Chapter 43: The Realm of Convexity
Link was engulfed by swirling light in hundreds of different colors, all rushing forwards as he did. The environment around him vanished, the cold air was replaced by a strange warmth, and he felt himself moving faster as he flew through the portal.
He exited the other side of the portal and found himself in easily the second most magical place he had ever laid his eyes upon. It looked like the night sky, except rather than stars, there were clouds of multicolored mist that drifted aimlessly through the void. There were floating rocks everywhere. Directly in the center was a large floating island. And at the center of the island was a black structure that had a violet beacon surging from the top.
He could see Cynder flying toward the structure, carrying the fire crystal. Link rocketed after her. But even so, he didn't reach her in time. As he landed and activated the power of the Four Swords, she had already placed the crystal at the side of the beacon.
"Cynder, stop!" Link shouted as three clones of him materialized out of thin air. Cynder turned, both surprised and angry.
"You're a persistent little fella, aren't you?" she growled. She stopped. "Is it just me or are there four of you?" She shook her head. "You should have heeded my warning. You won't get away alive this time."
"I'm not here to fight!" Link replied.
"Then what are you here for?" she asked. She swiped at him, but Link dodged.
"I'm here to save you!" he replied.
"Save me?!" Cynder laughed. "I'm perfectly fine, thank you!"
She swiped at him again, and again he dodged, not wanting to attack her or hurt her.
"Cynder, please!" Link pleaded, but Cynder ignored him and attacked again and again. Link could tell it was getting on her nerves.
"Stop acting like a coward and fight!" she yelled at him. She jumped on top of him, Link only barely managed to roll out of the way.
"You have to understand, he's using you as a means to an end!" Link declared. "You are nothing but a weapon to him! If all elemental dragons are driven to extinction, that would include you! He has corrupted you with a shard of the Mirror of Twilight. This isn't who you're supposed to be!"
"Shut up!" Cynder yelled.
"Do you remember what I said to you in the swamp?" He asked.
"What do you mean by that?" Cynder screamed. "Who is Hylia's reincarnation?"
"You are, Cynder!" Link replied.
"That's impossible!" Cynder screeched, slashing at him once more.
"Search your feelings, Cynder," a voice spoke from the air around them. It was somehow recognizable to both of them. "You know it to be true."
Cynder, in denial, lunged at one of Link's clones. "You must be lying!" she screeched.
"If you don't listen to me, you'll die! Malefor's lying to you!" Link shouted back. "He needs magical power to open the portal! You are the last crystal!"
"You're lying!" Cynder screamed at him, for the first time fearful. She pounced at him, too fast for him to dodge, and pinned him to the ground with her claws.
"Fight back!" she shouted at him. "Why won't you fight back!"
Link struggled for air, not able to reply. Cynder's claws curled tightly around his neck. His vision was going hazy. There was nothing more he could do.
"It's because you know now, isn't it?" Cynder taunted. "You know there is nothing left to fight for!"
Suddenly, he was lying by a volcanic river, most of his limbs were missing but no blood seeping out of the stumps. Standing higher up on the bank stood a man holding an item similar to those strange swords from the previous vision.
"You were the Chosen One!" the man screamed. "You were supposed to destroy the Sith, not join them!" The man was visibly crying. "You were my brother, Anakin!"
"I hate you!" he heard himself yell before he was enveloped in flames in a scream of pain and fury as the vision faded back into the present, the man's last words echoed in his mind.
Then one last idea popped into his mind. Though others had doubted him, told him it was impossible, that he was too inexperienced, he had to try it. He felt Midna sneakily slip the Master Sword out of his gauntlet. It was his only chance. He conjured all his elemental ability, concentrating it within him, building it up.
Cynder went from angry to fearful as she saw what was happening. Where Link's heart was, a purple glow was building, getting brighter and bigger. It gave Link strength as he reverted to human form and slowly push Cynder off.
"Wh-what's happening?!" Cynder exclaimed.
