Chapter 10 Cynder's Nightmare
In the underground Skylander Portal Station's medical bay, Spyro & his son lay side by side on the floor...waiting. Both dragons stare into a window that faces Cynder's room, however, a curtain drawn before her bed blocks their view from a difficult and painstaking procedure. The re-attaching of her right-wing.
Sparx looks up at his father seeing his blood-shot eyes never blinking, watching intently for any movement. He has only known him for half a day, and already he can tell how much love Spyro has for his mother. He has not left his wife's side, regardless of how exhausted he is from his ordeals.
The purple hero faced a dragon that pounded him till he was completely drained, only to be assaulted moments later in his own home. Spyro can barely keep his eyes open, however, the strength Sparx gave him, still pulses throughout his veins, so he can stay with his son...waiting for any word.
"It will be nice to see Mom finally fly..." The young dragon remarks and Spyro turns to see his son with a smile on his face. "...I've never seen her do it before..."
However, the young dragon turns his head down to the ground for a moment and somberly continues.
"Well...she was forced to once...and it almost killed both of us!" Sparx says and chokes back an emotional feeling, remembering the moment she glided with 1 wing while holding him in her arms.
He looks back up at his father, and forces his smile back upon his muzzle.
"We spun in a circle three times and slammed back into the cliff she jumped off...!" Sparx says with a very forced chuckle.
"But now that I can actually think about it...I'm pretty sure she planed to do that!"
Spyro looks at his son as he stares at the curtain blocking his view.
"...however I was scared, Dad!"
Spyro walks over to his son and places his paw upon his side. "Your mother is a very resourceful dragon, and she would never put you or herself in harm's way without having a plan for escape!"
Sparx lowers his head knowing a dark truth he can not talk about, and the harm that Cynder did put herself and Spyro's son in, however, the young dragon quickly changes the subject
"She used to tell me how fast she was...and that she won many races!" Sparx yelps, working hard to keep his smile "Did you ever fly in a race against her!"
"Your Mother won the inaugural speed race at the 1st ever Dragon Games..." Spyro replies as a smile finally crosses his face. His eyes lock upon his son's "...and I was a distant second!"
The black & purple dragon can see his father accessing his memory and he quickly lowers into a position to intently listen to a story about his mother...told by his father.
Meanwhile, as Spyro tells his son of a great moment in his wife's life, Cynder...under sedation...is remembering one of her worst.
Deep inside the cave, along the back wall of Malefor's hidden valley, the young mother nestles with her egg.
It has been 3 weeks since she has been brought to this paradise of a prison, and Cynder has made sure to stay away from her host...though it has not been difficult.
Malefor has purposely stayed away, never approaching her without a warning. He has asked everyday, from across the river, for her to join him for dinner and everyday she just ignores him.
However, Cynder is not alone in solitude, she still has two friends that will not take no for an answer.
A sea serpent, that she has no clue if he even has a name, that keeps dropping her off a fish every time she asks, and a White German Shepard, that continually talks to her, even if she doesn't want to listen.
Snow has become more and more brazen in her approach to speak with the young dragoness, even as far as to cross the river that she was told not to. Cynder made a fair warning to Malefor that the only way she would stay is if no one came on her side of the valley, but this White German Shepard does not seem to care about her rules.
"Cynder!" The white canine yelps, and the young dragon turns her head to look across the river. "May I cross and speak to you!"
"What's the difference!" She retorts, and turns her head away. "You are just gonna come over her and talk anyway...so why ask?"
"Because...Today I want your permission!" Snow replies calmly.
Cynder returns her attention to the stern look she is receiving from the White Shepard's blue eyes. She can see there is really something on her mind, and Cynder reluctantly nods her head.
"Thank You!" Snow says as she leaps into the river. The stunning white Shepard crosses the fast-moving stream and shakes her body dry as she comes out on the other side. Snow slowly walks over to Cynder and her egg.
The young dragon rears up as she starts to get to close. "Back off, Snow!" Cynder yelps. "I can hear you from there!"
"I'm not here to talk!" The white dog barks, and Cynder quickly becomes angry.
"Then what do you want!" The dragoness replies hastily, and lowers to the ground showing her teeth...ready to pounce.
