Vice was about to blow up. He had now been sitting at the cavern ledge that over hanged the ledge for 48 hours. Tix and Mix were getting on his nerves and he swore if heard one more complaint about cramps he was going to unload some rounds on their heads. Then he noticed a dark shadow running toward the cave.

"Now what could this be?" Vice said quietly to himself. He now could see that it was a red dragon running full speed at the entrance. "Oh boy, another dragon," Vice said as he pointed to the shape moving closer and closer as time passed.

"Sir! That's the one that information sources say is the guardian," Mix yelled happily. Vice pulled them both down and ducked behind a rock.

"Good, but where's Marcus and the rest of his miserable gang?" Vive said. The group decided that it was now or never so they decided to make their move. The jumped up and attacked the dragon. Today was not their lucky day. As soon as they hit the ground Marcus and the rest of the gang appeared right in front of them.

"Holy Sh…" Vice yelled as the groups collided. In fact, it was no ones lucky day. Ripto happened to teleport himself right on top of the tangle of arms legs and other various body parts.

"What the oof…" Ripto yelled as he was drop kicked in the face accidentally by Babylon's hind leg. While the three groups fought to get up the oncoming dragon ran right past them into the cave.

Flame was tired. As soon as he entered the cave he felt his legs give way and he fell on his face. Regaining his formal composer he began to trout into the darkness of the cave. He tripped and stumbled over himself until he saw a faint purple glow.

"Man, I wish I could light a flame in here but it's so cold," Flame complained to himself. He made his way until he came to a huge opening in the cave. It was all lit up and the walls where covered in lucid colored crystals. Flame had to admit to himself for being incredibly evil, it was beautiful. He then noticed an alter with a cup on it. He walked up to it and peered into it. It was filled with a clear liquid and had various gems on top of it. "To easy, I ran right through the force field, there was no resistance in the cave, and now I'm standing in the center of the meteor," Flame said aloud. It echoed and echoed until it was to faint to hear.

"You have very good observations for such a young dragon," a voice echoed back. Flame looked at the entrance and he saw nothing.

"Where are you, who are you?" Flame shouted back. There was a long silence before he got a reply.

"Look up!" The voice shouted. Flame shot his head upward to gaze upon a giant black dragon with red eyes. It was about five times as big as he was.

"It couldn't…be…Cynder?" Flame stuttered as he gazed into the hypnotizing eyes.

"Well your sort of right, but yes it is Cynder," it replied back. It let go of the top ceiling and glided soared down toward him. Before it smashed into him it shrunk 9 sizes and landed nimbly next to him.

"You looked different…" Flame said still staring at her. She sat down and shook the question off.

"Well that's and odd question," Cynder said and giggled. Flame shook his head and regained his state of mind.

"Why did you do it, you put Spyro and Ember into a comma," Flame yelled at her.

"It was a double-ganger that looks like me, probably one of the ones the dark master made," Cynder lied. Flame seemed to believe her.

"The Dark Masters back, how!?" Flame said surprised. Cynder walked over and sat beside Flame.

"Obviously he's using the meteor somehow," Cynder said pointing at the various crystals. "I bet he plans on using those somehow," Flame was getting less uncomfortable with Cynder so near to him. When he scooted away, she moved closer. Cynder walked in front of him and stared at him, her eyes turning red. "Well now, since Ember is out of the picture maybe me and you could get together?" Cynder said lying down on her side very provocatively.

"But, but…," Flame said but fell into the hypnotic glare of Cynder. He took a step closer to her.

"Don't worry, I'll be here all day," Cynder said. Flame began walking toward her, slowly at first but then more rapid. Cynder made her move when he tried to jump on her, she grabbed him and put his face to her face and whispered in his ear. "Flame, the Dark Master is watching everything we do, act like your kissing me and then I'll pretend to kill you but remember to make it look convincing!" Cynder said. Flame snapped out of her hypnotize and looked at her.

"Whata, what, what!?"

Cynder gave him no time to complain because she locked lips with him and began "passionately" kissing him. After about to minutes she laid down and beckoned to him to come. As soon as Flame slid into her embrace Cynder put her claws across his neck and acted like she snapped his neck. There was a sickening crack and then Flame went limp. Cynder got back up and trotted over to the alter.

"You can come out now master, he's quite dead now," Cynder said evilly. A dark form began to rise out of the chalice. It rose up to the ceiling and then began to take form. It was a gigantic dragon, pitch black and had red eyes. Smoke billowed from its nostrils as it awakened fully. It spoke in a deep booming voice that seemed to shake the cavern.

"Very good, now they have no hope of saving this world," It said as it laughed. "Now my young apprentice, what do you want, you have done everything I have asked of you," Cynder walked over to the "dead" body of Flame and kicked it.

"I want a mate, someone who's just as evil as you," Cynder replied. The Dark Master laughed as it heard her request.

"I figured you want something like that, well I can't just make people appear but perhaps…"

"Perhaps what?" Cynder replied looking into his evil eyes.

"Perhaps I can take over Spyro's mind and then turn him evil since he's not dead," Cynder smiled at the thought and laughed.

"Oh and another thing, NOW!" Cynder yelled. In one movement Flame leapt up and charged the alter. Cynder fire a fire ball at the Dark Master and it took him off guard, he fell down and it shook the entire cave. The plan was working, except for the Dark Master disappeared. Flame was still charging when he hit the Dark Master's claw as he was swept against a wall in one motion. Cynder gasped in horror but was soon finding that the Dark Master had turned his attention to her.

