Chapter Ten: Family

"Spyro, you home buddy, it's Sunny and I?" Sparx asked sincerely as he and Sunny flew into the dark cave which smelled of liquor to Sparx, though Skyro would have been nose blind too.

"Yeah I'm back here in the living room." Spyro stated, soon seeing the bright yellow glow from Sparx enter the room lit only by a single, low burning candle while he read a book to himself.

"Hey, how've you been lately, we haven't stopped in and visited for a while and we figured today might be a good one." Sparx said as he and Sunny hovered close to the dragon's side.

"I couldn't agree with you more, Skyro and Smoke are off on their own today so I was just kind of slacking off anyway," Spyro said with a chuckle, setting his book down before rubbing his eyes. "Either I need glasses soon, or some more candles and lanterns to brighten up this abode. How have you two been?"

"Oh you know, just been trying to get by lately, you know how it is lately," Sunny chimed in cheerfully. "We may have to move closer to the city soon, it seems like it would be more convenient for us."

"If it helps you to in any way I highly suggest it, about everything you need for a life is there," Spyro said, not wanting to think about it too much about Warfang. "I would have a while ago but you know… don't have a lot of fond memories there."

"We understand you know we saw Flame and Ember look like they were heading this way, we flew by and said we were heading over here and they said to tell you hi," Sparx said as he settled among Spyro's shoulder. "They said they will try to swing by later if you were here, they said something about collecting herbs before the sun went down for once and laughed."

"Sparx I need to fill you in on some things," Spyro said hesitantly, soon hearing footsteps come inside his cave. "Hello, who's there?"

"Hey Spyro, I see you're hear with everyone, hey Sparx," Flame said, waving as he and Ember entered his home. "Has Sunny been having trouble with you lately?"

"Me, never." Sunny laughed, noticing that Spyro's expression seemed tired and in pain.

"What's wrong Spyro?" Ember asked, knowing there was something troubling the purple dragon.

"Well, I was just about to tell Sparx and Sunny here something that has been troubling me lately," Spyro explained, knowing the pink dragoness was always there for his support. "But since you all are here, I guess now is as good of a time to tell you all as any… this is something I hope Skyro will never find out."

"You know now that you mention it Spyro, its funny you two showed up so soon than later on tonight." Sunny said, wondering why Flame and Ember arrived this early.

"Herb collecting can wait, we haven't been together as a group for a while now and figured today might be a good day to do so." Flame stated, soon noticing an eerie silence fell upon the room. Everyone could feel the heavy breathes Spyro took to control his sobs, yet a single tear still managed to escape his control.

"Cynder's final request to me was to ensure I took care of Skyro… that is why I have slaved every single day of my life to make sure he is not subjected to the endless pain of war like I have been my whole life," Spyro stammered, not knowing what else to do. "But I'm worried that no matter what I do, he will be brought into that life regardless of my efforts, and it pains me so much. He and I got into an argument the other night about my drinking and what it came down to was that I would try to cut back… but it is my vice for all of the pain and even it has failed me… I don't know what to do anymore." Spyro then began to sob even more now, knowing he couldn't suppress how he felt any longer.

"I feel like a worthless father, I have been doing this for years and I just can't come to terms that the one thing that I wanted in this world will have to walk down the same path as I," Spyro then allowed the tears to flow freely, knowing full well that his friends were there around him to expel his inner demons. "It has been bad enough that lately… I was going to kill myself. Just end it all but I remember Cynder saying to be strong, to fight through this darkness and to raise Skyro properly… but I just don't know if I should train him the way I was trained and show him what he is capable of or try to shield him from the dangers."

"Spyro… it is okay to show him," Ember said softly, stepping forward to the mighty purple dragon, kneeling down to look at his hidden face which was obviously streaming with tears. "The funny thing about destiny is that there are some things about it that you cannot change about it, even if it is against what you want. Like it or not, Skyro needs to know what he is capable of… even the power that is within his heart."

"Convexity… the curse ridden power that my kind is destined to cope with," Spyro stammered, raising his face to his friends who all looked down on him with sadness in their eyes. "That power is too dangerous, even I almost killed innocent lives because of it… how can I hope to control it with the emotional state that I am in now?"

"By using your love for him," Sparx said as he hugged his brother. "That same love you had for Cynder is no different for what you have for your son. Together, you two can become more powerful than you and Cynder combined, and harness that power to its full potential. You two can learn and grow with one another through what you will learn of it. We your friends have you back… we your family love you enough to be through thick and thin with you. All we want is for the good of your heart to come back the way it used to be. All we want is to help you through these dark times."

"He's right Spyro, all we want you to know is that we are here for you, we've always been here for you." Sunny stated as she watch Ember and Flame hung Spyro as well, soon joining the hug herself.

"You are not alone Spyro… you have always had us… we all love you so much." Flame said as he could hear Spyro crying uncontrollably now.

"Thank you… thank you so much," Spyro stammered, stretching his wings around the group and hugging Ember and Flame while resting his head on Sparx while feeling Sunny hug the other side of his neck. "I will train him the ways of my elements, together with the Guardians training already in mind and the training I will give him, he will be of his own… then one of these days I will show him his inner power." Spyro gripped Ember and Flame tighter, knowing that he was in the wrong for what he was holding back from his son, but would soon change that for the better.

"I've been so depressed… so lost in this world… I love you all, from the depths of my soul I love you all," Spyro cried, allowing his sadness to finally expel from his heart as it should have a long time ago. "Ignitus, I wish you were here for me, you would know what to say to me… to help me cope. Cynder, I miss you so much honey… I love you. I wish I had gotten to you sooner, I would have been able to offer some of my life force to keep you alive a bit longer to try and save you… I promise to move on for Skyro's sake if not for my own… I will try to cope… " Spyro could feel darkness settle among his soul, knowing that he had truly hit rock bottom.

