Hello again, and welcome back to Dark Nights Cinders. Today, we conclude the second chapter. And I promise you, before this chapter is done, we will learn not only the identity of The Ashen One, but of the one behind all of this… But first, a summary of prior events. Last time, Batman had managed to elude the League and our favorite dragons, with a constant set of distractions and decoys, including having Damian Wayne kidnap Plastic Man to make him into a decoy. Now, let's see what goes on, as the story continues…
(Our tale resumes as it was, back on the Watchtower, with Spyro, Cynder, and the rest of the Justice League taking in the story from Plastic Man, trying to figure out where Batman is headed.)
Cynder: Plastic Man, you have to remember. Did Bruce say anything about where he was going? Did Damian? Did anyone?
Plastic Man: I've told you all of their conversation that I can remember.
Spyro: Okay, the clue wasn't in the conversation then. Maybe it was in the room. What do you remember about the room you were held in?
(Plastic Man exaggeratedly furrows his brow, helped by his incredible malleability, to think about the quandary. When suddenly, he remembers)
Plastic Man: Hold on, I think I remember something. The room was mostly dark, aside from the plastic chair I was sitting on, which was blue I think. But that's beside the point. I swear I saw some weird mushrooms growing in the corner, and the whole place smelled like a swamp.
Aquaman: Wait a second, you can remember that?
Plastic Man: I have a better sensory memory than you'd think.
Spyro: Wait. These mushrooms, were they tannish with violet spots, and incredibly huge?
Plastic Man: That fits what I saw. But there was only one really big one, the rest were all in clumps. That must be how he tranquilized me! I'm allergic to mushrooms!
Cynder: Better update your file when all this is over. But that's going to help us immensely.
Spyro: More than helps, it tells us exactly where he's going!
Superman: Mushrooms gave it away?
Spyro: Mushrooms of that description only grow in one place.
Cynder: The old Temple!
Flash: Wait, the place you guys trained at?
Spyro: The very same. But what would Bruce want there?
Cynder: I don't know, but we've got to find out. Let's get going.
Superman: Count me in.
Wonder Woman: I'm going too.
Spyro: Fine by us. Bruce knew you two long before he knew us. You may be able to talk him down from whatever is going on.
Cynder: Now, let's move out!
(Now the scene transitions from the Watchtower to the Swamps on the edge of the Silver River, and the old Dragon Temple. There we see a cloaked, or rather cowl wearing, figure walk into the main hall. Plastic Man was correct, the real Batman has come here.)
Batman: It has to be here some place.
(Bruce walks into the old training room, and in there spots it. The statue of Malefor in the center of the room.)
Batman: Of course you would have hid it there. You were always vain.
(Batman inspects the statue, as if he's looking for something. And then, as he presses his finger into a set of runes, the floor suddenly opens up, revealing a staircase that was never seen before)
Batman: This has to be it.
(As Batman descends, a group of four figures appears on the outside. The heroes have arrived. And after investigating the main room, Spyro, Cynder, Superman, and Wonder Woman, arrive in the dojo, where the staircase is still open)
Cynder: Wait, when did this get here? This was the training room, there was never a staircase here!
Spyro: It seems this old Temple is still full of secrets. I'm not even sure the Guardians knew about this one. We'll ask them later. Right now, Bruce is down there, I'm sure of it. We have to stop him. So, down we go.
(Now we descend, deep into the bowels of the Temple, and we find what appears to be, of all things, a pair of swords. What those are doing there, we don't know. But it seems Bruce is looking for them.)
Batman: (Picking the swords off the wall) This is the place. The legend is true. (Senses a familiar essence) Dream, I know you're here. You know you won't be able to stop me.
(Now, Dream of the Endless emerges again)
Dream of the Endless: I will give you one last warning. Do not go through with this. You will doom the world again.
Batman: I'm not hear for a lecture from a personification of a figment of the imagination!
Dream of the Endless: (Sighs) Don't say I didn't warn you. But know this, you can still call on me if I am needed.
Batman: I won't need to. I'm not going in this time.
(And with a second sigh, Dream of the Endless vanishes, his mist replaced by the calls of the heroes upstairs.)
Superman: Bruce!
Wonder Woman: Bruce, you have to stop this!
