I woke the next morning feeling refreshed, but with a sense of anticipation. I looked over at Perrin sleeping beside me and smiled. It had been a week since our day together with my parents. "Spyro and Cynder are my parents!" I thought, I would never get used to that fact. I looked over at the doorway and saw a note had been slipped under the door. In the past week, Cynder had been teaching me some advanced shadow techniques.

I focused on the paper, a black orb surrounded it and it flew over to me. I released it and the orb dissipated, the paper falling into my paw. I could tell from the flowing script it was from Cyril.

Dear James & Perrin,

I; Cyril, have taken the time to let you know that you are wanted at the pool of visions at noonday. Congratulations again on bringing Flame, He has proved most studious and advances quickly. His mate, Ember is of equal interest, did you know she posses dual elements? This will be looked into and seen to if her talents can be made to serve the common good.

Do not be late again.

Cyril

I smiled, each of the guardians had their quirks, though I was glad it wasn't Volteer who had written it, or I probably wouldn't have been able to understand it. I looked out the window; the sun was just starting to come over the building tops, "Good" I thought, "plenty of time." I put the note aside and turned back to Perrin, I draped my wing over her and fell back asleep.

My dreams were normal nonsense for the most part except for one, which seemed unnaturally clear. In it I was flying above a forest, I looked down and saw a road; I could see cars driving along it. Suddenly the dream shifted and I was flying above the clouds. In front of me was a dragon, but no ordinary dragon, it was a Chinese type, with large wings; it shone with such brilliance I couldn't stare at it. I stared in wonder at it until the dream shifted yet again, I was back at the road, but the sun had set. I saw a few cars driving at dangerous speeds and realized it was a race.

Suddenly a beam of darkness shot from the sky and decimated the road; a car veered off course and fell to its doom off a cliff. As it exploded, I felt the blast of heat and could almost feel the life snuffed out. I looked up and saw the dragon from before, except its brilliance was tainted by a dark aura surrounding it, black wisps still drifted from its mouth. It turned to stare at me, suddenly my wings froze, but I didn't fall. I just stared at the face before me, the ghastly light given off by the fire played off its features, suddenly it flew at me, its mouth open wide, its jaws closed around me and I saw no more.

I woke up breathing hard. My jerking must have woken Perrin as she was staring at me concerned. "James, are you all right?"

"Yeah, I'm fine, just a little shaken. That was one heck of a nightmare…"

She nodded, "I'll say."

I looked at her confused. "What do you mean?"

She looked near tears "You were moaning and yelling, like you were in pain, then at the very end, you-you turned into that THING!"

"What thing?"

"You went all black and started smoking, like back at the desert."

Suddenly I remembered watching myself succumb to the darkness and become… "I remember, my dark form called itself something else, but what was it?" I thought. I couldn't remember, so I put it aside.

I wiped a tear from her face and she looked up at me. In my most soothing voice, I said, "Perrin, I'm all right, I'm not going to hurt you or anyone else, understand?"

She nodded. "Did you read the note?"

"What? Oh, yeah. Yeah, I did. What time is it?"

"Nearly time to go."

I wrapped her in my wings and arms. "Then it sounds like we have a few minutes, how about we just sit here a while?"

I looked down at her and she looked at me again, smiling. "You were never this good at calming me down before."

I smiled. "Well, I guess I've learned a few things then." I kissed her softly on the forehead. "I love you."

Perrin snuggled up to me "I love you too."

Later that day we stepped into the guardians chambers. Terrador and Volteer was present, along with Flame and Ember. "Ah, Salutations to you and yours!" Volteer said. Flame rolled his eyes.

I dipped my head in greeting. "So, who am I going to next?"

"And where's Cyril?" Perrin asked.

"You will be going nowhere," Terrador said. "And as for Cyril, he's bringing The candidate for Ice guardian to the temple, they're in Warfang, so it was no problem."

"Alright." I said. "So we just wait for them to come back?"

"That's right." Flame said.

I turned to him. "Flame, Ember, it's been a while, how are you?"

Ember smiled and took a step closer to Flame, "It's great, he's still getting used to the duties, but Spyro says Ignitus would be proud."

Flame blushed and looked out the window "I'm just trying my hardest."

I grinned, I wouldn't like a public job like guardian myself, I didn't envy him. "So, Terrador, what am I supposed to test them on?"

Terrador chuckled. "Heh, quick decision making and aggression, two traits not often found in Ice dragons." Just then, Cyril returned. As he walked in with the dragon. We turned to face at them and my eyes grew wide.

"No way!"

Back in the forest

Zoulu walked through the forest to the clearing where she and Valcor had been meeting. As she got closer, she felt the feeling of lightning in the air that accompanied his presence. She finally broke through the trees to find an empty field. She looked around, confused, then saw the air shimmering between a couple of trees. She grinned and shot a small spark at it.

She heard a cry, then the air solidified into Valcors form. "Oww! Zoulu that stung!"

"Yeah, well I was just showing you your spell doesn't work as well as you think."

Rubbing his face with his wing, he said "It's not magic, I used electromagnetism to divert the trajectory of photons around my body to deluminate myself."

