Legend of Spyro Stormfront
Part 2
Chapter 10
"Malefor!" Spyro screamed as he jumped into a battle stance.
"There will be no need for that here Spyro." Malefor responded. "Have you not figured where you are yet?"
Spyro quickly gave his surroundings another look. He saw white clouds everywhere; there was no sign of Warfang or any other dragons. "Where am I?" Spyro asked.
"You are dead Spyro. You are in the realm of the ancestors."
"Th-then they did it then; they killed me?" Spyro questioned.
"Yes, your friends managed to put an end to your reign of terror before it ever began. Luckily the moment you perished your army disappeared as well." Malefor responded.
Spyro collapsed to the ground, "Thank the ancestors." Spyro stated and then began to weep. He had betrayed his friends, attacked his elders and nearly killed the dragoness he loved. He wished that he could go back and stop himself that night, but alas that was impossible.
"I see you are truly sorry for what you did, that is a good sign." Malefor stated. However, Spyro continued to cry, to cry for the people he had hurt.
"How many?" Spyro asked. "How many met their early demise at my paws? How many?" Spyro implored.
"Come with me." Malefor stated. "I want to show you to something." Then he began to walk away.
Spyro got up and quickly began to follow after the larger purple dragon. It was then that he finally noticed the appearance of the former Dark Master. His scales were not as dark as before, and there was none of the evil aura that he felt, when he was around him the last time, and he looked older, much older in fact.
When they reached their destination, Spyro saw five dragons all in armor.
"Spyro these are the only people that you have killed."
Spyro was shocked to realize that these were the five dragons that he had killed that night when he left Warfang.
The six dragons were hovering in a stare down a few meters away from each other, the yellow eyes of the unknown dragon visible through his helm. Then, the leader of the Guard finally grew the courage, "You are under arrest. Do not move." It began to rain, lighting flashed overhead, followed by the crack of thunder.
Then, he spoke the Guard flinching at the sound of his voice, "You are foolish if you think you can arrest me."
"Get him," the captain ordered.
Just as the five dragons started to fly towards the black one, a beam of purple shot from his mouth, incinerating them instantly.
Spyro saw himself killing these dragons, in excruciating detail. Watching every second go by as there flesh evaporated into the air from Spyro's attack.
"I'm so sorry." Spyro said to the five as he again cried.
"Don't worry about it Spyro we forgive you." They all stated together.
"H-how can you forgive me; I took you away from your family and friends." Spyro stated.
"You were not yourself at the time; you cannot be blamed for what happened." They stated.
"Now that we have gotten that out of the way we have more important matters to discuss." Malefor stated. Then the five dragons of the guard began to fade, "Good luck Spyro," they said, and were gone.
"But I made the choice," Spyro continued. "It was my fault that I did all those horrible things."
"Spyro you were influenced, same way I was influenced." Malefor stated.
Spyro looked up to the larger purple dragon, in shock and thought to himself, "Malefor didn't do all those horrible things by choice either."
"Yes Spyro, I was taken control by darkness as well. You remember the voice don't you?"
"Yes." Spyro responded shuttering at remembering the evil that guided him down the dark path.
"It was the voice of the darkness in your heart. Do you remember when you were corrupted on the Night of Eternal Darkness?"
"Yes." Spyro responded.
"This was doomed to happen ever since you fell into that beam. However, I am surprised you managed to hold onto yourself for so long. The weight of that malice on someone's soul is no easy task to bear. It is quite a feat in its own right. Then on top of that you were able to overthrow its control over your body, if even only for a second. You actually saved the world again Spyro. And the higher ups seem to think that has earned you a little credit my friend." Malefor stated.
"Wait, what?" Spyro asked.
"The ancestors believe they owe you some back pay Spyro. You will be returned to the Earth you saved." Malefor told him.
Spyro's face was in utter shock. "He could see Cynder again!" He thought.
"Although, only after a little training Spyro." Malefor told him.
"What could I possible learn? I'm dead!" Spyro asked.
"If we let you go back now you will turn back into what you were earlier, and it probably won't end well." Malefor told Spyro. "The ancestors have seen fit that you learn to control the darkness and to use it."
"Who will teach me?" Spyro asked.
"Well, I will of course. What other dragon has been infused with darkness?"
Spyro could think of only one, Cynder. "What about Cynder she was turned into the Terror of the Skies."
"Number one, she isn't dead so she can't teach you. Number two she never was truly embraced by darkness itself like you and I. Hers was only a secondary exposure to the darkness within me, not to the darkness itself." Malefor told his smaller pupil. "Now let's begin."
