Chapter 9: Malefor

The walk back to Warfang was an awkward one to say the least, I was still reeling from Cyril's outburst, despite Sparx and Cynder telling me over and over that he was just lashing out and that he'd come around eventually.

So for those keeping score, I was two for six in royally peeving my old friends, not a bad score for someone who's been thought dead for three years mind you, but still, that number shifted heavily in the other direction once you took the angry randoms that have also accused me of abandoning them into account.

But those two also still stung, it was as if they were the only ones having the right reaction as far as my mind was concerned, I mean, I appreciated that Cynder and Sparx were willing to forgive me and all, but Cynder still decked me when we first reunited, so that actually made me three for six in royally pissing off my old friends. I was kinda under the impression the only reason she forgave me was because I happened to lose my memory.

I've been second guessing myself a lot since Cyril's outburst, wondering who was really right about me, I mean, Cynder had a point, I had no control over what had happened, but Cyril was right as well when he said that didn't change the pain they had to go through during my absence.

Maybe when we get a moment alone, I can pick Cynder's brain, figure out why she was so quick to forgive me? Maybe hearing her explain would help me deal with Cyril's words a bit better? A second opinion can do a lot to put someone's words into perspective. Speaking of, "Cynder? Where are we going anyway?" I asked her.

She stopped and turned to face me, "We're going to my place for the night," she said, perfect, once we got to her place I could ask her my questions, figure things out.

We soon arrived at this rather small looking building, I guess you could consider it the Dragon Realm equivalent of a small apartment. The door swayed open revealing a very simple looking home, there was a small table in the center, several pillows strewn out in front of a small fire place, and bizarrely what appeared to be some kind of drinking trough, like the ones pigs would drink from. Why would Cynder have that?

"I know it's not much to look at," she said, "But it's home, make yourselves comfortable," she said, I found myself trudging over to one of the many pillows laid on the floor, hoisting myself upon it, the soft pillow felt so nice against my still aching body.

I almost wanted to fall asleep right there, but I had things to get off my chest first, "Cynder," I called, patting the pillow next to me to signal I wanted her to lay next to me.

She was confused, but did as I wanted her to, plopping herself on the pillow next to me, "What's up?" she asked me.

Okay Spyro, approach this carefully now, don't want to offend her, "I've been thinking a lot lately," I said, so far so good, "Remember when Cyril mentioned he was surprised you were so quick to forgive me?" I said, yes, good, nice and easy, "Why did you forgive me so quickly? I mean, it can't just be that I have no memory and you happened to feel bad for me right?" I said, and you came off a bit too strong Spyro, good job.

Cynder sighed, "Yeah, I did," she said, she seemed reluctant to go into any further detail though, as if not wanting to tell me. But, eventually, "I'm not going to lie to you Spyro, if you hadn't revealed your lack of memory, I probably would have reacted the same way Cyril did, I spent three years grieving, three years wishing it were me instead of you, and to see you standing right there like nothing had happened, I was so angry, I felt betrayed! That's why I kinda punched you, I was so angry you left without coming once just to let us know you were okay, so angry you would leave us to suffer," she continued.

I blinked, "What changed?" I asked her simply.

Cynder's eyes began to water, "Like I said, you revealed you didn't remember anything, I still wanted to be angry with you, I had gone through three years of hell only to have you just show up out of nowhere, I had every right to hate you just for that, but… when I saw how afraid you were, so lost and confused, I just couldn't… part of me still wants to hate you for what you put me through, but part of me also remembers I used to be that lost, confused, afraid little dragon, riddled with guilt over something they had no control over," She explained.

"Cyril doesn't understand what that's like, having something you had no control over hanging around your neck like a noose, I remember back when you first brought me to the temple after saving me, he was the one who insisted I be kicked out, unwilling to forgive me for what I'd done, Ignitus insisted I be allowed to stay, and Terrador agreed with him, trusting his judgment," she said, "Volteer? He spent so long debating the pros and cons of letting me stay that Cyril eventually just gave in and accepted me into the temple," she said with a small laugh.

