Back to some semi regular updating. Matt and company are mine and Cydra's while some tanks and guns are taken from Tom Clancys Endwar and is property of Ubisoft. Enjoy.

Third Energy Chronicles

Chapter 28

Matt sighed, waking up for another day of trying to put out the latest fire Spyro had caused...not that he was in Coalition territory. Waking up had become more a task lately, namely because it felt really awkward to sleep on her chest now.

"Urgh...ok...today's schedule..." she muttered.

A wall computer lit up and an Asian-accented voice said, "Good morning commander. You have several tasks for today. Do you wish them sounded off?"

Matt sighed, the computer being something new the F.E.F had brought up. "Why not?" grumbled Matt as she tried to get her hair out of her face. An annoying part of this curse was her hair grew back a lot faster when it was cut. At least it didn't tangle, snag, or split.

"Miss Roph has announced that a breakthrough is likely. She will see you 0900 hours. Acting head of security, Techo, reports more unrest in the dragon quarters. He is scheduled for 1000 hours. Also, a transmission has come in from a 'Spyro Dragonfly'. Do you wish playback, o honourable commander?" said the computer calmly.

"I don't suppose he's calling from an island getaway," said Matt.

"Negative, as per your orders, I placed a tracking virus in the signal and it was traced to Malefor's floating imperial palace in Copenhagen airspace," said the computer, adding, "Do you wish playback?"

Matt sighed and said, "I suppose I have to listen to it at some point."

"Beginning playback. Alert, incoming transmission on same line," said the computer.

"Can't he wait until I've finished with his first message?" snapped Matt.

"He seems quite insistent to my subroutine," said the computer.

"Just as pushy as ever," muttered Matt, "I suppose if I ignore his incoming call, it'll become a never-ending cycle."

"As you wish, commander," said the computer before Spyro's new face, as had been shown in the latest news casts from Imperial territory appeared.

"Commander...looking radiant I see," said Spyro.

Matt, having pulled a shirt and pants on, glared. "Get on with it, backstabber," she said icily.

"Can't an old friend just say 'hi' anymore?" asked Spyro.

"When you start acting like an old friend," said Matt, "I thought you were above Malefor's influence."

"I'm in perfect control of my actions. At what point was I ever hit by his control blasts?" said Spyro.

Matt smiled grimly before she said, "Well, that just makes you a traitor then."

"It makes me a defector from your decadence," said Spyro.

"Spyro, you were making good progress with your dragon rights until you got ridiculous with your demands for luxuries," said Matt.

"We're dragons. We're not some filthy human," said Spyro loftily.

"There, right there, that's your real betrayal," said Matt, "You were working to show that dragons and humans are equal. But now you're stomping all over it."

"I was misguided," said Spyro dismissively.

"You're misguided right now," snapped Matt before sighing and asking, "Is there a reason you called besides to do pointless debating?"

"Uh..." said Spyro, suddenly looking a little uncertain.

"You literally had nothing better to do today than call me to gloat, did you?" said Matt dully.

"Uh...no, I, uh...came to offer you a position," said Spyro.

"Oh, as your concubine?" asked Matt.

"Yes, wait, I mean-" said Spyro.

"Gonna hang up now," said Matt, "Call back when you're less creepy."

"Wait," snapped Spyro, Matt pausing, before Spyro said, "This war, it will end with all of your deaths. With Cynder's death if you do not surrender. A wise leader knows when he is beaten. You must be wise."

"Oh, now you start caring about Cynder?" asked Matt.

Spyro glared. "She chose her path, but even now I do not wish her end," he snarled.

"You know what'll end her if you don't come to your senses? A broken heart," said Matt.

Spyro glared. "Fine, die with the rest of these stubborn vermin," he snarled before cutting the line.

Matt groaned and said, "I swear, he keeps getting more egotistical with every call." She sighed and walked over...another hard day was coming.

Matt wasn't the only one having a hard day. Megan, Cynder, and Gary were readying a summoning circle. "Ok, we all know what we have to do? Goddesses are very, VERY easily offended," said Megan commandingly.

"Is she a literal goddess?" asked Gary, "I would have thought that there were no actual gods except-"

"Let's not bring up religions. Look, from what I know, they aren't actual gods. Just spirits who get power from belief...and some of them apparently moved with the times," said Megan in explanation as the circle began to glow.

"In what way..." started Gary but trailed off when a stunningly beautiful woman in a business suit materialised in the circle. Of course, she had horns, bat wings, and a spade-tipped tail that gave away her supernatural nature, that barely got any notice nowadays.

The woman said calmly in a practised tone, "I'm sorry to inform you that due to the magical over-saturation, we are no longer-" before Cynder tackled her down.

"We have questions, demon," snarled Cynder with glowing yellow eyes.

"Aggression is not going to help your call move forward any faster," said the demoness in a bored tone. Cynder roared angrily, actually growing a little, the demoness saying "However, return customers of our dark powers package are valued." in a bored tone

"Return customers of what?" asked Cynder before Megan sighed and pulled Cynder off.

"Look, we're trying to get in touch with Ma'at. You might know her, Egyptian goddess of truth, justice, and order?" she said.

"You mean my boss?" said the demoness, taking a cigarette out, flicking her thumb and causing a pilot light to appear that she used to light it.

"Isn't that bad for you?" asked Cynder.

"Can't be worse for me than it is for you," said the demoness before exhaling a huge cloud of smoke. The trio watched the smoke hit a wall and burn a hole in it before all stepping back.

"Ok...can we talk to your boss?" said Megan with a shaking voice only to almost snap when the demoness said "Please make an appointment." before vanishing.

"Wow, they really have gotten on with the times," said Gary, "It makes sense that there's an infernal bureaucracy that..." He stopped when he noticed the twitch in his girlfriend's multiple eyes. "And this is where we get to a safe distance," said Gary.

"Ugh, this bra is chafing me like crazy," grumbled Matt as she approached Megan's house, "How long until Megan gets that cure?" A fountain of fire burst out of Megan's roof accompanied by a scream of frustration. "A while longer yet," said Matt, completely nonplussed.

She sighed, stepping through the rubble to see Gary in Cynder's grip, both shaking as Megan stood in the center of the crater, snarling. "They...all...SUCK!" she shrieked.

"So what was it this time?" asked Matt.

"An infernal bureaucrat!" snapped Megan.

"Do you mean 'infernal' as down there?" asked Matt, pointing at the ground.

"Yes!" snapped Megan.

"Huh, makes perfect sense. They say that every DMV used to be a portal to-" said Matt.

"Madame, this is not the time," said Gary.

Matt sighed, saying, "You warn people so many times…" as she drew her pistol.

"IDIDN'TMEANIT!" screamed Gary, hiding behind Cynder.

Cynder sighed and said, "Look, I know you guys are at the breaking point. But one thing you must remember: no matter how badly you snap, I SNAP FAR WORSE!" screaming the last part in frustration.

Matt sighed. "Ok, Megan, you said you had a breakthrough. Is it something that can make me, well...me again? I had to shoot Admiral Volkov in the knee yesterday when he pinched my bu-...he pinched me," she said, blushing a bit.

"Well, I'm getting the right department, but they're always busy," said Megan.

"Busy with who? How many other people are trying to contact Egyptian deities?" asked Cynder.

Megan paused, before her hair caught fire. "That bi-" she began...

"Ok...so you can explode now. You need to get anger management," said Matt, shaking slightly.

"Oh, it's not over yet. This time I am calling her DIRECT!" snapped Megan, holding up a card.

"Did you mug that demoness?" asked Matt.

"If by that, you mean I picked her pocket while Cynder was on top of her, yes," said Megan, "Now I can get in touch with Ma'at directly."

"Since when do deities have phone numbers?" asked Matt.

"I don't care. It's more direct then this bullshit," snapped Megan manically, looking half-insane.

Matt sighed, "I know that face. That is the face of a soul that's been exposed to the phone hold music too many times."

"You know, maybe we should try the other kind of directness," said Gary.

"What, going to her website?" asked Matt sarcastically.

"Well, Ma'at is an Egyptian goddess, why don't we just go to Egypt and talk to her?" suggested Gary.

"Tried that once. They shot at our ships with Third Energy weapons," said Matt with a sigh, adding "Before we met you guys." Gary, meanwhile, was dialling the number on the card, a rotating pharaohs head symbol appearing on the com screen with two words that swapped between languages, passing through English briefly to say 'please stand by'

"Look, even if you're stuck as a woman, it's not the end of the world," said Cynder, "Spyro remaining as he's become is."

"Erm...guys?" said Gary, trying to point out the com.

"Oh, when your boyfriend has become the Antichrist, it has to be the number one concern," said Matt sarcastically, "But when I have a problem, it can wait?"

"Yes! Did you hear yourself just now?" snapped Cynder.

"How can your change in sex be a crucial problem for the world?!"

"It is when I'm trying to run a global rebellion against your boyfriend and his best pal," snapped Matt.

"I'm sure being a woman hasn't affected your ability to command," said Cynder.

"Has it? During meetings, I have to say 'eyes up here' at least a dozen times. None of the generals take me seriously. They're probably just waiting to say 'Step outside, little lady, and let the men do their jobs'. And before the end of every day, I feel like breaking down and crying my eyes out," snapped Matt, though the pitch of her voice told that she was close to such a breakdown right now. She added gloomily, "I've had to shoot half my command staff in the kneecaps."

"I...I didn't realise it was as bad as that," said Cynder, stepping away from Matt.

"Look, on your world, dragonesses are probably treated as equals, or maybe the strongest males can claim the most females. Don't know, don't want to find out right now. But with humans, men have a stupid primitive instinct of thinking women are weaker and should be left doing the soft jobs like cooking. It's lost its meaning, we should have grown past it, but it's still there," said Matt, "It's even worse since I look like a supermodel."

There was a laugh at that, Matt and Cynder turning to see an Arabian woman with a Deadpool shirt on grinning on the com. "Oh, don't stop on my behalf," she said happily.

"Who are you supposed to be?" snapped Matt.

"Ma'at..." said the girl happily, shoving an Egyptian headdress on and pointing to it.

The group gave her a disbelieving look. "Right. Uh, shouldn't the Egyptian goddess of order look, I don't know, orderly?" asked Matt.

"And she shouldn't look no older than me," said Megan.

Ma'at's smile froze before she growled, "Order can have fun too." her eyes glowing white and Megan yelping as gravity seemed to reverse just for her.

"Well, even if you're not the goddess of order, you're clearly a goddess of some kind," said Gary.

"Sindra, avatar of Ma'at at your service...and this must be the person who just became the latest customer of my personality reform school," said 'Ma'at' happily, looking at Matt, "And I must say...I did a good job."

"You did this to me?" snapped Matt.

"Well...one of my products did, honey," said Ma'at smugly,

"I order you to change me back!" snapped Matt.

"Trying to order a goddess of order," said Ma'at dryly, "Doesn't that seem a little futile?"

"I...want back to NORMAL!" snapped Matt, Ma'at seeming to think about it.

"Well...it was done to save you from another of my old toys so... Well, why don't you come to Egypt and I can work this out proper?" said Ma'at.

"Without being shot down?" asked Matt.

"I'm sure I can convince Osiris to let your jet land. No guns...but from what I sense I doubt that's a problem," said Ma'at.

"Fine, I need a vacation anyways," said Matt.

"Who knows? Maybe you'll meet someone nice like Hera's little project?" said Ma'at, causing Matt to glare and shoot the com screen.

"Hera? I thought we were going to Egypt," said Gary with confusion.

"They probably know each other professionally. They were only across a small sea," said Megan.

Malefor sighed, looking at the reports. Smiling when he read that another squad had actually surrendered to ascension after Spyro had spoken to him. "How long do we continue this charade?" said Shard calmly.

"What charade?" asked Malefor.

"With Spyro, my lord. Surely you intend to dispose of him at some point," said Shard calmly.

"What's the rush?" asked Malefor.

"Well...he will surely attempt to take control unless you establish control. My scientists have constructed a suitable programming that will make him think he is your son," said Shard.

"You know, in a sense, he is my son, the son I never had," said Malefor.

Shard raised an eye ridge. "My lord? Please tell me you are not becoming...attached to this rebel," he said with concern.

"Attached? I don't care any more for Spyro than for anyone else," said Malefor.

"Yet you...described him as family," said Shard.

"As family I could have had," said Malefor.

"That does sound like sentiment, if you would pardon my bluntness, my lord," said Shard with a bow.

"Perhaps his recent encounter with the hydra has made him lonely," said Ghoulwyrm.

"Are you suggesting I miss her?" growled Malefor.

"Oh, not her of course," said Ghoulwyrm, "But you had to put aside so much in order to pursue your goals, like the chance to have a family of your own. It seems to weigh more on you now than it did before."

Malefor glared before Ghoulwyrm was blasted back. "If I choose to guide Spyro to his proper destiny, that which all purple dragons are destined, that is my choice and nobody will question it," snapped Malefor.

"Of course," said Ghoulwyrm, "But if the history I've heard is correct, didn't you once rise up against your elders?"

"Then I should know how to keep Spyro happy," said Malefor smugly, before the door opened, Spyro strutting in and looking angry. "Something wrong, Spyro?" asked Malefor.

"My mate is going to some dust ball called Africa according to my agents..." snapped Spyro.

"Africa? What's worth finding in Africa?" asked Shard dismissively.

Ghoulwyrm sighed and said, "Sometimes I think your brain was carved from stone. Have you no sense of history?"

"What do I care what happened in Africa? It had the highest concentration of Third Energy reactors. Nothing is there," snapped Shard.

"I heard tales that it is inhabited by giant beasts that are more fearsome than any other on Earth," said Spyro.

"Yes, it was hard finding the unmutated versions to use for my wargoyles," said Ghoulwyrm, "But that is only 9/10ths of Africa. The last 10th holds the oldest cities of this world and they have their own power there."