"Feel for the darkness in your body, it should come quite easily. Brace yourself when you find it. It will try to take you over again, but it will only succeed if you let it. The powers of this place prevent it from seizing control without your will."
Spyro searched inside himself, at first he felt his elements, fire, then electricity, earth, and then followed by ice. He kept going deeper and deeper, and then he found something, it felt like a pit, a pit of darkness. Spyro felt that he was at the precipice of the pit, but then something pushed him in. He was immediately over come with a sense of malice.
"Spyro you must fight it. If you wish to return you must pass this test." He heard Malefor say from what seemed like a great distance away.
Spyro then exploded with determination; he would see Cynder again, even with the malice of the world in his way.
"Good Spyro! Keep it up; I can feel the darkness losing power." Malefor called to him. "Use your feelings of those you care for, darkness cannot hold up against such an onslaught."
Spyro felt the darkness recede deeper into the pit. Spyro chased after it, not willing to let it escape. He grabbed onto it with all his strength.
"Good Spyro. Now drag it into the light and it will submit to you!" Malefor called once more. Spyro began to tug the evil out of its pit towards the lip of the pit.
"No don't do this," he heard the darkness call to him. "I can give you immeasurable power Spyro." The voice stated becoming increasingly more desperate.
"Shove it!" And with a mighty tug Spyro ripped the darkness from the pit. Then all went black.
Spyro began to open his eyes. He noticed he was looking from within a helm. He looked trying to find Malefor, when he did he saw a look of shock upon his face.
"You did it Spyro!" The darkness has surrendered to you. Have a look at yourself."
That's when Spyro noticed his scales were once again black, with the black smoke covering him once again. Except instead of only seeing what was happening to the world around him, he had control of his own body this time. He flexed his forelegs, and then began to test all of his body. All of it registered to his command. Then he let the darkness slip back into his body and with it his appearance. He once again looked like his normal self except for the black stripe still remained.
"Well done Spyro, would you like to be sent back now?" Malefor asked him.
"Yes, but I have one question first. How did you fall to darkness then?" Malefor gave him a grave look.
"It's a long story, but I will tell you this. I was captured. An ape named Kane; he forced me into the beam at the Well of Souls. You know his descendant in fact. You killed him ironically, after you fell into the same beam.
Spyro whispered, "Gaul."
"Correct Spyro." Malefor told him. "From then on it went all downhill and you know the rest of the story."
"Now, anything else before you return?" Malefor asked.
"No, not that I can think of." Spyro said.
"Okay, good luck. Tell…tell Cynder I'm sorry for what I did to her." Malefor told him. A whole in the clouds opened up underneath Spyro. He began to fall; he swore he saw a tear in the eye of the older purple dragon. That is when he noticed his eyes, they were the same purple as his own, and then he continued to fall beneath the clouds.
After falling for what seemed like a few moments he began to be able to see what was underneath him, Warfang. He saw a courtyard filled with dragons, moles, and cheetahs. On what looked like a small plateau he noticed a few more dragons. He could count the seven dragons on the plateau but he could not make out who they were. Then he noticed a wooden box, and in it was a purple mass. As Spyro continued to fall he realized, he was above his own funeral. He couldn't help but laugh at his predicament. He was actually watching his own funeral.
"I suppose I could give them quite a surprise he thought to himself." But then he also realized something else. They had been fighting him, they in fact even killed him, and it might not be the best thing to surprise them too much. They might attack him before he had a chance to explain himself." He thought.
"Ohh well, it can't be helped he thought." He continued to fall towards the casket. He tried to flap his wings to slow his descent but to no avail. When he thought he would crash into the casket, he felt nothing no pain, just a sudden need to gasp for air. He gasped loudly for air. Then opened his eyes and to see the blue sky above him.
"Well it seems that I'm back," he said to himself. He could hear a familiar voice chanting a prayer behind him. "Better get this show on the road." He thought as raised his head from the casket.
"I don't mean to interrupt, but I'm not dead."
Flame had spent the last three days mostly with Flare and Quake. Ever since the battle he had been under strict super vision by the Guardians. They were making sure that no one knew what happened or why, and Flame had no intention to tell anyone about what had happened either. Spyro was to remain a hero in the eyes of the people not a merciless villain that he had fought. The populace had been told that while everyone was battling the army. Spyro had killed the dark dragon at the cost of his own life and everyone believed it to be true.
Today was Spyro's funeral; he was walking to the courtyard where it would be held. He would meet Flare, Quake, the Guardians, and Cynder there.