However, she then turned back to me, "Spyro, I know you think what you did was wrong, and arguably, it was, but I know I'm doing the right thing by forgiving you, as hard as it was, I knew you would have done the same for me if our roles were reversed," she said, "Besides… I'm just glad that you're back, why should it be more complicated than that?" She asked me.

Cynder explanation was a lot to take in, part of me was kinda disheartened to hear a part of her still hated me. But she seemed to have repressed it for my sake, understanding that I had no control over it. A very "reals over feels" conclusion to come to, I guess that was just the kind of dragon Cynder was, rational, if not a bit headstrong. However, I had one more thing I wanted to ask, "Cynder, what was it Volteer wanted to talk to you about before Terrador attacked me?" I asked her.

Cynder sighed, "Ironically, it was the same as the reason Terrador attacked you, Volteer didn't want to say it in front of you, but he was worried you weren't the real Spyro, and was… trying to prepare me in case it turned out to be true," she explained. "I… I lashed out at him, you had to be real, I just… I kept thinking about those days I spent mourning you, and it made me angry again, and poor Volteer wound up being on the wrong end of it," she continued, "I know I probably should have considered the possibility, no offense, but your story was a bit far fetched, but I didn't want to consider it, I just wanted things to be how they were before, just you, me, Sparx, and The Guardians as one, big, happy family," she said.

The fact Volteer suspected me of being a fake kinda upset me a little, I wanted to believe at least one Guardian believed in me, but then again, he still felt the need to not mention it in front of me, so there was at least some faith in me still there. "Do you think I'm not the real Spyro?" I asked her. "I mean, despite everything that's happened… I still have a hard time believing I'm Spyro myself," I explained.

Cynder shook her head, "I know you're him, I can still see the Spyro I knew in you, maybe a little more subdued, maybe you're not as brave as you used to be, but he's still there," she said, placing her paw on mine for some reason, was this the dragon equivalent of holding hands?

She quickly noticed and hastily removed it from mine, "A… anyway," she stammered, I could swear her cheeks were slightly redder than usual. "You have any other questions?" She said, smiling nervously, yeah I think I have one, but I can tell you wouldn't want to answer it.

I decided to throw her a bone, I owed her that much at least, "What about Sparx? Why do you think he forgave me? I mean, from what you said, he didn't exactly take my death well," I asked, seeing that Sparx had passed out on the table, I guess today's adventure took more out of the little guy than I thought it had.

Cynder shook her head, "Who knows," she said, "My personal opinion? He's just happy that you're back for him to annoy, Sparx isn't exactly a complicated dragonfly," she said. I expected there to me more to it than that, but from what I've seen of him, it was believable enough.

However, "Spyro, you need to stop letting what happened hang over your head like this," she said, "What's done is done, we can't change the past, I of all people know that better than most," she told me, "I forgave you despite having every reason not to, don't you think you should afford yourself the same luxury?" she asked me.

I doubted it would be quite that easy, but a part of me knew she was right, I couldn't keep beating myself up over something I had no control over like this, it wasn't healthy, if Cynder could find it in herself to forgive me, why couldn't I do the same? It was hard, very hard, one of the hardest things I've ever had to do, but I finally decided to forgive myself, what's done is done, I can't undo the three years of hell I put my friends through, all I could do was try my hardest to be better, to work towards a brighter tomorrow, even if there were still those who were unwilling to forgive me, I still had to at least try.

I felt tears begin to form as I felt the weight lift from my shoulders for the first time since coming back to this world, no longer burdened by my own self destructive guilt, "Feel better now?" Cynder asked me.

With tears in my eyes, I nodded, I felt better, much better, part of me still felt bad for what I'd done, but I knew that would probably never go away, but Cynder was right, if I didn't forgive myself I was only going to keep hurting myself more, and I've had more than enough of that today.

