Chapter Seven: War for Warfang
Spyro awoke before Cynder and Tyrant as he stretched his legs and shook his head to try and shake away the feeling of weariness. Yawning in the morning dew, Spyro made his way towards Hunter's home to notice him meditating. Knowing that he didn't want to be, Spyro patiently waited for a few moments until Hunter had broken from his concentration. "Are you ready for the fight for Warfang?" Hunter asked as he stretched out his arms.
"Yeah, I guess I am. I never thought Malefor would return." Spyro said, trying to act as though nothing was troubling him.
"Something seems to be disturbing you, what is it?" Hunter asked as Spyro who was surprise that Hunter could sense something was wrong with him.
"That dragon, Tyrant, something doesn't seem to right with him around, I get this cold feeling that there is Dark Energy radiating from him." Spyro said in a whisper tone as Tyrant and Cynder were awakening from their slumber.
"I feel it to, something doesn't seem too normal with that dragon, be careful when around him." Hunter said as he arose from the ground. The trees began to sway to the wind as the temperature began to rise due to the morning sun. The dew coated leaves dripped in unison with the wind as Spyro and Hunter made their way towards Cynder and Tyrant.
"Cynder how is your leg?" Spyro asked as he met Cynder next to the smoldering ashes of the campfire.
"I think I'll be ok, just strained a bit. What's the plan for the fight?" Cynder asked, waiting patiently for instructions.
Spyro stood in the middle of the group and began to make plans for the fight, "Hunter, gather many warriors as you can, we need some reinforcements for this fight. Pushing Malefor's forces away from the city won't be easy. Cynder, you and I will aid the inhabitants from the skies. Tyrant, you and Hunter search for any dragons other than the Guardians. Hunter, tell your warriors to rally at the main gates, we need full force to drive them out of the city. We need to stick to the plan, or else we might not live through this fight. Now, is everybody ready?"
"What if we can't push them out of the city?" Tyrant asked.
Spyro stood, motionless to the crowd as he finally said, "I'll use Dark Energy. It can tear through the crowds; I just got to be careful about where I use it and how I control it. Cynder, if it seems like I can't pull away, I need you to help me." Cynder then remembered, after escaping the crystal which encased the pair for three years, Spyro was beginning to develop a habit of using Dark Energy. It seemed to consume him when he was under pressure. Cynder just nodded in agreement as it was no use arguing over the matter.
"Spyro is right, we need everyone to play their part in this war, I have a feeling there will be more wars to fight. Until now, let us focus on Warfang." Hunter said as he called to his troops.
Spyro looked to Cynder with a tired look and said, "Let's get going." The flight to Warfang was as slow as it ever seemed before, minutes seems to turn to hours as the small resistant group finally came upon the outside walls or Warfang.
"Alright, Hunter, get your warriors to scale these walls, the rest will be up to you and Tyrant." Spyro looked towards Cynder with a straight face and said," Cynder, you ready for this?" Spyro asked while he observed the skies. He saw different variations of Wyverns and Grublin Flies and, to his astonishment, Dreadwings being rode by Bowman Orcs circled the skies.
"Spyro, where are the Guardians and the inhabitants? I don't hear any fighting going on inside." Cynder stated in puzzlement.
"The inhabitants must be already imprisoned; the city is overtaken most likely." Hunter proclaimed as he drew his sword.
"Ok, Hunter, send your falcons out to find the Guardians. Cynder, with me, let's go!" Spyro said, exclaiming orders as he took off from the ground. The wind cut through Spyro's wings as adrenaline from the battle surged through his body. The Dreadwing riders and Wyverns caught sight of Spyro as they made an assault towards him. The zing of arrows flying by him and the cries of battle rang through his mind as Spyro made a dash towards the first Dreadwing. The Bowman fired one last arrow towards Spyro before being battered from the beast by Spyro's horn charge. Even though falling to his death, the Bowman Orc fired one final arrow before crashing to the ground.
Spyro felt the arrow zing past his head as he used his flame breath to finish off the Dreadwing the Bowman Orc was once mounted upon. Cynder stayed to the right of Spyro, picking off the Wyverns and Grublin Flies which roamed the skies in pursuit of Spyro. Cynder used her poisonous spit and shadow breath to dispose of the Grublin Flies with the greatest amount of ease while using her tail blade and loud fear screeches to disperse the group of Wyverns. While some of the Wyverns retreated from the fight, most of them stayed together in one group of six as they lunged toward Cynder. Spyro peered behind his right shoulder to see Cynder being caught in an uneven fight with the Wyverns and seemed to need dire help. Using them momentum from his flight, Spyro whipped himself around to be heading into a nosedive toward the nearest Wyvern.