Snow does not show any fear...she simply raises her nose and gives and over-dramatic sniff.
"Your wing is infected!...I can smell it" She replies as Snow catches the order of rotting flesh. By her reaction...She can tell Cynder smells it too. "Will you please let me take a look at that...before it's too late!"
"NO!" Cynder barks sharply "I'll be fine!"
The White Shepard gets angry at her response.
"NO YOU WON'T!" She hollers and Cynder is startled by her outburst. She has never seen this calm canine lose her temper once, since arriving, and Cynder has tested her patience several times...even as far as slapping her away.
Snow sits down on her hind quarters and stares down the taller black dragoness.
"If you don't let me take care of that...YOU WILL DIE!" Snow bellows with a stern deep voice, and walks straight up to Cynder. "Then you will have given Malefor your egg...is that what you want?"
Cynder's eyes open wide, hearing the bluntness in Snow's comment.
"No...I don't!" She replies somberly, then looks down at the small dog before her. "But what can you do to help me?"
"Nothing!" She yelps with a smile. "That is until you lower yourself down here...where I can see it!"
Cynder chuckles for a second, but then begins to feel bad. This small dog has braved up to someone nearly fifty times her size, and all she ever wanted to do was help her injury.
All Cynder would do is ignore her, or yell back, or just plain attack her.
"I'm sorry!" The young dragon cries, and lowers her belly to the ground "I've been terrible to you."
"Don't worry about that young lady!" She whispers in Cynder's ear. "I have been treated far worse. You can't stop me with a few shoves and a couple of bad names!"
Snow walks beside the young dragoness, finally able to survey the damage done. She winces at the site of multiple scars that cover her back and legs, many still fresh from the last assault while she was giving birth. Snow slowly climbs up Cynder's back towards her wing, and the dark dragoness is startled as she barely feels this decent sized dog walking atop her body.
"This is going to sting a bit, but then it will all go away...I promise!" Snow whispers softly, and begins to clean the wound with her tongue.
Cynder shutters from the initial intense pain, and yelps for her to stop, but Snow is determined to clean the infection from the broken stub of her right-wing.
The young dragoness bucks up on her hind legs and the white canine is easily thrown from her back.
"I said stop!" Cynder barks as Snow tumbles hard to the ground.
The young dragoness quickly turns to the white Shepard and can see that she is hurt from the fall.
However, Cynder begins to feel worse about what she just did, as the pain in her wing begins to subside completely.
"Oh no!" Cynder yelps seeing Snow stand back up with a gimpy leg. "I did it to you again!"
"That's OK Cynder...Maybe I should have warned you better than that!" The white Shepard remarks with a smile. "I'm sure that was more painful than you were expecting!"
Snow begins licking her injured paw, and Cynder can see a glow coming from her mouth. Much like a dragon, her power comes from her muzzle. The sound of bones cracking into place send shivers down Cynder's spine, as Snow then lowers her healed paw back to the ground.
"There that's better!" Snow remarks then gestures her healed paw at Cynder to get back down on her stomach. "Now can I finish what I started..or do you plan on tossing me off again!"
Cynder shakes her head in awe, and quickly lowers to her stomach. The White Shepard leaps upon the dragoness' back once again, and continues where she left off.
"Where did you...owww...get this power!" Cynder asks through her treatment, and Snow does not answer right away, she thoroughly cleans the broken wing then strides up Cynder's long neck to her head.
"I was given many different powers when I was taken..." The white Shepard replies, and begins licking another nasty cut to the back of Cynder's neck. "...but this power has always been mine, and I will never use those other powers anymore!"
The young dragon shutters once again from the sting of her initial touch, but Cynder is more confused than in pain.
"What do you mean...Taken?" The dragoness asks with concern
Snow stops her healing touch and lays down on Cynder's neck, She lowers her head to the young mother's ear.
"You believe Malefor to be the Dark Master...right!" Snow replies and Cynder slightly nods her head yes. "Then would you also be surprised to know, that for the last 3 weeks, you have been getting your fill of fish from...the Dark Master "
Cynder turns her head around to look her new friend in the eye.