"There is always something," Link stated, the Master Sword in his hand. There was a noise like a cannon blast and several bright waves of purple energy as the light in Link's heart seemingly exploded as he ascended into the air. Cynder was thrown from her feet and knocked onto her side at the foot of the beacon. Link's eyes glowed the same color as the waves, and as the Fury waves died away, Link landed on his feet. His heart and eyes still glowing, his Fury still ablaze, he marched over to Cynder and held her head in place, staring into her eyes again.
"Remember, Cynder," Link stated. "Remember!"
Cynder's eyes widened in shock as she was pulled into a memory, a memory she had forgotten existed.
She was lying on her back, after recovering from discovering who her mother was. She looked up and to see someone staring above her. She went cold with fear.
The creature picked her up by the tail, and swung her over to a workbench. Several more of the creatures forced her front legs and tail into cold, metal shackles which shrank down to fit her. Her head was also forced into one, which did the same, making her give a small choke.
Then, the tip of her tail and the thumbs of her wings were forced into razor-sharp blades, which made her feel unbalanced. After they had shrunk to fit, the first creature picked her up again, and chained her by the neck above a strange structure. The creature waved a hand and a stream of bright light shot up from beneath her. All she felt then was pain. A voice was speaking to her, telling her to do. She couldn't fight it. She could feel her body changing, growing, maturing. Soon, she felt disconnected from her body due to a piece of a mirror was shoved into her chest, its dark magic taking root. She watched like a passenger, confused, as her body moved of its own accord. Then, she came to her senses. It was normal, this was who she was, who she has always been.
"Ready to comply, master," she said softly.
Back in the present, Cynder was screaming as the memory flooded back to her. She reared back, shaking her head and moving about wildly, clearly in a lot of pain.
"Cynder..." said a deep, dark voice. It was Malefor. From what Link could tell, his voice was coming from the beacon.
"Cynder," Malefor stated. "You are wasting time. Kill him now!"
"No..." Cynder said quietly.
"What did you say?" Malefor asked.
"I said no!" Cynder screamed, opening her eyes as twilight particles erupted out of her. She turned toward the beacon. Link sighed in relief and amazement that her eyes had turned to green, like they did when they locked eyes.
"I won't do your bidding any more!" she screamed at the beacon. "You've been lying this whole time!"
"You dare?!" Malefor screamed. "You dare to disobey me? Challenge me?"
"I never obeyed you!" Cynder screamed back. "You used me! You wore me like some sick costume, controlled me like a puppet! Not once in my entire life that I ever obeyed you!"
"This is impossible!" Malefor exclaimed. "The curse was a fail-safe!"
"Might want to read into it more next time," Cynder growled. "I will never serve you again, you'll have to live without me from now on!"
"Well then," Malefor said coldly. "I'll make the most of you while you're here."
She made a scream of pain as bolts of what seemed to be white lightning began to crawl over Cynder's scales, and flow into the beacon. Her elemental power was being drained. Her body convulsed as wounds opened afresh.
"Spyro!" she called out. "Go! Before he finishes!"
"No!" Link exclaimed. "You are Hylia reborn, Cynder! You were my goal the whole time!"
"You have to!" Cynder replied. "I'm not worth risking your life for!"
Link watched helplessly as Malefor drained Cynder's power, killing her. As he watched, something began to happen. The scars she wore were healing, and her body was shrinking. Her horns became less sharp. Her legs became shorter, and the rest of her shrank to Link's size as an elemental dragon.
"No," Link muttered under his breath. "You're not staying here."
He scooped her up in his arms and began to carry her back to the portal. He could hear Malefor's screams of rage behind him, but he flew on regardless. He heard cheers of joy emanate from the beacon alongside the roars of anger. He came to the portal and could feel it closing. He summoned what remained left of his strength and managed to escape as the portal closed completely.
His vision became cloudy, and he caught a glimpse of a large creature walking over to save him, before passing out completely.