"Ignitus?" Taelas asked in a dumbstruck tone. He looked the bluish dragon over with wide eyes. "But Spyro always said your scales were…
"Red." Ignitus finished with a grin. "Alas, many things change in this life Taelas. As well as after it I suppose."
"I don't…" The purple youth trailed off as his head pounded and he stumbled once more before catching himself, his brow furrowing as if scrunching his muscles would alleviate the pain.
"Steady yourself young one." Ignitus called gently.
"Why are you here?" Taelas asked, finally managing the question. "Did you come to help?"
"Help?" Ignitus asked, tilting his head slightly. He peered at Sol, caught in the midst of his assault on the young silver dragoness. He frowned at her, his eyes filling with sorrow. "I'm afraid I'm unable to help in a physical sense young Taelas. The chronicler should observe, perhaps advise, but not interfere. The fate of this world should be left to the mortals after all."
"Then you've some advice?" Taelas grumbled tiredly. "Or did you just come to observe us getting our tails kicked?"
"Now, now young one, that attitude doesn't suit a purple dragon." Ignitus chided. He hardly seemed upset, and rather, Taelas felt as though he were a whelp being persuaded towards proper manners. "You are a symbol of hope for this world, just as Spyro is."
Taelas tried not to role his eyes. Ignitus seemed to notice and only grinned wider. "Is this your doing?" Taelas asked, gesturing around to the fragments of halted time.
"Not at all." Ignitus answered, similarly glancing around. "This is your power Taelas. Your father learned to control time in small amounts when he was even younger, but the speed at which you've garnered some control is still impressive."
"Thanks." Taelas said, frowning at the twisted compliment.
"I should be the one thanking you. It is a rare opportunity for me to view this world in this way. Your ability allows me these few moments. However, you should be careful, any sudden movement and you'll likely lose your hold of it." He said eyeing a small fragment of earth that was shivering in place.
"What would you suggest that I do then." Taelas said, looking to Sol. "He seems invincible."
"He is no more invincible than you." Ignitus explained. "You forget that your father stood amidst seemingly insurmountable odds once."
"I've heard the stories." Taelas answered, not wanting to be lectured on his parent's heroics. "But last I checked, Malefor didn't shrug off fatal blows like they were nothing."
Ignitus smiled once more. "My time grows short Taelas." He looked around and snorted at the absurdity of the comment. As if flicking a switch, his face turned stony then. He turned a stern gaze upon Taelas. The purple dragon shrunk away slightly, the sudden change in demeanor unnerving him.
When next Ignitus spoke, all levity had faded from his tone. "I knew Spyro and Cynder in life young one. They are two of the bravest dragons I've ever had the pleasure of meeting. They stood against any challenge. They pulled this world from the brink. They would not raise a son who could not meet, and perhaps in time, outdo their legacy."
Taelas watched as the chronicler paused, his thoughts seeming to stray for a moment. When Ignitus met his gaze again his eyes were filled with an infectious determination. "I've watched you for many years now Taelas. You do not yet know your true worth, but it will soon become apparent to you. This world needs you now, and everyone in it has placed their hopes in you. You asked if I was here to give advice…"
The teal dragon trailed off for a moment, his eyes piercing Taelas' soul. "You are a guardian, a protector, a hero in the making. You stand on the precipice of a new dawn. My advice to you? Shoulder the burden of power you've been granted. Dig in your talons, face your foe, and rend him from the world he has so rudely intruded upon."
The chronicler had spoken so fiercely that Taelas couldn't even consider arguing. His muscles tensed, his weariness faded, and as Ignitus' form began to diminish, Taelas conjured his power. It began as a spark, his scales rattling in anticipation.
In the stillness of the world, white flames burst from his scales. At first, his hide lit up like the coals of a furnace, but, after a few seconds, a swirl of heat emanated from him. Taelas leered at the still unmoving Sol, the image of him harming the silver dragoness enraging the violet drake further. The flames around him flared higher. Unable to hold himself back any longer, Taelas crashed forward in a blur.
Time suddenly snapped back into motion. Sol, immediately feeling the growing inferno, turned to find what appeared to be a small sun plummeting towards him. Even as his mind struggled to comprehend what was happening, he wrenched himself away as best he could.
Taelas appeared behind him, skidding to a stop, the flames rocketing from his scales to scatter along the terrain before him in a literal firestorm. Still smoking the dragon turned to find Sol. The white beast was completely immolated, yet the shock of the impact kept him from making any pained noise. Twin slashes ran from his crest to tail, deep gorges left by Taelas horns.
