watching a dragon made completely of granite, stand back up on his feet.

"Excellent Spyro..." Malefor says with a wince of pain, as he returns to all fours, looking over the impressive dragon. "...how do you feel?"

The dragon made of pure rock, replies with a deeper voice.

"I'm finding it hard to breathe..." He says with strain, but his eyes show what is really concerning him. "...and the pain throughout my body is immense."

Malefor just nods slightly and looks at the ground.

"Yes... trying to breath through stone is something you will have to get used to, but.." He remarks then turns his head to Spyro with an evil grin.

Malefor opens his mouth, and a vicious bolt of lightning is sent towards the stone dragon in half a heart beat. Before Spyro could do anything, it strikes dead center into his chest.

"What the!" Spyro barks with surprise, seeing this quick flash of light come at him, but is completely taken by the fact that he didn't feel a thing.

"...it is a great defense against many powerful elements." Malefor remarks, finishing his thought, then once again unleashing a storm of electricity from his muzzle.

Spyro sits stunned, watching bolts of lightning dance up his chest and across his muzzle, feeling none of their intensity. Suddenly the magic from Malefor's mouth changes, and Spyro is engulfed in a roaring blaze, again feeling nothing but a little heat from the inferno around him. The stone dragon smiles, then takes another labored breath.

Seeing the trouble he is having to maintain this form, the large dragon holds up his paw and looks at Spyro with the same smile.

"Relax my friend...training is over..." Malefor remarks. "...I don't want you to kill yourself the first day!"

Spyro's color begins to return to normal, as the stone magic dissipates from his body. He shakes his head from the overwhelming use of power he just spent, then looks at Malefor with a bit of agitation in his eyes.

"KILL MYSELF!" He hollers, but Malefor continues to smile, seeing that Spyro is not really angry, just a bit annoyed.

"Why did YOU..." Spyro says sarcastically, staring into Malefor's eyes. "...do that to me like that? I mean I hope you didn't teach my son the same way."

The large dragon gives Spyro a dirty look, then stares at the ground.

"I never did anything to Sparx that would hurt him, Spyro..." His eyes turn back up from the ground focusing on his son's father. "...I had time with him, and was able to use a more gentle approach. I don't believe I have that luxury with you."

Spyro shows a bit of confusion again, hearing that there is no time for training, and lowers his head in thought. He glances to his left, staring at an old felled tree, and quickly strides over to it. Slicing it with his paw, he drags a large piece of the dried wood before he and the large dragon. With a quick blast of his breath, Spyro engulfs the tree trunk into a roaring fire, and looks back down on the ground for a place to lay his sore body. After circling several times, he lowers to his stomach facing Malefor, and focuses his attention to the large dragon.

"Why do you think we have no time..." Spyro asks to start this conversation, showing Malefor he wants an answer with his eyes and with the sternness of his voice. "...what is it you are not telling me, Malefor?"

The larger purple dragon stares into the fire his counter-part made, and watches as the flames dance along the trunk of the old tree.

"I'm afraid as much as Gaven believes his brother was successful, he was not..." Malefor turns to Spyro as he continues with his deep fear. "...and the Dark Master is still alive."

Malefor can see no change of expression in the purple hero's features.

"I was hoping you were not going to say that..." The younger dragon remarks. "...because I feel the same way too."

Both dragon's return their attention to the fire, staring intently at the blaze for a moment to think, when the sound of someone running through the woods behind them, breaks their focuses.

"Who is that?" Spyro barks angrily, knowing it is probably a Skylander Station worker outside where he shouldn't be. "What are you doing out here. No one is allowed..."

"SPYRO..." A voice barks cutting him off, and the purple dragon shows a bit of embarrassment hearing Gaven's voice. "...Where the hell are you?"

"Over here, by the fire..." the purple dragon replies, hearing the anxiousness in his voice. "...is everything OK?"

"NO!" He retorts, suddenly emerging from the trees, his eyes showing a true feeling of worry.

"Your father just called...there is a problem at home!"

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Sparx, tossing and turning on a large cushion, is filled with an inner turmoil, one that seems to be taking his energy, and keeping it for itself. The young dragon wrestles within trying to understand why he feels this way, knowing he has hatred for no one, but still feeling a overwhelming rage burning inside.

His emotions are back and forth, feeling anger then love, frustration then confidence, helplessness then hope. A roller coaster of feelings that has kept the young dragon from falling into a deep revitalizing sleep.

Suddenly a wisp of laughter catches his attention, and his eyes open with a bit of shock. Sparx is spooked by his surrounding for only a second, seeing the large room burrowed into a mountain that he is sleeping in, then quickly remembers his mother and father brought him home yesterday. However, his eyes still show wonder staring at a small blue dragonfly hovering in front of his muzzle.

The little dragonfly gives another giggle, seeing Sparx' purple eyes. "I can't believe how big my nephew is..." She says flying around to his back and staring in awe at the size of this young dragon "...I didn't believe my mommy when she told me, but she was right... you're huge!"

The young dragonfly scoots back in front of Sparx' eyes, smiling from cheek to cheek. "...my brother Spyro said that you were on a special mission, one that only a special dragon could do, and that is why you got so big."

Sparx smiles, still not fully understanding who is in front of him, or why, but still feeling comfortable in her presence. His mother told him the nature of his own name, and a little dragonfly that Spyro proudly called his brother. It is easy to conclude by this youngster's innocence, she is still only a baby, and is a part of this odd family tree.

"So I guess, if I'm your nephew, then you must be my Aunt..." He replies to the young girl, and his eyes and voice, much like her brother's, quickly makes the little dragonfly feel just as comfortable with him. "...What is your name, little one."

"My name is Sapphire, and I already know you're name...It's Sparx, right..." She says with a bit of pride in her voice. "...My mommy and daddy said Cynder named you after my other brother..."

Her voice drops slighty, but still not fully understanding, the baby dragonfly makes little of her brother's loss.

"...but he died!"

Sparx feels horrible hearing the young child's words, but quickly notices the smile return to her face.

"We're going to the park they named in his honor tomorrow..." She says joyfully, with only this on her young mind. "...are you coming with us?"

Sparx still unsure of what is going on, is dumbfounded for a moment.

"I don't know" He says with a bit of apprehension, but seeing her terrible reaction, the young dragon takes another moment.

Sparx struggles to his feet, but finds he has more strength then the day before, it takes a moment but soon he is up on all fours. He places his left front paw out for her to fly over to, and Sapphire quickly lands in his open palm. The two-toned purple dragon slowly lowers his muzzle down to her, as not to frighten the little dragonfly.

"Maybe I will go..." He says, and Sapphire smiles, flapping her wings at great speed with excitement. Sparx feels another boost in his strength, and gives her a very wide smile of his own. "...but only if you'll stay by my side."

"SAPPHIRE!" An enraged voice barks, and both dragon and dragonfly turn their heads towards the door with shock.

Sparx eyes settle on a full-sized green-colored dragonfly, but Sapphire sees her mother, and both can see...she is not happy.

"I told you not to bother him, not until he was awake." Nina barks at her daughter, the adoptive mother of Spyro zips over to the young lady with an angry look on her face, and Sapphire quickly hides behind Sparx' paw.

"But he was awake, Mommy!" She replies, looking around one of Sparx' talons, trying to see if her mother accepts her lie, however, judging by the look in her eyes...she does not.

"It's OK..." Sparx says, gently grasping the small dragonfly in his paw, and lifting her up to his face. "...she is not bothering me in the least."

Sparx' eyes focus down at the larger dragonfly, and he takes a deep relaxing breath.

"In fact, her presence is very calming, and I wouldn't mind at all if she stayed here..." He says, then gives the green dragonfly a very large grin. "...but only if that's OK with you...Grandma!"

Nina just smiles as large as Sparx, then turns her head hearing the gasping sound of her husband's voice.

"See...and you said you would never have grandchildren!" Flash remarks from behind.

The large blue dragonfly floats into the room alongside his wife, and grasps her hand. She can feel her husband's normally steady grip is very shaky.

"This reminds me so much of Spyro and Sparx..." He says wrapping his arm around Nina, staring at the two playing with each other. "I can't believe the similarity!"

Both dragonflies smile in the moment. Though he is much bigger then Spyro when he was born, Sparx has found a good friend in the family already, and appears to have taken on the role of protecting this young dragonfly, just like his father did with his brother.

"How are you feeling young man..." Flash asks as some concern returns to his words, remembering what his daughter-in-law told him of his ailments. "...are you getting any of your strength back yet?"

"Not really..." The young dragon replies, looking down at the pillow he is resting on and smelling the scent of his mother and father. He turns his head slightly, getting a glimpse of Sapphire's sad face, as she hears he is not feeling good.

The thought of this young dragonfly, who knows little more of him then his name, becoming upset that he is not feeling well, quickly fills the young dragon with another boost of energy. It is the undying devotion found only within a strong family, and he smiles at the little dragonfly to his left.

"...but, talking to my Aunt is making me feel a lot better now."

The smile on his face, and the notion that he is feeling better because of her, fills the young dragonfly with great pride and joy.

"So that means you'll come to the park with us...right?" She asks with a child's curious voice, and Sparx keeps smiling, letting her know the answer is yes. However, her mother has a different feeling, one to protect her weak grandson.

"He can barely stand up Sapphire..." She barks with a bit of anger, and letting her daughter know she is being rude. "...it's not nice to push him like that, sweetie. We need to let him rest, and only Spyro and Cynder are able to make that decision"

"Daddy..." Sapphire says with a perfect amount of shyness, knowing that her daddy's-little-girl voice, always works.

"...can Sparx come with us to the Park tomorrow?"

"Your mother just said Spyro and Cynder have to make that decision!" He says with a bit of shock, knowing full well his daughter heard what her mother said.

"I know..." she says innocently, then looks into her father's eyes with a bit of sternness. "...but you're his Daddy...tell Spyro that he has to come!"

Both Nina and Flash stare at their child with complete surprise, but Sparx cannot hold back his laughter. The young dragon finds another pulse of energy, and stands taller on his feet. He cradles Sapphire in his left front paw, and continues with laughter throughout his response.

"Yeah grandpa...you tell Spyro that I'm going to the Park..." He says with a great deal of sarcasm. "..I want to see that."

Suddenly Sparx becomes more serious, and looks back at Sapphire, with a large smile on his face.

"However..." he says never taking his eyes from the little dragonfly, almost feeling his strength returning through her. "...if you let my Dad know that my Aunt Sapphire while be there to watch over me..." He looks back at the parents of his new friend...and his father.

"...I'm sure the answer will be yes!"

"Oh you're so SURE of that...huh" Cynder barks from the doorway, and Sparx quickly snaps his head to look at his mom.

With haste, but not fast enough to startle the little dragonfly in his left paw, Sparx makes his way past his grandparents and into the arms of his mother. The young dragon cries, himself, with joy just being in Cynder's grasp, caring about nothing more than her holding him at this moment, and hoping it won't end.

The young dragoness can feel a great deal of strength in his embrace, and she lowers her paw down to lift her son's head up. A large smile fills her features, and with that show of emotion, Sparx energy rises again.

"You are feeling better today." She says with a great deal of relief.

"I am now, Mom..." He says, returning his head against her neck and wrapping his wings around Cynder, Sapphire, and himself. "I am now!"

Sapphire, cocooned inside and watching mother and son embrace, becomes a bit upset, not having someone of her own to hug. She quickly locks her eyes on the only thing she can get her tiny arms around on her new nephew. Cynder and Sparx begin to chuckle, as the little blue dragonfly wraps up the young whelpling's left horn in a tight embrace, and again, Sparx feels another charge of power.

After this touching moment, that left both of Cynder's in-laws in tears, mother and son walk from the large sleeping chamber and into the living room.

The young dragoness decides to let her son test his strength, and does so by showing him the improvements her husband made to their home. He has never really seen this place, except for the quick moment when he return from his hellish birth place, and last night when Spyro carried him home sleeping. His eyes opening only a few times, and seeing the large cave in a haze of blurry vision.

But now, with his sight unimpaired, and both suns shining into the Valley of Avalar, the room is filled with an abundance of light, allowing this young dragon to see his incredible new home.

Hundreds of pictures lining the walls show many different poses of the dragons he calls mother and father, but it's not just them posing for the camera. He can see all the different species of this planet, proudly standing with his parents and smiling easily in their captured moment with the hero of Avalar.

His eyes focus on countless scenes of triumph and joy, spinning his head completely around the room, till one picture stops his eyes cold. A gold dragonfly, with an incredible smile, and a personality that you could almost feel from his portrait.

"That's him..." He says confidently, turning back to his mother with a smile. "...that's Sparx!"

He strolls over to the large memorial, Spyro labored for months to build with his own paws, and uses a good deal of his strength to hop up on his hind legs. Still being a smaller dragon, Sparx cannot see into the back of the glass case, unless he can fully stand up. A struggle for the youngster at this moment, and he begins to become upset, still feeling the drain on his body. However, he does not back down from the glass case, trying to use every bit of strength he has to gain another inch.

Cynder can see her son is desperate to get up higher on his hind legs, to see all this beautiful memorial has to offer, and quickly she helps him up with her paws. Cynder holds her son gently, helping him to stand upright, bringing the many items he could not see into focus.

"WOW!" His voice says, along with his eyes, as they sparkle from the medals lying in the case. Gold and platinum awards that are larger than the small dragonfly was himself, and everyone only to bestowed upon a dragon. He can also see hundreds of faces with the little yellow dragonfly buzzing above, all with a smile that is not forced upon any of them.

Cynder wraps her arm around Sparx holding him against the case. She uses her free hand to point out to her son, the many creatures he influenced, and how they became better because of his friendship.

Sparx stares in awe at the countless lives, such a little creature could touch, and a deep feeling of pride fills the young dragon's heart hearing Cynder speak of him in such regard. He places his paw on his mother's arm, and looks up into her eyes.

"Thank you, Mom..." He says, and Cynder is a bit baffled at her son's sudden appreciation. His eyes return to the many items that hold much respect, and he continues with the same amount of respect in his voice.

"...I couldn't be more proud of my name."

Cynder turns her head slightly, looking at her in-laws hovering alongside, and seeing the appreciation in their tear-filled eyes. She lifts her son in her arms, with the overwhelming desire to hug him, and does so. The dark dragoness lowers her head down, cradling Sparx against every part of her that she can, and her green eyes focus up into the air.

"I'm sure he is the one who feels great pride, Sparx..." She whispers, kissing the top of his head and holding him tighter. "...for his name will be associated with his brother's son, and the greatest dragon I know..."

Cynder lifts her son's jaw to look deep into his eyes.

"...my baby!"

The two hold each other, and Sparx feels a great boost to his energy, finally realizing he is home. Cynder does as well, as mother and child feed off each other. Quickly, the dark dragoness can sense his strength, becoming stronger herself with every thump of his heart.

Cynder, places her son down on his paws, and gives him a smile, she can see his is standing up-rite and completely balanced. The young mother walks briskly down a newly burrowed hallway, towards the back of the cave, and Sparx is fast to stay on her tail. Cynder makes her young son trot, trying to get an idea of his stamina, wanting to find out if he is really feeling better.