Cynder lowered her head, "I think it's time we got some sleep, we've both had quite the day today," she said, I couldn't agree more, today was quite a rough one, granted, it went a bit better than I thought it would, but it was still a trying experience to say the least. However at least the worst parts of returning to my life here were over and done with, I knew where everyone stood in regards to what they thought of my coming back.

These next few days would be rough, I doubt Cyril or Terrador would let go of their anger overnight, but hey, at least I had Cynder and Sparx right? I think I'll be fine… just fine…

Later…

My eyes opened to a sight I never thought I'd see again, my room… my human room… I couldn't believe it, everything was just as I left it, every detail, every corner and object exactly as I remembered it. I felt a sense of ease come over me, as if every problem I had just magically vanished. Sweet normalcy once again within my grasp. However… this relief quickly faded when I noticed I was still a dragon.

This also made me question what was happening here then, why was I back in the Human Realms? Ignitus said I couldn't return without risking it's stability, and I don't remember crossing through any portal. But yet… I was still here, in my old room, the room I spent three years living in a body that wasn't mine, experiencing a life I still kinda longed for, where my only true worry was ducking the jocks at school.

"Do you like it?"

I froze, I knew that voice… I could never forget that voice… it was the dream dragon, the one that started this whole thing… sure enough he was sitting right there in the far corner of the room, but something was different this time, his presence, it felt… wrong… unnatural, like he really shouldn't be here.

The dragon began to approach the bed I laid upon, "It's unfair… isn't it Jason? How quickly he took this all from you, stripping you of everything and everyone you ever knew in this world, forcing you back into a life many do not welcome you back to," he said. "Even those who seemed accepting hold deep hatreds within their hearts, you know it, I know it, but yet… here you are, forced to bear it regardless, because poor Ignitus just couldn't stand to lose his precious Spyro," he continued.

The closer this dragon drew, the more uncomfortable I got, there was just something about him that unsettled me, something primal, buried deep within my locked memories that knew this creature was something bad, very bad. "Tell me Jason, do you miss them? The younger brother? The loving mother? The best friend who stuck with you to the bitter end? What has become of them I wonder, after you were so unfairly erased from their lives?" he asked me.

I hadn't even thought of that, what did become of my old family and friends? Were they suffering like my Dragon Realm friends had? "Ignitus didn't care about them, why would he? They were but tools, things to manipulate in order to house you while he worked to rip you from it all when he felt it was time, tell me Jason… is that fair? Did you even get a say in it all? Or where you just dragged along by the nose, forced to accept a life you never even knew existed, where those who you thought of as father figures spurn you for something you had no say in?" he continued.

I couldn't lie, he was making a lot of sense, why was I doing this? Because I had to? Out of some kind of guilt for abandoning a world I never knew existed? "Why are you telling me all of this?" I asked him.

The dragon grew a wicked grin, "Because little dragon, I know what it's like to be spurned by those I thought had my best interest in mind, to be forced into something you never wanted," he said, "Purple dragons are among the most powerful creatures in the realms, we have just as much control over time as The Chronicler, did you know that? What am I saying, of course you don't, even when you had your memories you never even scratched the surface of what a purple dragon is capable of," the dragon began to pace back and forth across the floor of my room, never taking his eyes off me for a second, "I can give it all back to you, your life as Jason, the family and friends your heart still aches for, everything Ignitus took away from you," he told me.

My eyes widened, he could do that? Could he let me go back to my life as a human? I mean, I know I just forgave myself for leaving before, but… at the same time… a part of me still wondered if I really deserved to be there, Cynder forgave me but only because I happened to have no memory, maybe… maybe it would be better for everyone if I just left? "You don't have to be Spyro anymore," the dragon said, "Spyro is dead, the dead should stay buried Jason, go back to your life as a human, there's no need to torment Spyro's friends any longer," he began to coax me.

