"You cannot defeat me! I am eternal!" Malefor cried with all of his might, before he cumulated a great amount of Convexity into his mouth, and liberated a powerful beam of the purest Convexity energy aimed right into the two dragons.
Spyro and Cynder looked ahead, at the attack which was coming straight at them, and they both, as if they were just one, opened their mouths and released their own convexity breaths, which collided with Malefor's.
The walls and rocks all around them shook as the energies collided, the raw power being enough to leave any regular adult dragon stunned by the sheer force that was emitted from there. However, none of the dragons present was a regular dragon, and so, they all continued to what they were doing.
Malefor continued to breathe the power of his Convexity over the two young dragons, using all the power he had into that attack, to destroy these two dragons. Meanwhile, Spyro and Cynder were using the power of every fiber of their bodies, taking from themselves a power that neither of them knew that they had, to clash with the energy from that sinister convexity that was threw at them, and avoid the destruction.
They couldn't afford to go weak now. They couldn't afford to lose and let all that they loved being destroyed. They had many thigns and people they wanted to protect. Their home. The life they made. The friends they have made. All the people that they swore that they would save and that they would keep safe from the darkness.
They could not afford to lose now. Not after all the people who had made so much efforts and who sacrificed so much so they could have be in there for that very same moment.
That was the main difference between them and the purple dragon who was attacking them: they had something that was worth fighting for. They had all of that and much more that made losing not be an option, and that made them want to fight until the bitter end. That was what made them dug into their own souls for a power that they never imagined that they could have.
"Just… hang… on…" Spyro said, as the Convexity was still coming out from his mouth. His words echoed into both him and Cynder much more than any other sound would be able to, and soon, both the young dragons were starting to make progress. They slowly advanced in direction to the attacker, who was now using all the power he had too try to push the Convexity against the two little dragons who were threatening him.
However, he soon was finding himself fighting a lost battle, for the two young dragons were actually making the tides turn against him.
As the two young dragons flapped their wings, putting themselves closer and closer to Malefor, their Convexity was making advances against the bigger and much older purple dragon. Malefor could barely believe that such young dragons could be able to keep up with his power, even if they had the advantage of two versus one. That was something thst caught him completely off guard.
Spyro and Cynder now had accessed more power than anyone would think possible. They both roared loudly as the Convexity breath became bigger and ever more powerful. That made Malefor widened his eyes, as he tried to answer with equal power, however, he realized, for his own despair, that he had already hit his limits with his own power.
He could not use any more energy than he was already using, but the two young dragons seemed not to have that problem. Malefor could not understand. His mind was unable to process how they could do such a thing, and where they were taking all that energy from, and how they could still use so much power after such a long fight.
That was something that completely escaped him, and that he was unable to understand at all.
However, he didn't had time to think about it, as he saw these two, gigantic beams of Convexity flying in his direction, and horror filled his mind as his eyes widened.
"NOOOOOOOO!" He cried out as he was hit dead on by the gigantic beam, a beam of pure convexity that travelled all through his body, washing him into the harming energy. However, as that happened, the energy made much more than only damage his body. It was like it was much more than a single attack. It was like it was traveling through him and hitting him from the inside, passing by him. Passing by his very soul.
All that Malefor was able to do was keep his mouth open into a mute scream as the energy washed over him like nothing else would ever be able to do. He barely had time to think as his eyes rolled back, both glowing, and his eyelids closed.
He was propelled back by the attack, and he landed on his back, reeling into the crystal of the center of the planet, as unconscious as a doorknob. The two dragons finally stopped their colossal attack, and they both took gasping breaths as they both floated and landed, both panting as they looked at the uncousncious form of the Dark Master.
"We did…" Cynder said between pants as she looked at the defeated dragon. "Spyro, we did it."
However, Spyro barely heard her, he was too busy looking at Malefor. Now that he was laying, Spyro was noticing something different about him. Something that made it different from when they were fighting.
There was definitely something different with that dragon, and Spyro was able to evaluate it as he approached the dragon. Could he be dead?
No. Spyro could still see him breathing. It was not that. The only reason why Spyro didn't attacked when saw that he was still alive was because of the unsettling difference that he could notice. It was like it was gone. It was like the aura-
However, Spyro too was unable to finish his trail of thought, because soon, they both felt a huge quake, as they were reminded of the dire situation that they both, and everyone else, by the way, were into. The world was breaking apart, literally. All the world in which the dragons and all the other creatures lived was fragmenting itself into pieces, and Spyro and Cynder were into a crystal right in the center of everything, and they could see fully well the whole situation.
"Spyro." Cynder said, as the panic coursed through her as she saw just what kind of damage had been done to the world. She looked at Spyro, who looked around with a look of complete hopelessness.
"We failed." He said, more to himself than to anyone else. He lowered himself, letting the weihght of his great failure sink into him, and knowing that he had completely failed with his mission and his only purpose of existence, which was to prevent something like that from happening. In the end, it was all for nothing. Malefor had done what he wanted, and he had destroyed the world, into his own distorted perception of the mission of a purple dragon, and there was nothing that Spyro could do now.
Nothing…
That was when Spyro heard a voice, a very familiar voice. One that he thought that he would never be able to hear again.
Spyro. When a dragon dies, he doesn't really leaves this world. He returns to the earth, and brings new life. A new hope for the future.