Her smile increases, seeing the young dragon keeping pace, and not laboring in the slightest. Cynder turns to her right, looking at Flash and Nina whom have zipped up alongside her ear, and she gives them a smile. Her in-laws give the same smile back, but gesture Cynder to look behind her again.

She stops abruptly, watching a tiny blue dragonfly circling her son, like Spyro's brother would circle him. Making sure her nephew was not showing pain, at the same time, watching his back and sides. Just like Sparx.

The young dragon and dragonfly pull up alongside the stalled dragoness, in the long hallway and look at her with wonderment.

"What's wrong Mom!" Sparx asks with a bit of concern, seeing a strange smile upon her face. Cynder turns her attention to Sapphire, and quickly the baby dragonfly becomes worried herself, flying behind her nephew's horn to hide. The dark dragoness lowers her head all the way down to Sparx, getting between his horns to look at the trembling blue dragonfly.

"Nothing is wrong, Sparx..." She says giving Sapphire a wink of her eye. "...now that my sister is here to watch you."

Sapphire feels a boost of energy herself, flying out from behind Sparx' left horn. She postures next to the jaw of her new friend, her chest pushed out with pride hearing the confidence in her sister-in-law's voice.

Cynder turns her head gently to follow the flight of her tiny sister-in-law, never taking her eyes off this young dragonfly, and experiencing a strong sensation of déjà vu. The young mother again looks at her son, with a great smile, feeling confident that he will always have his little guardian angel.

Her sparkling green eyes close with great emotion, and Cynder raises her head back up, turning towards her mother and father-in-law,

"Thank You for bringing her here today..." She says, opening her eyes to show Nina and Flash her tearful appreciation. "...she has brought spirit to my baby, and for that I am grateful."

The two dragonflies float closer to the humbled dragoness, and place their small hands upon her muzzle.

"His spirit was already inside of him, Cynder..." Flash says, stroking the side of her jaw, and focusing on her green eyes. Nina finishes her husband's thought with the same sure gaze he is giving her.

"...you're sister just helped to bring it out."

Standing in the hallway, near the newly constructed cooking area, a sudden scent smacks Sparx in the nose, and this show of great emotion can do nothing against the grumbling stomach of the little dragon. The sound of her son's deep inhales, catches Cynder's attention, and she turns to watch Sparx come to life a different way.

"Is that what I think it is!" The young dragon remarks with a deep yearning in his voice. His nose pointed up in the air, collecting an incredible aroma with every powerful sniff. His eyes focus up to his mother, and his mouth begins to water.

It has been years since the young dragon has had Cynder's cooking, and actually remembers the last time he enjoyed something he ate. It is at this moment, he can smell that very aroma coming from the back of the cave.

Without another word, Sparx is down the remainder of the hallway, coming to a stop at a large opening. His mother, quickly by his side to keep watch of her ill-feeling child, but also to see his face when he catches a glimpse of her work.

Twenty large pots sitting in a massive pit of burning coals, filling the huge room with the odor of their delicious contents.

"I know how much you liked this stew, when you were a whelpling..." Cynder says, staring down at Sparx, and seeing his expression of joy. A faint smile crosses her face, and she lowers her left paw to cup Sparx' jaw in her palm. Cynder gets muzzle to muzzle with her son, and the young mother's smile gets larger.

"...and this time...I didn't have to fight for it!"

Sparx smiles, and removes his jaw from Cynder's palm, placing it against the side of her lowered muzzle. He rubs his cheeks gently with hers and looks around the massive room they are standing in. His eyes focusing on the many pots, boiling away on the hot coals.

"I know I haven't eaten that much lately Mom..." He says, then backs away slightly to show Cynder his joking eyes. "..but I'm not that hungry!"

Cynder chuckles, and returns her muzzle against his.

"Your father has invited several important guests, and I wanted them to enjoy a good meal." She replies, then looks over to the large amount of food she is cooking. "I just hope it puts them in as good a mood as it does you Sparx!"

The young dragon again jerks back, not fully understanding, but then suddenly realizing something more important. He was so captured in the many moments of being in his new surroundings, that the young dragon forgot the most important thing in his life.

"Where is Dad?" He asks, looking around suddenly, and Cynder smiles feeling the anxiousness for his father.

"It's a secret." She replies sarcastically, looking over to Nina and Flash with a smile.

Both dragonflies give the same smirk, knowing where their son is, and also with whom his is training. They, and the three Guardian Dragons, are the only inhabitants of Avalar that know Malefor is even alive.

Sparx looks at his mother with a bit of anger, hearing that she is keeping a secret from him, and Cynder cannot help but laugh.

"He will be home tonight, to tell you all about it..." she says, with a joy-filled expression, and Sparx cannot help but perk his own attitude up with everyone of Cynder's words.

"..I'm sure you will like this surprise..." She remarks still smiling, but her smile slowly fades, and Cynder once again looks at the large amount of food cooking in her new kitchen. "...but I just hope everyone else does."

Cynder lowers her head against her son's once again, holding him tighter in her paws.

"You Father is putting his neck out on the line tonight!"

Sparx eyes show a bit of worry, hearing his mother's concern, however, in his heart, he knows what this means and cannot contain himself.

"He's coming here!" Sparx' yelps, then quickly hushes his voice, not knowing that Nina and Flash have knowledge of Malefor, and seeing his mother's features show anger from his outburst.

"Sapphire!" Cynder barks still staring at her son. She turns her eyes towards her sister-in-law, showing her a more gentle gaze. "Could you go in the living room for a moment please...we need to do some adult talking."

Sapphire flies up to Cynder's eyes showing her sister anger of her own. The little dragonfly crosses her arms and looks back at her nephew with a bit of disgust.

"He's only three weeks old, and I'm over a year old..." She barks believing she is making a great argument. "...so if he can stay so can I!"

Cynder's eyes now show her the same anger she was showing Sparx, and the little dragonfly hastily unfolds her arms and begins flapping her wings. In a blue blaze, Sapphire is down the hallway, and into the living room. Sparx watches as his little protector leaves him hanging, and he returns his eyes back to his scowling mother. However, Cynder can see she is making her son nervous, and is fast to reassure him that he did nothing wrong.

"It's OK Sparx...and the answer to your question is yes..." The young mother says, then looks over at the two dragonflies hovering beside her left ear. "...Malefor is coming tonight!"

The young mother is befuddled seeing her son lower his head a bit, and a slight frown crossing his face.

"What is Sparx?" She asks "I thought you'd be happy!"

The young dragon looks up at his mother and Grandparents, then lowers his head again.

"I thought he didn't want to see me anymore..." He remarks in a deeply depressed voice. "...he never came to visit me when I almost died in that swamp."

Sparx turns his head back up to show his mother the deep pain in his eyes.

"Why didn't he come..." He says with tears dripping to the ground from his cheeks. "...does he think I don't love him anymore, because my Dad was the one that rescued me...BECAUSE THAT'S STUPID!"

Cynder wraps her son up in her arms, trying to comfort him, and stopping his emotional breakdown.

"No Sparx...he loves you, believe me..." She says, stroking her paw down his back. "...he just didn't want to break this family apart."

Cynder, yanks her son before her tear-filled eyes, and shows him the most convincing stare she has ever shown to her son.

"But I told him there was no way that he could every break this family apart..."

"Ms. Cynder, a dragon approaches..." barks a voice from behind, and the dark dragoness is spun around from her son, to a young Cheetah warrior now standing before her. She is startled for only a moment, but quickly remembers this youngster is Hunter's son, one of the very important guests coming tonight, and that he was keeping watch for her.

"How many are coming, Stryder..." She replies, returning her thoughts to a very special group that is coming from the city, and her eyes look at the vast amount of pots boiling away on the fire. "...I'm pretty sure I made enough food, but I..."

"There is only one..." He barks again, cutting her off with a bit of worry in his voice. "...and he is not coming from the north!"

Cynder's eyes open wide with distress, and her heart begins to pound in her chest. She can see the despair in Stryder's sharp eyes, immediately knowing and fearing the worst.

"What color is he..." She remarks, and Stryder is quick to answer before she finishes, hearing the fear in her voice, and knowing all about this particular dragon. He knows his Father's own hatred of this dragon, and the fact that he has vowed revenge upon Spyro's wife.

"Two-tone brown, with black wings, Ms. Cynder..." He remarks, then looks down seeing his words strike a deeper fear into the dark dragoness' eyes. "...it's definitely Tycor!"

The1upguy · May 14, 2013 11:14 PM

Chapter 23 Transfer of Power

"SPYRO, Son of Flash...get out here NOW!"

Sweat begins to bead on Cynder's forehead, hearing the angered voice from outside her home. It is the dragon she fears now more than Malefor, the same dragon that forced Spyro to jump into action as Cynder apologized for her past. She did nothing on her own to stop his vicious assault, believing she deserved to die for her past life, but now with her son standing by her side, a new life faces her, and death is the last thing on Cynder's mind.

"Who is Tycor, Mom?" Sparx asks with fearful curiosity, seeing his mother's emotions flip in an instant.

Cynder turns her head to her son, and her eyes show a deep regret she does not want to speak about. Her green eyes close, not to show her son the deep feeling of pain within them, and she places her paw upon Sparx' head.

"He is angry with me, and rightfully so..." She says, opening her eyes again, after seeing a disturbing vision from her past. "..I did something horrible to him Sparx, and I always believed that I deserve to be punished for it..."

She stares down at her son, and feels overwhelmed by her own thoughts, then begins to cry uncontrollably.

"...but I know now it really wasn't my fault...Was it?"

Sparx places his paw against his mother's flank, with tears now flowing from his eyes. The young dragon quickly understands, this Tycor is here because of his mother's early days under the Dark Master's control.

"No Mom...you are not that evil dragon any longer." He says confidently. "I don't even know how you could have been that dragon, because of the way..."

"SPYROOOOO! You Coward...COME FACE ME!" The voice howls from the valley again, and Cynder and Sparx jump with the piercing sound of his call.

The young dragon pauses for a second, seeing his mother as fearful as the day he went out to forage on his own, the day he lost her for six years.

"I should speak to him Mom, and tell him you are no longer..."

"NO!" Cynder barks with anger, cutting Sparx off, and staring at her son with a dead seriousness. "You will stay here...DO YOU UNDERSTAND!"

Sparx lowers down to his stomach with the sound of his mother angered voice, and his tears flow a bit faster.

"But Mom..."

"NO SPARX!" She yells even louder, grabbing his muzzle tightly, making sure her point is driven home.

"This dragon cannot be allowed to see you..." She remarks knowing Sparx age, and the reason he's as old as he is. "...he will kill you!"

As a very large eight old, Sparx could easily be seen as an older dragon, and considering where Cynder was ten years ago. It would be easy for most to think he was not Spyro's son...this would make an already difficult situation much worse.

Most knew Cynder was pregnant, but not many know of what has happened in the last month, and is another reason for this important dinner. A way to show off their new son, and explain how he is nearly an adolescent already.

The dark purple and red dragoness stares at Stryder, a five-year old cheetah, and already a fierce warrior.

"Don't let him out of your sight, Stryder!" She barks at the only one capable of keeping her son in check.

Being a cheetah, and growing at a faster rate, he is roughly a head taller than Sparx at his young age. He has also learned much from his father, and is quite cunning and powerful for such a young warrior. With a quick fierce stare at Sparx, he returns his hawk-like eyes to the young dragon's mother.

"Yes Ms. Cynder!" He replies, and returns his eyes to the two-toned son of Spyro.

The dark dragoness then turns her attention to her in-laws, she gives them a stern look with her green eyes.

"Mom...Dad...call the Portal Station and get your son back here now!" She pleads, and both Flash and Nina nod their heads, taking off down the hallway towards the living room and the communications system.

Cynder then takes a step towards the front of the cave herself, and Sparx grabs her hind leg as she leaves. He has no clue why his mother will not let him go, believing it is only because he is weak.

"Mom..." He says with deep emotion. "...please let me come with you...I can help...I swear I feel better!"

Cynder stops her stride, reaching down for her child, and lifting him up in her arms.

"I know you feel strong, baby..." She says, wiping the tears from his eyes, then also her own. "...but this dragon is much stronger...he may even be stronger then your father."

"Then you shouldn't go out there alone either!" Sparx remarks with a dead sternness in his voice, staring at his mother with fearful anger. "Why should YOU have to face him by yourself, if it wasn't YOUR fault?"

Cynder lowers her head, then places her son back on the ground. She stares at him wanting to say something, but just closes her eyes and continues her walk to the cave entrance.

"Mom! Wait!" Sparx yelps, taking a step of his own to follow, however, he suddenly feels a solid grip on his left wing.

"You're not going anywhere!" Stryder remarks with a calm voice, holding the base of Sparx' wing tightly. "You will stay right here, as Ms. Cynder ordered!"

Sparx looks at the stern eyes of the young cheetah warrior, then cranes his head around to see the grip he has on his wing.

"If you want to lose that paw..." Sparx replies, then returns his eyes sharply back to Stryder's "...keep holding my wing!"

The young cheetah shows no intimidation in his gaze, or in his response as a slight smile crosses his face.

"Give it your best shot...little fella!"

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Deep in the woods, Spyro, with the shredded membrane of his left wing, is running as fast as he can. The purple dragon sped off, hearing the word that his family is in danger, not waiting for Malefor or Gaven to follow. He blazes a trail through the dense forest towards the underground portal station, nearly a mile away, angry at himself for leaving his wrist communicator behind during training.

"I should have been back already..." The purple dragon yells at himself, picking up the pace of his stride, and focusing his eyes on the large hill off in the distance. "...How could I be so stupid!"

His heart is pounding in his chest, and not from the overexertion of his body, but the thought that has bothered him for a week.

Spyro is sure that his son is in extreme danger now, and not from some outside influence, but from within. The young father is consumed with a deep fear, remembering the moment he almost lost his son in the swamp. This combined with the fact that he agrees with Malefor's assessment of the Dark Master not being dead, scares the young father. He tries to convince himself as he runs though a grove of dense foliage.

"It can't be him..." Spyro says to himself, knowing that Sparx had no memory of walking from the Portal Station and into the swamp.

"...I remember everything that happened to me, so does my wife and Malefor."

Suddenly a loud rustling noise, comes from the tree tops above him, and Spyro is hit from behind before he can turn his head. A large arm is wrapped around his chest, and quickly he is lift off his feet. Spyro is startled for a moment as his frame is brought up over the tree line, and quickly realizes by the purple arm grabbing his chest, that it is Malefor, and he is hastily heading towards the Portal Station.

"We have no time for you to run the whole way!" Barks the large dragon, and Spyro relaxes slightly knowing he will get home faster now.

Spyro slightly turns his head, and is even more surprised to see Gaven in Malefor's other arm. The old Master's eyes closed with a deathly fear.

"*bleep* it Malefor..." Gaven screams, like a little girl. "... how about a warning when you drop from the sky like that...and slow down for heaven sakes!"

"My son is trouble, Master Gaven..." Spyro remarks to his superior, with anger, even knowing his friend's fear of heights. "...I don't think he going fast enough."

Gaven's eyes open wide, focusing on Spyro.

"Who said anything about your son being in trouble, General..." Gaven barks with his own anger. "...if you would have let me finish, I would have told you what was going on."

Malefor stops in mid-flight with his own anxiousness, and wanting to hear why the Portal Master came out to get Spyro in such a hurry.

