Don't worry, people. Cynder's going to be okay. you have to remember Light is heading toward the Lab.

Part 2: Friend or foe?

Chapter 11: Taken.

Location: void.

Character: Spyro.

Spyro thought he was going to be sick. The spiraling lines of white and black made him dizzy.

It felt like he was flying without using his wings. He was sure everyone else was feeling the same.

He looked at Cynder. "Are you alright?" he asked.

Cynder nodded. "It's just that I'm worried." She said. "What if Malefor is right there when we get to the other dimension?"

Spyro smiled. "Then we can get this over with all the faster." He said.

Suddenly he gasped as a sudden feeling of danger overcame him. What the hell? He thought. He looked around. What's this sense of danger I'm feeling?

He looked at Flame. "Flame, is something wrong?" he asked. Flame looked as pale as a red dragon could be.

Flame shook his head. "No. It's just that I'm as worried as Cynder." He said.

Spyro shook his head. It's probably nothing then. He thought.

Something black to his left caught his attention, and he turned to look… just in time to see claws black as night tear through the wall of the portal and wrap around Cynder.

Cynder screamed as she was pulled away from Spyro. "CYNDER!" Spyro yelled.

"SPYRO!" she screamed. Her paw was torn from Spyro's as she was pulled further away.

Spyro slashed at the claws, and realized to his horror that the claws were insubstantial enough that he couldn't harm them. Flame reacted with a fire spell. That didn't do anything either.

Spyro leaped toward Cynder, fully intent on saving her, but something lashed out and knocked him back.

He was sent spinning and crashed into Flame. He recovered and turned toward Cynder just in time to see her pulled through a rift in the portal.

Cynder was screaming at the top of her lungs. She had enough time to scream Spyro's name one last time before the what-ever-it-was pulled her through completely.

Spyro leaped at the rift. Then there was a bright flash and Spyro found himself leaping out of the portal. They had reached the end of the portal.

He turned in mid-air and unfurled his wings, intent on going back to rescue Cynder. But the portal closed right in front of him.

Spyro landed in a snowdrift and stared at the place where the portal was, horrified.

He reared his head back toward the sky. "CCYYYYNNNNDDEEEEEER!" he roared.

Her name echoed throughout the apparent snowbound city they were in. Unnatural cries echoed back, but Spyro hardly noticed them.

The only thing he knew was that someone had just snatched his loved one away from him.

Character: Light.

December 29th, 12:05 PM.

Location: Flint outskirts. Asgard dimension.

Light started and got up from where he was resting after another battle with some infected.

What the hell was that? He thought. He looked around. The echo could still be heard. It sounded somewhat inhuman, yet Light knew that it was an actual word. He could hear it clearly.

Okay, what is 'Cynder'? Is that a name? Did I even hear it right? He thought. He looked around. The others were still asleep. It had been a long night. He was only awake as a guard.

Whoever was shouting is a complete idiot! Light thought worriedly. It's already common knowledge that the infected are attracted to loud sounds.

He shook his head. I want to see what's wrong, but if I go now, then I might not get another chance to catch Cauldur. Whoever it is, I'm sorry.

He sighed and looked around. There was a few infected in a few places, but they were far enough away that Light didn't have to worry. They were running toward the shout anyway.

Ah, what the heck am I thinking? Light thought. The world's gone to hell. It'd be nice to save as many people as possible, but there's no way to help whoever is shouting and still get the cure from Cauldur. And besides, that shout didn't sound entirely human at all. It might be a trap set up by that dragon that works for Cauldur. Or does Cauldur work for that dragon?

Light shook his head. Okay then, if that's true, then this dragon is behind all of this. Why? What the hell can a fire-breathing dragon twice the size of an aircraft carrier gain from killing this world and going to a different one? Well, it might be an exile, but still.

He looked at his watch. They've been sleeping long enough. He thought.

Light looked at Dante and shook his shoulder. "Hey, Dante. Wake up." he said. "We need to get going."

One hour later…

Location: Cauldur's Lab.

Character: Cynder.

Cynder woke up in a dark room, with a raging headache and almost incoherent thoughts.

Cynder got up, shaking herself, and looked around. There was stone all around her. It looked like her room back in the temple, minus the furniture and the window. Not to mention considerably smaller; Cynder's wings brushed the ceiling and wall at the same time. There wasn't even an available light source. Well, any REAL light source, really. There were glowing rods around the top of the walls, giving off enough light to allow Cynder to see, however dimly.

Where am I? She thought. She closed her eyes. I remember looking at Spyro just as we were about to go through the portal. I think I said something like 'apocalypse, here we come'. Then we dove in.

Cynder shook her head. Then we were in some sort of tunnel. I was scared, I remember that clear as crystal. She sneezed. Damn, it's so cold. She thought as she shivered.

She curled up on the ground, using her wings to make a tent of sorts around herself. It was the best she could do at the moment. There wasn't even some sort of sheet. And it worked a little.

Then it hit her. She remembered being dragged through a rift in the portal, and she could remember Spyro calling out her name.

Oh no. She thought. Did Malefor kidnap me again? Did he lock me in this room? Speaking of which, what IS this room?

Cynder looked around. There was a door.

She jumped up and ran toward the door. Her right paw was suddenly jerked backward and Cynder fell on the ground.

She stayed there, shocked. And then she noticed a thick chain around her right leg.

She got up, and almost fell again. Her paw felt like it was on fire. Damn it! She thought. Cynder, that was stupid! Of course Malefor wouldn't let you in easy reach of a door!

Cynder got up and limped toward where the chain was connected to the wall. Damn, that chain isn't going anywhere. She thought.

She curled up again, shivering. At this rate, I'm going to catch pneumonia. She thought.

She longed to be back at the temple. She didn't want to be in this airtight room. Well, almost airtight. There were a couple vents to both sides of the door.

Cynder shuddered again, this time with sadness. Oh Spyro… where are you? She thought miserably.

There was nothing Cynder wanted more than to see him again. Why did Malefor have to take me from him? She thought. She could still feel Spyro's paw around hers, even though he was nowhere in sight.

Cynder coiled up tighter, so much that the tip of her tail-blade was touching her snout. She couldn't stop thinking about Spyro. Everything about him was running through her mind.

She burst into tears after a while, unable to stop. Normally when something bothers her, or when something happens that makes her really sad, Spyro is right there with her, comforting her.

But he wasn't here this time. Cynder was alone.