"That's right...Your friendly little sea serpent there was once under the Dark Master's control!" Snow tells Cynder then lowers her head down to whisper in her ear softly.
"And so was I!"
Cynder's eyes lock on those of the creature laying upon her neck.
"What?" She barks with scepticism
"Yes, Cynder...I too was under his control, long before Malefor!" Snow replies and begins licking several other smaller cuts to the side of Cynder's head.
"This is not possible!" Cynder retorts
"Why?" Snow bellows as she stops once more. "Is it that hard to believe that long ago I was forced to kill without having any control over my actions! That I could be forced to destroy my home and kill the ones I loved...all the while, seeing my action as his mindless servant."
The White Shepard drops from Cynder's neck and walks around face to face with the large dragoness.
"Because of my size, many never thought me as a threat! But I was fast and powerful, and he took advantage of that!" She somberly says to the young dragoness, feeling a release in telling someone...other then Malefor...about her early life.
"Most never knew how close they were to death until they were gone." Snow says with a thousand yard stare in her eyes, remembering the countless lives she destroyed "And I can see every single one of my victim's shocked expressions as I sleep at night."
Cynder reaches out her right paw and pets the white Shepard crying before her. She lifts her lowered head gently with a her talon and stares into her teary blue eyes.
"I didn't know!" The dark dragon remarks with sadness in her voice.
Snow smiles seeing the compassion in Cynder's eyes for a former Dark Master, but then suddenly Cynder's eyes show anger, as she spots Malefor flying towards the back of the valley. The young dragoness once again starts becoming defensive.
The sound of the purple dragon landing across the river, startles the white Shepard and she turns around.
"What do you want Malefor!" Snow barks with a bit of anger in her voice, knowing he may have damaged any progress she is making with Cynder.
"Forgive my interruption, Snow, but I've come to make my daily futile attempt of being a proper host!" Malefor replies with sarcasm. "Cynder...I'm sure you're not interested in a warm meal, so I shall just leave you two alone! Good Day!"
The purple dragon once again opens his wings and begins to fly off.
"WAIT!" Cynder yelps, and Malefor stops dead in mid-flight with a look of surprise that she even said a word to him.
"I am getting tired of raw fish!" The young dragoness remarks to her new friend, then looks up at Malefor. "When should I be there!"
The purple dragon lowers to the ground in shock, and a huge smile crosses his muzzle. Malefor is so startled he fumbles his words to the young dragoness.
"It...umm...I...aahh...should have everything ready...in an hour or so!"
"An Hour!" Cynder replies with no emotion, then looks down at Snow. She answers his question still not looking him in the eye.
"Very well...I will be there.!"
Malefor lowers his head with a nod of appreciation, then quickly takes off towards the front of his cave.
"Cynder!" Snow barks with surprise of her own. "You know he will want to talk to you, so if you are not willing to...I would suggest you not come!"
"I think it's time I try listening, before I make another bad decision." Cynder replies and Snow places her paw upon the young dragon's cheek.
"Good" The white Shepard says as she rub her body up against Cynder's neck, then leaps upon her back once more. Snow lowers her head down to the young dragoness' ear
"I promise...he will behave himself, or I will take care of him...OK!"
Cynder smiles and lowers her entire body to the ground...allowing Snow to continue her healing touches.
From that moment on, Cynder realized that she had a friend to watch out for her, and that being in this prison may not be as bad as she once feared.
For over a year, the 3 former Dark Masters catered to the young dragon, and her newly hatched son, Sparx. Cynder has gained much of her weight back and is healthy as she can be. Her strength has returned as well, but the magic she used when first coming has still not been replenished. Other than that, and with the exception of not seeing her husband or the many friends she has made on Avalar, Cynder is almost feeling at home in her new surroundings.
Until one day...when that all changed.
The young mother watches her son playing around with the her new canine friend, and smiles as Sparx tries to catch the much faster Snow. She playful leads him around in a wild goose chase, and the young whelpling becomes frustrated. He has never caught her
The uncoordinated 9 month old, falls on his face several times trying to keep up, and starts to feel a rage burning inside from his failure.
"Come on little fella...you're never gonna catch me it you keep falling on your face!" Snow bellows with a sarcastic smile.