"So what the hell is happening then, Gaven" Malefor barks, before Spyro can open his mouth "Why did you tell us his family was in danger!"

"Because they are...you idiot!" He replies, staring dead into Malefor's eyes, but then looks back to Spyro.

"Tycor is in the Valley of Avalar!"

Spyro's eyes open wide with that name, and he turns his frightened expression to Malefor. The large purple dragon can hear Spyro's fear in his voice.

"Cynder!" He says very faintly, and Malefor can see the fear for his wife, building in Spyro's eyes

"GO NOW MALEFOR!"

Before Spyro can finish his call to move, Malefor shoots off towards the underground station at breakneck speed. The large dragon, carrying two full-sized beings, still covers the distance in seconds, and smashes through the North door into the station.

"That was not very smart!" Gaven remarks as the alarms begin to blare throughout the station, and he looks at Malefor with a bit of anger.

"Sorry Gaven...I'll fix them..." He retorts, weaving through the narrow corridors, and keeping his fast pace. A smile crosses the large dragon's muzzle as he banks his last turn, heading for the double doors of the Main Room. "...I guess I'll have to fix these as well."

Gaven and Spyro lower their heads as the large dragon destroys yet another set of innocent doors.

Malefor opens his wings wide, as he enters the large room, slowing his momentum, and raising up towards the chandelier. The large dragon banks around the massive light fixture, and lowers to the ground next to Gaven's steel desk. As his paws hit the ground, he places the Portal Master's butt in his chair, then leaps back over the desk towards the center of the room.

"Come on already..." Spyro barks with anxiousness, still being held in Malefor's arm, and waiting for a portal to open.

"I cannot open the portal until I shut down the alarms." The Portal Master replies, burning his fingers across his control panel. Spyro turns his head to look at Malefor, and he can see an embarrassed look cross the older dragon's face.

"Sorry, Spyro...I didn't know!" He says, then looks back at Gaven with his own anxiousness. Hoping the Portal Master can fix his dumb mistake quickly.

Within seconds, the alarms in the station begin to silence, and Gaven turns his attention to a different keyboard. His hand screaming across the controls to open a portal directly into Spyro's home. A slight flicker begins to appear before both purple dragons, and Malefor readies himself to leap through. However, before he does, both are struck with a strange sensation in their bones, and Malefor can feel it much stronger then Spyro.

Suddenly another alarm blares from Gaven's desk, and the Portal Master's attention is taken quickly to his left, and another one of his display screen.

"BY THE ANCESTORS!" The old giant remarks with fear, and his eyes turn to Spyro and Malefor.

"What?" the purple hero remarks anxiously, wriggling out of Malefor's grasp, and running back to Gaven's desk. His eyes showing great fear, just having felt a familiar Dark energy.

"Spyro, look at this!" He says, and the purple dragon is by his side in the blink of an eye. Malefor also returns to see what is going on, and all three lock their eyes on the same display screen. It shows a massive release of power, coming from Avalar.

"Who is that?" Gaven remarks, and Malefor looks at Spyro with a deadly realization. He knows that energy like his own, having spent two thousand years under its control.

"I'm sorry Gaven...your brother failed." Malefor replies, then looks at Spyro with frightened eyes. "The Dark Master is alive...and now we know where he has been hiding."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Cynder slowly strides into the living room, and turns her head to the right. She can see the screen of the communication system flicker out, and is anticipating a portal to open. However, her father-in-law's voice is all she hears, and it not what she was hoping to hear.

"He's training with Malefor, and is not wearing his communicator, Cynder!" Flash says with his fear building up, knowing about this dragon's vendetta. "Gaven said he'll go personally to find him, but it might take a couple of minutes."

He can see his daughter-in-law's eyes go blank, and his heart can feel her pain. Without another word, the large blue dragonfly, heads for the cave entrance.

"NO!" Both Nina and Cynder shout, but Flash is quickly through the mouth of the cave. Mother and daughter-in-law follow quickly behind, stopping by the entrance, and staying out of sight for the moment.

Tycor begins laughing, seeing only a dragonfly emerging from the cave, but knowing who this particular dragonfly is.

"WHAT IS THIS!" He yells at the cave entrance, seeing the scurrying of feet in the shadows. "Did you send your father to tell me to go away!"

Flash gives him a scowl, as he flies up to the large dragon, the anger inside of him boiling over. The blue dragonfly shows no intimidation in his eyes, even though Tycor is roughly the size of Malefor.

A massive dragon in stature, and as solid as the Earth element he masters. Before the war, this young dragon was already ear-marked to replace Terrador when he stepped down.

He is dark brown with a diamond-back patten of black scales, that match his wing color, running the length of his body. However, his chest scales are light tan, almost gold, a color slightly darker than Spyro's, and pushed out with the strength he possesses.

"My son is not at home...and you are upsetting my wife." The small dragonfly remarks, flying up to the muzzle of this huge beast. "So if you don't mind..."

"...KEEP QUITE!"

Tycor is flabbergasted for a moment, at the small dragonfly's demands, but then his anger returns in the next breath. His eyes cross, focusing dead at the little dragonfly, as he lifts his front paw, and flicks the little creature with a talon.

Cynder and Nina gasp at his actions, and Tycor can hear them being so close to the cave entrance, The dark dragoness readies to charge, but her mother-in-law zips in front of her face, stopping her before the first step. She saw that her husband never hit the ground, and is already back in Tycor's face.

"Are you kidding me?" The large dragon remarks with a bit of anger. "If you want to die...I have no problem with granting your wish."

Flash does not back down from his threat, getting closer to his face.

"And, If you want my son to KILL you, when he gets back..." He says with a deeper anger. "...by all means...DO IT!"

Cynder watches as an evil grin crosses Tycor's blunt muzzle, and he draws up on his hind legs rearing his paw back to strike.

"NO!" She screams leaping past Nina, and into the light of day. "Don't you dare!"

His dark brown eyes, quickly focus on her, and he lowers back to the ground taking a stride closer to his ultimate target.

"Well... well... well... so you've decide to show yourself...Terror of the Sky!"

Cynder lowers her head, hearing that name again, then returns her focus upon him.

"I can't let you do that to Spyro's family..." The dark dragoness says somberly, turning her eyes to look at Flash. "...he's not the one that killed your parents...I am!"

Cynder returns her eyes to Tycor, and she can see a quick change in his emotion, from his pure angry stare, to a slight glare of satisfaction in his eyes, watching Cynder humble herself before him.

"I'm sorry, Tycor..." She says tearfully. "...I don't deserve to live for what I did to you..."

Cynder looks at the blue dragonfly she was proud to call her father, realizing how much is at stake, and the dark dragoness gives into his demands.

"...do what your here for..." She says, seeing him inch closer to the entrance of the cave where her child is, and knowing he must not see him. She takes a step closer to the massive tan and black dragon, walking away from her home, and hoping he will do as she asks.

"...if you want to kill me...just get over with... then leave this place."

Tycor begins to laugh, moving closer to the cave entrance, Cynder mirroring his advance until they are face to chest. The much taller Tycor lowers his head down to look deep into Cynder's eyes, and his words send a cold chill down her spine.

"I don't want to kill you any longer..." He says balling up his left paw into a fist. "...I want you to suffer, like I did."

Tycor swings his arm to the side, smashing Flash with an unsuspecting blow of his stone power, sending the little dragonfly careening into the cave. His tiny body slamming against the wall, across from his wife, and falling to the ground without motion.

"YOU *bleep*!" Cynder screams, as her eyes turn pure white, and her scales darken from the call of her Fury.

Cynder swings her tail around at great force, and strikes Tycor in the center of his chest with its long bladed tip. However, his incredible element is breed throughout his body, and Cynder's blade barely penetrates Tycor's rock hard scales. Her green eyes return in an instant, feeling completely outmatched, knowing that one of her most deadliest strikes did nothing but draw a single drop of blood, and an arrogant laugh.

Tycor grasps Cynder's tail with his left paw, and her neck with his right. He lifts the young dragoness easily with his great strength, and holds her muzzle to muzzle.

"That is but only one to grieve for, Terror of the Sky..." He says coldly, turning his attention to the green dragonfly, aiding her injured husband. "...by the end of this day...you will understand my grief."

Inside the cave, two young warriors are still testing each other. Neither have gotten vicious, but both have laid down some pretty impressive blows. Sparx appears to be winning this battle, as he continually gets closer to the living room. However, the commotion of Tycor's actions, can be heard by both dragon and cheetah, near the edge of the hall, and both youngster stop fighting abruptly.

They hear the cry that Nina made, and can see her hovering over her husband. However, that is not what gets Sparx' attention. It is the crying to his right, coming from the corner of the living room. A little blue dragonfly, that saw more than she should have.

"Daddy!" Sapphire cries, and Sparx can feel an overwhelming anger building inside. Stryder's eyes open with shock, as Sparx becomes consumed with rage, viciously tossing him to the side with ease, and heading for the cave entrance.

Cynder, grasped in Tycor's rock solid choke hold, is helpless to stop the inevitable. She watches his mouth open wide, spewing his magic, and firing a rock projectile towards her parents.

"Go Nina!" Flash remarks with the pain in his body, seeing this large stone heading for his wife.

Nina turns her head to see her oncoming fate, but does not leave her husband's side. She closes her eyes and holds Flash's hand, willing to die with her love.

The feel of a strong breeze, and the sound of a loud impact, makes Nina jump, but she quickly becomes confused feeling nothing. Her eyes open with surprise, seeing the two-toned colored scales of her grandson's back, his gold wings spread wide to shield them from any debris.

Tycor, jumps himself, seeing Spyro for a moment, but then his eyes focus as the dust settles from his blocked shot.

"Who the hell is that..." He remarks, turning Cynder's head violently to see her son.

"NO ONE!" She gasps, but the young dragon answers his question with a stern demand of his own.

"GET YOUR *bleep* PAWS OFF MY MOTHER!"

The large brown dragon does a double-take, and loses his train of thought. He knew Cynder was pregnant, as one of his objectives was to retrieve that egg, but seeing this very large child was not what he was expecting.

"Who's son is that?" Tycor asks with a snarling rage in his voice, tightening his grip around Cynder's neck.

"Spy...ro's!" She gasps, and Tycor increases his grip.

"YOU'RE LYING!" He barks, and hurls her to the ground on her back. Tycor focuses his eyes on the young dragon, placing his right front paw on Cynder's chest, holding her back to the ground.

"That is Malefor's child, and I know it!" Tycor yells, and presses his weight down upon her chest.

"NO...My father is Spyro the Dragon!" The young whelpling barks, with pride in his bloodline. "...and I will show you my father's power if you don't get let her go...RIGHT NOW!"

Tycor stares the young dragon down with no fear, and curls his talons into Cynder's chest plate. His mother screams in agony, and Sparx becomes irate.

His eyes flash RED, and Tycor becomes a bit startled.

The young dragon's body becomes a flash of lightning, slamming into the unsuspecting Tycor, and paralyzing him with a vast amount of energy, however this energy also flows into Cynder, and she screams uncontrollably in pain again. Sparx stops his onslaught with her yelp, falling to the ground as his normal self.

All three dragons lay motionless before the cave entrance.

"How the hell did I get to Avalar?" He asks himself, looking around and noticing his surroundings immediately. "And why can't I move?"

Again his eyes wander, looking around, not knowing what has happened the last three weeks, and why he is only remembering bits and pieces.

Finally seeing Cynder beginning to move, he realizes that his choice may not have been so smart.

"I must get out of here...I can't control him...I'm too weak!"

His eyes search again, seeing the other dragon beginning to stir, and retaking his feet. He watches intently as the large two-toned brown dragon approaches, and smiles wide.

"What are you smiling at kid..." Tycor remarks to the smirking dragon, showing his anger and rage to the wrong person. "...I'm gonna make you suffer for that!"

However, Tycor is startled again, as the young dragon calmly stares him down and replies.

"You will do fine!"

Without another word, Sparx' muzzle opens wide, and huge blast of energy is fired at the larger dragon. The valley begins to shake from the output of power, and Tycor is frozen from an overwhelming surge to his body.

"Yes!" Tycor softly remarks, just before passing out once again, however, Sparx losses consciousness as well from such a release of energy.

The brown dragon stays down for only a second, and opening his eyes to a new look on the world. He retakes his feet with an odd smile on his face, looking around, flexing his neck and muscles, enjoying his new body.

Tycor stares at Cynder, and smiles, knowing she has no clue who he really is.

"I was going to take him for my own Cynder..." he says callously, striding over to the unconscious dragon. "...but I know that now, that I can never control him!"

Tycor looks at Cynder, with a great deal of arrogance

"So...I think I'll just kill him!"

The young mother, again turns jet black, leaping at the large dragon with malice intent, however, with a quick swat of his powerful right paw, Cynder is slammed back to the ground. Tycor turns his head towards the fallen dragoness, and launches a sharp spike from his mouth. The stone nail spears Cynder's right wing, holding her to the ground.

"Now you can watch helplessly like I was forced to...when you killed my family!"

Cynder struggles to move, but cannot pull her wing from the ground, and can see Tycor raise his tail up in the air. With a large mace-like ball attached to the end, Cynder's tear-filled green eyes can only watch it gain height, readying to strike the final blow against her child.

The Dark Master turns his head to experience the horror of Cynder's expression, as he swings the spiked ball of his new body's tail, towards her son. However, he is shocked as it comes to an abrupt stop, and a wave of wind hits his chest from someone arriving at great speed. He turns his attention to his target, and a smile crosses his face.

"Hello Spyro..." He remarks, seeing the pure purple and gold dragon standing before him now, and the portal he came through several paces behind. "...nice of you to join us, finally!"

The look of an angry father does nothing to intimidate the larger dragon, and Spyro turns his attention to the others laying around him in pain, including his father.

"You have no shame, do you Tycor?" Spyro says with a deep feeling of regret, knowing this dragon is bitter for all the right reasons, but is now expressing his rage against the wrong people. Sadness begins to fill his heart for what he must do to protect his home.

"So...you've decided to go after her family now..." He says softly, feeling a deep depression in his heart. Spyro's purple eyes disappear showing only his glowing white irises.

"...well I'm part of her family, and I will defend my family to the death if necessary!"

The purple dragon looks down at his son with quick concern from his motionless form, however a sudden smile crosses Spyro's face, as he can feel an almost inner peace within Sparx...a calmness he has not felt in his boy since before going to the Red Planet.

The purple dragon looks back up at his taller foe, and their eyes lock. Roughly an inch tall then Cynder now, Spyro is chest level with massive dragon as well, but shows not intimidation whatsoever from Tycor's size.

The large dragon can see the white-hot anger in the young father's pupil-less stare, but Spyro can see something else is his eyes.

Without warning, the purple dragon lowers his head, and slams Tycor in the chest, propelling him back away from his home. The two powerful creatures lock up in a scuffle rolling into the river that flows before the cave.

"Spyro!" Cynder yelps from the ground, trying to pull her wing free, desperate to finally help her husband in this fight against Tycor. But Cynder cannot budge the large spike from her wing, without tearing the membrane apart painfully, and she watches in horror as Tycor takes the upper hand quickly.

After training with Malefor, Spyro is exhausted, but he still thought he had enough power to defeat a mere stone dragon, with ease. However, this is not the case, feeling the strength coming from the large brown paws, wrapped around his body, he never felt before for Tycor, and confirming his thoughts.

