Aria's consciousness came back to her like a punch to the gut. It was as though she'd surfaced from underwater. The ringing in her head cleared, replaced by the suffering and screams of the battle around her. She felt her heart beating, the blood trickling down her side, the weariness of her adrenaline ridden body.
The ground shook as a behemoth drew closer to her. Larger than any adult she'd laid eyes on in her life, Cassius strode forth, his paws leaving imprints on the earth. The purple dragon was frightful, his very being embodied fury. His sharp fangs glinted, his intentions more than clear.
"Run." Ivarik said quickly from beside her. His voice laden with dread. Aria knew he was aware of the magnitude of what was before them. They couldn't hope to win against such a threat.
"You're coming with me." Aria said firmly as she turned to leave. She stopped short however as the lightning dragon made no move to follow. "Ivarik!" She shouted frantically.
"Someone has to distract him." The golden dragon growled. "Now go."
"I won't-
"You will!" Ivarik yelled, turning a heated glare upon her. Before she could muster further argument, Ivarik bent down, positioning his head and horns under her gut. Aria found herself flustered enough to not pull away. A second later, Ivarik had heaved the petite dragoness several feet into the air. Her only other option being to crash, Aria's wings outstretched on instinct, catching the wind and sending her further away even as she tried to turn herself back around.
Ivarik hardly had time to watch as he turned back around to find a flaming ball of violet fire hurtling towards him. Already crouched, the dragon threw himself to the side, the missile exploding where he'd been and knocking him further away.
He rolled across the dirt, doing his best to not let dizziness take hold of him. When he came right side up, lightning cracked all around him. Cassius watched, with some amusement, as Ivarik gathered his energy. He didn't seem interested in stopping the young dragon. A few seconds later, Ivarik released the blast, strands of violent electricity arcing from him to his opponent. There was a flash, as bright as the sun. Ivarik's eyes narrowed as he watched his enemy withstand the onslaught.
When the light died away, Cassius remained, lightning still jumping from his scales on occasion. Ivarik spat as he readied for the fight to continue. He considered that Aria had already disappeared into the fray. He could take solace in that at least. With any luck, she wouldn't come running back. He only hoped he could achieve the same thing.
As ideas of escape rolled about in his mind, Cassius made his move. For a large dragon, he was far faster than he should have been. In a blur, Ivarik found himself nearly face to face with his enemy. Cassius spun, his tail sweeping along the surface. His reflexes primed, Ivarik sprung over the tripping hazard. He opened his mouth to unleash another blast of energy. The attack caught in his throat however as Cassius' front paw swung back around, slapping him away. Ivarik crashed hard enough to make a divot, tearing up the ground before flipping into the air and unceremoniously slamming once more into the soil.
The dragon groaned as he felt pain course his body. He spat dirt and blood as he slowly regained his footing. When he turned to face the cause of his short flight, he found Cassius gleefully watching him, not having shifted from his spot. The smile made the lightning dragon's blood boil, he was being toyed with. Thoughts of running fled from his mind. He knew it wouldn't be allowed anyway. This opponent had every intention of killing him. He'd be forced into a confrontation even if he tried to turn tail.
"Caution to the wind then." Ivarik grumbled as he focused himself. Electricity immediately spasmed from his body as he began to glow brighter. The volatile power within him expanded in a flurry of static.
Cassius watched, first with a grin, then slowly, his smile gave way to a pensive frown. He watched as a stray strand of lightning tore a crack in the earth next to him. His eyes flitted back to his opponent, narrowing. The time for games was quickly coming to an end. He took a step forward, and then another. Only on the fourth did lightning crackle and explode next to him. The dragon's vision flashed red as he felt the energy deaden his closest limb.
Still Ivarik did not move as a veritable maelstrom of weather appeared around him. Growling, Cassius charged forward, refusing to back down from a lesser opponent. His reward was a charge of electricity that singed his chest. Stumbling backwards the dragon let out an earth-shaking roar. A rage filled blast of purple fire surged from his maw.
