Chapter 13- Malefor's Plan
The group continued down the tunnel, with Selarus sniffing the air once in a while, to make sure he wasn't losing Roxine's smell. He, Phoenia and Glacos were all clearly thinking about the guardians. They hoped that they'll finally meet them again and rescue them.
Lavender mostly thought about Ampira's outburst before. She also remembered her sad song, the one she sang when she took Orion away. She couldn't help but think that something was definitely wrong with Ampira, and the yellow dragoness just wouldn't say it. She truly wanted to help her, even though she hurt her friends badly. The purple dragoness couldn't help but feel that she was exactly like Orion, who turned up to be a nice, gentle and caring dragon.
Cynder was even more troubled than her. She has recently arrived to a world unknown to her, and she had to deal with 2 dragons who might be just like her, Orion and Ampira. Moreover, the fact that Malefor was still alive burdened her even more. But the thing that was really hard for her was that she haven't seen Spyro ever since she appeared in this world. Without him, defeating Malefor again, even though she made a lot of new friends and comrades, seemed impossible to her.
The black dragoness moved her gaze to Lavender, the first dragon she met here and whom she saved and befriended. There was one other thought that was bugging her mind ever since she met her, but forgot until now. "Why is she purple? I thought there is supposed to be only one every 10 generations. She almost looks like a female Spyro!", Cynder wondered, but decided that there will be time to ask those questions later.
"Ughhh... Where am I?", Orion muttered and looked around after regaining his consciousness.
Glacos lay down and let him down of his back. The young blue dragon looked exhausted from carrying Orion, but he didn't complain.
"I'm so sorry for what I've done. Can you ever forgive me?", Orion muttered sorrowfully.
"No problem, no problem at all! Just like Lavender said- that's what friends are for, right?", Phoenia laughed.
Lavender and Glacos nodded towards him, smiling.
"I don't exactly know what have you done, but from what your friends told me it wasn't your fault. You're just like... Another dragoness I know... But she did the right thing at the end, and despite doing horrible things in the past she made some really good friends. You should hold on to your friends.", Cynder said quietly, smiling to him as well and helped him get up.
"Friends, huh...?", Orion asked quietly with a slightly forced smile.
"Isn't that right, Selarus?", Lavender asked happily. The green dragon remained quiet for a moment. "I have no doubt that you didn't really want to do that to Roxine, but... I just don't think I can forgive you for that. The memory of what you did is still too strong. Sorry.", Selarus said and started walking again.
"It's okay.", Orion said silently and walked after him, the others joining. Lavender sighed mentally. "I really hope that they will be able to be friends one day.".
Orion looked around the cave, that was getting darker and darker by the moment. "You're here to rescue the female dragons, right?", he asked.
"Yes. Do you know where they are? Are we in the right direction?", Glacos immediately asked.
"Yes. We're in the right direction, but we have to hurry up, or else it will be too late!", he called and rushed forwards, to everyone's surprise, but they followed him.
A few minutes later...
The six dragons arrived at another chamber. The room was pretty dark, but they could all see four sets of shackles by the walls of the room. In a corner also lay some big orbs, but they all seemed empty.
"Darn it! We're too late!", Orion called.
"Late for what?", Selarus demanded.
"Malefor already took them to the center of the volcano so that they could witness the 'Great Reset'! We don't have much time!", he called again and rushed back, the others followed him.
Cynder ran beside him. "By the 'Great Reset', you can't mean...", Cynder started, but found it hard to finish.
Orion nodded. "It's exactly what it means. He's going to destroy every living creature here in order to recreate the world as he wishes!".
"But what did he need the guardians for?", Lavender asked from behind them.
"I don't know that. I only know that he extracted their elements and put them in those orbs you've seen earlier. They must have something to do with his plan!", the black dragon explained.
"Wait, why were there four shackles at that room and not 3?", Phoenia asked.
"Because there were 4 guardians, of course!", Orion called.
"Four?", Selarus, Glacos and Phoenia all called at the same time.
"Yes. Roxine, the earth guardian, Haily, the ice guardian, Flametta, the fire dragon, and Joltina, the lightning guardian!", Orion explained.
"Now I get it!", Cynder called. "Ampira must have worked for Malefor in order to free Joltina!".
"Why didn't she tell us then?", Phoenia asked angrily. "We could have helped her defeat Malefor!".
The group reached back to the first chamber, and Orion lead them towards the middle tunnel, the last of the three, before he answered.
Orion then decided to tell them her story. "Joltina raised Ampira to be a kind, loving dragon. She told her that no dragon is truly evil, and taught her to be friendly to anyone and everyone. She grew up and knew only her, until one day, three years ago, Malefor appeared.".
Orion stopped there to take a breath. "Three years ago... It can't be just a coincidence!", Cynder thought.
