(A large black gooey puddle slid into veiw of a white void before it began to take on a large canine like shape and sprouted three heads, the middle with white eyes, the left with yellow and a small smile, the right with red eyes and a ever present scowl)Ronny: Hello again everyone me again back with another chapter ive actualy been strugglin with this one just a bit due to the fact that i dont rememeber a whole bunch about warfang as whole so i did have to do back and do some research and image searching to get a feel for it nor did i truly know how i wanted to progress the scene at some points but i did my best and i hope it works out. so how bout i simply give you guys this helpful little tip and let you get reading ;)
ittalics mean inner thoughts - malefor
bold letters mean i am the one speaking - malefor
and as usual normal letters are everything else such as descriptions and dialouge is made known by "quotations"
Silence was the only thing to grace the dragon temple on this night. But that silence did not come to the three mind's of the elemental guardian's, their mind's were just as chaotic as the past few days have been. When they had seen their hero's and saviors had returned, they had been filled with relief and joy. Only for it to be replaced with confusion, anger, and fear at the sight of the monstrous tyrant standing right before them in their own temple. Terrador wanted to yell, to roar and curse the purple dragon, to beat him into the ground cursing his name. It was only through Terrador's year's of military training that he found the strength to control his own emotions. Too concerned for the safety of his friend's to do anything but hold a defensive stance, wings spread, spiked mace tail raised, legs spread and ready to pounce.
Spyro stepped betwixt Malefor and Terrador, his indigo irises wide with concern. "WAIT!" Malefor's own dual hued eye's widened briefly at the sight of the other purple drake jumping in to practically defend him from the wrath of the earth dragon, though that suprise faded not long after Malefor was reminded that Spyro has always been rather selfless and bold. Malefor held back a grimace as his mind was able to wander for a brief moment. "He really was born to be the hero after all wasn't he? so selfless even now..." He thought to himself.
The earth dragon was about to demand an explanation as to why Spyro and Cynder had not only allowed Malefor to enter the city, but even go as far as to defend the fallen child of prophecy. However it seemed Volteer had beaten him to the figurative punch. "Spyro, Cynder... Please tell us, what is he doing here, you did defeat him did you not?" He asked, the chipper scholar doing his best to hide the fear in his voice. Spyro inhaled a deep breath to calm his nerves, for a brief moment allowing the world around him to fade with the stress into darkness.
When he exhaled everything returned to focus and he looked to the three elemental expert's and began to recount the tale of exactly what went down in the battle against the dark master, all the while Cynder would occasionly input her own point of view on events. Neither of them mentioned a word of Cynder's statement at the end of the world, both to fearful that the other wouldnt feel the same way. Cynder frightened that Spyro either didn't hear her back then or simply didnt feel the same way, and Spyro worried he had only heard what he wanted to hear.
They spoke of Malefor's own word's during the encounter, from his insistence that Cynder had always been on his side, to the remark about him and Spyro sharing more than just scale color. The guardian's and Sparx were all informed of Cynder's sudden and brief return to darkness, her own eye's and composure wavering for a moment at the mention of it. Then came the moment where they had awoken virtually healed of all their wounds, but drained of all their mana. Spyro spoke of how Malefor was also afflicted with mana burn, and would likely not pose much of a physical threat for a good while, this was enough to convince everyone to breath a little easier now that they knew the dark master was virtually powerless at the time. Terrador was still skeptical about this whole situation, more so confused than anything else. To him the idea of Malefor, the same Malefor who had caused so much strife and pain, just... Surrendering didnt make sense to him.
When the two young hero's were done informing the elder drakes of all that had transpired, Terrador was the first to speak. "This whole scenario is... Very hard to believe. But I trust your word's Spyro, Cynder. However i would feel quite safer if HE" The earth dragon gestured with a motion of his green and tan wing to the older purple dragon. "Was put into a cell until we figure out exactly what we are to do with him." Malefor simply tilted his head to the side and spoke. "Then what are you waiting for are you gonna show me where I'll be kept, or do you need more evidence that I'm here of my own volition." "I do not doubt the word's of our student...but that does not mean I will abandon all caution." He said walking past Malefor and into the hall blocking off the direction they had entered from and gesturing for Volteer to lead the way, the youngest guardian within a moment's notice taking point and walking down the opposing hall.
