Chapter 8: a traitor revealed
"What have they done?" Shard was in utter shock as they walked through the courtyard, Ape bodies littered the ground.
"Malefor has desecrated the Temple, we need to-" Flare stopped dead when she looked ahead, Spyro looked in her direction, and shared her horror, there in front of them...was Incendia.
"Oh Ancestors...Mom!" Flare cried as she sped forward, with Spyro close behind, as they ran up to her corpse and saw the damage done, there was a massive hole in her chest, fresh blood was still dripping from her mouth.
"Mom, no! Please no!" Flare started crying as she held her cold paw and hung her head, Spyro also started forming tears, Incendia treated him like his own mother.
"This...this is my fault..." Spyro backed away from the others.
"Spyro, please, this isn't because of you" Cynder tried to reason with him, but Spyro shoved her away.
"No! No, I did this! If I wasn't so impulsive, this wouldn't have happened! I'm a monster...I don't deserve to even be alive here" Spyro started crying more and more as he backed further away.
"Spyro...listen to me, Malefor did this, not you" Shard also tried convincing him otherwise, but Spyro wouldn't allow it.
"I should never have come back...just leave me alone!" He cried as he ran off.
"Spyro!" Cynder tried to go after, but Shard stopped him.
"Woah, hold on...he just needs time to himself" he told her, but Cynder kept at it.
"No! He needs me!" She protested as Shard remembered the genetic link that formed their relationship, it was only safe to assume that when certain circumstances arose, one of them yearned for the other, right now, Cynder needed Spyro.
"Cynder, please...just let him go, he'll be back" Shard finally managed to calm her down.
"Please...can someone go to him?" She asked weakly.
"I'll go..." they turned to see Flare walking solemnly past them.
"I can talk to Spyro, I'm the closest thing he has to a sister, just wait here..." she explained as she pursued Spyro...
Speaking of Spyro, the Purple Dragon was still on the run, tears flooded his eyes, as soon as he was certain he was far enough, he laid down and started to cry beside a hillside.
"It's all my fault...I'm no hero..." He thought to himself, he then heard a rustle from behind, he looked back and saw Flare.
"I was certain you'd hate me..." Spyro trailed off as Flare walked over to him.
"I don't hate you, it wasn't your fault" she sat down beside him and coiled her tail around his in a sibling-like manner (Yeah, in this universe, Siblings or Dragons who feel as close as siblings also coil their tails to represent the bond of family with each other).
"Flare, I don't deserve to be here, I failed" Spyro replied as Flare nuzzled him (again, in a sibling-like manner, don't get any funny ideas, I'm looking at you, Carl).
"Spyro, you deserve to be here more than any of us, your the purple dragon, it's your destiny to save the world, and...it's your destiny to be with Cynder" Flare said that with a sort of hurt tone, which surprised Spyro.
"Flare...did you ever like me? And I mean like like?" He asked as she nodded.
"It was a long time ago, I used to have a crush on you, a big one, I know we were basically siblings in a way, since Ignitus personally decided to raise you, but...I couldn't help it, but then...I found Flame, and I suppose he was who I needed, I know that you and Cynder were meant to be together, and I respect that and fully support you, but I always wondered..what it would be like...to kiss you" Flare explained with embarrassment at the last part, which shocked Spyro.
"You...felt that deeply about me?" He asked as she nodded, seemingly ashamed, Spyro felt sympathetic for her, and decided he'd give her what she wanted, he lifted her head and kissed her on the lips, surprising her, but she melted into it, eventually they pulled back.
"I...didn't think you'd do that" Flare trailed off as Spyro stood up.
"You wanted to know, jut remember, we're not a thing, okay? And not a word to Cynder or Flame" he made it clear as Flare nodded.
"Yeah, definitely..." she replied as they walked back to the Temple. As they returned, Spyro was overwhelmed by Cynder as she ran to him and nuzzled him uncontrollably.
"Oh Spyro...don't scare me like that!" She scolded him as he laughed.
"I'm fine..." he replied as Shard walked up to him.
"Hey, I'm sorry..." he trailed off as Shard shook his head.
"It's never your fault, come on" he reassured Spyro as they walked back to Incendia's corpse.
"What should we do with her?" Flame asked.
"We bury her, but not until Malefor is gone..." Spyro told them as he looked more determined then before, they were prepared to enter when Shard walked up to Spyro.
"What are you going to do about Malefor?" He asked as Spyro looked back him.
"I don't know, I could kill him, I could merely defeat him and force him to retreat, either way, he's not staying in our home" he replied as they entered the Temple, as they entered, they could smell the stench of Ape looming throughout it's halls.
"We should be on guard, we never know what's around the corner" Shard whispered, as soon as he turned, an Ape showed up, startled by it's sudden appearance, Shard froze the Ape solid before it could call for reinforcements.