Knowing he was out of time, Ivarik matched the cry, the lightning that had been slowly encompassing him gathering and blasting forth. The two elemental catastrophes collided midflight and imploded upon each other a second later. Just as the energy had constricted, it violently burst forth. A shockwave cascaded from the epicenter, knocking away dragons, friend and foe alike. Ivarik dug his claws into the earth and still he slid backwards leaving long scars in the ground. When the blast finally subsided, he found himself somehow still alive, although he hardly felt like it. He felt his legs turn to jelly as he collapsed, his eyes never leaving the sight of a, still standing, Cassius.
"Well, where did she go?" Ryn shouted over the chaos around them.
"I don't know!" Syra called back before spitting a fireball into the fray before them. "A dragon clipped us and then she was gone."
She backed into the earth dragon as she watched her surroundings. She felt the ground shake as Ryn dug several talons into the soil, wrenching a chunk of earth out and flinging it at the nearest enemy.
"Ivarik must have gone after her, he veered off when I wasn't looking." Ryn commented between breaths. They were labored, more so than they should be so early into a fight. The detail did not escape Syra's mind, but it was only one on a long list of concerns at the moment.
"Shouldn't we go find them?" The scarlet dragoness asked.
"We're barely holding as it is." Ryn answered. He moved to slam a paw into the earth, but flinched resulting in nothing more than a slight stumble. Syra was at his side within the second. He shrugged her off however, his attention remaining on the battle before him. Syra frowned, but knew she couldn't push the point. She watched as he smashed the ground once again, this time to much greater effect, as he fended off the wince that followed.
"My parents then." Syra continued, taking up a position behind him once more. "They aren't far, we'll start there."
"Lead." Ryn commanded simply, although his voice was drowned out by an explosion that, even at such a distance, heated his scales. Impulsively, he widened his wings doing what he could to shield the dragoness from the blast. A wave of heat and spray of dirt passed over them. The fighting around them calmed slightly as those closer to the blast were tossed like ragdolls or otherwise disrupted.
Syra turned to face the devastation first. Ryn frowned, his curiosity mixing with his dread as he turned about. In the distance, he found a violet drake, who would dwarf even a fully grown adult. Before long, Ryn took in the detail he needed. He felt Syra grow tense next to him as she seemed to discover the same thing. Amidst the throng of injured dragons, they found their friends slowly recovering. They watched as the behemoth dragon took a step towards the two.
"Ancestors." Ryn cursed as he dashed forward to the surprise of Syra.
A moment later, the earth dragon found himself eating dirt as something landed atop him, crushing him into the ground with little more than a grunt. Despite the darkness that threatened his senses, he could still hear Syra call out for him.
Determined not to be a burden, Ryn snarled and turned, shoving whatever was standing on top of him to the side. Ryn rolled onto his back only to be greeted with the sight of a dragoness diving from the sky horns first. Shocked into inaction, Ryn could only watch as Syra dove across intercepting the dragoness midflight. The two females rolled away, a ball of snarls and talons.
Ryn scrambled to get his paws under him and searched for the one that he'd shoved aside. Several feet away, Nelos was watching him, an eager grin on his face. He looked the green drake over, his excitement slowly dying away until he shook his head.
"She would leave me with the half dead one." He said in exasperation.
Ryn growled and took a step forward only to be reminded of his wounds. Worse yet, he felt the trickle of blood on his stomach, he'd torn the scar tissue asunder as predicted. He felt moisture in his eyes as his body cried out for him to stop. He promptly ignored it, instead slapping his tail against the earth. Several chunks of rock pulled themselves from the ground and launched forward.
He could swear he saw Nelos roll his eyes as the nearly purple dragon spat a ball of fire, that combusted on impact, shattering them into dust. A second later, Nelos burst through the combustion. He rammed his horns into the earth dragon, toppling him and sending him rolling, a smear of blood staining his path.
