( again sorry for any crappy descriptions of warfang in the coming chapters, and i warn they may be very long. by my standards anyway.)

Plans and Shadows

It wasn't long after they had left the temple when they spotted Warfang in the distance; they had found a fast moving air current early on in their flight and had ridden it nearly the entire trip. Only stopping to hunt for a meal, which didn't take long.

As they came nearer to Warfang they could see that the city had been ravaged. Even from a distance they could see the silhouettes of damaged buildings and smoke rising from dying fires scattered around the city.

" Spyro, I don't think we should go directly to Warfang." Scurge called ahead, " land in the forest I have a plan."

Glancing back Spyro dove out of the wind current, and picked out a clearing for them to land in.

" What were you saying up there about having a plan?" Spyro asked spreading his wings to low himself as he landed.

" I was saying that I have a plan that might make it easier to save Warfang." Scurge said as he landed.

" What do we need a plan for?" Cynder asked as she joined them

" Three things: want to free any prisoners that maybe left in the city, namely the remaining guardian Terrador; 2. We're definitely going to be outnumbered, so we want something that'll throw the enemy off; 3. The easiest option of an air assault won't be as effective because I have no breath attacks and I need to be on the ground to use my shadow." Scurge explained taking the bag and rummaging through it.

" Oh yeah, why is that. I thought all dragons could use at least one?" Spyro asked looking back on their training.

"Things are more complicated for us hellfire dragons. The abilities we are desolation, which I described before, the ability to breath hellfire, and a legendary ability my father once told me of Armageddon." Scurge began as he looked up from the bag. " The most commonly used of those would be hellfire, but to use it a hellfire dragon has to find the one thing that will drive him to fight beyond the limit of his abilities."

" Beyond the limit of your ability… sounds confusing." Spyro said scratching his head.

" I know, since I haven't been able to do that I've been winning all my battles to date with cunning and skill. Through which I've learned that a good plan and quick thinking can make a big difference." Scurge continued turning his attention to the bag again.

"Ok, so what'll we do?" Cynder asked interested

"Well there'll definitely have captives, if I remember right Warfang has a large mole population and a small dragon population. Some of which are training to become the new guardians, so I made a few things to help get them out of their cages or chains. My plan is for Cynder and I to sneak into Warfang and find as many allies as possible, that way with my plan we can release them all at once to surprise my brother's forces." Scurge explained as he continued to look through the bag.

"Wait how'll we get into Warfang without being seen? And how'll we free everyone at the same time?" Cynder asked feeling she had missed something.

" You can travel through shadows right?" Scurge asked quickly as he pulled two small vials attached to strings out of the bag.

" Well, yeah but…"

"Good so can I, that's how we get in. as for free the prisoners this liquid in these vials is an acid that uses moonlight as a catalyst. Simply meaning that once moonlight hits it, it'll start to eat away at whatever it's on." Scurge said holding up the vial, which contained a silvery liquid. " So we put a few drops of this on any cage lock or chain and when the moon comes it'll corrode to nothing."

" How the hell did you learn how to make that?" Spyro asked intrigued

" When you've been living in a hell you learn how to raise hell." Scurge answered with a brief smile, " so you up to it Cynder?"

"I-I don't know…I feel like I'll end up trapped in darkness if I use that ability." Cynder said trembling slightly when she suddenly felt a paw fall gently on her shoulder.

" Cynder, I know you've had a dark past. So have I, but if you don't want darkness to control your life you have to learn not to fear it. Your good at heart, that alone means the darkness can't take you again." Scurge said calmly looking Cynder dead in the eye.

" Scurge- I"

"Don't worry, I'll be right there with you. For both your sake and Spyro's I promise I won't let you fall into darkness, you just got to trust me. Deal?"

Cynder almost felt as if what Scurge said had lifted a great weight from her shoulders. She felt as if he had looked right through her and found what was bothering her, and she quickly found herself blushing. "Uh…deal." She stammered as she felt her heart rate spike for a moment.

" Good," Scurge said looking back at Spyro who had a somewhat displeased look on his face, " let's go then, and Spyro you should consider what your going to do if we face Cynder's double here."

The thought hit Spyro hard as Scurge and Cynder sank into the nearby shadows. What would he do, what would Cynder think if he fought her double. Would he even be able to bring himself to strike out against the mirror image of the dragoness he loved?

A chill crept over Cynder as they entered the shadows. The space within them was completely black they only thing dividing Scurge and herself from their surroundings was a faint white outline around their bodies. As Scurge led the way through the endless darkness she followed close behind making sure she kept her eyes on him.

" Does he know where he's going?" she thought to herself as another chill crept over her.

"…Murderer…" a hoarse, ghastly voice called out causing Cynder snap around in fear " murderer…" the voice called again as she turned around to find Scurge had disappeared.

" No…" she thought, as she looked around frantically.

"… You killed your brethren. You're a monster." The voice called again, it's words digging into Cynder's mind.

" Leave me alone…Scurge, help me…Scurge." Cynder called out as she lay down and covered her ears.

The faint sound of Cynder's voice stopped Scurge in his tracks, he immediately spun around for her, "Damn it, I already broke my promise… no, I'm not going to be the reason someone close to me died again." Scurge thought, a bright light beginning to shine from beneath his scales as he dashed through the darkness.

"Murderer…monster…" the ghastly voice continued, tears streaming down Cynder's face as it forced memories of her dark past to play in her head.

Then a powerful roar shook the darkness, through her tear filled eyes Cynder looked up to see a bright light rushing toward her.

" You!" The voice hissed as Scurge ran up, the light beneath his scales shining brightly.

" Cynder…" Scurge said glancing at her, " I get it, a tormentor. I rule the shadows…You never, come around while I'm here." He continued the light from his scales growing more intense.

" Scurge…you came back." Cynder said weakly as she staggered to her feet, her head throbbing from the tormentor's mental assault.

" I promised I wouldn't let you fall into the darkness again, let's go." He said pushing her ahead of himself.

" No, she's my prey." The tormentor hissed revealing its grim reaper-like form as it prepare to attack

" I told you I'm the king here, and you can consider her the queen." Scurge said immeasurable fury in his voice, and then as the tormentor tried to strike he loosed a beam of light from his mouth that erased all trace of the tormentor's existence.

" Scurge…" Cynder thought watching in awe.

" Let's get out of here Cynder… or I guess I have to call you shadow queen now." Scurge said with a laugh leaving Cynder laughing uncontrollably.

" Shadow queen…" she thought admiring the title, then a small concern hit her " what does he mean by that?"

(Please someone review, it's 1:26 a.m and I'd appreciate it if someone did me the favor of making feel like I didn't sit here typing this for nothing. Seriously all reviews are welcome, good or bad. Again thanks for reading)