Hearing these words made Spyro open his eyes, both in shock and realization. Both for the familiar voice that he heard in this moment of despair, as for realization, for he knew pretty well what he had to do.
Return to earth.
Spyro needed to return his own power to the earth, the power that was drained away from it, and that was needed to keep the world alive. Spyro had no idea of how he knew all of these things, but he knew them, and he knew what was needed to do. He knew that it was risky, and that he could not survive. Still, he had to do it, because it was his true duty as a purple dragon. It was his destiny.
"Cynder, get out of here." He said to the black dragoness, knowing that it was not going ot be safe being in there.
"No! Spyro, lets run away!"
"To where, Cynder?" Spyro asked her, "The world is breaking apart. But I think I can fix it." Indeed, Spyro was pretty sure that he could do it, that he could fix the world and fulfill the mission that many risked and gave their lives to see happening. He could save the world and everyone who he loved, and that included Cynder.
Te black dragoness looked back at him, and she saw that she could not do or say anything that would make Spyro change his mind. So, she said the words that would define her fate.
"So I'm with you."
She had already went through a lot with Spyro, and she had faced things that would made many other dragons turn around and run, and she had passed through a lot with him by her side. She was not going to leave him now. She was going to be by his side till the end, no matter what happened, she was not going to leave him.
Spyro could see this decision clear in her eyes, and he knew that it was no use trying to convince her to leave. He simply sighed, and he thought that maybe it was it. That was how his story finally ended, with a heroic sacrifice for the world.
Closing his eyes, Spyro gathered all that was left of power in him, convoking the elements in him. All the ones that he knew, and even other, which Spyro himself had no idea that even existed, and they all gathered into him, forming a strong white light.
Cynder looked at Spyro as he glowed, and he started to levitate from the ground, as the light became more and more intense, and started to spread to all the place in which they were in. Cynder klnew that it could very well be the end. She accepted it, and that was why she needed to say these words.
While she could still breathe and talk them, while Spyro still could hear her. Independent of the result of what was happening in there, no matter the outcome, she knew that this could be her last and only chance to say these words. Words which had been meant to be said for a while, and she needed to make Spyro hear, before it was too late.
"I love you." She whispered, and as soon as she said that, the light flooded the whole place.
The light spread out, like a wave of life and warmth, and it entered into the earth all around them.
The floating broken pieces of the earth were bathed into the energy that was coming straight from the center, and as so, they were starting to move together, as if they were reforming. The pieces of earth which were broken were forming together, but it was much more than that.
All the damage created, or most of it, was being healed. The forests were being enveloped in light and growing anew. The Oceans were being refilled. It was like the world itself was being healed from all the scars which were created by the nightmare that was the reign of the Dark Master. A nightmare from which the world seemed to be finally being able to wake up, and greet a new and beautiful reality.
The prophecy was finally being fulfilled, and the purple dragon named Spyro, was finally saving the world.
However, this great act might prove to come with a great price.
As the energy flowed from Spyro to all around him, the earth was closing in again, and Spyro and Cynder were right in the center of all of that.
Spyro kept emanating light for a while, as Cynder was forced to cover her eyes with her wings to shield them from the light that maybe could blind her. She could feel the energy flowing from Spyro to all around him. She could feel that pure power emanating from him and passing to her and through her, and to the very air around her. And she was not the only one feeling it.
A short distance away, the unconscious purple dragon also was being bathed by this pure energy, which washed over him and somehow refilled him, at the same time that it forced out whatever else was on his being.
After a while, the light finally started to subside, just like the power that was flowing along with it. Cynder noticed, and she lowered her wing slowly. The light was still intense, but it was much more bearable now. And she could see that Spyro was still glowing, seeming a silhouette of pure light.
After a while, the light finally died down, and Spyro dropped to the ground, unconscious.
"Spyro!" Cynder immediately went to him, worried, but she was relieved once she saw that the purple dragon was still breathing. She looked around, and saw that the rocks all around them were still pulsing with the power that Spyro had poured down on them. They were still grouping and reforming as they were all reconstructing themselves.
Whatever Spyro had done, it seemed that it had worked, for the world was fixing itself. Spyro had truly done it. He had saved the world.
"Spyro, you did it!" Cynder said, and she saw that they were reforming, and they were sealing the openings among them, including the one that allowed Cynder and Spyro to get in there. Cynder realized that the openings would all close, and if they did before they got out, Spyro and Cynder would both be stuck in there!
"Spyro!" She said, shaking him, "Spyro, we have to go now!"
However, the purple dragon was not getting up. Spyro seemed to be very deep in his unconsciousness. Cynder continued trying to shake him wake, so they could get out of there before it was too late.
"Spyro, wake up! Wake up!" She continued, and as she did, the noise she was making, despite not being enough to make Spyro wake up, seemed to be enough to wake up another dragon which was very nearby.
Malefor was groaning as he got up, feeling all the tiredness which once was into all of his body passing, as if all the feeling that was in there was replaced by something that made him feel nice and refreshed. He slowly got to his feet, as he heard.
"Spyro! The walls are gonna close! If we don't get out now we will be stuck in here forever!" Cynder sad, and Malefor looked up to see the black dragoness shaking the purple dragon, who was laying unconscious. He then looked up, and saw that the black dragoness was right, and soon, all the escape routes would be troubled, and they would all be stuck in there, with little to no hope of getting out, and also a limited amount of oxygen.
