(Back in the present…)
After the defeat of the two Dark Ones the day before, Spyro, his friends, and all of Warfang had a time to rest all night and prepare for the next day. It was already early morning at that time, and dawn was near.
Several of the warrior moles and dragons now rested in shared rooms in the city. For their part, the high command like Spyro and the others, stayed at Castle Hill, where they had two shared rooms: One for Spyro, Flame, Jhonny, Ray and Thorr, and another for Cynder and Edel. Other moles and dragons were taking turns watching.
Spyro was on the terrace, he had taken that turn of surveillance of his own free will, although both Thorr, Flame and Jhonny had offered to take it in his place. Either way, there was no way to make him change his mind. And there he was waiting for the dawn and the last battles. So far, eight of the dark ones had fallen, but there were still five left… this war was starting to get tougher by the second.
A loud snore made him alert. To his reassurance it came from the room below. He then tried to concentrate to perceive Malefor's mana. In his last battle, he had sensed it…and felt it very painfully. He also remembered that he had almost lost Ignitus that time. Although it did not happen and something so tragic had not happened until now, he did not want it to happen, because the pain and loss of a loved one was a difficult feeling to bear and even more so when you see it with your own eyes.
"Reflecting again, Spyro?" he was woken up by Jhonny who had also woken up.
"You didn't have to come here," Spyro told him, "You should rest."
"Try to sleep with Thorr snoring next to you…"
Spyro laughed at that comment and then continued his surveillance.
"Nothing yet, huh?" asked Jhonny, "It's good that they give us breaks like this, but in war one must always be alert and expect the unexpected..."
"Where did you get that?" Spyro asked, "Looks like you've made progress in being a general."
"I read it a long time ago, more exactly when I was human. A book called 'The Art of War'. Although he did not agree with the title, he had interesting things "
"Maybe one day you will be able to write your something like that…"
"I don't believe it. At this point, the first volume already has your father. For everything that has happened…"
"Yeah…"
There was silence, in which Spyro was just pacing back and forth. Finally, when he got bored, he asked:
"Have we heard anything from our children?"
Johnny took out the twin gem, but it was still off (the events that take place occur before the Skylanders use the scroll again).
"Nothing yet," he replied.
Spyro sighed in disappointment and sat up with a worried face.
"You shouldn't lose your sanity..." Jhonny told him, sitting down across from him, "Another thing I read in the book is that the secret to war is to get above worries so as not to give in to the tricks of the mind, which they confuse and neutralize. I am confident that our children will succeed."
"I trust Nina and her friends, but staying calm… is easier said than done" Spyro replied, "Malefor is not just any Dark general or evil man from your world. He is very powerful…"
"It seems to me that he worries you about something else…"
"Yes… Malefor does not give up on the mission of 'creating a new world'. That plan, according to what he told me, is the fate of the purple dragons. But I do not believe it"
"Me neither. Ignitus said that the purple dragon is a unique species: Yes, it is destined to leave a mark… make a legend. But Malefor's idea is to create a new world, although his idea is totally off the charts: under his new world, there would be the bodies of the innocents of the old one, who would approve of that?"
"Absolutely nobody…"
There was a time of silence in which the cold breeze of the night air could be heard. During that time, Spyro remembered more of Malefor's words:
"So much determination to get there…it seems that color is not the only quality we share…"
"Johnny..." Spyro said to his friend, "Cynder told me that I wasn't the same as Malefor... I would like to know if you share that opinion"
Johnny laughed.
"You are strong, determined… and a legend like him…" he replied, "But there are big differences between you and him: First, you put others before your own powers. Second, you have a heart full of light and you are not ambitious to have more…"
With that, he gave him a high-five signal.
"And lastly, you have supportive friends and family and he only has minions as ambitious as he is. Someone ambitious is easy to be manipulated by the dark, but someone humble and kind like you, no."
Spyro was pleased by the answer and they bumped paws.
"You have matured a lot as a dragon… do you remember the day we traveled to LunaVillage for the first time? You were spinning endlessly and you were distracted in the flight."
"I felt that I was in a child's paradise: I could fly, stop being afraid, and see these wonderful landscapes unaltered. And because I was distracted, I lost my balance and fell into that river. Although thanks to that, we ate fish"
"Ha, it was also fun as I remember it. By the way, your fire and food skills haven't changed in the slightest."
