Heyo, before we begin, I just wish to apologize for my rant at the end of last chapter, I was running on like 5 hours of sleep so I was a little grumpy, and it didn't help when I chose to read the reviews for this story, and got pissed very quickly by the fact that people were giving me shit for putting General Kenobi in as a joke. Overall, I apologize, and am in a much more mentally sound state than at the end of Chapter 28, anyways: let's begin, I'm sure you have like several questions, particularly about the end of last Chapter (Not the rant), so let's get into it, shall we? Before we do: SKdaGamer, I responded to a PM you sent me regarding some important matters, please respond, because I'm anxious on your reply. Now, for real: Let's get into this.
Chapter 29: Filling the blanks
"What're you saying?" Spyro was baffled while Malefor remaing where he was.
"I'm saying that you and I, are family." He replied.
"But...that can't be true!" Spyro declared, but Malefor didn't flinch.
"Think about it, Spyro! Is it not odd to you that two Purple Dragons currently coexist together right now? That isn't possible, Spyro, not unless a Purple Dragon can successfully have an offspring, which 98 percent of the time, is another Purple Dragon, and in the history of our ancestors: it is rare for a Purple Dragon to have offspring. Either because they die to put their stamp on their age, or because they die shortly after meeting the love of their life. I found Synthia long before I was pressed into combat, the same goes for you and Cynder. We served together during the first Ape war, and when that ended, we settled down and wanted to start a family. So we tried, and Synthia was in fact pregnant after this, but I never had the chance to find out if she laid the egg because by that point: the Dark Master had corrupted me." Malefor explained to the younger Dragon, who was still speechless.
"I was very aware of you birth at the Temple, Ignitus wasn't able to hide it from me when I was evil. However, I had also learnt that Synthia's egg was due to hatch that same night...and considering how it takes two years for the egg to fully develop, it's not to far-fetched to assume that we are indeed biologically related." Malefor considered, Spyro was still unsure of how to take this news.
"I...I don't know what to say." He replied.
"Do you hate me?" Malefor asked, which confused Spyro.
"Hate you?"
"Yes...that is usually how people react when they find out that their parent was a cold-blooded killer. I slaughtered trillions of innocent lives, I tried to kill you, and I killed the closest thing you had to a mother. So just tell me, Spyro: Do you hate me?" Malefor wanted to know, but Spyro still was speechless.
"I, I don't know...I just learned that you were forced to kill people by the Dark Master, on the other hand. You caused much suffering for the world...I...I need to think." He responded and left Malefor to himself, upon leaving the prison, he saw Cynder waiting for him.
"Hey Cyn." Spyro greeted her, and she did the same, but it didn't take long for her to notice his distress.
"Hey, what's wrong?" Cynder asked the Purple Drake, but he merely shrugged.
"I...I need to think, Malefor has said something I need to process." His reply made Cynder uneasy.
"What'd he say?" She inquired, but Spyro kept silent as they walked through the city. "Spyro, I want to help you, tell me what he said."
"Fine...Apparently, Malefor is my father, or he thinks he is." Spyro explained.
"He's your what!? How?" Cynder was beyond confused.
"The stuff he says can be backed up by the Scrolls in the library of our old Temple, but...I don't know how to feel knowing the former Lord of Chaos is my Dad." Spyro elaborated, but Cynder wasn't buying it.
"I can't believe it...you always wanted to know who your parents were, but Malefor wasn't what I expected at all. What was it like talking to him?" She wondered.
"He's more tragic than you realize, he lost the only love of his life, Synthia, who is apparently my mother, on the night they raided that village for my egg...I can't bring myself to hate him, though...he's been in so much pain, how can I add to that? I can't do that, he's the only blood-relative I have left too." Spyro discussed his inner conflict.
"You do what you think is right, Spyro, if you feel sorry for your father, then you should reach out and try to help heal some of his emotional scars." Cynder suggested, and the Purple Dragon nodded in agreement.
"Maybe, but right now I need to think...alone." He walked away from the Dragoness, who was distraught at seeing her lover in such a state of confusion and conflict.
"Hello, Young Dragoness." Cynder turned to see Ignitus standing over her.
"Oh hi, Ignitus." She smiled and waved.
"Have you seen Spyro by any chance?" He asked.
"Yeah...but he needs to think right now, He was talking with Malefor." She replied as Ignitus acknowledged this.
"Very well, I'm going to speak with Malefor myself, something drastic has come up and I need to share it with him." The Fire Guardian entered the prison and was permitted entry, leaving Cynder by herself, although she was soon spotted by some Dragons who came to greet and thank her for stopping the Dark Master.
"Ignitus? Is that you?" Malefor turned to see Ignitus walk up to the cell he was in.
"Yes, it is I, old friend. You certainly look different." He commented on Malefor's appearance involving his face primarily, specifically the dark horns that jutted out in three directions.