"Spyro!" Cynder cried, making Malefor looked back at her as she was shaking Spyro in earnest, trying to wake him up. "Spyro, we need to get out now! Spyro! Wake up!"
Malefor should have used the chance to escape and leave the two young dragons behind in there to be stuck. He should have ran away and let them there to rot in the guts of the earth for all they had done to him.
However, he didn't do that. He didn't felt like doing. Actually, right now, he wasn't able to even consider doing that. He only looked at the two young dragons, as if he had seen both for the first time in his whole life, and as if he was looking at ghosts which appeared right before him.
"Spyro…" Malefor said as he looked at them, with a voice that sounded far different from what it had been a while ago…
"Spyro! Spyro!" Cynder continued to shake him, the walls around them were screaming as the rocks all closed around each other, sealing away all the possible escape routes. "Spyro, you need to wake up! We have to get out-"
However, she was cut short when she felt a big shadow falling over them, and she looked up and gasped at what she saw.
Malefor had raised up, and he was now almost towering over the two young dragons. Cynder barely had time to scream before the big purple dragon reached out, and grabbed both her and Spyro, holding each one in one of his paws.
"Let us go!" Cynder said as she started to squirm, trying to get free from his grasp. She even tried to use her breath weapons, but she discovered that she had used a lot of her power, and now she felt weak. She was not in condition to fight back, and with her size and reduced physical power, she was no match for Malefor on her own.
They were completely at his mercy.
He could simply crush them both and fly out of there to start it all over again.
However, instead of trying to destroy them in any way, he to flight and started to fly in direction to the closing up stones right above them. And so, he started to take the way which would lead to the outside, and all the while, he was carrying both the young dragons in his clutches. However, his grip was different now, it was lighter, more careful, it was almost gentle, as if they were very fragile and Malefor didn't wanted to break them.
However, Cynder barely even minded that. She was too focused on the fact that the enemy that was trying to kill them only a few minutes ago was with them, completely powerless and helpless in their clutches to do as he pleased. That was more than enough to send her into a near frenzy due to the panic.
"Let us go!" Cynder cried out as she dug her claws into the Dark Master's paw, making him cringe and groan as he continued to fly, flapping his wings fast as he carried both the struggling Cynder and the unconscious Spyro into his paws as he flew. He was panting as he continued to fly.
The purple dragoon made several turns and spins in the air, as he was trying to avoid being crushed by the massive continental boulders, which closed in. The fact that there was a lot of molted lava into them did not helped one bit, as Cynder could notice the sweat running down from his body from the heat. The purple dragon had to stop a lot of times to avoid being crushed by a big piece of boulder or washed down by a flux of magma, and look around to find another way that would allow to keep advancing to the surface.
Cynder could only look at the big purple dragon, as she was wondering what he was doing. He already had her and Spyro in his clutches, and they were both unable to fight back or cause him any significant damage to him. He could end them at any moment that he liked and they would be unable to do anything to stop him.
What was he waiting for?
Why he was carrying them like that as if they were a precious cargo? What was the point of that? Cynder could not think of an answer to that, but instead, she retained herself to the worry that they could be either crushed or burned down as they were trying to get out of that place, and that Malefor seemed to be actually wanting to save them.
Cynder could not understand why, but she could only hold tight and hope that the Dark Master would still want to save them at least until they reached the surface and were no longer in immediate danger.
Malefor was flapping his wings, as he was forced to be extra careful with his wings and all the extremities of his body, as not to be hit by a rock or by anything else.
The coming together of the rocks were making some rocks let loose from the boulders which were coming together. While some of them were as small as pebbles, and they didn't represented any danger, some were twice as big as the purple dragon, and he was forced to make sharp spins and turns in order to avoid damage and to be able to continue to fly.
Cynder held tight as the Dark Master made several turns and spins holding them to avoid the rocks, while Spyro simply moved limply as he was into a very deep state of unconsciousness, and was being carried almost as if he was a rag doll, even though it seemed that the Dark Master was being as careful with him as he was with Cynder. The reason, Cynder now barely minded, as she was only worried with the idea of them getting out of there alive and in one piece.
She looked around, as she could see the world passing in them as a blur as they flew in direction to the safety of the surface. She then saw one thing with the corner of her eye.
"Look out!" Cynder cried out, making Malefor look to the side and see what she just saw: a big pillar of rock coming in his direction. He immediately halted in mid air, and the pillar passed in front of him as it crashed into the opposite wall. He looked over, and he flew around the pillar. He didn't had time for it, for the walls were quickly closing in.
He knew that the time was running short, and that he needed to go now, before it was too late.
The purple dragon flapped his wings, as he canalized energy through his body, and then, a huge burst of wind propelled him upwards, as if a gush of wind coming from a hurricane was fueling his wings. Cynder let out a surprised cry which was carried by the wind, and she held on very strongly for her dear life, and she cast a look at Spyro, who was still limp into the paws of the Dark Master as they were flying.
Malefor made several turns and spins into high speed as he was carrying the two young dragons up in direction to the light. The walls around them becoming dangerously closer as the threat of being crushed to death by them was becoming quite real.