"What?"

He grinned, "No idea, that's what Volteer called it."

Zoulu shook her head, "I don't know, it might work in the dark, but in daylight once I was looking for it; it was pretty easy to make out." She walked up to him "So, what do have planned for today?"

He shrugged, "Nothing really."

"Good, 'cause I want to introduce you to my family."

Valcor froze and looked at Zoulu with a look of nervousness, almost fear. "I-I don't think that's a good idea Zoulu."

Zoulu looked at him quizzically, "And why is that?"

He looked down. "With my past, pretty sure your parents wouldn't approve."

Zoulu sighed. "Valcor, you've told me, and I don't care. What happened then had nothing to do with you, you're nothing like him, understand? Once they get to know you, they'll like you too."

"Alright, if you're sure…"

Zoulu grinned at him. "I'm sure." So they took off and flew toward Zoulus house.

When they arrived, Zoulu went into the house while Valcor paced nervously outside. Eventually he heard the door open and turned to see the three of them standing just outside. He smiled sheepishly.

"Mom, Dad, this is Valcor." Zoulu said.

Spyro stepped forward, an unreadable look in his eyes. He dipped his head in greeting. When Valcor had returned the gesture, Spyro asked "So you're Valcor? I have a few questions."

Valcor gulped and nodded.

"First, about your color. I thought I was the only purple dragon left."

"We-well, I'm not really a purple dragon, it's just my scales. I'm an electricity dragon."

Spyro nodded. "That answers my second question too. My next is this: What do you see in my daughter?"

Zoulu blushed from next to Cynder Valcor paled a bit. "I-I-um…"

Spyro shook his head "Quit stuttering, you sound like I'm going to kill you or something."

"That's not an impossibility…" Valcor thought then looked at Spyro. "I've lived most of my life as a nomad, I've never felt attached to anyone. Not even my parents. I never needed anyone for anything, but one day Zoulu, that is, your daughter followed me to the forest one night and once I got to know her I realized I no longer felt alone. There was someone who understood me, who didn't shun me. She was my first friend."

Spyro listened to all this and remained impassive, though inside he felt a kinship. He knew what it was like to feel like an outcast, before he met Ignitus, there were times in the dragonfly village when he felt like a freak. Behind this, Cynder felt like she understood him completely, She knew what it felt like to be alone and hated for something superficial, Even after her role in Malefors downfall it had taken years for the public to completely trust her.

Spyro nodded. "That's a good answer. Now tell me, if you've lived your whole life alone, where did you receive your element training? Even if you attend school, there's no one close to your level, No one I know could have taught you to control that power."

Valcor looked down to hide the look of growing terror on his face, it was coming to the moment he had dreaded, revealing his deepest secret. "I-I was trained by my parents."

Spyro cocked an eyeridge, "Who were…"

Valcor gulped again "M-Malefor and-" Suddenly he was hit with a tail and sent sprawling. He looked up to see Spyros eyes glowing white, his scales had a dark tint to them.

"What?" Spyro growled, sounding like a multitude speaking in unison. "Your Malefors…SPAWN? Get out of here now and never let me see your face again! If you come within a thousand miles of Zoulu or anyone else, I will hunt you down and reunite you with your father!"

Panic stricken, Valcor scrambled to his feet and jumped in the air, rocketing off in an explosion of lightning. Zoulu and Cynder just stared on in shock. Eventually Spyro retuned to normal and turned back to his family, Cynder was glaring and Zoulu was nowhere to be found, though he could hear crying from inside the house. He stared right back at Cynder, "What?" then he walked past her without a second glance and locked himself in their room.

Back at the temple

As Cyril walked in with the potential guardian I gawked open mouthed. "No way! You?"

Icera smiled back. "Hello James, fancy seeing you here, what are you here for?"

Volteer stepped forward "James has come forthwith to accurately gauge your potential for fulfilling your responsibilities as the guardian of solidified hydrogen oxide."

Perrin had a lost look on her face, I leaned over and whispered :I'm here to see if she's good enough to be ice guardian."

Perrin rolled her eyes, "Does he always talk like that?"

I laughed softly "No, he kept it short this time." I stepped forward. "Icera, Cyril has chosen you to succeed him as Ice guardian, do you accept?"

Icera nodded, "If I didn't I wouldn't be here, would I?"

"Very true, I think I've got a good test, I think-"

"If I may interrupt James," Cyril said, "I think Iceras past has proved her worth, don't you think?"

Caught off guard, I turned to the other three. "What do you think?"

"Absolutely not!" Terrador said. "No matter her credentials, she must be tested."

Flame thought for a moment, then said "I've heard a lot about you, Icera. I've heard your extremely smart, but there's a difference between having brains and knowing how to use them. I personally would like to see you tested."

Volteer nodded. "I concur."

Icera smiled and raised an eye, "What Volteer, no speech?"

"What can I converse to favorably negotiate with you? I'm fatigued."

Cyril sighed, "I guess I'm out voted, What's your test James?"

"Well, I'll need your help Cyril, I want to test Icera with a debate."