Ryn lay on his back, breathing heavily as Nelos approached. The purple dragon looked at him with what Ryn could only interpret as disdain. The fire dragon's eyes darted to his open wound. Without hesitation Nelos rammed his paw into it.
A surge of pain, the likes of which Ryn had never experienced, burned through his body. He cried out as his enemy mashed his wound, seeming to take pleasure in the torture. Fighting to retain any semblance of his composure, Ryn willed himself to think beyond the pain. In a desperate act he slammed the back of his head against the ground. A block of solid rock burst forth knocking a confused Nelos into the air. Another column erupted from the side, knocking the purple drake away.
Ryn cursed himself, as he rolled over onto his side, his nerves screaming at him. Had he more control, he'd have skewered the foe and been done with it. Knowing he didn't have time to berate himself, the dragon looked to his wound, now wider and grizzlier. With a frown he set his jaw, his paw going to some mud beside him. Grasping his element, he whipped the soft sludge onto his wound. He shivered and shook, gnashing his teeth as it set into his gash. When the sensation faded, he pushed himself back up, it would stop the bleeding if nothing else. Looking to Nelos who was nearly standing once more, he knew it would have to do.
Syra coughed as Faye kicked her hind legs into her gut. Unwilling to bend, she reared back her head and slammed her skull into her opponent's snout, feeling the blood spray against her scales. She was met with a piercing howl, Faye flinging her to the side, more likely out of anger than strategy.
Before she'd even landed, Syra felt lightning course her body. The static made her shiver as she crashed into the ground writhing in pain, helpless to control her muscles. To her surprise, the onslaught didn't last. Over the sizzling of her scales, she heard the nearly purple dragoness curse loudly before exhaling roughly through her nostrils. Syra didn't need to see it in order hear the resulting glob of blood hit the dirt.
Pushing herself up, she peered at the dragoness who was still fuming from the injury. Her snout was crooked slightly and her breathing still had a raspy quality to it. Syra didn't blink in the face of her enemy's hatred. She did however find herself distracted, if only for an instant. Her eyes darted to the side to see Ryn still facing off against the other dragon that had assaulted them. She knew she couldn't take too long, he wouldn't be able hold out forever, hard headed or not.
In her moment of distraction, there was a crackling and Syra didn't even think to hesitate. She sprung into the air as violet lightning danced forth, striking one unfortunate dragon behind her. As she reached the height of her leap the crimson dragoness spun herself into a ball. Flames burst from her body like a pinwheel as gravity brought her back down.
A wave of flame burst forth from her impact site, searing the land around her and sweeping Faye along with it. Not in the mood to take chances, Syra dashed after the dispersing wall of fire. Through the flames, there was a crashing wave of thunder. Syra cried out, or at least tried to, as electricity sparked between her fangs, paralyzing her. A soot covered Faye burst from the fires more energy surging around her.
Syra screamed at her muscles to obey her. All the while, Faye watched in amusement as the fire dragoness tried to recover the use of her limbs. Slowly, she sauntered forward, savoring her imminent victory, her bladed tail quivering in anticipation.
When they came face to face, the violet dragoness couldn't help but smile at the sight. Syra growled, and, seemingly out of sheer spite, a gasp of flame pushed from her lips, singeing the already burnt face of her opponent.
Faye screamed in pain, her eyelids slamming shut in an ill-fated attempt at protecting her sight. Blindly, she plunged her tail forward and felt it catch something. A new vigor taking her, she wrenched the blade out to the sound of a shrill cry and plunged it forth again and again.
Syra panted as blood trickled across her scales. She now sported two lacerations one in her side and the other her leg. She did her best to control her breathing as the blinded dragoness stabbed at the empty air nearby. The pain had proven enough to wrest back control of her limbs, however even that energy was fast fading.
She couldn't continue this, not if she expected to survive. Already the purple dragoness' strikes were slowing. She was gradually realizing that, in her frenzy, she wasn't landing hits. Syra focused herself. This was no time to charge in, she wouldn't last in a physical confrontation.
