When Spyro and Cynder had departed from Ventus and Herc's restaurant and began making their way back to the temple, their belly's full of what could only be described as cheesy goodness, the duo could not help but notice the crowd of creatures about the temple entrance with Cyril standing before them attempting to calm them down. The ice guardian was speaking with a voice that spoke of year's of experience and it demanded respect from those before him. "Listen everyone please, I understand you are all very concerned but I assure you that you have nothing to fear. All is under control and no one is going to be harmed." He attempted to assure the crowd, but then a female cheetah spoke up in a furious tone and began pointing a clawed finger at Cyril. "NOTHING TO FEAR!?! HOW CAN YOU SAY THAT WHEN YOU HAVE THAT TYRANT IN YOUR BASEMENT?!?" she yowled in fury toward the ice drake, before another spoke up amongst the crowd, a large fire drake. "NO ONE IS SAFE UNTIL THAT MONSTER IS KILLED, AND BEHEADED FOR GOOD MEASURE!" He snapped.
Spyro and Cynder approached the guardian from the crowd, face's full of confusion. "Cyril what is going on? why is everyone so angry?" Spyro asked concerned. Cyril sighed before glancing to the younger male and speaking in an exasperated tone that showed he was at his witts end with the crowd. "This is the result young dragon," he gestured to the furious swarm of creatures. "Of revealing the presence of Malefor in the city." He grumbled, not wanting to deal with this mess any longer ushered the duo inside the temple, before following inside himself and placing a large metal bar in the door to lock it behind him.
Cynder was beyond baffled now. "Wait!? You told them but I thought that it would take longer for repairs to be finished. What happened?" She questioned the ice drake. "The more dragon's that returned the easier it was to repair the city, the trial is tomorow you two, I suggest you prepare yourselves if you plan to do anything for our guest down below." With those word's Cyril walked down the hall to attend to other business. Spyro and Cynder were beyond worried. "What are we gonna do, we still need to talk to Terrador?" Spyro muttered. "Maybe Cyril will know where he is. He can't have gone too far we could ask him." Cynder offered.
Spyro shook his head in response. "No. He already has enough to worry about with the public, we can go see if Volteer know's where he is." He suggested to the black dragoness, who nodded in agreement. Both young hero's bounding down the hall toward the electric guardian's library.
When they arrived they found Volteer going over some scroll's at one of the small table's as he had been last time. When they walked over to his side he glanced up, his previously very focused expression, falling away to reveal a pleased smile. "Spyro and Cynder, good to see you as always my friend's, though I am sorry to say that there is some bad news I must share with you, the trial it is-" he spoke before being cut off by Cynder. "We know Volteer it's tomorrow, do you know where Terrador is, we need to talk to him?" She asked hopefully, though the electric dragon's face didn't inspire hope in the duo. "I am afraid I do not, he departed moment's after we made an announcement to the public, and he did not say where he was going." He said solemnly, head dipping slightly in apology. Spyro sighed but thanked the electric dragon anyway. "It's alright Volteer we'll figure something out I'm sure, just not sure how we can win this without Terrador's vote..." Cynder remembered something at this moment thinking now would be a good time to ask. "Hey Volteer what was the plan for the fourth guardian vote since there's only three of you?" Volteer perked up at this slightly. "Well... We were simply going to have Spyro take on that role for the trial, it only make's sense he have a say in the matter seeing as warfang still stands becaude of you both. It's not a pleasent looking situation I'll admit but alas all we can do now is pray at this point im afraid. In the meantime I'd suggest you let Malefor know to mentally prepare himself for tomorow, and while your at it kindly bring the tray of food over there on my desk to him, it's his dinner for the night." Cynder glanced to the desk in question seeing a small plastic plate with what appeared to be smoked lamb chops, she picked it up and balanced it upon one of her wings. "I was going to bring it to him not long after you showed up but since your heading down there anyway, I'd figured you could do it." He finished before gesturing to the scroll's before him. "Not only that but trial aside, there are so many thing's to do, from claims on property from before the war to getting jobs sorted out for everyone and even getting the issue of reinstating a legitimate currency once again. I can't understand what everyone is thinking paying in random gems." The electric dragon griped.
Cynder and Spyro left the library, lamb chops on wing, and made their way in the direction of the dungeon, the journey there feeling second nature with how much time they had spent down there by now. Upon arriving at the cell of the dark drake, his expression which had been one of slight concern, lightened upon seeing the duo had come to visit him once more. "Spyro, Cynder to what do I owe the plessure of your visit this...time..." He trailed off his gaze moving toward the dinner plate being balanced upon Cynder's red and black wing. He licked his chops, before speaking, the hunger in his voice evident. "Are...are those smoked lamb chops...?" He asked hopefully.
