Now I should tell you now that I've decided to split the final battle into two parts. The first part is what I call the exposition part then I'll do the actual battles in the next chapter.

Disclaimer: This story has nothing to do with Eragon, How To Train Your Dragon, Dragon Booster or any other stories involving humans riding dragons. Also, I only own my OC's and nothing else.

So let's get cracking.

Chapter 13: The Terrifying Truth

After a long flight, Spyro and Cynder landed on a platform by the Temple and stood outside the main doors. Cynder looked back towards the Floating Isles in concern. "I hope Troy and Astral are okay."

"They will be," Spyro reassured. "They have each other."

They stepped towards the doors and stood still for a moment then Spyro turned to his friend. "Are you ready for this?"

"I'm scared," Cynder replied nervously.

Spyro placed a paw on her shoulder and smiled grimly. "Just stay close to me."

They pushed the doors open and stepped into a dark chamber lit only by torches. Spyro noticed a broken statue lying nearby and realized they were in what was once the Dojo. Behind them, the doors slammed shut and as they did, the torches burned brighter.

"At long last," came a distorted sinister voice from almost everywhere. "My guests have arrived. Please… come in."

The small dragons turned round as a large dragon stepped out from the shadows. His three horns and wings were an ugly yellow, his eyes were glowing yellow and his purple scales were tinted with black. Spyro recognized the figure immediately. He was the dragon from the old book in the Chronicler's library, the dragon whose statue all but dominated the cavern in the peak of the Well of Souls and whose voice had laughed menacingly from the dark aura as the Destroyer was summoned; it was the Dark Master himself, Malefor!

"Such determination to get here," Malefor growled at Spyro. "It seems we share other qualities besides that of our colour."

"No, I'm nothing like you!" Spyro yelled.

"Do you think so?" Malefor scowled. "Hmm, we'll get to that."

"Don't listen to him, Spyro," Cynder hissed. "Don't listen to anything he says."

Malefor turned to her and a smile crossed his face. "You look so weary. Allow me to make you more comfortable…" He raised a paw and his eyes flashed brighter and suddenly the collars and chain round Spyro and Cynder's necks appeared and then broke apart.

"There, that's better, isn't it?" Malefor chuckled, more to Cynder than to Spyro. "It's the least I could do for you, Cynder. After all, you've done so much for me and my master."

"Your master?" Spyro asked.

"Yes," the Dark Master sneered. "The human, Dorado, was a worthy opponent when we battled, but he helped me unlock my true potential and revealed my true calling."

As he circled them, Spyro suddenly noticed a large wound on Malefor's shoulder which sparked with dark energy. "How did Dorado do this?"

"I'm not sure," Malefor replied. "But nonetheless, my powers became far greater than I could ever imagine. Even when we were imprisoned in Convexity, I was able to reach out to my Ape armies and give their orders. And I was able to share my powers with Cynder to help us escape…"

"You used her!" Spyro cut in angrily.

"I used her, she used you, what does it matter, really?" Malefor said with a shrug.

Spyro turned to Cynder, puzzled. "What does he mean?"

Cynder just turned away and looked to the floor.

"What? He doesn't know?" Malefor sniggered nastily. "Go on, tell him! You mustn't leave him in the dark…"

"Tell me what?" Spyro shouted.

"How she lured you and your friends to the Well of Souls," Malefor replied, "how she tricked you and Troy into freeing me and my master."

"You're lying!" Cynder yelled.

"Hmmm, I find it peculiar, how you've chosen to remember things," Malefor growled. "Let me assure you, it was you and Troy who freed us, Spyro, and you two who brought me back. And we have Cynder to thank for that." He let out an evil laugh.

Spyro turned to his friend in concern. "Cynder… is it true?"

"No," Cynder retorted, tears in her eyes. "I don't know… I don't know anymore."

"Oh, I think you do," Malefor sneered, his eyes flashing brighter. "But perhaps you need a little nudge…"

Suddenly Cynder's body was surrounded by a cloak of shadows that weren't her own and she let out a cry of pain.

"CYNDER!" Spyro cried out in alarm.

Malefor burst out laughing again as Cynder's body became darker than ever and her eyes faded to white. Then she looked round and let out a sinister shriek, one that a horrified Spyro found all too familiar. "Cynder, no!"

Unaware of what was happening to their friends, Troy and Astral waited until their rock reached the door to the tower and jumped off.