"Everything will be okay my love… please stay strong." Cynder whispered as she saw the heartbreaking union of friends among the Pool of Visions, knowing there was nothing she could do for him.

Skyro's head hung low from the beating he had just received from Smoke who stood across from him, also cowering close to the ground in exhaustion.

"You… you sure are strong for a geek," Smoke said, letting a small smile spread across his beaten face. "I am impressed how much you've retained of my lessons."

"Thank you brother… I think we should stop for the day before we seriously get hurt, I think we are evenly matched." Skyro panted, wiping the sweat from his forehead.

"I agree, anymore for today might result in blood," Smoke sighed in exhaustion, knowing that he was right. "So what do you want to do now?"

"It's been several hours, almost midday it seems, do you want to head to Warfang and meet up with Scarlet and Flare?" Skyro said with a smile and he saw Smoke chuckled to his request.

"You just want to see Flare," Smoke laughed, slugging Skyro in the shoulder as he passed Skyro. "Yeah let's go find them, I need to talk to Volteer and see about the negotiations."

"I really wish you of everyone else they could have chosen didn't have to go." Skyro exclaimed, knowing that what he was going to be doing was dangerous.

"Relax Skyro, everything will be alright." Smoke stated, though doubt did cling to his mind as he did not know of what shady dealings the Lizards could do to him.

The midday air softly blew through the glass doors within the Dragon Study, sending a chill through the mighty dragon Terrador's body, knowing that the night to come would bring colder winds throughout the city. The old dragon could only think of Ignitus and how he would have led then throughout all of the heartache and carnage their world had endured after his passing.

"You seem to be reflecting on things Terrador, what is the matter?" Volteer asked, walking up to his colleague whom stood among the balcony, overseeing all of Warfang.

"Ignitus once told me that the hardest choices sometimes require the strongest of wills…," Terrador stated, hanging his head low in shame as he drew a shallow breath. "We should have killed Draikor and destroyed the demon Zpharah when we had the chance. I take blame for Cynder's death and all of this heartache Spyro and Skyro have had to endure."

"Terrador…" Volteer began but was inevitably cut off by Terrador.

"I sometimes wish he was still here to help us through this… maybe most of these mistakes we've made over the years could have been avoided if he was by our side again."

"You know, Ignitus once said to me that no matter how much we learn from the past, we will all make mistakes later on in the future, not matter how right they sound at the time," Volteer stated, trying to calm his friend. "Everything will be okay Terrador, we all have made mistakes, but we all must press on."

"… I suppose you're right, I have been thinking that when this business is over with, w should being to search for clues of to what has become of Nemphis," Terrador stated, knowing that it was the right thing to do. "Without nay guidance, he is alone in this world but needs to die all the same. It would ease my troubled soul if we were able to find him."

"If that is what you think should be done then it is settled, we will set out a search as soon as the team returns," Volteer said as he turned back towards the study. "But please remember this Terrador; some things are out of our control." Volteer humbly made his way back into the Dragon Study, leaving the Earth Guardian to himself with his thoughts.

"I will make this right Spyro… I promise you this."

"Hey you two, how was the show?" Skyro greeted Flare and Scarlet who trolled up to him and Smoke cheerfully.

"I was pretty good, I love their music, it was a nice change from the rage last night," Scarlet said as she hugged Smoke. "It looks like you two were pretty busy for most of the day." Scarlet chuckled, noticing the bruises and scuffs along Skyro and Smoke's bodies.

"Yeah, we might have gotten a little bit carried away, but what are you going to do you know?" Skyro said as he smiled towards Flare.

"Well I can safely say what luck it is to find all of you young one's here," Terrador stated as he and the other two Guardians greeted the four. "What brings you here to Warfang?"

"Well we were just meeting up with Scarlet and Flare here, what brings you three out here, we hardly ever see you three leave the study." Smoke said as he noticed Skyro's eyes light up with respect.

"We were actually heading towards Spyro's cave to discuss some business with the Lizards as you know we have so dealings lined up with them and we were wondering if he would like to be a part of it," Terrador stated as he folded his tattered wings out for flight. "We are going to bring Hunter, Prowlus, along with us. I believe Hunter's son will be joining us as well."

"I didn't know he had a son." Skyro said, surprised to what he had just heard.

"Nor us until recently, but it is only right to include him in this business, and we just so happen to think that maybe you and Smoke should hear the complete details of this." Cyril said as he perked up behind Terrador.

"When were you three planning on having this meeting with my father?"

"We are departing now; do you care to follow us there?" Volteer asked as he stepped towards Terrador's side.

"What do you say, shall we go?" Skyro asked as Smoke nodded his head in agreement.

"I want to go too." Flare insisted as Scarlet piped up in agreement by nodding her head as well.

"So do I, we're kind of a tight group." Scarlet stated as Terrador chuckled.

"As you four are, very well, let us head on our way, we will meet you there," Terrador said as he leaped into the air and took flight, followed by Cyril and Volteer. "We will be only delayed by ten minutes or so, we will try not to take too long."

"Something seems off… why would he ask for us to go as well?" Skyro asked, scratching his head in confusion.

"I'm not sure, maybe he's trying to keep us all informed since we are close to each other," Smoke said as he opened his wings. "But let us not waste too much time, let's try to beat them to your home." The four soon took flight towards Spyro's cave.