They both laughed remembering old times. It was good to do it while they were quiet. Then, the sun began to peek over the horizon.
"Hey, look!" Spyro indicated pointing at the sky.
Five dragons were flying in his direction. They were definitely dragons and not Wyverns, nor were they Dark: their elements were fire, earth and electricity. The dragon warriors who were in charge of the defenses let them through, for they were one of their own.
"General Spyro! General Johnny!" he told them when one came towards them, he seemed somewhat excited.
"What news do you bring us Blaze?" Johnny asked, "Did something serious happen? Skycity or somewhere?
"No, it is… the mountain of Malefor"
Spyro and Jhonny looked at each other in shock. Blaze continued:
"The explorers passed the nearby area five times before without results. In a sixth reconnaissance, a dark army attacked us. We tried to fight, but the more we fought, the more there were. It was a part of an even larger army, so we withdrew. They are gathered at the foot of the remnants of the mountain and some kind of black gem is starting to rise out of the ground…"
Spyro realized that it was time: Malefor was starting with his resurrection. Johnny also seemed to understand:
"Rest, Blaze" he told him, "But first, go downstairs and get Seth from the barracks. Inform him of what he saw and tell him to prepare and form the armies. We will notify you of our decision after hearing this."
(Minutes later…)
Spyro, Cynder, Flame, Johnny, Edel, Ray, and Thorr were gathered around a table in the city's headquarters. On the table, a map of the Malefor mountain area (rather, the ruins, since it collapsed) was spread out.
"How are we sure that this enormous gem that the explorers say is Malefor's lair?" Ray asked.
"The mountain of Malefor, a great Dark army, a gem cover with darkness..." Thorr summed up, "If that's not the lair, I don't know what is..."
"Although Ray has a good point…" Cynder clarified, "what if it's a distraction to leave the city unprotected?"
"It's true" Edel supported her, "We could deploy our army towards them and it would be a trap to separate us"
There was a minute of silence, until Flame commented:
"Guys, just leave a quarter of our forces in the city and go attack that army."
"Flame..." his brother told his, "What will happen if they attack the city?"
"Spyro, I am aware of this, but you must trust that I will protect the city even if I have to risk my life for it."
"Flame, are you sure about this?" Johnny asked.
Spyro's brother looked directly at the guardian of fire.
"We must split up if we are to win," Flame said, "You must lead our army into the enemy's lair. Don't worry, if we ask for your help, I'll give you a signal"
"Okay" Jhonny replied, "I know there will be no way to make you change your mind"
Just then, the door of the place where they were gathered opened and two cheetahs entered.
"We want to go with you to the battlefield," Meadow said, "Our people are aware and want to help."
"Besides, we owe it to the Skylanders to save our people," Hunter continued, "I'd be honored to join you again Spyro, Cynder..."
"Thank you very much, Hunter, Meadow…" Cynder told them. And the others also appreciated so much support. The next minute, Seth walked into the room.
"Generals," he told them, "we have our troops ready. We await your orders."
Spyro took a breath and then said:
"Ten minutes. Along the northeast walls and… prepare as best you can. It is time to end this war once and for all."
(Later…)
The armies were formed: the warrior dragons were ready and prepared in their best armor; the moles were also armed and protected, their task would be to bring the spiritual gems to the battlefield to help the wounded; Finally, the best archers, the Avalar cheetahs, would be mounted on the dragons and would be the ones to attack from a distance due to their excellent marksmanship.
"Guys" Flame stopped Spyro and the others when they were reviewing the armies, "I have something to give you"
They followed Flame towards the armory, where each of them gasped: six sets of adult dragon armor were ready for them. For Spyro, Johnny, Ray and Thorr, helmet, breastplate, tail guard colored light purple, orange with flame symbols, gold with lightning signs and green with earth and leaf symbols. For Cynder and Edel, the same, but adding the bracelets and they were also black and light-blue-ice.
"I made them with the best materials," Flame explained, "and I keep them for a moment like this. Now put them on."
All the generals put on their armors. They felt quite light, but at the same time they seemed quite resistant. Spyro could only tell Flame:
"Thanks brother"
"It doesn't matter. Now go and end this war once and for all. If the young dragons arrive, I will send them there."
So, all ready, they prepared to fight the last battles.