Astral looked up to the top of the tower. "It looks like it's tall enough to view Malefor's domain."

Troy nodded grimly as he turned towards the door. "So this is where it ends… Ignitus said Dorado was the real reason for all this and we have to stop him." He grasped the hilt of his sword and turned to Astral. "Are you with me?"

"Let's do it," Astral agreed.

They pushed the door open and entered a darkened room. As soon as they were inside, the door slammed shut and suddenly the room was lit up. They could see they were in some cross between a library and a wizard's lair. Spell books and scrolls lay on old benches and jars of potions bubbled on a large desk next to a sphere of Dark Crystal.

"I don't remember this back at the Temple," Astral muttered.

"Dorado must have moved in after he and Malefor took over," Troy assumed. "But why isn't this place part of the Floating Isles?"

"It's the perfect viewpoint for the final stage of my master plan," a sinister and familiar voice called out from above.

Troy and Astral looked up and saw an ominous figure standing on a balcony. His face was distorted by the Dark Magic and his black hair and beard had traces of grey, but his purple robes and Dark Crystal-ended staff gave away his identity. He gave a malevolent chuckle. "So, the prophesied Dragon Rider… We meet at last."

Troy's eyes narrowed at the figure. "The feeling's mutual… Dark Lord."

"Ah, my infamy precedes me," Dorado sneered, descending the stairs and stepping into the room. "No doubt the foolish ancestor of yours told you about me; him and that old buffoon the Chronicler."

"How do you know about them?" Astral asked.

"My dear, I know everything about this world," Dorado replied. "The Dragon Temple, the Concurrent Skies, the Valley of Avalar, even the hidden White Isle… the dragons taught us all their secrets when we first entered Warfang. But soon all will be destroyed in the creation of a new world and I shall be its new ruler, thanks to my Dark Crystals!"

Troy looked puzzled. "How are the Dark Crystals going to help?"

"Simple" Dorado replied. "Inside Malefor's island, there lies a huge amount of Dark Crystal buried deep in the base. When the Destroyer's journey ends, the volcano will erupt and strike the base of the island, shattering the Crystal and scattering the shards across the Realms."

"Won't Malefor be killed when the lava hits?" Troy asked.

"The island itself is protected by a magical shield. No harm will come to Malefor, at least not now." Dorado smiled nastily. "Once the Crystal is destroyed, the island will plunge deep into the volcano all the way down to the World Core. There, Malefor will perform his final act of the new creation. He will use his greatest power to gain control of the Ring of Annihilation and help form the new world."

Astral gasped in horror. "There's no way Malefor would willingly do that!"

"Malefor will do whatever I say," Dorado argued. "His corrupted mind is being controlled by the Dark Crystals too."

"What?!" Troy and Astral gasped.

"I'm sure that you've been told of the battle between me and Malefor," Dorado sniggered. "Didn't they tell you why Malefor chose not to kill me? It was because by then, he never had a choice."

"That tapestry in the ruins," Troy recalled. "It showed you stabbing Malefor with something but the last part had been burnt away…"

"It was burnt because the Elders didn't want to accept the fate of their 'great warrior'," Dorado explained. "During the battle, I stabbed a shard of Dark Crystal into the so-called Dark Master. Then just as he was about to kill me, the mind-controlling powers took over and I forced him to make me his second-in-command…"

"When all the time, you were really in charge," Astral realized.

"So that's what you used to control the Destroyer!" Troy scowled.

"And with my Dark Crystals, I was able to bring the whole human race to its last few weaklings. My plan then would be to use the shards of Crystal to turn any surviving being into my loyal servants." Dorado's face twisted into a sneer. "And I would have succeeded if Trafalgar hadn't faced me in combat, trapping my spirit into my own crystals and sealing me in that wretched portal on Convexity."

"A fate well deserved for someone like you," Troy growled.

"It didn't matter anyway," Dorado retorted. "My powers were so great that I could still control Malefor even in my prison. Even after he was imprisoned with me, he and I could still speak to our armies. But now that we are free again, our ultimate rebirth will continue as planned."

"Not while we're here, Dorado!" Astral snapped.

"Ah, but where are my manners?" Dorado sniggered. "I've forgotten about my guests. I could have killed both of you when I had the chance. But instead, I wish to offer you an invitation, young Rider. Join me as the General of my new army, and together we can conquer the new world!"