"Yes, you warned me of those. The so-called 'New Kingdom'," said Malefor.

"Somehow, they've harnessed the ambient Third Energy into a useable form. They claim to be channeling the old gods themselves," said Ghoulwyrm, "Which is of course sheer nonsense."

"Then why do you seem so unsure of that?" said Shard smugly.

"Just because I don't take their claims literally doesn't mean that they aren't powerful," said Ghoulwyrm, "Besides, anyone with that much Third Energy is a potential threat."

"And they are headed there. We should crush this threat," snapped Spyro angrily.

"Getting there isn't as simple as, what was it that humans used to do? Scrolling a flight?" asked Ghoulwyrm.

"Booking a flight. You have wings, do you not? USE THEM!" roared Spyro, Malefor saying happily as Spyro beat Ghoulwyrm up "That's my boy..."

"Not he isn't," muttered Shard.

"Shard?" said Malefor out the corner of his mouth.

"Nothing," said Shard.

"Then shut up, Shard," said Malefor, still smiling at Spyro before saying, "That's enough. Go with them. And if it is possible, try and make an alliance."

Matt didn't want a large entourage accompanying her to Egypt. There were only so many kneecaps one could injure to keep a secret. So asides from a token escort of paid-to-be-silent troopers, he had Megan's little summoning group and Kala for medical/emotional support.

Kala, in her firebird form, on Matt's shoulder said "What if she can't help you?" as the group walked along.

Contrinya said, "Then the commander had better get used to her new lot in life."

"When did I invite you?" asked Matt in an annoyed tone.

"You can't only invite one firebird when two are in residence," said Contrinya.

"Just behave," said Matt, looking at the nametag that Megan had made for her, Milina.

Contrinya nodded, "Of course. I knew one of these spirits personally."

"Which one? That bennu bird?" asked Megan.

"No, Pharaoh Horus, obviously. He was a good friend to me and my..." began Continya, pausing before hanging her head as she remembered her brother.

"It wasn't your fault," said Kala softly.

"Of course it wasn't..." said Matt, petting Contrinya on the back, "You don't need to beat yourself up over it"

"Are you petting me?" asked Contrinya darkly.

"Oh, don't pretend you don't enjoy it. Even dragons can't resist a good petting, right Cynder?" said Matt.

"Little lower, little lower," murmured Cynder as Gary scratched her belly.

Contrinya glared before Matt said, "I'm just trying to make you feel better."

"Well, if you must stroke a firebird, which you evidently do with my sister-by-blood, you should do it right," said Contrinya, "You must run your finger gently down the side of her neck."

"Ma'am, we're approaching Cairo airspace. We're being told to land at the international airport," said the pilot, a screech from the side and the gang peering out the side to see a griffon-like creature keeping pace, an anthro jackal riding it.

"I didn't know they had griffons here," said Matt.

"Griffons were known in Egypt, though I think that's some subspecies of sphinx," said Megan.

"Ok, remember, best behaviour," said Matt.

"You do know which one is Horus, right?" asked Contrinya as they stepped off the plane.

"Sure, he's the one with the hawk head, right?" asked Matt.

"No, that's Ra. Horus has the head of a falcon," said Contrinya.

"How is anyone supposed to tell the difference between a hawk's head and a falcon's head?" asked Matt.

"Try watching Animal Planet?" said Kala smugly.

"Uh, Contrinya, how do I know which one's Ra?" asked Matt.

"Ra is the god of the sun," said Contrinya.

"How's that supposed to help?" asked Matt.

"Horus doesn't carry the sun on his head," said Contrinya.

"It's just a gem," said a hawk anthro, a glowing gem on his headdress, a group walking towards them. There were plenty of recognizable gods by the animals they resembled: a cat, a lioness, an ibis, a crocodile, a cow, a jackal, and another hawk with a star-studded headdress.

Matt couldn't help notice that the hawk was looking at her intently before walking over. "Commander Lynch, Human Coalition," Matt said calmly.

"Horus, god of the sky, war, and hunting," said Horus in a charming tone.

"I though Sekhmet was the goddess of war."

"That role is shared by a lot of gods," admitted Sekhmet, "But I'm the best at it."

Matt glared as Horus bowed, giving him a look she knew...before the spell, she and Kala had shared such eyes before bed. Hathor rolled her eyes at that. You didn't have to be a goddess of love to tell what was going on.

Matt glared. "I'm not interested."

Horus sighing "It would be a shame to lose such a jewel." before his eyes crossed as Matt drove a knee home, the other anthros laughing.

"Wow, I kicked a god in the jewels," said Matt, "I hope there will be legends told about that."

"He brought it on himself," said the other hawk anthro. "Ra, at your service," he said with a bow as Sekhmet helped Horus up and away.

"Nice to meet you," said Matt before glancing around, "Er, I notice Ma'at isn't here. Or your entire pantheon for that matter."

"It was thought that having our more illustrative members greet you would make the largest impression," said Thoth.

"Indeed. Look, I'm assuming Ma'at told you why we were coming," said Matt, Ra looking around before waving Sekhmet over.

"Just me and Sekhmet. I assumed you would want this kept quiet, especially with the other ambassadors," Ra said.

"Yes, the less publicity, the better," said Matt, her cheeks reddening against her will.

"Of course. Welcome to the New Kingdom...as our guests, my lady," said Ra with a bow, Matt blushing a little more.

"Would you please not call me that?" she said through gritted teeth.

"I am afraid I know Ma'at well. Her current incarnation may be...free-spirited but she rarely grants...parole on her punishments," said Ra.

"It wasn't even meant to be a punishment," said Megan, "He was in a male-exclusive mind-ensnarement and I...was a bit hasty in casting."

"If she was completely innocent, the spell wouldn't have worked at all," said Sekhmet.

"I'm a he!" snapped Matt, shifting to a dragonian form, Ra sighing, lifting up his hand and blowing like it was a flame, Matt turning back like a flame had been blown out. "How did you do that?" asked Matt.

"I'm a god of the sun, you're a fire dragon, it doesn't take Thoth to figure it out," said Ra flatly.

Sekhmet said, "Just...be careful. Our magic is infectious..."

"What do you mean by-" started Matt.

"Contrinya, is that you?" asked Ra.

"Ra, I haven't seen you for centuries," said Contrinya, "I suppose that still applies. Still bound beyond the Western Gate?"

"Indeed. The world has changed since I last woke," said Contrinya.

Ra nodded and said cheerfully, "And where is your brother?"

"He...has fallen..." said Contrinya mournfully.

"Oh...oh, honey," said Sekhmet, with a sad sigh before glaring at Matt. "Is that why the curse worked on him?" she snarled.

"I had nothing to do with that," said Matt, "Well, a little with his becoming an island, but nothing to with the fact that he became corrupted."

"Fine...but if I find you are lying…" said Sekhmet, slashing her claws across a metal pole, which fell apart, the group minus Contrinya and Ra yelping.

"Even so, you should recall that the curse only works if she's done injustice to a woman," said Ra.

"Does it have to be done personally or in general?" asked Matt.

"In general," said Sekhmet.

Matt swore. "Two of my mortal enemies are dragonesses," she said.

"I suppose Tiamat also counts as such," said Megan, "After all, you did spoil her wedding plans so that would certainly count as personal."

"She was trying to take over Malefor's empire by brainwashing him. How is that not just?" snapped Matt.

"That fool Malefor?" said Sekhmet darkly.

"Trust me, it was a definite 'better the devil you know' thing," said Matt.

"It matters not. But while you are here, you should relax. Stories of the rebels reach even here," said Sekhmet.

"Relax? How can I possibly relax like this? Not to mention I need to be leading a war movement which is considerably hard when I can't be taken seriously," snapped Matt.

"If that is your attitude, no wonder you are making mistakes," said Ra.

"What's wrong with that attitude? A war leader has to be serious and taken seriously," said Matt.

"And a leader should also be able to make peace decisions. You need to relax, all of you," said Sekhmet, clapping her hands together to summon several staff, including two bronze male dragons.

"You really think we'd just abandon our duties and give in to luxury like that?" asked Matt dryly.

"You are safe. Malefor foolishly tried to invade last year. His dragons never even landed. You are safe here," said Ra.

"I dunno, kinda hard to relax in a place so overwhelming dry and hot," said Matt.

"Cairo was once a tourist trap and we have brought it back to its glory. You will be in the life of luxury," said Sekhmet.

"But we didn't bring any casual clothes," said Matt a little weakly.

Sekhmet said in her ear "Clothes?" causing Matts eye to twitch.

"Is there a reason you are leading us through the desert?" said Spyro icily, the group walking through the sand dunes.

"Hmm? You say something?" asked Ghoulwyrm.

Spyro growled and asked, "What is so fascinating in that stupid crystal orb of yours anyways?"

"Sorry, you don't have enough seniority to know," said Ghoulwyrm.

"Tell me or I will destroy you," said Spyro calmly, with narrowed eyes.

"This is too sensitive information," said Ghoulwyrm, "I mean, if you went back to the enemy, this could spoil far too much."

"You dare to question my loyalty?" snarled Spyro, before there was a yelp up ahead and several swearwords. "What was that?" asked Spyro.

"No idea, I'm not spying anywhere near this location," said Ghoulwyrm before wincing and saying, "I had to open my mouth."

Spyro snarled. "I know that. It is the traitor," he snapped, flying up the sand dune to see two dragonians arguing with Malefor's 'ex'.

"Well, what are the odds?" asked Ghoulwyrm, sounding genuinely surprised.

Spyro smirked, strutting down the dune towards them. "Surrender in-" he began only for Tiamat to snap "Shut up I do not have...oh bollocks."

"Well, this will be a pleasing bonus for our lord," said Ghoulwyrm as he snaked down the dune.

"Ghoulwyrm. I do not have time for this. I am trying to get to Giza and we're lost," snapped Tiamat.

"You couldn't find one city in a whole desert?" asked Spyro scornfully.

"We would have if someone hadn't burned a hole through the map," said Tiamat, giving Silvia an annoyed look.

"I didn't know vampris dragons were fire-breathers," said Spyro.

"They're not. They're acid-spitters," said Ghoulwyrm.

Spyro made an 'ew' look before Silvia snapped "I sneezed, ok?"

"Anyways, you're not in much of a position to arrest us. You have no enforcement," said Vanis.

"I am a convexity dragon, a superior one. I can end you ea..." began Spyro before noticing the others were staring past him, Spyro turning to see a huge worm creature staring at him before its front opened to reveal a tooth-lined 'hole' which roared. "Erm...run?" he suggested weakly.

The worm creature roared before coming after the dragons. "At least...if my reports are right...the rebels are suffering too...the New Kingdom...hate visitors." panted Tiamat as they fled.

"Ack, ooh, ahh, eek, ow-ow-ow-ow!" yelped Matt.

"Wow, you have a lot of tension in you," said the masseuse.

"I haven't slept longer than 4 hours per night for 16 months," said Matt, sighing happily.

"It certainly shows," said the masseuse, "It's a wonder you haven't had an apoplexy or a heart attack."

"Caffeine...lots and lots and lots of caffeine," said Matt.

"Hmm, sounds like you have a lot to work out of your system," said the masseuse.

"You have no idea," said Matt.

"Perhaps you'll like an acupuncture session to cleanse your body later," said an attendant. "Acupuncture? As in sticking needles in me?" asked Matt.

"Indeed." said the masseuse, jabbing a needle into Matt's spine, making her eyes cross.

"Don't I have to give permission for this?" asked Matt weakly.

"No," said the masseuse, jabbing another in, Matt getting a dazed look. "Trust me, after this is over and the tiny wounds heal up, you'll feel better than you ever had," said the masseuse.

"I think...I'm paralyzed...from the neck down." rasped Matt, the masseuse gulping "Oh shit not again. TALIA! IT HAPPENED AGAIN!"

The attendant sighed and said, "How many times must we do this? Until you've gotten your acupuncture license, you stick to massages."

"My...heart...stopping…" rasped Matt, adding "Can you do this...later?"

"Oh, very well," said the masseuse before pulling out the needles.

Matt sighed. "Ah...much better," she said, getting up and stretching, before going bug-eyed and falling on her face in a boneless heap. "Just...a bit numb," she said in a muffled voice

"Well, I suppose we need to start over again," said the masseuse.

"Not with you! Send in the professional!" snapped Matt, though still muffled.

"Fine, I think we can skip acupuncture. An invite arrived for you from the royal district," said the attendant.

"If it's for a yoga class, I think I'll skip," said Matt.

"It is an invite to discuss an official alliance between the Kingdom and the Human Coalition," said the attendant haughtily.

"Oh, well, uh...I don't really have anything to wear to such an occasion," said Matt sheepishly.

"It's an alliance. I had your uniform washed while my assistant was trying to kill you," said the attendant

"Oh, good," said Matt, "When is this discussion?"

"In an hour's time..." said the attendant.

"What? I don't have time to get ready! My hair's such a mess and I need to get my makeup put together and did those words really just fly out of my mouth?" asked Matt.

"Oh my. Let me guess, one of Ma'at's curse customers?" said the assistant with a sigh.

"Well, what kind of person would want to do this to themselves?" asked Matt pointedly.

"I can think of a dozen concubines in the royal district would are probably trying to get body swap potions on the black market," said the attendant scathingly.

"That's more than I wanted to know," said Matt.

"Would you care for a glass of papaya juice?" asked the attendant, handing Matt a glass of yellow juice.

"Uh, not right now, thanks," said Matt.

Not all of the Egyptian gods had the heads of animals. There were some who appeared perfectly human, which made it a bit of a challenge to identify them. Luckily, it helped that Megan had actually been invited by Ma'at, who was across her from a cafe table. "So...let me get this straight: you wanted this curse...and now you want a take backsie?"Ma'at said.

"I hadn't expected the curse to be a permanent thing," said Megan, "I only meant to turn him into a girl for a few minutes."

"It said in the print, minimum of 7 years," said Ma'at calmly.

