"Cynder..." The voice came as a low, deep rumble, interrupting my dreamless sleep.
"Cynder, wake up..." A pain filled groan escapes my parched lips as a warm, soft paw came down on my shoulder. I struggled to open my eyes, but once I did, I was overwhelmed by a muscular green head of scales staring down at me.
"T-Terrador?" I whimpered, my memories suddenly dazzled by this familiar face.
"It's OK Cynder, your safe now." I looked up in bewilderment as Cyril and Volteer stepped out from behind the strong earth guardian towering over me.
"W-Where am I?" I tried to lift my sore head from the soft, plump pillow that appeared beneath me, but was struck with an overwhelming amount of pain that shot through my head.
"You're in Warfang Cynder...your safe." Terrador murmured gently. My mind still dazed, I struggled to recollect my memories. But once I did, I cried out with an oven more intense purpose. Nothing could have matched the pain I felt at that one moment.
"Where's Spyro!" I wailed, my voice tight with pain. I was bewildered and confused about what was happening, what else was I supposed to say?
I noticed the guardians faces fill with worry as my eyes bulged out of their sockets. I watched in despair was Terrador slowly padded over to where I was sprawled out across the pillow, then raise a gigantic green paw in front of me, to reveal a pile of shimmering gold dust in his palm. The earth guardian then carefully sprinkled this gold dust onto my shoulder. I watched in surprise as the dust magically melted into my bruised scales.
"What are you doing?" I murmured frightfully, my words seeming to slur out my quivering pale lips. I already felt my self slipping away once again, my breathing becoming slow and even, my eye lids weighing down like boulders over my weak vision. Not able to resist any longer, I was soon put under the dust's magical spell.
When I next woke, I was alone.
My tired mind felt drowsy and confused as I let my eyes skitter around the small room. My ears strained to hear past my ragged breaths and the gentle whistle of the wind that came from the lone, open window that hung proudly on the hard stone wall. The cream cloth curtain fluttered around wildly from the soothing breeze, but the air was silent. I tried to lift my head, but the piercing pain that shot through my side made me clench my jaws in agony. I looked at my battered and bruised side of scales with anguish. Then, as slowly as possible, I lifted my heavy body from the pillow, flopping down into the stone ground beside it. As the mysterious drug finally wore off, I found my mind become more clear. It wasn't long before I was chocking on my own swollen throat as the images of his limp body flashed through my mind. My body shook violently from the endless sobs that rushed out my lips. He was gone.
"WHY!" I wailed into the still air, gripping my sharp ivory claws furiously at the cold surface. "WHY HIM!" I chucked my head back and forth viciously. "I'M THE ONE WHO DESERVES TO DIE!" Every part of my pitiful body ached from the battle. The battle I thought we had finally won. "IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN ME!" I roared, looking down at the puddle of sweat and tears that had formed around my helpless state. It should have been me. Something I have been telling myself ever since. My mind shouted with fury and pain. It could have easily been several hours that I laid there, unable to move from that torturous spot.
But after a while I felt something else swell up inside me. Taking the place of my despair. Anger.
My head was truly pounding now, but not just from the pain, but fury too. My muscles as tense as rock, I lifted myself shakily from the ground. I dragged myself over to the golden, wood door. But it was locked. I soon found myself pounding and thrashing against the firm wood, regardless of all my aches and pains. I threw everything I had at that door, but it just wouldn't budge, and soon after I was throwing myself wildly around the empty forsaken room, shouting with pain and anger as I did so. At that point I felt like nothing could ever stop me. Like there was nothing that could cure me from this unstoppable torture, inside and out. All of a sudden there was a quick tap on the sturdy wooden door, and the click of a lock being cracked as it slowly creaked open. I stopped and stared as a cloaked, furry figure stepped cautiously into the room. My tears, now mingled with the redness of my blood, trickling down my face.
