Chapter 2: Homecoming

It was a bright Saturday morning, mom and dad were gone, out having fun with their friends like they usually did during the weekend. I walked out of the house and through the backyard to the surrounding forest. It was your typical Maine woodland area, trees, trees, and more trees.

It was then I remembered that Mr. Ignitus failed to tell me where in the forest to meet up with him. Kinda a big oversight on his part if you ask me. I found a stump nearby and sat on it with a large annoyed sigh. "I'm totally wasting my time aren't I?" I asked myself.

"Oh I wouldn't say that..." Another voice suddenly said from behind me, I fell off the stump in surprise, not helped by the fact that I recognized the voice, it was the same one that burned dragon from my dream had. I slowly turned my head to see something I never thought I'd see, a dragon!

He was huge! A good ten feet tall on all fours, his scales were a pale blue, a navy blue cape draped over his back, kept in place by a chain around his neck that had some kind of crystal handing from it like a pendant. He looked at me with kind eyes, as if I was an old friend he hadn't seen in years. "It's been far too long young dragon." he said. I raised a brow, dragon? Me?

I got up slowly, unsure what the hell I was even seeing! This was a dragon! Straight outta D&D! And it thought I was a dragon too! "Uhh... I... I think you're a bit confused dude, I'm no dragon, just a... nerdy kid who's really confused right now!" I said. The dragon shook his head, as if I had just tried to tell him I was Mr. T or something.

He then looked at me again. "You can't fool me Spyro, I recognize that voice anywhere. But then again, you don't remember anything about that do you?" He asked me. Was... was this Ignitus? No way, how the hell would he write the note? Dude's got no thumbs! "Y... you Ignitus?" I asked hoping to clarify.

The dragon nodded. "Indeed I am, although I go by the Chronicler these days. I sent that note to you, in hopes I could finally bring you home." Ignitus explained. I blinked, not sure what to make of what he just said. "B...but I am home..." I said a bit timidly.

Ignitus shook his head. "No Spyro, you're not, I see that I have much to explain to you." Ignitus said sadly. I wasn't sure I wanted to hear any of it. This was nuts! I was talking to a dragon for Pete's sake! "You are not a human Spyro, you're a dragon, a special dragon at that. The purple dragon, able to utilize all four breath elements. Tell me, have you been having odd dreams lately? Ones involving dragons?" Ignitus asked me.

P...purple dragon? The hell was this dude talking about?! I'm human! I know I am! I do! But I couldn't lie, yes I was having dreams like that. So I nodded, wondering where the hell he was going with this. "Those weren't dreams Spyro, those were visions of your past life. Memories locked in your subconscious trying to break free. Doubtless you recognize me from a few of them, albeit in different form." Ignitus explained.

Why was it so hard for me to believe this dude was out of his gourd?! He was telling me I was a purple fire breathing lizard! But he was right about one thing yet again, he did resemble the red dragon from my dreams. But this dude was wrong! I know who I am! "No... no you're wrong! You must have the wrong guy! I'm not Spyro! I'm Jason Allen! I know who I am!" I lashed out. I wanted no more of this! I wasn't going to be told who I was by some fictional flying monster!

Ignitus shot me a glare, not pleased with my outburst. "Spyro, I know this is a lot for you to take in. But I need you to hear me out, there is no Jason Allen, there never was. You don't exist here, this is all the ancestors doing, when you tired to save the world from the dark master Malefor, you had to sacrifice yourself to mend the realms, but the ancestors feared you would be needed again, so they put your subconscious in a human body while they tried to reconstruct your body, sadly your memories can only be recovered by you alone. But it's time for you to come home now." Ignitus explained.

I backed away, regretting ever coming here, it couldn't be true! It just couldn't! My life is not a lie! I know I exist! "I know who I am!" I said bitterly. Ignitus sighed in disappointment, maybe I finally got him to accept he had the wrong guy? Whatever the case I was done with this! I started to walk away, leaving the dragon alone. However...

"Does the name Cynder mean anything to you?" Ignitus suddenly asked me, making me stop cold. I slowly turned to him. "How do you know that name?" I asked fearfully, no... no this is wrong! He.. he had me, I could see it in his eyes, he knew he had me.

He approached me, "Because I knew her, and so did you. You may not remember, but deep down, you never forgot her." Ignitus explained, I didn't want to believe him. Would you? He was telling me my whole life was a lie, and now he had proof, there was no other way he could have known that name, a name from a dream I just had last night. I fell to my knees, broken, defeated, confused, and horrified all at once, everything I knew, everything I loved, was all a lie, a pretend life created by some assholes to keep me busy while they fixed my real body.

