Déjà Vu opened her eyes. She was laying on a hard surface with a soft touch. The Skylander slowly lifted her head to find herself inside a small circular room surrounded by bookshelves. In the center she saw the backs of Spyro, Enigma and… herself? The timelord stood up and finally recognized the place. It was the house to which they travelled shortly to find the Book of Destiny. Seeing herself right in front of her made Déjà Vu realize that this must be another one of her time tricks. However, when she stepped closer to the trio of the past, she phased right through them, as if they weren't even there. The Magic Skylander didn't think much of it as the book attracted her attention instead. The pages were turning at such a fast pace that Déjà Vu couldn't make out anything. Finally, it stopped. It was the same page and the same cluster of words scribbled onto it, just like the first time. Only this time something was different. She could read the words 'An alliance destined to destroy' once again, but soon another word was added to the sentence - 'itself.'.
Déjà Vu opened her eyes. She quickly observed her surroundings. This time she was in bed inside a room of the Academy Hospital, which made far more sense. Nevertheless, the dream she just witnessed revealed something that none of them thought of. The complete sentence was 'An alliance destined to destroy itself.'. The Skylanders figured out that the alliance was between Hex and Malefor, but they weren't destined to destroy everything, they were destined to destroy each other.
Far away from the Academy, Spyro soared through the grey skies. His look going straight ahead as the wind rushed by. He occasionally had to flap his wings to keep himself airborne. Next to him appeared an airship which could barely keep up. Smolderdash was on top of it amongst other Skylanders. "Spyro, what are you doing!? We have to work together to-"
"I'm not following that plan!" The leader immediately denied.
Meanwhile Sprocket and Roller Brawl were inside the cockpit. The vampire struggled to steer the ship, but her time with the Superchargers didn't leave her completely clueless. Sprocket was busy building the power-absorbing device from some of the parts from the destroyed Core of Light. It was a metallic spherical capsule, not much bigger than the engineer's head, but it should be able to contain all of Hex' immense powers.
The Skylanders originally wanted to use that to put an end to the witch's undead reign, but Spyro had other plans. "They've gone too far they don't deserve mercy! I will take care of them!"
Smolderdash was worried to hear such bitter and ruthless words from the dragon. He didn't sound like himself. "Spyro please, you don't want to do this!"
"I know exactly what I want to do!" The Magic Skylander constantly fought back the tears forming in his eyes. Cynder's death broke something inside of him and the dragon was fueled by his overflowing emotions. He dived down and left his allies, going his own way. Down to the underworld.
Many years ago, when Eon just founded his heroic group of Skylanders, the leader first met the infamous witch Hex. She has been an undead for centuries and when Eon heard the stories of her battle with Malefor, he knew that he had to find her. Hex never stopped doing good and helping people, despite all the fear and distrust she received. Eon however was able to see through her gloomy appearance and frightening powers. He recognized her as the hero she was.
Eon recruited Hex and soon invited her to the Academy which was almost done with construction. The present Skylanders were quite wary, some even scared, but they trusted their master. The dark sorceress was just as cautious as everyone else, she learned to not trust anyone, even heroes. She was surrounded by suspicious looks, but she didn't bother to appeal to any of them.
While Eon introduced the witch, Spyro was the only one to step forward and properly welcome her. "Hello! I'm Spyro, the first Skylander Eon recruited and kinda the leader here." His cocky grin and wide eyes surprised Hex, but not enough for her to return a smile.
Eon then retreated to his office and left Hex alone in front of the crowd. While all eyes were set on her, she just asked one simple question. "Where do I reside?"
Spyro called Chop Chop over who would guide the fellow undead to her room. She didn't speak to him nor anyone else on her way there.
The other Skylanders stayed at the center of the Academy and immediately began gossiping about their latest member. "Where did Master Eon find that one?" Stealth Elf was anything but thrilled with the new face. "I avoid judging a book by its cover, but I can't help it if it's locked with black leather belts."
"Go easy on her Elf. I've heard the stories too, how she joined Malefor and cursed her village, but if Eon trusts her then we should too." Spyro looked across the Academy and spotted Cynder talking to some fellow Skylanders. Lost in thoughts, he only kept his eyes on her. "Things are not always as simple as they seem."
In present day, amid a raging blizzard was a singular air balloon struggling to stay on its course. Enigma did his best to stay inside the aircraft and prevent the countless snowflakes and sharp winds from tearing through the balloon. The Trap Master received a message from his Traptanium sigil, and it led him to this area. His fear of heights had already vanished, all he wanted was to make it through the storm alive.
When the sorcerer finally spotted an island covered in snow, he used it to land the balloon and get out. He spoke a quick spell that engulfed the air balloon with an aura which kept it in place so it wouldn't get swept away. The Skylander's cape was flowing in the wind and he had to remain balanced to not get blown away himself. He couldn't give up now, he felt that this was important. Enigma kept following the glowing light of his sigil which became brighter with each step he took in the right direction. The Trap Master had to jump from island to island until he eventually reached a larger one. His staff glowed brighter than ever before. That's when Enigma knew it, he found what he was looking for.