He continued, until he could see light. He could see the light and a feel a gush of fresh air. It was the surface, their way out of there. As soon as he saw it, he speed up even more, opening his wings wide as more wind come up from seemingly nowhere and propelled him upwards.
Cynder held tight as she looked around, and she looked around at the walls coming closer, dangerously closer.
"We will not make it!" She cried out without thinking about it, however, a voice said to her. "We will make it!"
It was not Spyro's voice. It was from someone else. It was…
Malefor let out a loud scream as he closed his wings close to his body, the sheer momentum carrying him as he went head-on to the opening which closed. And then, he passed by it, by very few, and he continued on in direction to the sky, as the small opening burst into a pillar of earth and dirt as it closed right beneath him.
They had done it by very little.
Malefor continued to ascend into the air and in direction to the sky, the force that propelled him still on effect. His eyes were closed tightly, and he was greeted by the strong light of the rising sun. Finally, he opened his eyes, letting out a gasp for air, as he could feel the fresh air all around him.
He blinked several times as he looked around, seeing the land being illuminated by the sun which was rising, casting a amber colored glow over the place as it raised to the sky, signaling the start of a new dawn.
Malefor took a deep breath as the force that propelled him upwards was slowly subsiding, and he was coming to a near stand-still position in the air. He looked around at the lands that were now beautiful. When was the last time that he had stopped to look at it? He knew that it had been a long time ago, before he had planned to destroy it all.
That sight was astounding.
However, Malefor had no time to think about it, for soon, the gravity was pulling him back downwards, and he was finding himself falling in direction to the ground below.
Cynder held tight on the whole time, especially as she felt the air rushing past her as they were now all in a free fall in direction to the ground. She was scared that now the Dark Master was finally going to end them.
However, she was once more proved wrong when Malefor, still having a good, but gentle, grip at them, opened his wings and started to flap them lightly, to break the fall very gently. He gently floated in direction to the ground, and he landed safely, standing in his hind paws as he held Spyro and Cynder gently in his front ones.
He had made it.
As soon as he landed, however, Cynder renewed her struggling, and she was screaming loudly. "Let me go now!" She was squirming a lot, and Malefor only looked at her, and he decided to comply.
He gently lowered her to the ground, and let her go, and she immediately jumped to away from him and out of his clutches, and she adopted a fighting pose as she looked at him, ready to fight, even knowing that she had no way of fighting back.
However, Malefor had no attention to her, and he only looked at his other paw, in which was Spyro. The young purple dragon was still limp in his clutches. Malefor looked at him as he now had his two paws into Spyro.
Cynder's eyes widened, as she immediately thought that he was going to crush Spyro to death. "No!" She cried out, "Let him go!"
However, she was ignored, and Malefor was still looking at Spyro, as if he was checking him up. He was looking at him and he was muttering something to himself which Cynder didn't heard.
Immediately, he turned to Cynder. "He needs help." Malefor said, and that startled Cynder up. Not only because he seemed to be worried about Spyro being well or not, but because of his voice.
It had changed.
Before it was much deeper, and it had that secondary tune that was able to send chills to her spine and make it seem like her bones were shivering from the cold of the pure fear. However, now it was different. That secondary tune was gone, and his voice wasn't as deep as it had once been. The voice sounded like the one of a normal dragon.
Actually, for the first time Cynder noticed that the Dark Master himself somehow looked different. His appearance had somehow changed, to start with the eyes, which were yellow with slit pupils, and now they had a different appearance, with purple color, just like Spyro's. There was also something about the semblance that seemed to be quite different, for it was not as aggressive or mean as it looked before.
And there was even more, for now Cynder could notice that his presence was different. During the fight, Cynder could feel very well the presence that he somehow emanated, and it was a presence that somehow made it perfectly clear that he was evil and cruel. It was like an aura of the purest malice all around him. However, now that she stopped and was able to actually focus in it, she realized that the aura was gone. It was like it had somehow been removed, and now, there was no trace of it.
"Cynder!" Malefor shouted, making the black dragoness jump and look at him, as he had the purest concern in his face. "Spyro used too much energy, he needs to recover it quick or his body won't handle it!"
Cynder was taken aback by the level of the worry that she could sense in the voice and face of the Dark Master, and the fact that all of that worry was directed to the dragon that had just fooled and destroyed all of his plans. Malefor should be happy for knowing that Spyro was not going to make it, and he should actually assure that this was going to happen, but instead, he seemed as if he was willing to prevent it from happening.
What was going on? Why the Dark Master, the enemy of the world, suddenly seemed that he had a change of heart?
"We need to take him somewhere safe." Malefor said, making Cynder look at him. "I think I saw a cave nearby when we were up. Let's go! We don't have time!"
He sadi that and he started to run, carrying Spyro in his paw, and Cynder had to take a moment in order to recover and immediately go after him.
The Dark Master ran with Spyro, seeming worried, and Cynder had to run a lot to keep pace with the big purple adult as he was running in earnest, as if the situation was truly dire.
The purple dragon barely looked to the sides or really paid Cynder any attention. He seemed to be overly worried with Spyro, and he seemed as if he truly wanted to make sure that the purple dragon was going to last for more than one day. Why? Cynder could barely even guess. It was really strange that the Dark Master suddenly seemed to be all worried with Spyro like that, especially considering that he and Cynder had just gave a hell of a beat up in them.
