Chapter 6: Goodbye

Cynder helped Tempest to get up. She seems a bit weak. I wonder what they did to her she thought.

"Cynder...,"Tempest said weakly "You've got to free the other Skurvywings."

"Where are they?" Cynder asked.

"They're down in the chambers, but I'll doubt it'll be easy to get there with all these pirates."

"Okay. Spyro and I will help them out. You should find a way out of here."

"No," Tempest strained and she moved forward "I'll come with you."

"What?! Are you crazy?! They've practically ripped you apart."

"I'll live. But I'm not leaving...not until I get Fireball."

Cynder shook her head in disapproval, but it wasn't fair on Fireball to be separated from his mother for so long.

"Okay," Cynder said after a while "We'll go."

"Good. I can get you to the lower decks but those pirates will be swarming the halls."

"Well, well, well," Scratch interrupted "Like to share your convocation with the rest of the class?"

"No, I'd rather ditch class," Cynder retorted.

Cynder helped Tempest towards the door but pirates started raining down from the stalls. Cynder fought off the pirates and Tempest made way for the door. Once Tempest was in the hall, Cynder knocked the pirates away and followed Tempest.

"Well it looks like the captive is escaping again," Sniff said sarcastically.

"Not for long...," Scratch replied scornfully "If anyone manages to capture that Skurvywing and that Dragon, you shall be awarded riches beyond your wildest dreams!"

The crowd of pirates sped off into the halls at this announcement. Nobody escapes Scratch thought Nobody!

*****

Cynder and Tempest ran into Spyro in one of the halls.

"What's going on?" he asked.

"No time to explain," Cynder replied "We need to find Fireball and the other Skurvywings."

"Follow me," Tempest said running ahead.

After running through a few hallways they managed to get to the chambers. Tempest frantically searched the chambers for Fireball; meanwhile Spyro and Cynder were opening the gates. The trapped Skurvywings started running out and headed for the nearest exit.

"Cynder! Cynder!" Tempest cried out.

"What is it?" Cynder called back.

"Fireball's not here, those dogs took him."

"Wait for me."

"There's no time."

Cynder tried to move towards Tempest but the other Skurvywings were blocking her. The Cynder got carried up by someone. She looked up and saw Spyro, who was trying hard to fly with Cynder's weight. He managed to get through the exit and dropped her off on the deck outside.

"Spyro, where's Tempest?" Cynder asked.

"I don't know I didn't see her with the others," he replied

Just then Cynder heard a screech coming from the deck above.

"Spyro, come on."

They both flew up to the upper deck and found Tempest on the floor in front of Skabb. Tempest struggled to get up but only to fall back down again.

"Tempest!" Cynder cried out.

Skabb turned around to face Cynder and Spyro.

"Don't worry we've taken good care of her and her son. Don't worry you'll join them soon," Scratch said haughtily.

"What have you done to them?" Cynder yelled.

"My, aren't we snappy today? Here's the furball."

A cage lowered with Fireball lying still inside.

Cynder leapt for the cage hoping to get Fireball but Skabb swung his sword at her and knocked her back.

"Cynder!" Spyro yelled out.

"And as for you purple dragon," Scratch started "If you try anything your precious Cynder will die."

Cynder leapt up at Skabb and knocked Scratch off his shoulder. She proceeded to knocked Sniff off as well. Both the parrots fell down and hit the floor. They both recovered and flew quickly to a nearby post.

"If YOU come anywhere near us, then I'll kill you both." Cynder threatened.

Skabb swung his sword at Cynder again but missed her narrowly. She charged at him but he kicked her back. Skabb then lifted his sword to the sky and a pinkish flame surrounded it. He swung it down towards Cynder but she rolled away in time. Skabb's sword was stuck in the floor so Cynder took this opportunity to charge at him again. But before she knew it the flame surrounding the sword seemed to get larger and pink shockwaves came hurtling at Cynder. She got knocked back again and tried to lift herself up but she couldn't. Skabb then started charging at Cynder, waving his sword high in the air. This is it Cynder thought I'm too weak to even get up. Cynder closed her eyes waiting for the blow but Spyro had leapt at Skabb and knocked him down. Cynder opened her eyes and saw Skabb getting up and fighting Spyro. Skabb wing his sword at Spyro but kept missing. Spyro then knocked Skabb into the air with his horns and knocked him off of the deck. Skabb landed on the deck below.