Lyara stared at her brother, eyes wide as saucers as, in the blink of an eye, he seemed to have caught fire. Taelas, not nearly as distracted noticed the first violet spark pop from his scales. He growled, understanding that his enemy was still alive. Given the situation he knew he needed to create distance between them to keep Lyara safe. Stamping his paw, the marble beneath Sol popped upwards, launching the dragon through the air in an arc. Another stomp brought up a barrier for Sol to crash into, and a third collapsed the weight of it all atop the white dragon.
Taelas did bother looking, his attention focused on the shellshocked dragoness before him. He took one step and felt his world wobble, the ache in his skull still pounding away. He ignored it as best he could, willing himself onward. He could walk and that was what mattered.
"Are you alright?" He asked, approaching Lyara and frowning at the gash upon her leg.
The dragoness stared at him in confusion, her mouth slightly agape, but she knew her questions would have to wait. With a grimace, she pushed herself upward, gingerly putting weight onto her injured leg. Taelas noticed her shiver, no doubt from the pain and moved to allow her to lean against him.
"I'll take care of the rest." He said firmly, looking to where Sol had fallen. The rocks were already moving, Sol was no doubt alive beneath the rubble, regenerating his burnt and battered form.
"No." Lyara answered emphatically. Taelas turned to negotiate, but before he could he felt the dragoness plant a delicate kiss on the side of his muzzle. Taelas felt his cheeks flare, but otherwise remained silent. "I asked for you to come back." She said pulling away. "I won't leave you alone now.
"But-
"Besides." The dragoness added cutting him off. "You need me, that prophecy mentioned us both after all."
"You always were stubborn." Taelas shrugged.
"Seems odd coming from you." Lyara laughed. Her humor was quickly stifled however as a burst of purple light shattered the earth and revealed a seething Sol underneath. He breathed heavily, purple sparks fizzling across his burnt hide. Lyara met his gaze with narrowed eyes. "Get me close to him?" She asked quietly.
"Of course." Taelas replied adamantly.
Spyro's eyes traced the shadows, trying to predict where Cynder would leap from next. Before him was a pit, pillars of earth barring the exit. Within, Arum stood, snarling as he turned circles looking for the black dragoness.
Cynder zipped from the shadows and sliced across his back, her tail leaving a deep gash. Spyro scowled as the wound immediately began to seal itself again. He'd been hesitant to join the onslaught as Cynder flitted past. The last thing he needed was to break her momentum. If she stopped moving Arum wouldn't show her any mercy.
Still, the purple dragon had been watching where she ducked in and out. He was more familiar with her ability than anyone else. While Sol tried to comprehend its limits, Spyro was already gaining an understanding of her patterns. While not completely repetitive, her movements did follow a vague set of rules, something Spyro realized she was likely doing on purpose so that he could assist.
Grinning at his mate's skill, Spyro smashed a paw on the earth and the rock beneath Arum's stomach rose suddenly, crushing his ribs. The black dragon gasped as he bounced upward only to be marred by Cynder's passing talons. Arum growled, but another pillar of earth shot at an angle snapping his maw to the side with a loud crack. The column continued to extend before embedding itself into the nearby wall, creating yet another shadow for Cynder to use.
The dragoness whipped past three more times as another chunk of earth stunned the black dragon. Violet sparks fizzled from his scales, healing the wounds as quickly as they appeared. Just as they thought they might be gaining an advantage, Arum roared once more, loudly enough that it felt like the soundwaves themselves were crushing the two. Spyro stumbled backwards as violet light burst from the pit.
He called for Cynder, but his voice was lost in the ensuing din. As the light faded, he scrambled back towards the crater only to watch the rock pillars enclosing it shatter, a black dragoness sailing through the air with the resulting rubble.
Quick on his paws, Spyro burst forward leaping through the air to catch her against his back. Her scales were warm, hot even, while they couldn't turn any darker, he was sure that she'd absorbed the brunt of convexity Arum had leveled at her.
He landed a moment later, attempting to ease the dragoness' fall as she inevitably slipped from his back and thudded to the ground. Cynder scrunched her eyes before forcing them open. She saw Spyro's concerned look and shook her head, coughing as she slowly pulled herself up.
Spyro was about to speak when he felt a tingle in his spine. His eyes spun to Arum just in time to find a blast of convexity heading for them. The violet dragon didn't hesitate, releasing his own power to counter it.
The energies entangled and morphed before exploding in a pulse that gusted out in all directions. Spyro felt Cynder stumble beside him, still not completely recovered. He couldn't focus on her too heavily however as he saw Arum still approaching, fury in his crimson eyes.