"Well...at least it's not forever. But I'm not sure the war would even be close to over by then and, well, Matt's kinda needed at the front," said Megan.

"And is there a reason a woman can't lead?" asked Ma'at, "I thought feminism had progressed since ancient times."

"Well, he's been in charge of his army for a few years...and having someone they hardly know suddenly appears...well..." said Cynder.

"It can't be that hard to prove her identity," said Ma'at.

"Not to mention that, there are alot of 'old guard' soldiers who would say she needs retraining, and take over...or just kill her," said Megan, adding "We already had one jackass try that before this even happened."

"That would be a problem," said Ma'at, "If she were incapable of proving herself."

"You haven't been to Europe for a while, have you?" said Kala, perched on a chair in a scathing tone.

"Everyone knows what Malefor's been doing in Europe," said Ma'at, "We've also seen what your Commander Lynch has done, or should we say General Blaze?"

"That was an isolated incident..." said Megan darkly, making it clear that the subject as far as Blaze was concerned was closed.

"And yet he still pulled through," said Ma'at, "If your country accepted him as a dragon, should a woman be that different?"

"Look, I appreciate this girl power talk, but there are too many who disagree, more than enough to overthrow Matt," said Kala.

"And they won't come at her front. They'll shoot a hole in her back instead," said Megan.

"I would have thought he had the secured loyalty of his soldiers," said Ma'at with concern.

"Soldiers, maybe, but it's the officers that are the real concern," said Megan.

"He could just execute them," said Ma'at.

"That's not gonna work," said Megan.

"Why not? It's a good way to keep would-be dissidents in line," said Ma'at.

"Well, Matt's kinda already shot most of them in the kneecap over the last week," said Kala.

"Oh...that would remove the shock factor. Why did she...oh, I think I know why. That would explain why the personality part didn't take hold. He was used to 'his way or the highway?" said Ma'at. The group nodded, Ma'at sighed. "Strong will...probably lucky really. Look, I personally can't take the spell off...but I do know a way it could be taken off," she said, taking the offered drink from a waiter.

"What do you mean you personally can't take it off? You're Ma'at, goddess of order, it was your spell in the first place!" snapped Megan.

"I'm only Ma'at's avatar, not Ma'at herself. Avatars have mortal limits and can't wield the full power of the gods they represent," said Ma'at. She paused, apparently listening to someone before saying "And she says she won't do it anyway. He gets the same treatment as every other appeal."

"What treatment?" snapped Megan and Kala.

"The Feather," said Ma'at.

Megan paused and said, "Of course, the Feather."

"What feather? You mean mine?" asked Kala.

"No, mine," said Ma'at, before seeing the confused looks. "Urgh, ok, Egypt 101: when Egyptians die, they get the sins in their heart weighed against an artifact called the Feather of Ma'at. If it's equal or lighter, they get sent to paradise. But...if they fail, they get their heart eaten by a demonic dragon," said Ma'at cheerfully before noticing the group minus Contrinya looked utterly terrified.

"So...is your heart that important after you die?" asked Gary.

"Well, you'll end up wandering for all of eternity," said Ma'at.

"That'll do it," said Gary weakly, before Megan said "Matt's not dead though."

Ma'at replied with an evil grin, "The dragon won't care."

"Isn't there an easier way than cardioectomy?" asked Kala.

"Well...I suppose if she could defeat the Devourer and secure the Feather, it'd prove her worth," said Ma'at. Ma'at paused before saying, "Actually, if she fails the curse becomes permanent. Otherwise it's 7 years. Don't ask me why, apparently some Greek had the idea for the curse first."

"So, we could just make sure Mia doesn't die for the next 7 years," said Gary with thin hopefulness.

"And if she wins, she gets one boon," said Ma'at.

Gary groaned, "There's no way she'd miss out on the chance."

"Let's just make sure she'll be prepared," sighed Kala.

"As long as she hasn't...well... You know, some of the cursed tended to like their new selves," said Ma'at.

Kala exploded into a fireball, "If someone does that, I'LL BLAST THEM BOTH!" she screeched.

Ma'at looked impressed, "Nice student, Contrinya. She's actually melting the seat."

"Yes, she does have the heart of a firebird. That said, she's probably serious..." said Contrinya as a waiter, ever stoic, walked up and blasted Kala with a foam extinguisher, leaving her a pile of foam with confused eyes.

"You can't treat a paying customer like that!" snapped Kala.

"You aren't the one paying for this meal," pointed out Gary.

"Of course, ma'am," said the waiter in a calm tone before blasting her with more foam, walking off.

"I hate everything," said Kala darkly, the foam bubbling faintly.

Ma'at said, "She's fine. Horus apparently wants to discuss some diplomacy with her."

"Er, does Horus have a reputation as a lady's man?" asked Megan.

"Only recently. It's strange. It happened after he helped make a reactor blast site habitable for farmers last year," said Ma'at calmly.

"Oh, I wouldn't worry about Matt," said Kala, "Not sure if a male bird keeps his equipment on the outside or not, but Matt definitely sent it inside."

"Oh, I heard about that. That's one way to cool him down," laughed Ma'at.

"Yep, that sun isn't going to rise any time soon," laughed Kala.

"Horus is the sky god, not the sun god," said Ma'at.

"Well...you try making a sky-based joke," snapped Kala.

"Anyway, Horus won't dare endanger the Kingdom by angering another nation," said Ma'at, confidently, getting up, "Come, I'll take you to the feather..."

Matt glared, straightening her camo jacket before walking up the stairs. When she reached the top, a guard approached her and said, "Excuse me, miss, this is the residence of Lord Horus. You cannot go in."

"I have an invitation," said Matt tersely before feeling her pants, "Drat, I forgot these aren't the pants with pockets."

"Look, you can't just-" said the guard before Matt punched him with her left arm, which was still draconic.

The other guard yelped as his partner was imprinted in the wall. "Erm...welcome to the royal palace..." he said with a nervous grin, opening the door and taking his hat off in one-part respect, 3 parts pant-wetting fear.

"Thank you," said Matt in a fake sweet voice before walking in.

Matt walked in before two bird anthros, some sort of phoenix, walked up and bowed. "Are you those Bennu birds I've heard about?" asked Matt.

"The master will see you soon. He is attending to a matter of state," said one of them with a submissive tone.

"Uh, ok, no need to stand on ceremony for me," said Matt.

"Lord Horus commanded we make you feel welcome," said another one.

"I'm welcome enough as it is," said Matt.

"The master disagrees," said a third one, pulling her aside.

"How would he know?" demanded Matt.

"The master is always right," said the first one, taking off Matt's jacket despite her objection.

"Oh, such strong arms," said one phoenix.

"You have a warrior's build," said another.

"Bite me!" snapped Matt as another pulled her aside towards some sort of changing room.

"But a warrior's garb is hardly suitable," said the first one, in an Asian tone, apparently their leader.

"What do you mean 'hardly suitable'? I am a warrior!" snapped Matt.

"This is not a battle though, except for a heart," said the third one, the trio sighing and Matt's eyes narrowing.

"Oh, if only I was allowed to fire nukes," she said icily.

Just then, Horus stuck his head around the corner and said, "I won't be long, my dears. Just a few more minutes and we can retire to my chambers." The phoenixes made coquettish giggles at that but Matt just moved her finger across her throat very clearly for Horus to see.

Horus yelped before jumping back. "This...might need rethinking," he muttered to himself before looking again to see Matt glaring harder, somehow closer without a noise being made. Horus ducked back before checking one more time. This time, Matt was right in his face, nose to beak. Horus gave a yelp before saying, "Perhaps we can wait later."

"That would be good..." said Matt in a low voice, Horus slowly backing up before peering back one final time to see Matt had gotten her pistol back.

"Oh no, not the knee-" he began.

*BANG*

"CIVILIZATION...FINALLY!" screamed Tiamat, on her knees at the top of a dune overlooking Cairo.

"Must she over-exaggerate?" asked Ghoulwyrm with annoyance.

"I would think you would want to be back in civilisation," said Spyro.

"What makes you say that?" asked Ghoulwyrm.

"You're literally smoking from all the sun you're getting," said Spyro flatly.

"It goes numb after a while. Plus, how would you have kept warm last night without this?" said Ghoulwyrm, his ears on fire.

"Well, at least you're not dead weight like some useless dragons," said Spyro, indicating the sleeping vampris dragons on Ghoulwyrm's back.

"Could be worse. If they were pure blood, they'd have exploded," said Ghoulwyrm. Spyro stepped a little further away from Ghoulwyrm at that.

Ghoulwyrm nodded. He'd made that up so he could get over to Tiamat. Ghoulwyrm walked over to Tiamat and said, "Tia, I think we need to speak about an urgent problem."

"And as soon as I get there, I'm ordering a ICE COLD drink. WHAT? I'M DAYDR-mmph!" Snapped Tiamat before Ghoulwyrm hurriedly plugged his mouth.

"Shh...he might hear. Tell me, you noticed that Spyro's little dark side improvement's a bit...sudden?" he hissed.

"I thought that was from spending time near Malefor," said Tiamat.

"If it was that easy for Malefor, you think he wouldn't have done it sooner?" hissed Ghoulwyrm.

Tiamat paused before saying, "Point taken. Hmm...I think my old 'boyfriend' had something regarding that in his notes. Has anyone brainwashed him recently?"

"Well, an attempt to brainwash the dragons in New Moscow had been attempted by Avarona, though it ended up getting her captured," said Ghoulwyrm.

"And his face has been all over the news and the TV? Even a static picture would work. Once someone's been brainwashed, it's so much easier a second time," said Tiamat scoldingly.

"You know, that dragon really creeps me out," said one guard.

"What? You mean how she used to be a general for the Conclave but then became Malefor's first general?" asked the other.

"No, the way she made that...shrine in there," said the other.

The two guards peered in to see a picture of Spyro, cut from the Rebel Coalition's newspaper, on the wall surrounded by candles.

"Yes, soon he will be drawn to me inexorably. Right to where he belongs," chuckled Avarona.

"You've got weird stalker thing going, you know that, right?" said one of the guards.

"SILENCE! CAN'T A LADY PLOT IN...oh shit," she muttered before several guard dragons dived on her.

"So, any ideas of what Avarona could be plotting specifically?" asked Ghoulwyrm.

"No idea, let's ask her colleague," said Tiamat before sprouting Devina's head out of her shoulder.

"This is extremely demeaning," said Devina sourly.

"Oh get back in there," snapped Tiamat.

Devina looked back to say, "Erm...why's Spyro giggling?" The evil dragons glanced back to see Spyro suddenly had a goofy expression on his face, complete with wall-eyes.

"Methinks she was interrupted on today's dose," said Tiamat scathingly as Spyro said faintly. "Have you seen my claws?"

"They're...on your forepaws..." said Tiamat.

"LIES!" yelled Spyro, everyone jumping before Spyro leaned in with spiraling eyes and whispered conspiratorially, "Paws do not exist in my reality."

"Wow...he is in a BAD way," said Ghoulwyrm carefully before Spyro pointed dramatically "Quickly! We must go before it is too late!" before charging down the dune towards Cairo with what could only be described as a 'valiant warcry'.

"I only hope my body is being treated with more respect," said the Devina head dully.

Shard took a long sip of soup in his chamber before turning to look at Devina's statue which had been placed in the corner. "You know, you really brighten up the room," he commented.

"You realize now you said that..." began Tiamat.

Devina snarled, "I can still hope."

Ghoulwyrm peered down after Spyro, gnashing his claws in terror. "Oh no, he's attacking a restaurant. I think, if I'm reading his lips right, he's saving them from the pineapple conspiracy..."

"You can read lips?" asked Tiamat.

"I've had centuries to hone that skill," said Ghoulwyrm, "Not much to do when you're a spirit."

Tiamat sighed. "Fine, let's just get to the pyramid. Something under there interests Silvia," she said in a bored tone.

"What could interest a vampris dragon this far south?" asked Ghoulwyrm.

"I don't care...and if you don't start moving, I will throw you at the pyramid," said Tiamat through gritted teeth.

"But what about him?" asked Ghoulwyrm, pointing at Spyro.

Tiamat grabbed him by the neck and said, "You didn't start moving."

Matt was looking out the window, feeling bored, when she saw something flying towards the pyramid. "Huh, wonder what that is," she said. She readied her ears, looking confused when she could hear the object screaming, a yelp heard and a small cloud of dust on the side of the distant pyramid indicating impact.

"Hmm...for all I know it's normal," she said before scratching the robe she'd been forced into, noting darkly it was similar to the three servants', only her scaled arm's colour. "I'm gonna pluck that creep," she muttered. Though she had to admit, the lady in the mirror did look amazing. The annoying part was that the lady was her.

She fingered the feather set into the robe, glaring. According to the lead priestess, the Asian anthro bird, she had said the feather was part of all of the ceremonial robes, Matt having noticed such a feather on all of them, though their feathers seemed leached of colour.

"I'd rather have a firebird feather, but what's the point of covering up this arm when I'm like this?" she grumbled. Naturally, she had tried a feather as soon as she had discovered the curse, but it seemed a god's curse was stronger than a firebird's magic.

"Stupid curses, stupid apocalypse, stupid dragons, stupid everything," she said to herself icily as the door behind her opened and the feather on her robe started glowing.

"Something troubling you, my dear?" asked a voice that grated against Matt's nerves.

"Everything, including you, but you I can beat up. Ma'at said we have immunity," she said sweetly, spinning and grabbing a bottle with the aim to brain Horus.

"There are certain things that voids your immunity. But I'm actually not holding it against you because you couldn't do anything even if you want to," said Horus with amusement. A second later, the bottle bounced off his forehead and knocked him over. "Gnnnznrk," he managed, his eyes spinning, roughly translated as "Maybe I was wrong?" Horus shook his head and groaned. That bottle of wine hadn't even been emptied.

