Chapter 27: Painful Reality
Spyro and the Dark Master clashed, each time a spectacle of lights would flash. Cynder was laying on the ground, unconscious, all the while, the two Dragons fought.
"So, how does it feel to be one in the same?" The Dark Master asked, causing Spyro to growl and punch him away.
"I am nothing like you!" He snapped and blasted a stream of Pure Aether at the Dark Master, who countered it with his own Aether stream. He managed to overpower it with his own, knocking Spyro to the ground.
"Still as weak as ever...just like Incendia." The Dark Master smiled, giving Spyro great fury as he rammed into the Dark Master, smashing into the Core, as he repeatedly pummeled The Dark Master's body.
"THIS IS FOR INCENDIA!" He punched with great fury.
"THIS IS FOR ROSE!" This time, his blow was even greater.
"AND THIS...THIS IS FOR MY PARENTS!" Spyro seemed to have did something, since he heard a crack coming from his opponent's ribs.
"Good...good, Spyro...kill me, fulfill the prophecy...you are the *cough* Dragon of Destiny, are you not?" The Dark Master tried to goad him, but when Spyro saw what he'd done, he became horrified and his scales changed back to purple.
"No...I'm not liked you..." He replied, causing the Dark Master to sigh.
"Very well..." He formed a dagger with his Dark Magic unbeknownst to Spyro, and stabbed the small Dragon in the gut.
"Ack!" His eyes widened and he looked down at the puncture when he was pushed back by the Dark Master. As Spyro fell back, he felt where he was stabbed, seeing the blood dripping from his hand.
"Now. witness the-agh!" Cynder leapt onto the Dark Master's back, but he quickly grabbed her and tossed her alongside her love.
"Spyro!" She cried upon seeing his wound, all while the Dark Master grabbed the Time Crystal, and held it up in the air, his body still erupting with Purple Flames.
"Your efforts were in vain, now...witness the great rebirth!" He held up the Time Crystal and started charging it up to erase all of time itself.
"Spyro...this is it, isn't it?" Cynder asked him, he looked up at the Dark Master.
"No..." He slowly stood up, he could feel the spirits of Incendia, Rose, and Nero flow through him, giving him strength. He could hear their voices as he slowly limped towards the Dark Master, Spyro held his wound tightly, his eyes glowing a vibrant purple.
"Now it is time to unleash the true Dragon within you..." He could hear Ignitus speak to him, and his maw glowed a bright purple.
"Oh stop trying to fight me and-ARGH!" The Dark Master was struck by a powerful blast of Aether from Spyro.
"YOU WON'T HURT MY FAMILY ANYMORE!" He roared, and the Dark Master fired back.
"You cannot defeat me! I AM ETERNAL!" The Dark Master snarled and let go of the Time Crystal as it still floated, they remained in a standstill, the Aether energy bounced off the walls that surrounded them. Eventually Spyro blasted Malefor to the ground.
"I will never kill you...because that doesn't make me any better." He replied and held his wound, suddenly, the Time Crystal lit up and a bright pink light glowed throughout the room.
"GEAGHHHHH!" The Dark Master screeched in pain, while Spyro saw that the stab wound on his gut had sealed up, and the blood on his hand had evaporated.
"Malefor, long have I watched you, your life has been filled with pain. Now...allow me to PURGE you of this parasite, leave Malefor alone, and burn in your own Hell!" A crystal White Dragon appeared from the light and held out his hand, suddenly the purple mist in his eyes and mouth was drained from him. Eventually the mist became an energy orb, and the White Dragon dispersed the energy, practically killing it. Then Malefor fell on the ground, unconscious, the Crystal Dragon then vanished, but the Time Crystal remained where it was.
"Spyro...what happened?" Cynder walked up to him and inspected where he had been stabbed, seeing the wound was entirely gone, suddenly a voice spoke to Spyro.
"Hello, Young Dragon, I have been watching you for some time. I, am Guardian #42, I watch over a collective series of Universes, yours is a peculiar one, as many stories have been told from it. You have fulfilled a great prophecy, one that no other Universe has ever been presented with, one fortold by the Ancients of this world: You have saved the Multiverse, the Dark Master would've used the Time Crystal to destroy not just this Universe, but the entire Multiverse. An anomaly created during a mishap which involved four worlds merging, he possessed this world's Malefor, and planned to use his power as a Purple Dragon to wipe out all of time...but you stopped him. Allowing for Malefor...to be restored." Spyro looked back at the unconscious Dragon.
"He...was never evil?" He asked the Guardian, but since Cynder couldn't hear the Guardian, she was confused.
"Yes...in fact, he was quite the opposite...spare him, Spyro, his story is not finished yet." The voice disappeared, suddenly the Volcano started to cave in on them.
"Spyro! We have to leave now!" Cynder exclaimed, Spyro looked at Malefor.
"We're not leaving without him." He rushed over to the larger Dragon.
"Wait...what!? Spyro are you crazy!?" She demanded an answer, but Spyro gave none as he lifted up Malefor.
"Cynder, please help me! I'll explain later!" He made it clear he wasn't leaving without the Dragon, and Cynder gave in and moved to Malefor's other side, helping to lift him up out of the Volcano right as it collapsed, the Time Crystal shot out of the rubble, and sent out a blast of energy, the Apes looked at it, but were unable to prevent the blast from incinerating their bodies.