The black dragon didn't let up, spitting a scatter fire of smaller convexity blasts at them. Spyro wasted no time in meeting them with his own, however he could only do that. Each blast drew slightly closer as he tried to play catch up.
When one caught him in the chest he coughed and flinched, allowing another through. Attempting to keep his composure, the purple dragon looked up and launched a blast of energy at Arum who'd broken into a sprint. Arum slid around the attack and closed the distance to them.
His claws came up, slashing across diagonally but Spyro dodged to the side. Keeping the pressure he'd gained, Arum stretched his talons forward again raking the purple dragon's flank instead. As Spyro recoiled, he heard the hum of convexity and a yelp from Cynder as another blast knocked her backward.
Knowing he didn't have time to check on her, Spyro's back talons crunched into the earth and the ground leapt forward to launch him towards his adversary. Arum could hardly expect such a quick counter from the barely recovering drake. Spyro's horns rammed hard into his chest and the god barreled away, leaving Spyro to lurch heavily into the dirt and feel the sting of his own wounds.
The violet dragon was the first to push himself back up and he didn't waste his opportunity. Icy particles gathered around him and he launched the transparent spears at his target. As Spyro coughed and sputtered he heard the projectiles strike true. Taking a moment to gather himself he winced as he felt his lifeblood trickling from his wound. Turning a quick eye to Cynder, he found her rising as well, hardly in better shape. Her prolonged assault earlier combined with the punishment she'd endured was beginning to add up.
A telling fizzle made Spyro grit his teeth as he turned an irritated stare onto Arum. The black dragon had already risen and pulled one icicle from his body, the other currently in his jaws. Spyro twitched at the dragon wrenched it forth without the slightest hesitation. He silently wondered how much, if any, pain the corrupted drake felt.
Spyro watched with disdain as Arum spat the ice onto the ground, letting it shatter. The black dragon leveled his hungry crimson eyes upon him. He took a step forward and Spyro readied himself as well. The purple drake was taken aback however, watching with sudden curiosity as Arum hesitated.
Spyro blinked, his orbs immediately going to the violet sparks stemming from Arum's wound that sputtered out unceremoniously. There was silence between the three dragons as Arum, his gaze full of ire, looked at the blemish upon his hide. No matter how hard he glared however, the wound did not close.
Spyro felt a modicum of relief at the sight. They'd finally worn him down. Such a realization still left him uncomfortable however. He fixed Cynder with a stray glance. The dragoness nodded back to him, having seen the development. She wasted no more time, spitting a glob of acid at the annoyed black drake.
Arum recoiled from it, suddenly very adverse to making contact with the harmful substance. His attention focused on the corrosive substance; he didn't notice Spyro crash into him a second later. The purple dragon swung his head at an angle tossing Arum aside where he crashed in a heap.
Despite his regenerative powers fading, the onyx dragon still rose within seconds, snarling aggressively. Arum burst forward, meaning to give Spyro as much as he'd given. Before he could, Cynder slammed into his side. While effective enough at knocking Arum onto his side, Cynder bounced across his back, tangling with his wings as she hit the ground, hardly having the strength to perform a proper tackle.
"Do it now!" She beckoned desperately as the ground came up to meet her. Spyro didn't hesitate, trusting the dragoness completely. He stomped the earth just as Cynder sunk through her own shadow, phasing from existence. The ground below Arum erupted, spikes of earth bursting forth and skewering everything in their path including the unfortunate god.
Unwilling to take chances, Spyro reared back his head as Cynder welled up from his shadow, depositing herself next to him. The dragoness lay on her side and watched as a wave of fire engulfed their impaled foe. Spyro held the blast for several seconds before coughing and falling back to his hind legs, his chest burning in protest, blood trickling from his wounds, staining his scales.
As the fires died away, he found Arum surprisingly still intact. Despite that, he was clearly on the verge of death as his scales were crumbling, small fires lighting up his hide. Spyro grimaced at the grotesque sight, knowing that there were no other options. He heard Cynder breathe a sigh of relief next to him and the sound alone allowed him to relax his muscles.
He was about to turn away when he noticed Arum's eye crack open a ruby orb glaring at him. The purple dragon's brow raised suddenly as he saw the signs of what was to come. With no time to escape, he threw himself atop Cynder, draping her with his body. He heard her surprised gasp, but it was drowned out as convexity washed over them both. The purple dragon withstood as much as he could, his body trembling under the weight of Arum's dying gasp. He felt Cynder's paw shift to his, a reminder of why he needed to hold out.
