In a matter of hours, we left the Vanguard behind us and began the war that would change the Wasteland forever. Cyril and the other three elemental guardians led the army down the side of the mountain. A cold chill blew against my scales, the dragons around me shivered at the cold wind. I didn't know what to expect when I would confront Malefor and Soul, my gut told me to follow my training and ill be okay, but I knew better than that. My training didn't cover how to kill two dragons that could harness the very essence of darkness and corruption. The thoughts kept swirling in my mind and it only made me more and more anxious as the hours flew by. Cynder was walking close to me, whatever happened when we fought the final battle, I would have to know she was safe.

Cyril held up his massive blue paw he turned around and look at all of us.

"We are going to send out some scouting parties, we need to know where our enemies are strongest and weakest. Our strategy it going to be hit and run attacks up until the final battle. Spyro I want you, Flame, and Frost to search behind enemy lines, Cynder, you'll take Bolt and Infernos."

My stomach did a flip when I heard Cynder and I would be separated, we have had each others backs since day one and we would never abandon one another. Cynder look at me with concern and sympathy she walked over to me with soft eyes.

"We'll meet up here in a week okay? Just don't pull any heroics or anything that could get you captured or killed." Cynder said.

"I promise ill be here waiting for you seven days from now, just be safe Cynder." I said.

"I will be Spyro." She said quietly.

The silver moonlight shined down on her scales bathing her in a pure silvery white. Her beautiful emerald eyes shone with the intensity of a dozen suns but were as soft as a care free hatch-lings would be. Her lips got closer to mine as we locked in the last kiss we would have in a week. As much as we hated it, we pulled away from each other and headed to our designated scouting parties. Frost greeted me with a curt nod and Flame gave me a hug that a hearty brother would give.

"If im going into hell, im glad im going with you Spyro. If you got my back I got yours." Flame said.

"Likewise Flame, Frost its good to have you here as well." I said.

"I wouldn't want to be anywhere else, if anything bad happens its been an honor serving with you all." Frost said.

"I wont lie to you Frost, what we are doing is dangerous, but as long as we stick together and don't pull any heroics or stupid acts of "courage" then we will be back here in a week." I said.

"Alright, we should head to Cyril and see where we are exactly heading." Frost said.

We made our way to Cyril's makeshift field outpost, he seemed to be waiting for us and cleared his throat as week walked into the tent.

"Spyro, the reason I separated you and Cynder is that you two are the best leaders I've ever seen. You both protected each other in the bitter wastes and have saved each others life on more than one occasion. I thought it would be a good idea to put you two in charge of a scouting party. I hope you aren't mad."

"I understand Cyril, we need to focus on the oncoming battle now and focus on our relationship later."

"I'm glad you understand. Now, im putting your group in deep into enemy territory. I need you to find out what parts are heavily defended and which are not. Gather any useful Intel and bring it back here, the more advantages we have over the Dark Armies the better. And lastly, if you are discovered, don't draw any attention to your fight. Kill the enemies quickly and quietly." Cyril said.

"Alright Cyril, we wont fail you, I promise." I said.

"I know you wont. Now go and make your father and the Vanguard proud, these are the last days the Dark armies will call this land theirs."

I looked over at Cynder group who was heading west, and we were headed in the opposite direction. We looked at each other one last time and swapped loving and longing glances. It was a matter of seconds before Cynders face disappeared below the crest of the hill.

The moon shone brightly across the empty landscape in front of us, it would be better to move at night so avoid detection rather than the day time. A cold wind whipped across my groups backs, winter was upon us and would make this war harder than it would already be. Bright lights dotted the horizon in front of us, Malefor and Soul's army would be massing there. Flame was walking next to me, his scorch mark was now a faded gray and the dark red tint of his scales was now taking over. His scales shone in the moonlight, he looked up to the sky and closed his eyes. His body shook and his eyes shot open, inside, his eyes were welling with tears and an outlook only a failure could create.

"Flame, you seem distraught. What the matter?" I asked.

"This war could be the death of me. I have so much I want to live for, but this war will demolish all of our dreams in one way or another." Flame said bleakly.

"It war, people are going to die, but their sacrifice will insure us victory. If someone dies they wont be forgotten, we have the chance to start a new age of peace and serenity, we cant give into the pressure now." I said.

"I know Spyro, but im afraid, what is something bad happens? What if we lose?" Flame said almost to himself.

"We aren't going to lose. If want to know why ill tell you. We have some of the most courageous dragons the Wasteland has seen. Malefor and Soul may control the darkness, but they cant hide the light. Its my destiny to create a new age of peace, even if I lose my life, ill die happy as I see the world a better place." I said.

"Spyro you talk like a dragon twice your age, I don't know how you stay calm during these moments, but thanks for the pep talk." Flame said.

"No problem Flame, now I think we should stop for the night, our objective is just a couple of hours away, but if we continued tonight, it would be well into daybreak." I said.

"There's a cave over there, it covered by some dead gorse bushes, so it should give us some cover during the day." Frost said.

"Okay, we'll head there, but no going outside during the day, we cant risk being caught or captured." I said.