They took a while in mad running, but they eventually reached the said cave, which was in the base of a short mount, and it was well hidden by some rocks and also by vegetation. The only way of truly seeing it was really to see it from above, as Malefor claimed to have done. And the adult purple dragon wasted no time into going inside of it, and Cynder following soon after, to see the inside of the cave.
It was well illuminated by some holes in the ceiling, from which came light, and it also had some vegetation inside most of it weeds and vines, it even had a small lake that was probably from some underground water source. The place actually seemed to be a very cozy one to make a living for a while. However, Malefor seemed to be barely minding it. The adult was too busy in picking up weed and also some vines, and he made a makeshift bed in which he laid Spyro.
Cynder approached as the Dark Master was checking on Spyro, and he seemed deadly worried as he did so. Cynder also was getting worried as she was seeing the situation in which Spyro seemed to be.
He was still unconscious, but he also looked pale, and his breath was slow and it almost seemed labored. It seemed that the act of fixing the world up together had taken a deep toll into him, and now he was into a serious situation. It seemed that his body was starting to falter due to the lack of energy in his body. As soon as Cynder realized that, she started to get as worried as the Dark Master seemed to be about the younger purple dragon.
"What do we do?" Cynder asked, seeing the state in which Spyro was, seeming that she had just forgotten that she was talking to the one who was supposed to be their deadly enemy. She was too worried to think about that in the moment.
"He needs mana crystals." Malefor said, checking on him "And he needs them quick. Cynder, you need to go get them, now."
"I won't leave!" Cynder said. Despite having now more concern with Spyro's safety than with the fact that the Dark Master himself was on a isolated place with them and could do whatever he want without anyone coming to save them, Cynder was still not willing to trust Malefor enough to leave him alone with Spyro.
"He will not resist for long if he does not receive Mana crystals!" Malefor said, letting it clear that the time was not on their side.
"I'm not leaving you two alone!" Cynder shot back, "What if you do something to him while I'm out?"
"I could do something to both of you right now and no one could stop me!" Malefor said matter-of-factly, and he continued, "If I wanted you two dead I would have done it already!"
"Than why didn't you?"
"We are losing time!" Malefor said, almost crying out in frustration. "Spyro may not survive if we don't find some crystals now!"
"I'm not letting Spyro out of my sight!" Cynder said, and Malefor looked at her with a look that was one of almost anger. Cynder actually got ready to defend herself against an attack, when the purple dragon cried out in defeat. "Oh, Ancestors! Alright!"
He said, and he turned to the exit of the cave. "I will get the crystals! You stay here with him!" He said, and he started to walk out, and he turned to the young black dragoness one more time and he said, "And try to keep him warm and to make him drink some water." And with that, Malefor left the cave, leaving behind an unconscious Spyro and a slightly stunned Cynder.
The way he talked, it seemed like he truly cared about Spyro, and he truly wanted to help him now that he had a problem. Cynder could not help but wonder what was the reason for that change of heart, all of sudden. She didn't remembered ever hearing anything of the like happening with someone. Well, save form the time in which she was under his control and Spyro saved her by purifying…
Her mind suddenly came to a stop as she processed her own thoughts, and she started to make associations to what had happened to her, and to what had just happened with the Dark Master.
Could it be… Could it be possible that… Was that even possible?
But… that meant… and also meant that… and also…
Cynder was barely even able to follow her own trail of thoughts as she tried to make sense out of it. She was still having enough problems trying to convince herself that it was possible, even if it was totally fitting with all which was happening, from the change in the eyes and voice to the change of attitude towards them.
However, Cynder was able to snap out of it as she was able to make herself focus back into the purple dragon in there. The dragon who she loved and who she didn't wanted to see suffering or dying.
Cynder approached him, and she put a paw into him. He was very cold to the touch, and she noticed that his breath was still labored, as if the purple dragon was deeply tired. Cynder had already heard that sometimes, when a dragon used too much of his mana into a single elemental feat, he could end up sucking also his own life force, and that could lead to several problems, from fatigue and near death experiences to shortening of the dragon's lifespan.
Cynder never had the chance of seeing something like that in person, and she was not exactly liking the experience of seeing it happening with someone who she cared so much about. It was not exactly a good way of learning the risks of using too much elemental power all at once.
Cynder was lost for a few moments, but soon, she was forcing herself to do exactly the things that Malefor had suggested her to do. Funny thing, she had never imagined that she would, one day, from her own free will, follow the orders of that same purple dragon who turned her into the Terror of the Skies. However, the situation now was totally different, and Cynder soon was finding the idea of following these instructions quite appealing.
She gathered some leaves and weed from the walls and the ground, and she used them to cover Spyro, as a makeshift blanket, to keep him warmth. The next thing she did, was to go to the lake and to gather a little of the water into her paw and bring it to Spyro. She put her paw near his face, letting the few drops of water leak into his mouth. Even though the purple dragon was unconscious, he instinctively drank down the water, lapping gently into the paw of the black dragoness, who found herself blushing slightly at that kind of contact, even though the situation was not the kind of one which would allow her to waste time getting affected by these small things.
As soon as it was done, Cynder felt a little better, but still, she noticed that it seemed that Spyro was getting worse as he seemed to be turning more pale. Cynder was worried that he might not make it. Still, she took good care of him as she waited for the older purple dragon to return.
She waited.
And waited.
