Chapter 12: Return to the Epicenter
Spyro was up early the next day and he was busy packing supplies for his journey back to the Epicenter, a place where the undead originated. While everyone still rested, Spyro snuck out of bed and headed for the ramparts, ready to spread his wings and ride with the wind that blew towards the Epicenter. However, he was caught by Morpheus who was waiting at the steps of the ruined temple.
"Where do you think you're going, Spyro the Dragon?" the human asked.
"This is none of your concern. I'm going to the Epicenter to rescue Cynder and destroy that fool Kharnak," Spyro said angrily.
"On the contrary Spyro, it is of my concern as well. I am cursed not to die and the only way to free myself from this accursed world is to destroy both the Netherlord and Kharnak. I don't care who is in control but I prefer if both of them die," Morpheus said.
"You said so yourself that none of us can defeat him," Spyro muttered.
"That doesn't give me a reason not to try. Besides, I'm sure you'll need all the help you can get," Morpheus smiled.
Spyro remained silent and looked at the ground while using his left paw to draw a circle on the ground. It was true that he can't fight alone but this matter seems rather personal and Spyro didn't feel like having someone accompanying him on his journey. It was unwise though as he had a limit to his power before the God of Destruction overpower him. Like it or not, Spyro's heart couldn't deny Morpheus coming with him.
"You're right Morpheus, I do need all the help I can get but I prefer if we travel in a small group," Spyro said.
Suddenly, he heard footsteps behind him and turned around. He saw Hunter, Flame, Ember and Valcor standing together.
"We heard what you wanted and we're here to journey with you. Spyro, we shall help you in your journey to the Epicenter," Hunter said.
"Yo buddy, no matter what, I'll still be by your side. We've been friends for years already," winked Flame.
"Spyro, even if I detest Cynder and disagree with you saving her, I'll fight alongside you for your sake," Ember said.
"Spyro, as the leader of the Western Lands, I pledge my sword and life to you and fight beside you," Valcor said gallantly.
Spyro felt his sense of loneliness dissipate. Even if Cynder wasn't by his side, his friends still cared about him, no matter the race. Morpheus maybe human and his race was an enemy to the dragons but he is different and he fought for what is right. Spyro liked him and trusted him.
Hunter was always a helping hand to him and Cynder and he can also be trusted. He made friends with him when they were rescued from the Earth Golem 5 years ago and now he is about to help him one more time.
Flame was a long time buddy and they always played together when they were younger. He maybe rough at times and liked picking fights but Spyro knew that he was a gallant warrior at best and he never betrayed Spyro.
Ember maybe annoying and sometimes, Spyro found her to be a little stuck-up sometimes but she has a heart of gold and she really cares for her friends, even Cynder even when she said she hated her. She used to be weak in combat but Spyro was somehow glad that she learnt to fight.
He heard of Valcor's name and achievements but he never met him in person. Valcor was somewhat a legend among the warriors and his achievements, real or not, was rather astounding. During the siege on Warfang, Valcor was a strong fighter and it proved some of the rumors of his combat prowess and peerless courage. Spyro was glad to have a master warrior by his side.
"T-thank you for trying to help me out guys, I really appreciate your gesture of friendship," Spyro said while a teardrop formed and fell.
"Hey, we're all buddies, right? All for one and one for us!" Flame said with a grin.
"Actually, it's all for one and one for all," Morpheus corrected.
Flame gave an embarrass laugh and scratched the back of his head.
"It doesn't matter what the saying is, all we shall do is fight as a team. What say you?" Valcor asked everyone.
"Yeah!" they all shouted in unison.
Then, they became serious again.
"How can Hunter and I get there quickly? We can't fly," Morpheus said with narrow eyes.
The dragons muttered and nodded their heads in agreement. At that moment, Raveshaw, the mole master engineer came out from his hut near the temple and smiled at them.
"I was expecting you guys to encounter flight problems so I've came up with an invention to help those who can't fly to ride the winds as skillfully as a dragon," he said with a warm smile.
He took out to backpacks and handed one each to Hunter and Morpheus.
"What is this?" Hunter asked curiously.
"This is what I call a flight pack. You use it as if using a backpack and stand at the edge of a cliff or anywhere similar and pull that string," Raveshaw said while stroking his beard.
The two strapped on the backpacks and pulled the strings. Immediately wings made of leaves and wood deployed from slits on both sides of the backpack. The wingspan was as long as an albatross' wingspan.
"Can this thing really work," Hunter asked with uncertainty.
"Why don't you step off the ramparts and tell me?" Raveshaw joked.
"Because I'd be dead if this thing fails," Hunter grinned.