Her body temperature soared. Her scales slowly glowed like coals. Faye wiped her eyes, blinking cautiously to open them. She was still grinning, although she couldn't determine why. As the sight of empty ground was revealed before her, she snarled. Following the short trail of bloodstains, she was met with her query.
A burst of smoke puffed from Syra's nostrils. A grim expression crossed her lips. Faye released a furious screech, kicking up dirt as she charged the fiery dragoness. Before she could get close, Syra retaliated in kind, and blast of flame soaking everything in its path. The purple dragoness was consumed in the torrent in an instant. The firestorm devoured everything in its path.
When Syra finally released her grasp on her element there was nothing left but ash. A sickening feeling quickly welled within her. However, her father's words played once more in her head.
"Me or her." She whispered to herself as she stumbled forward through the scorched scar she'd made.
Aria ducked as two dragons flew overhead in a tangle of brutality. She did what she could to ignore those around her and focused on her destination. Ivarik had thrown her farther than she'd thought, or perhaps the battlefield was just so chaotic the small distance felt like miles. Even trying to turn around to lessen the distance had been hampered by the constant battles that surrounded her.
The ice dragoness scampered past more embroiled clashes, heading in the direction she thought was correct. It was then that she felt a shiver run down her spine, residual electricity tingling in her body. There was a catastrophic explosion from the direction she was heading. Aria felt her heart stop as a chill ran her length.
She watched as dragons were tossed away from the chaos. She considered herself lucky to be far enough that she couldn't feel the full power of the blast. Still, fear dominated her mind. Finding the path before her now relatively clear of warring drakes she pressed on towards the cloud of smoke that was obscuring her vision.
A strong gust passed over the field as she ran. Under different circumstances, it would have likely been quite refreshing. However, it only brought with it the smell of blood and death. As the smoke cleared, Aria found what she feared.
The giant purple dragon from before was moving towards Ivarik. The lightning dragon was struggling to rise, his energy clearly sapped. In that moment, Aria thought of very little. Time seemed to slow for her as Ivarik's gaze met hers. The lightning dragon shook his head just slightly. He'd already accepted his fate, Aria however could not.
In a fit of desperation, she called her element. The air near her crystalized and a barrage of hail shot forth pelting Cassius' back and side. The large dragon turned, only to catch one projectile on his cheek snapping his neck to one side. A throaty snarl escaped his lips as he turned rage filled pupils onto Aria.
The dragoness froze. Behind Cassius, Ivarik continued to push himself up, his efforts hastened by Aria's arrival. For his exertion, the purple dragon's tail crushed him back into the dirt. His attention thoroughly captured; Cassius stalked towards the tiny ice dragoness who only seemed to grow smaller.
Aria took a step back; it was the most she could manage. Particles of ice fluttered about her form, but she couldn't seem to harness enough energy to manifest her element in a meaningful way. She was lost in the gargantuan dragon before her, helpless to act.
Cassius stopped just in front of her. He stared down, aware of the effect that he was having. He seemed to relish it. The scales on his cheek were still chilled, a dull ache reminding him of her actions. His snout twitched as a violet light ignited in his throat. The sight was not lost on Aria. It triggered something primal within her, a last desperate act. The particles floating about her suddenly congealed, a spear of ice formed and thrust itself forward.
Cassius, hardly bothered by the development, batted the weapon away without a second thought. Aria watched her hopes sail away as the icy lance flew wide. As the purple light before her brightened, her thoughts turned to her family. It broke her heart knowing that she wouldn't see them again. That her parents would have to live with the death of a child. That for all the promises she'd forced them to make about coming back alive, she couldn't even keep up her end of the bargain. She couldn't help but feel a sadness take her as her eyes began to water.
Hardly aware of her own surroundings anymore, Aria flinched as a beam of convexity swept beside her, roasting the earth and sucking the life from it. Cassius slid to the side, bearing the brunt of another dragon's assault. His pleasures thwarted, he turned to glare at the one who'd interrupted him. He only caught a glimpse before receiving a face full of lightning.