The young whelpling becomes further enraged knowing he can stop her, but only by doing something he was told not to. However, his youthfulness gets the better of the baby dragon, and he begins charging his powers...for an attack.
Sparx sits up on his hind legs and opens his mouth wide. Cynder can feel a familiar energy building inside her son and quickly jumps to her paws.
"SNOW LOOK OUT!" The dark dragoness screams, as a blast of fire comes from her young son's muzzle.
"Oh my goodness!" Snow yelps, turning to see a the raging plume coming straight at her. She freezes in the moment seeing no possible way to avoid being burned.
Suddenly, Malefor comes from out of nowhere, and dives in between the plume of fire and his best friend. He scoops the small dog up in his paw, before the blast from the young whelpling gets close enough to even singe her white fur.
Malefor places Snow on the ground gently as he lands, and stares at the young son of Spyro with anger.
"I told you never to use that power!" He yells at the little whelpling, and Cynder is quickly in Malefor's face.
"DON'T YOU DARE TALK TO MY SON LIKE THAT!" She screams, but then is taken by the thought that her son just used MAGIC.
"Wait a minute!" Cynder yelps as she looks down at her scared son. "How did he get that Magic power?...He was not born with it...AND WHO TAUGHT HIM TO USE AN ELEMENTAL ATTACK!"
The large purple dragon lowers his head, knowing he has overstepped his bounds, and broke the rules that Cynder laid out for him.
Malefor was not allowed anywhere near Sparx, and the last thing she ever wanted was for him to teach her son anything.
"I taught him how to use his power, and gave him some of my magic!" Snow yelps taking Cynder's attention from the one Dark Master she does not like...knowing Malefor is really to blame. "I'm sorry Cynder...that's my fault!"
The young mother stares into the blue eyes of her new best friend...and she can quickly tell.
"Why are you lying to me?" Cynder asks as a tear begins to form in the corner of her green eyes, feeling betrayed by the only one she's cared about.
"You don't need to lie for me, Snow! I want her to be able to trust you!" The purple dragon bellows. "Please Cynder, she is just trying to protect me!"
"I'm...sorry ... I just...!" The White Shepard somberly states, then closes her eyes and turns away with shame.
"I taught your son how to use some of his abilities!" Malefor barks with a stern tone in his voice. "I had to Cynder..."
"YOU HAD NO RIGHT!" Cynder barks cutting him off, but Malefor puts his paw over Cynder's mouth and for the first time since her arrival becomes aggressive to her.
"YES I DID!" He hollers back, and Cynder yelps from his tight grip. "I will need his help if we are going to survive, and yours for that matter as well...SO HE MUST START LEARNING NOW!"
"What are you talking about survive?" Snow barks from the background hearing the tone in Malefor's voice.
"The Dark Master knows they are here, so the attacks will be coming much stronger than before!"
Snow walks up to her old friend with fear in her eyes, and Cynder becomes worried seeing this reaction from the normally calm white Shepard
"The attacks have already been overwhelming to you Malefor!" She yelps knowing the amount of time she spent healing his wounds after the last assault. "What can we do if even you can not stop them!"
"I don't know!" Malefor replies as he looks into her eyes "...but I do know one thing...Cynder, you and Sparx must be ready to leave at a moments notice!"
The purple dragon returns his attention to the young dragoness standing before him, and the whelpling now in her arms.
"If he gets his hands on Spyro's son...the dragon realms will suffer greatly!" Malefor turns to the mouth of the cave and begins walking away. "Cynder...I must show you something...so please don't argue, just leave your son here with Snow, and follow me!"
Cynder looks down at her friend, and seeing the concern upon her face, the young dragon quickly lowers Sparx down beside the white Shepard, and follows her old enemy. She wants to know what has gone on behind her back.
Malefor has gone to great lengths to keep the brutal truth from her, but now he knows her time to recuperate is over. The attacks against his home have increased since the day the egg cracked open, releasing a powerful young dragon. However, being inside the tranquil valley, Cynder has no clue that Malefor has been fighting nearly non stop for the last 9 months.
"The day he was born I was searching for some food and supplies nearly a hundred miles away!" Malefor tells Cynder as she walks along side the large purple dragon. "I felt his power like he was standing next to me, but so did every evil creature in this hell!"