Ignitus put his paw on my shoulder. "I'm so sorry Spyro, I never meant to hurt you, but... the Ancestors couldn't let you die like that. I couldn't let you die like that." Ignitus told me, I didn't know what to think anymore, who the hell was I?! What was I?! I felt so alone, so afraid...

I looked into the old dragon's eyes, "I... I'm so confused, I... oh god!" I said, unable to make words. Ignitus embraced me, trying to comfort me in my sorrows.

"I can't imagine what it must be like for you right now, but I promise you it will be alright in the end." Ignitus told me trying in vain to calm me down.

I looked at him again, there was one more thing I needed to know, "What happens now? What about my parents, my friends..." I asked, Ignitus looked away sadly, before telling me his answer. "It will be as if you were never here. The ancestors have already begun erasing Jason Allen from this world, I'm afraid your time here is over." Ignitus told me, I felt my heart sink, just like that? I was erased from existence just like that? I didn't even get to say goodbye to them...

Ignitus then let me go, "Don't despair young dragon, you may have lost your friends here, but you have many more waiting for you back home. I think they've waited long enough for their beloved Spyro to come back." Ignitus said with a smile. I could tell he felt like garbage for doing this to me. I could see how much he cared about me, further solidifying the fact he was telling the truth.

I didn't have much of a choice now, Jason Allen didn't exist anymore, only Spyro remained now. The end of one chapter, and the beginning of another. Ignitus waved his paw and created a portal, motioning for me to follow him through. I did so, knowing it was pointless not to at this point.

We arrived in what looked like a library. There were tons of books scattered around the place, however what caught my attention was something that occupied the center of the room, it was some kind of magic bubble thing, and inside was a small dragon, it was purple in color, with two yellow horns fixed to it's head, a yellow mowhawk running down it's head, yellow underbelly, two yellow wings with orange wing membrane, and a spade shaped tailblade, It's face was peaceful, as if it was asleep. "W..who's that?" I asked, although I had a good idea of who it was.

Ignitus brought his head down near mine. "That's you, the real you." Ignitus said, confirming my theory. I looked back at the purple dragon, to say seeing your own body was weird would be an insult to everyone who knows words. I sighed, knowing that I'd have to ditch my human body one way or another. So why delay it?

As if I already knew what to do, I approached the bubble, entering inside, I felt my body begin to break apart into dust. My perspective instantly changed from where I was standing, to where dragon-me was laying. I opened my eyes to see Ignitus smiling, happy to see me as... me again. I tried to walk, but I wasn't used to four legs so I weaved back and forth like a drunken sailor. "Welcome back, Spyro." Ignitus said as I approached him. "How do you feel?" he added.

I looked over my new body, or... old body... whatever. "Empty.." I said simply. I didn't know what I was feeling actually, I just felt like a huge chunk of me was ripped right out, leaving a giant hole in my heart.

Ignitus sighed sadly. "I don't blame you, hopefully once you see your friends again, you'll find happiness once more." Ignitus told me, I hoped so too, considering I just lost an entire life and traded it for one I knew diddly squat about. This must be what people on the witness protection program feel like. Only with a lot less murderers and a lot more dragons.

I sighed, really regretting actually meeting with Ignitus now, Ignitus waved his paw again, opening another portal. "This leads to outside the walls of Warfang, inside the city you will find your old friends. I should warn you, they've believed you had died during your battle with Malefor. Some of them may not take your return well." Ignitus warned me, oh that's just great, I had no one now, and the people I used to have before I became Jason Allen could possibly hate me for making them think I was dead.

But I had to go, what else could I do? With a deep breath, I went through. "May the ancestors look after you, may they look after us all." Ignitus told me before I found myself warped to a snowy forest. I looked up to see a giant city directly in my path. I was gonna hazard a guess and say this was Warfang.

I approached the city, it was clearly winter time in this place, despite it being June back home. I was always a winter person, pretty much everyone I knew back home hated the winter for varying reasons but not me, I always thought that the snow made things look more peaceful and calm. Granted, the cold wasn't being very kind to me right now considering I was basically butt naked, thankfully it seemed as though dragons weren't cold blooded like most reptiles, although that could have to do with my fire breath or something.

I approached the front gate, there were two dragons standing guard. One was blue, the other red. They spotted me coming in nothing flat, they shot me a glare, like I had done something wrong. "You have some nerve painting yourself in the purple dragon's colors!" The red dragon barked at me. Paint? Well I was supposed to be dead, so I doubt they'd think my purpleness was legit. But was painting yourself purple and pretending to be me a thing in this world? "You should have more respect for the purple dragon! He saved all of us during the war!" The red dragon added in anger.