Cynder smirked before moving her wing close to the floor in front of the bar's, allowing the plate to slide off slowly, before using a claw to push it between the bar's toward the hungry drake. Minute's later the plate was empty before a red and purple paw returned the dish to the other side, it's owner having finished his meal. "I haven't had those in sooooo long" he practically moaned as his stomach began to digest the pleasant offering. Cynder spoke interrupting his brief moment of indulgence. "Hope it was good because we got some bad new's now." She spoke her voice tinged with concern. The tone catching the purple male's full attention before Spyro continued where Cynder began. "First and foremost the trial just got moved to tomorrow so we came to make sure you'll be prepared for it." Cynder resumed the conversation once more. "Not only that we still haven't had a chance to talk to Terrador and we have no idea where he is right now." She spoke slightly displeased at herself for not thinking to see the earth drake sooner rather than later.
Malefor nodded in understanding before speaking his thoughts. "You probably won't find him I'm afraid, I have a pretty good guess as to where he is going." This caught the duo's attention, Cynder curiously asking. "Really where? maybe we can catch up to him still." Malefor held a paw up and shook his head at the idea before responding. "No if he is going where I think he is disturbing him simply wouldn't be wise." Spyro spoke next, the purple hero curious as to why Malefor would withhold Terrador's possible whereabouts. "Where could he be that he wouldn't want to be disturbed though?" Malefor sighed in response. "Somewhere...important to him and myself by extension, he is likely going to visit Anise's grave, though I was under Convexity's thrall at the Time, even that did not stop me from visiting the resting place of my friend, I remember when I went there I could always feel the darkness around me lessen, as if just by being there with the good memorys would make thing's feel much better, even though it wasn't enough to free me from it's grasp." As the three conversed, somewhere on the outskirts of Warfang atop a tall hill a ways beyond the wall's sat a garden of white flowers surrounding a single grave marker, and today at this very moment that grave was receiving a visitor.
Terrador the earth guardian, teacher to the purple dragon, was sat atop this secluded place alone with his thoughts, and the flowers. Though there was no one seemingly around to hear his word's he spoke to grave stone, almost hoping beyond hope that somewhere, wherever it is you go after you perish, his friend would be able to hear his word's. "Hey Anny I'm here" he sighed. "Thing's are...so different now, not like the day's when we were kids, I can still remember all the time we spent goofing off, playing childish tricks on the guardian's and anyone else who happened to be the unfortunate target of our hilarious wrath" he was smiling for a moment, a sad smile that spoke of a longing for those time's to return though they never would be the same, this Terrador knew. A frown rose up on his face now. "But...now after all the year's I spent as a guardian for the first time I am truly at a loss, Malefor is back and he looks so much like his old self but still he retains aspects of the monster we have been fighting for so long...the very same that took you away from us Anny..."
For a moment Terrador found himself in the past his own memories pushing themselves to the surface. He could remember waking up that rainy night, the smell of blood, how it made his node scrunch up in disgust and in fear. He could remember when he found his friend, found Malefor coated in blood in the courtyard standing in the rain, four very distinct bodies lying around him, limp and void of life. He remembered that before he could comprehend anything he saw, before he could say a word, the shock of hearing a familiar voice shout the purple dragon's name in what sounded like confusion and fear. Before he could warn the voice who he had immediately recognised as Anise to stay back, he felt a rush of air past him, just as he had craned his around to look at her, the sight meeting his gaze causing his eye's to widen and his blood to run cold. By the time he could turn his head all he was met with was the sight of Malefor, one of his closest friend's at a time now wrapping his jaws around the fire dragoness's neck his teeth digging into her lower jaw as well as the side of her face. As her blood began to seep from the fatal wound she began to slip her fore paws up toward the purple dragon who has yet to let go of her throat, her paws planted on his red stained cheeks but before they could do anything else her body fell limp in the rain.
When Malefor had released her corpse, the yellow glow in his eye's even more prominent, he was unprepared for the sudden attack that was now upon him, courtesy of the earth apprentice who had witnessed the death of the red female. As he was not expecting the attack due to reveling in his kill, he was unable to fully dodge the green claw that had been aiming for his eye, escaping the range of the other male by jumping backwards, but not before one of Terrador's talons nicked the space between his eye's reaching from the edge of his muzzle nearly to his forehead. The wound was not deep but the single claw had managed to pull some flesh from the wounded area, having hooked itself under the scales just enough. As such the wound that was now bleeding upon his face, dripping the red fluids of his body over his left eye which he now closed so as to not allow the offending substance into his sensitive iris, would most surely leave a nasty scar in the future.