The two dragons walk into the small room in the front of the hidden valley. Cynder can already hear the howling noises coming from outside the cave below.
"What is that?" She asks with puzzlement and concern.
"Take a look, Cynder, but be careful!" Malefor replies
The dark dragoness slowly steps over to the mouth of the cave and can see the swarm of millions of demons gathered at the base of the mountain.
"By the ancestors!" She barks with fear, and backs away from the ledge quickly.
"That is not what I wanted you to see Cynder!" Malefor tells her, then walks to a solid wall of granite. With his earth power the massive dragon pushes a large section of rock to the side revealing another room behind...a bright green light comes from the newly exposed area.
"This is what I NEED you to see!"
The young dragoness cautiously follows Malefor into the back room, but is startled the moment she crosses the threshold of the door. Her eyes light up seeing a large bunch of magic-filled ancestral crystals nestled in the corner, filling the room with their vibrant green glow. There is also a small pool of water barely an inch deep with a flat calm surface like a table top.
Malefor walks over to the pool and begins to stare into the water.
"Please Cynder, recharge your magic...this will take a moment!"
The young dragoness walks over to the cluster of gems and rears back her paw to strike them, but she holds for a second still unsure of Malefor's loyalty.
"Why did you not show me these crystals before!" She asks, and Malefor breaks his concentration hearing the anger in her voice.
"I didn't trust you...Cynder!" Malefor replies and hunches his shoulder with disgust in himself
Cynder lowers her head and remains silent though she wants to blow her top. She releases her anger upon the cluster of gems before her. Malefor can sense her rage as the shards of crystal fly in every direction with great force.
The energy quickly absorbs into the young dragoness who has been starving for magic power nearly one and half years.
As she gets her entire fill of Magic, Cynder slowly turns to see the pool before Malefor is now glowing with light, and an image she has starved even longer to see.
"Spyro!" She cries with joy
He is staring directly up from the pool and Cynder realizes she is looking at her home, seeing what her statue frozen in the wall is seeing.
Spyro is holding her wing and tears are frozen in time on his cheeks, but the look in his eyes strike Cynder through the heart.
"He is going to blame himself for this Cynder!" Malefor softly says, and looks at the young dragoness. "He was not in control of his actions, and you must make sure he knows that...!"
"How do you know what my husband is going to THINK Malefor?" Cynder barks with anger at his assumption. "You know nothing about him!"
"You're wrong Cynder!" He replies and returns his eyes to the shallow pool of water. "I see those eyes every time I look at my reflection in the river."
Malefor shows the same stare with his purple eyes that she can see in the pool from her husband. It is a look of complete helplessness, and despair.
"I know exactly what he feels right now Cynder...!"
The young dragon looks away no longer wanting any part in what Malefor is showing her. She is upset at her predicament to begin with, but now having the strain of seeing her husband's suffering as well, it almost feels like he is trying to incite her.
"What did you mean before when you said that you didn't trust me!" Cynder remarks as she watches the crystals she destroyed already grow back. "I mean it seems you have an abundant source of crystals here, Malefor...Why did you not let me recharge myself when I first got here?"
The purple dragon again sighs as she becomes defensive with him.
"I was afraid that you would have hidden yourself from me, and I would have no chance at redemption!"
Cynder disappears into the shadows in the blink of an eye and Malefor closes his eyes in disgust.
Suddenly 3 claw marks appear on the left cheek of the massive purple dragon, and he grasps his muzzle in pain.
Cynder uncloaks her body from the shadows, and wraps her left paw around Malefor's neck. She opens her right paw in front of the eyes of her old master, and shows her sharpened black talons.
"Why would you ever think you could redeem yourself for what you did to me..." She barks loudly and directly into his ear.
Cynder digs her claws into the scales of his neck, but does not penetrate the skin underneath "...I Should just kill you! That is the only redemption I will have."
Malefor lifts his paw to his neck and grasps Cynder's arm. He turns his head forcing her claws into his neck further, and Cynder is startled. His weathered purple eyes stare at her coldly.
"All you would be doing...is ending MY suffering Cynder, so by all means...DO IT!" He bellows with a dead calm voice.
