Chapter Eight: Heritage

Skyro couldn't help but smile to the act that Smoke and Scarlet were finally together. It was an already known fact for some time that they cared about each other; it was just an odd feeling now that their feelings were out in the open now. He couldn't really depict what he felt to be exactly. He felt happy for the two of them, that was a given, it was wondering what would happen to their friendship now since they were now together.

"So Skyro, are we still on for tomorrow?" Smoke asked, yawning as he stretched out his arms in exhaustion.

"Yeah I'm still in for it," Skyro said as he nodded his head. "I think I have the whole day to myself tomorrow so however long we plan on being out will be fine."

"What are you two planning on doing?" Scarlet asked, wanting to know what Smoke and Skyro had planned.

"We were planning on training tomorrow, we haven't for about a month now so we'll be good and sore by the next day," Smoke said as he looked over to Skyro with a smirk. "Well, he'll be sore anyway, I'll be fine."

"Oh so you say," Skyro said with a smile, popping his knuckles while stretching out as well. "I guess we'll see about that tomorrow." Skyro then stood up from his spot and stretched out his wings, making sure not to accidentally touch Flare with his wing.

"I don't know about you guys, but I'm starting to get tired." Flare yawned as she too stood from her spot as well.

"Would you like me to take you home?" Skyro asked, looking towards Flare who looked back to him and smiled.

"I would love that," Flare said with a smile as she gave Smoke and Scarlet a hug. "Congrats to you two by the way, I hope to see you two sometime soon."

"Hey, you want to catch a show tomorrow, I think the play actors are going to stay around tomorrow to do one show in the day before they leave." Scarlet asked Flare who just released her from a hug.

"Yeah that sounds like fun; I'll see you around later in the morning if that's alright." Flare said as she turned back towards Skyro.

"Yes, that will work out excellent; I'll meet you at the school around early afternoon if that's okay?" Scarlet said before turning back to Smoke.

"I'll see you at the school tomorrow." Flare said as she smiled and turned back to Skyro.

"Well, looks like it's just you and I for a few minutes," Skyro said as both he and Flare took flight into the night sky and towards the direction of Flare's cave. "Anything in particular you want to talk about?"

"Well, I am a bit curious about your family history regarding your father's father," Flare said as Skyro nodded his head in agreement. "I mean, I know so little about your history. Why is your color so important?"

"Well, I'll give you the rundown that I know of," Skyro said as he thought of all of the history lessons through the mounds of textbooks he had to study about his grandfather plus the stories which Spyro had told him before. "It was said for ages that my grandfather Malefor was the first purple dragon, thought that was a myth. Cripyro was the first who purged this world free from evil so long ago during the Dark Days War. When my grandfather was given a second chance to rehabilitate from his evil ways he met my grandmother. Alas he succumbed to the darkness once again and continued his evil ways once more."

"That's insane, how could anyone be like that?" Flare asked, looking towards Skyro who was obviously deep in thought.

"From what I've been told, Dark Magic is a very powerful force," Skyro said as he looked up and noticed that they were about halfway to Flare's house. "I just don't understand why Malefor would want to kill my father other than trying to bring an alliance among them and use him for his own evil."

"Maybe because he realized that your father was a threat due to being trained by Ignitus and the Guardians." Flare said as she flew a little closer to Skyro.

"That seems about right, I'm just wondering what my purpose is." Skyro said, noticing that Flare had flown closer towards him but said nothing.

"Do you think you have any connection at all to Malefor?" Flare asked, now feeling a bit concerned about Skyro.

"I don't know… and more importantly, I don't want to think about it." Skyro said, shaking the idea from his head knowing that he was better than his grandfather. Flare soon realized that she might has said something to make Skyro feel uncomfortable and immediately regretted what she had said.

"I'm sorry for saying that, I wasn't thinking before I spoke."

"Don't worry about it Flare, to be honest, the thought has crossed my mind before," Skyro said as they both soon began to land in front of Flare's cave. "I mean it is indeed something to take into thought. I have heard of my own father doing some dark things before… but nothing as dreadful as Malefor."

"To be honest, I don't think even on your darkest days you couldn't do anything like what Malefor once did before, you are too kind to do so." Flare said with a smile, noticing that Skyro was pondering with his thoughts.

"Maybe so, but I like to think that everyone can have on bad day that could change everything they thought was right." Skyro said, hugging Flare goodbye who in turn slugged him in the arm playfully.

"Don't think like that Skyro, you are a good soul," Flare said as she walked into her cave. "You know you're stronger than that, goodnight Skyro, and happy birthday."

"Goodnight Flare, and thank you, I'll see you soon." Skyro said as he took flight quickly, wanting to get home soon before it became too late. Along the way the thought of his family history bothered him, knowing full well what his father was capable of. Knowing his father was depressed throughout most of his childhood, Skyro became numb to how his father felt and accepted who he was and how he took to drinking when he thought of his wife, Cynder.