"Phew...come on" he continued as they kept going, treading through the halls...
"Malefor! I have urgent news!" An Ape rushed into his throne room as the Dark Master sighed.
"Yes, What is it?" He asked with low patience, the Ape then pulled out an orb and it projected a vision.
"We have some visitors" he told Malefor as the projection showed Spyro and the others walking though the halls.
"Hmm, excellent, the spy has been a reliable source, although I suggest it's time for them to reveal themselves" he informed the Ape as he saluted and ran out of the throne room.
"Let them come, it'll make it easier to kill them" Malefor grinned...
Spyro and Shard were walking through the hall at the front of the group, with Cynder and Rose not far behind.
"Hold on, let me inspect the place" Spyro informed Shard as he looked over the corner...nothing.
"It looks clear..." he turned to Shard, who signaled the others as they moved around, and kept going, surprisingly there was no resistance to them.
"This feels...a little too easy" Spyro thought to himself as they eventually came across a new addition to the Temple, an outside staircase that led up to a domed room that was levitating.
"Malefor...he did this" Flame told him as Spyro gave a sarcastic look.
"Thanks, Captain Obvious, come on" he replied as they were prepared to walk up the stairs, when something happened, Rose dropkicked Spyro onto the ground and punched Shard to the ground, she then flew in front of them and started growling.
"What the-!? What are you doing, Rose?" Shard demanded an answer as Cynder moved to help Spyro, then it suddenly clicked...
"Your...your the spy!?" Shard was abysmal as Rose's friendly demeanor suddenly changed to a more sinister voice.
"Oh silly me, yes I am, and you all fell for it, especially you Shard, you were the biggest fool of them all!" She snarled as Shard looked down in sorrow.
"But I...I thought you loved me..." he trailed off as Rose laughed again.
"Idiot! It's called using you, and you fell for it hook, line, and sinker, I needed to get close enough to Spyro to initiate his memory purge, but Secondary Dragons were never trusted enough, so I found you, and oh, you were so gullible, I never loved you! It's called acting" as she said this, Shard started tearing up.
"How could you do this to Shard!? He loved you, he gave a Damn about you!" Flare snarled as Rose shrugged.
"I have a higher calling..." she looked up at the floating room.
"And if you want to get to Malefor, you'll have to go through me!" She grinned, it was then that Shard stood up.
"No...Flare, you take Flame and the others to free the other Dragons, Spyro, you and Cynder need to face Malefor" he told them as Flare took the others away, but Spyro took another look at him.
"What about you?" He asked as he retained a glare at Rose.
"I need to rectify this..." Shard said with a small tear rolling down his face.
"Ha ha! Bring it!" Rose roared as she lept at the Ice Dragon, allowing Spyro and Cynder to head further up the stairs, Shard rammed himself into Rose as the two tumbled off the side of the stairs and onto the pavement below, with Shard biting at Rose, and scratching her shoulder.
"I thought we had something special!" He roared as he kicked her in the stomach, causing her to fly up into the air, but she stopped herself midflight
"Oh did we? Too bad!" She retorted as their battle grew more aggressive...
Spyro and Cynder managed to make it to the top of the stairs and they saw the large door.
"You ready for this?" He asked Cynder as she looked unsure.
"Spyro...I'm scared" she said as Spyro held her by the chin with his paw.
"Just stay close to me" he told her, his amethyst eyes emitting a sense of safety for the Dragoness, she nodded and stayed close to him as they opened the door, and saw him...
"At long last, my guests have arrived, please, make yourselves comfortable" Malefor stepped off what looked like a throne.
"Oh Ignitus, we have some visitors" Malefor grinned as he used some sort of magic to lower what looked like a cage, and the Fire Guardian was inside of it.
"Ignitus!" Spyro called to him, as he looked up to see the Purple Dragon, his eyes lit up with hope.
"Young Dragon! Thank the Ancestors your safe" he said, causing Malefor to groan.
"Ugh, this reunion is touching and all, but don't come between me and the unworthy successor of me" he snarled at Ignitus as he used Dark Magic to torture Ignitus.
"No!" Spyro cried as he tried to leap for him, but Malefor froze him midair, and merely tossed him into the wall.
"Seriously, your supposed to be the Second Purple Dragon? You don't even look the part" he sneered as Cynder moved to defend Spyro from Malefor.
"Ah, the lovebird, I remember you, the special Shadow egg" Malefor sighed as Cynder growled.
"You don't know anything about me!" She snarled as Malefor laughed.
"Oh no, it is you who know nothing! I manipulated you from birth, my mark remains on you, did you ever wonder why you had those markings on your hips and shoulders?" Malefor brought up Cynder's white markings.
"No! That couldn't be you!" She protested.
"Oh but they are, your abilities may have come from Spyro, but I alone control you" Malefor smirked as Cynder grew confused.
"What are you talking about?" She demanded an answer as Malefor looked to Ignitus.