The Magic Skylander saw a familiar body dressed in white in the freezing snow, it was almost invisible. Upon closer inspection however, the sorcerer gasped in shock. It was Knight Light, but in the place of his wings was a large red stain which colored the snow underneath as well. Enigma fell onto his knees and carefully touched the fallen Skylander. He couldn't bear the wind blowing against his hood anymore, so after many years of anonymity, he took it off. He revealed his blue skinned face and pearly white hair which followed the raging winds. His white eyes stared at the unconscious angel with worry. He didn't know what happened, but he knew that he had to get him back to the Academy as quickly as possible.
The bars between Dr. Krankcase and Boom Bloom were lowered. The Doom Raider was back inside his cell despite all his efforts to help the Skylanders.
"Are you sure I have to go back here?" The mad scientist didn't expect much, but he did hope that his actions would change something. "I mean, didn't I redeem myself now?"
Boom Bloom sighed. Even though she had a better understanding of her creator and decided to bury the hatchet, she remained wary. "One good deed cannot erase all your bad ones. I'm sorry."
As the plant mutant was about to walk away, she felt something grabbing her hand. She turned her head to see Krankcase with an awkward yet somewhat calming smile on his face. "Hey, I'm… sorry about your friend."
The Life Sensei appreciated the gesture and gripped his hand in return. "Thanks."
The Skylander left while Krankcase looked after her longingly. It was still a long way to redemption but having a genuine connection to his most beloved creation was enough to satisfy the scientist for now.
Meanwhile at the prison cafeteria, a few Skylanders struggled to keep a bunch of villains at bay. They all had to move there due to the lack of cells for the cursed Skylanders, so now they were all free and eager to escape.
Snap Shot was sitting on a bench with his arms crossed and smirked upon the sight of the excited villains while Bushwhack and Head Rush tried their best to restrain them. "You think they'll manage?"
Wolfgang, who was sitting on top of the table next to the reptile, tilted his head slightly. "Hard to tell, maybe if they served tacos they could calm them down for a while."
The two laughed and continued to joke around. Head Rush desperately scanned the room until she laid her eyes on the duo. She approached them, making their smiles fade more with each step. "Snap Shot, we need your help!"
Snap Shot gave her a baffled look and thought he wasn't hearing correctly. "You need my help? For what?"
The Trap Master hated to admit it, and since Snap Shot was a prisoner this was a very unprofessional decision, but after thinking it through once more, this was really the only solution she could come up with on the spot. "You need to calm the villains down. You used to be our leader you have to do something now! Please!"
Wolfgang started to cackle immediately, but Snap Shot didn't laugh, he didn't even smile. He looked at Head Rush and then stared at the countless villains swarming through the cafeteria like headless flies. Wolfgang's laughter ceased when he saw that the crocodile was actually thinking about it. What else was there to lose?
Snap Shot finally stood up and stepped into the crowd. He hopped onto a table and unleashed a high-pitched whistle. All the villains halted and stared at the blue reptile, who admittedly didn't know what to say now. "Hey everyone!" Snap Shot didn't sound very convincing, but after throwing the equally clueless Wolfgang a look, he had a moment to think of something. "So, I know that today is very exciting for all of us."
"Who let the Ex-lander talk!?" A voice yelled before the crowd giggled.
Snap Shot ignored the comment and moved on. "I know you have no reason to listen to me-"
"Then why are you trying?" Another insult that lead to a wave of laughter.
"Because I know what you want." Snap Shot silenced the crowd with a sharp response. "You want to get out, and now seems like the perfect time since half of the Skylanders are locked up and you're here."
Snap Shot took a breath before continuing. Surprisingly, no one interrupted him this time. "But take it from the guy who locked each one of you up at least once, this is not your way out. The Skylanders will always find you, it may not be fair, but it is what it is. You're all here for a reason and the fastest and easiest way for you to get out is if you stay patient and prove that you're worthy of your freedom. And wouldn't it feel so much better knowing that you've earned it? Finally being able to live without the constant fear of being imprisoned?"
The crowd was silent and even the Skylanders and Wolfgang were impressed by Snap Shot's speech.
Before he went on however, Snap Shot cleared his throat and decided to finish. "So, what do you say, will you choose the path of reformation?"
There was a moment of looming silence. The villains blankly stared at the reptile and his eager eyes. In a split second everyone went back to running amok and forgot every word Snap Shot just said.
Wolfgang and Snap Shot made their way to the cafeteria entrance and rushed outside, locking the doors behind them. They looked at each other briefly before bursting into laughter.