Matt glared down at him. "Never, in any universe in existence would I...would I..." she said, starting to sound a little dazed as her eyes got a similar glow to the feather.

The red scales on her left arm seemed to flutter before they started changing into feathers, her dragon talons becoming more like bird talons as the red feathers started to spread across her. Matt winced as her other hand and feet became talons and tail feathers and feathered wings worked their way out of the gaps in her robes. Matt let out small cries of pain that got shriller as her face began contorting, her teeth pushing out of her mouth before her lips and nose became overcome with hardness as her beak form. By the time the feather stopped glowing, Matt now resembled a red-feather gyrfalcon.

Horus picked himself up and looked at his new priestess...well, she clearly wasn't priestess material. But 'maybe a royal bodyguard.' he thought, walking around the dazed new bird morph before leaning in to kiss her...and his eyes crossing as intense pain occurred. "Really?" he squeaked before a second punch sent him flying.

"Avatar or not, I am gonna roast you on a..." snapped Matt before her bravado started to spill out like a bag of wind.

"You were going to do what?" asked Horus in a terrified tone, not realising the feather was finishing its work.

"I...I..." said Matt. She was completely aware of who she was supposed to be and what had been done to her. And yet, she couldn't get angry about it. All of her confidence had vanished like clouds on a hot day.

Horus peered through his finger feathers before, once he realized he was probably not gonna be squished, said "You...are you ok?"

"F...fine..." said Matt, her voice starting to tremble. Suddenly, all the insecurities that had been building up inside her over the last few days were starting to overflow. She had lost complete control of her emotions.

Horus smirked, his eyes glowing darkly as his illusion dropped. His feathering became a lot darker, more like the night sky. His beak became jagged and even sharper and his eyes burned like fire. "Were you saying something, my dear?" he asked darkly.

"I...I don't remember," said Matt nervously.

"Were you going to defy me?" asked Horus.

"Erm...I...I..." said Matt

"Tell me, what is your name?" asked Horus.

"M-M-Matt..." said Matt nervously.

"Well, that doesn't seem like an appropriate name for a lovely lady," said Horus.

"Erm...if you...say so..." said the now-unnamed anthro as she backed up.

"Hmm, what to call you. Something with an 'H', of course. Do you have any suggestions?" asked Horus.

"No..." said the anthro backing up.

"Hmm...for once, my mind's drawing a blank. That's annoying. I'm revved up in evil mode and suddenly my creativity has decided to take leave," said Horus with frustration before giving the gyrfalcon a smile, "But you don't need a name right now. Even false names have power and you don't desire any power, do you?"

The anthro glared at that, her eyes glowing red for a second, Horus taking a step back as she said coldly, "Heliris."

"Come again?" asked Horus.

"I said my name is Heliris," snapped the anthro.

"Interesting name," said Horus, "I would have picked something sweeter."

"Are you complaining, my lord?" said Heliris.

Horus thought it over and said, "No, I think I can work with it."

Heliris smirked. "Good," she said before kissing Horus.

"Here we are," said Ma'at, standing in an apparent dead end alley.

"This is where you keep your feather?" asked Gary with confusion.

"You would be surprised how often tomb raiders try to take it. Luckily Anubis deals with them," said Ma'at, waving her and causing a stairwell to appear, two gigantic jackal hounds growling. "There's two of them now," said Ma'at.

"Uh, how are you able to get creatures here if you can't manifest directly?" asked Cynder.

"Pocket dimension," said Ma'at

Cynder just looked more confused at that. "I'll explain it better later," said Megan.

"Well, let me put it this way. Why kill intruders when they make such good guard dogs?" said Ma'at smugly, walking past the guard jackals. The group eyed the jackals nervously as they started down the stairwell. "They won't attack..." said Ma'at as they descended into the pit, led through a maze of tunnels.

"Do these tunnels go throughout the whole city?" asked Cynder.

"We left Earth about 10 seconds ago," said Ma'at.

Megan paused before wandering over to a doorway and peering out, before retracting her head to reveal a tentacled thing with a single eyeball on her face. "Point taken," she said in a muffled voice before Ma'at shooed it away.

"Don't lose sight of me. You could wind up even more lost than the souls who fail the test of the feather," said Ma'at.

"Meep," sad Megan, the group catching up. The group eventually arrived in a huge chamber, a single golden feather on a pedestal in the middle of the room and another jackal chained up near it. "Our last intruder," said Ma'at.

"Shouldn't there be scales?" asked Gary.

"Oh, we don't weigh as many souls as we used to. Besides, Anubis and Thoth have the day off," said Ma'at. She grabbed Gary's wrist as he reached to grab the feather. "Not unless you want to have a real dog day," she warned.

"So...where is the terrible Devourer that's supposed to be guarding the Feather?" asked Kala.

"She won't show up until someone actually tries the challenge," said Ma'at.

"Fine...now we just get Matt down here," said Kala.

"Great, where did she go after Horus's house?" asked Cynder.

Ma'at's eyes glowed before she frowned. "Her mind...something's wrong..." she said.

"Where is she?" demanded Kala.

"Her mind...it seems broken...but it is in Horus's room," sad Ma'at.

Kala's eye twitched and everyone quickly got as clear away from her as they could. Kala's eyes glowed red before she transformed into her anthro form, wearing some red plate armor and holding a nasty serrated blade. "I'm gonns kill that git," she snarled.

"Whoa, I didn't know she could do that," said Megan.

"Oh please, all of us can. Sometimes a sharp pointy thing's useful," said Contrinya.

"Uh, Kala, perhaps you should try to think this all the way through," said Gary.

"I am getting him cured and then I'm gutting that asshole, Horus," snapped Kala in an echoing voice before making a slash in the air, seemingly opening a hole.

"Oh...she mastered fire portals," said Contrinya happily.

"Wait, this is not Horus's normal behaviour!" called Ma'at.

Contrinya sighed, stopping the portal from closing behind Kala, "Come on...we'd better follow."

"But I thought Horus was supposed to be one of the good gods," said Cynder.

"Well, a lot of the old gods were big jerks, more feared than respected," said Megan before turning to Ma'at and saying, "No offense."

"No offense. He's supposed to be good," said Ma'at, heading through with the others.

"Well, Horus is currently an avatar and, well, humans are corruptible by power," said Cynder.

"I know, but even before he became an avatar, he was a decent guy. This is completely against his nature," said Ma'at.

"Like my brother..." said Contrinya in a small voice.

"Contrinya, you don't think Pemza and Horus's corruption have anything in common, do you?" asked Cynder, "Asides from the mystical bird thing, I mean."

"There was a reactor near that mountain where Pemza was and Ma'at said Horus was fine till he went to clean up a blast site," said Megan thoughtfully, the group walking down the inside of the portal, which was a fiery tunnel, seemingly made of flames, though no heat was felt.

"My brother mentioned Eden as well," said Contrinya darkly, "Where they also here as well?"

"They were everywhere. They put the reactors everywhere," said Megan.

"I think we're looking for something more recent," said Cynder, "Ma'at said that Horus's change in behavior is new."

"That depends. Maybe it takes a while...or maybe he did it recently," said Megan, before an angry screech was heard from the exit of the tunnel.

"Uh, let's leave the speculation for later," said Cynder.

The group jumped out in time for a white beam to nearly vaporize them.

"Maybe we were better off back in the labyrinth," said Gary.

The portal shut behind them at that. "Gary, never speak aga...who's the gyrfalcon looking at us angrily with a sword?" said Megan, noticing the aforementioned gyrfalcon.

Contrinya squinted her eyes and said, "I might guess, but I won't know for sure until she yells at us."

"PREPARE TO DIE, HERETICS!" screeched the gyrfalcon, lunging at Cynder, who rolled her eyes before swatting her flying.

"Yes, that was indeed the former Commander Lynch," said Contrinya, "Hmm...I guess not everyone can wear red plumage well. And who designed those robes. Is it never cold here?"

"WHAT?" screeched the gyrfalcon, already on her feet.

"She's got resilience. I'll say that," said Cynder with a sigh.

"Remember, that's actually Matt so we don't want to hurt her," said Megan. The others gave her a look. "Ok, we don't want to hurt her too much," said Megan.

"Good," said Cynder, swatting Matt flying again, into the same imprint. "This is surprisingly therapeutic." she said happily

"I do hope she's still fire-resistant," said Contrinya as her talons lit up.

"I doubt it," said Cynder, swatting Matt again.

Kala meanwhile was trying to slice the laughing Horus apart. "Boyfriend stealer! PERVERT!" snapped Kala, more frantically more and more with each second.

"I think you should accept that your 'boyfriend's' days of manhood are long gone," said Horus.

Kala went bug eyed before shrieking "DIIIIE!" lunging at him, Horus laughing before he blasted her.

"You're a feisty one. I think you'll make a nice pairing with your former 'boyfriend'," said Horus.

"There's no way you can enslave a firebird," said Kala.

"I have a fenghuang under my control. You think you're above that?" asked Horus.

"A what now?" said Kala before a blur sent her flying.

"I'm a god of war. You can't expect my priestesses to not know how to fight," said Horus smugly.

Kala hissed before said fenghuang knocked her down again.

The other priestesses dived at the others. "Ow, ow! Hair pulling's illegal!" yelped Megan as one of them grabbed her hair tentacles.

Cynder smirked at the second one, who was looking at her with a bored expression. "You're currently under a corrupted god's influence so I'll allow you to walk away without a fight," said Cynder.

"I was going to say the same thing," said the bird in a bored tone before flicking several needles into Cynder's forepaw.

Cynder glanced at her paw and said, "You're going to need a bigger weapon than that to take down a dragon."

"Wait," said the bird, which seemed to be melting to Cynder, who's eyes were slowly wandering into a wall-eyed expression. "Bleh? Wuzzah?" she said dizzily

"Uh, Cynder, a little focus please," said Megan.

Cynder turned to look at her blearily before yelling "Teddy!"

"What?" asked Megan before Cynder jumped on top of her and fell asleep. Megan said weakly from underneath, "Ow."

Gary gulped, backing up behind Contrinya as the other priestesses and Horus closed...before a shadow portal opened and a horn was heard, Horus gulping before turning to his normal colours. Anubis soon walked through the portal, followed by Ma'at and several of his jackal guards. "Anubis, what brings you to my house at such a late hour?" asked Horus.

"An interesting accusation. Your fellow avatar seems to be worried that your exposure to the Alexandria reactor has...altered you," said the jackal god calmly, his host clearly older, several more guards stepping through the portal before it closed.

"Well, now that you mention it, I do feel stronger than normal," said Horus.

"Indeed...is that why the Coalition ambassador is a gyrfalcon?" said Anubis coldly, his eyes glinting as he looked around before he focused on the fenghuang. "And I spy the Far Eastern Federation ambassador too..." he said icily.

"Oh, you know how girls are always wanting to fly," said Horus.

"Yes...is that why you modified their minds too?" said Anubis coldly, striding forward with his hands clasped businesslike behind his back, his guards gripping their weapons tightly.

"What makes you think their minds are modified?" asked Horus.

"Fine, from what I hear, the commander nearly gelded you at the airport...and suddenly she is wearing the uniform of the head of your priestesses?" said Anubis coldly.

"That's a head priestess's uniform?" asked Contrinya, "I've seen Russian prostitutes that wear more clothing."

"Uh, it's colder in Russia than it is in Egypt," pointed out Gary.

"So?" asked Contrinya.

"My point exactly. Horus, dear brother. I recommend that you should surrender. I think you need to be examined by the avatar of healing," said Anubis calmly.

"Which one is that?" asked Gary.

"Gary, please stop expressing so much ignorance," said Megan.

Horus glared. "You...you...You are not taking ANYTHING!" he snapped, flicking several feathers at Anubis, the feathers turning into dagger blades which passed harmlessly through Anubis like passing through smoke.

"Please..." said Anubis in a bored tone.

"Ha, you can't hurt a death god!" snapped Gary, "See, I actually knew that."

"Well, Anubis isn't strictly the god of death. He's more of the heavenly funeral director," said Megan.

"No! NO! NOOO! I AM THE PROPER GOD OF EGYPT! THIS IS MY LAND!" screamed Horus, his illusion fading to his mutated colours.

"Yes, I think we can safely say he's been corrupted," said Contrinya before throwing a fireball at Horus.

Horus snarled, flicking the fireball aside. "Kill them all," he commanded, a guard yelping as Matt lunged at him.

"Cynder, get off, I need to fight," hissed Megan.

"But the cupcake wants French," burbled Cynder happily as Anubis advanced on his brother, a staff appearing in his hand.

"You don't have a chance of defeating me. I'm a god of war," said Horus cockily.

"And yet you've always been abysmal at strategy," said Anubis. Horus hissed angrily and sent another hail of blasts at the dark avatar, Anubis calmly parrying or allowing the blasts to phase through him. "All brutishness, no follow-through," said Anubis, "Your mind wasn't just warped, it was downgraded."

"You...I'm more powerful now than I ever was!" snapped Horus angrily, sending blast after blast out.

The blasts were either parried or passed harmlessly through. "And yet, you still cannot touch me," said Anubis.

Horus snapped at that before Anubis raised his hand and Horus found himself suspended from the air. "This farce is at an end," Anubis said calmly.

"This is impossible! How can you overpower me? I'm far stronger than you are!" snapped Horus.

"And that is a delusion..." said Anubis calmly, black lightning shocking Horus mercilessly, before he dropped him. "Now then, we shall have you purified and then we'll see if we will hold you responsible for your actions," said Anubis.

At that, Horus seemed to go into a seizure, a black liquid coming out his throat and incinerating as it did, Horus's appearance turning back to his disguise.

"I'm...I'm cured..." said Horus breathlessly.

"So it would seem," said Anubis before turning and saying, "We shall see what Ra will think of your actions."

