(Ddragon - Hmm… It could work, I can see a few difficulties between the two, but mostly trust issues at first. MCZ: I'm glad you understand what's going on despite my grammar issues. ^^. Alright, with the reviews answered, this is chapter 10.)

Chapter 10: I couldn't stop it...

For the rest of the duo's search for Koal, they have been quiet and remained a distance away from each other as they glided over the forest.

"..Hey I think I see him!" Cynder yelled with excitement in her voice, she glided over toward the red figure on the ground and lands near him. "Koal!" Cynder said as she nudged him, but gained no response.. "..Koal?" Cynder asked again, but this time Koal let out a soft groan, but remained still.. "Koal, this isn't funny, get up" Cynder said, pushing him softly with her nose, but still he remained laying down.. "Koal.." Cynder said, now growing a little worried.

"Hold on, i'm going to find some spirit gems!" Spyro said as he ran off. He returned moments later with a cluster of gem, he smashes it to pieces near Koal's body. The gems slowly absorbed into koal's body, at first nothing happend, but a suddenly flow of energy washed over his body.

-Koal's PoV-

I was quickly awakened by a sudden rush of energy. I got up and swiftly looked around with wide eyes as panic rushed through my mind, causing my heart to race. It took an amount for me to calm down, I looked down at my self as I realized I felt renewed. My attention was drawn when Cynder called my name.

"...I-I'm sorry Cynder..." I said as I placed my head down, covering my face with my wings. Cynder brushed her head against my stomach.

"Its ok, Koal. You didn't do anything wrong, you just.. felt pressured that's all" Cynder said.

"Hooray and all that, but we should get back to the Temple." Sparx said as he flew up above us.

That typical coward of a dragonfly, it makes me wonder where he even gets the courage to continue to be with Spyro through thick and thin.

"..Did you… just use a spirit gem on me?" I asked around.

"Actually, I did. I thought you might have been harmed." Spyro said.

I let out a long sigh. "... I was actually resting to regain back my energy, but it seems I had fallen asleep. To be honestly, I had overworked myself back there, most of it helping you two train" I said before slowly raising up back to my feet. "Those gems actually helped me rest up, so thank you but next time, please warn me. My body didn't react well to those gems while yes, it did help my energy, it felt a bit too much. I have a limit to how much I can handle" I said to Spyro. I looked up toward the skies as the sun was descending in the distance, but what caught my eye was smoke rising into the air. Without a word, I quickly flapped my wings and took flight into the air. "No, this shouldn't be happening.." I said to myself as I rose higher and higher into the air. But my thoughts were confirmed when the smoke was coming from the temple itself. Curse it all! I thought this wasn't going to happen! I said mentally to myself as a dreaded memory rose from my mind.. The apes had attacked the temple. The temple's balcony came with my sight's view as I saw ignitus fighting off the apes. I felt my heart racing.. "I couldn't stop it, all I did was delayed it!" I said mentally to myself as I nose dived at the ground, slamming a talon wing into a group of those foul beasts!

I did a U-turn and came back form another go, except this time, I exhaled a small spread of flames, setting the ground ablaze, but despite such an attack, the apes only got back up. "How in the hell can they survive that!?" I said mentally to myself. The ape army's attacks pressed on, coming in wave after wave. Cynder in her Serpent form joined the fight along with Spyro.

Spyro attacked with pure physical strength, attacking with such speed and aerodynamic agility while Cynder was unleashing flying shards of ice through the spell known as Bing.

I soon joined with Ignitus, tail to tail, I had his back and he had mine. Whatever ape attacked from behind, I slayed each one. As I fought more and more, pieces of my human life was starting to fade form my mind, only to return as new found knowledge. If my memories are needed to be forgotten to gain power, so be it..

"I am Koal, wyvern of fire!" I announced to apes to let them know who I was and if any of those abominations managed to survive, they'll fear the name. From this day forward, I've decided to shed what remains of my human side as I embrace what I became: A wyvern of fire. No matter how small my flame is, no matter how inexperience I am with this form, I will protect this temple with my dying breath. We've had enough suffering as it is and there shalt not be any more!

The war pressed with as all four of us fought valiantly. Even if any of the apes managed to get into the temple, those apes would up killed by the three guardians.

As I gave up more and more of my past, I was starting to gain new found knowledge of magic spells, first to come to my mind was a level 1 fire spell known as "Hwa".

Fire began to gather between my talons as I casted it, causing flames to erupt from under a group of apes.

"Ignitus, watch out!" I yelled a warning as some kind of ape wearing purple strikedarmor attempted to attack from above. But Ignitus was quick to react as he spun around and knocked the night-wanna-be ape out of the sky, preventing whatever the assassination the creature had planned. I leaped over Ignitus and land nearby near the armored ape, quickly pinning it with my talon thumbs. For some reason by instinct, I let out a mighty roar in the ape's face.

Meanwhile with Cynder and Spyro, they had managed to get rid of what remained of the apes, I didn't care if they killed them all or if they all fled.