After what felt like minutes, the stream of energy faded almost all at once. Relief flooded Spyro's mind as he fell to the side rolling over, breathing heavily and twitching from the overexposure to the volatile element.
Once her view was unobscured, Cynder's eyes immediately darted to where Arum had been. She found only ashes drifting away from where he'd last been. He'd quite literally destroyed himself trying to do them in, using every ounce of energy his body had held until he couldn't even sustain his form.
The immediate threat gone, Cynder shifted to bring herself closer to Spyro. The purple dragon was laying on his side, eyes closed, breathing labored. The black dragoness looked him over hesitantly, slowly taking in his battered appearance. It wasn't until a few moments later that she let out a sigh. Devastating as it was, purple dragons were naturally resistant to convexity, it was the only reason Spyro could say he'd survived.
A tear in her eye, Cynder leaned forward and licked his cheek lovingly. The purple dragon didn't open his eyes, but a smile crossed his muzzle. "Is he gone?" He asked, getting a handle on his breathing.
"Nothing more than a memory now." Cynder answered.
Spyro nodded slightly, his eyes cracking open as he focused on her. She looked haggard, but her soft smile did much to lift his spirits. "You're alright?" He asked after a moment.
Cynder shook her head and shoved him gently with her paw. "I should be asking you that." She chastised. "You shouldn't be so reckless."
Spyro grinned, seemingly proud of his behavior. "Nothing's too reckless when it comes to you." He replied.
"There's no helping you." Cynder said shaking her head, a subtle smirk on her lips as she gently shoved him.
Spyro snorted as his eyes turned to the tumultuous sky above them. He watched lightning strike nearby, as the dark void swirled above them. "We need to go." He said, suddenly serious once more as he pushed himself up.
Cynder nodded, pulling herself up as well. The battle-weary dragons were standing a few moments later. They looked back to where the guardian tower had once stood. As if on cue a flurry of white fire broke the horizon. The two could feel the heat from where they stood, cringing slightly as light from the flames made them turn their heads away.
Sol burst from the rubble, his composure gone, snorting angrily as his reserves of energy worked to reconstruct his body bit by bit. The god stalked forward, glaring at the two young dragons who were equally focused on his approach.
"You've been holding back dragon!" He snarled menacingly.
"I guess I didn't think you were worth the effort." Taelas jabbed. He knew the statement was entirely false, but playing with his enemy's emotions couldn't hurt, probably.
"You've grown awfully cocksure." Sol spat. The white dragon smiled sadistically, his fangs on full display. "We'll see if you keep your tongue as I'm plucking your scales one by one." He threatened darkly.
"You're welcome to try." Taels retorted, readying himself for what was inevitably to follow.
Sol didn't disappoint as he burst forward. Taelas slid his paw quickly across the ground. The top layer of earth that Lyara was standing upon shifted like water. The dragoness squeaked as she was shunted to the side. She watched as Sol's jaws snapped forward attempting to crush Taelas in one precise movement.
The purple dragon was, thankfully, ready. Using his smaller size to his advantage he hopped upwards, his own jaws clenching around Sol's blackened horn. Taelas swung around until his claws found the white dragon's neck, sinking into them to hold himself in position. His bladed tail swished and struck at Sol's hide repeatedly stabbing the white dragon only to draw fountains of violet sparks.
The purple dragon's assault didn't last however as Sol shook his head violently, knocking him to the ground with a heavy thud. The purple dragon sputtered, feeling his bones shake. Still he pushed himself to rise, ignoring his swaying vision.
"Where's all that power from before?" Sol asked mockingly.
Taelas gnashed his teeth, his back was to his enemy, but he could see the patronizing grin anyway. He wished he had an answer to the god's question, but even he didn't know if he'd be capable of summoning such elemental fury again. Growling, he snapped his body around, the air freezing as two spears of ice launched forth and embedded into Sol's hide. The soft thuds were punctuated by Sol's uncontained laugh.
"Please." He said rolling his eyes, before opening his maw, a beam of convexity lurching forth. Just before the energy engulfed him, Taelas swept his paw across the earth, then he disappeared into the stream of energy.
If he had the presence of mind to react physically, he would have screamed. However, his subconscious took over, warding off as much of the energy as his natural affinity for it would allow. Still, the light seemed to burn even his thoughts away. Stumbling, his back legs gave out and no sooner than that did the energy cease to flow.
In the absence of the onslaught, he was met with cursing from Sol. Forcing himself to stand, Taelas couldn't help, but snort as he saw Lyara latched onto her brother's back, the shifted earth in her wake marking the path Taelas had tossed her along just before being swallowed by convexity.