"Ya really thought that would do anything?" Wolfgang grabbed his stomach as he spoke through his laughter.
"Nah, but it was worth a shot." Snap Shot calmed down for a second before starting to cackle again.
Wolfgang opened his eyes and looked at the amused reptile just for his own laughter to cease. It wasn't often that he saw him like this. Ever since they met, Snap Shot was either mad, frustrated or sad. But now the werewolf saw something he had never seen before. Happiness.
As Snap Shot's laughter toned down as well and he looked at the mesmerized wolf, they both just stared into each other's eyes. One pair of striking yellow eyes with the typical slit pupils and a pair of dark brown eyes with deep black pupils. Wolfgang suddenly moved his head forward and pressed his lips against Snap Shot's. It was a brief, surprising kiss and the werewolf pulled away almost immediately.
The two stared at each other once more and Wolfgang was anticipating a reaction, but nothing happened. He became insecure and thought that he had made a mistake. "I- I shouldn't have done that. You must hate me-"
Before the musician could say another word, Snap Shot pulled his head closer and returned a longer, more passionate kiss. Their lips parted after a few moments and they looked into each other's eyes again. There was no tension, no insecurities, just a warm feeling which the two of them could feel throughout their entire bodies.
While Spyro and the other Skylanders headed off to look for Hex, Tidepool used the opportunity to look for Wild Storm instead. The Water Skylander followed the footsteps that he left behind while sprinting off in his beast form. All she wanted was to help him, yet she felt terrible. The Sensei disregarded his feelings and let her emotions get the better of her. She thought the knight was the one drifting away, but it was actually her all along.
Tidepool soon found the rogue Wild Storm on a small abandoned island. She noticed that he was struggling. Struggling for control, or perhaps to transform back? She didn't know why his beast form was taking over, but she wanted to be by his side. "Wild Storm!"
The beast swung his large head around and stared at the Quickshot with his glowing white eyes on top of his mask. He then turned back around before starting to shake and flinch. Tidepool saw that he was slowly shrinking, but moments later he grew right back to the beast's size.
"I know you're in there! You don't have to run away from me, we can do this together!" Tidepool looked for the right words to calm him down, but the beast only responded with an agonizing roar. "Please Wild Storm, I've lost you once, I can't lose you again! Come back to me, please!" Tidepool's eyes teared up as she moved closer to her friend step by step.
Wild Storm kept on flinching and fighting with himself, but the Sensei didn't back off. She carefully reached out to him and was about to touch his back, when suddenly Wild Storm erupted in a tremendous roar. Tidepool fell back on her rear and watched as he slowly transformed back, falling face front to the ground.
"Wild Storm!" Tidepool rushed towards her companion and fell onto her knees before grabbing his arms. She turned him around to see that his eyes were closed. He was unconscious. She looked down and spotted a dart stuck inside his leg. She pulled it out and inspected it. There was a symbol inscribed into it, a symbol that caused Tidepool to gasp and drop the dart. She quickly turned her head, anxiously looking into every direction.
There was fear in the Skylander's eyes as she was shaking the knight. "Wild Storm wake up! We have to go, please wake up!" Tidepool kept looking around herself in distress. Something wasn't right. She continued to shake Wild Storm until he finally opened his eyes. "Thank the ancients! We have to go, now!"
Tidepool placed the Air Skylander's arm around her shoulders and lifted him up. Wild Storm was quite big and thus heavy to carry, but he soon regained his senses and used his own feet to get back up. While Tidepool still had to assist him, he could walk on his own. The Water Skylander didn't stop observing their surroundings, all the way until they've reached the Academy. Only once they entered the collection of buildings and towers she exhaled with relief and helped Wild Storm get to the hospital.
Once Wild Storm was taken care of, Tidepool exited his room and wandered through the hospital halls. She held the dart which the knight got shot with in her hand and kept staring at it while turning it with her fingers. She peeked through a window to look back at the vast area outside where the Air Skylander was mysteriously assaulted. A haunting feeling overcame the Sensei. She was frozen in place and just thought about that moment, that dart. Tidepool quickly shook it off and continued walking, she couldn't concern herself with that now.
In another room, Whirlwind and Buckshot were standing next to a silver iron table. There was a white cloth covering a figure on top of it. The dragoness couldn't hold back a tear from running down her cheek while the faun looked down in devastation. They knew what it was, but neither one could bring themselves to say it.
The quiet somber moment was disturbed by the sound of doors being slammed open and hasty footsteps. The Skylanders turned around to see Enigma, surprisingly without his hood, carrying a blood-soaked Knight Light in his arms. "Someone, please help!"
"Enigma!?" Whirlwind was perplexed by the sight of the Trap Master's striking white hair and pale blue face. No one has seen him like that before. The dragon then directed her attention to the unconscious angel instead. "What happened?"