"Now, you filthy ape. I suggest you start talking, unless you wish to live with a missing arm!" I said threatening, growling deep with my throat. The ape answered with muffled words. I grew annoyed a this and decided to pull off the ape's helmet. "Repeat it again..." I asked with a glare.

Cynder, Spyro, and Ignitus was nearby, watching. Although Sparx flew out and gave the ape's nose a sharp jab.

"Gah! I will answer a word to you, dragon!" The ape answered, quickly spitting in my face.

"Answer.. or you will burn by my flame.." I said threatening. But before the ape could provide an answer, a hail of green bombs scattered and hit around me and the group. I quickly covered my muzzle as I soon discovered they were smoke bombs, I had no choice but to cover my face to prevent myself from choking on the smoke, but the rest were not so lucky as I heard them coughing. As the smoke cleared, the night was gone, I suddenly hear someone laughing as I quickly looked up to.. a ninja ape?

"You're quite the warrior, aren't you, dragon? But remember this, we will be back!" the ninja ape said before vanished in a poof of smoke.. How grand.. An assassin and an adviser together in this world…

I heard a rather deep growl coming from Cynder as she leaped off of the balcony, she was still in her serpent form. Me and Spyro chased after her.

"Cynder, hold up! We don't know where they want.. Cynder? CYNDER!" I yelled out to her, but I didn't get her attention, she kept flying on and on, she eventually flew and landed. From where we were, it looked like we were getting close to some kind of desert?

"Cynder, Why did you f-" I stopped in mid sentence as I saw a tear run down her face.. "Cynder?" I repeat her name. She quickly wiped her tear away. "I-I'm fine.." she said.

"What's wrong?" Spyro asked, but Cynder ignored him. "Please tell me what's w-"

"I'M FINE!" She yelled in anger before taking flight into the air, in her normal form this time as she returned back to the temple.

Questions began to run through my mind, only to end up with no answers, she claims he's ok, but obvious from her sudden anger that she definitely isn't.

All three of us returned to temple.

"By the ancestors, Cynder! Please tell us what's wrong!" Spyro asked as we landed.

"...You wanna know what's wrong?! ME! ITS ME! Those apes attacked because of ME! Its obvious they were after me!" Cynder screamed, her voice echoing throughout the Marshlands.

"I can feel it… I can sense it.. I can hear his voice... I can hear the dark master trying to communicate with me, but its only a weakened whisper.." Cynder looked over at me. "the ice gem you gave me only weaken his control on me. During the battle, I was fighting him in m-my mind… Because of the ice gem, I managed to fight it off. Those apes will come back for me, Koal.. They'll come back.." Cynder said. She was trying so hard to hold her tears in, she wanted to be strong.

Spyro walked over to her and placed his wing onto her, comforting her.

I went into a deep thought as I wrestled with my thoughts. If we remain at the temple, the apes will keep attacking, we can keep fighting, but eventually they'll become to great to handle, plus who knows how many there are. I eventually reached a conclusion, and it was a suggestion I fear to make. I walked on over to her as well, I reached down and pushed her head up to face mine. " And as much as I hate to say this, you might have to follow that whisper. Its obvious those apes work for this dark master guy and when there's an a general, there is a leader" I said with confidence.

Cynder felt uncomfortable hearing those words, but she eased up a bit and nodded. "We are in this together, we're will them down. With fire, ice, and the legend" I said as I let go off of Cynder's chin,

"For now, we should rest for the night." Spyro said as he walked inside of the temple, I followed behind but stopped when I noticed Cynder staring off into the distance. I sighed, knowing I shouldn't had suggested on letting her follow the voice, to be honest I wanted to prevent this but seeing as the eternal night has arrived regardless of my own actions.

I walked on over to Cynder and sat down, she looked up at me before she laid her head against my stomach, "Koal.. Thank you so much for what you've down for me.." Cynder said.

Spyro soon returned back as he notice I didn't come with me. Cynder lifted her head and walked over to Spyro. "I have to thank you as well Spyro, for saving me, for freeing me.." Cynder said as she nuzzled Spyro's face, making him blush at first. Both of them covered each other with wings. I couldn't help but smile, but the moment was ruined when Sparx flew in.

"alright, alright, break it up! No need to love on the dark mistress!" Sparx said as he flew in between the time

"Dammit, sparx!" I said in annoyance. That dragonfly is a pain in the tail side!

Cynder let out a soft sigh. "Sparx.. You can mock me all you want, you can make fun of my past, but you'll never break my spirit." Cynder said before walking away, smacking Sparx into the ground with the middle of her tail.

I snorted a half chuckle as I felt pride swell up inside of me, I was happy that Cynder was growing stronger with each passing day. Now, if only Sparx could do the same, that dragonfly can't tell the difference between being a coward and being courageous.

After we all went in, I forced to keep myself awake while Cynder and Spyro rested. The guardians remained awake as well to help me out.