The time was passing. How long had it been now? It had been hours, and that Cynder was for sure. She was still looking at the entrance at every few minutes, and she was wondering now if the bigger purple dragon was actually going to return. She was starting to wonder if he had left and went to his own freedom while he left her taking care of Spyro, only to watch him die.
She felt a wave of anger at her for having been so foolish, that was when a noise scared her.
She looked over, and saw the familiar shape of the older purple dragon walking into the cave. He was carrying a few green crystals with him, and he had a few cuts over his arm and also on the side of his face. Cynder looked at him as he approached, and he piled up the crystals right by Spyro's side.
Right after, before Cynder could react, he used his paw to smash the crystals, making some noise, and almost completely pulverizing them. The small shards of the green crystals flew around and gathered around the purple dragon, vanishing as they touched his skin. Spyro shivered slightly, but soon after, the purple dragon let out a sigh as he relaxed, and his breathing was no longer troubled.
As soon as Spyro seemed to stabilize, Malefor himself let out a sigh as if he was relieved, and he was able to sit back and relax a little. Cynder looked at him, and the adult said, "Sorry for taking long. I had some problems."
Cynder continued to look at him, particularly at his wounds, which seemed all to be fresh.
"What…"
"Someone saw me." He said simply, before she could even finish. "I just wanted the crystals, I even tried to say, but they didn't seemed like they wanted to hear me." The purple dragon looked at the ceiling, and he said, "They will probably be looking for me if anyone believes them."
Cynder knew what that meant, and she also knew that if they saw him they were going to attack again. After all, they were talking about the dragon that came to be known as the Dark Master. The one who tried to destroy the world, and who created chaos and destruction. The one who caused death and suffering to several people all across the lands as he sent out his armies to kill as much people as he could, seemingly, only for the sake of destruction itself.
It was already expected the people would not jump of joy at the sight of him.
However, the big purple dragon didn't had any sighs that he had attacked or killed them, as Cynder would be to expect if she heard that someone had attacked him. He didn't had blood on his claws or mouth. The only blood which he had was his own, and it was leaking from the wounds which were still fresh on him. Also, Malefor said that the ones who attaclked him were going to tell that they had spotted him, what told him that the purple dragon had really not killed them. The sign that he had not fought back the ones who have attacked him and made wounds at him, somehow served to give more force to her own suspects.
She was looking at him, and he noticed that before Cynder would be able to hide the fact that she was looking at his wounds. He looked at her, and he said. "Don't worry, I'll be fine. They are all only fresh wounds." He looked at her as she looked back at him, and after a while, they both only looked away from each other, in direction to Spyro, who had now, actually recovered a little of his regular purple color, and was actually looking somewhat better than he had just been.
Malefor sighed in seemingly relief, and he looked at Cynder as he spoke. "Well it seems that he is out of danger now."
"But… he is still unconscious."
"He is just sleeping." Malefor assured her, "He went through a lot and he is tired, let him rest now."
Cynder never imagined that she would have a talk like that with the dragon known as the Dark Master. Still, it was happening. If anyone told her that she was going to pass by this she would never had believed. This was surely not how she expected things to develop and turn out when she went with Spyro to the last fight.
She looked at him, and suddenly, she felt her belly rumbling slightly. Cynder put a paw over her belly. When it was the last time that she ate again? Cynder couldn't even remember. She felt like she hadn't eaten in weeks, for all the effort that she had made. She was a little taken back when she heard Malefor's new voice saying.
"Hungry?"
She looked at him, and saw that he was looking at her as he spoke, and she blushed, ashamed that her belly had grumbled so loud that someone was actually able to hear it. Malefor simply sighed, and he said, "Stay here with him, I'll go get food" and he started to leave the cave once again, but Cynder stopped him.
"Wait!" Malefor stopped and looked at her, and she spoke, "You just got sighted, and you are hurt. What if someone else sees you and attacks you again?"
Malefor looked slightly surprised at her. Cynder herself seemed to be surprised as she seemed to be worried with his well being. However, Malefor didn't manifested his surprise in words, and instead, he only said, "I'll be fine." And he continued on his way out of the cave, leaving once more Cynder alone with Spyro.
She stood there with him, watching the purple dragon slowly and calmly breathed, as it seemed that more of his regular color was returning by the moment. Cynder put a paw on him once again, and he was feeling warmer than before, and that was just another reason why Cynder felt relieved.
It seemed that Malefor was right, and that he had really saved Spyro's life. That was really something that Cynder would never expect to happen into a situation like that, and it was more than enough to give even more fundament to her own idea: the idea that, somehow, Male fro had been purified, just like she was years ago.
Cynder knew what this meant, and she also knew that it brought forward many questions. Like, if Malefor was corrupted like Cynder was, then that meant that he was not truly evil? The meant that someone else had corrupted him? If yes, then who? Why? For how long?
That was the true reason of Malefor's turning to evil? That was the true reason of the war and everything else? Malefor was really not responsible for his actions? All the people who he killed and all the lives he destroyed were not for his own option? He could have been something different if it was not for being corrupted?
These questions all ran into Cynder's head, as well as the idea if this "purification" was real or not. She had not yet discharged the possibility that the Dark Master could only be pretending that he was purified as part of some elaborated plan to be able to win over his two enemies and be able to fulfill his objective of destroying the world.