"I'm not sure. He probably fought his former Guardian companion and she took his wings." Enigma was out of breath, he explained everything as quickly as possible so they could move on to saving Knight Light. The Magic Skylander placed his friend onto a hospital bed and blankly stared at his motionless body. "He's lost so much blood, I don't know if it's too late."
Buckshot pressed his fingers against the patient's neck. "He has a pulse! We can still save him!" Whirlwind hurried to grab her medical instruments and potions and immediately called for backup.
Buckshot didn't work at the hospital, he just followed Whirlwind to support her after the tragedy. Enigma observed as the hybrid and many helpers consisting of mabu, foxes and even Skylanders surrounding Knight Light. The sorcerer had to move a strand of hair out of his face and back into his loose backwards hairstyle. He then turned his head to see many more Skylanders laying in bed with injuries, and finally the table covered with the cloth. "What happened here? Did you stop Hex?"
"No, they are looking for her and Malefor as we speak. The corrupted Skylanders are all locked up. But…" Buckshot slightly turned his head to see the haunting cloth out of the corner of his eye. "We've had losses."
Enigma set his white eyes on Knight Light again. Seeing him there all butchered and on the verge of life and death, it made the Trap Master feel terrible. He was the last Skylander to see him, he knew that Angelica had it out for him, yet he ran away. Not this time. He couldn't run away this time. "I have to go."
Enigma swiftly walked out of the hospital and left the Academy behind once again. He used the same air balloon as before to fly off. His fear of heights was always there, looming over him like a dark cloud, but his determination was stronger. Enigma wasn't sure where he's headed, but he knew what he was looking for and why. He would make it up to his friend.
Back when Hex first joined the Skylanders, it didn't take her long to earn the role of the loner. She never talked to anyone unless it was necessary, she disappeared as soon as she returned from a mission and no one dared to get close to her due to her immense and terrifying powers. One day, Cynder decided to change that.
The dragoness knocked onto a dark wooden door inside the Academy. Back then, the Skylanders didn't have their Elemental Realms to reside in yet. Nevertheless, Hex isolated herself by choosing a room which was located in the most abandoned corner of the Academy. Cynder did that too at first, but she moved closer to the center when she became more comfortable being around the Skylanders.
"Hex?" Cynder slowly moved her head through the door to see Hex with her back turned towards her. She was standing in front of a large black cauldron with a glowing green substance inside.
Cynder was about to leave, but the sound of the witch's gloomy voice stopped her. "Come in." Cynder did as she was told and closed the door behind her.
The room was simple. It had a dark stone floor and walls, just like the rest of the Academy. Hex put some furniture inside as well, all made of dark wood with gothic accents. As an undead, she didn't really need any basic things that mortal beings did, such as a bed to sleep in or a table to eat at, but nevertheless those objects were there. Cynder stepped towards the sorceress and her cauldron in the middle of the room and peaked inside to see the color of the substance shift from toxic green to a warm orange.
"Why are you here?" Hex kept circling her hands above the cauldron to stir the liquid while speaking to Cynder without looking at her.
"I don't mean to bother you, but I just want to… talk." Cynder abruptly moved out of the way when a lid zoomed past her and landed on top of the cauldron.
"Talk about what?" Hex finally directed her sight to Cynder just to show her cold neutral expression. Not a hint of emotions in her eyes.
"About you." Cynder gulped as Hex floated towards a chair next to the table. "You've been here for some time now and you've barely talked to anyone. I mean, you don't have to, I get it really." Cynder remembered how she also refused to communicate and bond with the Skylanders when she first arrived. "I just want you to know that we're your friends and you have nothing to be afraid of."
"I'm not afraid." Hex stopped in front of the dark table and turned her head. "But you are. Everyone is."
Cynder didn't expect to hear that. "I'm not afraid of you, nor are the others! They're just-"
"Suspicious because of the stories." Hex finished the sentence. "Fear and hate, those are the only two things I've been met with for the last centuries. I didn't expect it to be any different here."
"But why?" Cynder was confused. "Eon trusts you and you're doing good things, I've seen you on your missions. Why is everyone afraid of you?"
"I wish I knew." Hex sighed as she pulled out a chair and lowered herself onto it.
Cynder thought for a moment. She heard the other Skylanders talk. Talk about the stories of Hex and how she joined the undead just for the sake of power. Yet she's here, as a Skylander. Cynder just couldn't see her being evil. "What about those stories everyone keeps talking about?" The dragon hesitated to continue, but after taking a breath she finally asked what's been on her mind all along. "What about Malefor?"
Hex looked at Cynder, she saw the eagerness in her eyes. She didn't just want to know the truth, she wanted to know about Malefor. "Do you want to hear my story?"
Cynder nodded and got closer before lying down in front of the witch.