I really wanted to take him up on his offer, I wanted my life back, I wanted it more than anything in the world, to see mom, Shaun, and Zack again, to just be normal, loved, to not have my mistakes hung around my neck like a noose. It was the easiest choice I could ever make. Why shouldn't I accept his offer? I never asked to be Spyro, I wasn't even given a choice in... anything! No one had to suffer anymore... I could just end all the pain now... how could I refuse?

But yet… I couldn't do it… every time I went to accept his offer I just kept seeing Cynder's face, my words getting caught inside my throat, what would she think of me if I just gave up and left? She found it in herself to forgive me even when she had every reason not to, how can I betray her now? Throw that forgiveness back into her face because things were too hard? And what about Sparx? He was so happy to have me back, how can I just rip his heart out like that and hurt him all over again? I can't do that to them… it wasn't right, it was selfish.

No matter how much I wanted my old life back, I owed it to my friends to reward their trust, their forgiveness, yeah maybe Terrador, Cyril, and half the population of Warfang hated me for abandoning them, but they'd come around eventually, "I'm sorry… I can't…" I said.

The dragon was at first shocked, expecting me to accept his deal without a second thought. However his shock quickly turned to rage, "So… even when I offer you a way out, you still spurn me?!" He growled as the room began to erupt in flames, "Don't think I didn't notice how fearful you were of me boy, you may not remember my name, but you know my face quite well, the face of the dragon you had to kill yourself to stop!" he said. Wait… was… was he Malefor?! It made sense, what other face would my subconscious give to my internal guilt than the very dragon who put me in that world in the first place? "You can't kill me Spyro, you know you can't. that's why I offered you a way out, but it seems even without memories you still cling onto that ill gotten sense of nobility!" he spat.

Malefor just stood there as my old room began to burn away, me too afraid to move a single muscle, "And what do you spurn me for? Her?! She who served as my obedient pet for many years? Do you know how easily I can take her away from you? How easily I can take any of them from you?" He said, "I've waited three long years to escape the prison you put me in, if you think for one second I'm going to allow you the chance to stop me again, you are sorely mistaken, I'm not just going to kill you Spyro, oh no, that would be far too simple," he snarled as he began to draw closer and closer until his face was practically pressed up against mine, "I'm going to break you, leave you battered, destroyed, begging for the sweet release of death! Everyone you've ever loved, Cynder, Sparx, The Guardians, even Hunter and that shelter keeper Karius, I will kill every last one of them just to show you how much of a mistake you've made!" he snarled.

My blood ran cold, what have I done?! I know I should be writing this off as a dream, but something about Malefor just seemed real, like he had somehow inserted himself into my dream just to make this threat. "You really thought that crystal would contain me forever? The Ancestors couldn't hold me before, what makes you think they could hold me now? I'm already free boy, and I'm coming for your little friends, and there is nothing you can do to stop me! Even if you had your memories back, you couldn't kill me last time, you can't kill me now, so I hope your little act of altruism was worth it you little whelp, because now… you're going to see just how heroism is rewarded in the real world," he said before everything went white.

Reality…

I woke up screaming, cold sweat running down my scales, tears soaking my eyes, Cynder and Sparx were both woken up with a start, "Whoa?! What's going on?! Are we being attacked?! I'm too pretty to die!" Sparx said, buzzing around the room in a panic.

But I couldn't focus on that, my mind was almost completely taken over by my own anxiety, again, the rational thing to do would be to write it off as a bad dream and move on, but something about the dream told me otherwise. I could feel Malefor's presence, like he was really there.

However I suddenly saw Cynder come into view, "Spyro? Are you alright? What happened?" She asked me.

I began to hyperventilate, my heart beating a mile a second, I was scared, more scared than I'd ever been in my life, "H… he's coming! Oh my god he's coming and I can't stop it!" I said hysterically.

Cynder and Sparx both seemed quite confused by this, "Who's coming?" Cynder asked me.