Terrador gasped gripping the side of his head with a claw as the memories had begun flowing so quickly that it felt as if he was reliving it all over again. When his headache finally subsided, his paw removed from his temple, he gazed back down at the tombstone a confused gaze meeting the stony texture, before the earth guardian spoke once more. "I wish you were still here Anise, you'd probably know what to do better than I would, at the very least it would be nice to know what your choice would be to give me some perspective..." He was pulled into a bried assortment of memories this time not as deep in them as before but enough to remember the feelings from that past that seemed so far away now. Vision's of sparring with the purple dragon Malefor their bodies coated with sweat as exhaustion encroached on them, while only a smile adorned their faces. Memories of receiving help improving his claw writing with a quill from the flame dragoness Anise, his snout always scrunched up annoyed when his word's did not look as nice as Anise's, who would giggle everytime the earth drake complained and moaned. And one more memory, of the three of them sitting on this very hill having brought their dinner which they had opted to hunt for when the restaurant they had wished to eat out to that day had been full on reservations. The young dragon's not wanting to simply go home to their room's at the temple, chose to have their own outing, enjoying their meal which was cooked by the flame dragoness's element to near perfection albeit with a few egdes being burnt. But nonetheless the three of them had been happy to enjoy each other's company more than anything.
Terrador smiled for a moment, it was a sad smile before he spoke in a voice so quiet that only one who was standing right in front of him could possibly have a chance to hear what was said. "Who am I kidding? I already know exactly what you would do given my position, you were never the type to turn your back on your friend's no matter what." He breathed in and then exhaled, a small breeze blowing around him ruffling the flowers below his claws. "You never were able to tell him... How you truly felt... I only hope that no matter what happens tommorow. I hope you'll be at peace." He pulled an object from a small pouch that hung around his broad shoulders to rest upon his neck. Withdrawing it from within the depths of the fabric, before placing it upon the gravestone. After making sure nothing would happen to it when he left he turned away from the gravesite, before walking down the hillside. When Terrador had gotten a sufficient distance away he considered taking to the air to minimize the time his journey back to the temple would take, but just as he began spreading his large green and tan wing's, he hesitated. Moment's later his wing's folded once again as the earth drake continued to walk his pace slow but not dawdling. He had opted to take his time returning knowing that he would need as much time as he could get with his thoughts for the events that would take place the following day.
Black and purple scales exited the dungeon once more likely for the final time to visit the darker hued male, a small stone shape hung loosely around the back of Cynder's neck, as Malefor's golem had accompanied them seeing as he would not be able to look after it when the trial came tomorow so he had asked Cynder to allow it to stay in her room for the time being as it had taken a shine to her from the beginning. As they walked both their mind's began to wander to a few day's ago back to when they had bested Malefor in combat, the world was truly crumbling around them, and yet at the time all the two could see or hear was each other. Back then the cracking of stone could barely register for them, the only sounds they could hear were each other's voices. Before they even realised it they were both standing next to Spyro's door as Cynder's was a bit further down the hall. The purple drake placed a paw upon the handle about to enter when he froze, and turned to the black dragoness who one moment ago had been walking down the hall but now also turned to face him almost in sync they both blurted out. "Hey Spyro?" "Hey Cynder?" Their faces now a mixture of confusion and a slightly awkward atmosphere hung around before Spyro spoke again. "You go first." The black dragoness responding "no no you first."
Deciding against getting into an awkward squabble about who would speak first the purple drake walked up to his close friend and trusted partner, the scales around his muzzle turning a few shades brighter when he spoke. "I just... Wanted to say, we have both been through a lot lately, what with the end of the world, and Malefor and the trial and everything that's been happening as a result, but I wanted to ask you if..." He trailed off. Cynder was attempting to maintain her composure as she had very high hope's as to the word's that would leave the purple drake's muzzle next, however she herself was becoming very fidgety, her own paws beginning to scratch and tap at the ground below them. "If.. If you would like to go out to dinner? Just the two of us..." He spoke casting a glance to the wall at his left as well as the floor which had suddenly become quite interesting. Before his tone picked up again his gaze snapping back to hers rather quickly. "O-of course I didn't mean tonight! I meant after tommorow you know... When we aren't so busy of course." He was most definitely blushing now his purple cheeks almost becoming a shade of red that would have rivaled Ignitus's own scales.
Cynder couldn't believe what she was hearing, she was feeling so many emotions at that moment, happiness, anxiety, and fear. But she shoved them all down for the time being and responded her own black scales begining to turn pink around the face now as she looked away uncharacteristically shy. "Spyro... Yes I would love to have dinner with you." She stated her heart now truly fluttering inside her chest. She took a single tentative step toward the Spyro, the male not moving an inch as she advanced closer, before she took another and her snout quickly found it's way to the purple hero's cheek, blessing the flustered drake with a brief kiss upon the cheek. It inly lasted for a second but when Cynder spoke next he could barely regsiter what she had said. "Goodnight Spyro see you in the morning." She spoke a sweet tone in her voice. Spyro quickly shook off his stupor before responding. "Uh r-right goodnight Cynder." He spoke still incredibly flustered.