"Ever since my transformation, rumors about me joining Malefor to gain more power spread like wildfire. The people of my village accused me of cursing them, making their crops decay and children fall ill. I can't say for sure if it truly was due to my powers or an average plague, all I can say is that I didn't do it on purpose. I was unfamiliar with my undead powers at that time." Hex thought back to the day where her once closest friends who she considered family dragged her out of her house and attempted to burn her alive. "After I was cast out, I spent many years alone, mastering my newfound witchcraft. I could not reverse the transformation, so instead of fearing it, I controlled it. That only made everyone more afraid. They forgot who I used to be and only saw a frightening witch casting dark magic, they didn't feel safe. Nevertheless, I remained loyal to my oath to protect the innocent people of Skylands, whether they like it or not."
Cynder saw Hex in a completely different light. She was misunderstood and did everything she could to prove that she wasn't evil. It reminded the dragoness so much of herself. "And what about Malefor?"
"Malefor was the reason for all this." Hex looked down at her ashy blue hands and dark robes. "But not in the way everyone thinks. He found out about my great amount of power when I was still a mortal and tried to hunt me down. Many people were hurt and lost their lives because of that, until one day I've decided to put an end to it." The sorceress remembered that day like it was yesterday. The day where everything changed. "I descended into the underworld and gathered all my strength to face him. We fought for hours, I lost the hope of making it out alive, but somehow I did." Hex looked Cynder right into her anticipating eyes. "I defeated Malefor."
"It was you." Cynder exclaimed with awe in a whispering tone. She was the one who defeated her tormentor, she was the one who freed her from his influence. Hex helped Cynder become who she was today. "Then what happened?"
"Due to the raw undead magic of the underworld and Malefor I was changed. I became an undead myself and my powers got corrupted. When I returned, I told everyone that I've defeated Malefor just like I said I would, but they didn't believe me. They thought I joined him because of my appearance and increased powers. That's when it all came crashing down." Hex arose from her chair just for Cynder to follow her. "And that's the true story."
"I can't believe it." Cynder was in shock. "All this time you've been accused of joining Malefor when you've actually freed me- everyone from him!" The Undead Skylander looked emptily through the room and got an idea. "We have to spread that story!"
"It's no use." Hex stopped the dragoness from running outside and fulfilling her idea. "I told many people this story, you are the first one to believe me. And besides, this has nothing to do with Malefor anymore. They believe I'm evil on my own accord." Hex looked down to the ground. "I've learned to live with it. It doesn't matter what they believe, all that matters is the truth."
Cynder was disappointed, but also understanding. She knew best how hard it can be to convince others that you've changed, no matter how hard you try. She nodded and smiled and gave Hex one last look before leaving her room. "Thank you, Hex. For everything."
This was the first time anyone's thanked her in centuries. Hex couldn't help but feel somewhat warm inside. A feeling she hasn't felt in a long time and which she's dearly missed. Perhaps she wasn't completely alone after all. Perhaps there was still hope left.
After many hours of flight Spyro finally reached the underworld. The airship with the remaining Skylanders and the power sphere followed, but they couldn't catch up to him. The dragon flapped his wings rapidly, almost manically. So many thoughts rushed through his head. He was sad, angry, disappointed, frustrated, but there was no time to waste on that. He couldn't grief his friend, not yet. He had to find Hex and put an end to her and Malefor's wicked scheme.
The Magic Skylander passed many places throughout the haunting realm. Some familiar, some not. All until he finally reached the one he was looking for – the Creepy Citadel.
Hex was still in the throne room of the citadel. Neither Malefor nor any Skylanders have arrived. She was all alone, thinking. Was this truly what she wanted? Would she be the Skyland's greatest villain? Hex thought she was certain about her decisions, but she was beginning to doubt herself.
During that quiet moment, there was a crashing sound above her, and the witch immediately looked upwards. Spyro flew through a newly created hole in the ceiling as he charged towards Hex with flames in his mouth.
The witch easily blocked the attack with her magic. Spyro soon landed on the cold ground and continued to furiously shoot fireballs. Hex already created a bone wall in front of her and cast a spell to deflect the projectiles. The purple dragon spread his wings and was about to rush towards the villain until a giant claw abruptly pinned him down from above.
Malefor arrived just in time to stop the Skylander from going after the sorceress any further. "My, my, I don't think I've ever seen him this angry." He grinned as the small dragon squirmed and clenched his teeth trying to break free.
"Of course he is, his friends have been turned into mindless monsters." Hex stayed calm as usual in the presence of others. She couldn't reveal the thoughts and feelings going through her head. "And he's here to take us down, isn't he?"
Spyro grunted before finally giving up trying to break free from Malefor's grasp and stayed put, still as furious as ever. "What do you want!? Haven't you done enough damage already?"
"Nothing will ever compensate for all the suffering I had to endure!" Hex made her point clear. "There's nothing you can do to stop me, and if you dare to try, I will repeat the curse once more until there's none of you left."