Her scales were turning deeper shades of violet, far more rapidly than they ever had in the past. Taelas could only hope that the dragoness' stamina would last. At last, the white drake shook his sister free and she bounced away with little more than a whimper.
Unwilling to give him any rest, Taelas glared at Sol. A physical assault wouldn't do and so he spat a bolt of electricity at the floundering dragon. The attack did little more than grab Sol's attention as he turned furious eyes onto Taelas. The purple dragon held firm, his tail slamming the earth and sending a javelin of rock through the air and into Sol's chest.
Taelas was about to launch a second projectile, but faltered as he tried to remain standing his muscles refusing to obey him. He looked up to watch Sol snap the earth in two, the chunk falling from his scales. The purple dragon watched, his heart sinking, until he realized something, or the absence there of.
No violet sparks flowed from the Sol's wound. The snowy dragon seemed to take notice as well. He peered at the wound before turning back to Taelas, wearing a scowl deeper than the youth thought possible.
Taelas grinned subconsciously at their accomplishment, he had little energy left to do much else. As a result, he was quickly met with Sol's tail as it whipped around and sent him skipping across the ground and into a wall where he impacted and slumped down. His body ached; his mind begged for the release of unconsciousness but he wouldn't grant it.
Struggling to rise, he felt Lyara's paw on his. He'd miraculously landed quite near to her. She seemed to be just barely standing, however her eyes were full of determination. It was infectious, and Taelas couldn't help but be warmed by it.
"Do you trust me?" She asked quickly. Taelas didn't even think, he simply nodded. "Be ready then." She said closing her eyes.
Taelas looked past her to find Sol stalking towards them. His thoughts were quickly jumbled however as he noticed Lyara's scales reverting to their natural silvery state. He almost spoke, but then felt something. Energy coursed his limbs. His very body hummed. His mind put the pieces together and he realized just what Lyara had done as she slumped to the ground, breathing heavily. Sol had slowed his approach, the transfer of power not lost on him either as he glowered at the two.
Taelas took a step forward and felt the earth sizzle and pop beneath him, small strands of electricity snapping across his talons. The purple dragon could feel the energy within him. He couldn't help but wonder if this energy was fundamental different due to its source. Normally an excess of convexity did nothing more than weigh against him. In this case he felt invigorated, perhaps it was the power Sol had felt all this time. Despite the strength he held, Taelas was well aware that it threatened to consume his very body. He could feel his control wavering. One misstep and it would likely tear him apart.
"Be careful dragon, you'll tear yourself apart if you use that." Sol barked, drawing Taelas' attention outward.
"Oh?" The purple drake asked, the single word being all his convexity ridden mind could muster.
"Even a purple dragon isn't able to withstand channeling so much." Sol stated firmly. "My sister knows this. She's using you. You're nothing more than a means to an end."
"You expect me to believe that?" Taelas asked deadpan. He didn't dare put any inflection into his words, afraid that any loss of focus would do him in.
"She's only ever had one duty." Sol spat. "In the end, you're a stepping stone to her goal, nothing more."
Taelas glanced to Lyara. The silver dragoness could barely peer back as she was slowly steadying her breathing. It hardly mattered to Taelas. Her question of trust flitted through his mind once more, and he turned back to Sol, ferocity in his eyes.
"Care to test your theory?" Taelas asked, as he tensed his muscles in preparation.
Sol didn't wait any longer, convexity manifesting in his throat and lurching forth in a catastrophic wave. In turn, violet sparks and soon after bolts of lightning lunged from Taelas' body. Lyara looked at him in shock as the energy snapped closer to her than she would have liked. In the midst of the gathering strands Sol's energy consumed his form, leaving the dragoness at a loss as to what was happening.
The violet energy warped around his form, growing more and more volatile. Lyara cringed at the chaos before her. Then, in the blink of an eye, the energy vanished, as did Taelas. She felt her confidence wane for the briefest of moments before there was a light as bright as the sun. The dragoness' eyes snapped shut as a thunderous crackling deafened her senses. A veritable windstorm swept across her pushing her over and rolling her across the broken tiles. The dragoness curled into a ball, trying to deter the sound and light but to no avail.
A ringing in her mind, Lyara didn't dare move until she felt that the world had stabilized somewhat. Uncurling herself, she looked to where Taelas had been only to find nothing. Next, her eyes went to Sol's position. What she found was not the white dragon, but in fact Taelas, standing amidst a curtain of ashes, no doubt they were the only remnants of her brother that still existed.