"You mean you didn't tell them? Oh Ignitus, what a disappointment..." he looked back to Cynder.
"He never told you about the imprint? Or how your memories were purged? Or the fact that you and Spyro share an uncontrollable love for each other, and how the imprint created a strong sexual desire to be with one another? Because that's what he should've told you, and as for you Spyro" Malefor looked at the Purple Dragon laying on the ground.
"I'm sure Ignitus didn't have the audacity to tell you how I murdered your parents in cold blood, he probably couldn't come to terms with it himself" the three of them looked back at Ignitus, who retained a shameful expression.
"I'm sorry, Young Dragon..." he trailed off as Malefor laughed.
"So many secrets, such little answers, but, I was getting off topic, now...where were we?" He turned and closed his fist, Dark Magic emulating from it, immediately Cynder started screaming in pain.
"Cynder!" Spyro tried to go to her, but Malefor froze him in place again.
"Foolish child! She's mine now!" He laughed evilly as Cynder's eyes turned white, without pupils, and her body started glowing black with energy flowing from her body, Spyro backed away as she walked up to him and scratched him along the face.
"Argh!" He yelled in pain as Malefor cackled, and Spyro held back Cynder.
"I won't fight her! You can't make me!" Spyro snarled at Malefor as he grinned.
"Oh I'm afraid that not even your love for her is strong enough to save her, if you will not fight, she will kill you" he replied as Spyro kept holding Cynder back, who forced him onto the ground, trying to take a bite at his neck, as this was happening, Malefor turned back to Ignitus and smirked.
"Now let's destroy what you still have left" he said to the weakened Fire Guardian.
"Cynder! Snap out it!" Spyro tried to convince her, but she retained a stone cold glare, eventually she raised her sharp scythe-tipped tail, and stabbed Spyro through the shoulder.
"AGH!!!!!" He screamed in pain as Malefor turned back.
"Oh I almost missed the good part, kill him, kill him now!" He was goading Cynder as she removed her tail blade from his shoulder, and was aiming it right for his chest, Spyro saw this and managed to stop the tip from reaching his chest, but it was slowly closing in, Spyro showed a fair bit of worry as he noticed Cynder swiped her claws across his face to distract him, scarring him.
"Argh! Cynder! Don't do this!" He pleaded for his life to her as the tail blade was beginning to puncture his flesh, Spyro didn't know what to do, he didn't want to hurt her, but she didn't share that thought, eventually her tail blade started going through the deeper layers of his flesh as blood started to come from his chest and drip from his mouth.
"Spyro! No!" Ignitus roared as his mouth illuminated with flames and he burst from his cage, which surprised Malefor as he rammed into him.
"I won't let you kill him!" Ignitus snarled as Malefor laughed.
"Then you should be stopping her" he pointed at Cynder, but Ignitus didn't budge.
"If I break your concentration, I'll severe the connection, don't think I didn't study the laws of Magic, we were trained by the same Dragon" Ignitus replied, causing Malefor to roar and toss him off.
"Hazan was an old fool!" Malefor charged into the Fire Guardian as they engaged in combat, flying out of the building, meanwhile with Spyro and Cynder, the Purple Dragon wasn't able to hold back much longer, so he did the most non-lethal attack, he managed to kick Cynder off with his hind leg, and she tumbled in front of him, allowing him to stand up, as he stood up, he stumbled a little because of his shoulder.
"Cynder, I won't fight you! I never will, I love you with all my heart and soul" Spyro told her as she lept onto him, ready to deliver the killing blow, but then Spyro decided he'd go out with a bang of sorts, and kissed Cynder on the lips, stopping her mid-strike, she was fazed by this, but stayed black, and Spyro lowered his head back to the ground, waiting for the blow...but it never came, when he opened his eyes, Cynder pulled him into a kiss, and he melted into it, as they stayed there, the Dark energy surrounding her faded, and they pulled back.
"Spyro...What...did I do this?" She looked the cuts and bruises he had received, the wound in his shoulder, and the still bleeding scar running down across his eye, which remained intact as it was closed when she scratched.
"Cynder, you didn't do this...He did" Spyro pointed up at Malefor as he threw Ignitus onto the ground and he slid across right in front of them, he immediately stood up, looking determined, and then gazed behind him to see Spyro.
"Young Dragon, your alive..." he smiled and nuzzled Spyro, whom reminded him of his own son.
"Ignitus, I'm so sorry about Incendia" he told the Fire Guardian as he looked down.
"Yes well...we can't disgrace her memory, so we fight" he turned to see Malefor landing.
"Ready for round two?" Malefor he grinned as they engaged in combat.
(Phew! Finally done, I'm done with finals and this chapter and this felt great, so with that out of the way, I've gotta start writing Worlds of the Pasts, and I'm gonna go see that new Star Wars Movie now, so peace!)