-1Disclaimer: I don't own Spyro, or any other assorted characters.

Chapter 2

Visions

Spyro yawned as he looked into the green pool in the center of the room. He was going to try and go back to bed, hopefully Cyril had stopped snoring. He turned away from the pool, but stopped half way as he caught sight of something in it.

The green coloring vanished as a watery image replaced it, become slowly clearer. He recognized the image as being the inside of one of the rooms of Cynder's former fortress. Three armor clad white baboons were staring forward at a single shard of purple and black crystal that grew out of the floor. The larger baboon stepped forward as a black figure appeared projected in the crystal. The figure's only clear distinguishing feature was its glowing red eyes and the slit below that served as a mouth, the rest was shadow. The figure spoke with a dark reverberating tone.

"Why do you wish to speak with me, Reddragon?"

The baboon identified as Reddragon answered. "Some of the troops are discouraged. Ever since Cynder was defeated, they feel doubts, since you have not named a new general."

Spyro found that he could not look away from the image in front of him. His entire body was paralyzed. He couldn't have looked away if he wanted to.

The figure in the crystal debated as the baboons shot nervous glances at each other.

"And you wish to be this general?" the Dark Master's voice rumbled. Reddragon nodded eagerly, while his two companions shared another nervous look. "You are right. You have served me long and faithfully. You have fought many battles. Lost some, but won many and you have always fought fiercely…" Reddragon was practically drooling with anticipation at this point. "it shouldn't matter that you allowed the purple one to defeat Cynder."

"But I didn't!"

"You think I did not see you as you hid and watched the purple dragon fly through the portal to his final confrontation with my former general? If you had perhaps stalled him for a time, I would be free this day, but you allowed your rivalry with Cynder to cloud your judgment."

"I didn't!" Reddragon wailed in despair and fright.

"Fear not!" The Dark Master growled. "You shall be justly awarded."

The Dark Master glared malevolently. A shadowed claw shot forth from the crystal and grabbed the white baboon and hoisted it into the air. Reddragon howled in pain as the claws sank into his flesh. The fur on one side of Reddragon's body seeming to burn away as the skin underneath it hardened into black scales. Finally, the claw decapitated into nothingness and the altered Reddragon fell back to the floor.

"Get him out of my site," the Dark Master ordered. The two baboons jumped to obey and dragged their unfortunate comrade out of the room. "I have more important matters to attend to."

Once the foot soldiers had left the room the Dark Master shift his gaze to glare at Spyro. Spyro tried to scamper away from the pool, but his body would not respond. He gazed into the Master's red eyes. The demon chuckled and another shadowed claw appeared. The claw stretched out and Spyro was convinced that it would break the surface of the liquid and reach out and grab him just as it had done to the helpless baboon. Finally, Spyro found he could move again and he flung himself away from the pool. He fell to the floor and blacked out.

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Cynder had gone back to sleep after her encounter with Spyro. She had noticed with a sense of irritation the glowing dragonfly that had followed her. Though she was actually kind of glad that Sparx didn't trust her as she wasn't sure herself that the Dark Master's influence was entirely gone from her.

She groaned as her dreams became troubled. The sunny meadow where she had been chasing a helpless sheep, suddenly became the dark abyss of Convexity. She glanced around, when she returned to looking in front of her a dark shadow had appeared. The shadow's glowing red eyes glared at her in amusement.

"What do you want?" Cynder shouted at the Dark Master.

The silhouette chuckled and started walking toward her at a slow purposeful stride. "I want you," his rumbling voice replied almost casually.

"You'll never control me again!" Cynder shouted as she backed away from the approaching figure.

"Maybe not to the degree I had before," he said still sounding casual. "But my will is bound to you. You will always be my tool. Nothing will remove my influence from you. Even your best friend will feel uneasy around you. You know this is true, none of them trust you, they never will."

Cynder gasped as her back foot slipped over the edge of the platform. She pulled her foot back up and placed it on solid ground. The Dark Master stopped in front of her and towered over her.

"Go to hell!" Cynder shouted sending a blast of flame breath at the specter. The flames turned around in midair and looped around her feet taking the shape of shackles. Cynder cried out as they lifted her into the air.

"I am the Dark Master. Hell is but a luxury retreat for me!" the demon laughed evilly. Cynder tried to exhale another blast of flame, but her throat felt constricted and all that came out was a few pathetic puffs of smoke. "Come back to me, Cynder. I told use your tactical mind." He stroked the back of her neck. Cynder shivered at the touch. "Well?"

"Never!" she didn't sound as defiant as she had wanted and her voice sounded like a shriek.

The shadow's only reaction was to close his gaping mouth. "You're mine, Cynder. Your destiny is dictated by me!" His mouth reopened at a fantastic size and Cynder screamed as he swallowed her.

She awoke with a scream. She was covered in sweat and panting heavily. She glanced at her feet and noticed the burn marks there.

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"Sleep well?"

Spyro drowsily looked up at Ignitus. He tried to force his still half-asleep mind to tell him what he was doing on the stone floor of the pool room. Slowly, it came back to him, his talk with Sparx, the encounter with Cynder, and finally the vision of the Dark Master. He knew that he should tell Ignitus of the vision, but fear kept his mouth shut.

Instead he said. "I couldn't sleep last night. Cyril was snoring."

"What? I do not snore." Spyro looked around Ignitus and saw an indignant Cyril and the other guardians standing there.

I abhor to offend you," Volteer said. "But you do indeed."

"I do not," Cyril huffed indignantly. He looked at the other guardians asking for confirmation.

Ignitus cleared his throat and looked pointedly in the opposite direction, while Terrador remarked under his breath. "You sound like a freight train."

Cyril growled, but said nothing more. He merely sat down at a slight distance from the other dragons.

Cynder entered the room next followed shortly by Sparx. Spyro gave his adopted brother a dirty look as he fluttered over to hover next to him. Spyro returned his attention to Cynder who sat down as far away as she could from the other dragons. She tucked her ankles under her to hide the burns on them. Spyro noticed that she looked rather tired.

"What do you see, Ignitus?" Terrador asked. Spyro turned to see Ignitus studying the surface of the pool. The whole room waited as Ignitus stepped back from the pool with a puzzled expression.

"They are hiding somewhere in Deep Pine," Ignitus said. The other three guardians gasped, while Spyro and Sparx shared a confused look.

"What madness possessed them to settle there?" Volteer asked.

"I don't know," Ignitus said. "But we need to find them, who'll come with me?"

"I will," Cynder said standing up.

"Are you sure?" Volteer asked. "It is a journey fraught with peril, with adversity around every corner. Villainous forces-."

"Enough, Volteer!" Cyril growled.

"Are you sure?" Ignitus asked leaning his neck down to eye level with her.

"Yes."

"I'm coming, too," Spyro spoke up. He looked up at Sparx.

The dragonfly sighed. "I guess that means I'm coming too, huh?"