"Well, the Dark Master did many things to me...and made me do many things for him." Malefor responded.
"I'm so sorry about Synthia, she was truly the perfect Dragoness for you." Ignitus shared his sorrow.
"And I'm sorry about Incendia...trust me, I despised what I did to her." He told the Fire Guardian.
"Malefor, I wish I could come here under better circumstances, but I'm afraid what I'm going to tell you will not be good news." Ignitus grew much more saddened.
"What is it?"
"The High Council of Warfang has ordered that you be executed tomorrow at mid-day." Ignitus closed his eyes in defeat.
"What!? Execution!?" Malefor was shocked.
"I tried to convince them otherwise, but they didn't listen."
"Well, at the very least, I won't have to wait long to join Synthia in the afterlife." Malefor smiled weakly, then Ignitus sat down beside him, they were only separated by the bars of Malefor's cell.
"If my life ends tomorrow, at least we can spend today reminiscing together." The Purple Drake chuckled and they began to talk with each other about their old life.
"Spyro?" Shard found the Purple Dragon in some kind of garden. "Spyro, I have some news from Cyril."
"What is it?" Spyro said dully.
"Malefor's going to be executed tomorrow at mid-day as decreed by the High Council of Warfang." His news made Spyro swerve around.
"What!? They can't do that to him! He wasn't in control of himself!" Spyro was outraged, causing Shard some concern.
"Woah! Why're you so riled up?" He asked.
"...Malefor is my father."
"...Wow, that's certainly a bombshell to drop." Shard responded as Spyro agreed.
"I can't let them just kill him, he's all I have left in terms of family, sure, Ignitus is the closest thing I had to a father. But after I learned that my real Dad is a weary old Dragon whose life has been nothing but suffering and pain, along with the fact he's being executed! I can't let them do this to him!" Spyro had a slight outburst, but tried to compose himself.
"Spyro, unless you're willing to lose your reputation as "The Dragon of Destiny" and defy the High Council's decree, not to mention basically warranting your own arrest. I don't think that's a good idea." Shard tried to talk him out of it, but Spyro didn't listen.
"Shard, how would you feel if Cyril was being killed for something he didn't do?" He asked.
"But Malefor did do these crimes."
"No! The Dark Master did that! Malefor was a completely different being from him, merely being used as a puppet to further the Dark Master's own agenda...now they're going to execute him for it! How do the other Guardians even feel about this?" Spyro wanted to know.
"Both Ignitus and Terrador have negative reactions to it, Cyril seems pleased with the fact he'll get to decapitate your father publicly, and Volteer doesn't know what to think." Shard explained, and Spyro was furious that Cyril wanted to kill his own father.
"Cryil, wants to kill my Dad? I'm being serious when I say that I can't stand for this." Spyro paced in a circle, while Shard looked at him, worried for his friend.
"Spyro...there isn't anything we can do. The High Council's word is practically law...unless you can somehow change their mind, you're just gonna have to accept it." Shard reasoned with Spyro.
"He's all I have left...Ignitus told me that both my parents were killed on the night I hatched, but now that I possess the knowledge that one of them is alive, as well knowing he'll be killed? I can't let it pass and come true. I have to try and stop them." Spyro replied and walked away from Shard, not listening to anything else the Ice Dragon might say.
"So, how is life as a Guardian?" Malefor asked in curiosity while Ignitus shrugged.
"It's nothing special, just a lot of responsibility, but I take solace in knowing that I'm doing my best to help others." Ignitus replied as Malefor chuckled.
"I have to appreciate how you always made fun of people who speak like that, yet that's how you're speaking right now. It's pretty ironic." He smiled and then seemed more sad. "Ignitus, I have to tell you something that I discovered recently...it's about Spyro." Malefor began, and Ignitus beckoned for him to continue.
"He's my-" Malefor was cut off when two guards walked up behind Ignitus.
"Your time is up." They told the Fire Guardian, and he sighed.
"I'm sorry, Malefor..." He apologized for the Dragon's fate, and he nodded in acknowledgement.
"It's fine, Ignitus...there's nothing that can be done now." Malefor replied and the Fire Guardian left him in his cell.
Spyro walked up to the Dragon Temple, determination in his eyes. The Moles let him in without hesitation, and at first Spyro was in awe at the size of the Temple. Certainly bigger than their old home, paintings of other Dragons engraved the walls, they seemed to be fighting Apes, at the head of the Dragon armies seemed to be a large Purple Dragon...Malefor, he was leading them into battle, clad in armor.
"He must've been so different..." Spyro whispered, then he saw Ignitus entering the Temple.
"Young Dragon, what're you doing in the Temple?" He asked.
"I'm going to try and convince the High Council to cancel Malefor's execution." Spyro informed the Fire Guardian, than Cyril appeared.