During the confrontation, Smolderdash, Sprocket and Roller Brawl quietly landed their ship at the very back of the citadel and carefully made their way to the heart of the building where the throne room was. Sprocket carried the power sphere which could absorb Hex' powers. This was their only chance.
"What will you do now, huh!?" Spyro's eyes were filled with rage, they lit up like flames. "Are you the new Undead Queen? Will you turn the Skylands into a barren wasteland? Tell me!"
Hearing the Skylander refer to the witch as the Undead Queen didn't sit right with Malefor, but he held himself back. Hex clenched her fist as she floated towards the dragons. "I will make sure that you suffer like I did for all those centuries. I always had to take things as they came, I had no choice. Now neither do you."
"Was it your choice for Cynder to die!?" Spyro couldn't hold his tears anymore and shouted at the top of his lungs, his voice breaking in the process followed by a stuttering breath.
Hex' eyes widened. Spyro's devastated look was enough for her to know that he was telling the truth. "What?" For the first time she was caught completely off guard. This was not part of the plan. "She can't be dead, that's-" The witch suddenly stopped. There was only one reason why that could've happened, and Hex moved her head up to look into its spiteful eyes. "You…"
Malefor returned a blank stare followed by a sick smile. "Guilty."
Hex began to move backwards. She thought she had everything under control, but this wasn't supposed to happen. "I told you to not kill any of them! You were supposed to scare them, nothing more! And out of all you chose Cynder-"
"Did you actually believe I would listen to you?" As the dragon was talking to the distraught witch, the trio of Skylanders that carried the power sphere have reached the throne room and hid behind the crumbling dark walls. "You may be more powerful than me, but even you cannot stop me this time!"
Sprocket held the sphere tightly in her hands and carefully peeked through a hole in the wall, followed by Smolderdash and Roller Brawl. They were told to use the weapon when Hex is distracted, so they were ready to strike at any moment.
"You never had any control over me, Hex!" The dark sorceress' sight went from Malefor's triumphant visage to the ground. She didn't know what to do. "In fact, I have been controlling you the entire time! You were too blinded by vengeance and hatred to realize. This is what I was striving for all along, for you to break and turn against everyone until eventually your rage wears off and I finish what you started. You were only the means to an end, you always have been."
Tears were streaming down Spyro's face as he was still trapped under the giant dragon's steel claw in a fury of anger and sadness. He then noticed that his companions were present and visible behind the wall. Malefor's eyes spotted them too and the three quickly ducked down, but he already saw them. Instead of attacking however, he continued to speak down on Hex. "And I'm sure you all wonder how Hex got through the shield at the Academy. The Skylanders did remove her page from the book, but that didn't matter. It's because deep down she still believes she's a Skylander. She wants to believe. No matter how wicked or cruel she may be, at the end of the day all she wants is to be a hero." The Undead King kept his eyes on Hex, and it seemed like he was able to see right into her soul.
The witch moved her head back up with a death stare. She glared at Malefor as he was teasingly smiling to her face. In his silver armor plates, Hex saw the reflection of Sprocket who slowly approached her from behind. The sorceress turned around and reached for the Tech Skylander to grab the sphere she was holding with her magic. Sprocket fell with shock as Hex' dark magic engulfed the device in mid-air. Roller Brawl and Smolderdash revealed themselves too and huddled around the engineer, watching their last chance at victory hover in front of their eyes.
"Destroy it Hex! This is their last shot!" Malefor lost his attitude upon seeing the sphere. He knew exactly what it would do to Hex, and even worse to him, if the Skylanders get to use it.
"Go ahead, Hex. You've won." Spyro spoke words no one ever hoped to hear. "You did it, you've defeated the Skylanders. There's nothing standing in the way of your revenge now." He has never sounded this defeated, he just embraced his fate.
Hex only focused on the sphere. The Skylanders' terrified expressions and Spyro's hopeless look surrounded her while Malefor's sinister eyes were looming over her. She had to decide. The witch then proceeded to raise her other arm and suddenly unleash a powerful beam of magic at the device.
Malefor's first eager smile curved into a frown when he realized what was happening. "No!"
Spyro, Sprocket, Smolderdash and Roller Brawl observed the bright beam which enlightened everything around Hex alongside a mighty gust of wind.
Hex remained steady and kept emitting more and more undead magic towards the power sphere. She wasn't destroying it, she was using it.
Malefor raised his claw and freed Spyro from his grip. The smaller dragon stayed in place and just watched in awe while the wind blew the tears out of his eyes. "Stop it, you foolish witch! You will destroy us both!" The dragon attempted to get closer, but the force of Hex' powers was so strong that he couldn't move an inch.
While she kept on feeding the device with her magic, the witch slowly turned her head and looked Malefor dead in the eye one last time before turning back towards the sphere.
