~Backstage~

Zayril: *finishes typing* YES! I'm done!

Maz: YEY!

Shadow: Took you long enough.

Zayril: Yes I know. But at least over the course of the day, I have finally collected my ideas, brainstormed, and now knows where this story is headed.

Alec: Really?

Zayril: Yup.

Racket: That's good to hear!

Sam: Congrats Zayril!

Zayril: Why thank you! I think it's time for the disclaimers.

Maz, Shadow & Alec: Viperwatcher owns nothing except his characters.

Racket & Sam: Other canon characters are owned by their respective companies.

Zayril: To people who don't like the story, just don't read it.

Chapter 10

Cynder's Errand

The next day, Josh, Spyro and Demex were preparing to head to the Temple, to meet up with Malefor and discuss about the plans on how to stop the Portal Fluxes. Cynder, Fira, and Sparx on the other hand, were left with babysitting duty per se, with Cynder bringing Damien to Axakus, to get him to meet up with his parents again.

"Be careful you three!" said Fira, as the three men headed out the front door.

"We will Fira. We'll be back around later." said Demex, giving her a peck at the cheek.

"See you later Dad! You too Josh! Same with you Spyro!" said Demila, waving at the two of them. Josh smiled and waved back.

"Bye!" said Spyro and he closed the door behind him.

As the three of them began walking, and was about to fly off, Spyro came up with an idea.

"Hey guys, want to hear something?" he asked.

"What is it?" asked Demex.

"Instead of flying there, want to just teleport there?" he asked with a playful grin.

"You can teleport!" asked Josh, completely floored. It seemed like he was learning something new everyday! And up to this point, the progress on his ice breath was slow but steady.

"Yup; I can. So what do you guys say?" asked Spyro to his brother.

"I guess it couldn't hurt." said Demex, thinking it clearly.

"Gather around me then." said Spyro.

Josh nodded and stood close to Spyro. In a matter of moments, they had huddled around him, feeling the usual uneasiness of being close.

"I hope this doesn't hurt…" said Josh.

"Don't worry Josh. Portal sickness isn't that bad. The landing is." said Demex, trying to assure him. Josh gulped. The assuring didn't seem to help.

"Temple here we come!" said Spyro as he initiated his Portal Powers.

There was a bright flash; once it subsided, the three dragons were no longer there, instead, there were just a smoking, charred floor, and the dragons completely gone.

0 0 0 0 0

"You ready Damien?" asked Cynder, as she approached Damien.

"Yup!" he replied, walking up to his aunt.

"Bye Damien! Come visit us next time!" said Serenity, hugging her cousin.

"Yeah!" replied Felix as he ran over and bro hugged his cousin.

"Sleep over to our place next time!" said Damien.

"We will!" said Demila as she hugged him goodbye.

"I'll be back around later. Sparx, you help Fira watch over the kids." said Cynder to Sparx who flew towards them.

"Okay." he replied.

Cynder and Damien then went outside, and Cynder saw the charred ground a few feet in front of them.

"What's that Cynder?" asked Damien.

"That…is what your uncle does when he's lazy," she said with a sight smirk. "Now come on, fly close to me. I'm bringing you home."

Damien nodded and spread his wings, along with Cynder. In a matter of moments, the two dragons took off and into the sky. With Damien rocking a bit slightly as this was his first official flight to any particular location.

The flight to Warfang and Axakus wasn't half that bad. Since the town was relatively close, they didn't have to fly for long. Once they were airborne, Cynder took lead and began heading to the direction of Axakus. The scenery began to change around them as they began to get farther from Warfang. Trees began to become noticeable as well as some rolling hills with some clear animals grazing at the open fields. Wisps of clouds past by them, some they passed right through. Damien looked around with awe. This was his first flight, and first time seeing the sights, the sounds and the smell. In a matter of moments, a location became quite visible in the distance.

Axakus was your normal typical tribal village; quite simple. The houses were made of what seemed like stone substance. The same one used to make the buildings at Warfang. The roofs were made of wood. And a large wall made of logs of trees surrounded the village to protect it from the hazards of the woods surrounding it. The village Defenses, dragons who volunteered to protect the village in exchange for income, walked on the logs on equal intervals. A large sturdy double door gate with torches on either side stood as the entrance to the village.

They landed in front of the village; Cynder landing gracefully, but Damien landing horribly, he basically landed with a thud. Cynder walked over to him and helped him up.

"You okay?" she asked. Damien just smiled sheepishly.

"They forgot to teach me how to land," he replied. "And yup, I'm okay."

"It seems every first time flyer crashes on their first flight." said Cynder, commenting on how it's becoming a normal thing.

Damien stood up and headed to the front gates. He was finally home.

"HALT! Who goes there!" asked one of the dragon guards, whom was on his rounds, who spotted them walking.

"I am Cynder, and this is Damien. We wish to visit on family matters." The dragon guard scrutinized them for a moment but eventually relaxed.

"You may enter." said the guard.

"Thank you." replied Cynder and then the sounds of a heavy dead lock being moved were heard and the door opened up.

0 0 0 0 0

"Damien!" called out a voice as the two of them were walking down the village path. Cynder turned around and amidst the crowded path was a dragon walking towards them. He was a big dragon, about the same size as Demex. He had a white underbelly with red fiery scales. On his face was a smile and cheerful look.

"Jareth!" exclaimed Damien and ran up to hug him.

