Disclaimer: I don't own Spyro the Dragon, or any other characters, except those of my own creation.

Chapter 14

Fire and Ice

"Spyro can overcome your magic," Ignitus growled.

The Dark Master chuckled. "Neither of them stand a chance. They're too close to me and the barrier between my prison and Convexity is exceedingly weak. It's just a matter of time."

Ignitus glanced at the vision that the Dark Master had conjured up of what was going on outside. Spyro and Cynder had both grown to adult size and two pairs of glowing red eyes were staring out of the darkness. The cloud of darkness cleared revealing the two changed dragons.

Outside Feron smirked as the two appeared. "Now release your master."

The duo started forward. What was left of the old Spyro tried to stop himself, but it was useless. And why shouldn't he do it? The Dark Master would reward him. Spyro stopped and shook his head. No, he didn't want that creature's rewards.

Cynder glanced back at him and then turned to face him. "What's wrong?"

"We can't do this," Spyro said.

"We're his slaves now. We have no choice," Cynder said.

Spyro shook his head. "You don't mean that."

"It'll be a lot worst if you fight it," Cynder said, sounding sympathetic. "Just give in."

"No, no!" Purple light engulf Spyro's body.

Inside his prison, the Dark Master scowled. He consoled himself with the fact that he had at least gotten Cynder back, but then the dark dragoness leaned her neck down and the light engulfed her as well. The Dark Master howled in rage. Ignitus stepped away from the howling specter and smiled warmly.

Feron turned his head away as the light blinded him. He glanced back when the light died down and saw the two dragons back in their original form walking toward him, both looking determined.

Sparx was hovering a few feet away from the ice dragon. "I wouldn't want to be you right at this moment."

"You're going down, Feron!" Spyro growled.

"I think not," Feron replied. The older dragon leapt forward and Spyro and Cynder scattered, avoiding being crushed beneath him. The two both launched a stream of fire at him, but the ice dragon jumped into the air with a powerful thrust of his wings.

The two youngsters leapt into the air after him. Feron dived toward a field of asteroids. Spyro and Cynder dived after him, flapping their wings desperately trying to keep up. They saw glimpses of the ice dragon as they turned and twisted through the rocks, but when they emerged from the rocks, Feron had vanished. Before they could look around, he swooped out of the sky above them and rammed into them. Feron's front legs grabbed a hold of the two and he carried them back toward the central platform, the duo helpless in his grip. He let go of them and sent them rolling across the hard rock.

Feron laughed as he landed on the ground. "You children can't beat me."

A javelin of ice slammed into Feron's side and penetrated halfway into the hard scales. Feron glanced over at his attacker and growled as he saw Crystalis. Crystalis launched another spear of ice and Feron raised his wings in defense. That was a mistake as the spike easily tore through the wing's thin membrane.

Feron roared and exhaled a stream of ice at his son. Crystalis cried out as the stream of cold air hit him. He collapsed shivering and covered with patches of ice.

Satisfied, Feron turned back to face Spyro and Cynder. Cynder looked horrified, while Spyro wore an expression of pure rage. Spyro opened his mouth and a bolt of electricity lanced out at Feron. The ice dragon roared in pain as his muscles seized up and the energy crackled against his scales. Spyro launched another blast at him and Feron collapsed.

Spyro sighed and Cynder ran over to check on Crystalis. He was still breathing. His natural resistance to the cold had probably saved him. Cynder sighed, pretty sure that he'd be okay. She glanced up at Spyro and saw that he looked nervous.

"What is it?" she asked.

"Something's coming," Spyro replied, glancing wide-eyed at the pillar of darkness.

Inside a torrent of energy was being emitted by the Dark Master and the pillar was shuddering, trying to rein it in and keep it from entering the outside world. Finally, the energy broke through and wrapped around the unconscious Feron. The ice dragon was lifted off the ground and his eyes snapped open, an unnatural red tint around them. The darkness twisted into a tornado-like shape and then exploded sending a gust of wind at the two, almost blowing them off their feet, Cynder had to grab onto Crystalis to keep him from being blown off the edge.

Spyro sighed as the wind stopped and he looked up at Feron. The ice dragon's wounds were completely healed and a black aura surrounded his body. His eyes were now tinted with red. Feron threw his head back and released an unearthly roar.

Cynder leapt forward and stood next to Spyro as Feron looked down at them with an evil glint in his eyes. He opened his mouth and a blast of dark energy shot at the two dragons. The wave of darkness hit them before they could move.

Spyro would later describe it as one of the worst experiences of his life. He felt cold and hopeless, like the darkness was sucking away his will to live out. The young dragon collapsed as the darkness faded. He felt like every ounce of energy had been drained from his body.

He tried to raise his head when Feron approached, but he was too weak. He could make out Cynder, collapsed on the ground beside him.

Ignitus growled as he watched from within the pillar. He glanced over at the Dark Master, who was crouching on the floor, exhausted from transferring so much energy to Feron. He glanced back at the image unfolding before him.

Ignitus could open the portal out of the prison, but the Dark Master could be faking his exhaustion and easily leap through as well and Ignitus wasn't sure that he could close the portal after leaving. It had taken all four of the guardians to seal it.

The fire guardian growled and exhaled a stream of flames at the wall. A red wormhole appeared in the darkness where the flames connected. Ignitus leapt through it, shooting a glance back at the Dark Master. The demon was still on the floor and glaring up at Ignitus with utter hatred.

Feron looked up as Ignitus exploded out of the portal and slammed into him, grabbing the ice dragon with his claws and hauling him into the air. Feron reached his neck up and bit Ignitus' hind leg. The elder roared in pain and stopped flapping, letting the two plummet onto the rock below.

"I hate you!" Feron growled. "It's your traditions that made me what I am! Because I wasn't born in the Year of the Dragon I was ostracized by society!"

"That's no excuse for what you did!" Ignitus growled as fire built up around him. Feron opened his mouth to launch another blast of darkness, but Ignitus unleashed his fury attack first, bathing the entire area in flames. When the flames cleared the rock had been melted into lava and ash filled the air. Feron had disappeared completely.

Ignitus sighed. His energy was severely depleted and he found it hard to just hover in place. He turned and flew back up onto the center platform. He stepped forward and breathed a blast of flame at the portal in the side of the pillar. Ignitus growled as it didn't close and released another blast of flame. The portal still wasn't closing!

Spyro shakily stood up and watched as Ignitus released a third blast of fire. It had no more effect then the previous blasts had. Spyro closed his eyes and purple light surrounded him. The light jumped from him and slammed into the portal, slowly forcing it closed.

Ignitus looked over at the purple dragon as the portal closed and the light faded away. Spyro groaned and then collapsed. Ignitus gasped and ran over to the youngster. He leaned down over the pale dragon. His breaths were coming in gasps.

Sparx was silent as he hovered nervously above Ignitus' shoulder.