"However, as my hell will finally end...your son's will have just begun...and there is nothing you can do to stop it unless you listen to me!"
Cynder can see the blood begin trickling down his neck, and can hear an almost eagerness in his voice for her to either just do it, or finally listen.
"But you ruined my life!" She whispers with pain, still unsure herself, if she is going to end his suffering.
"That...is something we have common Cynder!" Malefor retorts, his voice still dead calm.
The young dragoness begins releasing tension on her choke hold, however, Cynder still has her claws firmly embedded in his throat as a voice from their right startles both dragons.
"Mommy...Stop!" Sparx cries and quickly trots into the room. He broke free from his babysitter, Snow, who is embarrassed as she enters after him.
Sparx is alarmed seeing his mother in such an aggressive posture against the purple dragon. He has never seen Malefor be anything but gracious to his mother, so why is she attacking him...but something deeper is bothering the young whelpling.
Cynder seeing his emotional state, calms down and leaps from Malefor's neck, she quickly meets her son half way across the room, and hugs him tightly.
"I'm sorry you had to see that Sparx!" Cynder whispers in his ear to comfort him, but she can feel a shuttering in his body that even her embrace can not stop
"What's the matter, baby?" She asks and looks deep into his panicked eyes.
"I don't understand!" Sparx remarks then shuts his eyes tightly, and becomes very apprehensive. He is finally going to ask a question that he has never asked, still wondering about himself and his surroundings, and why he is remarkably similar to this dragon she is attacking.
"Isn't he my DAD?"
Cynder's body begins to shutter harder than her son's, and Sparx knows the answer without a word spoken.
The uncertain words her young son bellows, cut through Cynder like a blade, and the young mother just thinks to herself...
"What have I done!"
Cynder turns her eyes to Malefor, and he immediately can see her rage.
"NO!" He somberly yelps as Cynder grabs her son tightly, then once again disappears into the shadows.
The sound of her footsteps echo towards the cave entrance, and Malefor becomes gravely concerned, as he knows there is no where for her to go...but straight down.
The blood curdling sound of Sparx yelling with fear, as Cynder leaps from the high perch, sends a chill down Malefor's spine.
He has helped the young dragon for only a few weeks and already he feels a strong bond with the son of Spyro, but the thought he has for hurting Cynder again, overtakes the large purple dragon.
Malefor runs to the mouth of his cave and looks down for any sign of the black and red dragon in her daring leap to get away.
"CYNDER!" He screams from high above, hoping she would falter and show herself. However, he can not see a sign of the 2 dragons falling to the ground.
Malefor becomes concerned with the millions of demons at the base of his mountain, even if Cynder was to survive this jump, she would be quickly overwhelmed in seconds.
The purple dragon leaps from his perch and zips to the ground at great speed.
The swarm of dog-like demons begin to frenzy in anticipation of the dragon coming down from the mountain. They open a hole in their masses allowing the large dragon to land.
Malefor pays no attention to them...he just scans the skies and the ground for any sign of Cynder as she returns to the valley floor. Hundreds of small dog-like demons pour atop the large dragon from several platforms above his head, these creatures are relentless in their attacks, but Malefor is still not paying much attention to them.
"CYNDER!" He screams again, but then barks with pain as one demon bites a sensitive area on his neck. Malefor grasps the Shepard-like demon and crushes him in his paw, whipping him into the ground at the mob of creatures swarming him.
The large purple dragon begins flapping his arms and wings to keep the area around him clear. Hoping to catch a glimpse of Cynder as she makes it to the ground, or at least be able to see the group of demons attacking her so he can rescue the cloaked dragon.
"Please Cynder!" He yelps, and flails his arms harder to clear his view, however the demons become even more aggressive.
Malefor, not seeing his guest or her son, fears the worst. An overwhelming sensation of loss befalls him and no longer struggles to stop this attack. The large purple dragon gives in to the millions of demons...allowing them to finally end his suffering. Malefor is inundated by the swarm, and they pull the full-sized purple dragon to the ground on his back.
The small angry creatures burrow into his mouth and nose to suffocate him as fast as they can.
From high up on the ledge of his home, Malefor can hear the faint screams of his best friend and only the regret he will have to leave behind.