Orion continued. "Joltina told her to run away, but Ampira didn't believe what was going to happen. She couldn't imagine anything bad in the perfect world Joltina tried to raise her into. Malefor and Joltina fought ferociously, and she lost easily. Malefor captured her and Ampira, and he offered Ampira a deal- if she works for him and help him fulfill his plan, he would free Joltina. Ever since then, Ampira's personality changed so much it frightened me. I've seen the whole process since I was raised by Malefor from when I was an egg, 15 years ago. Ampira finally came to trust me, but she hasn't trusted anyone else, resulting in whom you've seen not long ago. She feels lonely in this world, and she has no friends.". Orion finished with a sigh.
No one knew what to say, not even Cynder, who felt sorry for the yellow dragoness.
"Be careful. We're about to reach the core of the volcano. The guardians will most likely be there, but also will Malefor.", Orion said after a minute or so.
The six dragons reached a hall right underneath the top of the volcano. The blue sky could be seen clearly from afar.
In the middle, deep under them, was a large pool of magma. Above it was a large piece of ground, suspended above the magma with multiple huge chains that were tied to the volcano's sides.
On it was standing a huge, dark purple dragon. If dragons could get goosebumps, they'd all get it now. All except Orion, who narrowed his eyes angrily towards him.
Nearby him, were chained to the ground 4 adult dragonesses, colored red, yellow, green and blue. They all looked extremely pale though. They also seemed unconscious.
The dark purple turned towards the coming dragons, smirking diabolically. "Welcome, young dragons! You are all just in time to see the end of this world... And the start of a better, stronger new one, with me as its undisputed ruler!".
"What makes you think we'll just let you do that?", Cynder yelled.
"Oh, my dear Cynder. I see you've grown to be a fine, young dragoness even without me help... So, have you come to join me and rule the world once more? It's not too late for you just yet!".
"You're out of your mind! I'll never join you! Never!", the black dragoness exclaimed.
"Oh well. My new plan doesn't involve you anyway.", he said in an indifferent tone and raised his front paw in her direction. The next thing everyone knew- she was laying nearby the wall, unconscious, after a purple blast could be seen.
"What have you done?", Lavender yelled in shock and ran towards Cynder, checking on her. The black dragoness was still breathing, to her relief.
"Ahh... The jewel in the crown of my master plan. Lavender, the purple dragoness!", Malefor said, staring solely at her.
"How do you know me?", Lavender asked, narrowing her eyes towards him suspiciously.
"How do I know you? It is thanks to me that you are who you are!", he called and shot lightning at her too fast for her to react.
Lavender screamed in agony as the electricity surged through her body. She fell on the ground, paralyzed. "I will take care of you later...", he said and turned towards the other four dragons, who seemed to be still trying to comprehend what was going on.
"Orion, why have you betrayed me? Wasn't I the one who cared for you for whole your life? For 15 years I have taught you all that I know and protected you.", he asked in an astonishingly soft voice.
"Violence... Murder... Pain... Sadness... Those were all that you taught me! When I asked you why you were doing this and spoke against it, you turned me into a mindless servant! I'd rather die than be one of your pawns once more!", Orion roared.
Malefor grinned evilly. "I've never thought that the single dragon I managed to capture back then was filled was so much foolishness like 'hope', 'compassion' and 'friendship'... Those useless feelings only make you weak and doubtful. Throw them aside, Orion. Dispose of them and come to join me! Obtain the ultimate power, obtain a power that only you can achieve!".
"Never!", Orion yelled. Malefor in response shot a purple blast from his mouth at him, knocking him out just like Cynder. "You will join me whether you want it or not!", Malefor laughed.
The remaining three dragons shivered as he faced them.
"The three remaining elemental dragons... The last pieces I need in order to obtain the ultimate power. The power to destroy worlds and create life. The power to eliminate anything and bring true peace. Join me! Elements of earth, fire and ice! Join the power of lightning, that is already flowing through my body!", he called and a dark portal opened in his chest.
"Hey, are we being drawn into him?", Glacos called in shock and tried to run away, but the power was too great.
"Does he mean he absorbed Ampira and he's now trying to get us?", Phoenia yelled.
"It seems so! Hold on, I'll try to get us out of here! Dragon Time!", Selarus called and using his ability tried to get a hold of the young blue and red dragons, in order to pull them away from Malefor.
"I'm impressed. A dragon other then the purple dragon being able to use that power. But unfortunately for you, so can I... Dragon Time!", Malefor said, canceling the effect of Selarus' own Dragon Time.
"Lavender!", the three dragons yelled at the same time, as they were being sucked into Malefor.
"No, stop!", Lavender yelled desperately. She broke out of the paralysis without even noticing.
But it was over in a few seconds. Phoenia, Glacos and Selarus were all sucked into Malefor.
"Now I am the absolute master of all four elements!", Malefor yelled, laughing manically.
"No...", Lavender muttered, her tears starting to fall down on the hard rock.
"Now, to get those who will bring me powers that no dragon in history has ever achieved!", Malefor called and raised his claws towards the unconscious Orion.