Frost and Flame nodded their head as we headed towards the void cave. The cave was carved out a long time ago, it was so dark I could see my paw in front of my face, and it smelled damp and moldy. The three of us settled into a corner in the back of the cave. It was cold, Frost was lying next to me and he was shivering. Normally, ice dragons are accustomed to the cold, but it was frigid tonight and we had to take whatever measures necessary to stay warm. From my spot in the corner I could see the dark midnight sky. The stars twinkled brightly and I slowly closed my eyes.

"Ancestors, please keep Cynder and I safe tonight along with our friends, guide us to our objective and grant us safe passage home." I said.

My eyes jolted open, I could see nothing around me and the metallic smell of blood hung heavy in the air. I looked all around me, but I couldn't see anything. I knew Soul and Malefor were invading my dreams, this was the setting every time he visited me. A pair of cold blue eyes shone through the darkness, followed by a set of hazy yellow eyes. Soul and Malefor stood before me, they had a blood thirsty look in their eyes and started to talk to one another.

"Soul, doesn't Spyro have someone he holds very close to him?" Malefor asked.

"You mean besides his dead daddy. Why yes he does, I believe her name is Cynder." Soul said evilly.

"If you so much as lay your eyes on here ill rip each of you limb from limb, ill rip your throats out and feed them to the carrion birds!" I yelled.

"You wouldn't do such a thing when we have your dragoness right here." Malefor cackled evilly.

Cynder was sweating bullets when i saw here. Her eyes were wide with fear and she helplessly struggled against Souls giant paw.

"You should have joined me when I offered you the position, now your dragoness will suffer along side you!" Soul said.

Soul dug his claws deep into Cynders neck and she laid limp under his paw.

"No! Leave her alone!" I yelled.

I tried to move but It felt as if I was being held down by a great force. Soul ripped Cynder to shreds, my heart felt like it was ripped out of my chest. Cynder was dead right before my eyes and soon Soul stopped what he was doing and got snout to snout with me.

"This I why you should have joined me months ago, I see when your dragoness is harmed you become a shell of your former self."

The world around me grew hazy along with Cynders broken and shattered body. Soul was after Cynder, and I had no way of stopping him, all I could do is hope Cynder doesn't get caught by Souls army.

Sunlight shone into the cave illuminating its features. The cave was about ten feet tall and ten feet wide. I could now see the cave continued farther back but didn't go for much longer, a useful place to hide if a patrol came along today. Flame and Frost were still asleep, I wandered into the back of the cave and slumped down. Hopefully Cynder would be okay, if I kept worrying about her, my mind wouldn't be ready for the task ahead.

Hours passed and my mind still swirled with thoughts of Cynders safety, My mind seemed to be playing tricks on me. I was hearing things but no one but Flame and Frost were with me. I saw thing move out of the corner of my eyes. I rubbed the tips of my wings against my temples, but to my avail nothing worked.

"Spyro are you okay?" Frost asked.

"I'm not to sure, Soul came into a dream of mine last night and, butchered Cynder right before my eyes." I said shakily.

"Soul can invade your dreams?" Flame asked bewildered.

"Yes, him and Malefor have invaded my dreams on multiple occasions and asked me to join them, but I would always decline. This time he just said nothing but suffering is to come to Cynder and I, that's when he killed her. As we speak, I fear for her safety, my mind is playing tricks on me and I don't know what is imaginary or reality." I said.

"All my life I never realized that being a purple dragon would be so hard. I always resented your power and skills, but you seem to get tortured by your own thoughts and actions." Flame said

"Sometimes I wonder why I was the purple dragon. I don't exactly hate it but its a constant struggle of choosing between light and dark. The temptation of the darkness is something most creatures cant resist, but I have given into darkness on more than one occasion. Most nights I see the dragons ive killed, they stare at me with accusing eyes and just keep saying "why". The whole world is depending on me to free them, but sometimes I question if I can even do it."

"Spyro, I know you can do it, ive never seen a dragon as powerful as you. The elemental guardians said there is no reason why you should be as powerful as you are at your age. They speculate that you have passed Malefor in power, but Soul will prove to be a challenge to you. As for Cynder, im sure she is okay, she knows how to handle herself, she learned from the best dragon I know."

"Flame, I don't know how you could even consider being my friend after I almost killed you, ill never forgive myself for that." I said.

"I understand your view on that, but please hear me out. I started that fight and I lost it, I took my life seriously after that day and I vowed to myself I would forgive you for your actions. I lost my previous life of bullying and I have become friends with the dragon I used to hate, to me that is a victory in itself." Flame said.

"Flame, im sorry for the incident at Warfang, but im glad that we are friends now." I said.

"Likewise Spyro, now nightfall is approaching we should get ready to move out." Flame said

"Alright lets go." I said.

The talk with Flame had cleared my mind and it just dawned upon me that he listened to every word that I said and responded in a way Cynder would. He wasn't just an old enemy now, he was a best friend to me and a dragon I could trust.

(A/n) I know that I said updates would be slow but I cant hold off on writing this im just having too much fun writing it. As always please review and I hoped that you enjoyed chapter twelve. Chapter thirteen will consist of two parts in Cynders Pov And Spyros pov. Cynder is not dead it was just part of Spyros dream with Soul.