Cynder was truly unsure of what to think at the moment, still, Malefor had done good to them until now, and so, she decided that it was maybe a good idea to trust him for now, but she was going to keep an eye open for him.
She waited again by Spyro's side, keeping by his side and making sure that the purple dragon was warm and that he was okay. It took around half an hour before Malefor finally came back. He was carrying three dead sheep with him and also a pile of wood which he most likely had picked up in the time he was away. He didn't had any new wounds, so Cynder assumed that he had no problems in his second excursion to the outside.
However, Cynder could not avoid the thought that, if these sheep belonged to someone, the purple dragon would have stolen them. But, as her belly grumbled again due to the hungry, Cynder was barely even minding.
Soon Malefor was putting himself into working into the sheep to get them ready. First of all, he started to remove their fur, until they were only skin, and the next thing he did, was removing this skin slowly. Cynder was forced to look back, for even with her being at the war, there was a limit to the things that she was able to stomach, and she wasn't the only one.
Malefor himself cringed slightly as he saw the blood. Hours ago, that wouldn't bother him at all. However, now it was different. Now he felt different, and that blood was making him slightly uncomfortable.
However, that part soon was done, and the purple dragon put the discharged remains aside, and he put the fire in a pile, and used his own fire breath to make it light up. Soon there was a fire in it, and Malefor put the lambs into some sticks of wood, and put them into the fire, to get them cooked. Also, the fire created a gentle flame which helped to keep the place they were in warmth.
Sure, Malefor could have just used his fire breath to cook the lambs; however, he had learned a long time ago that it was not a good idea to waste out mana with simple things when it could be needed to fight. Having mana or not could be the difference between living or dying.
The meat was left cooking for a while, and the smell soon was filling the cave in which they were in, and that smell was making Cynder's mouth water. The black dragoness waited as the meat soon was cooked enough to be eaten.
She barely even considered the possibility of Malefor having poisoned the food (which he didn't) and she simply dug in, and the meat was great, with no sign of having been poisoned. Also, Malefor himself was eating, so that threw the idea of the poisoning of the lamb out the window, since the purple dragon would not put that thing in his mouth if he knew that there was poison in it.
Cynder sighed as soon as she finished the food, she had almost forgot what felt like to have a full belly. The feeling was a very good one, and she now put herself to watch as Malefor ate his own food. The adult seemed to have a very serious expression in his face, as if he was thinking of something that was troubling him.
Cynder could only look at him, as she was now trying to figure him out as he ate very silently. The purple dragon really seemed to be troubled, and Cynder could notice that by his expression and by the way that he was looking, it seemed that he was thinking something that was making him feel bad. Really bad.
This somehow only served to give more strength for her own theory of Malefor having been purified. She thought so because she had pretty much sure that she had a similar look on her face every time that she remembered the things that she had done to the world when she was still the Terror of the Skies. She had already saw in her own face, when she looked at her reflection, a face that was very much as haunted as the look that Malefor had in his own face.
That look which reflected grief and guilty, she knew very well that look. She knew the feeling of feeling responsible for the deaths of several when you were unable to even control your own actions. Cynder was having more and more reason by the second to believe that the theory that Malefor had somehow been purified were correct.
The time passed, and Malefor was almost finishing his meal, when he said, "I'm sorry."
This startled Cynder a little, and she looked at the big purple dragon, who continued to look at his almost done sheep, which were left now almost only the bones. It was like he had not the courage to look Cynder in the eyes, and he continued to say.
"I'm sorry for everything I've done." He looked down, "I'm sorry for putting you through all of this. For turning you into the Terror of the Skies. For taking you away from your family and for turning you into a tool of destruction. I'm sorry for having made you went through all of that."
He sounded really sincere as he said all of that, as if he had been planning to say that for a really long time. Also, as Cynder looked in his face, she could swear to the Ancestors that she could see tears traveling down the purple dragon's cheeks. That, for her, was a proof that the purple dragon who was previously known as the Dark Master was truly sorry for what he had done. Cynder just knew it. The emotion in his face, the pain, the sorrow, there was no way of faking that. She just knew that no one was that good of an actor.
She instantly knew that it was true, and she could finally feel a wave of compassion for the purple dragon. A feeling that she was completely sure that she would never feel for the dragon that came to be known by everyone as The Dark Master, and as the traitor of all dragon kind.
"It was not your fault." Cynder said, and she really meant it when she said it. Malefor said back:
"It was like a nightmare." He had a lost gaze, and he was not touching his food anymore. Instead, he was only looking into the ground as he spoke it, as if every word made him feel pain, as if he felt pain at each memory that he had. "Somehow I was awake. I knew what was happening, but I could not avoid it. It was like my body was not my own. I couldn't stop, and I wanted to stop."
Malefor was starting to quiver as he spoke that, and Cynder felt more and more in sympathy with him, for she remembered that he had a very similar feeling when she was the Terror of the Skies. The feeling of not being in control of her own actions and the feeling that she could not avoid causing the destruction, and that when she finally was free, it was ,like she had woke up from a terrible nightmare, a very vivid one.
Cynder knew that feeling, and she could only think of doing one thing: she placed her paw into Malefor's leg, and gently rubbed, as if to gently soothe him as she did so. The purple dragon let out a heavy sigh as he was consoled by one of the people that he had hurt. This was somehow a good thing, but still, it was not enough to make him redeem for all of his sins, and the former Dark Master knew that pretty well.