Valas poured as much voltage into the attack as he could before he was forced to cut it off and breathe. Cassius continued to shiver under the electrical onslaught, his fury unbridled as he leered at the lightning dragon.
"This is no place for crying whelps." Valas muttered bluntly, not even turning to look at Aria who was still stiff as a board.
"You're…" Aria sputtered; her mouth dry. She was having trouble even forming a complete statement.
"Look after your friend." Valas muttered as he left to confront Cassius.
Spyro watched as the prison of ice collapsed into pieces. Much to his chagrin, violet sparks fused Arum's pierced body back together. He didn't even seem disturbed or angered, rather he looked eager. A sight that left the purple dragon uneasy to say the least.
Before another move could be made, there was a roar from nearby. Spyro recognized it as his son. It didn't seem to be one of pain, something that he took comfort in. It was likely an indication that the two had finished their task. The last focal point had been closed, a small victory, but a victory nonetheless. He knew he needed to regroup, Cynder would have heard the call as well. There was no point in drawing out their duels.
As Arum's recovery finished, he strode forward, with a sinister grin. Not even slightly tempted to engage him, Spyro leapt backwards flapping his wings once. The ground ripped from its shackles and swirled into a storm of dust and ruin.
As Spyro spun in the air and beat his wings he heard Arum's enraged roar behind him. Paying it little mind, he made for the remains of the guardian tower and with any luck all of his comrades.
Taelas scanned the ruined city of Warfang. Looking out at the destruction around him he could hardly believe that this was his home. Beside him, Lyara was breathing steadily, her eyes closed as she proceeded to vent any excess energy from her scales. Taelas scanned for signs of any of the four dragons remaining in the city. He'd lost track of his surroundings while he'd helped Lyara close the focal point.
It didn't take him long to locate his father. Soaring towards him, Spyro touched down, his talons skidding on the marble as he looked back the way he'd come. He'd hardly slowed during his approach, as if he were running, knowing what they were up against Taelas wouldn't be surprised if he was.
"Where's your mother?" Spyro asked glancing to Lyara who was still focused on her task.
"She hasn't arrived yet." Taelas answered. "But the focal point is closed."
"And her?" Spyro asked, nodding to Lyara as he watched the shadowy figure of Arum growing closer.
"She'll be fine, she just needs a minute."
"She might not have that long." Spyro muttered quietly.
The group's attention was wrested from their approaching enemy as Cynder seemingly fell out of the sky next to them. Despite her breakneck pace, she landed properly in a torrent of wind and sprung backward. Where she'd been a second before a pulse of convexity ripped the flooring apart.
Taelas' eyes narrowed as he turned away from the shards of rock that pelted them. Beside him Lyara's brow furrowed, but she made no other moves.
Sol landed amidst the devastation after a moment a pleasant smile on his lips. Arum touched down beside him, his attention fully focused on the purple dragon that had so brutely imprisoned and stabbed him.
"Fleeing doesn't befit you, dragoness." Sol chided, furthering Cynder's ire.
Taelas took a moment to glance at his mother. She was sporting a cavalcade of small cuts, blood tainted her otherwise glossy black coat. Despite the wounds, she only seemed more determined to fight. A scowl creased her lips, her stature was something Taelas couldn't ignore. The tales that he'd heard of his mother once terrorizing their entire race had never seemed more tangible.
"I must say I'm surprised." Sol continued. "Of all those we've encountered I would have thought you might understand us."
"What are you babbling about?" Cynder spat, her anger overriding her confusion. Spyro and Taelas couldn't help, but feel lost as well, but they remained silent.
"Tell me." Sol started, looking her up and down. His bloody eyes chilled her. "How many other black scaled dragons have you encountered in your lifetime? Or white, or silver?" He asked glancing to his sister who was still motionless.