As Cynder turned away from him and began to walk away he managed to tear his gaze away from her only to form a single thought entering his mind before he shook it off. "Has she always walked like that before?" He internally questioned, his mind full of the image of the black dragoness's departing form. More specifically his mind wandered to how her hips would casually swing from side to side as she walked. He quickly however shook those thoughts off before entering his own room.
Cynder closed her own door behind her, her demeanor rather calm, as she wlaked over to her bedding placing the small golem who was previously situated upon her back upon the cushions. Seeing the small construct was somewhat comfy, she breathed in deeply before, something happened, something that if anyone ever found out about she would likely threaten their life to keep secret. Cynder the black dragoness, terror of the skies began to giggle uncontrollably. Her face giddy and excited at the thought of having a date with the drake of her dreams at long last. The golem simply watched from her bedding seemingly amused by the girl's surprising display of joy. When Cynder had finished prancing about her room singing her own praises, she allowed her self to gently lay upon the pile of pillows and blankets, giving enough space so that the golem woudl have sufficient space to curl up beside her, the small creature doing so promptly when she was situated. The black dragoness closed her eye's a small smile upon her face as soon she began to dream of what the future could hold.
The next morning had been rather quiet for the duo, from the moment they awoke and departed their room's they had been greeted by the electric guardian Volteer, who began to lead them out of that area of the temple, toward a long hall they had not been down before. The hall was lined with intricately designed stained glass window's not unlike some of the other pathways in the temple, but whereas those depicted hero's of the past of all types, these showed no story and seemed only to be for decoration and to provide a sense of awe. As they made their way silently to the Large doorways at the end, both of them dreading what was coming next, the electric guardian glanced at them before he placed his paws on the handles, his gaze subtly asking if they were ready. The duo nodded at each other, having shared a gaze that conveyed no word's but emotions.
In response Volteer slowly opened the doors revealing an immensely large circular room, far larger than the library but similar in shape, there seemed to be a vast and large assortment of creatures in the stands that were situated all along the wall's of the room, each spot being packed tightly with mole's cheetahs and dragons alike, all of which were conversing and muttering to themselves. Terrador was waiting for them in the center of the room which appeared to be slightly elevated where he stood so as to garner attention from the masses when they gazed down below. Now standing beside the earth dragon, Volteer with Spyro and Cynder at his side, glanced at his comrade before they shared a nod signifying they were ready to begin.
Terrador cleared his throat rather loudly to gain the attention of the crowd, any conversations that may have been happening now ended as the guardian began to speak. "Citizens of Warfang you are all gathered here today for one reason, you all know that today the fate of the dark master, Malefor shall be determined." He glanced at another doorway on the opposite side of the room from where Spyro and Cynder had entered, which now began to open, only to reveal the purple dragon Malefor, all four of his legs wearing shackles that were held together by large chain's that only provided enough space to take small steps as opposed to long strides. His wing's were tied down to his side's with what appeared to be a sort of brace that was also locked with a key, that prevented his wing's from extending so as to ensure he can not fly or run away and despite these precautions the purple drake's face was not fearful, No it was full of determination. Cyril walked in behind him, his own face not displaying much emotion other than slight annoyance at having to deal with so many people after the crowd had gathered at the temple door the other day. When they were only a few feet away from Terrador and the other's Malefor stopped and continued to stand in place, not wanting to sit on his haunches as that would be a sign of disrespect to the court.
Terrador spoke once more his tone unreadable. "Before we proceed any further it is customary the accused be given the chance to speak and defend their actions." He stated, causing multiple people in the crowd above to roar and protest, before Cyril silenced them with a furious glance if his icy blue eye's. Terrador gazed at Malefor green Irises meeting purple and yellow. "Malefor you are accused of Mass genocide, attempting to level the city of Warfang to rubble, and are also the cause of the extinction of the apes, and on top of it all you attempted to bring about the death of all life on this world, do you have any thing to say for yourself?" He questioned.
Malefor nodded once before turning his gaze to the crowd around him as he began to speak in a tone that exhibited sorrow and grief. "I know what is thought of me, so I'm not going to try and win over this crowd but I will make thing's abundantly clear for all who are here to listen." He heard a voice echoing in his mind, choosing to clear his thoughts for a Brief moment he closed his eye's inhaling a deep breath, however when he opened his eye's he was beyond confused and shocked to find he was no longer in the courtroom. Now he stood in a place that seemed so...empty, he found himself standing in what could only be described as a black void. He looked around and saw nothing and when he gained the courage to attempt to take a step forward, he could see the black below him ripple like water below his claws. Before he could think more on it he suddenly was overcome with a sharp pain in his side as he could feel his body be flung sideways. When he thought he would never make contact with anything again he finally fell upon the liquid substance below, his left side now bleeding with a massive gash in it, before he could even comprehend where the wound could have come from he hears an all to familiar voice.