Cynder of course was not handling it well. She has been locked up in her room along with Sparx for the past three days ever since the end of the battle. When the Guardians went to check on her they could hear nothing but sobs coming from behind the door, and occasionally Sparx's voice attempting to comfort the distraught dragoness, although you could hear his sobs as well between his words of condolence.
Flame reached the courtyard, which was already beginning to fill. The courtyard where was being held was decorated to the highest of standards. Black banners with the symbol of all four of the elements hung from the various white marble stone buildings next to it. A podium was placed in the center of the plateau so a few select friends of Spyro could give their last remarks. The stone floor polished to a fine sheen. Areas were cordoned off for the various races to meet and to stand for the service. Many of the moles dressed appropriately for a funeral, wearing all black. The dragons were unclothed as usual; however members of the Dragon Guard were arrayed in there full ceremonial armor. The Cheetah's were present as well, Hunter, Prowlus and Meadow among them, however still in their usual garb. The Guardians were already present along with everyone else at the top of the plateau. Lastly, there was an oak casket, with a gold seal of the four elements with top undone so the onlookers could get one last look at their hero.
"Quick Flame, get up here," Flare called to him.
He quickly made his way up to her and stood in a line along with her, Quake and Cynder. Cynder was looking at the ground, with look of despair on it. Sparx was resting on top of her head with the same look on his face.
Terrador then went to the podium and began the service. He started off with an ancient prayer for the passing of dragons. Followed by a mole giving there equivalent, then followed by Hunter who gave the same from the Cheetahs. Much of the audience was openly lamenting. Then Cyril and Volteer went up and gave a speech about how Spyro was everyone's friend and going on about his good qualities. Never once even giving a hint to what Spyro had done. It was not long before the Dragon Guard made their way up the central isle so they could carry the casket to its final resting place. Terrador being leader of the Guardians was automatically chosen for the closing speech. He went to the podium standing proud and tall before the crowd, closed his eyes and began.
"Spyro was a good friend to us all, however he is gone. We must allow his spirit to live on with us. He was the most kind, thoughtful, and humble dragon we knew. He gave his life for us, and all of us would not be alive today if it was not for his sacrifice. One day, we may all see him again when we to pass on to the realm of the ancestors."
"I don't mean to interrupt, but I'm not dead."
A shocked gasp came from the whole crowd.
"Who dare interrupt Spyro's funeral," Terrador thought to himself, then he opened his eyes. He saw none other than the purple dragon himself poking his head out of his own coffin.
Cynder looked up from her melancholy state. "Spyro?"
Flame, Flare and Quake jumped into a battle stance ready for another battle with what they thought was a monster.
Hunter magically produced a bow from somewhere and was already readying an arrow.
Cyril and Volteer could only stand with their mouths agape at the seemingly living purple dragon.
Spyro then squeezed his way out of the coffin, and then jumped over the side onto the ground. He then proceeded to stretch and pop his joints.
"I guess being dead doesn't do well for the body." He stated. Then promptly began to walk up onto the plateau for everyone to see. "Terrador may I have the podium?"
Terrador was unable to respond for the first few seconds. "Sure Spyro." Then he bent down closer to the purple dragon, "You are the real Spyro, correct?"
"Yes Terrador, the darkness within me has been defeated." Spyro responded in a whisper.
"Now, may I have the podium I wish to speak?" Spyro asked the earth master.
He stepped aside signaling that he was allowed. Spyro took to the podium and began.
"It is good to be back friends." The crowd let out a huge cheer that continued for several minutes. After they finally quieted down, Spyro began again. "However, I wish it was on better circumstances. I am sorry, I betrayed you all, and I hope one day you can forgive me for my transgressions."
"Trying to liven up your own funeral Spyro? Good one!" An audience member laughed. A number of the audience then proceeded to laugh at Spyro's joke.
"How many of you saw the dragon outside the walls attacking our beautiful city?" Spyro asked. Most of the Dragon Guard, followed by many moles, and a few of the Cheetahs raised their hands.
"Did he look like this?" Spyro responded. Spyro's black stripe again flickered, and began to consume his body. The black flames once again encased him, and begun to cover his body. When the flames receded it again showed a black dragon with a hide of living shadows, and black smoke falling from it. The helm was once again on his face for all to see.
"Was this the evil dragon you saw?" It spoke. He walked away from the podium towards Terrador. Sticking his neck low and into a vulnerable position, he spoke loud enough for all to hear, "I surrender myself to you Terrador for incarceration and full punishment under the law of Warfang."
And that is chapter 10. Please review.