Unknown to Anubis, Horus was drawing a dragger out from within his robes and was getting ready to spring. However, Megan was able to see and it made her go into action. Concentrating hard, she disappeared into a flurry of shadows and rushed out from beneath Cynder and rematerialized as she was about to hit Horus.

Horus turned in surprise as Megan punched him, the blow not hurting more then it surprised him, Anubis turning and glaring, a black fireball sending Horus flying. "So, it appears it wasn't just the Third Energy corrupting you," said Anubis, "Your host is impure of heart as well."

"You...fool...Eden will cleanse this world..." Horus snarled before Anubis blasted him one more time, reducing him to an ash-filled silhouette.

"A new avatar shall have to be found for Horus," said Anubis, "One less open to the evils of men."

Ma'at, looking a little shaken, nodded before looking at the now-sobbing priestesses. "But first, his victims need curing, in mind if not in body. I wonder…" she said, noticing the half greyed feather on matts chest before plucking it away, a flash of light seen. When the light faded, Matt was human again, though still a woman and wearing priestess's robes.

"There...obviously his feathers are infectious," said Ma'at happily, plucking one of the colour-leeched feathers off the fenghuang priestess...and nothing apparently happening.

"Why am I not changing back? Why am I not human?" snapped the fenghuang angrily.

"Obviously it has been too long. You were his lead...priestess. Maybe consummating seals the-" said Ma'at. The fenghuang smacked Ma'at rather hard across the face at that. "Ok, I suppose I could allow that considering the circumstances," said Ma'at slowly.

"You will all pay for this! The might of the Federation will crush you like something easily crushed!" snapped the fenghuang before Ma'at sighed and reattached the feather.

"I prefer her like that...any objection?" she asked

"Yeah...we might need to find some way to treat them before they cause an international incident," said Kala.

"The others we don't even know. They do not even have minds left," said Ma'at sadly.

"Finding someone who can restore Horus's damaged reputation won't be easy," said Anubis before turning to Matt and saying, "I don't suppose you'd be interested."

"No...I don't like having a beak," said Matt finally.

"Fair enough," said Anubis.

"This is troublesome. One of Horus;s jobs was...well, let's say it was a prison warden," said Ma'at.

"Let me guess, he was supposed to keep the demons of the underworld from getting loose," said Matt dryly.

"In a way. You must know that some of the local pyramids were unexplored by your modern people. One of them is located under the Great Sphinx...the Black Pyramid. Many, many centuries ago, during the times before we needed avatars, a great army came from your country. They called themselves the vampris. They came simply to destroy, seeing our followers as nothing but food," said Anubis, a glowing orb flowing from the ash into his and and coalescing into a falcon head pendant.

"The war with them was fierce, but not quick to end. The vampirs had an unseen skill of transferring their souls into other bodies when their own are close to giving out. Slaying them was not within our reach, but capturing them was much simpler. Horus in particular was a great asset as he was able to confuse the vampris dragons about whether it was day or night."

"And roast them with sun blasts too," said Ma'at happily.

"Eventually, we discovered a way to trap the vampris souls within special canopic jars which were sealed and placed deep within the black pyramid. As Horus had a primary hand in defeating them, his power is what mainly keeps them sealed away," said Anubis.

"And as he has no body..." said Megan, Anubis finishing "The spell holding the jars will weaken and any of their brethren will be able to find them."

"Well, it's not like Silvia is anywhere near here," said Megan.

"Are these two twits ever going to wake up?" snapped Tiamat, the group having found out a while ago that Silvia was more or less rigid. They'd propped her against a rock.

"Vampirs dragons really sleeps like rocks," said Ghoulwyrm, bonking Tiamat lightly with Vanis's stiff form.

"Will you knock it off?" snapped Tiamat before grabbing Silvia and bonking Ghoulwyrm with her.

"NEVER!" snapped Ghoulwyrm, grabbing Vanis and swiping at Tiamat, who blocked with Silvia.

"You think you can beat me in a dragon-sword fight?" asked Tiamat.

"With one wing tied behind my back," said Ghoulwyrm confidently. With that, the two of them started trying to whack each other with their respective vampris dragon. Oddly enough, they made a metallic clang when they hit each other.

Spyro staggered back, a deadly serious look. He looked between the two combatants savagely attacking each other with sleeping vampris dragons. There was a pause before the two turned to look and see Spyro had somehow gotten a fake beard from somewhere, probably while on his rampage earlier. "Erm...yes?" said Ghoulwyrm, before Spyro said 'Greeterlings' in a deep voice.

Tiamat and ghoulwyrm jumping back a step, more so when Spyro yelled in their faces "THAT IS A GOOD LOOKING BEARD, YOU HAVE THERE SIR!" apparently at Tiamat who frowned.

"Just how long is he going to be like this?" asked Tiamat before taking the opportunity to smack Ghoulwyrm on the head with Silvia.

"No idea, I-" said Ghoulwyrm before jumping as Spyro leaned in and said conspiratorially "I too have a beard...have you seen my beard?" the two looking at each other before looking plain confused as Spyro proclaimed in a perfectly serious tone "It is full of...tiny men!" Causing the two to jump back as Spyro asked "Please...KILL THEM ALL" before laughing manically.

Avarona grumbled as she was led into her cell. "Stupid guards with stupid inferior monkey brains. At least if nobody finished the spell, there should be no...damage…" she muttered, pausing as she saw a white blob thing sitting in front of her ritual area. "Who the hell are you?" she snapped.

The blob looked at her and asked, "You can see me? I thought I was invisible."

"Yes...I can. STOP MESSING WITH MY VOODOO!" snapped Avarona, lunging at the blob.

The blob hopped onto her back and said, "But I can make him do whatever I want. Look, he's picking his nose with his tail."

Avarona stared in horror as the blob shoved the tail of the control totem into its nose. "STOP THAAAAT!" she shrieked.

"Oh, do you wanna try it?" asked the blob.

"Grrrrrrr" snarled Avarona before saying with a fake smile, "Yes...I would...IT'S NOT LIKE YOU'RE AN INTRUDER THE GUARDS SHOULD KNOW ABOUT!" calling out loud enough to cause footsteps to start towards her cell.

"Oh goody, more people to play with me," said the blob.

The cell door opened at that, two guards peering in. "Whats the problem, convict?" one of them said.

Avarona looked smug before pointing at the blob, "It's an assassin. He must be destroyed!"

The guards looked at the blob who just waved happily. "Is it possibly to put a straitjacket on a dragon?" asked one guard.

"I'd pay money to see that happen," said the other.

"Can't you see him? HE'S RIGHT THERE MESSING WITH MY VOO-eeer...My fan shrine to...Spyro," snapped Avarona faltering before saying the last part in a reluctant and bitter tone.

"That's Spyro? Please, I could do a better job of making art of him," said the blob.

"There's nobody here," said the second guard carefully.

"What? How can you not see?!" snapped Avarona, picking up the blob and waving it in the guard's face.

"You guys need to brush more often," said the blob.

"There's just some weird plush toy..." said the first guard in a calm voice.

"Plush...toy?" asked Avarona in a strained voice. She squeezed the blob which made it produce a squeaky sound.

The blob turned to give her a happy wave. "They can't see me at all," he said before twitching. "Hang on, something's happening," he said.

Avarona leaned in, curious despite anything, the guards sighing and leaving. "Wierdo," muttered one of them, slamming the door shut.

The blob twitched before getting a calm look. "You know, your plan's doomed to fail. When purple dragons go bad, they really go off the deep end. If he finds out you were messing with his brain, he'll tear down this continent just to eat you," he said in a calm voice.

"And how would you know that?" asked Avarona dismissively.

"I knew an alternate version of you. It didn't end well for her," the blob said.

"Ha, you think your feeble words can scare me?" asked Avarona.

"Even if they weren't coming from me, you have to agree they'd make sense," said the blob.

Avarona paused before saying glumly, "You have a point...so..." before grinning to herself "How would you improve my plan?"

"Eh, why not? I've got nothing better to do today," said the blob.

"Very well..." said Avarona, giving the blob an approach to the ritual, the blob smirking before the technical pack on his back opened and a blaster folded out and shot it.

"Oops." he said evilly.

"What have you done, you idiot?!" snapped Avarona.

"Oh, just making sure Spyro won't be used as a puppet anymore. I hate puppets," said the blob before changing into a green ghostly creature and flying through a wall.

Avarona stared before looking at what was left before whimpering. One thing the blob had said was true: Spyro would want her head now...

Ghoulwyrm and Tiamat had just settled for watching Spyro's antics. Despite everything, it was funny. Suddenly, Spyro went rigid, squeaking and literal smoke coming out his ears before he fell over.

"Hmm...is he dead?" said Tiamat.

Ghoulwyrm asked "Do we care?"

"Hmm...let's poke him," said Tiamat, prodding Spyro with Silvia.

Spyro's eyes shot open at that, glowing solid yellow with dark convexity energy. "AVARONAAAA!" he roared, grabbing Tiamat by the neck tightly.

"Oh, this will be good," said Ghoulwyrm.

"Silence, lich!" snapped Spyro, slamming Tiamat into the ground. "Where am !?" he snarled.

"Giza, Egypt," said Ghoulwyrm.

"Why?" snarled Spyro, choking Tiamat more

"Ask our fencing weapons," said Ghoulwyrm dryly.

Spyro glared before sending two bolts of energy out at Silvia and Vanis, causing them to depetrify...and Silvia to kick Ghoulwyrm in a very unfortunate space. "I think...I deserved that," Ghoulwyrm squeaked before crumpling.

"Just a moment, my love, I was the one who was being used by him," said Vanis before stomping Ghoulwyrm in the same place.

"That was against the man code," rasped Ghoulwyrm before Spyro snapped "ENOUGH OF THIS TOMFOOLERY! Why are we here with that traitor and her pet mutants?" he snapped, pointing at the now blue-faced Tiamat before tossing her down.

"Our brethren are here," said Silvia, sniffing the air, "They are very close, and close to being free."

"More of you mongrels? Why would that be a good thing?" hissed Spyro.

"Because we can reproduce quickly, take out enemies with little effort, and are nearly impossible to permanently be rid of," said Vanis.

"Good point. I am guessing you will want hosts for them," said Spyro, before looking at the nearby city. "That should do nicely," he said evilly.

"Good, now all we need to do is produce eggs-" said Vanis only for Silvia to elbow him in the gut.

"What we need to do is release our brethren," she said.

"Fine...and where is it?" said Spyro, Silvia smirking and pointing to the distant sphinx.

"Ah, the age old riddle of the sphinx will be answered at last," said Ghoulwyrm.

"And what do I get? I do not treasure being the host for an evil spirit." said Spyro.

"An unstoppable army of course," said Silvia.

"If they were unstoppable, they wouldn't be imprisoned," said Spyro.

"Magic is not as prevalent as when we last battled. Now they are weak," said Silvia.

"Then let us find your brethren..." said Spyro as Silvia bowed before him, before looking at Tiamat, "You...you may get to live. On one condition; when we return, the guards may be sent away. It would be a shame if something happened to Malefor."

"The young dragon is learning quickly," said Ghoulwyrm, sounding impressed.

"Yes, he's learn treachery as quickly as an element," said Tiamat.

Ghoulwyrm nodded before frowning as soon as Spyro's back was turned. "Lend you some dragonbane darts?" he muttered.

"Waaay ahead of you," said Tiamat as equally deadpan.

Despite being freed from Horus's control, Matt still didn't feel very optimistic. The others have told her about the Test of the Feather, but that did not fill her with confidence.

For a start, she knew at least two women who would count against her: her sister and Cynder...Megan as a probable third. "Guess I'd better get used to this. Least I'm a looker," she said gloomily.

"There's no shame in being a woman," said Ma'at.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm pretty sure you've been told all the reasons why I can't be a woman," said Matt.

"I...suppose. You should know, Horus, before his...condition, really did train women for his guard. He said they were far more trustworthy." said Ma'at.

"How so?" asked Matt.

"They are well-trained and respected. A few years ago, some bandits from the southern territories tried to attack Horus in his home. They had highly advanced weapons. They never even made it past the main entrance," said Ma'at.

"And what does their training have to do with being women?" asked Matt.

"Erm..." said Ma'at nervously before saying "Look, I'm sure you'll do fine when the feather tests you and if not...you'll be fine. I'll make sure nothing bad happens if you fail," she said, petting Matt in the back.

"Yeah, I'd rather not get my heart eaten," said Matt.

"Oh, they wouldn't do that. They'd eat your old memories and let the curse finish the job," said Ma'at, adding "That's not what you wanted to hear, is it."

Matt just let out a squeak at that.

"Ok...so maybe not that. Maybe if you fail you could get some stuff knocked off your sentence by taking Horus's place for a few decades?" said Ma'at.

"Slightly better," said Matt weakly.

"Indeed, we haven't had a female Horus since the second kingdom," said Ma'at.

"No, there's no way I'm gonna be a hen for the next few decades," said Matt.

"Hen? Horus is a falcon," said Ma'at sounding upset.

"Isn't the general term for a female bird a hen?" asked Matt.

Ma'at said scathingly. "This isn't helping your case."

"Hey, at least I didn't say 'chick'," said Matt.

"If you had I would have condemned you to 14 years instead of 7," said Ma'at icily.

"Precisely why I didn't say that," said Matt.

"Good, now come on, girl. I know what'll cheer you up. I own half the entertainment districts in town," said Ma'at, clicking her fingers and causing a pair of shades to appear on both of their faces.

"You? I thought it'd be some other god," said Matt.

"If you mean Bes, he owns the other half. Now come on. You know dragons and those with dragon blood live for millennia sometimes. That means you and me are practically fellow immortals," said Ma'at happily, adding "So let's go paint the town red."

The dragonbane did eventually wear off on Cynder, but that particular mixture had left her with a bad headache, something Megan was helping her deal with. "You feeling better?" asked Megan, brewing a potion for Cynder's headache.

Cynder growled, "Urgh...not so loud."

"This isn't like most dragonbane mixes, this could take a while to work out," said Megan.