Spyro is thrashed around violently against the rocks of the fast flowing river, then Tycor slams his front paw down on the purple dragon's throat. He wedges him between two large stones underwater, not allowing Spyro's nose to reach the air. The purple dragon struggles to free himself, but the Earth dragon's weight is too much to lift for the weakened hero.

Suddenly, Tycor is slammed in the side of the face with a mass of pure poison, and he is knock off his feet by the toxic goo that now coats his body. The large stone dragon falls over into the fast-moving river, allowing Spyro to pull his head up for air, however as his nose clears the water, he inhales the remnants of the powerful attack.

"CYNDER!" He chokes trying to breathe, but is startled to hear a different voice.

"Sorry Spyro!" Malefor's distorted voice squawks, and the purple dragon quickly sees the bent light of his new friend's frame. "I didn't mean..."

Malefor stops talking as Tycor emerges from the water, not allowing him to hear his voice. The evil dragon staring at Cynder with anger, believing this attack came from her, laying only a few yards from the river.

"How dare you..." Is all he can say before Spyro is on him again, pushing his head back under the water, and staring back at the light bending form of Malefor.

"Get them in the cave!" He says quickly, feeling Tycor power his head back up from the silencing sound of the water. The purple hero uses the remainder of his strength to force Tycor down once more, if only for a second.

"It's him!" Spyro yelps quickly, giving Malefor a clue of what he has discovered, and hoping the old dragon understands.

Tycor rips his head from Spyro's grasp, pulling it up out of the water, and following it up with his solid right fist. Unseen by the splashing water, this fist finds its mark on Spyro's unsuspecting jaw, lifting the purple dragon out of the water with great force. The smaller dragon spins violently from the impact, landing on the other side of the river from his home. Spyro locks his eyes on Cynder, and see the distortion of light in the form of Malefor, heading for his wife and son, and quickly he focuses back to the brown and black dragon standing in the river before him.

Spyro can see Tycor begin to turn his head as well, to look back at his other targets, making sure they have not run. He quickly fires an Ice projectile, slamming the large dragon in the side of his neck, forcing him to look back in his direction.

"I'm over here, little whelpling..." Spyro barks with anger. "You better get rid of me first, before thinking of what's over there!"

Tycor, turns back to Spyro, and the purple dragon smiles, seeing his attention return to him.

"So, you want to die first..." He remarks, flapping his wings, and pulling himself out of the river. "...I CAN ACCOMMODATE YOU!"

The snake patterned dragon opens his blunt muzzle, releasing a barrage of fast-moving stone pebbles, peppering the ground with thousands of these bullet-like rocks.

Spyro rolls to his feet and tries to run, but cannot avoid being pelted by the fast-moving stones raining down from the sky. They tear through his scales, embedding themselves in his back and hind legs, forcing him to stumble back to the ground in pain.

The purple dragon, lying on his stomach, turns his head to look for his attacker, and is surprised by Tycor's left leg already approaching his face. The impact to his muzzle is devastating, breaking his jaw on contact, and sending the purple dragon careening across the ground into the canyon wall that circles the entire valley.

Tycor is quickly on Spyro before he can regain his focus, grabbing the purple dragon by the throat, and lifting him in the air. He slams his back against the wall, raising his right paw, and slashing Spyro across his broken muzzle with his razor-sharp talons. The purple dragon's head is slammed to the right, and his left eye is painfully blinded by the vicious assault, however he catches a glow of power with his limited vision, and Spyro knows he must get away now. With every last bit of magic he can muster, Spyro lights up his body like a plasma ball, shooting a vast amount of electricity through Tycor's arm, and forcing him to let go. He quickly slams the stunned dragon in the face with his tail, and takes off running into the woods to his right, away from his home.

This was his quick plan, keep Tycor preoccupied with him and not with what is going on behind him, allowing his new friend to rescue his wife and son. The purple hero knows, as hurt as he is now, it would be foolish for the Earth dragon to let him get away, and this would be the best way to get this evil monster away from his family.

However, he was not expecting to take a beating like this, and is now slightly worried that his plan is going to backfired on him.

Spyro limps painfully into the tree line, and can hear the charging footsteps approaching from behind. "Good..." He remarks, knowing he is only twenty yards from salvation, and the real reason he is not feeling completely helpless. "...come follow me!"

Spyro burrows through the dense foliage of his front yard, knowing every little piece of real estate in HIS valley, especially where to go for power.

"I'M NOT PLAYING HIDE AND SEEK WITH YOU!" Tycor barks with anger, and Spyro can feel the ground rumble under his paws.

Suddenly the forest behind him crumbles as the ground vibrates with great force, Spyro turns around to see a wave of stone approaching, leveling everything in its path. The earth jolts up under his paws, and Spyro is catapulted into the air, slamming him into a large tree.

As the small patch of forest clears before him, Tycor can see the purple dragon hurled up against the large oak, forcing it to fall over from Spyro's impact, and not because of his earth tsunami. A smile crosses his face watching the purple dragon fall over the edge of a cliff, limply, along with the tree his purple frame felled.

"Well, that wasn't too hard now was it!" Tycor remarks to himself, flapping his wings to gain flight, and heading over to make sure the deed has been done. However, his eyes catch a glimpse of flashing red and green light, and his ears can hear the sounds of laughter.

As he crests the cliff, allowing him to see down the into the small canyon near the Twilight falls, the Dark Dragon can see...this is going to be harder.

Spyro looks up at him, standing on his hind legs, and blacker then the Ace of Spades. His body surrounded in a cyclone of shattered crystals, pumping his body with ancestral energy, and allowing the black dragon to fill his magic properly for the first time in three weeks. The glowing black dragon takes a deep soothing breath, as Tycor lands before him, and a smile crosses Spyro's muzzle.

He swings his tail just as both crystals beside him regenerate themselves again, knowing exactly how long it takes for these particular gems to grow.

Spyro takes in another incredible boost of power, and his body begins to regenerate as well. Tycor watches with an annoyed expression, as the scars across Spyro's left eye disappear, and the dark dragon before him arrogantly winks that eye, as it heals completely.

"Do you really want to do this?" Spyro growls with anger, staring at this evil dragon with his now deadly stern eyes. His voice becoming arrogant with the return of his full power "Because I can accommodate you!"

"So...you really want to die today...huh!" Tycor replies, and his eyes flash with power. The evil dragon draws on his energy, and opens his muzzle wide.

Suddenly a large rock projectile, slams to the ground, startling both fighters.

"Enough of this Tycor!" Terrador barks from the air, and readies to launch another attack if necessary. Hovering beside him is Cyril and Volteer, also ready to launch elemental attacks of their own, knowing the strength of this particular dragon.

Tycor powers down, for the moment, seeing the three Guardian Dragons of Avalar.

"Do not disobey the word of the Guardians, Tycor..." Terrador remarks as he lands between the posturing dragons, staring dead into the eyes of one his subjects. "...or regardless of your great family's heritage...I will banish you from the dragon city, and sieze everything your father had fought for!"

Tycor lowers his head hearing these words, and his senses are shaken by his sudden surroundings, however he can see Spyro, and this deep rage inside he cannot control begins to boil again.

"There will be another time Spyro!" He remarks, but Cyril is quick to respond to this threat.

"You will do nothing of the kind, young dragon..." he barks sternly, lowering beside Terrador, and staring at him with his piercing blue eyes. "...if you go near this dragon again, not only will we take every thing you hold of value, but I will personally make sure you live out the rest of your days in a small cell made completely of ice."

Tycor draws his paw back, ready to strike the blue guardian, however, it is speared by an arrow, and the Earth dragon holds it out in pain. His eyes focusing on a cheetah warrior on the cleared cliff Spyro fell from, with a bow firmly in his paw.

"Hunter!" Barks the angry dragon, as he yanks the arrow from his paw, and looks back at this cheetah warrior with anger. He has come to despise Hunter over the last few years, for his love of Spyro's wife, and his willingness to protect her while Spyro was gone.

He can see he is out numbered, and feels an uncontrollable power to fight them all. However, he does not want to be banished from his home, but cannot fight this desire to seek revenge. With his thoughts pulling him in two different direction, the stone dragon breaks down with anger.

"She killed my Family...*bleep* IT..." Tycor barks with emotion, staring at everyone around him. "...when do I get my justice?"

No one can give him an answer, and Spyro can feel pain inside for him.

"She didn't do it...my stone friend..." The purple dragon remarks, and walks between Cyril and Terrador up to the large dragon. Spyro's eyes lock on Tycor's, and knows all about his inner struggle, but does not let on that he knows.

"...the Dark Master killed your family, not Cynder."

Tycor lowers his head, feeling an impact in his words, the large master of stone knows the purple dragon is telling the truth, just by listening to his thoughts now. He can see some of the memories of the Dark Master inside his head, and the onslaught he just laid upon Spyro without remembering.

His eyes focus on the young purple dragon, and Spyro can see fear in his eyes, and a worry that he is losing himself.

However, it lasts for only a moment.

"NOOOO!" Tycor barks, thrusting a solid punch into Spyro's chest and forcing him back into the two guardians. The Earth master fires a large rock at the cliff under Hunter, then leaps into the air surprising Volteer with a powerful uppercut. The Cheetah warrior is forced to jump down from the crumbling cliff, and once again as he is almost crushed by the falling Electric Guardian's body.

"I want to know only one thing Spyro..." He barks down to the group of stunned dragons, from high above, building another powerful burst of energy in his muzzle. "...Why do you defend a dragon so valiantly, even when she caused you the same pain as I!"

Spyro, lying atop the two guardians he crashed into, stares back up at the dark dragon, and rises to his feet.

"What are you talking about?" He replies with a sudden chill down his spine, seeing the evil grin of the Dark Master upon this dragon's face.

"Just like me...Cynder made you an orphan...when she destroyed a small outer colony called Xanadu..." Tycor remarks with arrogance, being shown unknown memories in his head.

"...A place, that the elders believed, a dragon that laid such a priceless egg, should live the rest of its days with her family. However, it was destroyed soon after the assault on the palace, by a new dragon. A name was given to this beast, after her vicious display of power...The Terror of the Skies."

The stone dragon, recalls the moment he lost his entire family, shortly after, and looks at Spyro with his cold brown eyes, freezing the purple dragon in place.

"I vowed to destroy that abomination...and that is where we differ Spyro" He says staring down a the captived dragon's eyes. "...you honored your parents...by marrying the one that killed them!"

Tycor gets more than a boost of energy, seeing the scar he places on Spyro's heart, watching the purple dragon slouch down with a sick feeling in his stomach. He has done better than kill Cynder's true love...he has broken it.

Tycor's mouth opens wide, firing a large boulder at the three downed Guardians and Hunter.

"Spyro do something!" Terrador yelps pinned under Cyril, unable to get a clear shot, but the purple dragon remains frozen, staring at the ground.

Watching his stone projectile on target, and seeing Spyro lost in his thoughts, a large smile crosses Tycor's face. However, also seeing a large group coming in from the north, the dark dragon decides it's a good time to leave.

Tycor floats backward into a whirlwind of air created by the Twilight Falls, and heads up at incredible speed as the wind fills his massive wings. The tan dragon is up the falls in a blink of an eye, with a huge smile upon his muzzle. He has done more damage then he could have hoped for, leaving the Guardians to die, and Spyro to deal with Cynder on his own.

Another deep pulse of energy fills his heart, never having to look back, hearing the familiar sound of his rock magic smashing into the ground behind him. With haste, Tycor heads up the enclosed eastern river that leads into the Catacombs, and out of sight from the approaching entourage of elders.

The1upguy · May 21, 2013 3:23 PM

Chapter 24: A "Diamond" in the Rough

Running into the large sleeping chamber, to the right of the living room, Stryder has his bow drawn with arrow ready. His eyes locked upon the massive purple dragon his father has told him stories about, all of which gave him nightmares of a war for the ages.

His anger is flowing through his body, but his mind keeps focus, holding the arrow still, waiting for the optimum time to release. A father's dedicated training, yielding heavy dividends, as the young cheetah can feel the pressure to protect Cynder and her son, but not letting it bother his skills. Stealthily, he creeps along the far wall, slowly getting a better position to hit this dragon in a weaker section of his body, not through the tough scales of his back.

Malefor raises his right paw, exposing the perfect angle to his heart through the thinner scales under his arm, but Stryder has to hold his fire, seeing Cynder pulled into the arrow's path. However, his eyes open wide with great shock, and his bow slowly uncoils with the sight he cannot believe.

The large dragon curls his head down, and Stryder can see his left arm come around the other side of Cynder's body, holding her in a caring embrace.

"Trust me, he will be fine, Cynder..." The large dragon remarks looking down at the young son of Spyro, passed out from a release of all his energy. "...he has his Father's determination...and his Mother's spirit..."

Stryder, in complete surprise, watches as Malefor now cradles the dark dragoness' muzzle in his right paw, holding her chin up, and smiling at the tear-filled eyes of his former subject. He can hear a sincerity in his voice, that his father said nothing about, and feeling the large dragon's pleasure in comforting Cynder.

"...however, I must go and help Spyro." He continues, turning his body towards the young cheetah, and Stryder can tell he will be spotted in a moment. Before he loses the crucial element of surprise, the wise youngster makes his presence known under his terms.

"Don't move or I'll kill you, Dark Master!" Stryder barks, leaping out into the light, drawing his bow back again, and holding position before the room's exit.

"I wanna know what is going on here?"

Cynder and Malefor are startled by his presence, and quickly both turn their attention to him. The large purple dragon steps in front of the young mother and her son, making sure he is the only one in his line of sight.

"Easy young warrior..." He replies, keeping his eyes focused on Stryder. "...I am only here to help."'

"YOUR LYING!" The young cheetah replies, drawing his arrow back further.

"NO!" Cynder yelps, trying to round the large purple dragon, but Malefor holds her put, seeing panic build in Stryder's eyes.

"I am not lying young cheetah, and if you truly don't believe me..." Malefor remarks calmly, looking dead into the frightened expression of his attacker. The large dragon raises his head, showing this cunning little warrior the soft scales under his jaw

"...then you should take this shot, now!"

Malefor steps forward, keeping his jaw up, never taking his eyes from Stryder's. He watches intently, to the young cheetah's reaction, getting closer and closer, and finally lowering his head down to the point of Stryder's drawn arrow, staring him eye to eye.

"I am only here to help, young warrior..." Malefor says confidently, closing his eyes, and keeping his vulnerable jaw exposed. "...and you must decide on your own, if I am telling the truth."

Stryder is confused by Malefor's actions, not fulling understanding what his reasoning is to give in like this. The Dark Master his father told him about was ruthless and showed no remorse, however, that is not what he saw in his eyes. He saw the pure intentions of a purple dragon, the same look he has seen in his Father's friend's eyes. The same eyes he saw in a young dragon he wrestled with a moment ago, that gained his respect in battle. But then a different set of eyes take his focus, those of a panicked dragoness in the background, staring at Stryder with her uncertainty, showing him concern for his what he is doing.

"He's not lying Stryder!" Cynder says with fear in her voice. "Please Don't!"

Stryder can feel Malefor's pulse vibrate through the tip of his arrow, and sensing its calm stable beat, he lowers his arrow, and watches as Malefor reopens his eyes.