"I hope that the day that my father finds peace of mind is the day that he and I can really bond… I just wish I didn't feel like a burden to him," Skyro thought as he felt the crisp wing flow over his delicate wing membranes. "I mean I know he loves me and I love him more than anyone else in this world… but I just feel as though I just remind him of mom more than I should. I miss mom more than anything, but I have friend and mentors to keep me happy and focused in life… I fear that my father might not feel the same."

"All of this debt to G'huar… thousands and thousands of pounds worth of gold just up and gone in a flash," Spyro said while entering his cave, pondering what Warfang would do to relieve itself from debt. "Now there is talk about building a new city… more gold which we don't have."

"Hey dad, are you home yet?" Skyro asked, soon seeing his father sitting in the den with a glass of wine.

"Yes son, how was your night?" Spyro asked, frustrated with his thoughts.

"It was a blast, we went to the party, checked out the Dragon Study, went to Twilight Falls, and I took Flare home, how was your night dad?" Skyro asked, stretching before he sat down across from his father who finished his wine in one gulp.

"Dinner was nice with Flame and Ember, what all did you do in the study?" Spyro questioned as he rubbed his forehead in pain, feeling lightheaded as Skyro began to speak.

"A large debt owed to someone named G'huar," Skyro said, recalling vaguely the details of what was said. "It seems like a hassle if you ask me."

"Yeah, that G'huar speck is someone who is best kept at a distance," Spyro said as he shook his head. "He is the Lizard King whom has moral and an army of avid hunters to match it. And from what Ive heard before from most, he is a sadist. He enjoys battle and killing. Kind of reminds me of Draikor."

"Are you drunk dad?" Skyro asked flatly, not wanting to deal with his father's attitude.

"Probably, what do you have planned tomorrow?"

"I'm training with Smoke." Spyro then stood from his chair and began to walk towards his bedroom.

"I'll be here most of the day if you need me. Do you need anything?" Spyro asked, feeling his head begin to spin again, knowing full well that he was drunk.

"Yeah, you to stop drinking or at least slow down would be nice for a change." Skyro said flatly, not looking at his father who turned back towards him.

"What was that son?"

"I said, 'you should stop drinking, might be better for all of us.' I know it would make me feel better." Skyro said who looked up to his father with a blank stare, beginning to get angry as well.

"Don't concern yourself with my drinking; it helps me cope with certain things." Spyro said, tossing his wine glass into the sink which instantly broke with a crash.

"I will if it involves mom, I think you and I need to talk about it," Skyro said who stood from his chair as well and stood before his father. "Drinking is not a substitute for what happened nor will it make the pain go away."

"You wouldn't know Skyro; you have no idea what pain I've endured." Spyro said sternly to Skyro, taking a step towards him to try to get his son to back off.

"She was my mother dad," Skyro yelled, shooting a look of anger to his father who was taken back by his son's tone. "I know I will never see her again. I know she's gone and I can't do a thing about it, but I wrap myself with the love of my friends and mentors, why can't you do the same!?"

"You haven't lived like me Skyro," Spyro roared, knowing that this argument was going to be unavoidable sooner or later. "You haven't seen the things I've seen, you haven't taken the life of someone you never knew of nor have you taken the life of someone who was related to you… nor have you seen the life of someone you dearly love drain from their eyes." Spyro then saw that he and his son were inches from each other.

"Dad…" Skyro stammered, not knowing what to say as he seen his father's eyes began to tear up. Without any reason why he should, Skyro forcefully wrapped his arms around his father for a hug, listening to his father sob onto his son's shoulder.

"I'm sorry son… I just miss your mother so much." Spyro stammered between sobs, trying to keep his posture while he heard his son begin to stammer also.

"I do to dad, but that doesn't mean you should keep doing this," Skyro said, gripping his father tightly as he felt as though he could just melt in his arms, wanting to show his father that he really did care about his well-being. "Please dad, please try to cut back."

Spyro closed his eyes, remembering that he was setting a bad example as a parent as he said, "I will try son… I swear I will try… happy birthday kiddo."

"Thanks dad, I love you."

"I love you too son, let's try to get some sleep. We have a busy day tomorrow." The two then made their way towards their separate rooms, Spyro being the last one to enter his bedroom.

"He's right… I can't change the past," Spyro thought to himself as he grabbed the veil of poison he hid in his dresser drawer. "But I can shape the future." Breathing a fine stream of fire, Spyro watched as the venomous liquid began to boil and soon evaporate until the glass veil was completely empty.

"He takes after his mother… always giving me hope," Spyro smiled, soon curling up into his bed before closing his eyes. "He is everything to me… I thank the ancestors for giving me a second chance to make things right with my conscience." The purple dragon smiled as he feel asleep peacefully.