I tried to calm myself down enough to answer her question, "Malefor! He's coming! He's going to kill everyone and I can't stop him! Oh god I can't stop him!" I said.

Cynder and Sparx both looked at each other before turning back to me, "Spyro, Malefor isn't coming, he's trapped by the Ancestors, you probably just had a bad dream," she told me.

However I knew better, that wasn't just a dream! "No he's not! He's coming back and he's gonna kill everyone I know and love!" I cried, Cynder began to stroke the back of my head, trying to calm me down, but how could I? Malefor was back and he was pissed, I had to die just to stop him last time! How could I stop him again?!

I could see that Sparx was beginning to panic, he knew that he had to be on Malefor's hit list, "Wh… what if Spyro's right Cynder? I… I don't wanna die!" he stammered.

However Cynder just glared at him, "Malefor isn't coming back Sparx! He's gone! Spyro just had a nightmare, there's nothing more to it than that!" she snapped, rather bitterly too I might add, as if she really didn't want it to be true. Given what happened the last time Malefor came back, I couldn't say I blamed her. I didn't want to believe he was back either, but something about that dream was screaming at me that Malefor's threat was all too real.

I began to sob uncontrollably, horrible images of Malefor killing my friends played on endless loop in my mind, I was so scared I felt close to pure madness, as if any moment the pure, unhinged terror would swallow me whole. "I'm telling you Cynder, something about that dream… it felt real… I want to believe it's just a nightmare like you said… but something deep inside me is telling me it isn't," I explained.

Cynder began to look worried, I don't know if it was because of how scared I was, or if it was the prospect that Malefor might return, neither would surprise me, it could even be a mix of the two for all I knew. "Spyro, it's going to be okay, even if it wasn't just a dream, which I still think it is, we'll overcome him just like we did last time," she said.

Sparx decided to butt in, "Maybe not exactly like last time, I'd rather you did it without the… ya know… dying part?" he said, well that went without saying, I didn't want to end up dying again, I already abandoned this world once, I wasn't about to do it again.

However, the conversation stopped when we heard a knocking on the door, oh god, if that's Malefor… no no, keep your head on straight Spyro, you're being paranoid. Cynder got up without a word and began to approach the door, my head practically stuck in my throat I was so tense.

However, when she opened the door, the visitor was revealed, it wasn't Malefor, thank god, but it was still someone I'd rather not see right now.

There, standing in the doorway, was none other than Terrador…

A/N: And THAT, is how you leave on a cliffhanger kids! What does Terrador want with our heroes? Well you're just going to have to keep reading to find out then won't you?

Now I know what you're thinking, "Foowd, I thought you were posting these chapters daily?! What happened Yesterday?!" well, I kinda wanted to take a short break, the holiday season be crazy yo, I had gifts to buy/wrap, others to watch the shipping progress on Amazon, I was feeling a bit overwhelmed to say the least and I didn't want it effecting this story so I decided to sit on this chapter until today.

A Little shout out to "SkdaGamer" for somewhat inspiring the beginning portion of this chapter with his kinda valid criticisms in regards to Cynder and Sparx's quickness to forgive Spyro, so I tried to at least explain why Cynder and Sparx reacted the way they did, while I doubt this was the fix he had in mind, it was the best one I could come up with without completely rewriting the whole damn fanfic. (And I've already had to do it with this remake twice! So I'm not about to do that again!)

Sometimes I don't notice these things, I'm kinda stupid like that, and the whole point of me rewriting this was to correct the mistakes I made with the original. I want this thing to be as good as I can possibly make it, I don't want to leave this remake with regrets like the original.

I always welcome constructive criticism whenever I get it, I want to give you guys the very best I can, and having people point out when I screw up helps a TON with that. I am but a flawed human being after all.

I am still proud of this remake though, I'm really impressed with how much better I made it than the original so far, and I hope I can continue making it better and better.

UPDATE: I extended Spyro's narration at the Malefor offer scene to give it more punch, I also fixed a few grammar gaffs.