"Cynder...?" The cat like figure murmured tensely. The low gruff of his voice hit an instant trigger in my slipping memories. It was Hunter. I watched as the feline carefully brought out a silver tray, which I soon realized was a plate full of fresh, ripe berries. "The guardians asked me to bring this up to you." Hunter rumbled, gently placing the shiny plate of fruit on the cold hard ground. I knew I should have said something, anything. But for some reason I wasn't even able to mutter a thank you. But thankfully the fury feline didn't seem to expect anything more than a pitiful stare. He looked at me with his warm, bold eyes, filled with worry and compassion. "Let me know if you need anything else Cynder." The hooded feline nodded sadly, and in one quick flick of his long black cloak, he was gone, closing the rattling door behind him. I stared at the inviting colorful pile of food. I wanted desperately to go over and gobble up that fresh food, but somehow I couldn't bring myself to do it. My stomach rumbled in disagreement as I slowly padded back to the soft plump cream pillow and flopped into it. I felt my throat gradually swell up once again, and waited for the wet, salty tears to come flowing down my cheeks. But they didn't. I was all cried out. Not a single tear left in me. And so against the blinding light that streamed in from the bright, open sky, I closed my eyes.
For days I was like this. Anger and violent driven one minute, calm and collected the next. I found myself being treated like a caged up wild animal. Locked up inside this small room, the soothing shine of the sun my only company. Each day someone would come up to check on me, giving me a bowl of water and some fresh new fruits to munch on, but I would never even touch them. I could feel myself grow weaker and weaker, my boney rib cage starting to stick out like mangled wire. I was slowly giving in. Slowly being sucked away by my own pain. And soon the anger and despair vanished completely. A blank feeling of numbness taking it's place. Like nothing could ever hurt me again. I became unreachable, my tired, weak body withering away into nothing. I spent nearly all of my time just staring out the rattling window, watching numbly as the world carried on without me. The window hung by a thread off it's hinges. Like one more single blow would whisk it away forever. Maybe I would go with it. I would watch as young dragon families pranced around happily, and listen to the cheerful squeaks of laughter that would float through the air like music. But it seemed none of it could effect me. My face was blank, my heart as cold as ice.
Every second was torture of this new life, and as they slowly ticked by I started to wonder what the guardians were actually planning to do with me. Weather they were going to try to keep me cooped up in this cold empty room for the rest of my sorrowful life, waiting for the day when I would eventually starve myself to death. Maybe they would be glad to get rid of me. Maybe to them I am just one useless waste of space. I thought of sparx. I imagined his situation would be no better, but at least he would have the comfort of a family by his side. I missed Sparx. But that was just one small speck of misery that added to this new pitiful way of life.
The long days dragged on at an unbearably slow speed. But one day I decided I couldn't take it anymore. None of it. This life, this pain, it just wasn't worth living. So I decided to end it once and for all. This day was no different, the sun still filtered it's way through the lonesome room with a memorable intensity. I stared warily at the clattering window. One push and that would be it. Why should I have to live a long pitiful life? I was the one who deserved to die, and there's nothing I could ever do to change that. I stared out over the city longingly, watching as dragons and other creatures skipped and pranced their way around the old windy paths of the city. My heart no longer ached at that sight, for I knew the pain would soon be all over. I slowly reached out nudged the clear, shiny pane of glass, and with one quick snap of the hinge, it was gone. I swiftly leaped up onto the small ledge that separated me from the rest of the cruel world, ignoring the almost unbearable pain that shot through my sore muscles, protesting from the sudden movement.
"Here goes nothing..." I whispered through the breeze. I then slowly spread out my delicate wings, wincing at the aching pain that throbbed from the touch. Then with one deep breath, I took to the air.
Every flap was like a thousand needles piercing through my weak flesh. But none of it mattered anymore. I flew silently over the raging city, being careful not be catch any unwanted attention. I floated freely over the old buildings and streets that made up the wonderful city of Warfang. One of the only places I would be able to call home. With the wrath of the city behind me, I soared over the wild forests and rapid rivers that encircled the city walls, until I reached a steep cliff face that hung dangerously over a chasm of jagged rocks, a wild, raging river meandering around them. The cliff edge stuck out indefinitely from the rest of the rocky mountain. I looked numbly over into the wild ravine below. But no fear filled my bones. I started to swipe my tail blade over my fragile set of wings, tearing them apart like paper. I cried out in pain at the slashes I inflicted on my own helpless body.
As I looked blankly over the deathly cliff edge, I wondered weather I was really doing the right thing. But the sudden feeling of being with Spyro again washed away any doubt that clouded my mind.
And then, with my wings torn to shreds, and a heart as hard as stone, I jumped.
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