With talons at the ready and wing closed to his sides, Spyro crashed into the first Wyvern with brutal force, several ribs of the Wyvern popped loose as Spyro curled his front paws into fists and began to pound the Wyvern's head repeatedly as they both fell to the ground. In the last moments before impact, Spyro kicked off the Wyvern's back to make the unconscious Wyvern fall it its death. Using the momentum from the kick off, Spyro rammed his horns into the second Wyvern while Cynder used her shadow attacks to quickly take the upper hand against another Wyvern. "Spyro, look out!" Cynder cried as a Bowman Orc fired two arrows towards Spyro who was tied between a unison of sonic blasts from two Wyverns.
Using the advantage of the enemy, Spyro grabbed the Wyvern to his left and hurled the beast into the path of the arrow. The lifeless body of the altered dragon fell into the city below them as Cynder kicked another Wyvern into the path of the second arrow.
As the Wyvern fell to its death, Spyro and Cynder faced the final two Wyverns. "Work in unison with me, they'll be distracted." Spyro said as he charged towards the Wyverns with Cynder following. The two dragons tackled the Wyverns in the air and drove their tail blades deep into the altered dragon's chests as they screeched in pain. At the last moment before crashing into the earth, they both kicked away from the Wyverns to finish off the beasts.
As Spyro and Cynder fought in the skies, Hunter and Tyrant slew their way through the city. With Tyrant using his fire attacks to clear a path through the mob of Grublins and Hero Orcs while Hunter used his sword cut through the crowds from behind Tyrant to prevent being over encumbered with enemies, the two were making slow progress in clearing out the city.
"Keep that blade drawn, this is getting worse." Tyrant said as he used his talons to scrape through some of the Grublins who came to close.
Hunter could hear his falcons high above the city as they gave a signal as Hunter said, "Tyrant, they say the Guardians are on their way. We have to keep pushing through; my warriors have already breached the main gates. We'll meet them near the Dragon Temple!"
The Dragon Temple was mainly used as a Dragon Temple where conventional meetings for the greater good were held along with criminal trials and prisoners. The three Guardian dragons held the meetings and trials while the community served as the jury. "Spyro look, Tyrant and Hunter down below!" Cynder shouted as Spyro finished off the last Dreadwing and the Bowman Orc.
"They need our help, come on!" Spyro yelled as they both flew towards the Dragon Temple.
"Spyro look, the Guardians, to the South!" Cynder yelled as Spyro looked towards the remains of the Volcano of Malefor. Terrador, the now leader of the Guardians flew to Spyro's side while Cyril and Volteer landed behind the three.
Terrador looked among the city briefly and said, "We must push through the city before more harm can be done. Spyro, Cynder, use the walkways above the ground to get to the Dragon Temple, we'll cover Hunter and the dragon with him from the skies."
"His name is Tyrant." Cynder spoke politely. Spyro felt the knot of jealousy curl in his stomach again.
"Come on Cynder, let's go." Spyro said in a hateful tone. Without waiting for Cynder, Spyro dove from the ledge of the walls and onto the nearest walkway he could find.
"Spyro, what is your problem with Tyrant, tell me now!" Cynder demanded as she had enough of Spyro's attitude.
Spyro stopped walking and turned to Cynder with a hateful glance and said with rage, "You want to know my problem Cynder? Fine, I'll tell you. Something doesn't feel right about him, I can feel this dark aura protruding from him and it doesn't help when you go around talking about him to everyone. He came out from know where and cuddled up next to you saying how beautiful you are and you being a goddess and I'm sick of you talking about him!. I'm sick of him; I hope he dies down there with the rest of those Grublins!" Spyro turned away in rage as he continued his pace towards the Dragon Temple, leaving Cynder by herself in shock.
"At least he came to me asking if I was ok when all you done was interrogate that dragon you killed!" Cynder yelled, surprised by how she was against Spyro in the argument.
Spyro stopped his pace and turned towards Cynder with a blank stare and said, "So you want to defend him? Fine, go ahead. I'll be risking my life for you while he's all curled up around you in your cave Cynder." Spyro's body began to turn dark purple.
"I can't believe you Spyro; maybe the darkness you're sensing is yourself," Cynder said in rage as she faced away from Spyro. "You've changed, I don't know you anymore." Cynder flew towards the Guardians to be of their aid while Spyro absorbed what Cynder had said to him along with emotions of anger and heartbreak. Spyro lost control, his eyes shown brilliant white tone while his body streaked with a dark purple aura.
With a roar of thundering proportions, everyone in the city grew still as Spyro yelled, "You will all pay, this ends now!" The dark storm clouds which oversaw the city began to unleash lightening and rain as Spyro fell toward the city streets. As Spyro landed, the shockwave from the fall made a small group of Grublins about five feet away flew from Spyro's standing position. The ground around Spyro crumbled from the impact as Spyro looked up from the ground. The black aura of Dark Energy surfaced over Spyro's body as it seemed to pulsate with every step he took towards the swarm of Grublins and Hero Orcs as they charged towards him.