Malefor eyes widened in horror before he looked behind himself. His long sharp tail suddenly started to deteriorate and turn into dust which was immediately blown away by the wind. "No!" The dragon screamed in agony as more and more of his body decomposed and he soon fell to the ground after losing his legs to hold himself up. The Undead King roared horrendously as his entire body, up to the final tip of his horn, turned to dust and the dragon ceased out of existence.
The undead magic exiting Hex with ghastly and frightening sounds began to change her as well. Her dress shifted from the raven black colors to a pale blue and the horns of her headdress turned into black strands of hair. She blinked and instead of the white glowing eyes she had blue irises surrounded by a minty green skin. Finally, all the magic has left Hex' body and was stored inside the sphere. The metallic orb fell down with a clang as it was radiating undead energy. Hex slowly sank to the ground as well before falling onto her knees. She was back in her mortal state. No powers. No curse. "It's over."
While the Skylanders stared at the witch and were paralyzed, a sparkling purple flame engulfed the villain before making her disappear into thin air. Spyro was in his awakened form and used his teleportation ability to send her right to Cloudcracker Prison, just like the Doom Raiders the first time. His transformation didn't last long and with a bright light he changed back, huffing and breathing heavily. "It is."
The Skylanders cautiously approached the sphere which was already shifting into a darker shade due to the immense undead powers it absorbed. Sprocket used her energy glove to create a containment capsule around it. "This should keep it safe." The engineer grabbed it before looking at her allies with relief.
Spyro inhaled. Malefor was gone, Hex was defeated, and her powers were concealed. It was over. One more time the leader thought about the phrase he read in the Book of Destiny. Now he realized that it was never complete, there was always a part missing. "An alliance destined to destroy itself."
At Cloudcracker Prison, all the imprisoned Skylanders who have been affected by Hex' magic started to transform back. One after the other lost the lifeless black eyes and came back to their senses, confused as to why they were behind bars. The Skylanders on guard happily released them and the entire facility was filled with relieved hugs and worried chatter.
The villains that were currently in the cafeteria willingly returned to their cells after seeing the dozens of Skylanders surrounding them. Snap Shot and Wolfgang, who have found a private place to spend time together, kissed each other goodbye and returned to their cells as well.
All the other people throughout Skylands that Hex cursed were freed as well. Many awoke with glee and joy to see their families and friends again, others were faced with the gruesome sight of a loved one killed at their hands. No matter how good or bad it ended, everyone was glad that it was finally over.
When Spyro, Sprocket, Smolderdash and Roller Brawl returned, they were greeted with mixed reactions. Some cheered because of their victory over Hex, yet the ones who weren't cursed remained quiet. The word spread fast and Stealth Elf heard what happened before they arrived. When Spyro stepped off the airship, the elf pulled her mask down and embraced her friend. She whispered words only the two of them could hear which made the leader break down in tears again.
The rest of the day was spent mourning the loss of a beloved Skylander. Someone who was struggling to become the best version of herself her entire life and when she finally did and gained the courage to stand up to her fears, she was taken from them. She believed that there was more than meets the eye, because she knew from experience that there always was. The Skylanders grieved their fallen ally and friend Cynder.
A shrine to honor the dragoness was put up in the center of the Academy. Every Skylander and anyone who could come to the Academy at the time was there. Silence loomed over the heroes like a curse. No one said a word, everyone barely moved. They all took their time to remember Cynder and what change she truly made in the Skylands. After a while, one Skylander after the other left, paying their last respects before returning home to rest. Eventually everyone was gone except for Spyro. He sat right in front of the shrine for the entire day. Hours passed, the dragon didn't move. He kept gazing at the portrait of his deceased friend and the dark flowers surrounding it.
Cynder has always been more than a friend to him, they had a connection. As much as he despised him, Spyro remembered Malefor's words about how the three of them were connected. Now he knew that it was true. Spyro was the only dragon left and he felt that something was missing. This driving force that always empowered and motivated him to become better, to treat others better and to give second chances. None of that would have been there without Cynder. She was taken too soon, Spyro was certain of that, but nevertheless the time she had she used to its fullest. When she was once this insecure and sometimes cruel companion who he had countless arguments with and each one seemed to drive her further away, she finally managed to become something extraordinary. She grew beyond herself, jumped over her own shadow and confronted her demons. Cynder was more than a Skylander, she was an inspiration.
On the next day, the first thing Spyro did was to visit Eon's office. He shared his report about the recent mission and they discussed the fate of Hex and the Skylands after the effects of her curse. A knock on the door interrupted the conversation before Sprocket slowly entered.
"I'm really sorry to disturb, but there's something I have to show you." The technician wore a black sweater accompanied by equally dark pants. She never dressed herself in many dark things, even back when her mother forced her to wear certain clothes, but in memoriam of Cynder she was willing to wear the funeral attire for a while.