"No way!" Troy cried. "You're a horrible monster! I'd never serve anyone like you!"

"Very well, but don't say I didn't offer you a chance," Dorado said mysteriously. "Tell me, Troy, do you still have that shard of Crystal from when you tried to stop the Destroyer?"

Troy stepped back in worry. "Oh no."

"What's he talking about?" Astral asked nervously.

"He didn't tell you?" Dorado tutted. "Don't worry, my dear. I'll be happy to show you…" With a smile, he raised his staff and the Crystal on the end began to glow.

Immediately, Troy let out a scream of pain, feeling a terrible burning sensation in his mind. He fell to his knees and clutched his head in his hands as he lost control of his senses.

"TROY!" Astral cried out in horror.

She wanted to run forward, but her body refused to budge and she could only watch helplessly as dark energy sparked from the wound on Troy's shoulder. Then suddenly Troy's screams stopped.

Astral took a careful step closer. "Troy?"

Chuckling nastily, Dorado held out his hand. "Arise, my boy."

Slowly, Troy lowered his hands and got to his feet.

"Now then, Troy," Dorado said. "Whom do you serve?"

Troy raised his head, showing a terrible sneer and glowing white eyes. "I serve Dorado," he answered in a twisted voice.

"Troy… oh no…" Astral breathed in horror.

"Behold the true power of the Dark Crystals!" Dorado cried out. "Now, young Rider, this dragon has no purpose to our new world. So I order you now to… DESTROY HER!"

"Yes, master." Slowly, Troy drew out his sword and stepped forward. "Prepare for your end, dragon!"

"Troy, don't do this," Astral yelled, backing away in fear. "This isn't you at all!"

"He can't hear you," Dorado laughed. "My powers are too great. He will destroy you and then help me rule this world! Do it, Troy!"

With a nod, Troy raised his sword and swung it down. At the last second, Astral ducked aside, the sword striking one of the benches and sending scrolls scattering in the air like startled doves.

"Come on, you worthless beast, fight me!" Troy challenged.

Astral kept ducking and dodging as she was chased across the room. This is hopeless, she said to herself. I can't keep this up…

Up in the Dojo, Spyro stepped back in fear as the corrupted Cynder stalked menacingly towards him. Then she lowered her head and charged right into him, knocking into the remains of the statue.

Malefor just watched with great amusement. "Ignitus should have warned you," he called out mockingly to Spyro. "You are alone here, young dragon, you have always been alone. Still, here you are, trying so desperately to save this miserable world… refusing to accept the true role of the purple dragon."

"My true role?" Spyro panted as he struggled to his feet.

"Yes," Malefor sneered. "I'm sure you've been told that I was the first of our kind, but I assure you there have been many. It has been the duty of our predecessors to resurrect the Destroyer and the Golems of the Deep, to bring about the Great Cleansing."

"Who told you all this?" Spyro yelled before another charge from Cynder sent him skidding across the floor.

"Why, Dorado, of course," Malefor replied. "He told me that this was the true nature of our kind. Don't you see, Spyro? Your destiny is to destroy this world!"

"No, I don't believe that!" Spyro yelled, pounding his fist onto the floor.

"Of course, you don't," Malefor sniggered. "But you have fulfilled your destiny nonetheless. In my time, I was stopped, prevented from completing my quest. But you… you have carried the flame, be it through your will or not. And soon, the world will be destroyed, you along with it…"

"No," Spyro breathed in despair.

As he tried to get up, Cynder struck him in the face with her tail and knocked him down again.

"Fight back!" she commanded.

As Malefor burst out laughing, Cynder swung her tail blade down again and again. Spyro blocked each blow with his wings, tears flowing down his face.

"Fight back!" Cynder yelled again, bashing his wings once more. "Why won't you fight back?"

Spyro lowered her wings and bowed his head sadly. "Because you left me nothing to fight for…"

Cynder stepped back in surprise and suddenly the darkness that surrounded her faded and returned to her normal state. She stepped forward and helped Spyro to his feet. "There's always something."

Spyro smiled at her and rubbed his face on Cynder's cheek.

"ARGH!" Malefor roared in anger. "So be it! You've made your choice and so you shall suffer the same fate!"

As he spoke, the chain reappeared around the young dragons' necks but they were too focused on the Dark Master to notice.

"PREPARE TO DIE!" Malefor yelled, taking to the skies.