"This is ridiculous, he should be able to kill those dragons easily," Sniff complained.

"We still have one more ace up our sleeve," Scratch replied.

"And what's that?"

"Open up that furball's cage, we need him as bait."

Sniff flew towards Fireball's cage and released the lock on it. The door dropped forward and Sniff went inside.

"Wake up you waste of space," Sniff said angrily at Fireball.

Tempest opened her eyes and saw Sniff inside the cage. She then used all her strength to jump at the cage and knock it on its side. Sniff got startled and flew out of the cage.

"You idiot!" Scratch called out to Sniff "Go back and get him!"

"I'm not doing this anymore," Sniff replied "It's obvious that we've lost. See you later Scratch."

"Get back here you coward!" Scratch called out as Sniff flew away. Scratch then chased after Sniff.

Tempest grabbed Fireball out of the cage and carried him over to Spyro.

"Please, young dragon, watch over him for me," Tempest told Spyro "And tell Cynder this is goodbye."

"What do you mean?" Spyro questioned "Are you going to-"

"Yes I am. To protect anyone else from these pirates."

Tempest sighed and flew unto the lower deck. Spyro carried Fireball over to Cynder, who was still lying on the floor.

"Cynder? Are you okay?" Spyro asked.

"Where's Tempest?" she asked weakly.

"She's fighting Skabb."

"What?!" Cynder yelled "She can't in her condition-"

"Cynder," Spyro interrupted with a sad tone in his voice "She said 'Goodbye'."

Cynder used the last bit of her strength to stand up and started to limp to the edge of the deck.

"Cynder, you can't save her!" Spyro called after her.

Cynder ignored him and jumped onto the lower deck. Tempest was trying to claw at Skabb but he was pushing her back.

"Tempest! Stop!" Cynder yelled out.

Tempest looked behind her but Skabb pushed her off with his feet. Tempest recovered and threw a fireball at Skabb who was knocked backwards. She then leapt at him and grabbed him with her hind feet. She then used all her might to fly up into the air. She continued flying over to the edge of the lower deck. When she reached the edge she looked back at Cynder. Cynder could see a bit of happiness glinting in her eyes. Tempest couldn't bear Skabb's weight anymore and hurtled down with him.

"No!" Cynder cried out "She can't be gone!"

Cynder then dropped onto the floor still looking at the spot where she saw Tempest flying. Tears started to fill her eyes and she lost consciousness.

*****

Cynder awoke in a room in the Temple. She walked out of the room and saw Spyro sitting with Ignitus and Fireball on the balcony. She walked up to them and sat beside Fireball. She looked out into the distance.

"Cynder, you could have told us about this, we could have helped you sooner," Ignitus said.

"I know, but I was afraid that you wouldn't approve of me keeping a Skurvywing in here," she replied "I thought you would have said that Skurvywings were evil and that you wanted to get rid of him."

"Who gave you the idea of all Skurvywings being evil?" Ignitus asked.

Cynder glared at Spyro who looked the other way. Sparx then came up to Spyro.

"Have you told her the good news then?" Sparx asked.

"What good news?" Cynder questioned.

Spyro sighed and said "We've decided to send Fireball to another Skurvywing nest."

Cynder looked down at her feet and said "Well I guess he should be with other Skurvywings."

Spyro looked at Cynder with shock. He thought she wouldn't like the idea but he didn't expect this.

"Are you sure?" Ignitus asked her.

"He'd be happier with them then he would with me," she replied.

"Very well then, I shall escort him to the nest," Ignitus said as he stood up "Come along then young Skurvywing."

Fireball got up and turned to Cynder and said "Goodbye Cynder. I'll never forget you."

Cynder couldn't help but smile at that. Fireball and Ignitus took off towards the distance. Cynder sat there and watched them fly away, tears came to her eyes.

"Come on, let's go," Spyro said as he and Sparx returned to the Temple.

"Okay," Cynder replied.

Cynder looked into the distance once more, but for some reason she could see three figures in the distance instead of two. She smiled once more and walked into the temple.

The End.

A/N: I finally got this uploaded. I didn't expect it to take this long :/ Anyway, please remember to review ^.^