She'd prepared herself for such a realization, ending the lives of her siblings was something she'd been gradually coming to terms with. She'd known what would happen should Taelas use the power she'd given him. Still, she couldn't help but feel a fracture in her heart.
Taelas stumbling and nearly crashing to the ground was the only thing that brought her from her sudden melancholy. With strength she didn't think she still possessed, she pushed herself up and limped over to her friend, ignoring the aches and pains that spread across her scales.
When she reached him, he was still standing although he teetered dangerously in place. Purple static still clung to him as he grimaced in pain, oblivious to her arrival. She reached out a paw, grabbing the violet dragon's attention. Static bounced to her talon; however, it was Taelas that recoiled instead of her, not wanting to harm her further.
The silver dragoness shook her head. "You did well." She said quietly, reaching out until she made contact with him.
Taelas felt the convexity within him wane. He felt a dense pressure leave his body as he watched the dragoness' scales tint slightly. In those few seconds she'd absorbed the excess from him. Silently, he wondered just how much of the power remained after his attack.
"Sol wasn't lying when he said that would kill me, was he?" Taelas mumbled.
Lyara shook her head sheepishly. "That's why I asked you to trust me." She ventured a glance at Taelas to find him, thankfully, not irritated with her rash use of his body. "I knew I could keep you safe afterwards."
"Well, I'm glad you gave it some thought at least." Taelas replied, the slightest of smiles creasing his maw. His smirk faded far too quickly however. He looked at Lyara pensively. "Are you alright?" He asked gently.
Lyara considered her own feelings once more. Her eyes naturally drifted to the flakes of ash that were blowing away in the strong gusts. She felt a lump in her throat, but swallowed it regardless. "No." She said, her voice cracking.
Taelas frowned as she paced forward, gently bumping her head into his chest. The purple dragon struggled for words, unsure if she even wanted his empathy in that moment. He exhaled deeply and opened his mouth to speak, hoping he wouldn't do more harm than good.
"You did everything you could Lyara." He said gently. He felt the silver dragoness press a little more firmly against his chest, like a child trying to hide from the statement. "You've freed them from their fate. I'm sure even now they're smiling down at you with the ancestors."
The dragoness didn't answer, but once again drew herself closer. The purple dragon didn't get much chance to think on her actions as Spyro and Cynder landed nearby, their approach masked only by the howling winds and thunderous crackling of the rift above.
Taelas naturally turned to look at them, but Lyara remained how she was. He couldn't help but notice their battered appearances, he wagered he'd never seen either in such a state. Spyro's eyes caught his son's for a second. Briefly, the adult scanned for signs of the white dragon, but instead found the ashes swirling past him. He measured Lyara's appearance and tilted his head at Taelas. The younger purple dragon nodded slightly, before tilting his own head and raising a brow in response. Spyro sighed, and briefly nodded in return, silently confirming Arum's death.
"It's getting worse." Cynder commented, her attention captured by their surroundings.
Her voice jarred Lyara from her position. She stumbled backwards and composed herself as quickly as she could, putting on as serious an expression as she could muster for the two adults. Spyro and Cynder only gazed back sympathetically, each noting the moisture in her rims that she furiously fought back.
Meeting their silent gazes, Lyara's poise almost broke, but she took a deep breath instead and turned her eyes to the sky above. "It's still spreading." She commented darkly.
"It likely won't stop until it's consumed the whole world." Spyro added, craning his neck to the fissure above as well.
"Then we should put an end to it, once and for all." Lyara said firmly. Spyro and Cynder nodded approvingly, but Taelas moved to her side, receiving a stern look from the dragoness. She already knew what he would say, but he spoke regardless.
"Lyara you can't expect to seal this now, you're in no shape." He argued.
"I'll be the one to determine what I can and cannot do." Lyara countered.
"Don't be stubborn." Taelas growled.
"We don't have a choice!" Lyara shouted suddenly. When the purple dragon recoiled, she seemed to regain herself turning away as if ashamed. "If we don't act it may become irreparable. I can't risk that, not after everything."
"But what about you?" Taelas questioned, still on edge. "I won't let you throw your life away."
"It isn't your decision to make." Lyara answered flatly. The silver dragoness sighed, her wings drooping slightly. "The world is at stake Taelas. If I don't try, no one will survive."
Taelas opened his mouth to argue, but shut it quickly, grinding his teeth instead. He cursed in frustration as he slammed his tail on the ground angrily. In that moment, Lyara closed the gap between them planting her lips lightly against his. She broke the embrace a few seconds later leaving Taelas to lean forward slightly. Lyara's eyes flashed to Spyro and Cynder who had turned their heads away, pretending not notice the two, she blushed all the same.