He looks up at the White Shepard, and she looks down upon him. Snow can see the disdain in his purple eyes, and realizes that he is finally giving up.
"NO!" The white Shepard barks from above, but Malefor ignores her cries.
He knows she will be upset at his choice, however, Snow has lived for thousands of years before Malefor, and she will learn to adapt.
"At least you will have a place to survive this time, my friend." The large dragon says to himself with a smile.
However, as Malefor stares at his distraught friend, a slight movement catches his eye. He watches as a few rocks fall from a ledge just below the mouth of his cave.
"Cynder!" He says to himself, shocked at seeing the young dragoness clinging to the wall with her child in hand.
The site of her and Sparx still alive, sends a pulse of pure adrenaline through him.
Malefor tries to struggle to his feet, but the swarm of evil creatures will not let him up. The mass upon his body is too great for him to roll off his back and more demons continue to pile on.
She was not stupid, and had no plans of heading to the ground, but she had to get away from an influence she does not want on her son. The dark dragoness spiraled several times, cloaked in shadow, then speared her talons into the cliff.
Cynder now watches from her high perch, holding Sparx tightly to her chest, not allowing him to see this vicious attack.
However, the young dragoness is in shock, as she realizes she is also sympathetic and has feelings of remorse...for Malefor. Seeing him enveloped by these relentless creatures, a cold thought that she is to blame for his death, becomes unsettling.
Suddenly, a rumble from below, and a familiar power that Cynder has not felt in years begins to surge from the valley.
The dragoness' green eyes focus squarely upon the pile of demons swarmed atop the large purple dragon. With a vast explosion of power, Malefor stands back upon his feet.
A glow surrounds his body, and slowly the purple scales of this impressive dragon turn jet black.
He turns his head up to stare at Cynder with his blank white pupils, then looks away.
Malefor draws upon the power of Convexity, and focuses a shock-wave of power in every direction...except towards his mountain
Cynder watches in awe, as the entire valley is wiped clean of any and every living thing by the powerful wave of pure energy.
Malefor stands in the epicenter of the destruction, and slowly begins to flap his wings. The large dragon gains altitude, and Cynder once again becomes nervous.
The purple dragon stops as he approaches her, and hovers a few feet away.
"I have given you a way out Cynder...If you are going to leave, please do not take time in your decision!" He bellows with a deep depression. Malefor turns his head towards Cynder and can see she is just as distraught as he is. "I'm sorry for what I have done...and do not blame you for wanting to leave"
The old dragon stops his speech and turns his attention to the set of purple eyes that are gazing at him from under his mother.
Malefor lowers his head to break eye contact, and Cynder is startled as a tear rolls from his eye down his cheek.
"I know he is not MY SON, and I know that you want me to have nothing to do with his upbringing! So it is best that I stay out of his life!" Malefor somberly bellows, then turns his head to look Cynder in the eye one last time. "Good Luck my former foe and one time friend...please be careful!"
Cynder is overcome with raw emotion
The young dragoness is happy as she watches Malefor fly away...finally leaving her and her son alone. However, at the same time, she is upset at how she has treated him. Even thought, deep in her heart, she could never forgive him...he was a gracious host, and did much to keep her and Sparx alive.
Cynder is also fearful of the unknown, trying to survive in a land that has nothing to offer, giving up the one place that she could guarantee her child would be able to eat.
And the young dragoness is also heartbroken...she is leaving a good friend behind...Snow. A strong-willed female whose heart was twenty times her size.
Malefor suddenly stops after only a few feet, startling Cynder from her thought.
"I will still be watching Cynder, and you will always be welcome to return!" He retorts with a smile, and the young mother feels a slight relief, knowing she now has 'the option' to come back.
"Thank You Malefor!" Cynder answers with the most respectful tone she has ever spoken to her former master. "And I'm sorry too...but I have to do this!"
Malefor hovers in place, and says not a word. He looks down at the young dragoness cradling her son, and once again a tear falls from his eye.
"I understand!" He softly replies, then smiles as his reddish gold wings begin flapping harder to lift him up to his cave. "Spyro is a lucky dragon, Cynder...and I hope he will meet his son soon!"
