Chapter 6

New Happenings

Spyro opened his eyes and felt the breeze come into his treehouse. But it isn't just mine, he thought to himself. It's also Cynder's. Oh Cyn, where are you?

Suddenly Hex entered the treehouse.

"Spyro, Camo's back!" she exclaimed. "And he's got news!"

Spyro hurried over to the Core. He found Camo and Sonic Boom standing there. Near Camo was the Sword of Eon, just as Spyro had remembered it.

But when Spyro saw Camo, he was alarmed. He was about to open his mouth when Sunburn and Whirlwind appeared, back from the Underworld. Both hugged their mates. But then Whirlwind and Sonic Boom saw the injuries their mates had sustained.

"Camo, what happened?" Whirlwind exclaimed.

"Let me explain it," he said. "I did find the sword, luckily. But when I arrived, Otoro led me into his home, and that was where I learned that some soldiers from somewhere else had arrived. They, too, were wanting the Sword. I don't know why. But Otoro and I were able to escape, with me killing the soldiers along the way. He finally led me to a pagoda, where the Sword had been kept. But just before I was to be given it, a huge robot piloted by one of the soldiers appeared and broke through the glass. I followed and fought against him. I sent all of his plasma attacks right back at him, but when I sent the last two, there was an explosion, and that's how I got this cut above my eye. When I finally recovered from that explosion, the Sword was right in front of me. I tried to get it and then escape, but the soldier piloting the robot had survived, and broke my paw. I killed him and went back upstairs to find Otoro. We had just left the pagoda when someone threw a shadow knife at him. Thanks to that knife, Otoro is dead."

"Do you know who it was that killed him?" Spyro asked.

"Vathek did. He told me that I could have the sword, but that he wanted us to lose. I'm guessing he wants us to fight him, but I'm confused about that. Sonic Boom came and found me after that, and thanks to her, I'm here. Anyway, here's the Sword." He pushed it over to Spyro as well as he could.

"Alright," Hex said. "What happened with you two?"

"It almost seems too weird," Sunburn said.

"What do you mean?" Camo asked.

"While Whirlwind and I were in the Underworld, we went to a small ghost town, literally, and we met with the mayor. He had nothing on Cynder, but we didn't give much a chance, because we didn't reveal her name. But when we went outside, a robot like the one you described appeared. It killed the mayor. I told Whirlwind to leave, and even though I told her that, she sort of did, but stayed in the Underworld. I was ruining the robot, but it clawed me in the side, and then I realized one of the only ways I could destroy it...well, I released a Nova Blast, which destroyed the robot and killed the soldier, but gave me this cut under my eye and caused me to bite down on my tongue. Let's just say, it hurt."

Spyro couldn't believe it. All three of them had learned something he never would have thought of.

"Vathek is planning something against us," he said. "But the Skylanders alone can't go against an army that he might have."

"You're right," Camo cut in. "I saw how many soldiers there were in Leviathan Lagoon. He has a heck of a lot, and we need more of the Realms to help out. Luckily, none of the Gillmen blame us. We need to find Skylanders who came from somewhere else and see if they might get the inhabitants to come and help us."

"You're right," Spyro said. "Slam Bam is definitely one of them. Sunburn, you need your wounds to heal. You're going to Dragon's Peak. Sonic Boom, go with him this time. Camo, you need to heal as well. If you have a broken paw, then you can't fight well with it. Go and get it wrapped up. Knowing how well Cali and Stealth Elf can be at healing, it shouldn't take very long. It didn't for-" Spyro stopped in midsentence, as he was about to speak Cynder's name. "Yeah, just go and get it healed."

He started walking away. Whirlwind told Camo she'd be there in the healing tent with him soon, and then went off to talk to Spyro.

"Spyro," she said, "Sunburn told me a few stories about Cynder, and I have to say, I'm sorry I didn't trust her a lot sooner. I was reminded of my first mission in the Underworld with her, and how I was injured. Sunburn then told me how she was crying and blaming herself for it all. I'm so sorry I didn't trust her before that, and I feel like a complete jerk. I promise you, I will do all that I can to find her with you. I want to tell her how wrong I was back then. I need to know if she forgives me."

"Trust me, she does," Spyro told her with a smile. "After all, you became her friend at a time where she wasn't doing the best. I probably shouldn't tell you this, but it's best to do it now and not anytime later. The night after we rescued her, I realized she wasn't in our treehouse, and so I flew off to find her. I found her at the Core, and she began telling me how it was all her fault that she'd been corrupted, how she could have warned us about Malefor returning. I told her she was wrong, but in the nicest way. If you don't want to be on her bad side, try to be gentle towards her. Because she's gone through so much, if anyone hurts her, she'll be a ticking time bomb, ready to explode. And if she explodes, it won't be good, because she'll become the corrupted monster no one else needs to see. When I saw her that way, it hurt me more than a stab to the heart could. She's my mate, the love of my life, and I can't bear to think right now of the pain I'd gone through, or the pain she wanted to go through. It hurt me, and I felt like I wanted her to kill me, because nothing felt right anymore. Do you understand me?"