Spyro: Come up from there, Bruce! Just tell us what's going on!
Cynder: Whatever it is, we can help you!
(Now our four heroes arrive, and see Batman by the wall with the swords.)
Batman: Stay back! All of you! I won't let you stop me!
Cynder: Easy, Bruce. We're just here to talk. We just want to know what's going on.
Batman: You don't understand. If I don't finish this, the Multiverse is doomed!
Spyro: And according to everyone, if you do finish this, the Multiverse is doomed.
Superman: We can help if you just tell us what's going on!
(As Superman steps forward to try and calm Batman down, Bruce pulls out Hawkman's mace and points it at his friends)
Batman: I said stay back!
Wonder Woman: Bruce, think for a minute. Your acting crazy!
Spyro: We're just trying to help you.
Cynder: And we can't if you won't tell us what's going on!
(Just as Batman is about to put the mace down, the staircase that led them down here immediately closes up, and some sort of dark energy begins radiating throughout the room, knocking Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman to the ground.)
Spyro: What's happening?!
(As soon as he says that, chains emerge from the floor, binding Spyro and Cynder to the floor. And as soon as that is finished, a raspy voice begins to speak)
Hermit: Well done, Son of Barbatos. You have brought all the pieces of the puzzle together… (Steps into the light, revealing himself as the source of the voice) just as you were destined to.
Spyro: You?! You're behind all this?!
Hermit: Generations of waiting, now I will finish the job of my forefathers and bring my master back to this world.
Cynder: Of course. You're planning to revive Malefor, aren't you!?
Hermit: Malefor? (Laughs) He was a means to an end. Even he was a pawn in my master's grand game.
Spyro: But how are you doing this?! You've never shown this kind of power before!
(Just then, another figure steps out of the darkness. The Batman Who Laughs has returned)
Batman Who Laughs: Let's just say he had some help…
Superman: You're alive?!
Batman Who Laughs: I survived, but barely. Then I found myself in a cavern of gems, and heard a voice. The voice of Barbatos' own master!
Batman: Impossible. Barbatos claimed he was in control of everything!
Hermit: For a time, he was, but before his return, he swore allegiance to another. One more powerful than he could ever be.
Cynder: You're mad!
Hermit: You won't think that any longer! (Looks directly at Spyro and Cynder) Once The Ashen One is sacrificed to become the doorway for our master to return.
Batman: If you really think you'll turn Spyro into a doorway, you're crazy!
Batman Who Laughs: The overgrown eggplant? You really think he's The Ashen One?! (Laughs) That scroll was meant to deceive you, so the true Ashen One would come without knowing it!
Hermit: (Pointing his staff directly at Cynder) And lo and behold, she has come.
Cynder: Me?!
Spyro: Cynder's The Ashen One?!
Batman Who Laughs: Yes indeed, she is. Marked by darkness at her birth, our master chose her to bring him back to this world.
Superman: If you plan to use the Dark Multiverse as a means, good luck with that! She hasn't been in contact with the metals!
Wonder Woman: And the only supply of Batmanium left is in Egypt!
Hermit: You really think we need that last metal? We don't plan on that at all. (Uses his staff to send Cynder's chains into the wall with the swords on it, chaining her back against it.) We seek to go beyond the Dark Multiverse, through the gateway of Convexity into the True Dark Multiverse. The place where all nightmares come from.
Spyro: You'll never get away with this!
Batman Who Laughs: Oh, but we already have! And the last thing we need…
(Now the Hermit breaks open the top of his staff, revealing a huge Dark Gem)
Hermit: Has been so kindly returned to us, by you, Son of Barbatos.
Batman Who Laughs: Quickly old friend! The doorway must open tonight!
Hermit: Now we shall finally succeed in our task, our master shall return!
(And then, as sadistically as you'd guess, the Hermit touches the Dark Gem on the end of his staff to the markings on Cynder's forehead. Dark energy then flows from it into every cell of her body, causing her immense pain in the process.)
Spyro: CYNDER!
(Sadly, Cynder can't hear him, the pain is overwhelming her, the dark energy courses through her veins. Eventually she starts to lose form, apparently dissolving into pure energy and merging with the wall, eventually the screams lose the figure they came from, and only the portal remains)
Batman Who Laughs: At last our master returns!
