The Legend of SPYRO:

Malefor's Curse

Chapter three:

Midnight and Frosteine

The first thing Spyro felt was something cold on his forehead. He could barely open his eyes before they watered from the blinding light, making him squeezed them tightly.

"…Nrgh…" There was a childish giggle that made the purple dragon tense slightly. His other wounds throbbed but he tried to ignore them and open his eyes, still failing.

"Oh, you're awake! That's great! Midnight is making a special potion to chase the sickness away."

"W-where…am-?"

"Another Cheetah village but this one is black without the spots." Sparx spoke as Spyro opened his eyes, managing to keep them open.

Sparx hovered beside him and Cynder was resting on the left side of him, in a nest about a few feet away. He glanced down, seeing he was lying on one as well. It was a bit prickly but compared to the ice cavern they were in, this was luxury.

"Who are you?" He asked the small blue dragon who sat beside a hooded figure. She giggled again.

"I'm Frosteine!" Frosteine giggled again before Midnight stood and walked over with an old silver bowl. This creature was similar to Hunter but a bit slimmer and more feminine.

"Drink this Purple Dragon, it will help your body fight the sickness."

"T-thank you. If you don't mind me asking…what kind of Cheetah are you?" Midnight blinked calmly.

"I am not a Cheetah, I am a Panther." There was a groan as Midnight casually glanced over. "You're friend is awake." She brought another bowl over and knelt in front of Cynder.

"Mmm…my head…" She groaned before she noticed the figure in front of her.

"Drink this, it will help you get well." The panther said, placing the bowl before her and walking over to a large brown book.

"Thank…you…" The black dragoness was still dazed but tasted the formula.

It was tangy and very strong but had the faintest taste of several herbs that the pair couldn't identify. However, their aches and throbbing wounds ceased complaining and their muscles relaxed. Another odd sensation spread through their bodies. It was like their scales were expanding but glancing at their hides, they found no such change besides the absence of their injuries.

"So you two are patched up and all dandy, right?" Came Sparx's voice as he flew over to Midnight. "So Doc, tell me, are these two 'Mighty Dragons' ready for flight?"

"I wouldn't move just yet, perhaps a day's rest should give the formula and your bodies all the time they need to recover." Frosteine wondered over.

"What's the hurry for? I thought the bad dragon was gone?" Spyro nodded.

"Malefor is gone but the guardians in Warfang need to know we're still alive and well."

"Almost well." Sparx corrected as Spyro just shot him a look.

"Besides, they may need us to help clean up the damage. I don't mean to be rude but what is such a young dragoness doing in a frozen place like this?" Cynder asked as the young dragon blinked.

"Well I like the cold but I've always been here with Midnight." The hooded panther had been sitting on an old curvy chair beside the fire reading the thick leather book. The chair had the shape of an egg made from thick oak wood.

"Is that true?" Cynder asked and she nodded.

"It is. I found her egg outside my den."

"I'm so sorry." Frosteine shook her head.

"Don't worry about it mister purple dragon sir! I'm very happy here with Midnight!"

Cynder started laughing. Spyro blinked, looking over at her and wondering what was so funny. Sparx caught on and started laughing too.

"Well Spyro, looks like you have a new name!" Sparx chuckled as Spyro just rolled his eyes. Frosteine shook her mane, which fell around her neck.

"So why do you have a mane?" Frosteine shrugged.

"Dunno but it's super fluffy and warm!" She giggled, shaking her head side to side so the purple mess flipped about like ribbons. Cynder smiled.

"Perhaps you two should rest. I need to retrieve some water." Sparx flew up to Midnight.

"Uh, isn't it all, you know, frozen?" The panther blinked.

"I collect the snow then boil it to make hot water that kills any germs within it. Frosteine will be here to keep you company." She said, standing and walking out with a bucket.

"Ooooh mysterious!" The blue dragoness looked at him.

"That's who Midnight is but she's friendly enough. Wanna play a game?"

"What game would that be? I spy? Guess it?"

"Dragon knaughts?" He frowned.

"What now?" Frosteine picked up a board in her mouth and brought it over, placing it on the ground and grabbed a velvet bag, placing it beside it.

"It's fun, I'll show you how to play!" She pulled all the pieces out and placed them on the board with her very long claws, which had been retracted in her paws so only the tip was visible. They were the length of Sparx.

"Nice claws, very sharp." He said, glancing at them wearily.

"They get in the way if I don't pull them in. Anyway, your pieces are lined up there…"

Spyro chuckled quietly as he watched Frosteine explain the rules of Dragon Knaughts. He looked over only to find that Cynder was curled up, fast asleep again. He smiled. He was so glad Cynder didn't die but his mind turned to Ignitus.

His heart sank at the memory. Ignitus consumed by his own element. His eyes watered as his claws dug into the hay. Why did he have to sacrifice himself?