The blue dragon just sat there, clearly just as pissed as his friend about my current color. Worst part was I had no clue what to say. 'Hi I'm Spyro, you may remember me, I saved the world from Malefor! Yeah I know I died, but I got better! Now how bout that weather?' Yeah somehow I didn't see that ending well. The blue dragon then spoke up. "Now back in the city with you, and do wash that paint off! It's very disrespectful." He told me, well at least they were still willing to let me in. However it did make me worry I'd be having this same conversation with everyone else.

The city itself was breathtaking to put it mildly. The architecture looked like it was ripped right from Lord of The Rings, I also noticed that there were no humans here, there were moles, cheetahs, dragons, and other such things, but no humans. I was beginning to think humans didn't exist in this world. It was only then did I realize something...

I had no clue where to go, at all. Who do I look for? Where would I find them? I don't know if asking someone would be helpful, they'd probably think I was just some loon who painted himself purple and was pretending to be me. And I didn't want to end up getting stabbed or something. All I had to go on was a name, Cynder, I had a feeling the black dragoness from my dreams was Cynder, it just seemed to fit for some reason. She could help me, or she'd think I was impersonating her friend and kick the tar out of me. Well it was the best lead I had so hey, it's worth a shot.

The question is where do I find her? Will she even remember me? I walked through the snowy streets, unsure of where to go, just wanting someone, anyone to help me. I suddenly found myself in front of some iron gate. Similar to one you'd find in front of a cemetery. For whatever reason I decided to enter, sure why not go inside this place you have no idea what it is? Brilliant strategy Napoleon!

Well my assumption that this was a cemetery didn't seem to be that far off, as I was soon met with a sea of statues, each of a different creature of some kind. However the one in the middle caught my attention immediately. It was made of gold or brass, I couldn't tell under all the snow, but I could tell that it was of me. On the base of the statue there was a plaque.

"Many great and noble creatures had lost their lives in this horrible war, but your loss will forever be the most tragic, to lose such a noble dragon at such a young age is saddening, however your death was not in vain, for we continue to live thanks to your sacrifice, and we will continue to honor your memory by living our lives that, thanks to you, we can finally enjoy in peace.

Thank you for all that you've done for us all.

Spyro"

It wasn't just a statue, it was my grave, and I had just read my own epitaph. You know Ignitus hadn't exactly told me what I had done, just that it somehow saved the world. I felt wrong for being here, these people thought I was dead for so long, and here I am suddenly appearing out of nowhere! I was beginning to think maybe I should leave and forget this whole thing.

However my thoughts were interrupted by the sounds of the cemetery gate opening and closing. Panicking, I hid behind another statue. I peeked out from the corner to see who it was.

And lo and behold, it was Cynder, or who I was assuming was Cynder, she was the black dragoness from my dream at least. She had a sad expression on her face as she looked upon my memorial. I debated with myself whether or not I wanted to approach her, I ultimately decided against it and just kept watching. Cynder looked up to the statue. "It's so hard to believe it's been three years since you died. Everyone else still blames me for what I had done as the Terror of the Skies, it's so hard to bear it all without you there to remind me that it wasn't my fault, I never realized how much I needed you until you were gone." She said to the statue. I felt a tinge of guilt ping in my stomach, realizing what I had been putting her through while I was sitting on my butt playing WOW.

Cynder then broke down suddenly, unable to even look my statue in the face. "It should have been me! It was my fault Malefor was freed! I was the one who killed all those people! I should have been the one to pay the price for my crimes not you! But then again, you'd never let me do that would you? You were always too noble for your own good... I'm so sorry Spyro... I'm sorry..." She said hysterically. It hurt me to watch this, I guess I still had my feelings for her left inside my mind or something. Or maybe it was just my empathy, I was always like that, I always wanted to help people when they needed it. And it was pretty clear she needed it.

I decided to approach her, still unsure how she'd take seeing me alive. Or even if she'd believe it's really me or just some asshole in purple paint. Soon I was right behind the dragoness, I hesitantly poked her back with my claw. "Leave me alone!" She snapped, not even looking at me. I was beginning to rethink my plan here. But I couldn't get myself to leave her here. Not like this. "Didn't you hear me?! I said leave me alo-" She screamed turning to face me, but she stopped cold when she saw my face.

I couldn't tell what she was feeling right now, she just had this shocked expression on her face, and me being the idiot I was just stood there, gawking at her like a dead fish. "Uh... hi?" I managed to say, her face remained unchanged, as if she couldn't believe I was standing right there in front of her. I began to back away, sensing she was probably gonna deck me. But she quickly grabbed my front leg in her claws. "S...Spyro?" She asked me in disbelief. "Y...yeah..." I said nervously.