"Only someone telling the truth...could be so calm in the face of death..." He remarks, looking back into this familiar gaze. "...and if Ms. Cynder trusts you...that means that I should trust you."

The young cheetah returns his arrow to the quiver, and places the bow over his shoulder, staring at the ground with a bewildered look.

"I'm sorry I almost killed you!"

Malefor smiles for a second, but can still see despair across the face of the young cheetah. He lowers his muzzle down, lifting Stryder's chin with his nose.

"It's OK young one..." Malefor remarks to the shaking warrior, still feeling the effects of adrenaline pumping through his veins. The large dragon's voice becomes jovial, trying to calm the small cheetah with a somewhat assuring notion.

"...I was never really in danger from you!"

Stryder, with his snout atop Malefor's nose, stares into his eyes.

"But I have put you in danger..." He remarks with a dead sternness in his voice. "...I called my Father, and the palace guard!"

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Crouching under Volteer's semi-conscious frame, the only cover he has, Hunter waits for the impact of a large boulder falling from the sky above. It's size is enough to frighten the Cheetah warrior, but when it hits the ground above, his fear increase a thousand fold.

Slamming against the canyon wall, one falling boulder becomes many, as the walls crumble from the tremendous impact. His cat-like reflexes will do him no good, as the twenty-foot walls collapse around he and the Guardians of Avalar.

The Cheetah Warrior closes his eyes tightly, praying to his Ancestors, and awaiting the inevitablepainful end of his life. However, the sudden sound of giant rocks slamming above him, and no pain felt in his body, forces the wise cat to open his eyes, and look up.

"By the Ancestors!" He remarks, as his pupils widen to their largest size, filled with a sight he never thought possible.

"Spyro?"

Looking down at the leader of the Cheetah Warriors, a slight grin crosses his stone muzzle.

Terrador, Cyril, and Volteer, his eyes finally opening after a vicious punch, stare up with the same amount of surprise in their expressions, not completely understanding what they see.

Spyro is forming a brace with his body, holding the canyon walls apart, keeping them from collapsing inward. His wings spread out, and angled away, forcing the stones from above, to slide harmlessly to his left and right. But this is not what is shocking to the three master dragons, it is the magic he is using to perform this deed.

Spyro's body is as solid as the boulders he is holding back, and looking more like stone then flesh and blood. His new color baffles the Guardians and Hunter, for he is no longer purple and gold, but the same drab gray color of the granite he is touching.

The eyes of this dragon, however, give the Hero of Avalar away, showing his familiar pupil-less stare. His deeper sounding voice does not, but the words that come from his mouth ring in everyone's ears...this is definitely Spyro.

"Would you guys kindly mind moving out of the way..." The sarcasm spewing from their friend, and his expression showing the jovial dragon they've come to know. "...I would like to let this go sometime today"

Terrador pulls himself from under Cyril, and grabs Hunter in his arms. His eyes never turning away from Spyro, in awe at the elemental power he is showing, and the ease in which he is using it. Cyril grasps the arm of his Electric friend, helping the stunned dragon to his feet, and following the Guardian leader out of this death trap.

"We're clear Spyro!" Terrador barks, still staring up at the powerful dragon, wondering what he'll do next, however, it is not what the Earth dragon expects.

Spyro pulls his arms and legs into his body, curling up like a ball of stone, and dropping to the ground just as fast. The surrounding canyon of crumbling rock buries him, and all four of his friends feel a sharp pain in their chests.

"NO!" The Earth Guardian yells, seeing his friend's body slam to the ground, then impacted with a barrage of large boulders from the collapsing walls.

Terrador rumbles to the pile of stone lying on his friend and frantically opens his mouth. A green glow emanates from his wide open muzzle, and envelops several boulders upon the top of the pyramid of large rocks. With a flick of his head, The Earth Guardian uses his impressive power to remove nearly ten tons of stone in one heave, but there is much more to go before uncovering his friend.

Suddenly, as Terrador encompasses another group of boulders with his earth magic, he can see the mass of stone jostle with movement. He quickly tosses the second clump of rocks to his right, and returns his focus to the heap before him. His eyes seeing more shuttering, as several of the top boulders roll off to the back and sides of the pile. He can hear grunts of power and with them more and more jostling of rock.

"SPYRO..." The Earth Guardian yells at the massive mound, seeing more and more agitation in the small mountain. "ARE YOU OK?"

"BACK...UP!" A deeply enraged voice muffles from underneath the tons of rock.

Terrador becomes shocked at this simple response, looking behind him at the others, still frozen in the moment.

"I would listen to a dragon that could do what we just saw, my old friend!" Volteer remarks sharply, staring at his friend with a bit of concern. "In fact...I would back up NOW...that's all I'm saying!"

Suddenly, Spyro stands up on his hind legs, pushing every single rock off his body as he thrusts up from the ground. Most of the large boulders fall backward, as Spyro purposely arched his body in a direction to force them that way. However, one very stubborn stone does not follow his wishes, rolling forward, and slamming to the ground on Terrador's unsuspecting front paws.

Being a very powerful Earth Dragon, the boulder does nothing except startle the large green and orange-colored dragon to look forward again. A slight throbbing in his left paw is felt, but that pain is quickly dismissed with shock, as his eyes focus on his friend.

Spyro is eye level with the great Earth Guardian, but only his head, neck, and front paws have unburied themselves. Gravity had poured the surrounding stones into the void he lifted up from like water, slamming the young dragon with crushing blows from all sides. However, Terrador sees no reaction to any of these impacts, almost appearing as if he was only being struck by water. With no effort, the stone dragon powers his lower half out of the quarry pile, not leaving a single mark on his frame. Spyro walks down the silde of his tomb of rock, with heavy laboring strides, shuttering the ground as he jumps dwon the last few feet.

The color of his body begins to change, and the vibrant glow of his scales return. The purple and gold dragon stretches, then shakes off the effects of his new technique.

"Spyro...are you alright?" Terrador asks, still shocked at seeing his friend in his normal form, unsure that he was really the stone dragon.

"Yeah...I feel pretty good..." The purple hero remarks, turning his head to look himself over, seeing his body is in as good a shape as he feels. However, Spyro's eyes pop open and he turns his attention back to everyone around him.

"...but what are you guys doing here...you were not supposed to arrive for another hour."

"We heard the commotion..." Cyril remarks, but is quickly cut of by the words of a proud father.

"Stryder contacted me...while I was escorting the envoy of elders..." Hunter replies from behind, walking forward with pride in his son's actions to call for help, while under such a great threat.

"...he said the Dark Master had returned to the Valley, and he has Cynder and your son held hostage in your home!"

"Malefor?" Spyro remarks with a fearful voice, and Hunter gives the purple dragon a funny look.

"Of course...Malefor!" The cheetah leader replies. "Is there another Dark Master?"

The purple dragon's eyes open wide, and all three Guardian's gasp, for they know the secret Spyro is about to drop on the world. They are also the ones that have convinced the elders of New Warfang to leave the city, and meet a powerful young dragon, Spyro's son. A notion that intrigued many who heard this fact, since Cynder should not have yet laid her egg.

Their reaction to Sparx, where and with whom he was raised, and what Spyro himself has witnessed over the past weeks, would all be the keys to whether or not to unveil his biggest surprise. However, he can hear his plan coming to a terrible conclusion, as the sound of clattering armor fills the air.

Spyro opens his wing, and takes off straight up. He quickly clears the tree line, and his heart sinks into his stomach. Twenty heavily armored Palace Guards, escorts sent with the elder's party, are landing in the valley and storming into Spyro's home.

"Oh no!" The young dragon remarks to himself, feeling a discomfort in his heart for what they will do is they see Malefor. He quickly speeds off towards his home to stop the ensuing fight. The three guardians and Hunter give chase, but cannot catch up to Spyro, as he covers the short distance from Twilight falls to his home in seconds. The purple dragon can hear yelling from inside the cave, and fears the worst.

"STOP! IT'S MY FAULT..." Spyro barks, speaking before entering the room. His eyes quickly noticing a very large purple dragon, is not in sight, and that every single eye is now focused directly upon him, and his next words.

"...uhhmmm...!"

Suddenly, the head palace guard, strides over to the purple dragon with an angered look on his face.

"You told this boy, to tell us the Dark Master was here..." The slight taller red dragon says with rage, staring into the purple dragon's eyes with a bit of disdain. "...just so you can serve dinner earlier!"

Spyro's eyes open wide with confusion, and he looks over at Stryder. The young cheetah has a smile on his face, gesturing his nose down the hall, where Malefor fled with his warning, and hoping his Father's friend...his godfather...plays along.

"Ahhh...Yeah!" Spyro says looking back into the fire dragon's eyes. "It's getting late...and...I have a lot to do tomorrow in the city...and I ahh..."

"HOW DARE YOU!" The guard barks in Spyro's face. "The Palace Guard is not to be toyed with like that. I don't care how tough you are...If you ever do that again I will personally..."

"Shut up Excelsius!" Remarks an old voice from outside, and the palace guard's muzzle is shut before his next syllable, hearing the words from the Great Elder of New Warfang.

A pure white dragon slowly strides into the mouth of the cave, placed down gently by his personal valet, slash enormous body-guard. The two toned blue monster of a dragon, slowly walks alongside the elder, making sure he stable on his own feet, never getting more than arms length from the old albino dragon.

The entire Palace Guard and Excelsius stand back at attention, and the purple dragon slowly bows in the elder's presence.

"You know Spyro would make light work of you, my large friend..." The old dragon grumbles with a sure grin on his face, then turns to look at the fire dragon. His eyes, useless from birth, still face in the direction of the head Palace Guard, showing that even though he is blind, he can still see clearly.

"...and he would not even break a sweat while doing it."

The old dragon gives Excelsius a smile, seeing a pure anger fill his aura, knowing that he speaks the truth.

Blinded by his rare but incredible power, this albino dragon can see the Spirit of everyone with his light purple eyes, and the only other type of dragon to posses that color pupil. He turns to Spyro with his smile still showing, but it slowly fades from his face, seeing an uneasiness in the purple dragon's emotions.

"What is it my young friend?" He asks with concern, seeing the clear energy of Spyro's aura, swirled with a darkness he's never witnessed from him before. He can see the turmoil inside the Hero of Avalar, and only watches it increase further as three guardians and one cheetah storm into the room.

"IS EVERYTHING OK!" Terrador shouts landing inside the cave, but coming to an abrupt stop as the massive blue dragon turns to block his entrance.

"Monsoon!" The elder barks, getting the attention of his personal valet. Forcing the enormous Water dragon to return his eyes to his master.

"The Guardians of Avalar are always welcome in my presence..." He says with a bit of anger, for he really wants to know why there is so much tension in the room. He can see the same swirling dark energy coming from the earth dragon, as he sees in Spyro, and is now very intrigued. The Great Elder turns away from Spyro walking towards the guardian dragon.

"...please let Terrador and his party in...I would love to hear all about the importance of his disruption"

The Earth Guardian's eyes open wide, and he stares at Spyro with a great deal of humility, he can see the smile on the white dragon's face, and can already feel the butterflies in his stomach.

"Wait!" Spyro remarks, seeing the fear fill Terrador's expression, knowing it is impossible to lie to this dragon. He places his front paw upon the old albino's shoulder, holding him with his simple soft touch.

"Great Elder, Please...I must speak with you first...alone!"

Monsoon turns to Spyro, and takes a step forward with a large growl from his muzzle. His eyes locked upon the right front paw of the purple dragon, now resting upon the elder he has sworn to guard with his life.

"Easy...big fella!" The albino dragon remarks while turning his attention back to Spyro, the smile returning to his muzzle. "I don't think the Hero of Avalar plans to kill me, and I'm pretty sure he could handle any threat that could possibly arise in his home."

Spyro rolls his eyes for a moment, remembering how he couldn't protect his wife only a month ago, in this same home.

"Please Spyro..." The old dragon continues, gesturing his paw towards the sleeping chamber. "...I can see you have a lot to talk about, and I am anxious to hear every word."

The light purple eyes of this old dragon settles the worried hero, and a smile returns to his muzzle. He was hoping this elder would make the journey, for Spyro has come to know him like a father, like Ignitus. In the same instance, he was also a bit fearful of him coming, because like the new Chronicler, this dragon can read anyone like a book.

The purple hero turns towards his old bedroom, confident inwhat he is doing, knowing he is going to tell the truth, whether he wants to or not. However, it is not his confidence the elder can see, it's his heart. The dark swirling energy, spiraling through his body, is now bundled into Spyro's heart, showing the spiritual dragon, he is ready to speak the truth of this darkness. A smile fills his face as well, and with a bounce in his old legs, the Spirit dragon follows his purple friend.

The old dragon enters the sleeping chamber behind Spyro, then stops after taking a single stride into the room. His incredible eyes scanning the walls and the roof, spotting many of the reasons he chose this particular cave.

"This is a beautiful home, Spyro!" He remarks, seeing the spectrum of sunlight entering through the crack in the ceiling, and noticing the perfect ambient light it fills the room with. The sound of water trickling from the near wall, to his right, turns his eyes in that direction. The old dragon slowly walks over to the collecting pool, his eyes revealing to him the clarity and coolness of the refreshing water. He lowers his muzzle down, taking a large drink, and wiping his chin with his paw. The albino turns to look at the purple dragon, and can see his aura is clearing further, with every compliment.

"Yes...this is a beautiful home..." The elder remarks, then turns his eyes from Spyro to the young dragon sleeping on a pile of cushions by his feet. "...but its beauty pails in comparison to what my eyes are beholding now!"

Spyro's spirit fills the room with light, allowing the old dragon to see much better in a room with so few entities. The white dragon strolls over to him, and places his paw upon the flank of the sturdy dragon, helping to hold balance. His eyes focused down upon the young two-toned whelpling, while feeling the emotions of a proud father with his supporting paw.

Suddenly he senses Spyro's tension, and quickly dismisses a single thought he can hear from the dragon he is touching.

"I know he is yours, Spyro..." He remarks calmly, then he continues with the same monotone calmness in his voice.

"...and I also know about your other little secret."

His purple eyes open wide, and he turns his attention to the elder beside him. Spyro can see the smile across his face, then realizes why he is using his body for support. The purple dragon pulls himself from the white paw of the elder, and gives the old dragon a bit of an evil glare.

"Relax Spyro...I can't read your mind unless you are willing...however, your thoughts speak as loud as words to me...and I just wanted to assure you, that I know Sparx is your boy." The elder remarks, as the purple hero walks another step to his left.

The smile never leaves the white dragon's face, seeing his reaction to have his thoughts read. He looks back down at the sleeping young dragon, and lets Spyro know his other cunning senses are just as good as his powers.

"Your other little secret was quite easy for me..." He remarks, giving a funny look to Spyro, then returning his eyes to his son. "I'm blind Spyro...I could smell Malefor's scent the moment I entered the valley."

Spyro, stunned by what he heard, is unable to respond, sure that he is in serious trouble. His mind racing with apologies, questions, and confusion, none able to pass from his mouth. Finally the young hero, standing in the presence of such a great dragon, blurts out what is really on his mind.

"Why would you stay then?"

The elder gives him another funny look, and is quick to respond.

"You want me to leave before dinner?" He replies sarcastically, trying to lighten Spyro's emotion.