"Cyril thought for a moment, then said "Ok Icera, James your opinion is right, He will assume the opposing viewpoint. The question is this, If Malefor were to rise again and corrupt thousands of dragons, Spyro and Cynder among them, and form an army to march on us, would it be right to end their lives to get to Malefor?"

Icera looked shocked that he would ask such a question, Cyril beamed triumphantly. Eventually Iceras face hardened And I could tell she was remembering how she was before she met Cynder, Then she said "Yes. If it's the only way to kill Malefor I'd do it myself."

"Dang," I thought. "She's acting like her old self, cold, brutal logic. Exactly what's needed in this conversation, but I think I have a way to disrupt it." Then aloud I said "But they're still in there somewhere, Cynder proves that, you would condemn thousands of innocents to death to end the life of a single tyrant?"

"Of course, Only Spyro and Cynder have fought off the corruption, and if they're both lost too, there would be no way to reverse it, leaving death."

"So you've put a price on souls? Just anyone gets to decide who lives and who dies?"

"That's how the world works James, The only rules are the ones you make."

"Well, I believe that we were created by a higher power and that only He can judge us"

"That may be but until I see proof, I'm going to make my own decisions."

I sighed, we were getting off subject and I pointed it out, then I said "Alright, we both have valid points, now instead of telling me why I'm wrong, convince me that you're right. Why is sacrificing all those souls worth it?"

Icera thought for quite a while. Just when I thought she had given up, she looked up, her face had softened and when she spoke, it was with the voice of a mother soothing a hurt child. "Because James, if they're not stopped, then everyone still free will be wiped out, leaving only the corrupted to live in torment for the rest of their lives. If Malefor doesn't just kill them. So defeating them would be saving those who can be saved while giving the corrupted the only release left to them."

I smiled back, then turned to the guardians. "I like it, what do you think?"

Terrador nodded. "It's the right thing to be done in that situation."

"Out of all the options available, it makes the most sense." Cyril said.

Flame said "I agree, I would do whatever it takes to protect Ember, and if she was corrupted I wouldn't leave her in Malefors grip."

Ember looked at Flame "And if that happened, "I think I would want death rather than watch myself kill innocents."

I turned to Perrin, "What about you?"

She shrugged, "I really don't know much about what you were saying but If Laura were in danger I would kill to protect her. I agree with Icera."

I looked at Icera, "Well Icera, your argument makes sense from a logical and moral point of view, I don't have anything to counter that argument and personally agree with you. Congratulations, you pass the first test."

Icera looked relieved, but quickly regained her composure. "So it's the duel next?"

I nodded, "Let's go."

Spyros house

Spyro walked to Zoulus room, ever since they had started their next to last year in school Zoulu and Selena had chosen to stay with Spyro and Cynder, Fever staying with Spyder and James with Perrin, Ever since she had started dating Ryan, Selena had shown more inclination to live on her own, but hadn't announced it yet.

As he got nearer, he heard quiet sobbing. It stabbed at his heart, it had been a day and she hadn't even eaten. He had hoped she would get over it but Cynders icy glares told him if he didn't do something he was in deep trouble.

So it was these circumstances that had led to him going to Zoulus room. He taped on the door, "Zoulu? You in there?"

Nothing.

"Zoulu, I'm coming in, Ok?" As he walked in he saw Zoulu on her bed, tear stains running down her cheeks, her eyes having long since run out.

"Wh-what do you want?" she said.

Spyro sighed and sat down next to the door. "Did you know about him?"

"About Malefor and Byancyra? Yes. And unlike some purple vindictive jerk I don't care about who his parents were, just who HE is."

"Zoulu, did you ever feel abnormal power around him?"

"You mean his strength with electricity? Yeah."

Spyro stared into space, "It's not just his parents Zoulu, with that power if he's deceiving us he could really hurt all of us."

Zoulu muttered something under her breath, Spyro looked at her "What?"

"I said the same could be said about you!"

Spyro suddenly remembered the cheetahs from Hunters village, how they had taken years to trust him because he had the potential to end up like Malefor. "Zoulu, I just want to keep you safe, I don't know anything about him."

Zoulus head snapped up to glare at him "Did it ever occur to ask? NO! you just glow it up and knock him silly and threaten him with death! For the purple savior, you sure know how to give people a chance! Did it ever occur to you that his situation is almost exactly like Moms? Huh?"

Spyro said nothing.

"And, did you know when I first met him, he was at a marker he made in honor of his parents, not to remember them, but to remember what they did to the world so he would never fall down that path himself. Did you know whenever I even say "Malefor" he looks like he's gonna cry? He hates himself for being born! Did you know he's absolutely terrified of you and Mom because he was scared you would do exactly what you did? I told him, promised him you wouldn't, and look what happened! You made me a liar and scarred him! I know this because I gave him a chance and I trust him."

For the longest time, neither of them spoke, then Spyro got up and said "I'm sorry Zoulu, but I'm not taking a chance with Malefors spawn. He's lucky I spared him." With that he turned and left thinking "So let Cynder be mad, better mad than dead."

Behind him Zoulu cried.