Then there was silence, we just stood there, staring at one another as the snow fell gently around us. I could see tears welling up in her emerald eyes. "You were alive? This whole time?" She asked me, okay Ja- erm... Spyro, tread carefully here, I don't want to spend my first day back in Warfang in a hospital bed. She then looked angrily towards me. "How could you do that to me?! I thought you were DEAD! Do you know how long I spent blaming myself, wishing I had died instead of you?! Only to find that you were alive! You never once thought to come and spare my feelings?! Why didn't you come back sooner?! Why didn't you tell me, the guardians, Sparx, or anyone that you were alive?!" Cynder snapped at me. I had no idea what to say, she was well within her rights to hate my guts for this, I certainly would.

Well, might as well tell the truth, hopefully it will help me here, or make things ten times worse. "Who's Sparx?" I questioned. I recognized the name but I couldn't quite place it. Cynder's expression changed from royally pissed to confused in a nanosecond. "Your foster brother! How could you forget Sparx? No one could forget that annoying little insect!" Cynder snapped. I had a feeling I was only digging myself into a deeper hole here.

I tried in vain to recall any memory of Sparx but to no avail. "I... I don't remember... I don't remember anything..." I said, trying my hardest to remember anything at all in hopes it could somehow help me here.

Cynder's eyes went so wide I half expected them to fall right out of her skull. "You... you don't remember anything? Anything at all? The swamp? The Guardians? Ignitus? Anything?" She asked me suddenly. I knew who Ignitus was at least. However Cynder didn't give me time to answer. "You lost your memory didn't you?" She asked me sadly. I nodded, to say I felt like crap was an understatement, I had this whole life I left behind, people who had cared about me, and I abandoned them for god knows how long without so much as a simple goodbye.

Cynder then nuzzled me, possibly seeing the guilt written on my face. "It's going to be okay Spyro, we'll get your memory back, I'm just glad you're alive." She told me. Was it going to be okay? I didn't feel like it would be. I had abandoned my friends for years, made them think I was six feet under, they had every right to be pissed at me for this.

I shook my head. "No it's not! I heard what you were saying before I approached you! I made you think I was dead for I don't know how long! How could I do that to you?! I'm such a jerk..." I said hysterically. But Cynder put her paw on my muzzle to shut me up. "It's okay, I forgive you." Cynder told me gently.

Cynder then told me to come along with her to the "Dragon Temple". On the way I explained to her what had happened, me living my life as the human Jason Allen, The Chronicler picking me up and putting me back here, and the dreams I had been having beforehand. She seemed to take interest in that last part. Especially when I had mentioned the last one I had.

"So, was I in that dream?" She asked me, I was hesitant to answer, but I knew she wouldn't stop prodding me until I did. And after what she said was three years dragon realms time of making her think I was dead I owed it to her to be honest.

I looked her in the eyes. "Yeah, you were, you accused me of not caring about you, and that you were just a lost puppy that needed rescuing in my eyes." I answered, not knowing how bad this possibly made me look. "D... did I really make you feel that way?" I asked her, not sure if I wanted the answer.

Cynder however seemed more concerned than anything. "The only thing I thought the whole time you were gone was that it should have been me." She answered. I don't know how I felt about that answer. It was clear I still cared about her despite me not remembering a damn thing about her. And I would rather her not be dead.

Cynder spoke up before I could respond. "I know, you wouldn't want that. But it was how I felt. I deserved it after all, for everything I had done while under Malefor's control." Cynder explained.

I suddenly felt another headache coming on, like the one I had in the parking lot at school. Flashes of a much larger and more menacing Cynder assaulted my brain like some jerk flipping through his Powerpoint presentation. "Spyro?! Spyro! Are you alright?" Cynder asked when I finally came out of it.

I breathed heavily for a bit, before turning to Cynder. "Y...yeah I'm okay. I just... I had some kind of... vision... or flashback or something." I told her. "They were of you, except you were bigger and more menacing." I added, I saw her look away sadly when I mentioned this.

"That was me, when I was under Malefor's control, you had confronted me in Convexity and when you defeated me, you broke his control over me. You could have left me there to die, but you didn't, you brought me with you, you forgave me." She explained to me.

I suddenly remembered it, the fight in convexity, rescuing Ignitus from her castle. "I... I remember... I had to use my Convexity breath to beat you." I told her. She did a double take just to make sure she heard me right. "Do you remember anything else?" She asked me. Sadly no I did not, so I shook my head, clearly disappointing her, I didn't blame her, I kinda wished I had more... fond memories of her than when she almost killed me. But it was a start at least...

Author's Notes: Okay, while I felt Spyro's return was a tad rushed, I also felt I didn't want to drag it out either so... yeah...

Update 6/24/14: Fixing more dumb typos and a plot hole.

Update 9/5/14: Rewrote Spyro's epitaph, to be honest I didn't like the old one too much, it felt to short and a bit soulless to me. I wanted it to show how the people of Warfang felt about his sacrifice.