He can see the swirling energy in the young dragon's heart, spread out and encompass his whole body, showing the spiritual dragon he is letting this hidden truth consume his entire soul again. The white dragon walks up to Spyro slowly, and reaches his paw out, but the purple dragon flinches.

"I promise...I won't!" He says, gesturing his paw, and Spyro understands that he is not trying to probe his thoughts, he just want to give him a comforting touch. The purple dragon holds his position, allowing the white claw-less paw to rest upon the side of his muzzle.

"I want to stay here to find out why my good friend is in such turmoil, and to understand his reasoning for bringing Malefor back to Avalar!" The old dragon remarks, sternly staring into Spyro's eyes.

"Why is your son this old? Why have the Guardians of Avalar remained in their chamber? Why are you so afraid to talk to me?" His voice getting more stern with every question, but he quickly settles down seeing that he is spooking Spyro once more.

"There are too many questions, young hero..." The white dragon says calmly, looking back down to Sparx.

"...and I want answers!"

The great elder lays down his body slowly upon the cushion near the sleeping dragon, stroking his paw across his muzzle and neck.

"But, I mostly wanted to meet your son, Spyro..." His eyes focusing back to his father. "...and I'll be *bleep* to think you're getting rid of me before then!"

Spyro looks and finds a spot next to Sparx on the cushions, laying down and resting his wing over the lower half of his son. His eyes focused upon his sleeping child, until he turns his head back up to the elder.

"I'm sorry, Great Elder...but I feel like I am lost..." Spyro replies with tears in his eyes, and the elder can see all of his dark energy swirl back to his heart. "...I believe Malefor is different now, and he deserves a second chance, but I don't know if what I'm doing is right"

After a pause, the elder dragon takes his paw from Sparx' muzzle, and places it on Spyro's chest, directly over his heart.

"It is coming from here Spyro..." He says with assurance in his voice, seeing the energy already clearing from his friend. "...It is not wrong...so please go on...and don't leave anything to chance!"

Spyro turns his head up to see the confident stare in the old dragon's light purple eyes, and feels secure in speaking his mind.

"I owe him my life, Great Elder!..." Spyro remarks, looking down at his son. "...Malefor protected my wife and child, so I could still have my family..."

Again the purple dragon raises his head up to look the old dragon in the eye.

"...how can I repay a debt so large, but yet not allow him to do the same."

The white dragon says nothing in response, waiting for a moment before showing a large smile.

"There are two things I need to tell you Spyro..." The spiritual dragon remarks with a gracious tone in his voice, showing the purple hero, he is now talking from his heart.

"...you never know who your friends will be later in life, so treat everyone you meet with respect."

The white dragon turns to Sparx, smiles, then returns his eyes back to the young dragon's father.

"Your respect towards the Dark Master, in battle, has forced him to show you that same respect, and this young dragon is the result. Do not change who you are! You desire no enemy, and a true hero will find peace in all around him."

The white dragon stands up on the cushions, and steps over to Spyro. He embraces the purple dragon's head and neck against his chest, and whispers in his ear.

"You are asking me if you did the right thing, and without even meeting this different Malefor...I would say YES!" He grasps Spyro tighter, quietly forcing his words into the young dragon's ears.

"I trust mine and everyone on this planet's life...with you Spyro...and there is no reason for me to start doubting you now."

The old dragon backs away, staring into Spyro's eyes.

"I don't want you to change, my friend...yours is the clearest soul I see, and it is a pleasure just to stand in your presence sometimes! I have been around for a long time, and no one, not even the Guardians of the past and present have had such a clear conscious. "

Spyro, humbled by these words, lowers his head and is overwhelmed with emotions, showing a colorful display of his aura for the Spirit dragon.

"TWO!" The old albino remarks, startling Spyro to look back up, he forgot there where two things he wanted to tell him.

"What's the second thing I need to know, Great Elder!" The purple dragon asks with a bit of apprehension.

"That if you keep calling me Great Elder..." he says with sarcasm and a bit of anger. "...I will address you as 'The Great Hero of Avalar', for the rest of the night!"

After a momentary pause to realize that he is not in trouble, Spyro draws a huge smile upon his face. He embraces the elder dragon gently, looking over his shoulder at his son.

"Thank you, Diamond..." He whispers, glowing the room brighter with his aura. "...your mother and father named you well."

The old dragon smiles for a moment, then suddenly his eyes open wide and fill with rage. He breaks his hold with Spyro, and walks several paces away towards the beam of light coming through the roof. He knows the room will darken, as Spyro's aura begins to toil with his friend's sudden anger, which it does.

"I wish I could say the same for you, SPYRO..." He retorts with arrogance in his voice. "...but instead your parents never had the chance to name you..."

The room goes nearly dark, as Spyro is crushed by his sudden comment, his aura scattered around the room, no longer swirling together with a bright light.

"...and now it seems you know why, my friend!"

Spyro's gasp and his voice is the only thing the the elder can hear, for his sight of the dragon is completely gone.

"You said you wouldn't..." Spyro cries, knowing the elder has read his thoughts, hearing this dark secret about Cynder's past. "...You Promised!"

"AH! That's right...I did promise before when I held your jaw..." He remarks with his normally sarcastic tone. "...however...I made no such promise when you grabbed me...and I wanted to know why this dark spot is still filling your heart Spyro."

The old dragon lowers his head and closes his now useless eyes, as all of the Spiritual light has left his friend. He sits on his hind quarter, and lifts his right paw.

"Please Spyro...Come here, and let me know everything..." He says softly in his general direction, waiting for the touch of the purple dragon against his out-stretched paw, hoping to be given permission to listen to his thoughts more clearly. "...I said before, don't hold back...and I meant it!"

After a moment, some light begins to fill the room again, and the elder opens his eyes. He can see the swirling energy of his friend return, though not as bright as it once was. His smile returns as he can see the spiritual energy move towards him, lowering down next to the old dragon, and allowing him to rest his paw upon his neck.

"You are worried about something else, and not about what she did..." He says, hearing the true anger behind this dark energy. "...you knew long ago, and never told Cynder!"

Spyro breaks down crying, and a disturbing thought crosses his mind, quickly absorbed into Diamond's paw.

"Now you feel this whole situation before you could have been avoided?"

Spyro nods his head up and down, no longer speaking, allowing his mind to be probed by his friend with ease.

"Malefor has told you many things I see..." The elder remarks, getting a full view of the purple dragon's recent memories, seeing them clear as day.

"...and the reason you spent so much time from your love, as she tried to clear her inner demons."

Diamond removes his paw from Spyro's neck, gently grabbing his muzzle, and pulling it around to face him.

"And because of that, you think this is your fault!"

"IT IS!" Spyro barks, startling the great elder, and pulling away from his white paw. "I made her send me away, because I couldn't say anything!"

Spyro walks back to his son, staring down, and feeling the loss of his child's first eight years of life.

"Look at what I did!" He says, with anger. "If I would have told her, I would have settled down earlier. I never would have spent four years of my life in the Skylanders...waiting for Cynder to forgive herself..."

The purple dragon returns his tear-filled eyes to the white dragon, and the elder can see all of the darkness inside his aura, fill his heart once more.

"...when I could have done that myself...just by letting her know I didn't blame her...and showing that with my love for her!"

A smile fills the old dragon's face, as a light begins to flicker in the corner of his eye. He can see a spiritual energy, lurking in the shadows on the other side of the room. He saw it before, quickly dismissing its small size for a rodent or some other tiny life form. However, seeing the pure energy coming from the darker side of the room, Diamond can tell it is not a mouse.

"Two things I need to say to you again Spyro, then I will leave you...alone!" The old dragon remarks walking toward the other side of the room, and seeing the spiritual energy darken again into the shadows.

"First and foremost, this is not you fault!" He replies with confidence. "Fate determines our path, and only the Ancestors above will decide if we stray from that path!"

With his back turned to Spyro, the white dragon gives a smirk in the direction of the light energy he saw, then turns around and walks back to his friend.

"You have to realize that Spyro, and also, that you did nothing wrong..." Diamond remarks, staring into Spyro's soul, and still seeing the dark energy inside. "...the secrets that you keep are what make you who you are..."

He places his paw against the side of Spyro's muzzle, and shows him a large smile.

"...and you my friend have only this one...tell her, and clear your conscience!"

Spyro smiles himself, feeling a confidence to tell his wife that he knows her deepest secret, and that it has never hurt his love for her.

"So...What's number two this time..." The purple dragon remarks, looking down at the sitting Diamond, waiting for more valuable advice from a wise old dragon.

The second thing..." He says staring back into the dark corner of the room and seeing the spiritual light brighten again.

"If you want to speak to me alone...next time...pick a room without a shadow dragon in it!"

Spyro's eyes open wide, as he suddenly catches Cynder's scent. He was so preoccupied with the Great Elder he never really noticed it. That and the fact the cushions Sparx is resting on, is saturated with her scent that he never thought twice

Spyro turns his head slowly behind, and can see the glare of his wife's green eyes emerge from the shadows.

"Cynder!" He says with pure shock, knowing what he just said seconds ago had to be heard, and he can tell right away, hearing her cry.

The purple dragon is quick to grasp her tightly in his arms, and holds his distraught wife for all he's worth, but the shaking in her body, rattles Spyro's teeth, and he grasps on tighter.

"You two need to talk this out..." The great elder remarks, then strolls towards the door. His voice filled with sarcasm to lighten the tense mood. "I will make sure no one enters Spyro..." He stops, turns around, and scans the room. "...so you can actually be alone...with your family!"

"I'm sorry Cynder..." The purple dragon whispers softly. "...I should have..."

"No Spyro..." She yelps, cutting her husband off, and holding him tighter. "...you have nothing to be sorry about...I'm the one that should be sorry."

Cynder pulls her head back to look into her husband's purple eyes, knowing how easily she can read them, and wanting to see his reaction to her words.

"I'm the one that killed you mother and father!"

Cynder can feel her stomach turn upside-down, hearing the words she has rehearsed a thousand times, come from her mouth, to her husband's ears. She has feared this moment from the day Cynder realized...that she loved him, and would never be able to tell him the truth of what she did. A deep scar that would always remain in her mind and her heart.

"I destroyed everything, Spyro...and I am ashamed of what I did..."

He can hear the pain in her voice, reminding him of Cynder's apology tour, and the pain he felt every time she begged for forgiveness. Now that tone of voice is directed to him, and it burn the young dragon to his core.

"NO!" Spyro barks, clamping his paw around Cynder's narrow muzzle. His eyes glaring into hers, showing the dark dragoness, he is more understanding of her past then anyone...for he knows her inside and out.

"You did not kill my parents..." He says, never blinking, or changing his tone of voice. "...The Terror of the Sky did!"

Cynder, unable to lower her head in Spyro's grasp just turns her eyes away. She has never wanted to come to terms with the notion in her head, but apologizing for so long to everyone on Avalar, and now to Spyro, Cynder believes it is time to face facts.

"But, I am the Terror of the Sky..." She says softly through her husband's paw. "..and I did those things!"

Spyro begins to cry, and holds his wife's muzzle tighter, seeing what she finds to be the truth, in her sparkling green eyes.

"No you did not, Cynder! I killed that dragon long ago, and sent her evil body to hell..." He says with a tone that shoots down his wife's spine.

"...now all that remains of that once savage beast, is her heart, and that was never corrupted."

Spyro pulls Cynder's muzzle to his own, giving her the most loving kiss he has ever given, taking her breath away with shock and passion. He wraps his wings around her tightly, holding his wife motionless, making sure she cannot escape from his loving embrace.

Diamond watches as the swirling energy of both dragons, clear up and fill the room with a vast amount of light. A feeling of satisfaction overwhelms the old dragon, as the love they share consumes him.

"I knew you two could work that out fast... and I am glad to provide my counseling services to you, at any time my friend..." the old dragon remarks from the entrance, getting the two dragons to stop their display of passion. "...however, I think I should remind you...before you go to far...that you have many guests out here!"

The1upguy · May 28, 2013 3:38 AM

Chapter 25: Spirited Dragons

"Can you hear me young dragon...Listen to my voice, and concentrate."

Sparx opens his eyes, with the sound of this faint voice, and they quickly fill with wonder then fear. He can see nothing but light at first, dazzling and brilliant, flowing with a pure power that he feels around his entire body. It holds him up-rite upon his four paws, keeping his frame solid and secure. However, the young dragon's vision focuses and that is when Sparx can feel his anxiety run wild. His feet are planted on a small platform with nothing but an endless abyss surrounding him on all sides.

"Where am I?" Sparx yelps, but the sound of his voice echos back at him louder and louder, causing pain to his ears, and making him lose his balance slightly. The young two-toned purple dragon, digs his claws into the stone platform he is standing on, staring down with an even larger fear of falling.

"Easy my little friend..." The voice rumbles softly. "...I shall do the talking Sparx, and you will answer my questions.."

The young dragon becomes confused even further.

"How do you know my name?" He asks much quieter, but still his voice echos back, causing him more anguish.

"Please, stop hurting yourself Sparx, and let go of your mind..." The voice calmly replies, soothing the young dragon's ears with his soft tone, and causing Sparx to become consumed.

"...We are but one soul, one heart, one mind...feel our energies together, swirling in unison, and tell me your deepest thoughts young one!"

Suddenly Sparx falls into a trance, and his eyes turn pure white. His paws standing firm on the small ledge.

"Yes son of Spyro, I see your great strength and the purity of your heart, however I also see the visions of your past that fill your heart with weakness.."

Sparx lowers his body with depression, but only for a second. His soul can feel a quick pulse of spiritual energy, lifting him back to his feet, and holding him there with no effort.

"Your past is troubled, young dragon, but I see greatness, and not weakness."

Again the young dragon lifts up higher upon his paws, feeling no weight in his body whatsoever, and a sudden inner peace.

"Now tell me what's is your deepest fear?"

Sparx takes a deep breath, and opens his mind, spilling a single thought that has been disturbing this inner peace.

"You are Spyro's son, never doubt that...for your father believes this to be so himself..." The voice says hearing this first thought, and dismissing it quickly. "He loves you Sparx, and has accepted Malefor for how you see him. A father-figure that saved his son from certain death, and for that he is eternally grateful..."

A slight chuckle is heard, as another quick thought is shot from Sparx' mind, and again it is answered just as fast.

"No...my little friend...you are not dead!" It replies, hearing the sound of concern in Sparx question, and the young dragon can feel another boost to his spirit.

"You are dreaming..." The voice continues, and suddenly an image of a white dragon begins to form before the tall platform Sparx is standing upon. "...and what a powerful dream this can be, but only if you let it."

Sparx lowers his left eye brow, showing the image before him, he is now thinking of more important things. He can hear his thoughts are of the past and mistakes he made that ended in someone's death.

"NO! And never think that again, young dragon..." He replies. "...You worry so much about your past, but I have only seen integrity in your actions, whether they were right or wrong..."

"...You feel that you are...a disappointment?" He continues somberly, feeling a great depression within such a young dragon, but his voice raises up, filling Sparx' soul with confidence.

"I have seen nothing in the hearts and souls of those dearest to you, that would agree with that dumb thought. I see a dragon whose future is brighter than he thinks, and a selflessness that rivals his father's"

A smile fills the entranced dragon's muzzle, and tears fall from his eyes. Quickly another thought is released for this voice to hear, now craving the answers he is looking for.