Because there was no other way. Part of his mind told him. Ignitus knew this. Spyro hated that the voice was right but he still wanted his mentor and friend back. He shut his eyes, wanting to get away from reality. His body was still tense as he fell into the dark cloak of his subconscious.

Spyro opened his eyes, feeling a bit better. He stood and looked around.

He was back in the swamp.

"Come on Spyro, are we playing or not?" He looked over at Sparx. He….seemed smaller.

"Sparx? Something's different about you."

"Says the giant purple dragonfly." He frowned before looking down at himself and tensing.

He was young again.

He looked up as Sparx flew off ahead.

"Hey! Sparx! Wait!" He ran after him as Sparx vanished into a dark cave. Spyro just reached the cave but there was no sign of his brother. "Sparx? Where are you?" He slowly crept in, keeping his head low as he cautiously moved forward.

The cave was massive but there was no dirt in here. Every part of the cave, the floor, the walls, the ceiling, it was all made of a familiar purple crystal. It glimmered and as he stepped into the cave, the crystal beneath his paws glowed a soft purple, the same colour as the fury he blasted at Malefor.

Clunk

He glanced up, seeing a shadow of a dragon standing alone on the other side. Spyro blinked before stepping forward, the crystal glowing wherever he touched.

As he approached the shadow, several floating crystals appeared, each one containing an image of his friends, which fell to the ground, transforming into a crystal statue of each individual in a terrified pose.

Sparx was frozen on the ground, holding his arm up as if something were about to strike him. Cynder was next but she was older, not as old as when he fought her but the age of a young adult. Her eyes were frozen wide open with tears about to fall. Hunter was on the ground holding a wound on his chest, Terrador was on his side, glaring hatefully up. Cyril's face was scrunched up in pain and Volteer had a shocked expression.

He continued past them, all of their faces forever etched into his memory. Another stood before him between the shadow and Spyro.

It was Ignitus.

Unlike the others, his face had no expression. His eyes began to glow an angry red and steam rose from his nostrils as a massive crack sounded through the cave. The crystal on the side of his face fell off to show Ignitus' eye, staring at him, the rest slowly crumbling until his head was free.

"Ignitus…" The guardian looked at him.

"Young dragon, what have you done?" Spyro shook his head.

"But…but I haven't done anything! What's happened to everyone here?" He had a mournful expression. The crystal covering Ignitus started to crumble but did not fall off.

"The curse…" Ignitus' eyes glazed over as he turned to dust and was blown away by the wind.

"IGNITUS! NO!"

He was alone, surrounded by his friends, frozen in fear, pain and misery.

"No…you are not alone…" Spyro looked up at the shadow as glowing yellow eyes stared at him.

"…Malefor…!" He gasped but something was different. He wasn't threatening like before, he seemed upset, misery around him like a plague.

"Why am I still haunted by such memories? Why are you here?" Spyro stood in a defensive pose.

"IT'S YOUR FAULT HE'S GONE!" Malefor glanced over at him tiredly.

"Who's gone?" Spyro's eyes watered as tears threatened to fall.

"IGNITUS! YOU KILLED HIM!" The Dark Master shook his head.

"I…no…I…SHUT UP! YOU'LL DRAW THEM!" The dragon frowned in confusion. Had the Dark Master gone mad? Draw who? Malefor turned and shook his head again.

"Who are you talking about? Answer me-" Malefor spun around, pouncing at Spyro, who could barely dodge as he fell over clumsily. Malefor spun to glare hatefully at Spyro, making him tense.

The flesh on half of his face had withered away, barely hanging on, his wings were torn like a creature had torn them apart savagely and didn't look as if he could use them for flight anymore. His chest had a massive hole in the side and Spyro stared in horror at the beating organ within. Malefor looked like a half decayed corpse.

"YOU DID THIS TO ME! I WILL NEVER FORGIVE YOUFROSTEINE!" Spyro tensed. Why did that name sound familiar? He didn't have time to wonder as Malefor shot forward, pinning him under a massive skeleton claw.

"LET GO OF ME!"

"I will use your hatred and misery to extract my revenge purple dragon. You will all suffer for what you did to us." Spyro struggled.

"Us?"

"…Spyro…!" He looked around. That sounded like-

"SPYRO WAKE UP!"

He shot upright with a gasp, drenched in sweat. Cynder, Sparx and Frosteine were staring at him worriedly as Midnight had a paw on his shoulder.

"You were having a nightmare."

End Chapter

Finally! Next Chapter is up! So sorry it's short. Oh yeah, anyone who has read my story Creative Streaks will recognise the name Frosteine. Some characters in my stories may share names and have something to represent that other character in the other story. Also if you're an old school fan of Spyro, there's Shades of Lavender which has Red in it and yes, the story is complete.

All characters belong to their rightful owners, I own Frosteine, Midnight and any new characters.