"Follow him." Terrador curtly stated, following behind the purple drake with Cynder and Spyro walking side by side behind him, and Cyril following them accordingly. They walked down the hall for what to all present felt like hour's tho in reality it had only been a few minutes before they had found themselves descending a flight of stairs, into what Malefor could only presume was a sort of dungeon. He looked around at the empty cell's that adorned the hall seeing that none of them appeared to be lived in. He allowed a small smirk to appear upon his maw before tilting his head to look at the earth guardian following closely behind him "Not many guest's these day's hmm?" He joked. Terrador said nothing in response, choosing simply to continuously scowl at the comment.
They arrived at the very end of the torch lit hall, at a small cell not unlike all the other's, Volteer grabbed a keyring off the nearby keyrack and using it opened the cell door. He stepped aside to allow their purple prisoner to enter, before he quietly closed the door behind him and locked it once more, stowing the keyring in a sort of satchel that was fastened around his neck that also held an assortment of scroll's from his library. Malefor turned to face the group that had organized and planned to bring him down from the begining, his emotions unreadable, his face neutral. Terrador opted to step forward being practically nose to nose with the dark dragon, the only thing stopping them from getting closer being the metal bars between them.
The battle hardened veteran then asked Malefor a question, and it was a question he almost wished he did not have to answer. "Why?" He asked his own green eye's filled with confusion. "Why did you do it?" Malefor could only gaze back at him, before a hollow smile graced his lips. A brief chuckle escaping him. "Why does anyone do anything, Terrador?" The guardian's remained stoic and unfazed. Spyro's features adopted a curious expression, but Cynder, her face was twisted in a sort of grimace. For some reason seeing her expression like this felt...Odd to him.
At that moment he remembered that he had given his word to the two young adults earlier that he would answer all questions with honesty. A sigh escapes him as the smile fell and his overall mood plummeted. His eye's which some didn't believe could look any less lively were practically void of emotion. "screw it" he muttered. This managed to gleam a raised brow from Terrador as Malefor's previous wall of confidence and bravado had seemingly shattered in an instant. "You wanna know why I did it? Fine. But I can't promise you'll be pleased with the answer you receive." He inhaled, a steady stream of air entering his lungs, before a slightly shaky exhale expelled the life giving oxygen from his mouth.
"I did it because I was... Scared." Before anyone could inquire what he meant by that, he continued. "When you are told time and time again that your supposed to be this grand hero who all would look up to, and your put through the amount of rigorous training I experienced, you tend to build up a lot of fear at the thought of letting everyone down."He looked at the faces before him, Cyril's expression being one of intrigue ,Spyro's face was to no suprise...Compassionate as it always was, Volteer was obviously curious as to where this story would go, and Malefor had no doubt that if the scholar had a quill he'd no doubt be writing all of this down on one of his scroll's. Terrador's face was unreadable, And Cynder almost seemed suprised in a way, and Malefor thought for a brief moment that he saw a semblance of sympathy in her emerald pools. He continued. "I think at one point or another I simply cracked under the pressure, I dived into my studies and my training exercises in an attempt to escape the fear, but it only made it more prominent."
Still he continued on, the only emotion felt alongside his words being regret. "As a purple dragon I had been born with a connection to Convexity, what you dont know about it is that convexity is more than an element or an amalgam of different elements. It is a true force of otherworldly nature that I believe only the ancestor's can truly comprehend it's purpose, it is both darkness and light. The dark part of Convexity prey's on insecurity and emotional vulnerability. Causing a... Phenomenon of sorts to occur in purple dragon's." He raised his to gaze at the green eye's of the green drake before him and continued "It is what made me The Dark Master, what changed my body my mind, my..." He sighed. "...Everything."
He looked to Spyro and Cynder, his expression becoming grimm. "Listen I don't want what happened to me to happen to other's, The thing's I did, the thing's I saw myself do, torments me even now. Spyro you should treasure the bonds you hold because those are what will always pull you back from the brink, should you begin to lose yourself, never allow yourself to fall prey to the same darkness that I allowed into my heart." The purple hero was somewhat shell shocked that Malefor was warning him, he wished to ask how he figures that having a bond with other's would protect him, but before he could act on that impulse Malefor turned to face Cynder next as he went on. "Cynder has already experienced Convexity's grasp before, due to my interference. But she is not to blame as she could not have hoped to muster the mental fortitude required to overcome it when she was only a newborn, Not to mention her heritage as a black dragon has burdened her with the same connection to the realm of aether as is present in all purple dragon's."