Cynder watched him quietly. Her scowl only deepened as Sol seemed to find more pleasure in the silence. Finally, the snowy dragon sighed and shook his head. "Well, if you aren't going to play along…"
"Spit it out." Cynder barked. Her burst of emotion only made Sol's smile wider.
"You're one of us." Sol muttered darkly.
"Offended doesn't begin to describe how I feel about that statement." Cynder retorted.
"You can hide behind your snide comments as much as you like." Sol said. "You know it is true. You are unnatural, and oddity, a creation, just like us. Those scales are proof, you underwent the same ritual we did."
"I'm nothing like you." Cynder growled fiercely. The hazy images of her lost childhood flashed in her mind. Malefor's intangible eyes bored into her, unsteadying her nerve more than she cared to admit. Spyro noted her hesitation, it was slight, but enough that he wouldn't miss it.
"Oh?" Sol prodded with a small chuckle. "I've heard the tales of what transpired some years ago. Terror of the Skies they called you. A grim embodiment of death. Destroyed everything you came into contact with." Sol paused, watching as the dragoness twitched. "Something that transcended a dragon. A being, fueled by convexity, the same as-
Sol's statement was cut short as a spear of ice embedded into his chest making his snout twitch in irritation. The white dragon breathed a heavy sigh before clenching the object in his jaws and ripping it free. Immediately, violet sparks ruptured from the ghastly wound, sealing it without so much as a drop of blood spilling forth.
Sol spat the crystal onto the ground where it broke apart. He gave Spyro a tired expression, one which the purple dragon met with hostility. "Touched a nerve?" Sol asked.
"Just tired of listening to you blather on." Spyro growled.
"My apologies." Sol replied. "I was simply trying to pass the time until my dear sister could join us. In any case, it seems that time has come."
Taelas raised a brow as he looked to Lyara. The dragoness' eyes opened as she breathed one last sigh. She didn't seem disturbed to find her brothers before her. Taelas wondered just how much of the conversation she'd actually heard.
"You seem keen to shrug off the gifts you've been given sister." Sol said.
"We have very different perspectives on our situation brother." Lyara answered.
"And who, may I ask, imbued you with the power you now have? Who broke down and sent you to this time? It clearly isn't coincidence that you are here after all this time, looking the same as you once did." Sol chided as his talons clicked against the marble. "Not Kalcor, he was the most eager after all. Altelia? No, she would never admit to making a mistake. She'd have died before she turned her back on these discoveries."
"Marindor." Lyara answered curtly.
"The eldest one?" Sol asked nearly laughing out loud. "To think, that bag of bones would make an attempt and much less succeed. Tell me, how did he convince you? A calm plea I'm sure. He was always measured." Sol paused as his expression turned sour. "Always thought himself the wisest."
"He was wise enough to predict all of this." Lyara said flatly, making her brother balk. There was a choking silence as the three siblings stared at one another. "There is still time to turn back Sol. We can stop this."
Sol snorted at the offer. "I'll admit, I didn't think you'd resort to such foolhardy tactics."
Lyara frowned, but hardly faltered. "Sol do you even remember what it was like before all this? Remember your family? Mother, father, me?"
Sol didn't react. That fact alone surprised the dragoness. His stare was as cold as ice, his expression that of a statue. "There is no going back Lyara. There never was."
"Then tell me why! Why are you doing this? You owe me that much at least!" Lyara cried desperately.
"It is what we were made to do." Sol said, without a single iota of inflection. "The elders created us with this in mind. Of course, they touted us as protectors, the ones who could keep convexity from consuming this world. Yet there was more. There was always more, dear Lyara. Meetings in secret, delusions of grandeur, promises of power, a new reign as it were."
"You were made to stabilize convexity. A substitute for a purple dragon." The silver dragoness countered. "Nothing more."