"I do, and if something bad ever happens, I'll be by your side. You and Cynder are like my siblings, and if anything happens, I'll do what I can to help." Whirlwind gave him a tight hug. When she stopped and looked back at him, Spyro saw tears in her eyes. "I need to go back and check on Camo. By the way, what will we do with the Sword of Eon over there? We can't just leave it there, right?"

"No, and we won't. When you guys return to that spot and I arrive, we'll find out what to do with it."

Spyro walked away, and Whirlwind only watched as he did. She thought of how amazing he was. How all of those who rescued Cynder and never gave up on her were, and how amazing Cynder herself was.

When Spyro returned to the treehouse, he began to weep, unable to pull himself together. He couldn't take the fact that Cynder was still gone anymore. He loved her so much, and he hadn't even gotten a chance to see her before she'd left. His tears brought him to sleep, but it wasn't the kind he wanted. In fact, it was the worst he ever could have wished for.

He saw the entrance to the Underworld. Then he turned around and saw the beach, the water lapping at the surf. It was a beautiful sapphire-blue, almost as beautiful as Cynder's eyes, but still less.

And then he felt the pain.

It was deep and searing. He screamed out in pain, screaming for someone to help him. But no one would come. He couldn't take it anymore, but he wanted to continue on, to see the Dragoness he loved again...

"Give in!" a voice said to him. "Give in! Nothing and no one will help you, you stupid purple whelping!"

It was a dark voice, and it belong to a female. But he couldn't see whoever was speaking. All he could see was the water. It had suddenly gone from sapphire-blue to a deep red: blood.

"Give in!" the voice said again. "There is no way you can still live! Don't even attempt it, little one!"

"How can I give in?" he replied, gasping for breath. "I need to see the Dragoness I love again! I need to see her beautiful face! I need to see Cynder again! Please! PLEASE!"

"NO! CYNDER IS DEAD! THERE IS ONLY THE TERROR OF THE SKIES, AND I CANNOT LOSE! DON'T PLAY MIND GAMES WITH ME, YOU WHELPLING! YOU WILL ONLY FAIL!"

"How do I know you'll kill me?" he asked. "How do I know you're too soft?"

"I've caused your blood to already run. Does that not count enough?"

Spyro was too tired to continue on. His best bet was to allow himself to die, but he just didn't want to! He wanted to see Cynder again.

With his gasping breaths, he asked, "Just let me see my mate again."

"You wish to see her?"

"Yes."

"Fine..."

Spyro then felt the monster's talons dig deeply into his neck, with blood streaming down. It hurt, and he knew he was about to die. The last thing he saw were the evil red eyes, and he screamed, and then it was cut off by blood in his mouth. His vision flickered, and then all went black.

Spyro jumped up in bed, sweat streaming down his face. His whole body was soaked in it. Even the bed's sheets had been soaked by it.

Then tears came to his eyes. He couldn't believe what he'd dreamed. That had been his worst fear, and he couldn't take it anymore. He needed help, and he needed it soon.

He flew out of the treehouse and ran to the Core. He was sobbing uncontrollably. He then felt someone touch his shoulder. He turned around to see Sonic Boom. She had a worried expression.

"What happened?" she asked.

He quickly explained it all. It was hard for him. The evil dream was stuck to his soul, and he couldn't get the thought out of his mind.

His throat felt constricted when he said what he thought it might mean. When he'd finished, he started sobbing even harder. Sunburn, Camo, Hex, and Whirlwind came over and just watched. They didn't know exactly what he had been forced to go through, but felt sorry for him.

"I'm sorry," he said to them when he'd finished. "You must think I'm crazy, because I'm the leader of the Skylanders, and I'm crying like this."

"No, Spyro," Hex said. "We understand what you feel. Cynder is one of our greatest friends, as well as your mate, and for her to go missing, it hurts so much. I don't know exactly, because I've never had this happen. Yes, she's my friend, and it's hurt me to think of her being gone, last time and now, but for the one you love to go must hurt more than any fatal wound ever would."

Sonic Boom put a wing over him. She wanted very badly to tell him, but knew it was best that she didn't.

Spyro finally regained himself-or half of himself, to say the least-and started telling them what they'd be doing.

"The Sword of Eon will be added to the Core of Light. We don't know what will happen when it happens, so it's best that we get to a safe distance when we do it. Everyone understand?" The others nodded. "Alright. Sunburn, I know you're hurt, but you can actually teleport away..."

"I'll do it," Hex said. "I can teleport away, and I can do it quick."

"Okay, then you'll do it," Spyro said. "After this is done, I'll tell you where to go to see if we can get help against Vathek and his army."