This caught Cynder's attention causing her to shuffle her way past Terrador to gaze at the dark lord, her mind whirling with questions. "Wait, what do you mean I was always connected I thought the reason I was able to tap into it was because you corrupted me?!?" Malefor returned his gaze to her with a brief look of confusion. "What? No no, you have always been connected to it, it's why it was so easy for Gaul to use my power to control you, because like Spyro and I, you have a link to the realm that no other dragons have dominion over."
Terrador deciding to end this conversation gently moved Cynder aside, and looked Malefor in the eye. "This whole conversation has been, Somewhat enlightening I'll admit, but it doesnt answer what we are to do with you now that the war is over." he looked to his fellow guardian's for answers but before either could speak Spyro stepped forward and offered a solution. "When Malefor surrendered I asked him to come and be tried for his crimes against warfang, and he came cooperatively with no questions asked. I think we should at least have a trial to decide his fate given he gave up so easily, not to mention there would be some pro's and cons to being rid of him or keeping him imprisoned." Terrador was slightly shocked at this development, and looked to Spyro before asking the question that was on everyone's minds. "And just what would that acomplish Spyro, he's an enemy to this entire city and he has killed, and wounded many in this world, just what good do you think could possibly come from allowing someone like him to live?" Spyro looked down in thought before his eye's steeled and returned to Terrador's. "I think its what Ignitus would have done, he always talked about a peaceful solution to the conflict, and we have the chance to be better than the people we were fighting against" he gestured his paw to the dragon in the cage."He did horrible things yes but so did Cynder and we don't hold it against her, I think we should at least make this reasonable and fair." he wrapped a protective wing around the black dragoness back at this.
Volteer voiced his thoughts on the suggestion the hero had provided. "It would make sense considering tradition states he at least be given a trial, and its likely the citizen's of the city would like to voice their feelings on the matter, it would likely have to be made public once they are made aware of his existence." Cyril spoke next. "It makes perfect sense to me, besides if he surrendered willingly I doubt he would turn tail and attempt to escape punishment" The ice guardian's eye's gazed at The Dark Master almost lost in thought before he continued. "Not only that I think it's safe to say he feels some guilt for his actions and that guilt will probaly stop him from running either way."
Terrador mulled it over before nodding his head to Spyro. "Very well Spyro well go with your idea, he will have a trial and he will be judged for his crimes accordingly." he began to usher everyone down the hall awarw from the cell. "but not now and probaly not for a while at least, i believe we should first focus on the reconstruction of the damaged part's of Warfang. Not only that but not long after the seige fell apart we received a message from one of your cheetah friends falcons, apparently dragons everywhere who had been in hiding are flocking back to Warfang seeking shelter and safety. We must be ready to greet them when they arrive so we can provide them with hospitality." As they walked away from the cell housing their greatest enemy, Terrador stopped in his tracks when he heard the voice of the purple dragon he once called his friend call out to him.
Malefor had pressed his head as close to the bar's as he could and spoke in a way that wasnt quite a yell, but louder than his normal tone so that his words would reach the fleeing war veteran. "Terrador" the large green dragon looked over his shoulder back at the monster in its cage. when Terrador hadn't responded but didn't continue walking malefor took it as a sign to continue. "For what it's worth Terrador... I am sorry..." his voice then became so quiet as if to hide the shame that permeated his tone. "...I never wanted to kill her."
At this the earth guardian resumes his previous stride. Spyro and Cynder both stopping briefly to cast a backwards glance at the cell they were leaving behind. Both of them had more questions for the purple villian, and when they had the chance they both planned on asking them too, whether the guardian's agree with it or not.
As they made their way up the stairs Malefor was left alone with his thoughts. He walked over to the wall opposite the cell door, and leaned his back against it allowing himself to slide to the floor in a slightly awkward pose with his hind legs spread along the floor and his right front paw grasping the side of his head in exasperation. When suddenly an odd chill permeated the air around him, as a purple haze of smoke seemed to draft into the cell from seemingly knowwhere. The changes in temperature and the presence of the smoke only brought a scowl to the purple dragons face, his position not changing in the slightest as a wind began to blow around them even though there were no windows for a breeze to enter from. The breeze whirling the smoke around in a small twister like formation before it suddenly stopped before billowing outward and malefor was faced with a visage very familiar to him.