"I know we all have a lot on our minds right now… and we need some time to process everything." The Tech Skylander felt terribly uncomfortable bringing this up during this time of grief, but she felt like she had to inform the leaders of the Skylanders as soon as possible. "When I confronted the Golden Queen and destroyed the palace she hid in, I found something very peculiar."
Eon and Spyro stared at the engineer patiently as she pulled out the containment capsule holding the glowing brown orb which she found in the debris of Golden Queen's palace. "This orb was the only thing that survived the collapse. It was right in the middle of the ruins and some rocks orbited it. I'm not sure if it's what I think it is, but-"
"The Earth Orb! You found it!" Eon exclaimed with awe and relief before grabbing the relict. "We have been looking for it for years but never managed to find it. We thought we lost it forever!"
Eon already showed Spyro the Light Orb which was in his possession and he told him about all the Elemental Orbs which were scattered across the Skylands. It wasn't their main priority, but the spirit advised that they should keep an eye out for them. "What does that mean? Is it like a new Eternal Earth Source?" The dragon was riddled.
"Not exactly. The orbs are not as powerful as the sources, but if all of them were to be found and brought together, it could create a new Core of Light!" Eon finally recognized a spark of hope during these dark times.
Sprocket was hearing about this for the first time and she was getting quite overwhelmed by the number of new things she's learned in the last few days. "That's great! Then why aren't we looking for the other ones?"
"It's not that simple. Those orbs have been lost centuries ago. We now have the Light and Earth Orbs, but the remaining ones could be at the farthest corners of the Skylands. It could take years to retrieve them all." Eon was always a motivator and tried encouraging the Skylanders to go beyond their limits, but after all those years he found this quest to be hopeless.
"Well, if we were able to find the Eternal Sources, then we can also find the orbs!" Spyro looked at Sprocket who nodded in agreement. "I promise you master, we will find the remaining orbs and create a new core, one which will keep all enemies at bay!"
Eon chuckled. Even during this time Spyro managed to keep his hopes up and follow his heart. "I'm sure you will, but you deserve to take a break first." The dragon's smile faded as he was reminded of the current situation. "I know how hard this is for you, please don't overstrain yourself."
Sprocket put her hand onto the Magic Skylander's shoulder as a sign of comfort and partnership. Spyro took a deep breath and let it out again. The sorcerer was right, as usual. "Thank you, Eon."
The spirit nodded as the two Skylanders left his office and went on with their day. He then looked down to the Earth Orb in his hand and formed a fist to make it vanish. He put it somewhere safe, somewhere not a soul could find it.
As Spyro was about to return to his room, Stealth Elf suddenly appeared in front of him in distress. "Spyro, I hate to tell you this right now but something bad happened!"
Spyro didn't believe it could get any worse than it already was, but he was proven wrong once more. They rushed to a secured room inside the Academy where many Skylanders gathered around and looked down in horror. After Spyro managed to get through the crowd, he understood what it was all about. "Oh no."
There was a single broken jar on the ground. It didn't seem that terrible at first sight, but considering the room they were in and what was inside that jar, no one could hide their concern. "Kaos is free." Everyone just stood there in shock and without a clue what to do now. Just when they solved one problem, another one was already arising.
The free villain and his henchman Glumshanks were able to escape during the chaos of Hex' attack. One of the corrupted Skylanders knocked the jar they were in down and while they were still shrunk, the two sneaked out and left the Academy. Over time they grew back to their regular sizes and made it to Kaos' fortress.
"Ah, home sweet home!" Kaos exclaimed, followed by an echo that sounded through the large entrance hall inside of his residence. "Now that we're finally free again, we can begin plotting our ultimate plan to take over the Skylands!"
"You mean like the last twenty ultimate plans to take over the Skylands?" Glumshanks has lost hope years ago, and there was no reason to gain any now.
"It will be better this time!" Kaos was determined. "The Doom Raiders are out of the way and that witch has weakened them! This time we will do exactly what she did and take the Skylanders out one after the other!"
Glumshanks watched as the small tyrant went on about his plan when he noticed a mysterious purple glow at the back of the hall. He stared at it with surprise and saw a cloud of smoke appear as well. "Um, master…"
"Don't interrupt me, Glumshanks! You should have already written everything I just told you down!" Kaos kept facing the troll and was completely unaware the ominous occurrence.
Glumshanks pointed his trembling finger at the light which now spawned a slim figure inside the smoke. "You should really see this."
With an irritated expression, Kaos turned around only to gasp in shock upon the sight at the end of the hall. As soon as the smoke faded, they saw a large shattered mirror on the ground as a dark heel stepped onto one of the shards. Kaos' and Glumshank's heads slowly went up to see Kaos' mother Kaossandra standing on top of the mirror she's been trapped in for years, surrounded by purple lights and smoke.
The woman smiled sinisterly as she looked down on her son and his henchman. "Hello darling, did you miss me?"