"Look out!" Janne cried out when the blast came for them, but instead it made their bodies glow more brightly with glimmer and spectacle, Shard rushed outside to see a small shape flying in the sky.
"Hey...it's Spyro and Cynder, they're okay!" He cried out, and the Dragons started cheering, but it stopped when they saw who they were carrying with them. Ignitus walked up to the Dragons once they landed.
"Young Dragon, you never cease to amaze me, and what's more, you've returned with your companion..." Ignitus looked behind to see Malefor's body on the ground, he walked up and touched the Purple Dragon's forehead, awakening him as he no longer saw the malicious yellow eyes, but passive purple ones.
"Ugh...my head...wait." He looked up at the Fire Guardian. "Ignitus...is that you? What's going on? Where's Synthia? Wait...Synthia..." He seemed to be saddened upon hearing that name.
"Malefor...it really is you." Ignitus smiled, but the moment of joy was stopped when two guards came in from behind and knocked Malefor onto the ground.
"Don't move! Do not resist!" They were placing magic-dampening cuffs on his front paws.
"What's happening!? Ignitus! Help!" Malefor gave out a plea, and the Fire Guardian tried to help, but the guards stopped him.
"Please sir, for your own good, stay back." They tried to reason with him, but he shoved them aside.
"Oh how can you be so blind? It's Malefor, not the Dark Master!" He growled, but was stunned by the guards, who grabbed Malefor and took him away.
"Ignitus! There had better be a damn good explanation for what's going on!" Malefor called out before he was out of sight. Spyro knew what was happening, but only he and Ignitus were aware.
"I need to go and see him." Spyro blurted, causing distress amongst the others.
"What!? Are you insane!?" Sparx exclaimed, but he went after them nonetheless. "Yep...he's crazy." The Dragonfly sighed and looked back at Ignitus, who rose from the ground.
"I...cannot thank you all enough for your service, truly you were all the generation of Dragons to stop the Dark Master...but, I must do something...involving Malefor. Terrador, come with me." Ignitus beckoned the Earth Guardian and they walked towards the Dragon Temple, eventually, Volteer and Cyril left with their respective partners, leaving only the cadets.
"So...what do we do now?" Shard asked, breaking the silence.
"We survive that..." Flare pointed at the scour of Dragons and Moles coming to give their thanks.
"Oh boy...where's my pen? I'll be needing that for autographs." Sparx said moments before they were overwhelmed by the Dragons.
Spyro followed the guards escorting Malefor to their Prison, he was allowed entry since the gate keeper knew better then to deny the Dragon of Destiny...
"Hello there (General Kenobi), Young Dragon, what can I do for you?" The attendant asked Spyro.
"Hi, I'd like to see Malefor, please?" He requested, and the attendant nodded and let him through.
"Certainly, the authorities are moving him to his cell now." He guided Spyro through the Prison. What he had noticed, was that a few of the Prisoners were Apes, apparently the Time Crystal hadn't destroyed them all in the blast, it was a small number to be sure, but Spyro found it peculiar how they were spared by the Guardian. He then saw what looked like...a cat person?
"What is that?" Spyro asked the attendant.
"That is one of the natives from the Valley of Avalar, he was caught attempting to steal from our vault." it was explained to Spyro as they kept walking, eventually they had reached a much lower level of the prison.
"Does Malefor really need all this security watching him?" Spyro asked as they walked by a series of guards.
"Naturally." The attendant responded, they arrived at the cell in the middle of the wall way-back, the two guards had just put the larger Dragon behind bars.
"What are you doing here?" One of the guards asked the attendant.
"This Dragon wishes to speak with the prisoner." A quick answer was given and they left Spyro alone with Malefor.
"Okay then, Malefor. Let's talk."
"Once more, you're welcome, you have been saved by me, Sparx: Scourge of the despots!" Sparx waved while Cynder eye-rolled.
"Sure you did, Sparx..." She muttered and turned back to the others.
"That should be all of them." Janne sighed in relief while Shard seemed to look at the ground.
"I'm going to go find Spyro, I think I might know where he is, too." Cynder informed the others and walked away to find her lover.
"Spyro, I presume? You're the talk of the town around here. I must say it's nice to meet another Purple Dragon." Malefor said to Spyro.
"Malefor...you're not at all what the historic texts say you are: a greedy and ambitious Dragon whose lust for power drove you to become the Dark Master." He replied, causing Malefor to sigh in a slight depressive state.
"So that's the official story? Well...I was ambitious, but only to protect those I cared about, especially...Synthia." Malefor trailed off, causing Spyro some confusion.
"Whose Synthia?" He asked.
"Synthia was: the most beautiful Dragoness in all the world, we were very much in love, like you and Cynder. But, it was not formed from genetic tampering, it was built on years of trust and friendship...I called her my "Sapphire". She was beautiful, and kind, and compassionate, a truly remarkable Dragoness, and she saw something in me. Me: a fool with a dream..." Malefor explained and looked at Spyro.
"Let me...tell you a story." He laid on the ground and beckoned Spyro to come closer to the cage, and began to tell his tale.
Holy shit, a lot happened in this Chapter, and I gotta say despite the critiques I know I'm gonna get with this particular Chapters, I'm proud of how things turned out. In regards to the length of the book, 70 chapters minimum is still my goal, it's just that Malefor isn't the only villain, only now...he's a hero...character development I guess. Anyways, bye.