He quirked a brow at the presence of the now revealed dragon in his cell, however the dragon in question seemed to be an ethereal shade of purple and to an extent was transparent, somehow being made of the smoke that appeared, little wafts billowing off its body. The figure in question was very well detailed despite it's smoky features, it's muzzle was slim and adorned with a small scar under the lower jaw that reached from the left side of its mouth to the other and up to below their
right eye. It's head was adorned with 2 curled horns that resembled that of a rams, its tail tip was sharp and formed into the shape of a spear like tip, its wings seemed to be torn at all edges of its membranes. And it's smile, it sent chils up Malefor's spine everytime he saw it.
Moment's after the apparition had appeared, it spoke in a strangely echoing voice that gave the purple drake shivers. "Well would you look at that, you finally lost. What's wrong did you not see this coming, huh Mal?" Malefor tilted his head to gaze upwards at the transparent grinning snout. "Actaully I gave myself up for your information, Anise." he muttered. "care to explain to me why your here now, I remember telling you explicit that I wanted you to leave me alone, did i not?" He began to stand on all four legs to face the creature before him, his face contorted in disgust at the monstrosity speaking to him. "So tell me why it is your back again to pester me huh." The now identified Anise smirked and simply walked towards Malefor, running the top of her head under his chin before doing the same with the length of her back before slinking her tail along his throat, walking past and around him, circling like a vulture circles its prey.
"She" spoke again the same confident and almost sultry tone being palpable. "Aww why so mean Mal, don't you love me anymore?" she chuckled almost cruelly. "I saw how cold you were being towards sweet ol' Terrador, even when he tries to understand you after all this time, you continue to push him away, so cruel, dear~" Malefor began to bare his teeth and snarl at her. "I am not YOUR dear, and I don't love you, I can't love someone who doesn't exist, your just a figment of my insanity and my lonely imagination, nothing more." He turned his gaze to a wall to avoid looking at her directly, before she practically threw herself in front of him her somehow very physical limbs wrapping around his neck, as her face was ever so close to his, causing him to reel back a bit and tilt his head up so as to avoid getting any closer to her than he already was. "If im so... imaginary, then how is it im able to hold you as I do now, don't tell me all the night's I held you when you were alone and listened to your constant rambling meant nothing to you~"
Malefor's body began to shake, as her face moved closer to his, her muzzle almost touching his, when suddenly he gained the will to shake her off and as he did so a chilling giggle echoed around him as the dragoness exploded into the smoke she came from, she spoke once more no body in sight, just a detached voice leaving with one final remark. "Very well Mal I'll go and leave you be for now, but when you realize just how alone you are you'll beg for my embrace and I'll be right there to accept you with open arm's~" at those words it felt as if a claw had glanced against the scar adorning his muzzle causing the old wound to ache and pulse with discomfort. His own paw coming up to cover the bridge of his own snout, as a very small, almost silent whimper escaped the lungs of the dark lord, his teeth gritting, a few stray tears falling from his closed eye's. His claws dug into the ground and as they began to clench, a surge of yellow lighting ran down his front arm's and into the ground below him causing a spiderweb formation of cracks to stretch out on the ground, turning the stone into a large mosiac of shattered shards of rock, before a lighter and gentle green glow emerged from his paws that moved along the ground below him and caused the rock's to meld back into place before smoothing out in such a way it appeared as if they had never been cracked at all. The purple drake let out a wobbly sigh before muttering to himself. "Damn...my mana is returning far quicker than I previously anticipated..."