Hermit: All hail! He has returned!
(But just as the Hermit and The Batman Who Laughs celebrate, eight figures emerge from the wall, eight dragons with chains around their necks and pure bloodlust in their eyes emerge, and start tearing into them, ripping their bodies apart, consuming them even. But through the portal, we can see him. A dark figure, a dark dragon coming into our world. And in a flash of light, they arrive. And as he sets foot on this world, seven more emerge behind him. The first figure stretches his wings to the ceiling as he looks down at the defeated lot)
Mysterious Voice: I have returned!
(But now, Spyro recognizes the voice, the figure, all of it. He knows this dark dragon, and even he is stunned by their true identity.)
Spyro: No. No, it can't be!
Mysterious Voice: Oh but it is, Spyro.
(Now the figure steps forward, revealing his true identity. An old looking gray dragon with tattered blue wings, a dragon's equivalent to a long beard, and piercing blue eyes.)
Chronicler: Were you expecting someone else?
Spyro: Impossible! I thought you were our ally!
Chronicler: I was, but then you and that wench Cynder wronged me dearly. For that you shall pay, and my revenge has just begun!
Batman: You know this guy?
Spyro: He was the Chronicler I knew. Ignitus' predecessor. (Thinking about that) Ignitus. What have you done with him?!
Chronicler: Let's just say, he's met with a terrible fate.
Superman: You monster!
Chronicler: I'd say that's a bit harsh coming from someone who can level buildings! But thankfully, your power will come in handy for me.
Spyro: (Slamming his chained paw on the ground) Enough of your games! Where is Cynder!? WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO HER!?
Chronicler: (Laughing diabolically) You want your beloved Cynder back?
(Now the seven figures who entered after him become clearer. Each is not just a fell dragon, each one is a twisted version of Cynder, fused in some way with DC's characters, and one of them holding those savage dragons back by chains wrapped around her arm.)
Chronicler: LOOK AROUND!
Dark Racer: I'm right here.
Legion: I'm right here.
Nightbringer: I'm right here.
Sea Witch: I'm right here.
Godkiller: I'm right here.
Phantom Star: I'm right here.
Laughing Shadow: I'm right here.
Chronicler: Behold, my Ashen Knights!
Spyro: (Realizing it) Ignitus spoke of abominations. I'd say these fit the bill!
Chronicler: You have pieced it together too late, Spyro. Now this world is ours!
Spyro: Don't be too sure about that!
Superman: You won't succeed.
Wonder Woman: We've bested gods and monsters before.
Batman: And you are no exception!
Chronicler: (Diabolically chuckles) You want to know why? (Flaring his wings again as his eyes to yellow and reptilian) BECAUSE I LET YOU!
(And just like that, a massive surge of dark energy rocks the room, emanating from the Chronicler's fingertips. And just like that, he begins to draw the very life energy from our remaining heroes. Even Spyro is affected as himself, Superman, Wonder Woman, and Batman appear to slowly wither away, until they lose consciousness)
Chronicler: Now, my Ashen Knights, ride!
(And just as he says that, the seven evil Cynder's take flight, and break through the ceiling of this room.)
Chronicler: Ride! Show this world the power I have given you!
Laughing Shadow: Now this is going to be fun! (Laughing like a maniac)
End of Chapter 2. Our story continues in Dark Nights Cinders: The Ashen Reign.
And on that, I think I'll leave you. So, Batman didn't really know who The Ashen One was at all. The scroll led him to believe it was Spyro, but really Cynder was meant to be the gateway. But, truth be told, you probably could have figured it out if you analyzed the title a bit. It's called Dark Nights Cinders for a reason. And now you know. And who would have guessed the original Chronicler was behind this? Why him? Well, Malefor would be too easy. I wanted to really surprise you with this one. But what's going to happen now? If he can even take down Spyro that easily, what does that say for the rest of the world? And why is he doing this at all? What did Spyro and Cynder do to draw his ire? You'll have to wait to begin to figure it out. Until next week? I hear you asking? Not really, the next chapters more detail the Ashen Knights running amok across the DC Universe. After those are finished we'll start to see what's going on in this angle. So, if you dare, return next week to see chaos unfold…