"Grow up Lyara!" Sol yelled, making the younger dragoness flinch. "The elders did not have pure intentions! They were not seeking to protect this world! Even before we were thrown to the void there were plans being laid. We heard the whispers in the dark of night, the calls for more dragons to undergo the ritual. The scheming of those who thought they could control this! Control us! They saw what they had made, they knew what we could be. Do you think these idiots in Warfang deemed us gods by coincidence? Our elders gave us that title!"
The white dragon calmed then as he took a deep breath. "Did you not see the elder's ankle? The one who brought us back, the one they called Xranik?" He asked holding up his own paw for example.
Lyara raised a brow as she thought back. They'd only encountered each other once, and her attention had been focused on her brothers at the time. She struggled to remember any details about the old dragon.
"He bore the mark of our tribe Lyara." Sol said flatly, making the dragoness go stiff. She looked to her own ankle only to find nothing but silver scales. Her brand had been washed away during the ritual, the same as her brothers. She felt a chill run down her spine as the possibilities began to permeate her mind.
"They all died!" Lyara argued desperately. "I watched them die! Mother, father, all of them! Killed by dragons subjected to the elder's inane ritual! Only Marindor and I survived. We searched for the others; we never found any survivors."
"And you never thought that was strange?" Sol countered. "Never thought that maybe kind Marindor was keeping you all for himself? An elder who'd turned his back on the others, harboring a young dragoness with the perfect motivation to confront her own siblings. All he had to do was convince you of your place in all this. You were used my sister, the same as us."
"No…" Lyara trailed off quietly. "You're lying."
"I've never lied to you sister. I wouldn't start now." Sol answered grimly. "We were made to stabilize convexity, true. But the elders were not satisfied with just that. They would create more. They dubbed us gods; the stories of our sacrifice were likely passed down through prophecy. How do you think anyone knew we were trapped in convexity? How to get us out? Xranik, the fool, he took the knowledge of his ancestors and thought to use us once more to fulfill their ancient prophecies. He thought we must be the answer."
"If you knew you were being used, then why do any of this?" Taelas snarled. "Or have you truly lost your mind?"
Sol leered at the purple dragon, seemingly offended that he would speak to him at all. "Don't you understand? Dragons created us. We are your gods, and we've found you all lacking. The elders wanted to use us to rule this world. We've simply cut them from the equation. This world will be ours, we will remake it, and those within it."
"You're insane." Cynder hissed, which only prompted Sol to laugh.
"Enough!" Arum roared stopping the others cold. All eyes fell onto the black dragon, his rage spilling forth like a twisted aura. Lyara, despite her numbed senses, felt her heart crack as she looked upon her once gentle brother. "To hell with this!"
"Brother." Sol growled.
"No more brother!" Arum shouted. "I've listened to you prattle on for far too long!"
"Always so eager." Sol sighed. Still, he couldn't help but be surprised. It was uncommon for Arum to string together more than a few words. Now though, there was a clarity in his eyes, one the white dragon had rarely witnessed over their many centuries.
A sudden fit of laughter from the black dragon curbed any credit Sol was about to give his sibling. Arum's voice very nearly went hoarse as he wheezed in spastic delight. The five watched in stunned silence. The only one to turn away was Lyara, unable to absorb the sight.
"You talk, and talk, and talk brother." Arum sputtered. Between twitches and small snorts, he glared at his enemies. "They don't need explanations! Blood is the answer! If you will not brandish your claws then I will!" He snarled.
"Cynder." Spyro muttered, the black dragoness nodding to him.
It was the only confirmation he needed. Spyro raised his paw, and Arum rushed forward. The purple dragon's appendage crashed into the earth beneath him. The charging black dragon suddenly found his footing to have a life of its own as a slab of earth hurled him into the sky. The slab itself screeched as it cut through the air and crashed into a building leveling what little rubble remained standing.
As Arum somersaulted through the sky, he once again found himself facing his opponents. It was a brief sight as nothing more than a shrill whistle signaled Cynder's arrival. Having used the wind to propel herself at absurd speeds, she rammed into his chest launching him further into the distance.