"I have to take you two back to your home." Malefor said, after a long silence. "And then, I'm going to turn myself in to accept any fate that the Guardians see fit."
This startled Cynder, as she looked up at him. She knew that the Guardians were going to decide for death as the punishment for all that the adult purple dragon had done. She knew that, even if the Guardians had not decided for executing him, it was very likely that many people would come out demanding him to be killed for all that he did, and for what he had tried to do.
Anyway, Cynder knew that, if the former Dark Master really turned himself in, his fate would most likely be death.
Malefor looked at her, and he saw her concerned expression at him. "Don't worry so much." He said to her, being actually able to force a smile. "After all, it is not like everyone is going to mourn for me. Actually, I'd be surprised if they didn't made a party and danced over my corpse."
Cynder was unable to share of this morbid humor that the purple dragon was showing. She actually felt even more worried, even if it seemed that the dragon talking to her was totally ready and willing to face his fate. This only served to show that he truly regretted what he had done, and that he actually didn't deserved to die.
"Maybe we could talk to them." Cynder offered, "Maybe we can make them understand…"
"Please, don't give me false hopes." Malefor said, looking at her, "I know full well that, after all I did, they will only be satisfied when they see my blood splattering the ground." He said with another smile, and he added, "I just hope I can take you two back home before they all start to come after me with whole armies. Once you two are safe I can accept my fate in peace."
The purple dragon continued to face the void, and Cynder could not avoid the feeling of sadness that she felt by seeing the purple dragon helpless about his own fate, such was the guilt he was feeling. She could remember on herself having feelings like that when she was recovered from being the Terror of the Skies. The feeling of guilt was too big to be handled, and many times it made her wonder if she really deserved to be redeemed. She understood that pain, and so, she could totally form a bound with the former Dark Master.
"Malefor…" She spoke, being careful to choose wisely her next words, totally conscientious of the pain that the adult was feeling. "You did these things, but they were not your fault. Maybe we can explain to them. We can tell them that you don't deserve it."
"I do deserve." Malefor said, "For what I have done to everyone, to the world…" He looked in the void, and he continued, "For what I've done to you, Cynder." He said, and he stopped for a few moments, and he continued, "For what I've done to her… and to Spyro." He finished as he looked again at the void, and as he did, Cynder was sure that his expression had become even more sorrowful as he mentioned her and Spyro.
However, Cynder could not avoid the question that popped in her mind about who exactly would be "her".
"I almost killed him." Malefor said, as if it was to himself. "I almost take away Spyro's life, and that is just something that don't deserve to be forgiven." He looked over his shoulder, and he said, "For what I've done to him. For what I have put him through, for more than anything else, I deserve to pay."
Cynder could agree with that, for she had deep feelings towards Spyro. However, she caught herself wondering just what the Dark Master… no, the former Dark Master, meant by that. Sure, he had caused Spyro much suffering, however, there were many people out there who suffered as much as him, maybe even more. It was strange that the adult purple dragon was putting Spyro's suffering above everything else, as if Spyro was really someone very important not only to the world, but to Malefor himself.
That was one thing that made Cynder wonder:
"Why Spyro is so important to you?" She asked before realizing that it would be too invasive, and that it was the wrong thing that she should ask in a moment like that. She only realized it after the question had escaped her lips. She immediately regretted it, and she wanted to apologize for asking something like that. However, Malefor simply let out a very heavy sigh, and he looked back at her, before saying.
"Remember when I said that Spyro and I had much more in common than just our color?" He asked her, and Cynder looked up at him, and she nodded, remembering full well at that moment, in which Spyro was almost led to doubt about himself. Malefor let out another sigh, and he continued.
"I was saying the truth in that moment." Malefor looked at the ground as he continued, "Spyro made me remember so much of myself when I was his age. How I was before this whole madness began, before I started to lose track of myself and of the world around me. Before I started to become the Dark Master…" Malefor spoke that title as if it was some kind of poison that he wanted to immediately spit out of his mouth. "He made me remember of her…"
There comes "her" again, and Cynder was growing more and more curious by the second. And Malefor, simply continued to talk. "Even though he makes me remember of myself, he also makes me remember her. He is also gentle and compassionate like she was. He puts others above himself and he second-guesses himself, much like her did sometimes." Malefor was almost quivering now. "I miss her so much…"
However she was, it was clear that she must have been someone important to the purple dragon, for he seemed to become really affected by talking about her. Cynder was gaining more questions that she wanted to see answered. And her questions were being, as Malefor was continuing with is speech.
"When I first saw him, for the first time in ages, for the first time in my life, I wanted to hug him." He said, and that really caught Cynder's attention. "I wanted to tell him I was sorry, and that I wanted to make up for all the things I did, that I wanted to be there for him, like I should from the very beginning."
Okay, now Cynder was starting to get lost.
"Instead, I attacked him, I tried to hurt him. Her son…" Malefor said, "My own blood…"
"What?" Cynder said suddenly, unable to hide the surprise in her own face and voice as she was starting to form the picture in her mind of just what Malefor was talking about. He was really saying what she thought that he was saying?
A single tear ran down his face, and he sighed, as he said the words that confirmed what Cynder was thinking that he was saying.
"Spyro… is my son."