This time there was so much purple mist surrounding him he almost couldn't see the void beyond it, as none other than the ethereal dragoness known as Anise appeared in his sight her left claw coated in blood from his wound as she began walking toward him her once smug demeanour was gone replaced with a silent fury. Malefor was attempting to move but no matter what he did his body would not respond he could only watch as the spectre before him grasped his throat in it's blood soaked paw, before lifting him as if he weighed nothing at all. "What was that you said before huh? You'd be rid of me? Don't you get it? YOU DON'T GET TO BACK OUT NOW!!" She roared in fury before slamming his body down into the void like substance below them, the sound of what could only be described as glass shattering ringing in his ears. Suddnely out of the corner of his eye's he saw something that both scared and baffled him. The point where he had just been slammed into the ground was gaining shape and color, the inky black being covered in spiderweb like cracks filled with a white light. She lifted him again, before slamming him into the ground again and again. Each time he hit the ground the cracks would increase. "YOU! ARE! MINE!!!!" She screeched each word with a slam until finally after the last one everything seemed to explode with light, blinding the purple drake.
When his vision returned he found himself gazing up into a gray sky, raindrops falling down upon his face, only when Anise grabbed him by a horn and twisted his head to the side did he realise exactly where he was, or rather when he was. The sight before him was a familiar one but not from this angle, he was faced with the gruesome sight of his own bloodstained body standing in the rain the four corpses below him serving to further prove his suspicions. But then he heard the voice of Anise call out his name, not the voice of this monster tormenting him but the real Anise, the one he had always cherished the company of. In a flash of purple he could only watch helpless under the purple figure holding him down, as his own dark body launched forward toward the small fire dragoness, his jaws wide with spittle and fresh blood. In an instant those jaws were wrapped around her neck causing a choked gasp to leave the girl's throat, Malefor could already feel the tears rushing down his face as he made no effort to hide them, opting to grit his teeth as he could not look away. "Now do you see? You made your choice, and I will never let you be happy not after you killed me, stole my future from me. THAT is your punishment." She spoke tone full of anger and malice. But then Malefor could hear something, at first it sounded like the dying breaths of the red female before him, but as he listened he realised she was using all her energy to speak as her two front paws trembling lifted to his past selfs cheeks coming to rest on them as Malefor could only barely make out the word's she was saying with her dying breath. "It'll be o-okay Mal...I still l-love you.. I always w-will.." She choked out, a few tears escaping her eye's as her paws tightened upon his cheeks in what appeared to be a last attempt at a hug for her friend. Before her body went limp, though it was not the sight of his friend dying before him that lingered in his mind but her final word's. Suddenly he began to laugh, a hearty chuckle escaping him and causing the ghoul atop his prone form, to adopt a confused expression. "STOP THAT! WHAT THE HELL COULD YOU POSSIBLY BE LAUGHING ABOUT?!?" She roared baffled as to how the purple drake could be laughing now of all time's.
Suddenly her eye's widened as Malefor's body began to glow a bright purple, before she found herself being launced off of him backwards too shocked by what had just occured to gain her footing she slammed into the ground several feet away. The purple drake began to stand, his wound from earlier glowing with his heartbeat before it began to suddenly close in a few moment's it was as if there had never been a mark there at all. Anise could only attempt to stand and look on as the Dragon before her stared back a fire in his eye's a hearty smile upon his face. He spoke. "Im laughing because I figured it out." Anise growled at him confused "what do you mean you figured it out?!? WHAT IS THERE TO FIGURE OUT?!? TELL ME DAMMIT!!!" she demanded her face a mixture of anger and something Malefor had never seen on the spectre's face before. It was fear, she was afraid.
His smile grew a little wider before he responded in a confident tone. "I realised it just now, Anise, the real Anise said she would always love me even though she was dying she used the rest of her strength to say that to me, the one who had killed her and her father. That's how i can tell your not her." He took a single step toward the creature before him wearing his friends face. "You never were her because the thing's you say to me, the way you made me feel helpless, she would never have dont those things. SHE WAS MY FRIEND" he yelled voice full of certainty. As he said this his paw made contact with the wet stone floor below him. The moment his paw touched the ground all around him a flurry of white flower petals shot out from the point of contact before rushing away from him in the form of a ring that surrounded his body, as the ring moved and grew as all within it's space changed. The stone and rain and blood had all vanished, in it's place below them there was an ocean of water that while it appeared bottomless, maintained the mind boggling firmness that allowed Malefor to stand upon it. The rainy sky and gray clouds evaporated making way for a bright blue sky full of white puffy clouds.