Spyro and Cynder took off into the high clouds after him, ready to take down the Dark Master…

In the tower, Astral was running out of time. Troy kept coming at her, swinging his sword left and right. Each time, she was able to dodge all the blows and yet she couldn't find it in her heart to fight back. She needed to save Troy so they could stop Dorado, but how?

"You can't run forever," Dorado taunted. "My Crystals ensures that Troy will never tire out."

"Just like you revived the Destroyer?" Astral panted, ducking aside as Troy lashed out at her. "We honestly thought that we'd defeated him."

"My Crystals have the greatest power of all," the Dark Lord replied. "Even with the smallest fragment, I can still control them. It's very easy on something like the Destroyer and the Golem."

"What do you mean?" Astral asked.

"They're made of rock and magma, they've hardly got any mind at all," Dorado explained.

At this, an idea came to Astral. "So, how did you manage to control Malefor?"

"It was a bit trickier," Dorado admitted. "To control the minds of living beings like Malefor, and Troy here, they'd have to be caught completely unawares."

"So they still can think for themselves?" Astral asked, ducking another swing from Troy.

"Up to a point," Dorado replied. "Even when I was imprisoned, Malefor's mind was already corrupted by power so it didn't matter that I wasn't controlling him. He still believed everything I said."

Astral looked round at Troy and spotted the wound in his shoulder. "I wonder…"

But her distraction was her downfall. Troy charged right into her side and knocked her into the table, spilling potions and knocking the sphere aside.

Troy stepped forward with a smile and raised his sword. "I've got you now, dragon!"

Acting quickly, Astral focused her energy, and suddenly the world around her and Troy slowed down. Then she focused her thoughts and called out in her mind. "Troy, can you hear me?"

For a few tense moments, there wasn't a response but then, at last, Astral heard Troy's normal voice calling back weakly. "Astral… is that you?"

"You can hear me!" Astral thought in relief. "Listen to me, you're being controlled. You've got to fight back!"

"I can't," Troy replied, lowering his sword. "He's too strong… It's too much for me…"

"Don't give up on me! You're better than that!"

"But the darkness… it's everywhere… I can only feel darkness…"

Astral got to her feet, staring at her friend. "Troy… please let me help you. My powers of Solaris were able to break the chain round my neck. Now I can help you."

"But Ignitus said that using the Solaris Fury was dangerous."

"But I didn't use it on the chain; it just felt the powers in my body and failed." She stared right into her Rider's eyes. "Troy, do you trust me?"

There was silence for a moment but then at last… "You know I do."

With a slow nod, Astral pulled them out of Dragon Time and Troy stumbled back.

"What are you waiting for?" Dorado called down. "Destroy that dragon!"

"Yes, master." Troy raised his sword again but as he did, Astral heard his voice in her mind. "Do it, Astral! NOW!"

Quickly Astral jumped up, grabbed onto his shoulders and focused her energy. At once, her scales began to glow, her armour shining like polished glass, and Troy's wound started sparking wildly as if the shard inside was aware of what was about to happen.

"What are you doing?" Dorado yelled. "Stop that! Troy, destroy her!"

But Troy just stood still as Astral sunk her claws into the open wound and grabbed the Crystal inside. With great care, she prized it out before tossing it to the floor and firing her Solaris Breath at it.

"NOOOO!" Dorado screamed as the Dark Crystal was vapourized into dust.

Instantly, Astral heard Draconis clattering to the ground and felt Troy stagger back and she grabbed him before he could fall. As she did, Troy looked up at her and she could see the warmth in his eyes once more.

"Astral… thank you," he gasped, throwing his arms around her neck.

"What are friends for?" she replied.

"ARRRGH!" Dorado yelled out. "Very well, Rider, since you are not with me, you can perish with your precious dragon friends! By now, the Destroyer will have reached the volcano and my last stage will begin. So long, fools!" And he ran back up the stairs and past the balcony.

Troy got to his feet and cast his Curing spell on his shoulder. This time, the wound sealed up completely, leaving a very faint scar. He then looked up towards the stairs. "We've got to stop him!"

"But you're still weak," Astral pointed out. "Can you handle this?"

"I have to, for the sake of the world," Troy replied, picking up Draconis.

Astral nodded. "You're right. It's time to end this, once and for all!"

And with that, Troy and Astral set off up the stairs in pursuit of the Dark Lord…

Phew, that was tricky but I hope it was worth it if it explains a lot of things.

So see you for the final battle.