"You have done nothing wrong Sparx, but your fear is well placed..." The voice begins saying, hearing him ask about the past few weeks, not remembering much of them himself.

"...you know of the power that was inside of you, and how he tried to take what was not his..."

Sparx begins to cringe with fear, feeling this disturbing echo inside his soul, and realizing now in this dream state, what it was that was inside of him.

Sparx' pupils return to their normal color, and focus directly before him. He can now see the white dragon clearly, with his light purple eyes, and returning the same stern gaze as his own.

"Am I the Dark Master?" Sparx asks out loud, feeling this conversation has led up to this one question, and asking it with his own voice.

There is no painful echo returned to his ear, but suddenly the white dragon disappears. Sparx, within his dream, becomes tired and falls to his stomach with exhaustion. However, his ears can hear one word, as his body shuts down yet again, putting him at ease, and allowing him to fall into a deep sleep.

"NO!"

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Standing side by side in their old sleeping chamber, Spyro still has his arm and wing draped around his wife. Their eyes, no longer showing their undying lover for one another, but now focused on the white dragon lying next to their son. The only thing left in the world that lays upon the mind of both parents.

"What is it, Diamond?" Spyro asks quietly, as the elder dragon removes his paw from his son's head. "Is there anything you can see?"

The white dragon pauses for a moment, hearing an echo in his mind of what once was.

"He is fine, Spyro..." Diamond replies, returning his confident eyes to the worried father. "...I sense nothing evil in his soul any longer."

"However..." The Great Elder continues, staring back down at the young dragon. "...I now see what you are talking about, and a dark power that was enraging his senses!"

Diamond places his paw upon Sparx' chest, and a smile crosses his face as he feels a very familiar pulse. One that he felt only minutes ago, while his paw was upon Spyro's chest.

"But...this dragon's heart is as strong as his Father's..." He remarks, then stands back up on his feet, walking over to the concerned parents. "...I have no fear that he will recover fully my friends...so please do not worry yourselves any more!"

Cynder breaks down again, and Spyro holds her in his arms tighter, knowing the emotional roller coaster she is still riding. Her shivering body sending a feeling of helplessness through her husband, as he can do nothing to stop her.

"Cynder..." Spyro yelps with concern. "Please calm down...he said, everything is gonna be fine!"

The dark dragoness buries her face into Spyro's chest, holding him tighter, and shaking much harder.

Suddenly Diamond places his paw upon Cynder, forcing her eyes to focus upon his. She can feel his touch warming the blood in her body with his spiritual powers. He smiles softly, hearing every thought that passes through her mind, and a slight laugh spills from his muzzle.

"Nonsense Cynder! You have done it...there is no one else!" He says, staring into her eyes, and answering the question she is asking over and over. "You no longer need to beg for forgiveness...and that is what is scaring you!"

Cynder's eyes open wide hearing the words she is thinking, come from the elder's mouth.

"You possess no knowledge of what it is like...to have no regret..." The elder remarks, walking back to her son, and placing his paw upon the young dragon's flank. "...and because of this...your are feeling like you life is over!"

Diamond lowers down on the cushion next to Sparx, staring at the young dragon, and seeing the vivid dreams her son is experiencing.

"Well, You are right, young dragon...your life is over!" He remarks, then looks back at the startled expressions from both Spyro and Cynder. A smile crosses his face.

"As your husband pointed out to you, young Terror of the Skies..." The elder says with a bit of creepiness in his voice. Cynder begins to shake again, as Diamond slowly gets back to his feet, and walks over to her.

"...He killed you!"

HE stares into her unsure eyes, then smile again.

"That horrible secret, you released today, was the last remaining part of that dragon long dead, holding your spirit back, never allowing you to feel you true self..." Diamond places his paw upon her muzzle, and closes his eyes.

"...now understand your real power, and begin your life again today...as Cynder. A strong dragoness with an unbreakable Spirit."

Spyro can feel his wife stop shaking immediately with a pulse of energy he has never felt from her.

Diamond's eyes are forced to reopen with a display of spiritual light, the likes of which he has never seen.

And Cynder...well she can feel herself reborn.

With a stroke of the Elder's paw, and a taste of his Spiritual power, the young dragoness fully understands his wisdom. A surge of strength, Cynder has never felt in herself, overwhelms the dark dragon's senses, but she is able to stay focused, feeling the sudden ability to control it.

Both Diamond and Spyro back away a step, as Cynder's power begins to build. The purple dragon stares at his wife, speechless, seeing her power increase with every passing second, filling the room with a bright glow that everyone can see...including a now very worried, very large, Water dragon.

"Monsoon...NO!" The Elder barks, seeing his giant friend run into the room and lunge at Cynder, to stop what he thinks is an attack on his master. However, before the Water dragon can stop himself, and before Spyro can prevent Monsoon from grabbing his wife, Cynder's eyes open wide and focus on the large blue dragon.

Her paw jets outward toward Monsoon, slamming him in the chest, and propelling his massive body across the room with great ease. Again both Spyro and Diamond stare at Cynder with shock, as she herself snaps out of this weird trance, looking around the room with surprise of her own.

She feels different, as if she was not in the same body, seeing things more clearly, not covered in shadow. A continued sickness, the dark dragon has felt her entire life, from the poison coursing through her veins, is gone, allowing Cynder to smell and taste the air without its toxic effects. Her fear...all but gone...now only worrying about the future, and the two dragons to her immediate left. Her dearest love, and her new purpose in life.

Suddenly Cynder's green eyes turn sharply to the entrance, as several dragons make their way into the sleeping chamber. They heard the commotion, and felt the cave shake when Monsoon slammed into the far wall.

"What's going on in here?" Excelcius commands, seeing the large dragon against the wall, holding his chest in pain.

"Nothing happened!" Replies the Elder, holding his paw up to stop the Palace Guards in place.

"Monsoon did something I've told him a hundred times never to do..." Diamond remarks sarcastically, walking over to his massive friend, and placing his right paw upon the blue dragon's sore chest. A glow of light envelops his paw, and he use his left paw to grab Monsoon's muzzle.

"...he attacked a dragon that was meditating with a new found power!" He says to his face, then looks back at Cynder.

"You're lucky she didn't kill you!"

The Dark Dragoness' eyes open wide with shock, as her memory of striking the large dragon returns.

"By the Ancestors...I did that!" She says with surprise, and Diamond begins laughing. She turns her attention to Spyro, whom also is showing signs that he is ready to laugh, but his reason for laughter is different.

He can see a glow in his wife's emerald-green eyes, one that he has never see before. The look of innocence now fills her gaze, and Spyro cannot help but feel his love increase for her.

"Yes, you did do that, Cynder!" Spyro says, grasping her powerful paw with his own.

"You are a much stronger dragon then you ever thought..." He says, pulling her arm, and forcing her against his chest, into a tight embrace. "...and I can't wait to meet her all over again!"

Everyone in the room can feel the power and emotion of both dragons, including one they thought was fast asleep.

"Mom...Dad!" The young dragon whispers, as his eyes slowly open

Cynder and Spyro quickly snap their attention to his voice, and run over to his side, seeing his purple eyes exposed.

"Sparx!" The say in unison, laying beside him in a second, and showering him with their love.

Cynder lowers her muzzle upon his head softly, while Spyro wraps his wing around his boy. They keep a gentle grasp, not smothering him, but still making sure he feels their touch cover his entire body.

Please, baby...say something to me!" Cynder cries just wanting to here his voice again.

Sparx tries to lift his head, and Cynder quickly moves her muzzle. She gently cups his jaw in her paw, lifting his head for him. His purple eyes, quickly scan the room, seeing a dozen faces he does not know, and different surroundings, however his eyes focus back to his mother and father.

"Where am I, Mom?" he asks with doubt in his voice. "What happened to me?"

Sparx can see worry fill Spyro and Cynder's eyes, when suddenly a white dragon's face comes between his mother and father, and Sparx eyes lock upon his.

"Young Dragon, I did not say to wake yet Did I!" The Elder remarks, and Sparx can feel a weird familiarity to his voice, and face. He reaches between Spyro and Cynder, placing his paw on Sparx' muzzle.

"I wanted you to rest..." He remarks without speaking, but Sparx can hear every word in his mind. "I know you feel their love, and want nothing more then to return it to them. Do not worry little one...I promise they will be here when you wake, and you will have a lifetime to show this love, but not yet!"

Sparx' eyes close again, and quickly his head falls limply back down to the cushion he is lying upon.

"I will also be here waiting for you...my young friend" the voice softly remarks to the slumbering dragon's thoughts. "...and I will answer ALL of your questions then!"

Spyro and Cynder become upset, hoping to talk with their son, however they can see Sparx drift off into a deep sleep and will not be able to speak with him.

"Why did you do that?" Cynder remarks with a sad tone in her voice, staring at her son, and just wanting to hear his voice again.

"He is not strong enough yet, Cynder!" The white dragon replies, grasping her muzzle and pulling it over to look at his eyes. A large smile fills his face, seeing her aura, only darken slightly with her depression, instead of disappearing completely as it would always do.

"I want your son to be at his strongest..." Diamond says softly, staring deep into Cynder's green eyes. "...when he sees his mother...for the first time with no regret in these eyes!"

Cynder's begins to tear up, and her spirit returns to its brightest glow yet. Only Spyro has ever made her feel so good about herself, and the young dragoness can barely contain her emotion.

"I know for a fact that he will be impressed..." Spyro remarks staring down at the glow that is coming from his wife, filling the room again with a brilliant light. "There is no way to avoid your new beauty Cynder...It is amazing..."

She turns her tear filled eyes to her husband, and can see his expression turn from joy to uneasiness. The young dragoness gets to her feet, looking at Spyro with curiosity, seeing there is something on his mind. Spyro looks over at his wife, then lowers his head again, proving to Cynder he is upset at something.

"What is it Spyro?" She says walking up to him, and placing her paw upon his face.

"I feel worse for never saying a word to you before now..." He says, removing her paw, and look down with depression.

"...I believed if you knew, then you would never be able to forgive yourself, and I would have lost you..." The purple dragon cries, wrapping his arms around Cynder, and holding her tightly. "...but now I can see what a mistake that was...because I would have found what I was looking for long ago!"

Spyro looks over Cynder's shoulder, down at his baby, and can see the smile across his sleeping muzzle.

"It's a mistake I'll never make again...I promise!" He whispers with tears flowing. "If I waited this long, to finally have the true love I saw from you years ago...then I can definitely wait, a little longer, for my son!"

Cynder lowers her head against Spyro's chest, feeling his pulse beating fast, and feeling his anxiety as well.

"You always had my love Spyro..." She remarks, then smiles hearing his heart beat slow down a bit. "...it was the only thing that kept me going, and the reason I fought for so long!"

Cynder raises her head to look at her husband, and reveal the reason she never told him.

"I also never said a word, because I thought if I told you...that you would have left me...or worse..." She says somberly, lowering her head against his chest again. Cynder digs her claws into Spyro's back...holding on for her life, not allowing him to move from her grasp.

"...and I would not be alive to see what I have become...I know that now!"

A large smile fills the muzzle of the Great Elder, a feeling of complete joy overwhelming his emotions, seeing the once turmoiled couple's energy, swirling together in unison.

"I would like payment now Cynder!" He remarks with sarcasm, and the dragoness spins her head around to stare at him "I have never given my Spiritual energy to anyone, without a price!"

Spyro's eyes begin to show anger, however his wife is quick to answer the old dragon's demands with no hesitation.

"Almost anything I own...is yours to have..." She says with a gracious tone, placing her paw upon the Great Elder's shoulder. "...I need nothing more then the two dragons in this room!"

A large smile fills the features of the old dragon, and he takes a big sniff of the air.

"All I desire...is what I can smell!" He remarks with his mouth-watering, unable to stop the scent of Cynder's cooking from saturating his overdeveloped senses.

Spyro can see the smile fill Diamond's face, and with his response, he quickly feels at ease. However, his next words bring anxiety to both dragons.

"I think I will head for the Kitchen, and get a clearer smell of this wonderful aroma..." Diamond remarks turning around and seeing nearly a dozen other dragons waiting at the doorway.

"...all I can smell are these Palace Guards...and it is quite unappealing!"

"NO!" Cynder remarks with fear, knowing where she sent someone to hide with Stryder's warning. "You can't go back there!"

Diamond, turns his head, and raises his left eyebrow.

"Why not, young lady...is there something you are hiding from us!" He replies, turning his attention to Excelcius, head of the Elite Palace Guard. "Something you don't want anyone to see!"

Cynder gasps, grabbing her husband's paw tightly, and Spyro is now quick to realize where Malefor is. He begins to open his mouth, but Diamond is first to speak. The white dragon knows who's back there, he can smell him over everything, and is just playing with the minds of his friends.

"I know what it is, Cynder!" He says with arrogance, and the dark dragoness gasps again, so does Spyro.

"You don't want anyone to know your secret..." The Great Elder remarks, turning his head around and giving the startled couple a wink of his eye. "... ingredients...and I completely understand."

"Excelcius!" Diamond barks, making Spyro and Cynder jump with his sudden stern voice.

"I want you to take your guards and..." Diamond pauses seeing a bead of sweat form on Spyro's forehead, waiting for him to order the guards to the kitchen and seize the Dark Master.

A smile crosses the old dragon's muzzle, as he returns his eyes to the large fire dragon.

"...set up an area near the river outside...It is a beautiful day, and I would prefer to dine in the open air."

Excelcius rolls his eyes for a second, getting an order to do such a simple task, however the smell of Cynder's stew is overwhelming to all, and he gives no argument, turning to leave with his fellow dragons.

Diamond walks back up to Spyro and Cynder, with a smile.

"Now, you can trust ME with your secret Cynder, can you not?" Diamond asks smugly, and the dark dragoness, with a pure white aura, returns his smile saying yes with no words.

"Monsoon!" The white dragon barks, startling Cynder and Spyro again.

The large blue dragon labors to his feet, still shaking off the effects of a powerful blow to his chest. The water dragon strides, with pain, to his master, staring down at the much smaller Cynder, feeling a bit embarrassed about being leveled by a female dragon one-quarter his size.

"You will stay be my side, understand!" He orders, and both Spyro and Cynder's eyes open with worry.

"You will not speak of anything you see and you will not make any aggressive move unless provoked..." The white dragon says with a more stern tone in his voice, and Monsoon gives him a bit of an odd look, but is quick to nod his head.

"...I know what you are going to see will enrage you my old friend, but you must trust me..." He says, placing his paw on Monsoon's jaw, giving him a pulse of his healing energy.

"...I believe after this day, you will have a new enemy to seek your family's revenge upon!"

Cynder gives the Elder a weird stare, hearing Diamond's cryptic words to his massive valet, but then notices Spyro lower his head like he has the same knowledge.

"What is going on, Spyro?" Cynder asks, and he turns his head to look at his wife.

Never wanting to keep a secret from her again, the purple dragon is quick to try to spit out one word.

"Ty..." He says, before the Great Elder slams his paw around Spyro's muzzle.

"NO...you must not tell her..." Diamond's voice echos in his head. "...she will only go after him Spyro, and Cynder is not ready to fight...yet!"