Anise was about to snarl and retort but before she could she felt something inside snap. Her claws shot to her head as she began to unleash an unholy scream that sounded so unnatural, her transparent body being racked with pain. Malefor took another step forwars continuing to speak. "You have no control over me." He stated. Suddenly Anise's body was now marred by a large crack stretching frim left cheek all the way across her chest to her right shoulder, white light emitting from within. Another step forward. "You never did." Another web of cracks etching along her body, accompanied by another scream. "STOP IT!!!" she demanded in too much pain to truly do anything to stop the purple drake from continuing. "You were never my friend, I don't know what you really are, whether your some kind of demon or a ghost or even a product of my own insecurity." He took another step closer now almost directly in front of the screaming abomination, who was now reduced to a pleading mess upon the ground, claws clenching her head in agony. "But what I do know is that I don't have to be afraid of you, you can't control me anymore." One final step. "I'M FREE OF YOU!!!" With those word's the cracks of light covering the creatures body, burst with an explosion of light that blinded Malefor, A final dying shriek escaping it and as Malefor closed his eye's, he could feel all his underlying fear from before ebb away.
When Malefor opened his eye's again he once again found himself in the court room as if no time had passed at all everyone was watching him with angry faces that at the same time were curious as to what the dark master had to say. He finally let out the breath he had taken, before there had been a little bit of doubt clouding his mind, now though he felt at ease and was ready to face the whatever was about to be thrown at him. "I don't really care honestly if everyone of you up there hates me, I am not going to beg for your forgiveness, because I don't need it." He spoke honestly, his bold word's gaining a few gasps and raised brows, though he went on. "I don't expect any of you complete strangers to forgive me because you really have no reason to. But... When it comes down to it i don't think any of your opinions really matter to me-" He said, immediately receiving a few roars and yells of anger in response.
"WHO THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU ARE!?!" someone yelled. "WHAT GIVES YOU THE RIGHT TO SAY THAT MURDERER!?!?" Another screeched. Malefor simply continued his speech unfazed. "You didn't let me finish, I said your opinions don't matter to me because the fact is none of you know anything about me, so why should I give an ancestor's bloody damn about what you lot have to say?" His gaze turned to the guardian's directions, more specifically he looked to Terrador as he spoke once more in a solemn tone. "Terrador I won't ask you to forgive me for what I've done but... I want you to know that I never wanted any of this to happen, I always wish I had just reached out to you, to Anise instead of pushing you away." Terrador didn't visually react but inside he was hanging on every word from his former best friend. "Point is what you choose to do with me is your call, I just...I hope you can find it in you to give this purple idiot a chance to make up for past mistakes." He said his expression physically drooping before he became silent.
When the purple drake didn't speak again for a few moment's Terrador turned his gaze toward Volteer, the electric guardian a little antsy at the blunt speech the younger drake had just given. "Volteer would you care to go first, I ask because Cyril spoke to me of your stance on the matter and I'm sure you have a few thing's on your mind you'd like to say is that right?" He offered, the yellow drake nodding in response before stepping in front of Malefor and ahead of the other guardian's so the eye's would be upon him. "There is a lot we don't understand about the power's that purple dragon's possess, more importantly from the time I have spent with Spyro here.." He gestured to the young hero behind him with a claw. "I have also learned that purple dragon's are not as invincible as some would believe, because they are afflicted with something, something thag doesn't affect normal dragon's, same goes for Cynder aswell, even Spyro has experienced this phenomenon as well. They can be become vulnerable to a darkness if you will, and it seem's the source of their power is also their greatest weakness as it seem's to prey on their negativity itself. Convexity does not function like normal element's, and Malefor back before the war had to endure many expectations and as a result the expectations combined with the outrageous training regiment became far too much for him to handle and as such he fell prey to the very power he was once meant to comand, some of you may believe that it was his own fault, some of you might call him weak." He cast a glance at the purple drake who he had chosen to defend, who looked back in appreciation a small thankful smile upon his face.