The two wingless ones stepped off the ramparts and closed their eyes. Suddenly, they felt like they were being lifted up by a pair of hands. They opened their eyes and found themselves gliding.
"We're flying!" Morpheus laughed happily.
"Don't lose focus and use the steering bar to steer to the path desired," Raveshaw said out aloud to the two.
"C'mon, we have no time to waste," Valcor said to Spyro and the others.
They nodded and took flight, following the two gliders. The wind was unusually strong and it felt like a vacuum that is sucking them towards the Epicenter. In just 3 hours, they flew past the Moray Mines and within 5 hours, they reached the outskirts of the black fortress. They landed on a mesa and surveyed the area. The dark purple crystals have spread very far and wide and some even reached the foot of the mesa. They could hear moaning and cries of pain coming from the crystals.
"What are in these crystals?" Spyro asked.
"Spirits of dead that have no body when the curse has been said. They are crystallized, waiting to be released to the world so they could wreak havoc. They can possess multitude of things such as dead bodies, bones and even machinery. I'm sure you notice that every time you kill things like undead animals or even a machine guardian, you'll see blue spirits, right?" Morpheus explained and asked.
"Yeah," Spyro said.
"When the body they possess is destroyed, they will be free of the curse. It also applies to those skeleton warriors that you destroy. They might have been cursed and they have a body when they die but when you destroy their physical body, their spirits will be free. I'm sure you've released many of them during your journey," Morpheus smiled.
"Hmm, come to think of it, I released at least 1000 over of them," Spyro said.
"It's a good start but what I desire is a mass curse break and that can only be achieved by killing the one who sets the curse or having the entire dragon race destroyed. There are billions of cursed humans and many are buried under your feet or in spirit form. It is impossible to break their curse one by one so we'll aim for the king," Morpheus said.
Valcor used his sharp eyes to spot enemies that guarded the gate of the dark fortress that surrounded the Epicenter. It was like a large super castle but it was all twisted and black. A bright orange glow came from the center of the fortress and Valcor assumed that it came from the Epicenter.
"We're just a stone's throw away from that hellhole but there are many guards and turrets guarding the place. Added to that, I think there is a Golem," Valcor said calmly.
"A-a Golem?" Ember asked fearfully.
"It's not any Golem I know of. This Golem is not of any known element," Valcor said grimly.
"If it's not a Golem of any known element, then it surely can't be a Golem," Flame said thoughtfully.
"It has traits of a Golem but it's all black and red and it wields a fiery spear of lava rock and has onyx for armor," Valcor said as he squinted his eyes to see more details of that Golem.
Spyro's pupils diluted in fear and his jaw dropped slightly. That resembled the creature he encountered back at the Moray Mines.
"By Lysenthia's bosom, that is a Hell Golem that exist in the Moray Mines. Many miners were killed and it took 5 High Mages to seal that thing at the pits of the mines. That thing is rather strong so it's best we avoid it," Morpheus muttered.
"I encountered that thing in the mines when I and Cynder were heading for the Epicenter for the first time," Spyro said.
"You did? That's odd…no one could release the Golem unless the spell that keeps it sealed is disturbed by a foreign object," Morpheus said.
"I-I accidentally kicked a helmet into a deep hole and moments later, it came for us," Spyro related.
"Then you must have freed it from its prison. Now I'm wondering how they manage to tame that Golem. It wasn't a creature you really want as a pet," Morpheus winced.
"I don't care how they acquire it but it is best that we head on into the Epicenter and kill whoever is responsible of the curse. From the looks of what they are doing, it seems like they are preparing for another assault," Hunter said.
They slowly followed a road down the mesa and walked among the dead trees as they reached ground level. It didn't provide much place to hide and they doubt they'll stay hidden for long so they moved fast. Occasionally, they encountered skeleton warriors and had to stop to dispatch them before moving on. The time of day was slowly slipping into night and the already dark area has become darker, so dark that they can't see each other.
"This darkness is unnatural…it is as if a beast has devoured us," Hunter whispered.
"Don't scare me, Hunter," Spyro growled.
Ember gave a whimper of fear but Flame held her tight and comforted her. Valcor made a torch but it did little to light the road in front of them. The darkness seemed to have an effect on Spyro because he felt dark powers coursing through his body, he felt hatred, anger and lust for domination and his dark side surfaced a few times but he managed to keep it under control. Valcor was rather worried for Spyro but he dare not say anything because if one wrong word slipped out from his or his friend's mouth, Spyro will surely turn evil.
"I…sense great darkness…we're close to the Epicenter," Spyro said darkly.
