(One month later…)

During the rest of the days and training in the temple, Nina tried to lose her fear of using her dark powers. Although she had already managed to master them without losing control, it still required a lot of energy. On the other hand, Spyro and Cynder had been giving him private lessons so that he would lose the fear that he felt when exhaling darkness.

"I know it must feel strange Nina" Spyro told her one day when they had gone fishing in the Silver River, "But you must have confidence that you can handle the power"

"It's easy for you dad to say," Nina replied, "You're a special being, I'm not ..."

"Do not say that. You are our daughter: that makes you quite special "

The purple dragon then launched a fiery shot into the river. When it exploded underwater, several fish flew out. Spyro managed to catch four big ones and Nina only one.

"Thanks for that dad, but I know that's what parents tell their children so they don't get depressed" Nina told her.

"Maybe, but none of us were the first to say that," Spyro replied.

"No? So ... who said it? "

"Your teacher"

Nina felt a little strange to know that. Meanwhile they placed the catch in the baskets they had brought.

"Why does the guardian have so much confidence in me?" Nina asked, remembering the story she had told her that day.

"I guess you can't be a good teacher without having confidence in your apprentices, or because you surely see Drago with your good eyes"

"Dad, don't start!" Nina said blushing, "Drago is just ... a friend"

"So 'friend'. Well, it's your decision if you just want to see it as such. Changing the subject, let's go back, this fish won't fly home "

So Spyro and his daughter flew back to the city

(That night…)

Nina had a restless floor ... something did not allow her to sleep well. She got up and tried to mentalize what it was, but it was useless. Trying to relax, she lay back down and closed her eyes.

She dreamed about the top of a mountain, in which a crystal blacker than night glowed evilly. Next to it, there was an ape-shaped skeleton with a glowing green eye. Then, the light from the black crystal flashed quite intensely and suddenly a huge claw came out. Through the light, she could see a pair of yellow eyes.

Nina woke up gasping as if she had been running or flying: she was really scared by that single look she saw in her nightmare. It looked pretty scary. She put her paw on her face trying to rub it to feel better and relax.

No ... nothing made her feel better: her heart was still going a thousand an hour.

"Agg" he whispered and stood in the direction of the kitchen intending to drink something.

Nina poured herself a bowl of water and drank it rather nervously.

"Nina?" a voice said suddenly. Turning around, she saw her father who had come into the kitchen, "Can't you sleep well darling?"

"No dad" Nina replied, "I had a nightmare"

"You must not be afraid; it was just a nightmare"

"Yes, but… it felt different from a simple nightmare. It felt so… real"

"So, tell me, what did you see?"

"A mountain, a giant black crystal, an ape-shaped skeleton with a glowing green eye... and huge yellow eyes through an intense purple light" she said as she touched her head trying to remember.

Nina thought her father would tell her it was just a dream and to go back to bed. However, Spyro looked at his daughter for a few seconds with a worried face.

"Father?" Nina asked him, "What's wrong?"

"I'm afraid that the dream you had is very similar to one of the ones I had several years ago", Spyro replied, "It is not a simple nightmare: it is a premonition"

"A premonition? Of what?"

Spyro looked at his daughter with a face that wished her to understand. He sighed for a moment and proceeded to speak:

"Tell me, did the guardians teach them about Malefor, the dark master?"

"Yes, the cause of the war ..." Nina said, remembering the history lesson.

"Good. You should know that, before we were born, the guardians who protected us: Ignitus, Terrador, Volteer and Cyril, were in charge of protecting our eggs. However, an army of darkness attacked them and destroyed the rest of us. Ignitus managed to save mine, but your mother's was stolen"

"Stolen?" Nina asked.

"Yes, by the ape king, Galu. When she was born, she was corrupted by Malefor's poisonous powers, and turned evil, powerful, and monstrous. But when I faced her and the spell was broken, I realized that it wasn't her fault, and that's when I forgave her and saved her. "

"Woah. I didn't know" then, she remembered something important: "Is that why I was so afraid when I used my powers? Why did mom have a connection to the dark?!"