Before he become to emotional Malefor takes off like a shot, and Cynder watches him disappear into his high cave.
The young dragoness slowly releases the grip she has on her son and relaxes for a moment on the ledge she perched herself on.
Still nearly a thousand feet up, Cynder has a perfect view of her surroundings. The valley is completely devoid of any activity thanks to Malefor, and Cynder can see a path that she will be able to walk down.
"Easy Baby!" Cynder tells the shaking whelpling under her body, and she begins licking the tears from his face. "Everything will be OK Sparx!"
"I'm sorry Mom!" He whimpers with fear that this is his fault. "I didn't know...!"
"Shhhhhhh!" the young mother whispers in his ear and covers his muzzle gently with her large paw. "That was my fault Sparx...I should have told you a long time ago, that he was not your father...but...I was afraid..."
The young dragon pulls his mother's paw from his mouth, hearing her long dramatic pause.
"Afraid of what Mommy!" Sparx asks with concern seeing his mother begin crying.
Cynder holds her son tightly and tells him her worst nightmare.
"I'm afraid that we may be here forever, and that you will never get a chance to meet your father!"
Back in the medical bay, Cynder wakes from the painful thought in her memory.
However, her pain is not just from a memory
Cynder turns her head slowly to the right and is startled at the sight she has not seen in over 2 years. Her right-wing, heavily bandaged and very sore, but it is there, and she can feel it.
"CCYYNNDDEERR AARREE YYOOUU OOKK!" A voice slowly and creepily calls to her from the left, and Cynder turns her attention to an odd looking man with pointed ears.
"I'm Doctor Stanley, and you are in a Skylander medical bay!" His voice becomes a bit more coherent but still fuzzy to her. "Can you hear me?"
Cynder is zonked out of her mind on pain killers, but she nods her head slowly to let him know she can hear his question.
However, the young dragoness can also hear something else. Something that quickly takes her attention...Laughter. And not just any laughter, it is a laugh she has not heard in years, and one that she recognizes right away from her husband.
Cynder again slowly turns her head towards the window of her room and is overwhelmed by a sight the young mother never thought she'd see.
A sight that sends a warm feeling deep into her soul, taking away the terrible chill of the nightmare she just had
Sparx is laying across his father's back, talking in his ear with a big smile.
A deep sigh of relief comes from her muzzle, and she turns back to the doctor.
"They seem to like each other!" She remarks, still whacked out of her mind on pain medication, and the Doctor smiles at her.
"It's been over a day of surgery, Cynder, and they have not left that room." The doctor replies, and walks over to the dark purple & red dragoness. He grasps her paw gently, and looks deep into her eyes. "Even when your husband passed out from complete exhaustion, your son just laid beside him and slept."
Cynder smiles and looks back at her family.
She chuckles as Sparx tries to playful bite his father's horn, like he would do to her when he was young, but then Spyro jostles his body, and flips Sparx over his back with a loud crash.
She can hear her son laughing, and realizes they are still playing.
"Can I see them Doctor?" She asks while slightly laughing herself.
"NO...Not yet Cynder...I need you to rest a little longer!" He replies with a solid grip of her paw, knowing his answer is not the one she wanted to hear. "I can not give you any more medications, either. I'm afraid if I give you another sedative you could slip into a coma, so I need you to just relax and get some sleep."
"Can I watch them until I fall asleep!" She asks apprehensively, and the doctor chuckles at yet another question asked by her drug induced state.
"Of course you can, Cynder, but only if you promise me you'll get some sleep!" The Doctor replies with a bit of sarcasm, and walks out the door.
"I don't think that will be a problem!' She replies to no one in the room.
The heavily sedated dragon can feel her eyelids lowering again, but is not afraid to fall asleep for once. Seeing her husband and son playing and hearing they have not left each others side, Cynder is sure she will finally experience...good dreams.
Thank you for the hits, nearly 2000 since the rewrite startled last month. But how bout telling me what you think.
Love to hear from ya
PS...I will be removing the old story with the next chapter. I've been think to myself...that it might not be a good idea to leave an idea of how the story will end out there for you all to read...kinda defeats the purpose of having a chapter end with a cliffhanger