Spyro eyes open wide hearing the tone in his voice.

"Give it time my friend, and tell no one..." He continues out loud, seeing Cynder becoming a bit nervous. "...this is a secret you must keep from her for the time being, and one she will understand!"

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Sitting on his hind quarters in the rear of Spyro's home, only one thing consumes the mind of Malefor, and that is the precious life in the soft grip of his paws.

"Please...help my daddy!" Continues to repeat in his memory, that and the tears from the sparkling blue eyes of a baby dragonfly.

After Stryder's warning, the purple dragon disappeared with a bending of Light, and fled to the back of the cave. However, when he reached the kitchen area, where Cynder told him to hide, he encountered a terrible situation unfolding. The beating that Spyro's father took from a ruthless attack, had been more severe than first thought.

Hearing the Palace Guard enter the cave, Malefor knew his life was in jeopardy, but he also heard the desperate cry of a young girl, just wanting her daddy to be OK. Malefor saw Spyro's father would die without immediate help, so with no regard for his own life, the large dragon reappeared before Nina and Sapphire.

Startled for a moment at his sudden presence, the young dragonfly cares not, for she has a deeper fear in her heart. Sapphire, with childhood innocence, would ask anyone for help at this moment.

"Please...find my brother..." She cries with desperation. "...my daddy is hurt!"

Malefor balks, hearing the concern in her voice, and steps over to the moaning dragonfly. Seeing how close to death he is, and knowing that he is the only one that can do anything before it too late, Malefor sits down, looks at the closing eyes of a proud father, and can feel a deep responsibility .

"What are you doing Malefor..." Flash whispers with his fading breaths, knowing his son intentions to hide him until the time was right. "...do not let them see you!"

The large purple dragon smiles, then snatches the small dragonfly in his paws.

"I care not what happens to me..." The large dragon remarks, with a dead seriousness that startles the injured dragonfly. However, hearing his next words, Flash can feel the beginning of his healing process, with an expression of gratitude.

"...I am only here, because of your Son's honor..." He says, while lowering his other paw over the blue dragonfly, covering him in his palms gently. "...and I will be glad to give up my life, if only to repay the one that taught him such values."

"Thank...you...Mal...e...ffff..." Flash softly whispers before passing out, and a feeling of redemption fills Malefor's soul. A glow of light begins to fill his palms, and he turns to the two young dragonflies hovering before.

"I will do what I can to heal him..." He says with a new confidence, and his pupils disappear.

"...but do not touch me while I'm using this power, it would be deadly to you!"

Malefor slowly lowers his head in meditation, and his entire body begins to glow.

Nina becomes worried, seeing that he is just standing in the middle of the room, not even trying to hide from the guards, only fifty feet down a wide open tunnel.

"Sapphire...Go over there and let me know if anyone comes down that hallway!" She says to her daughter, and the little dragonfly takes off, but then stops.

"Please...Help my Daddy!" She says back to Malefor, and the entranced dragon shutters from her emotion. He can see the tears pouring from her eyes, reminding him of Sparx' emotion every day after losing his Mother in hell.

Malefor focuses all of his efforts into the small creature in his palm, trying to keep pace with his rapid heart beat, so he can heal his wounds. The large dragon allows himself to become fully entranced to accomplish this difficult task, matching a dragonflies incredibly fast pulse.

After several tense moments, Malefor shows a slight smile. He can feel the dragonfly's heartbeat settle, and his increases to match. Soon thereafter, life energy begins to leave his paws and enter Spyro's father.

Nina can see the glow from Malefor's paws get brighter, and her heart fills with joy seeing her husband moving around in his lose grip. However, a sudden shaking of the cave, and the sound of scurrying feet, scares the green dragonfly. She looks over to her daughter to make sure no one is coming, and is slightly relieved as Sapphire shakes her head NO.

The worried Dragonfly has no clue that her son has returned, and why the cave just shook so violently. In fact, Nina almost feels as if she is hiding a fugitive, keeping her son's secret from the Palace Guard.

Tensely she stares back and forth at Malefor, just standing in the open, and her daughter, making sure no one is coming. Finally Nina's nerves get the best of her, and she flies over to the hallway to watch for herself.

The shaking green dragonfly stares down the hall with her child now clutched in her arms, waiting intently for the first sign of movement toward them, but it never comes.

Nina begins to calm, and looks back over at her husband and Malefor. The roller coaster of emotion driving her in circles. She can see more movement from Flash, and becomes joyful, while in the next breath, hearing more sounds she cannot explain come from the living room.

"What is happening?" She asks herself, inching down the hall trying to hear the voices she cannot understand, when suddenly.

"NO!" Malefor yelps, and she hears her husband violently gasp. "It's not working!"

Nina's attention is no longer down the hall, but now focused on the motionless dragonfly, in Malefor's palm.

"FLASH!" She yelps, flying towards her husband, fearing the absolute worse. However, before she can get close enough to see with her own eyes, Malefor closes his fingers tightly around him, and holds his clutched paws before his muzzle.

"NO!" She yells, but suddenly realizes the large dragon has not given up either.

Malefor opens his eyes, staring towards the roof, and looking for guidance from a good friend. That is when Nina can see this dragon's true magic.

Malefor begins pulsing with energy, pure and powerful. His eyes no longer white, but dark purple, like the scales of his body. He becomes oblivious to his surroundings, only feeling the small dragonfly clinging to life in his paws.

Suddenly drawing a large breath to fill his lungs, Malefor lowers his mouth down to his paws. The glow of his healing touch begins to shine in his palms again, then becoming brighter as he adds more power with a slow exhale from his mouth.

The green dragonfly, stares in awe at the rainbow of color produced by Malefor's breath, and can feel its Spiritual essence fill the room with life. With his massive lung capacity, Malefor continues to pour a vast amount of this incredible magic into the near lifeless body in his paws.

A magic he learned while living a thousand lifetimes in hell, and one that didn't come from his dragon ancestors, but his incredible second wife. A White Shepard that was first to save his soul, one that was proud to teach her husband, of nearly four million years, everything that she knew, and the only real power that Snow possessed.

An odd couple, that they were, but it was never about physical attraction. Malefor saw what he lost in Snow's blue eyes, feeling a love and admiration that was more than he ever thought possible from someone so small.

For several minutes, the purple dragon never stops exhaling this special magic, filling the small dragonfly with a healing energy of a different kind, hoping this can do more than just his powers.

Sapphire's attention has now been drawn to the light filling the room as well, and her eyes locked on the brilliant glow coming from her father, in Malefor's paws. She does not notice the sound of footstep approaching from living room.

"Sapphire!" A voice from down the hall yelps, and the little dragonfly turns her head to the left.

Her eyes open wide seeing her brother and sister-in-law walking towards the kitchen, however that is not what is scaring her. It is the white dragon and the massive blue one, walking alongside of them, that takes her breath away.

"Someone's coming!" She yells and disappears from view.

The Great Elder smirks at the young dragonfly's sudden disappearance, then looks over at Spyro.

"Your sister reminds me so much of another sibling of yours..." He says, seeing the small but bright aura of Sapphire drop from his view. "...I can see the same devoted spirit..."

Suddenly, Diamond stops, and his eyes open wide. He can feel the power from Malefor, building further and further.

"Oh no!" He barks with fear, finally able to sense what Malefor is doing, as he increases his the output of energy.

The old dragon begins walking faster down the hall, feeling this unique power, and wanting to get a glimpse of the energy he has never sensed before.

The other three dragons, startled by his sudden change in attitude, quickly follow Diamond towards the kitchen.

Spyro and Cynder, being younger, pass the Great Elder and make it to the large room first. Their eyes filling with a dramatic scene as their mother weeps before the powerful purple dragon, praying to her ancestors for a miracle.

"Dad!" Cynder barks, having full knowledge, in fact seeing the horrible attack Tycor made against a defenseless dragonfly.

Spyro hearing the word Dad, suddenly feels sick, seeing the amount of power that Malefor is using to revive him. The purple dragon leaps forward to help if he can, but his tail is grabbed from behind.

"Do not touch him Spyro..." The Great Elder remarks with his stern eyes focused upon Malefor. "...He is in a deep trance!"

However, the slow-moving blue dragon finally makes it to the large room, and his eyes lock upon Malefor...the Dark Master...his family's murderer.

A loud grunt of anger is heard from his old friend, and Diamond turns his attention to Monsoon, watching him charge.

"MONSOON...DON'T!" He shouts, but there is too much rage inside the large Water Dragon, to obey his master, and Diamond is helpless to stop the inevitable.

With crackle of thunder, and vast explosion of energy, Monsoon is slammed with an enormous amount of ancestral power. His large body, flung effortlessly back to whence he came, and towards the three dragons that entered the room with him.

Spyro's eyes open wide, knowing his wife and the Elder are behind him, and plants his hind legs to absorb most of the impact. Fear fills his heart, as his body begins to solidify, he knows he can't stop this much weight in such a short space, and someone is gonna get hurt.

Diamond's eyes open just as large, seeing his massive body hurling at him, and knowing there is noting he can do to stop it either. However, he suddenly feels two arms wrap around his chest, and weird sensation of darkness filling his body. All light disappears in an instant, and the white dragon feels panicked. He can't see, he can't hear, and can smell nothing, only the tight grasp around his chest lets him know he is alive with feeling.

Then just as fast, every sense in his body returns, and his amazing eyes catch the wisps of dark shadows floating away. But, what he doesn't see, is Monsoon's large frame coming at him any longer.

"Sorry if I scared you..." Cynder whispers in his ear, feeling a shutter in his body before releasing her embrace around his chest. "...I didn't have time to warn you!"

"What was that?" The elder remarks, still feeling the after effects of such a weird sensation of nothing.

"I pulled you into the Shadows with me..." Cynder replies, looking down, feeling like she did something wrong by his expression. "...I'm sorry...I didn't have a choice!"

Diamond places his paw on her chest, and Cynder looks back up, feeling his touch. She can see gratefulness in his eyes.

"Thank you...Cynder!" He says. "You saved my life, I cannot express my gratitude..."

The dark dragon places her paw on Diamond's mouth.

"You saved mine..." She says, smiling at him proudly "...we're even!"

The Great Elder smiles back, then suddenly his eyes scan the room, seeing Monsoon laying against another wall, however someone important is missing.

"Where is Spyro?" He asks, looking around.

"UM UNDRR HRR!"

The muffled sounds return both dragon's attention to Monsoon, and the jostling his body begins to make. With a loud grunt, the large blue dragon is rolled over on its side, and Spyro pops his solid rock head up from under the massive frame.

Both Cynder and the Great Elder stare in awe never seeing Spyro, or any dragon for that matter, perform such a powerful technique.

"Spyro..." Cynder says with surprise, seeing the outline of her husband in pure granite. "...Is that you?"

Spyro yanks his stone tail from under the unconscious blue dragon, and quickly nods his head. The smug smile and the pupil-less eyes of her love, tell Cynder the unbelievable truth, but it's when his vibrant color starts to return that she truly sees her Spyro

Cynder smiles and leaps at him, wrapping her arms around the still rock hard mid section of her husband, and returning a compliment he gave her moments ago.

"You are a much stronger dragon then you thought..." She whispers in his ear, and smacks his rock hard chest with her paw. She back her head up staring into his eyes, and lets out a pleasure-filled growl

"...and I can't wait to meet YOU all over again!"

Spyro smiles inside, feeling this new love in his heart, however his eyes are quickly drawn to something else, and Cynder can feel his heart begin to race.

The Great Elder is no longer concerned with the happy couple, but is now focused sternly upon Malefor, and slowly walking towards him.

"Diamond..." Spyro remarks, turning Cynder around in his arms, and holding her from the side, allowing his wife to see what has his attention. "...What are you doing?"

Cynder also becomes alarmed, as the white dragon gets closer, seeing Malefor's energy jump across the shortening gap between them.

"Don't touch him!" She yelps, but Diamond reaches his palm out to the purple dragon.

Malefor, holding his paws up to his mouth, is still showering Flash with an endless amount of healing energy, however it is not working. He can feel the small heart of Spyro's father slowing down, but continues adding more power, not giving up on his life.

Suddenly he can feel a paw placed upon his chest and a pure energy he has not felt since he was young, and the one time the Ruler of Avalar.

The purple dragon's eyes return to normal, focusing down at the white dragon.

"It cant be!?" He says with shock, then suddenly is overcome with Spiritual energy.

"Easy, my old friend...I will handle this from here!" A voice he has not heard in over four million years rings in soul. "You have been through enough!"

Unable to move or speak, the purple dragon can feel his body used as a conduit for Diamond's power, sending a pulse of energy through his chest and into the near lifeless dragonfly in his paws. Malefor's eyes never blinking, staring at the white dragon before him, and waiting for use of his faculties if just to hold the Spirit dragon he remembers.

Spyro and Cynder, still standing in the background, cannot believe their eyes, they were expecting the Great Elder to be angry with them, but it seems as if he is happy to see the old Dark Master.

Malefor can feel control of his body and all of his senses return, including a shuttering he can feel in his palms, however, the large dragon is still frozen by the light purple eyes focused upon his.

"You should let him go, Malefor..." The white dragon remarks with the sarcasm. "...I think the little fella needs air!"

Malefor does a double take, then opens his palms quickly, remembering what's in his paws, however he never takes his eyes off Diamond, staring at him with awe and disbelief.

Spyro and Cynder are in awe at how easily the Great Elder healed their father, but mostly how not in trouble they are. Both look at one another with the same look of shock, then turn their attention back to what they cannot believe.

"You're alive!" Malefor says with great shock to the white dragon, seeing the dragon he thought long dead, and a soul that has troubled his mind for so long.

However, Flash is quick to answer.

"Thanks to you Malefor!" The blue dragonfly replies, thinking he was the one being spoken to.

Flash closes his eyes, slowly floating up to the large dragon's face, and bowing his head in appreciation.

"I know it's not much..." He says softly. "...but if you ever need my help...I will be there!"

Flash raises his head and opens his eyes sternly. He can see that Malefor is now looking directly at him, hearing such a deep admiration in his thanks.

"I'm sure that the Dragonfly nations of Avalar, will give you the second chance that my son thinks..." Flash pauses hearing what he just said is wrong.

"...NO!...The second chance you truly deserve"

"I don't even to need to touch him, to read his thoughts old friend..." The old dragon's voice echos in Malefor's mind, and gives him a jolt of his powers to calm his nerves.

"...You have already made a small step in the right direction..." He continues, reading his thoughts as the large dragon freely gives them.

"I know he's gone my old friend..." The white dragon, remarks then closes his eyes. "...and I know how badly he hurt you when he left. I can feel the pain in you thoughts..."

Malefor lowers his head with depression, but Diamond is quick to stand on his hind legs, and lift his one time friend's chin. His eyes opening wide and burning into Malefor's

Spyro and Cynder cannot believe their eyes, seeing the physical emotion coming from the two dragons they thought would be screaming at each other, and more so as Diamonds voice echos in their ears.

"...But I see my old friend's spirit again..." He says loudly, and both husband and wife are shocked even further, especially when Diamond hugs the large purple dragon.

"...and it is brighter than ever!"

#1 Jan 17, 2013 5:35 AM

The Legend of Spyro: Sparx the dragon (A fanfiction)

#2 Jan 18, 2013 9:18 PM

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