(Hey, everyone. So, HOLY CRAP, I've been gone for a long time. I've discovered that putting myself on a schedule for posting chapters puts me in a bad situation, where I'm just writing to make deadlines, and I lose where I'm trying to go. So, it won't be as long as this chapter has been, but from now on, the chapters will come on my own time. No more rushing.

This has also led to a TON of confusion with the most recent chapter. That chapter served as a 'jump ahead,' due to Terrene's poisoning. The next few chapters are going to go back, and explain the situation from other points of view. For instance, this one is from Spyro and Cynder's point of view, and the next ones might be from Flames, Volt's, Ice's, ect.

It's great to be back! Enjoy the chapter!)

CHAPTER 30: THE PLAN

Spyro woke from his dream from the Time Realm. He looked around, and realized it was still night. In fact, it wasn't very late at all. The candles that lit the room still burned brightly. How long had he slept? An hour or two? Minutes?

Either way, Spyro felt well rested. He couldn't bring himself to sleep again while he had this energy.

He looked down to see Cynder, still fast asleep. She was curled into a semi circle. Her paws in front of her from where she must have been holding Spyro, which made him feel a bit guilty. His tail was still entwined with hers.

Spyro thought about how beautiful she was. The irony of that thought made him smile. He use to fear the sound of her name. Now, they were so close to each other.

Cynder stirred lightly in her sleep, rolling onto her stomach. Spyro chuckled at her adorable wiggling. He leaned downward to kiss her on the forehead. Right before he contacted, she lurched up, and knocked right into his face.

"Why does my head hurt?" Cynder groaned, gripping her head.

"Maybe because you just tried to shove it up my nostrils," Spyro said, holding his snout with his paw.

Cynder sat up straight, and released her head as if all of her pain had just vanished.

"That's weird," Cynder said, then noticed Spyro, "Oh my god, Spyro, are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," Spyro said, sitting up. "It's just pain..."

"What happened?" Cynder asked him.

"Um, never mind." Spyro said, deciding it was better not to discuss it. "What made you wake up?"

"I'm... I'm not sure what happened," Cynder explained. "Everything was just fine, then all of a sudden I had this mind splitting pain..."

"Like your skull felt like it was cracking?" Spyro asked.

"Yeah, and then..." Cynder continued.

"It immediately disappeared." Spyro finished.

"Yeah," Cynder said, stunned. "How did you know?"

"Because I made it happen." Spyro answered.

Cynder gave him a look. "What did you do while I was sleeping?"

"What?" Spyro asked. "I didn't do anything, Cynder. It's nothing like that. I visited Ignitus last night... or tonight. Do you know what time it is?"

Cynder looked around the room, and saw the candles still burning brightly. Then she observed the view out the window.

"It can't be too late," she said. "I can still see the moon from here."

Spyro observed the moon's position. "Yeah... So we slept for... minutes?"

"I guess," Cynder agreed. "Anyways, you said you visited Ignitus?"

"Yeah," Spyro said.

"Well," Cynder urged, "What did you guys talk about?"

"Actually, we didn't get to talk much."

"What do you mean?"

"I..." Spyro hesitated, not wanting to worry her. "Well, I had to fight."

"Fight?" Cynder asked. "Fight Ignitus?"

"No, it's..." Spyro began.

Suddenly the door swung open, and in the threshold stood Janos.

"I apologize for my abruptness," he said. "But I have important news to share."

"Janos," Spyro noticed he looked troubled. "What wrong?"

"What's wrong is you guys are awake!" Sparx shouted.

"Sparx!" Cynder shouted in a panicked voice.

"What?!" Spark surged upward.

"Shut up." Cynder said calmly.

Sparx simply shook his head.

"Anyways," Spyro said. "Janos, what's the news?"

"Are the humans packing up the city?" Cynder asked hopefully.

"Unfortunately, my news is not as good as you would hope." Janos said.

"What is it?" Cynder and Spyro asked in unison.

"I've discovered a Praecursator," Janos said.

"Huh?" Sparx mumbled. "Who prayed for what?"

"That's Latin, right?" Spyro asked.

"What does it mean?" Cynder urged.

"Spy," Janos translated.

"Spy?" Cynder asked.

"Yes."