Spyro could understand their Grublin language as they shouted, "Kill him! Kill him before he can attack!" Spyro waited to attack until the Hero Orcs came close, as the Dark Energy beam shot from Spyro's mouth; the Hero Orcs were disintegrated in seconds as more enemies ran towards Spyro in an attempt to end his life.
"He's losing control, Hunter, Tyrant, get out of the way!" Terrador yelled as Hunter bounded over Hero Orcs and walls to escape while Tyrant leaped into the air and began to flap his wings in an attempt to escape from Spyro's rampage.
"Terrador, is there any way that maybe Spyro could harness that Dark Energy inside of him so he can flex its control to his advantage?" Cynder asked as she watched the one she loved tear through the city.
"Dark Energy is a confusing matter young one," Terrador stated. "If Spyro was to unlock the secret of its origin, then he would probably have the capability to harness its power. Right now though, Spyro is letting himself fall for its power, making himself the doppelganger."
"What if his power becomes to immense, what should we do to stop him?" Cyril asked as Cynder listened carefully to the conversation.
Volteer sighed as he shook head and said, "Malefor lost control of the Dark Energy inside of himself when he discovered its vast power. If Spyro does lose control, we will have no choice but to put him to death." Cynder's eyes widened in horror as she tried to think of ways to help Spyro put the darkness inside of him to rest.
"He's almost to the Dragon Temple!" Tyrant yelled above the dragons as they all departed towards the Dragon Temple. Spyro laid among the entrance of the Dragon Temple in weariness and frustration as the Dark Energy aura slipped away from his body once more.
Spyro could hear the Hero Orcs and Grublins yell, "Retreat! He's too strong; our master will have to deal with him alone!" Malefor was struggling not to shout commands to his army as they retreated from the city but remembered that he had to stay in control of his physical form and remain being Tyrant until the time arisen to extract his revenge on Cynder and Spyro.
"Spyro, Are you ok?!" Cynder yelled as she landed next to the weary purple dragon.
"Get away from me." Spyro said in a threatening voice, the voice of darkness still flourished from Spyro's lips, even after the transformation.
"Cynder get back!" Tyrant yelled as he landed away from the two.
"You, you think you can just take her from me?" Spyro said as he stood from his resting position, the dark aura began to creep over Spyro's body once more.
"If it means to protect her from your evil deeds then yes, I will remove her from you!" Tyrant said as he lowered his head and spread his legs apart.
"You must want to die to challenge me!" Spyro roared as he lowered his head to draw forth another burst of Dark Energy. Cynder knew she had to act fast.
"Spyro stop!" Cynder yelled as she threw herself in front of the Dark Energy beam, knocking her away from the stairs. Spyro watched in horror as he watched Cynder's body slide to a stop along a stone pathway.
"Oh no, Cynder, someone help," Spyro cried in grief as he ran towards Cynder, ignoring Tyrant as he ran to Cynder's side. "Cynder please wake up! Come on please, I didn't mean to hit you, I lost control!" Cynder moaned in pain as the Guardian dragons landed behind the two, along with Hunter and his warriors.
"I'll never forgive you." Cynder uttered as Cyril and Volteer help support Cynder to her feet as they escorted her to the nearest clinic.
"You should have been more careful, you have some anger issues." Tyrant smirked as he made his way towards Cynder. Spyro couldn't believe what he had done.
In anger, Spyro met with Tyrant, forcing him to stop and began to try and intimidate him by saying, "That is my future wife you almost made me kill; my life means nothing without her existence. You have until midnight to leave this land and never return Tyrant. If you want to really fight, meet me at the Dragon Ocean beach, I'll be waiting there at sundown." Spyro was surprised of himself; he never picked a fight with any dragon before. Spyro took this action as how much he really wanted Cynder to be with him.
To his amazement, Tyrant only smirked as he said, "Fine, I'll be at the beach by sundown." As he smiled, Tyrant whipped his tail blade towards Spyro's face as an insulting remark, showing that he wasn't afraid of Spyro.
"Spyro, what were you thinking when you faced Tyrant like that, what harm has he brought to you?" Terrador asked, demanding an answer. Spyro ignored Terrador as he was already absorbing the grief of injuring the one he loved. As Spyro began to fill with tears he leaped into the air and began to fly towards the beach, hoping to find peace with himself.
"We've lost him haven't we?" Cyril asked as Terrador watched Spyro fly away.
"I fear so; don't allow him to enter the city until we know that the darkness inside of him is gone." Terrador said as he sighed in dismay.