Spyro and the others hurried over behind a rock. Hex used her telekinetic abilities to lift the sword and place it into the core. She then suddenly teleported away, and they just watched what happened next, which awed them.

The Sword of Eon became a rich golden color, and then a bright white light went right up into the sky. When it was over, the light that usually radiated from its center had become electrified.

"Oh my God," Whirlwind said. "So now the Core's more powerful?"

"I guess so," Sunburn replied.

"I know what it's now able to do," Hex said.

"What do you mean?" Spyro asked. "What can it do?"

"It can turn those who were once evil to the side of redemption. But as for those who are too far gone, it cannot help them anymore."

When Hex had finished, many questions popped into the other Skylanders' brains, but decided not to ask them.

Spyro looked around and noticed the other Skylanders who had gathered around to notice the magnificent change to the Core. He realized this was the right time to get them to ask the inhabitants of their Realms if they would stand with them and fight against Vathek.

He told Sunburn to do it, though. Sonic Boom had helped him get through the nightmare, but he was still partially weak inside due to it.

"Okay," Sunburn announced. "We have something to ask all of you. While Camo was at Leviathan Lagoon, he recovered the Sword of Eon." At this, a good many of the Skylanders clapped and cheered. "Yes, it is exciting, and it has now given the Core more power!" More clapping and cheering. "But we still have a problem that has arisen. While there, Camo learned of a rebellion against us led by the Wyvern Vathek. Vathek has wrong us, as he has murdered Otoro, the leader of Leviathan Lagoon, and the mayor of one of the cities of the Underworld. While Leviathan Lagoon has decided to stand by us as we fight against the rebellion, I want to ask you to go to your homelands and ask the inhabitants if they will stand with us, as well! I will be going to Dragon's Peak soon, and I know they will join, as their leader, Ramses, is the half-brother of Vathek. Slam Bam, I want you to go to the Empire of Ice! There are many others, I know, and I want you to do it for us! Please do, because it will be greatly appreciated! We cannot fail, because the Skylanders are more powerful, and nothing can bring us down!"

When he had finished, all the Skylanders cheered and then scrambled to get to their homelands as quickly as possible. Spyro saw among the Skylanders Gill Grunt, although he was not moving. Instead, he seemed shocked.

And Spyro could not blame him. After all, the leader of Leviathan Lagoon had been a friend of his family for a long while. They were still living there, although Spyro had never met them.

"Are you okay?" he asked as he went over.

"No," Gill Grunt replied. "I should have been there."

"I'm sorry, but I didn't know where you were at the time. I understand your anger. Trust me, when Vathek is defeated, you can cause him as much pain as you wish, but just make sure you don't kill him," Spyro explained.

Gill Grunt smiled. "I'm sad for those in the Underworld, as well. It's such a terrible thing, and they deserve their revenge."

"I wouldn't say revenge. To have revenge is something terrible, but to avenge is what is right."

"You're right," Gill Grunt said. "I think I'll go with Bouncer to see if the Arkeyans will join us. By the way, where's Kaos been? And where's Cynder?"

Spyro didn't know how to say anything else. It was too hard to think of Cynder being away from him.

"I don't know about either of them," said Spyro. "I wish I did about Cynder. I hope Kaos is gone for good, though, after what he did to us all."

Gill Grunt nodded. "I'll be going, Spyro. Thanks for the encouragement." He slapped him on the back and left him to wonder.

While still painful to think of her, Spyro thought, I will find you, I promise.

Hex made her way over.

"Are you not going somewhere?" she asked.

"No. The Dragon Realms have enough problems to deal with," Spyro said quickly.

"Sounds like you have a little animosity towards them."

"Some of them weren't always the best. But I still love those who helped me to become who I am today," he explained. "I just don't want to return for a short while. Do you have anywhere you could go?"

"No," she said. "I'm an exile. Not from a Realm, but an exile of my own making. I've never fit in well with everyone, and not all of the Skylanders trust me."

Spyro smiled. "That's not completely true. You're a great friend, and you've helped us through a lot. I thank you for what you've helped us through. If it hadn't been for you, then some of us wouldn't be the same. You also have a lot of similarities with Cyn. You both have said the same thing. She used to believe herself as an exile because of her evil deeds while under corruption." He swallowed for a minute, trying to force the dream out of his mind. "But I changed her mind, and she's become a great friend to some of you, I know."

"Me and her are friends because of our similarities. I'm the first one to know her secret, other than you. I was so terrified when I saw what she'd become, but I know where she comes from when she says she's an exile. When we find her, all will be set right. I'll make sure of it."

She patted Spyro on the neck, and then left him. He was once more alone, but he had new faith, and to him, that was one of the things that mattered most.

Without faith, you would be destroyed too easily. You would crash and burn and die.

But with faith, you would be impenetrable, and you would win every battle. You could not be touched by evil.

And that was what Spyro now had.