"Who? When?" Spyro asked.

Janos sighed. "I wish it were as simple as 'who' and 'when.'"

"What do you mean?" Spyro asked, realizing that this was far deeper than he originally thought.

"My partner, Crystal," Janos hesitated. "She... she wasn't truly prisoner back at the human city."

"Then what was she doing in a cell?" Sparx asked, finally joining reality.

"It was a setup." Janos explained. "She was meant to escape with Terrene, and arrive here at the village. You see, Terrene is more than just the Earth Legend, according to your prophecy. She is a powerful conduit between our world and the cosmos."

"What does this mean to us?" Cynder asked.

"If Kane has Malefor's soul," Janos answered. "He could use Terrene to created a physical embodiment, and essentially resurrect the Dark Master."

Spyro looked down, too shocked to look Janos in the face. "How did you find all of this out?" He asked.

"Crystal is an expert in dragon crystals," Janos said. "Her research explained all of this information. I discovered some papers she tried to dispose of."

Spyro thought for a moment. All this time, a spy had been worked within the village. How could he not have noticed? Crystal had never been really open to Spyro... about anything. He barely knew anything about her. And now Terrene is caught in this mess...

Terrene...

"Terrene..." Spyro and Cynder said in unison.

Both dragons sprung out of bed, and out the door. Cynder followed close behind Spyro, which was odd in a way. Cynder had always been the faster one.

She took a moment to observe Spyro. He seemed... different. In a good way. He form was stronger, yet more relaxed. Like a huge weight had been lifted from his shoulders.

Spyro leapt straight into Terrene's window, into an empty bedroom. Cynder jumped in behind him.

"Anything?" Cynder asked.

"No..." Spyro said, and cursed himself under his breath. "Keep looking."

"Alright," Cynder replied, and bolted out of the room. She searched every corner of the hut, and found no sign of Terrene.

Spyro entered the room Cynder was in. "Anything?" He asked.

"No..." Cynder sighed heavily.

"Over here!" Janos called from outside.

Spyro and Cynder quickly made their way to him.

"What is it?" Spyro asked.

"Stay back," Janos said.

"What?" Cynder asked.

"I don't believe it..." Janos said.

"What?!" Spyro and Cynder asked together.

"Concentrated obsidian powder," Janos said. "Simply a crystal to humans, but deadly if inhaled by a dragon. How could she..."

"What are you saying?" Cynder asked. "Is Terrene..."

"I don't know," Janos didn't let her finish. "I never imagined Crystal would use her... our research like this. Aeternusinfamia!"

Spyro decided not to ask what those last words meant. He put the pieces together well enough to know it wasn't good.

"If Crystal took Terrene to the human city," Janos continued. "Then we are too late."

"I refuse to accept that," Spyro said.

"I don't think you understand, Spyro," Janos said. "Zachurr is insane. By now, Terrene could be..."

"Don't!" Spyro shouted. "We don't know anything yet."

"Spyro," Cynder stepped forward. "If Terrene breathed that powder in..."

"No," Spyro said. "I will not accept that. She's the world's most powerful earth dragon. There's no way a bit of dust killed her."

"Even if the dust didn't kill her," Janos argued. "The other humans are vicious. There's no way we can tell how long she'd survive."

"Then let's go," Spyro said.

"What?" Janos asked.

"Spyro," Cynder said. "We barely survived when they attacked us."

"When they were prepared for battle," Spyro said. "They won't be expecting us."

"Bro," Sparx said, "Listen, I know you're like, a dragon… Like, a purple one… But these humans are pretty good at improvising this whole fight thing."

"So were we at the end of that last battle." Spyro pointed out. "I mean, I can't be the only one who thought that was an amazing final blow to their ranks."

Spyro looked at the three of his friends. Neither of them said a word. They stood there, clearly unconfident that an assault on the city would be a good idea.

"Listen, guys," Spyro said. "I need you to be with me on this. I can't do this alone."

Cynder was the first to look up.

"I'm with you," she said, "just like I've always been."

"I will stand with you." Janos chimed in. "I owe you my life; I'm not about to turn away from that."

"Good," Spyro said with a smile. "Now, we need to gather everyone. I have a feeling that all of us will be awake soon."