"But I disagree strongly with that notion, back at the time Malefor was still only a young child, who never should have had to deal with the troubles of adults, some of you may argue Spyro is a child as well. To that I will tell you a single fact about stress. We all adapt to stress in our own way, but sooner or later we all need to let that pain out, Spyro ended up the way he is because he has had his friend's and family along the way to help him push on, but Malefor not realising what would happen by keeping his problems to himself, kept his stress and anxiety a secret. I dont blame him for the things that have happened though, because everyone makes mistakes, and because there was no way to tell this could have spiralled so out of control at the time, I would like to cast my vote toward his innocence." He stated causing a rumble of murmurs in the crowd. Volteer took a few steps back and allowed Terrador to speak once more. "Cyril would you care to go next?" To which the guardian of ice nodded in response. Stepping forward where his electric friend had been standing before, he cleared his throat before he spoke. "Let me start by saying I don't really fully understand the details regarding why or how Malefor became the dark master and frankly those were never my concerns and they still aren't, that said my concerns are as to whether or not Malefor's presence in this city would pose more of a threat or a benefit to us as a whole. Having said that I am casting my vote in favor of his release, the knowledge he holds is too valuable to let go, not only that having two purple dragon's would be very beneficial to Warfang as a whole when it comes to protecting the city from future threats. Of course whether or not he can truly be trusted remains to be seen." He finished stepped back down allowing Terrador to speak once again. "Very well, Spyro?" He said catching the attention of the hero of legend. "You can go next" he offered. Spyro nodded before stepping forward.
The savior of Warfang took a deep breath, gathering his nerves he spoke. "You all know me as Spyro the purple dragon or Spyro the one who defeated the Dark master, defeated gaul and Cynder, saved the world..." He began to list. "But what you all don't know is that I'm not that special I'm just another guy who is afraid of messing thing's up, of failing when everyone needs me most. That's part of the reason why I want to learn all i can from Malefor, he has so much expierince that I don't and I could stand to learn a few tricks from him. But the main reason is because if it wasn't for my friend's, like Sparx and Hunter or Cynder..." He said glancing at the black dragoness who smiled back at him. "I wouldn't be the dragon I am today. If I didn't have them I could have ended up exactly like Malefor, and that's why I'm putting my vote toward his freedom, so that he doesnt have to be alone anymore." He stated, causing mutliple whispers among the crowd, as now with Spyro's vote that was three in Malefor's favor, and that would mean Terrador's vote would truly be the deciding factor here.
When Spyro stepped down, all eye's in the room were upon the earth guardian. He stepped forward the whole time his green eye's locked with Malefor's duel colors. "I have to admit all those year's ago when you and I would spar together with Anise, I never once in my life thought this is where we would end up... I'm sure many in my position wouldn't hesitate to vote against you." Malefor said nothing as Terrador spoke freely and honestly. "But I have had some time to think and I thought about what she would have done given the circumstances, and I have no doubts in my mind if she were here she would forgive you in a heartbeat, so..." He went quiet the pregnant silence that followed putting everyone on the egde of their figurative seat. He began to walk toward the shackled drake, and only when he was face to face with Malefor did he continue to speak. "It only makes sense I try and do the same." He said with a small smile as he manifested the key to the purple drake's shackles. Malefor was wide eyed and a large grin was plastered on his face, he did his best to hold back the tears that were threatening to burst from his eye's. He glanced at Spyro and Cynder and saw they also couldn't help but smile, Spyro flashed him a thumbs up in congratulations, while Cynder could only let out a breath of relief that this was the outcome.
As Terrador unlocked the purple dragons bindings one by one each one falling with a loud clack to the ground, everyone in the stands began to leave, most upset with how thing's had gone, but a few left with a new outlook on thing's that would require some extra thought. Malefor stretched out his wing's as his old friend began to talk again. "I can't forgive you though, not yet... That, that will take some time. But I'd love to be able to call you my friend again, if you would have this old man in your life that is?" He joked.
Malefor smiled at him, before lurching forward and wrapping his arm's as best he could around the green drake in his best attempt at a hug, though it was awkward due to Terrador's much larger stature. "Of course I'd be okay with that, your no old man combustus your a badass Terrador." He began to chuckle, as Cynder and Spyro began to walk over.
"So what do you say we celebrate with some grade A grub tonight? Your a free drake now we should do something." The black dragoness offered. Malefor merely shook his head side to side before offering an apology. "As fun as that sounds I would like nothing more than to sleep in a nice warm bed right now, if it's not too much to ask. I'm beat as it is." He smiled sheepishly. Spyro offered a chuckle of his own and agreed. "I'm with you on that one, I know the sun is still out but I honestly feel like I could sleep for a good while after today. Besides we can celebrate tomorow, new beginnings and all that right?" He suggested. Cynder was slightly disappointed at the prospect of not celebrating their victory, but even she couldn't deny how tiring today was with all it's tension.
Terrador spoke up his gaze traveling to Malefor. "Your room is still here and no one has used it, if you still want it, though it may be a bit dusty." He offered. Malefor nodded in thanks "I'd like that thanks and don't worry about the dust I can handle it." He said with a smirk, before turning to walk down the hall where Volteer had lead Spyor and Cynder to the courtroom. Both hero's bounding after him as they began to talk and plan what they would do now that Malefor was effectively a free drake, including where to get some decent food the next day so they could celebrate. Before long they had arrived at a familiar sight for Cynder, it was the boarded up room she had noticed a few night's ago. Malefor took a look at the board's before digging his front paws into thrm and pulling each one off one by one placing them into a stack next to the doorway. Before he pushed the dooropen, causing it to creak as he was met with the sight of his old room from before his life went awry. Everything appeared to be coated in a light layer of dust.