"Fools," the Dark Master said. He picked up Cynder and threw her into a wall. With a load crack she hit the wall and rolled limply down. Flame stood up and regained his senses. He looked hopelessly up at the Dark Master who was now laughing. "Did you actually think you could beat me, I mean seriously, you…hahahahahaaa,"

"I don't see what's so funny, there's probably a whole army out there waiting for you to come out if I fail," Flame said dashing over to Cynder. He looked down at her; she was bleeding from a large gash in her upper back. She was unconscious but Flame could tell by her labored breathing that she was still alive.

"An army you say, wow, I have an army too, you want to see it, or better yet…we could watch it destroy your friends," the Dark Master snickered. He made a motion with his claw and then muttered something under hi breath.

"What did you just do, wave your arm?" Flame said looking around in mock surprise at the fact that no army appeared.

"Laugh it up, but why would I need an army in here smart one?" the Dark Master asked smiling evilly for the chaos was defiantly brewing outside. "Let's see if your army can stand up to my army of darkness,"

After the groups had separated themselves, they started shouting and arguing about what they were doing here. "What the hell are you doing here Ripto?" Hunter yelled at him.

"I should ask you the same thing," Ripto yelled. The two then got into a curse fight, in which after one word that Hunter said Bianca slapped him.

"You watch your mouth Hunter!" Bianca warned him shaking her paw at him. "Do you even know what that means?" Hunter thought for a moment and after a hard thought he announced.

"It means to hit a baseball with a bat but not swinging into it all the way," Hunter said trying to look smart. Bianca clapped a hand over her face.

"Never mind," She said turning her attention to Ripto who was side-stepping away. "What are you doing here Ripto, I'm sure it's trying to make are day worse," Ripto was trying to avoid the question, to embarrassed to admit that he wanted to help them.

"Well…errrrrrrrrrr, no I'm here to assist you in rendering the meteor ummmmmm," He struggled with the answer. "I'm here to help you!" He finally blurted out. While this was happing Marcus had gotten into a fist fight with Vice. They were rolling around on the ground hitting each other and shouting at each other.

"You stupid dumb ass, I should kill you right now, it's your fault that Florence and Sophia are dead you bastard!" Marcus screamed hitting Vice in the nose. Vice threw him off of him and pulled his pistol.

"Now that's not what happened, as I remember you were at fault for not abandoning the mission when it was to dangerous," Vice said smirking. Vice felt all the air go out of him as Babylon's tail hit him in the stomach, sending him flying into the air. Matt had a hold of Tix and Mix and was banging their heads together.

"Yeah, you aren't so tough when you can't use your magic are ya," Matt laughed as he banged their heads together again. Tix and Mix miserably hung by their hoods getting banged into each other. Uttering the words of a spell was not enough; they had to think it as well. Vice picked himself off the ground and aimed the pistol at Babylon.

"What is it and dragons, everywhere I go they hinder me," Vice hissed. Before he could fire Echo grabbed the pistol and flew off. Vice cursed and ran after the bat. Echo flew over to Marcus and handed him the gun.

"Well Vice, looks like I have your gun now," Marcus said grinning. "And to your other comment, I'm done feeling sorry for myself; it was the fault of you for lusting for power and wealth, by releasing Syntax." "I'm leaving the past in the past and focusing on the future, the future where the word Meteor Fall will be used to send children off to bed." Vice knew he was in trouble, Tix and Mix could not help him and he was starring down the barrel of his own gun; a gun that could go through titanium. He put his hands in the air, showing he gave up. If he could just reach in his pocket he could pull out a flash bomb.

"Okay, relax…you've won, it's all over," Vice said reaching for his left pocket.

"Your wrong Vice, it's not over till your dead," Marcus yelled firing the gun. Vice ducked and rolled, but not quick enough. The bullet went through his arm and caused a shockwave of pain that shot through his body. His opposite hand reached in his pocket and threw the flash bomb. A bright flash blinded all who glanced over. Vice ran, his arm limp, over to the crags of the mountain and took cover. Tix and Mix, free to use magic, used a magnetic spell to grab the gun. In a flash of light they were gone!

Bianca was laughing and Hunter was left with his mouth wide open. "I thought you were the bad guy, the villain, the antagonist?!" Hunter said using a big word that he heard Bianca say once when referring to Ripto.

"Yeah I'm with Hunter on this," Bianca said surprised by her own words. "Don't you want to take over all the realms?"

"Well there won't be any for me to rule if the whole world goes Ka-Boom!" Ripto said making a demonstration with his hands. "My Rynocs will be here soon so we'll be able to storm the cave." The three "Warlords" started making battle plans. They drew up that what ever was in the cave would take a great amount of force to take down. Ripto glanced over to Marcus's group who was talking amongst themselves.

"Who are they?" Ripto asked pointing his staff at them.

"That's Marcus, Matt, Babylon, and Echo; they came here to destroy the meteor," Bianca said resting on Hunter's shoulder. "They were fighting with Vice and his crew just a minute ago," Then Bianca remembered a vital part of their mission, Flame! Was he in the cave or not? She could only guess.

"Rabbit, I was just getting to the part about the fact that Spyro and his girlfriend are missing," Ripto said impatiently. Hunter looked down, Bianca turned her head away and reality flooded back in.

"They're……dieing," Bianca said solemnly, trying to hold back the flood of tears that was threatening to burst out. Hunter put an arm around her, tying to comfort her. Ripto was silent, after all these years, his nemesis was dieing. Spyro, the foiler of all his evil deeds, the only one that every defeated him, was now on the brink of death. Is this what victory felt like, Ripto just felt a sinking feeling, like he was no longer needed. He had no time to collect his thoughts because at that time his Rynocs crested the hill. At that same time, though, hell flooded out of the cave mouth as the Dark Army cam screaming and yelling out of the cave like a banshee. The battle had begun…