"My head feels like its exploding," mumbled Cynder before sniffing, "Spyro...he's fallen...hasn't he?"

"Not beyond recovery," said Megan, "We'll save him long before he drops to Malefor's level."

"I hope so..." said Cynder before saying, "You heard from matt?"

"Knowing him, er, her, he's, uh, she's hatching a clever scheme to get Spyro back," said Megan.

Just then, the door slammed open, causing Cynder to wince. It didn't help that Matt and Ma'at staggered in, both of them laughing loudly. "Man, that Bes guy knows how to par-tay," said Matt a little slurred.

"You're telling me..." managed Ma'at, Cynder yelping from the loud noise.

"Ladies, you mind keeping your voices down?" asked Megan with annoyance.

Ma'at teleported over to Megan, putting an arm around her shoulder on the third attempt "Y...y'know...you're...you need to...to lighten up," she said drunkenly.

"For a goddess of order, you're not making a good example of yourself," said Megan.

"Oh, blah, blah, order. I'm so sick and tired of that," said Ma'at before taking a pendant off from around her neck and putting it around Megan's, "Here, you be the lawkeeper while I have my fun." Megan went rigid as Ma'at's robes turned into jeans, trainers and a Deadpool shirt. "Finally, I can have some fun," she said, staggering over to Matt. "Come on, man...let's go party...Mina wants to have some fun." before they both looked to see Megan making a few weird expressions.

"Ooh...what's she doing?" asked Matt.

"Pendant...like...like a radio...needs to...to tune in...or no Doctor Who episodes," said Mina dizzily, her lack of avatar powers meaning the alcohol was hitting even harder.

"You ok, sis?" asked Matt.

"Just fiii..." said Mina before groaning as her eyes crossed.

It was interesting to watch as Megan's wings, tail, and extra arms shrank away into nothing and her legs clicked into a more humanoid shape. Her extra eyes closed and faded away while her two remaining eyes regained pupils and irises. Her ears shrank to a normal form while her skin became pale and her hair tentacles became real hair. With a slight shimmer, her clothes became robes, covering what for all appearances was a human girl.

"Nice one," said Mina happily.

"Megan...if you're Ma'at...you can end Matt's curse..." moaned Cynder.

The new Ma'at turned to look at Matt before saying, "No...if anything she should also have the mind to suit her body..."

"Say what now?" asked Matt, a little more sober now.

"You showed my host no respect due to her as a sorceress. You dropped your own sister into napalm, dooming her to be host to a lizard hunter spirit," snapped Ma'at.

"That was not my fault! I tried to go back for her! You have no idea what happened that day!" snapped Matt, going from happy drunk to angry drunk.

"She does not see it that way and hers is the view that matters, male," snapped Ma'at.

"Oh sure, like her seven-eyed view is so unbiased," said Matt sarcastically.

Ma'at glared before flicking her hand and blasting Matt into a wall, "You will still take the test...and then you may as well get used to that form."

"I'm sure Gary will like this new side of you," said Matt dryly.

"Then there is no need for-" began Ma'at before Anubis's voice said "There will be a test as is her right..." the jackal god appearing alongside Ra.

"I'm the goddess of order now. I make the rules," said Ma'at.

"You are also the goddess of truth and justice," said Ra, "And as such, your view must be unhindered and without preferences."

Ma'at glared before calming down, "I am sorry. My host at the moment has some...unresolved hatred in her subconscious with the commander."

"She has unresolved feelings with a lot of people," said Cynder.

"Indeed. I...oh no," said Anubis before he and Ra teleported away, Ma'at also getting a worried look.

"What? What's going on?" asked Cynder.

"The Black Pyramid. We must go," snapped Ma'at.

Matt glared and grabbed her wrist. "Not a-" she said.

With a flash of light, the group reappeared. "Chance?" asked Matt, looking around in confusion.

"Sister...are you mad? Mortals have no place here," snapped Anubis, the group inside a torch-lit room.

"There wasn't time to make her let go," said Ma'at.

"Urgh...there is no time to send them away. Without Horus, we may already be too late," said Ra angrily, wearing some sort of golden armor.

"Too late for what? What's going on?" asked Cynder.

"The vampris dragons. Someone is trying to free them," said Anubis.

"What? Like the thing using my second-in-command and my sister as puppets?" snapped Matt.

"Yes, and there would be enough of them down here for them to start an army," said Anubis.

"Bum," said Matt after a minute, adding, "So...where are they?" Anubis clicked his fingers to make the torches flare to show they were in an avenue of cabinets, with each shelf full of jars and the light showing more avenues...lots more.

"Yeah, that's army-building material right there," said Matt faintly before looking closely at one of the jars. It resembled the jars that contained a mummy's removed organs, only it had the head of a bat on top, something Matt was certain wasn't used in Egyptian designs.

"Not too close..." said Ra, a shriek coming from the jar as Matt leaned in, making her jump back

"Are all of those things..." said Cynder.

"The souls of the vampris dragons, all that came down to Egypt," said Anubis, "Even reduced to their most basic form of being, they still defy death. All attempts to send them to the underworld just result in them resurfacing elsewhere. This is why we contained them instead of destroying them."

"My god...they could overrun Malefor's and our forces," said Matt weakly, poking one of the jars.

"That's a bit of an overestimation, isn't it?" asked Cynder, "Not unless these things can breed like bunnies once they have hosts."

"No...but they can make new bodies by inhabiting hosts, usually the person who has at that point slain their old body," said Ma'at.

"That would make a dent in opposing forces," said Matt.

"And it repeats as the battle continues...until they win," said Anubis.

Ra snapped, "Only Horus worked out how to safely remove them...and he is bodiless."

"Even you had to agree that he had gone bad," said Cynder.

"That is true, but there is not enough time to find a replacement," said Anubis.

A voice echoed, "Yes...no more time for anyone." before a blast of convexity sent everyone sprawling. Out of the shadows emerged Spyro, as darkened as he had last been seen. Walking beside him were Silvia and Vanas.

"As we promised, your army, Lord Spyro," said Silvia with an evil grin, before sending a hail of bolts at the avatars.

"I didn't know vampris dragons were capable of using electricity," said Cynder.

"Me neither, though for some reason, it's rather appropriate for my sister," said Matt.

"Brother...or is it sister? I'm sure there is someone here who can share that body," sneered Silvia.

"You're psychotic enough right now for the both of us," said Matt.

"I'm just thinking straight," snapped Silvia, blasting Matt into a shelf of jars.

The jars jostled and two of them fell off, causing Matt to dive to catch them before they hit the floor. One of them was made of some sort of jade and looked far different, and seemed to get the attention of Silvia. "Jan-xai...how DARE you handle his essence," she snapped.

"That doesn't sound very Eastern European," said Matt.

"Did you think we all originated in Europe? Where did you think the breed first appeared?" snapped Silvia.

"How should I know? I didn't even know there were dragons on Earth before the aliens started invading," said Matt before turning to Cynder and said, "No offense."

Silvia made a motion with her hand and the jar shot out of Matt's grip over to her. "What's so special about that jar?" asked Spyro.

"Well, it is the vessel for our greatest warrior and leader," said Silvia, "It can't so much as be opened except for someone of equal strength and power."

Cynder looked over in horror at that as Spyro snatched the jar. "Spyro, it's a trap!" she called.

"Do you really think I can be fooled by that little attempt?" asked Spyro scornfully.

"SPYRO, NO!" yelled Cynder as Spyro popped the jar off...and peered inside.

"It's empty!" he snapped before a green smoke shot out with a seeming shrieking noise, flowing around his head before shooting down his throat. Silvia and Vanis laughed as the green smoke permeated Spyro's body. His scales briefly had a green gloss before they became almost black. His form became more sinewy and longer as his upper fangs became long and several tendrils grew from his muzzle.

Within a minute, a black scaled eastern dragon was coiled in the center of the chamber, though his scales shone with an emerald sheen if the torchlight caught them right. "Aaaaah...finally, after all these years," he said in an eastern-sounding accent, opening his eyes to show blood red slitted orbs.

"Ok, that explains the Chinese-sounding name," said Matt.

Silvia and Varis were bowing, even as Ghoulwyrm and Tiamat watched with barely concealed horror from the sidelines. "Those backstabbing, mana-sucking maniacs," muttered Ghoulwyrm.

"Not that we didn't see this coming," said Tiamat dryly.

"I think we should run. I'm almost certain they won't affect us but why take the chance?" said Ghoulwyrm casually, before the two tried to flee.

"Intruders!" snapped Anubis before firing a massive blast in the duo's direction.

"What was that about?" asked Cynder.

"That was mostly reflex," admitted Anubis.

"Anubis, I told you that you would never be rid of me," sneered the eastern dragon.

"Not for lack of trying," said Anubis.

Jen-xei laughed at that before looking at Cynder, "And who is this ravishing symbol of dragoness beauty?"

"Wow, I can see that you kept all of Spyro's charm," said Cynder dryly.

"Oh, there is no need to be harsh, my dear. It is unbecoming on such a midnight beauty," said Jen-xai with a bow.

"Do I look like the kind of girl who's won by cheap flattery?" asked Cynder.

"Of course not. I simply speak on what I see," said Jen-xei.

"I suppose you've already written a poem about me," said Cynder dryly.

"Oh, it would be impossible to do you justice." said jen-xei sagely, Cynder blushing despite everything.

However, the time during this thinly-veiled flirting was not completely wasted. While Jen-Xei was flattering Cynder, Matt was sneaking up on the dragon, the jade jar clutched in her hands.

Cynder spotted movement out the corner of her eyes and realized Matts plan. While it was unlikely, the avatars were recovering and it was better than nothing. She steeled herself and fooled herself that it was Spyro it was talking to. "So, tell me something about yourself," said Cynder coquettishly.

Jen-xei smiled, rather warmly, apparently he liked this subject. "There is much to tell, my dead. I was a loyal imperial alchemist. A dragon happy in his place in the court..." he said.

"How many kinds of dragons used to live in this world?" asked Cynder.

"Three...the serpents who lived in the waters of the world, my cultured brethren and the western ones, little more than animals," said Jen-xei.

"Where could they all have gone?" asked Cynder.

"Well, as barbaric as the westerners were, they did have the right idea of what to do with the wyrms that lived in their lands," said Jen-Xei, "The serpents may yet still dwell in the seas unless they've been hunted to oblivion as well."

"So...what happened?" said Cynder.

Jen-xei said, "Huh...the emperor in his eternal wisdom, welcomed some of them who fled to our lands to escape death...until they decided they should rule. When my brethren put down the rebellion and sentenced the only survivor to a...suitable fate worse than death, the emperor decided we were dangerous too.

"It happened even swifter for us. They had centuries to study us from tooth to tail, they knew how to exploit our weak points. Not to mention their military was more advanced and coordinated than the dragonslayers in the west. Even running and hiding availed us little for they knew where we could hide."

He frowned before saying, "I chose not to hide. I...had some contacts from my own research. My betrayed people were more than happy to come back..." before looking at the bowing Silvia and Varis, "Though they have...devolved in some ways."

"These forms have several advantages," said Silvia.

"Indeed...they can hide till they need to fight. Naturally though, I realized I needed somewhere for my army to train. So I went to Romania, where I had heard a fellow...magic enthusiast lived."

"One who shared your appetite for blood?" asked Cynder.

"An unfortunate side effect." said Jen-xei, adding, "One I do not share. Chi is far more nutritious."

"I thought cheese went to one's hips," said Cynder.

"Chi...your human friends call it Third Energy, the west call it mana," snapped Jen-xei.

Cynder raised her eye ridges like that. It seems convexity has more facets than she was aware of.

"Of course, that...wyrm appeared to care more about his people then aid. He betrayed us, warned the avatars here of our attack. Then again, we're free now..." said Jen-xei walking towards Cynder.

Cynder backed up, hoping that Matt could execute her plan now. However, it wasn't Matt's plan that went into action. Ra, Anubis, and Ma'at both sprung forward to attack Jen-Xei. However, the Asian dragon blasted the avatars back with little effort.

Sadly, he'd also had to turn and as such saw Matt holding the jar, which he blasted. "How...DARE YOU?" he snapped, summoning a spike of energy and sending it flying at her.

Matt was barely able to roll out of the way of the attack. However, she had unintentionally rolled in the direction of Silvia who grabbed her. "Get her out of my sight and drain her. Make her one of the mummies in this tomb," snapped Jen-Xei.

Silvia looked with a frown at Matt before saying, "My lord, my host...it is a difficult order to follow..."

"Hardly. You just stick your fangs and suck all the moisture out of her," said Jen-Xei dismissively.

"She is...family...I cannot obey..." began Silvia.

Jen-Xei gave her a dark look and said, "You're very mistaken about that. You are a different species, of greater design and capability than she is, so you cannot possibly be family. And you will obey my command."

Silvia winced her eyes glowing and clearly in pain before she said reluctantly "Fine." before grabbing the semi-conscious Matt and dragging her out of sight...before throwing her to the ground. "This tunnel leads to the surface. Never show yourself to me again," she snarled.

"Chloe..." said Matt only for Silvia to hiss at her. "Firestar..." said Matt only for Silvia to make a low growl. "I don't care what you call yourself, what species you want to be, just come back."

"Your sister is dead and you will be too unless you leave. I understand one thing my lord misses is the taste of meat," hissed Silvia, pushing Matt back.

"I refuse to believe that. You're still my sister," said Matt.

"Only a small fragment of old connection is keeping me from carrying out my lord's command and you're wearing it thin," said Silvia warningly. Matt walked forward only for her to be knocked over by a smack from Silvia. "Just...go," said Silvia harshly before stomping back into the chamber, Matt hanging her head.

"Chloe, why couldn't you have just accepted- Hey, what's this?" said Matt. Laying on the ground, where Silvia could not have missed it, was the Horus amulet. What was it Anubis had said...that Horus was the one who had kicked these guy's asses last time?