Noticing this the purple drake took a deep inhale of fresh air, before exhaling across his room tilting his head as he breathed, a high power jet of air exiting his maw and blowing all the dust away and out the window which burst open as a result of the high winds. With most of the dust expelled Malefor cast a glance at the two dragon's who had given him a second chance at life. He wrapped his arm's around their shoulders in a tight hug suprising both of them who promptly returned the affection. "Thank you so much for doing this, you didn't have to listen, you didn't have to help me but you did, and I will never forget it." He assured before releasing the duo, and bidding them goodnight as they departed for their own room's. As he closed his own door and went to lay in his old bedding, he felt a soothing sense of comfort at being here again. As he began to drift off to sleep he muttered "it's so good to be home." With that his eye's closed. No nightmares plauged his dreams that night and he had one of the most pleasent rests he has had in a long time, because at long last after all the pain and the hardship he was finally and truly home.
Upon this night there were few thing's wrong, it seemed all was at peace for now, Spyro was entertaining his brother with a game of checkers and winning despite the little insects displeasure. With Cynder she had opted to playing silly games like hide and seek with the small golem. Cyril slumbered peacefully after these long last few day's. Volteer as always was reading a book that while he might find interesting other's might disagree. Terrador was taking some time to himself to begin writing in a journal to get his thoughts out on paper.
And the purple dragon formerly known as the dark master, was slumbering the night away dreaming pleasant dreams. Unaware though to him there was a purple hued mist beginning to seep off of his body, but suddenly the mist began to change color, going from a bright violet to a pure white, a slight breeze as it swirled and coalesced into the familiar form of Anise. Her face once condescending and donning a smug visage was now a sweet and sorrowful smile. Her ethereal form no longer bearing the scar that marked the wound of her death, she leaned down toward the purple dragon before her gently placing a kiss upon his nose right on top of the scar that adorned him. Though he did not wake he did stir and seemed to smile in his sleep at the touch. Anise smiled at this before muttering to herself "Good luck Mal, have a good life okay." She spoke her voice full of hope.
Suddenly the apparition heard a voice behind her, a deep and heavy voice that simply sounded Ancient. "You can't stay any longer child, it's time to go be with your family, your father is waiting for you as is your mother." It spoke, causing the ghost to turn it's gaze toward the source, her eye's being met with a large form cloaked in shadow, seemingly twice the size of Terrador and with piercing red eye's that shone through the darkness. She sighed and cast a final glance at the purple male, before responding "I know I just wanted to say goodbye." She admitted. The voice spoke again this time praising her. "I must say you surprised even me, managing to restrict a fraction of the dark master's power for so long even when convexity took your visage for it's own uses, you kept your friend from doing more damage than he did, it's impressive what love can enable one to do even in death, but I will have to ask you allow me to take care of that sealed power for now, the chronicler shall hold onto it until your friend is ready to reclaim it." The entity spoke, holding out a large shadowy claw, to which Anise held out her own, a small dark violet orb of energy manifesting in her claws before hovering over to her guest's grip. When the orb was within their shadowy palm, they closed their claw blocking the light it emitted. "Are you ready to go now?" It asked for confirmation, to which the dragoness nodded her head while casting one last glance at the sleeping drake.
The shadowy figure spread it's two massive wing's, the darkness seemeed to travel around the room enveloping her and the entity. Before it could enclose her completely she said one last goodbye to her long time friend and unrealized love. "Goodbye Mal." She smiled as the shadows hid her glowing form from sight before they retreated and in a single moment the room was dark and quite once more the only sign of life being the sleeping drake within.
Upon a small hilltop just outside the city, there sat a lone gravestone, situated on that stone there was a small picture frame. Inside that picture we see three young friend's one green, one red and the third purple, all were smiling as they simply enjoyed their time together. A white light suddenly enveloped the frame, becoming extremely bright before disappearing as quickly as it had come, and when it dispersed the picture had gone with it.
(the pages of a large book could be seen closing as it rose up through the air to place istelf upon one of many shelves)Ronny: well everyone im afraind that's the end. it was so nice to tell this story whether other's will enjoy it or not i enjoyed writing it a lot, have a good night all...oh Hehehehe you didn't think it was really over right...? no my friend's this was but the first act, now dont get me wrong id live to continue the story right away but if do that there will be no dramatic tension, so for now i must bid you all farewell as we take a short hiatus, though i dont know when it is I'll be back i promise it will be someday, to those who wish to see more have faith as it will take time before i come back. and rememberTHIS IS ONLY THE BEGINING ;)