Valcor nodded and beckoned his friends to move forth. The darkness was giving even Valcor the creeps and it felt like they were being watched. Morpheus was quiet the entire time and he refused to say anything for he knew the spirits were watching. They couldn't see what was in front of them and many times they have run into a tree or nearly fell off a crevasse. They knew the road was going to be treacherous but this was just plain wrong. Just as they passed two statues of Kharnak, Spyro heard a voice in his head.
"Welcome to my domain, Spyro the dragon," the voice said with a dark, feminine, tone.
Spyro recognized that voice and he halted. The rest of his team also halted as he did.
"Spyro, what's the matter?" Flame asked.
"She's here," was what Spyro said.
Morpheus suddenly opened his eyes wide when he sensed something wrong. Looking up, he saw an adult black dragon perched on an archway, smiling at them darkly.
"By Lysenthia's bosom, is that Cynder?" Morpheus asked in surprise.
The black dragoness gave out an evil laugh that seemed to echo throughout the place. Her white eyes glared at them maliciously and finally, she had her sights locked on to Spyro. Spyro felt something evil about her and she never looked this scary before. It was as if a ghost was staring at him.
"C-Cynder-" Spyro started but Cynder cut him off.
"I know what you're trying to ask and yes, I am Cynder, the one who loved you…or so you think," Cynder growled.
She leapt off the archway and landed in front of them with a thud. Valcor had his sword ready but he dared not strike at Spyro's lover.
"My master had already expected your arrival so he put me here to guard the place," Cynder said in a rather hollow voice.
"Cynder, snap out of it. You're not evil, you're under the control of Kharnak," Spyro said.
"Yes and from birth, my destiny is to serve and preserve darkness. It is the force that governs the world and it is present in everyone's heart, even the seemingly holy ones. You know this yet you deny it," Cynder said.
"Cynder please stop, now you're talking like Kharnak," Spyro pleaded.
"He is my master after all. Why resist him when you can join him? I'm sure he has a special place for you in his throne. You have experienced darkness and you know your desires come from it. You like it, don't you?" Cynder grinned evilly.
It was true that Spyro had some forbidden desires but he always kept it in check but now it seems like it was too much for him to handle.
"Cynder, that is enough," Ember growled.
Cynder looked at Ember maliciously and backhanded her, sending her flying into a tree.
"I don't take orders from pink whelps the likes of you," Cynder growled back.
She turned her attention back to Spyro. She noticed her words seem to be affecting the purple dragon so she pushed on.
"Why ponder? You have only one path and that is the path of darkness and power. You were given the will to end the Third Age and start a new one. Peace was never an option and only weaklings desire peace because they know they can't fight. Those whelps following you know nothing of power and ambition and all they desire is peace. What is the use of that?" Cynder asked more kindly but her voice contained darkness nonetheless.
Spyro let out a grunt as he struggled with his thoughts. His thoughts contradicted with what he believed and he was at war with his own dark side that was waiting to take over.
"Spyro, give in to your desires and join me. Together we will rule the world as King and Queen of Darkness and Damnation. You'll do that for me if you love me," Cynder said.
Morpheus was really cheesed off and he threw an axe at her. Spyro gasped and thought it was going to hit her but Cynder just grabbed it and crushed it into pieces.
"You'll have to do better than that," she said softly.
"Morpheus, what are you doing?!" Spyro asked angrily.
"If this is really the Cynder you love, she won't attempt to turn you into one of Kharnak's pawns. If it is not Cynder, I'll beat her up and make her go dirt-tasting," Morpheus said as he shook his fist at Cynder.
"Know your place, human. You don't belong to the dragon clan and your life should be in the hands of Kharnak," Cynder said sternly.
"I take no orders from a sadistic centaur and his pawns. I believe solely in peace and freedom but that does not make me weak," he shot back.
"You see Spyro, he denies the fact but you believe him. He hates you in reality," Cynder said.
Spyro said nothing but his paws glowed electric blue. Cynder was slightly shocked when Spyro looked at her and grinned with determination.
"Nice try Cynder but apparently another one more powerful than you has told me to tell you to SOD OFF!" Spyro roared.
Cynder thought she saw Ignitus frowning at her but she dismissed it as a hallucination. She closed her eyes and smiled.
"Then I guess you're asking for a fight," Cynder said.
"I'm not alone. I have my friends by my side," Spyro said.
His friends rallied to his side and readied themselves. Cynder just smiled and laughed.
"Very well, this shall be your funeral and this ground shall be your tomb. Prepare yourself, Spyro the dragon," Cynder roared and at the same time, lightning flashed and she gave a loud and evil laugh that matched with the lighting. She spread her wings wide and a dark aura surrounded her. The lightning flash and spread wings made her look rather intimidating.
"Don't let her scare you! We can beat her!" Spyro said to his teammates and charged.