Of course, Matt wasn't eager about having feathers for the rest of her life, but she did see how easily Mina had handed over the mantle of Ma'at to Megan. However, there was also the problem that she didn't appear to have a choice. She had no doubt that nothing the coalition had would stop evil ghost things. "Urgh...I must be mad," she muttered, putting the amulet around her neck.

She could feel a tingling sensation go through her body as feathers once again began to sprout. "The powers of the sky god better be worth this," muttered Matt before wincing as the more painful stuff started to happen.

Jen-xei smirked at Cynder as Silvia came back. "You are running out of friends; one taken by these avatars, the other...a snack," he said smugly, coiling around Cynder.

"You think I can't take you by myself?" asked Cynder, "If you have Spyro's memories, you'd know how much serious tail I can kick."

"And risk hurting Spyro?" said Jen-xei smugly.

"If it was me in his place, Spyro would want to bring me down and exorcise you as well," said Cynder.

"There's a problem with that. I can just jump into another body if you 'kill' me. But he'll still be dead," laughed Jen-xei.

Cynder hesitated at that. "Only one being had ever come close to destroying my essence and he can no longer walk in this realm," said Jen-Xei smugly. Cynder glared before lunging at Jen-xei who just dodged, clawing her along the side of the face. "And if I remember, Spyro is able to beat you," he laughed.

"Doesn't mean I can't do the same," said Cynder.

"Does it? As Spyro recalls, you've never actually defeated him, even when you were four times his size," said Jen-Xei.

Cynder glared before seeming to shift form,.growling larger, her voice snarling, "I'm more than willing to test that."

Megan, who was currently bound to the wall along with the other avatars, was briefly able to manifest and say, "I didn't know she could do that."

Jen-xei just laughed as Cynder finished shifting to her 'General Cynder' form. "Aw, that is surprising...and cute," he laughed.

"We end this now, Jen-Xei," said Cynder darkly.

"As you wish," said Jen-Xei before, quick as lightning, he wrapped his body around Cynder's and started squeezing her like a snake.

Cynder roared in pain before her tail whipped up and drive its metal scythe tip into his back, twisting it till she was released. "That...wasn't..." started Cynder before Jen-Xei started lashing at her, quick, striking dark from his sinewy limbs which moved with remarkable fluidity.

"Did I mention that in addition to being an alchemist, I was also a master of snake kung fu?" asked Jen-Xei. Cynder just managed to block the blows barely before finally she slipped up and Jen-xei landed a cluster of sharp blows that staggered her. "I'm afraid the only thing that can save you now is a sign from the heavens and there can be no such sign down in this dark tomb," said Jen-Xei as he readied the finishing blow.

Just then, a bright burst of light flooded the tomb. The vampris dragons shielded their eyes as a voice said, "Unless the heavens come down to you." The light faded to reveal what looked like an uncorrupted Horus, though with a very pronounced female figure.

"What?" snapped Jen-xei, the newcomer summoning a gold-coloured bo staff and spinning it expertly. "Kill her...NOW!" snapped Jen-xei to Silvia and Varis.

Silvia and Varis raced towards the hawk but she conjured up a large cloud that the two of them ran into. "That should keep them busy until I know what to do with them," said the hawk.

Jen-xei growled before throwing Cynder aside. "How dare you?" he snarled, sending several blasts that the hawk calmly parried with ease.

"You know, I'm starting to appreciate being a sky goddess," said the hawk, "Well, maybe not the 'dess' part."

"You will not survive. I will take this land for my people," snarled Jen-xei moving closer as he fired, the Horus avatar blocked more and more before Horus span on the spot and smashed him across the jaw with her bo staff with far more strength then her size would allow...given he was lifted off his claws.

Jen-Xei twisted in midair and landed on his feet. "The true Horus could not destroy me. What makes you think you could do better?" snapped Jen-Xei.

"Well, I'm willing to settle for stuffing you back in your jar," said Horus.

"You will not get the chance. Soon that god will take your mind. The avatars are just puppets," snarled Jen-xei.

"I'm pretty sure they get a lot more leeway than that," said Horus, "Otherwise, Mina wouldn't have been such a party girl."

"Yes, because there is such an abundance of order here," laughed Jen-xei, managing to catch the staff as it went to hit him.

"Pardon?" asked Horus before Jen-Xei jabbed her several times in the gut with the staff.

"Lightweight fool. You still fight Horus's influence...and that's why you are about to die..." laughed Jen-xei, grabbing her and lifting her up.

"I never meant this to be a long term job. Just long enough to bottle you up and get my sister and second-in-command back," said Horus.

"And that's why you will die in a second. You couldn't beat me but Horus could," laughed Jen-xei before preparing to chomp down on her.

"Let's see what Horus himself thinks about that," said the hawk before her eyes suddenly flashed.

Jen-xei roared before letting go to shield his eyes...and then was smashed across the face by a bolt of light. "I showed you mercy the last time we fought," said a furious-sounding female voice, before another bolt sent him sprawling. "When we last fought, it would have been child's play to destroy you utterly. But my fellows advised me to show mercy...mercy to a parasite like you?"

Jen-Xei tried to crawl away only to be lifted up into the air. "Thousands of years in that jar didn't teach you a thing, did it? You still cannot control your insatiable appetite," said the echoing voice, sounding slightly less female.

"You...were holding back?" whimpered Jen-xei, actually sounding scared for the first time he could remember.

"I am the day and night sky," said a booming male voice, "I am the falling stars that strike down evil, the clouds that provide shelter and water, the wind that carries the words of justice. I stayed my hand to allow you a final chance."

"N...no, no, no, no! I was so close!" yelped Jen-xei sending blast after blast at the voice.

"No, you weren't," said the voice before a wave of golden light shot out. Jen-xei tried to raise up a shield, only for the wave to cast it aside like it was mist. "You have cheated death for too long, Jen-xei. Now it is time for you to go the underworld and you will not be coming back," said the voice.

"No...Edenska promised..." began Jen-xei before he was caught in the blast, a black mist blown off, leaving a dazed and normal-sized Spyro behind.

The black mist swirled in the air before a dark doorway opened in the wall the light was shining upon. An unfelt wind blew strong against the mist, forcing it towards the doorway. The mist seemed to struggle before it was sucked in, a satisfied...and hungry roar heard before it sealed.

Spyro looked around drunkenly before saying dizzily, "I knew it...the pineapples were planning something," before he collapsed with a happy giggle.

Then the light spun to face the cloud. "Now, it just remains what to do with you," said the male voice as the cloud started to blow away.

The two vampris dragons landed in an undignified heap, though they also looked terrified...and with good reason. The fog has removed a sense of direction. It hadn't stopped them overhearing everything.

"I suppose what is good for the master is good for the servants," said the voice as the light started to brighten.

"We surrender!" said Silvia quickly, Varis looking in surprise before she hissed "You'd prefer oblivion?"

Vanis paused for a second before crying loudly, "Please have mercy upon our pitiful souls! We were only trying to live again, is that too much to ask?"

The light may not have had a physical being at that moment but it seemed to give out an air that it was raising an eyebrow before Silvia said, with a swoon, "Oh...woe is us for we were misled by his foul ways."

Vanis hissed "Don't oversell it. He won't buy it."

Horus's voice said, "Oh, trust me. That boat sailed up the Nile a loooong time ago."

"Would shameless groveling help?" asked Vanis, "I'd even kiss your feet if you weren't glowing so brightly."

"You can start by telling me who Eden is," said Horus coldly.

"Eden? Like the company who built all the Third Energy reactors?" asked Silvia.

"That is a good start. I want to know why they corrupted me...and don't say you do not know. You managed to escape my attentions the last time. Meaning you will have seen every dark deal since then," said Horus thoughtfully.

Vanis hissed, "Does he know that we had our original hosts destroyed centuries ago and only just got these ones?"

"Don't say that!" hissed Silvia, "Think of some plausible reason he'll believe!"

"You think of one!" snapped Vanis as Horus sighed "Fine...out of those hosts and into soul gems..."

"Wait, wait, Eden wanted to corrupt Horus because they're...they're..." said Silvia.

"Planning on opening a gigantic rift all over the world!" yelled Vanis.

There was a long pause before Silvia snapped, "That's your plausible reason?!"

"I was our lord's best mage back when I had an original body. It's the only real reason for setting off so any simultaneous mana blasts," snapped Vanis.

"So why would a corporation like Eden do that?!" snapped Silvia.

"How should I know? I'm not a knockoff James Bond villai...WHO THE HELL IS JAMES BOND? That's it! I want out of this body!" snapped Vanis.

"How could you want to go back to being a soul gem?" snapped Silvia.

"I don't. I just want an emptier vessel than this guy," said Vanis.

Horus, who had been patiently watching this argument, said "Are you finished?"

"Ok, so maybe this loser doesn't deserve his own body," said Silvia.

"Hey!" snapped Vanis.

"But you can't take me out of this body without damaging my host further. She's already coming apart at the seams as it is."

Horus nodded, "You both sadly have points..."

Silvia smirked, "One of the reason I took such a shine. You won't dare endanger such a precious mortal..."

"I am not saying you won't be imprisoned," said Horus, "Your prison will just be very different from your last one."

"Oh nuts," muttered Silvia.

"Uh, can I choose where I will be imprisoned?" asked Vanis.

Horus thought for a second before saying curtly, "No." and blasting Vanis.

Vanis screeched as his essence was torn out of his host as dark mist and compressed into a gem. A second later the still earth dragonian Chris fell back with an inane giggle, collapsing next to Spyro, giggling "I don't wanna pet the bunny."

Spyro giggled, "I'll pet the bunny...which way did the bunny go?"

"So, how will this arrangement go?" asked Silvia.

"Let's let your 'sisters' decide," said Horus before a blast hit her. Silvia cried out as she reverted to full dragon form. She winced before rapidly shifting to raptor form then human form and back to dragon over and over in very rapid succession.

Horus smirked before her right hand poked her, Horus looking down in surprised as it shook it fist at her. "Mortal...no poetry," she muttered.

Horus sighed before tracing in the air above the shifting female, gathering light into a small disc which then materialized into a small round pendant split into three parts, a pale yellow, a striped red, and a very dark blue. The pendant floated down and landed on her collarbone before threads materialized around her neck. The yellow part shone and she gasped before she reverted back to Chloe's human form.

"Happy?" Horus said before raising an eyebrow when the possessed hand flipped its middle finger. "Well, it gives her more control than she ever had," said Horus before the possessed hand punched her in the face. "Ok, this is not a long term relationship. I demand a new avatar," said Horus.

The hand gave a thumbs up in agreement before flipping Horus off again. Anubis, who was the first to recover, said, "I doubt the commander wanted to be an avatar either. I think this was to allow you to...how do the modern children say it? Take care of business?"

"Indeed. Shall we send the rest of these parasites to the afterlife?" asked Horus.

"No...only one escaped. The others were perfectly capable of doing so. Only their so-called lord chose to. It seemed the others didn't want to risk it," said Anubis smugly.

"So they have learned something after all these years," said Horus.

"Indeed...and the same rules apply. She has been fed one soul today and that is enough," said Anubis sternly.

"Agreed, perhaps it is time we start putting these souls to good use," said Horus.

"Indeed. Set has said he needs guards for his realm," said Anubis.

There was muffled hissing from the jars at that. "Would you rather work for Apep?" asked Horus. The hissing immediately stopped. "That's what I thought," said Horus.

"What about Ma'at? I do not like how she is practically puppeting her avatar. It's supposed to be an agreement," said Horus, before noticing the looks before pausing, "She says this is a rental."

"Mina showed a lot of potential as an avatar," said Ra, "However, I'm not sure if Ma'at was the best choice for her. She was only the best available at the time."

"Maybe Ma'at should rest then?" said Anubis.

"Wait, I have a good host right here," said Ma'at before Megan's fingers suddenly grabbed her throat and started throttling her. "I...still...stand...by...my...state...ment…" she gasped with each shake

Horus sighed before reaching over and plucking Ma'at talisman from Megan's neck. Megan quickly reverted to her usual form and clothing. "Oh, that feels so much better," said Megan with relief.

"What about Matt? You can't keep her, Horus," said Mina accusingly, poking Horus in the stomach, surprising her.

"Yes, this alignment is not beneficial in the long run," said Horus before saying thoughtfully, "But perhaps you can serve as a better avatar."

Mina thought about it. "Fine...but we are having a long talk next time we sleep about you being so highly strung," said Mina, taking the pendant, Matt, turning back and her giggling insanely before collapsing on the other two current casualties and the three starting a song.

Mina put the pendant around her own neck. In a flash, she too was a female version of Horus, though she was noticeably less busty than Matt was. "Much better..." she said happily before wincing as Matt, Chris and Spyro hit a note roughly described as 'chainsaw bad'.

Cynder sighed and said, "I hope they stop soon."

"Cynder, how did you get so big?" asked Megan.

"I channeled some convexity, I don't always use it for attacks. The problem is that I can't maintain this for too long," said Cynder before she suddenly shrunk down to her normal size.

"Well, at least everyone's safe now," said Megan.

"Er, where are the others?" asked Cynder.

"You firebirds are no match for me," said Set boastfully, "You will go down in flames."

"Ha, you are the one who is outmatched against two tsarinas," said Contrinya, "Give up now and we may show mercy."

"Urgh...at least they stopped playing Warhammer. Who knew that Contrinya liked playing as the Necrons?" said Kala.

"Can't we just play something that I can understand?" asked Gary.

"Oh, get with the times, you walking chunk of marble," said Contrinya.

"You can't talk to my teammate like that," said Set.

"Oh yeah?" snapped Contrinya, igniting a fireball.

"Yeah," snapped Set, igniting his own. Needless to say, it quickly deteriorated from there...

The next day, Matt wanted to get the Test of the Feather over with. However, there was a significant problem in the fact that there was no longer a goddess to properly judge the test. Anubis had said for them to come anyway though, saying he knew of the perfect person.