"No, I don't think so. Your mother was going to be born as a black dragon and so it was. But you should know that it is not our powers or origin that make us evil or good: it is our decisions"

"I know, but if I turned evil ... I couldn't imagine it ... I'm scared"

"When we finally faced Malefor at the end of the previous age, your mother was once again tainted by Malefor's darkness. However, she broke the spell on her own. Because, despite the power Malefor had, she had something more powerful than him "

"What thing, dad?"

"Love and friendship. Things she felt for me, her friends, and the inhabitants of the city of dragons. From that day on, we learned one thing: if ever darkness falls upon us, you must remember that you have friends and family who love you very much. And they are the ones who can always bring us back to the light "

Nina listened carefully to those words, and suddenly felt better. Then, she proceeded to hug Spyro.

"I understand… thank you dad. I think ... I feel safer now "

"I'm glad to hear that. Let's go back to sleep, I have to talk to the guards tomorrow "

The next morning, Spyro left early in the direction of the dragon temple. Meanwhile, Nina stayed with Cynder to practice her shadow skills. To better practice, both of them headed to the outskirts of the city.

"List?" Cynder asked her, when they were already at the scene.

"I think so" she said, "Thanks for helping me mom"

"Do not fear Nina, I will always help you. This time I will teach you something new: I will teach you to become your shadow"

"How is that?"

Cynder smiled at her daughter and proceeded to run towards a nearby tree. At first, Nina believed her mother's intention was to shock him, but then she turned into a black cloud that retained her dragon form. In that state, he could easily pass through the log like a ghost. Then it returned to its original form.

"This is a shadow ability," Cynder said, "You can pass through objects."

"Woah" said Nina, "It seems amazing"

"I know. Now, you try it. You must feel your shadow. Don't look at her, you have to feel her move with you. This exercise is quite advanced: merge with your shadow ... "

Nina tried, but nothing came out.

"Mom, I can't" he said to Cynder, "Do you have any more advice?"

"Close your eyes and mislead your mind, in the same way that you learned to fly"

She did so. In the next instant, Nina felt as if her entire body turned to just smoke: a black colored smoke that felt quite strange. For a moment, Nina felt like a ghost. It was then that she got scared and lost concentration. Instantly, she stumbled and returned to normal.

"Are you okay, honey?" Cynder asked her.

"Yes mom" Nina replied, "I think I need a little more practice, but I think I can try again."

For the next three attempts, Nina still continued to stagger; and it was on the fourth attempt that she was finally able to turn into a shadow without losing her balance. Then her mother put her to the test by dodging quite a few obstacles like trees and rocks. By sunset, Nina had fully learned the new technique.

"Well done Nina" said Cynder, "I couldn't be prouder of you."

"You are my teacher and mom" said a Nina now more confident, "I guess I have it in my veins"

Mother and daughter laughed as they walked back to town. Before reaching their house, they found Flame and Ash looking at a poster on a wall.

"Hello girls" Flame greeted them, "Where have you been? We went to look for them and there was no one"

"Sorry Flame" Cynder apologized, "I had gone with my daughter to train her new moves. On the other hand, Spyro had an issue to settle in the temple, he must be coming back by now"

"Hey Ash, what is that?" Nina asked pointing to the poster that both dragons were looking at just moments ago.

"They're going to do a flying competition tomorrow" Ash explained, "From the city to the Avalar Valley and back. The only rules are: do not attack between teams and go in pairs"

"Great, I think I feel safe enough to go. Can I do it mom? "

"If you wish ... but you must go with someone" Cynder replied.

"Ash will come in too" Flame said, "Let them go together"

"Sounds good, are you coming Nina?" Ash said, "Or would you rather go in with Drago?"

At Ash's single guess, Nina hit him with her tail on the nose.

"I will enter with you only if you stop assuming what I think you are assuming," she said annoyed.

"Nina, that wasn't right," Cynder said, "But it's also not okay to be assuming that kind of thing in front of others, is it Ash?"

"Yeah, I guess" Ash replied, rubbing his nose.

"Well I suppose from the point of view of where…" Flame started to say, but stopped, as Spyro had just arrived along with Ember.

"Wow, we finally found you" Ember said.

"Something happens?" Flame asked seeing their worried faces.

"We have an emergency meeting at the temple," Spyro explained, "We must all go."

"Can we go too?" Nina asked, and Ash followed.

"Don't worry, you can go" explained Ember, "But you must stay with your friends in the rooms, and tomorrow we will all return to our houses"