"Hey there little guy!" he replied hugging him.

"Who are you?" asked Cynder curiously, wondering why Damien was so close to the dragon.

"I am Jareth; a close friend of Damien's father here. I was the one that sold my house to them." he answered.

"Ah…so you are Jareth. I am Cynder, Damien's aunt. Nice to meet you; how are you doing?" asked Cynder.

"Quite fine, thanks for asking. What are you two doing here?" he asked.

"I'm dropping Damien off to his parents. His time is up for sleeping over at Demex's place." answered Cynder.

"Ah…well, it was nice to meet up with you. I have to go now." said Jareth.

"Where you headed?" asked Damien.

"Just some matters I have to attend to." he replied before walking off.

"He's a nice guy. Truly nice indeed." said Cynder.

"I couldn't agree more." said Damien.

0 0 0 0 0

Later that day, Cynder succeeded in bringing Damien to their house and was now chatting with Amy. Damien was playing with his grandmother outside.

"So…how's everything now? Where's Delnok. I haven't seen him." said Cynder.

"He's at his post. No doubt doing his job." answered Amy.

"Ah…I forgot about that." she replied sheepishly then the two of them chuckled.

"I've met Jareth by the way; a great guy; good to know that you have a good family friend. What's his job anyway? He seemed busy." said Cynder.

"I think he is a messenger. But I can't quite say for sure. I could be wrong." said Amy.

"I hope Damien didn't cause you any trouble." said Amy. Cynder smiled.

"No he didn't." Amy sighed in relief.

"That's a relief. Electric dragons, whilst they are young, are quite active." she said. Cynder nodded and saw the time.

"I have to go now. It's a bit of flight from here to Warfang." she said standing up.

"It was nice chatting with you Cynder. Serenity is welcome to sleep over here anytime she wants." said Amy.

"Back at you too." said Cynder, and then headed off.

0 0 0 0 0

Meanwhile, at the Temple; it was completely dark now, around 7:00PM. The moon was out, shining brightly down the Temple grounds which illuminated its grassy terrain. Then out of nowhere, a light flashed and three bodies landed with a soft thud at the grassy ground.

"I feel sick…" a voice came from the bodies.

"You'll get used to it Josh." said another voice.

"Get off me Demex please." a third voice sounded.

Demex obliged and Spyro sighed in relief. As the two got their bearings, Josh looked around.

"Hey guys, is it me, or is it night already?" he asked.

"It's not just you. It is night already. Spyro?" asked Demex, looking at Spyro.

"The Portal problems must have messed up Portal Teleportation Physics creating a slow teleportation. I think it's best we avoid teleporting for now." said Spyro standing up fully.

"I completely agree." said Josh then the three of them headed to the insides of the Temple.

"How am I going to explain this to Fira…" mumbled Demex as they headed inside.

0 0 0 0 0

He walked with a limp as his body was giving. All around him were nothing but darkness, for surely there was no light. The trees swayed all around him as he kept walking, walking to no particular direction. He didn't know where he was headed, but he didn't care. He just kept walking; he was lost and confused. He didn't know what happened. But right now, it didn't matter. He was wounded and that's what mattered. He needed to get his wounds to stop bleeding or else he was going to die from the massive loss of blood.

But where can he possible heal himself?

He didn't know where the nearest possible town was. He was in an area where he wasn't really familiarized. To top it off, he was dazed from what had happened. He couldn't even remember what happened. He was too dazed.

It was all going downhill.

Then, his vision blurred as he ran, making his field of vision vanish completely. He tripped, making him tumble and lay on a heap on the ground. He lay there, bleeding out, death slowly creeping up to him. He was dying, much to his horror. Much to his displeasure, he looked up and was surprised to find two orbs of light, torches no doubt, and a large sturdy gate. He was dying…at the entrance of a village. He was so close. Yet not close enough. He couldn't yell for help. He didn't have enough energy left. Then his vision began to fade. The last image being imprinted on his mind was the village wooden gates before he passed out because of loss of blood. Help that was there that never came.

And he couldn't do a thing about it…

But it seems…fate had a different idea.

No sooner than he fell towards the ground, activity rose inside the village. Someone had spotted him. Grunts and yells were heard as the gate was dragged open, its wooden hinges creaking as the wood created friction. Dragons, wearing primitive armor local to the area, ran to his aid.

"Quick! Get him to the healers!" yelled an authority figure.

Following obediently, two dragons quickly hefted the passed out dragon into the village. The figure watched solemnly as the guards took the wounded dragon away. A dragon walked towards him, looking wary and tired, but still alert.

"Was it me or was he a black dragon? A dark dragon perhaps?" he asked.

"No…dark dragons are more volatile and vicious. They aren't easy to be wounded. He must be naturally a dark scaled dragon. I wonder who he is." he replied. The dragon nodded.

"That is the entire question in all our minds." The dragon beside him smiled.

"Do not worry; we can ask him when he wakes up." He smiled back.

"That we shall; we definitely shall." said the dragon.

There was a moment's silence between the two, until it was broken.

"So…you or me, Delnok?" asked the dragon.

"I'll do it Spirit. I'll check on him first thing in the morning." said Delnok. "Let's head back home."

Deja vu anyone? It is now finally revealed who those two familiar characters were. With that bit of information, we come close to figuring out the mystery dragon. We will know who he is...in the next chapter.

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