(In the hall's above - a few minutes after everyone had departed the dungeon)
Terrador turned to face the two younger dragons, with tired eye's. "Spyro, Cynder i am sure you have more questions for our... guest, but at this moment I would appreciate some much needed rest as i am certain we all would enjoy a period of sleep so as to process all that has happened. As much as I'd like for you both to become more acquainted with the rest of the city and the temple, it is late and you both deserve some relaxation yourselves." Both young adults glanced at each other before facing the old veteran again and nodding in agreement. Terrador turned to Volteer. "Volteer would you be so kind as to show Spyro and Cynder to their room's for the night and in the morning we will see about more permanent accommodations for them" Volteer simply smiled in response, and gleefully replied. "Of course my sturdy earthen friend, Cynder, Spyro if you'll please follow me I'll show you to some substantially furnished living quarters that I hope will make for decent enough arrangements until we can get something more permanent set up for you." The electric guardian began to walk to the left of Terrador towards a branching hall that lead to the west side of the temple where there were an assortment of small bedrooms and the like.
Both of the younger dragons followed the chipper scholar, Cynder opting to remain silent as they walked, while Spyro engaged in a "riveting" conversation regarding the fascinating nature of Hunter and the cheetahs falcon companion, and how intelligent the bird seemed to be at time's.
Back with Terrador and Cyril who were walking side by side in the direction of their respective quarters.The ice guardian noticed his companion seemed to be a bit shaky after the encounter with Malefor. sighed in exasperation. "You know your uncharacteristic outburst earlier was a little suprising?" No response. "Would you like to talk about whats got you so wound up?" at this Terrador muttered, "Not really, no" Cyril quirked a brow at this before attempting to strike up more conversation from his earthen friend. "We'll I'm certainly curious as to what Malefor was refering to when he spoke to you earlier, not to mention he called you his old friend, he acted like he knew you well infact, care to talk about that?" he attempted to probe the green drake out of curiosity. In response Terrador sighed and turned to his friend just as they had reached the door to his own quarter's. "Cyril I'm certain you and Volteer both have your questions regarding my... connection to our new guest" he added extra emphasis to the word guest. "But i am very much exhausted and I'm sure you are too, but i assure you come tomorow I will gladly explain the intricacies of my past if you are still that curious by then, but for the time being I wish you a good night and a nice sleep." Cyril decided to stop prodding at this and to allow his fellow guardian some rest, bowing his head in farewell to his friend. "Very well, sleep well Terradoor I wish you some pleasent rest in this night." he stated as he turned and walked down the hall to his own room.
With the ice dragon now departing Terrador opened the door to his own private room, stepping inside and closing the door behind him, he find himself in the familiar space, carved from stone so long ago, a table off to the side decorated with an assortment of item's close to the earth dragons heart from his time as a warrior before he became a guardian, a small soft pile of bedding in the other corner. No windows to allow external light in, only a few small candles and a torch on the wall to light the cozy space. He stepped over to a small nightstand near his bedding, and opened the drawer on it, before pulling a small scrap of paper that was delicately folded from its depths. It was a small picture that had been taken long ago using a prototype invention of a mole called a camera, despite its obvious age it was still in very good condition, in the picture there was a younger version of Malefor back when his purple scales matched the same hue as Spyro's, a young earth dragon who stood by his side adorned with green scales and brown horns and spikes. The earth drake in the picture had a big grin on his face as he had his right arm looped around the purple drakes neck, and the other arm was looped over the shoulder of a lithe red fire dragoness with golden curled ram like horns and a spear like tail tip and bright joy filled orange eye's. The odd thing about the photo was Malefor had a small smile on his features and joyful purple eye's that seemed as if they hadn't yet been tainted by year's of war. The sight of the photograph alone caused the large green guardian to lurch and grip a paw to his chest as his heart began to wheep at the sight of some long buried memories, the sudden news that Ignitus had passed, combined with the shocking return of one he used to call his friend shaking him to his core. Terrador truly felt as if he was being haunted by a ghost from his past right now, little did he know not far below him, the dark master was facing his own inner demons.
(The screen begins to darken until only a dark blob remains, before the blob suddenly grows two large white featureless eye's and a large grinning maw revealing the blobs identity as the author.)
Ronny: welp there ya have it guys another slightly longer chapter, at this rate i should hopefully soon reach that balance of not too short but not super long sooner or later, i really enjoyed writing "Anise" quite a lot she is by far one of my most favorite character's ive come up with and i hope soon you guys will see why, but thats for another day until next time i am your ever so lovely storyteller and author, and i sincerely hope to see everyone else in the next instalment of this tale as next time we will be getting some much important interactions with cynder and malefor. Ooooo i cant wait. SEE YA!