"Do you trust me?" She asked quietly, her eyes silently pleading with the violet drake.
Taelas pursed his lips and hung his head exhaling in exasperation. "I trust you." He said in defeat. Before Lyara could express any gratitude, his raised his head once more fixing the dragoness with an intense stare. "This isn't the end." He said sternly, bringing a fragile smile to her lips.
Lyara nodded, blinking back tears as she turned away, knowing that if she didn't, she might lose her nerve. "Spyro." She called, drawing both his and Cynder's gaze once more. "I'll need your help as well I think."
The purple dragon looked at her curiously, but approached nonetheless. Lyara took a moment to explain her ability to manipulate convexity and her use of Talas as a conduit for the excess.
"With the both of you at my disposal we may just pull this off." She said with a faint smile.
"I'll assist however I can." Spyro answered. "Although it sounds like you'll be picking up our slack."
"Think nothing of it." Lyara replied shaking her head.
"And me?" Cynder asked. "I'd like to think I'm not completely useless."
"Cynder can harness convexity as well." Spyro offered.
Lyara shook her head. "Having to split my attention between three bodies would probably do more harm than good."
"Looks like you're off the hook." Spyro said nudging the dragoness who rolled her eyes at him.
"There is something else though, if you're up to it." Lyara continued, drawing the black dragoness' attention once more. "As I seal the rift it's liable to become more volatile before it settles down. I'd rather not be crushed by a wayward rock or building."
Cynder nodded. "I'll keep us guarded then."
"Are we ready?" Lyara asked looking to each dragon that nodded in turn. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. Before long she felt a paw from each purple dragon make contact with her hide. There was a sudden gust of wind that blew past her unexpectedly. The silver dragoness cracked her eyes in the sudden stillness. They stood amidst a dome of swirling air, one of Cynder's making. Feeling a little bit safer, Lyara's eyes closed once more and she focused inwardly.
The outside world faded away as she fell into blackness. Her eyelids twitched and she cracked them open hesitantly, afraid of what she would find. She stifled a gasp, before her the fabric of the weave lay torn asunder. Strands drifted in every direction, their typical uniform pattern completely astray. At the edges it unraveled further, the fabric like threads steadily loosening.
It was beyond anything she'd encountered with the focal points. Where they had been much like a pin prick this was akin to a gaping wound. Feeling herself become overwhelmed, she couldn't ignore a slight pressure on her side. She realized it was Taelas' paw against her scales, his talons gently, but firmly, pressing against her. The feeling gave her some measure of relief and she steeled her resolve. Reaching out, the dragoness began to pull the strands back into place, repairing the damage that had been wrought.
In the physical realm, both Spyro and Taelas felt convexity seep into their bodies. They stood silently, their eyes upon the rift as they waited, hoping to see signs of progress. Cynder watched their surroundings with hawk like eyes. Together, the dragons waited in silence for some time.
As the minutes waned on, Spyro couldn't help but voice the question that was eating at him. "You're sure this will work?"
"I've watched her do this four times now." Taelas answered confidently. He nodded to the dragoness whose scales were slowly crawling towards a lilac coloring. "That's a sign it's working."
"Are you sure this is within her power?" Spyro asked quietly. "It's hard to believe she could control convexity like this."
"If I hadn't seen it, I'd probably think the same thing." Taelas answered, turning back to the rift and hoping to see any sign of progress. He more than either of the adults was well aware of the dragoness' limitations. He said a silent prayer to the ancestors that she would hold out.
"There." Cynder said suddenly, nodding to the far edge of the rift. Taelas followed her gaze, but saw nothing more than the undulating tear in dimensions.
"What?" He asked eagerly as his eyes went between his mother and the rift. "What is it?"
"It's stitching itself together." Cynder replied, a delicate note of hope in her tone.
Taelas squinted at where she was focused, but still found nothing. He turned to Spyro who gave him a sidelong glance and shrugged. "Your mother has always had sharp eyes. If she says its closing, I'd believe her."
"There's still a long way to go." Cynder added, fixing her gaze on both purple dragons. "Keep focused."
Both males straightened a little and nodded as they fixated on the task before them. Taelas shut his eyes, hoping that his own silence would somehow aid the dragoness beside him. Despite his hopes he knew that she was handling the transfer of energy, all he could do was be a conduit for her work.