"Fat chance, Young chap, you're merely delaying the inevitable. This is my chance to show the world that my lineage is strong enough to kill a Purple Dragon." Cyril seemed very full of himself, but Ignitus walked up to him slowly, and slapped him across the face.
"Mind your tongue! Just because you were birthed from greatness is no reason to get delusions of grandeur, the moment you realize this, maybe we will all be happier...and let me remind you that this "Purple Dragon" You intend to kill is my oldest friend, not a power-hungry tyrant! Come along, Young Dragon, let us try and plea your case to the High Council." Ignitus beckoned Spyro to follow him, but not before glancing at the surprised Cyril, who could still feel the sting of Ignitus's slap.
"You went off on Cyril." Spyro pointed out, while Ignitus sighed.
"My feelings on this particular incident are...complicated, Young Dragon, he was my oldest friend...but now it's time to try and save his life." He turned to face Spyro and the two Moles standing guard opened the large doors and reveal three high platforms that had railings and a chair inside of it, the three of them appeared to be an Elderly Earth Dragon in the middle, a Middle-aged Mole on the right, and a Fire Dragon on the left.
"Who approaches the High Council?" The Elder Dragon asked, Spyro gulped and walked up to them with Ignitus behind him.
"High Council of Warfang! This is Spyro: The Dragon of Destiny, he wishes to speak with you." Ignitus informed them.
"Speak your piece, and be quick!" The Mole snapped.
"Greetings, I am Spyro. I have come to urge you to reconsider the execution of Malefor." As soon as he made this statement, the three Council members looked at one another.
"Absurd! This Dragon believes he can undo what we've decreed!?" The Mole exclaimed.
"Calm yourself Molear, This Dragon is the reason we still live today." The Dragon on the left responded.
"I don't care what this Dragon has done, Blaze, he's asking us to cancel the execution of the Dark Master!" Molear retorted, and the Earth Dragon in the middle stood up.
"Both of you be silent. I'm sorry Spyro, but we merely pass on laws and orders we see fit, the one who makes these laws is our ruler: Alida. If you want to reverse the process, you must talk to her." The Earth Dragon explained, but Spyro seemed more distressed.
"But, there has to be a way! I can't let an innocent Dragon die!" He pleaded.
"Innocent Dragon? He murdered Trillions!" Molear exclaimed, but Spyro was through with formalities.
"No, The Dark Master killed those people, he used Malefor's body as a vessel!" He responded.
"No one speaks to the High Council in such a way!" Molear stood up and pointed at Spyro, who was shielded by Ignitus.
"Molear! Calm yourself! Yes, he spoke in a non-appropriate tone, but he has a rank of authority as the Purple Dragon. Boulder, is there any way he can meet Alida before the execution takes place tomorrow?" Blaze asked desperately and the Earth Dragon considered this option.
"I will see what I can do. Young Dragon, thank you for bringing a new perspective to this situation." Boulder sent Spyro and Ignitus out of their chambers.
"I hope I got through to them." Spyro muttered to Ignitus, who nodded in agreement.
"Hey, Young Dragon!" Spyro turned to see Blaze. "I apologize about Molear, he's a little picky about some things. I am aware of Malefor's past, I was one of the few Dragons to really investigate his fall to the dark. So I know his history, I will do my best to help you with this situation." Blaze explained and shook Spyro's hand, then he walked off.
"Well, good to know we have an ally." Ignitus smiled and walked Spyro away from the High Council's chambers, and towards some kind of room. "I figure that while we're here, I'll show you where you and Cynder will be staying." Ignitus opened the door and revealed a small bedroom, not much larger than his old one at their Temple, two beds were present, each in a corner of the room. The walls themselves were a tan-ish orange and windows were present with candles to drive off mosquitoes. Attached to the Bedroom was a Bathroom complete with a shower and a sink, as well as a place where the Dragons could relieve themselves. In the main bedroom there was also a little hammock for Sparx.
"Wow, Ignitus. This is incredible! Does Cynder know about this place yet?" Spyro asked as the Fire Guardian shook his head.
"Not yet, but she will. I figured you two would like to share a room considering the strength of your bond. I had them put two beds in here, despite the fact that you will both probably be sharing one most of the time, in the incident that one of you needs space. Sparx will also be staying here, so I prepared a hammock for him as well, woven by some of the best Magic-wielders." Ignitus described the situation while Spyro walked around in awe.
"Thank you, Ignitus! Cynder and Sparx will love this." He smiled and turned to face him, but his mood changed and he became more sad when he remembered the possible death of his father, not that Ignitus was aware of the biological link between them.
"Come on, Young Dragon, let's go find Cynder." Ignitus had him follow as they went to go and find the Dragoness, awaiting tomorrow.