"So, all I have to do is get the Feather away from a big dragon, right?" asked Matt.

"Well, it's not quite what you'd call a dragon," said Megan.

"Can it fly or breathe fire, ice, or anything like that?" asked Matt. "No," said Megan.

"Then I've handled worse," said Matt confidently.

The gates in front opened then to show a dark room with the Feather glowing in the only patch of light. "Ok, just grab the Feather and get your manhood back," Matt muttered to herself before walking forward.

"Well...you must be the newest cursed," said a sultry voice from the dark, adding, "Come to appeal."

"And you must be the Devourer I've heard so much about," said Matt.

"I am indeed...and you are my next meal. No cursed has ever won their appeal," sneered the voice.

"Well, I wasn't exactly cursed for the right reasons. Besides, I've handled dragons before," said Matt.

"I am no dragon," said the voice before several torches lit up. Matt blinked and looked around. Out of the shadows came a creature that was at least the size of a polar bear. It had the head of a crocodile which wore a large headdress that almost resembled a mane, the front quarters of a lioness, and the back quarters of a hippopotamus, though with the crocodile's tail. Ammit grinned at Matt, showing many sharp teeth in a muzzle big enough to easily snap her up in one bite. "Are you ready for your test?" asked Ammit.

"Bring it on," said Matt.

"As you wish," said Ammit before letting out a guttural roar and lunging at Matt. Matt quickly leapt away from the beast and ran towards where the feather was. Ammit roared before loping after her, Matt yelping and trying to grab the Feather

The crocodilian jaws snapped at Matt, narrowly not taking chunks out of her sizeable behind. Matt's mind raced as she tried to think of something she could use to her advantage. She quickly called out "WAIT!" Ammit halting out of surprise before Matt said "I get to have the Feather decide if you eat me or not, right?"

"That's only if you're weighing your heart to see if you're good enough. The point of this trial is to see if you're worthy of using it on yourself by claiming it," said Ammit.

"That's kinda circular thinking, isn't it?" asked Matt.

"Look, it'll just be simpler if you just went into my-" said Ammit before Matt suddenly jumped on top of Ammit's head and wrapped her legs around the beast's jaws.

"Oh please let this work. It worked on Animal Planet," whimpered Matt as Ammit thrashed around. Fortunately, it became clear that there were some design flaws in Ammit's chimeric features. The crocodile jaws' muscles were design to put all their power into closing, not opening and the tail could not reach that far forward. The hippo hindquarters were not build for leaping so Ammit couldn't buck Matt off.

Once Matt realized this, she started laughing, "That's right. I win so cut it out or I plug your nostrils too."

However, the lion forequarters were still flexible enough for Ammit to reach up with her paws, though she had trouble scratching at Matt without hurting herself.

Matt glared before slapping her hands on both ears of Ammit's head, causing the demon to howl in pain. "Give up now or I'll start poking for that soft spot on your temple," said Matt.

Ammit glared before smirking...well probably smirking before she started to roll. Matt had to keep a very strong grip on her snout not to be knocked off. Fortunately, Ammit couldn't put a lot of pressure on Matt from her vantage point, but it still wasn't very pleasant.

Ammit roared angrily at that before finally shaking her head hard enough to throw Matt off. Matt sailed through the air and landed a considerable distance. Her head swam a little but she shook it and was able to clear her senses. She quickly became aware that Ammit was starting for her again. But she could also tell she was a short distance away from the pillar that held the Feather.

"PE lessons don't fail me now," she said, sprinting for the Feather and grabbing it a second before Ammit was able to grab her.

The room lit up with proper light. Ammit froze with her jaws open wide to chomp Matt from the waist up. Slowly, she backed away and said, "You've managed to succeed. Most cursed are so encumbered by their forms that they barely last long at all."

"Good...then when do I turn back?" snapped Matt, before Ammit began laughing. "What? What's so funny?" asked Matt.

"You can only be fully reverted by Ma'at's full blessing," said Ammit, "Passing the trial only lessens the curse."

Matt glared before wincing and coughing up a pink mist. As soon as the mist left, she felt her body changing. She looked down to see her chest was deflating in front of her very eyes and her butt definitely felt like it was doing the same things. However, they stopped long before they got to anything tomboyish, leaving her with a healthy but not over-endowed figure.

She looked at a puddle of condensation before glaring, what looked back at her was a clone of her sister. "Really?" she thought to herself.

"You'll be gladdened to know that you need not worry anymore about losing your mind to the curse," said Ammit.

"That's swell, now how about getting the rest of my masculinity back?" snapped Matt.

Ammit glared. "The curse would not work if you did not deserve it. Only Ma'at can remove it fully. Until then, enjoy your 7 years," she sneered before stomping on the ground and causing Matt to vanish in a flash of light.

Kala was one of the first to hear about Matt's success in passing the test. She hurried over to his room, ready to see her commander back in his proper state. However, when she approached his door, she could hear the sound of a woman crying inside. Kala glared before calming down and opening the door to see what looked like Chloe from behind sobbing on the bed.

"Matt...is that you?" asked Kala.

"Kala? Go away," sobbed the woman.

"Matt, I thought you passed your test," said Kala.

"I did...the reward was to get a normal woman's body," said Matt bitterly.

"That's all? I mean, well, at least the officers back home won't be staring at you as much," said Kala.

"7 years...7 fucking years. I'm gonna kill Megan for this," said Matt angrily.

"Matt, she couldn't have known," said Kala.

"I'm not Matt anymore!" snapped Matt, "Does Matt sound like a woman's name?"

"It's not permanent," said Kala.

"It's more than long enough to lose my identity, to lose everything," snapped Matt.

Kala glared at that before slapping Matt across the face. "Get a grip. You're more than strong enough to hold it together," she snapped.

"It's these damn hormones!" snapped Matt, "I can't keep control of my emotions anymore." She started crying again and said, "And if I can't control myself, how am I supposed to lead an army?"

"We managed to run an entire tribe," said Kala with a smirk. Matt took a few calming breaths as Kala said, "Trust me, if the officers back home can't take you seriously even with your current state, they don't deserve their positions. Besides, we have a way of keeping them in line."

"I've already shot them in the knees," muttered Matt.

"I was thinking we can let them try a little bit of the medicine you've been given," said Kala.

"Maybe...when we win. I can't really knock my entire command team out of action," said Matt.

"Don't worry, we'll find a way to make everything work," said Kala.

"Well, not everything," said Matt.

"What do you mean?" asked Kala.

"Well, I'm not sure how this relationship can really work with us both being women," said Matt, "This is probably more awkward for you than it is for me."

Kala raised an eyebrow before grinning impishly and pulling Matt into a kiss. "Does that answer things?" she asked breathlessly.

"But...doesn't this gross you out?" asked Matt.

"There wasn't a large amount of dating options back in Seattle," said Kala, "What with tribe alliances/divisions and the limited amount within your own tribe. A lot of us learned to be experimental." She gave Matt's chest a playful squeeze at that.

Matt smiled at that before pulling Kala back. "Well, we at least can stay together till this is over then," she said.

"We can do more than that," said Kala before pulling Matt into a deeper kiss, this time allowing their chests to rub together. Once Matt was properly moaning, Kala let break the kiss.

"I think I can learn to adapt," said Matt.

Spyro appeared to have been cleansed of his corruption, but no one was absolutely sure. Which was why there were guards armed with dragonsbane ammo outside his cell. However, Cynder was certain that if anyone could determine if Spyro was in his right mind or could talk him back from whatever madness he was in, it was her.

She shuddered a bit. The cell was the one she'd been stuck in while still brainwashed though minus the chains. Spyro was curled up in the center, apparently asleep

"You certain it's safe to go in there?" asked one guard, "What if he switches minds with you?"

"That was a fluke," said Cynder, walking inside, before headed over to Spyro and nudging him gently.

"Mom...just five more minutes..." muttered Spyro.

"Spyro...Spyro," said Cynder before Spyro's eyes shot open.

"Cynder, are the apes back?" asked Spyro, looking around.

"No...that was a year ago. We're on that other planet, remember?" said Cynder carefully.

"Other planet, other planet..." muttered Spyro, "Uh...wait, did we just go to a fancy dance thing?"

"Yes, yes we did. But that was weeks ago," said Cynder with concern. Spyro looked puzzled at that. "Think Spyro, what was your last clearest memory?" asked Cynder.

"Uh...last thing I can clearly recall was us finding out Megan's boyfriend was that gargoyle monster. Things start to get a little hazy after that," said Spyro.

"You...we think someone tried to corrupt you...you..." said Cynder, her voice trailing off.

"Was I as bad as you were?" asked Spyro.

"No...you didn't kill anyone," said Cynder quietly, hanging her head.

"Good, I mean, I didn't mean to-"

"It's ok, Spyro," said Cynder, "The most you did was send a couple of threats and opened a vessel containing an evil dragon spirit."

"Good...wait, what?" asked Spyro.

"It's a long story..." said Cynder kindly, nuzzling him happily.

"It is over, right?" asked Spyro.

"Oh, just a few loose ends that don't matter," said Cynder.

"So let me get this straight: you found a collection of vampris dragon souls, stopped them from being unleashed, but lost my heir?!" snapped Malefor.

"Er, did I mention that I managed to recover Lady Devina's essence at great risk?" asked Ghoulwyrm.

"Indeed..." said Malefor icily, "Do you at least know what caused Spyro to turn?"

"I have reason to suspect it was the work of Lady Avarona," said Ghoulwyrm, "You might recall she was attempting an independent endeavor during my field test of the wargoyle prototype."

"Yes...her 'voodoo'. It seems it worked. Can you recreate the process?" said Malefor.

Ghoulwyrm thought it over and said, "I suppose I could. But it would take quite a lot of time. Not to mention Spyro would require a considerable amount of exposure to corruption."

"Then you had better get started, hadn't you? Consider this your last chance," said Malefor.

"Surely my resources can be put to more productive uses," said Ghoulwyrm.

"I said DO IT!" Snapped Malefor.

"As you wish, my lord," said Ghoulwyrm quickly before backing out of the room.

Chloe was sure she was having a dream. It was a bit of an odd dream as she was sitting at a three-sided table having tea. Also seated at the table was Firestar while Likita prowled around in a cage at the other side.

"Was there a gas leak at the hotel?" she said finally.

"Maybe, even I don't know what's going on here," said Firestar.

"Isn't it obvious?" snapped Likita.

Chloe and Firestar exchanged a glance before they said at the same time, "Not really."

Likita sighed and said, "This is a manifestation of your inner turmoil. Your inner mind has been rearranged and now you're dreaming about it."

"You don't even belong here. You're just some monster who tried to get us to eat our brother," snapped Chloe.

"And yet I'm trapped here forever, probably not even that long," said Likita.

"You think you can break out of that cage?" asked Firestar.

"I can only be let out. But even if I'm let out or not won't matter. The merger has started."

"What merger?" asked Chloe and Firestar.

"Oh, you two are finally going to become one mind and soul again and I'm going to be the mortar that binds you back together," said Likita casually as she examined the claws on one forepaw. A flake of skin drifted off her paw at that, disintegrating into nothing before it reached the floor of the cage.

"We do not want some monster like you. That avatar should have destroyed you," snapped Firestar.

"Oh, like I want this any more than you do. I'm going to mostly cease to exist as my 'impurities' are distilled," said Likita.

"Huh..." snorted Firestar.

"So who will I or we be?" asked Chloe.

"Good question, it would be interesting to find out if I wasn't being erased as part of the equation," said Likita. Chloe and Firestar frowned, before Likita said, "Remember, Mr. Anderson's a cute catch. Don't make him wait."

The two of them flustered and muttered a few things like how Likita's crazy and they had no idea what she was talking about. "Oh, come on, I was merged with you and I know exactly what you feel about him. I wouldn't have had an interest in him otherwise," she said.

The coughing doubled at that, Likita laughing, even as she began to vanish. "You better build up a strong connection with him or he might not stay with you after the change," said Likita.

Chloe woke up with a groan at that. "I hope that was just a cheese-induced crazy dream," she muttered. She groaned and stretched, her tail clicking and...tail?" Chloe paused before slowly turning to look at the mirror.

The good news was that there wasn't an anthro dragoness looking back at her in the mirror. The bad news was that there was an anthro raptoress there instead. Chloe's head began to span before she grasped her head and muttered to herself, "I'm not Firestar, I'm not Firestar. She isn't supposed to be like this." Her pendant had two thirds of it glowing orange but the light faded from one part of it as it went back to being the yellow side lit. At the same time, Chloe's saurian features diminished until she looked at the mirror and saw just her normal human form again.

"There should have been an instruction menu...oh," she snapped, pausing as she noticed a scroll on the bedside table.

She unrolled it and read the message in it:

'Miss Lynch, as you've probably noticed, your alternate forms and personalities have been divided from each other. However, the pendant's power will slowly cause them all to blend. You are able to temporarily merge two sides to form a balanced form, but do not attempt merging all three sides until you are farther along nor try to dispose of the pendant. Doing so would undo the recovery of your mind and body and even fragment your psyche into even more fragments. It's time you started healing and accepting your world.'

Chloe glared before realizing she hadn't heard that in her head, the scroll saying in Mina's/Horus's voice, "And for my sake, try to enjoy life. That's how Likita got her claws in you in the first place. Have fun, Horus." the scroll suddenly combusting.

Chloe blinked a little. While a little annoyed, she had to admit the scroll did have a few points. She needed to spend less time avoiding the world and its changes. Just because human civilization was on the brink of ending didn't mean there wasn't an opportunity for fun anymore. Chloe wasn't sure how the jumble in her head would sort itself out, but she did agree with her 'roomies' about one thing: Chris was pretty cute. Perhaps she should see more of him.

Now that some technical difficulties are dealt with the chapters will come a little quicker now. Enjoy and please review.