Little by little, the rift began to seal itself. Cynder watched it from the corner of her eye, her attention more fully on the floating objects all around them. She thought to begin batting them from the sky preemptively, but realized she'd only wear herself out. Simply keeping the dome of wind flowing around them was already sapping what strength remained.
It wasn't long before the world began to react to Lyara's work. As if in rebellion, the lightning continually struck from the rift at random. The wind picked up, although none but Cynder would realize it. And all around them more and more of Warfang lifted into the air, the remnants of the city lifting away from the ground only to be hurled back into it some distance away.
Cynder's eyes darted in all directions, keeping tabs on as many of the projectiles as she could. For the briefest of moments, she looked to the rift, it was closing faster than she could have hoped. A glance to Lyara showed her scales were already a deep lilac, despite her stillness she seemed frail, her breathing labored.
The black dragoness counted herself lucky that she'd glanced that way when she did. Behind them all, a chunk of a building was hurtling towards the group. Wasting no time, Cynder leapt over the three. The rush of air above them made Taelas open his eyes nervously, but Spyro didn't so much as flinch. The chunk of earth scraped against Cynder's dome of wind slowing its descent. Deftly, she planted her talons onto it and kicked off, redirecting the slab away from them as she floated back to the ground, already looking for the next hazard.
Lyara shuddered, the darkness around her seemed almost choking. She looked at the strands of violet that still swayed before her. Her talons felt heavy as she lifted them towards the blemish in the weave.
This was no time to give in. She collected her thoughts, doing her best to put aside any fears and exhaustion. It was the last hurdle after all. If she could succeed now, she would have rectified the mistakes of the past. More importantly, she would afford dragonkind another chance.
While the thoughts were intended to bring her a modicum of vigor, she found that they only weighed on her shoulders. Her forelimbs slumped to her sides as she struggled to keep her eyes open. Slowly she began to drift, the void seeming more and more inviting as the minutes passed. Her thoughts were ushered away by the darkness as she blinked idly, the flowing strands of the weave gently waving before her.
It was a pain in her flank that made her flinch. Unsure of the cause, the dragoness's muscles simply went taut for a moment. As the feeling faded however so too did her interest as she began to slip away once more.
A second twinge of pain made her eyes widen. She took a deep and desperate breath forcing the fog from her mind. Shaking herself for good measure she looked around in confusion unsure of what had just happened. Externally, she could still feel two paws upon her. The one on her right side was smaller, but gripped her tightly. The talons threatening to puncture her scales.
All at once, her purpose came flooding back to her. Her head jerked towards the remaining strands of convexity and she immediately moved to sew them together.
"Just a little more." Spyro growled nearly an hour later.
His body was stiff with the extra energy that had been pumped through his veins. Around him the wind howled, Cynder's dome long since having faded. The black dragoness snapped her head in another direction a beam of convexity pouring forth. A nearby rock exploded into dust showering all of the dragons. Panting heavily, Cynder stumbled, trying to remain upright.
Above them, the rift had nearly shut itself entirely. The last vestige of convexity fighting to retain its place in the world. All around them, gravity was returning to normal as a hail of rubble fell from the sky, tearing through anything lucky enough to still be standing.
Taelas didn't watch the mayhem, only the rift. He could see the dragoness beside him from the corner of his eye. Her scales were nearly blackened the purple hue having become so deep. He grit his teeth as he watched the rift seal itself entirely.
The last of the rubble settled, the wind died down almost instantly. The world was suddenly very silent, and very still. The four dragons didn't move, as if not wanting to break the delicate scene before them.
Cynder was the first to break the calm as she collapsed upon the ground, her legs unable to hold her. Spyro removed his paw from Lyara's body. His muscles were tight, but he pushed forward to his mate anyway, her own safety outweighing his.
Taelas didn't dare to move. There was a small trickle of blood from where his black talons had clutched at Lyara's flank. He watched her silently until her lids fluttered open, revealing crimson orbs beneath.
A grin burst across Taelas' lips as she slowly shifted her eyes to him. Lyara opened her mouth to speak, but no words came forth. Knowing the question that was on her mind, Taelas nodded and thrust his horns to the sky, smiling proudly.
Lyara's eyes slowly followed. Before her was a peaceful blue sky. A smile cracked across the dragoness' lips. She felt a cool breeze across her scales and closed her eyes soaking in the refreshing feeling.
From beside her, Taelas twitched as his smile broke into horrified stupor. He watched as Lyara unceremoniously toppled onto her side. The dull thud of her impact echoed in his mind drowning out the rest of the world. He felt his blood turn to ice as he looked upon the still body of the fallen dragoness.