Spyro and the others flew over trees, rivers and small settlements – The wind hitting every part of their body's and keeping them in the air. They had left an hour ago from the Avalar cheetah village which housed the dragons for now, just as the sun was setting. No one spoke for the first leg of the journey, for there was nothing to say. They flew in a loose triangle formation with Spyro taking the spear point and Earn with Ornis taking the ends. Flame was at his wits end with the silence on all of them. As per usual, he was the dragon to brake the silence.

" So how far have we to go Spyro." He asked raising his voice over the passing wind. Spyro looked out the corner of his eye at Flame and scanned the horizon until in the distance he could see a cliff face which was their first point of camp. He pointed a talon towards it.

" Its at the base of that cliff." He yelled back. Flame nodded and squinted his eyes at the cliff. It was still a good half hour's flight away but regardless of that-they had found the first point.

" Heh-hey we're nearly there." Ornis yelled while punching the air. Spyro smiled to himself. He new that if their spirits were up then the journey would go well. But if they weren't then it wouldn't be good. The dragons all flew for another stint of silence before finally coming to the cliff base. It stood massive in the open air and was a shield from the bitingly cold wind. The night had come in now and the stars-as well as the moon-were the only things giving a small glow to the land.

" I'll go get some fire wood guys. Just be a second." Said Flame after they had landed.

" Sure thing. I'll go get us some food from the river so we don't starve." Ornis chuckled as he left.

" Should we get a boundary set up Spy." Cynder asked the purple dragon. Spyro looked about and nodded.

" We only have to make an arch around us. That cliff"-He pointed to the cliff face- " Will give us protection from that angle so there's no need to do it there."

" K-then. I'll start from the left you start from the right-"

" Um what are you guys doing." Winfil asked curiously. Cynder shook her head.

" You're doing an 'Ornis'. Forgetting stuff easily...We're making a shadow wall around ourselves so nothing can get us." Cynder laughing slightly. Winfil frowned at the Ornis comment but nodded none the less. It didn't take long for Spyro and Cynder to erect the wall and not long after. They were all sitting in-front of the camp fire talking.

" So then. Since there's nothing else to do...Lets play truth." Said Flame smiling. Everybody agreed albeit not with as much enthusiasm and Flame decided to start. " OK so it goes like this. I will ask anybody a question and the have to give the truth in the answer, no matter what. I'll ask then it'll move to Winfil then all the way around until it reaches me." Flame continued while making a clockwise motion with his paw.

" On you go then Flame." Ornis said taunting him.

" Just you wait...Right then, who to ask. How about you Spyro." Flame said pointing a talon at the purple dragon. Spyro froze and became nervous.

" uh, OK then. Fire away."

" Hmm. Have you and Cynder ever done it." Flame asked grinning devilishly.

" OK, that's a bit over the bar there." Cynder cut in.

" Answer the question Spyro." Flame pressed, enjoying the frowns and glares he was getting from Cynder. Spyro gave a nervous look at Cynder who shook her head.

" I don't think-"

" You have to answer. You made the decision to play the game." Flame said daring him to object. Spyro huffed and nodded.

" No." He said sheepishly.

" No!" Ornis said loudly. " Guy's you've practically been dating for nearly a quarter of a year now. Surly you've both gotten curios and wanted to try stuff."

" Right that's enough!" Cynder yelled. " FLAME! Since i'm next in line. Have you ever kissed a dragoness before." She asked smiling. She new he hadn't kissed anyone so she would have her revenge. Flame's hesitation only gave him away.

" … He's never kissed anyone!" Roared Winfil pointing a talon at him before laughing. Flame began to become very red on top of his already red scales and growled at Winfil.

" So what if I haven't...I want to wait for, the right dragoness." He said, stammering over the second part of the sentence. Spyro smiled at Flame.

" Its alright. I didn't even look at a dragoness until Cynder here." He said giving her a small peck on the cheek making her blush. While all this was going on, Earn, Was sitting on his own of to one corner of the camp. He wasn't crying or even in pain. He was merely plotting how he could hurt the ones that took Star the most before he killed them. He had made himself a makeshift shelter out of the earth around him. Spyro gave a quick glance to him then back at the group.

" Should we invite him over here."

" It might do more worse than good. Y'know, him seeing us all happy and laughing while he silently hurts inside." Said Ornis. Spyro nodded slowly but Flame turned and locked his eyes on the green dragon.

" Why don't you go over and speak to him. You, After all are the mighty purple dragon. It will do him some good." Flame said keeping his eyes on Earn. Spyro turned to Cynder who smiled softly and beckoned to Earn.

" Go on. It'll probably help." She said.

" Alright." Said Spyro getting up and walking of. Just outside the circle he found him under the earth shelter. Spyro sighed a little getting Earns attention.

" May I?" He pointed to the shelter. Earn nodded once without a word. Spyro then moved his paws and the shelter widened until there was enough space for him under it. He then lay next to Earn and watched the others who were glancing at them every now and again.

" So what is it Spyro." Earn said emotionless. " Come to ask me to join in and be happy. Well news fl-"

" I'm here to ask no such thing." Spyro said raising a paw. " I'm here to talk to you about … Losing a loved one." Once Spyro said it, Earns eyes twitched a little and he moved his head so he could look at Spyro.

" and what would you know of it." Earn said flatly. Spyro had to take a deep breath. He had never openly talked about Ignitus before with anyone except for Cynder. Earn noticed Spyro's hesitance and turned his head fully, now curious.

" Well." Spyro started solemnly. " You have heard of the old fire guardian. Well his name was Ignitus and, he was like a father to me. He was the one who trained me, not only in fire, but in combat. He was the one who cared for me when I was only just learning my true destiny." Spyro shook a little but quickly composed himself. " I grew to love him as a father. He was also the most gracious of the guardians. He forgave Cynder in a flick of a talon without hesitation. But it was his kindness that led to his fall." Spyro stopped for a moment. Earn, not sure if he had stopped completely wondered if he dared to ask what happened. His curiosity got the better of him though.

" What happened?"

" He died." Spyro said plainly. " But it was how he died that makes it all the more worse. He died while taking us through the ring of fire. Y'know the one that the destroyer makes." the purple dragon said. Earn's eyes widened at the prospect of them trying to get through it.

" But nothing can get through that. Couldn't you have just flown over it?"

" If we could have … do you think that I would have aloud him to take us straight through." Spyro growled getting a little angry but he took some deep breaths again. " No, We couldn't have flown over because the ring of fire reaches up into space. There would be no way we could fly in that vacuum. No, he died getting us through that ring." And with that Spyro stopped. Earn lay there watching the purple dragon. He new that it must have effected him allot if whenever he spoke about it, it nearly brought him to tears.

" I understand Spyro." Earn said. Spyro huffed.

" I was meant to be coming over here to tell you that I have also lost someone close to me and to show you that you're not alone basically." Spyro said smiling a little at Earn who was now sitting up and looking at the group. Spyro rose and closed the extra space from the earth shelter. " Just come over when you're ready." He said and left, Earn watching him leave.

" How'd it go." Flame asked as soon as Spyro was back in the circle. Spyro snorted a little

" It went alright. What did you expect." Spyro said. Flame laughed a little and turned to Ornis.

" That'll be five gold peace's when we get back to Warfang friend." The red dragon said sniggering away. Ornis growled at him.

" Fine then. But you still have to pay you're part." He snapped at Flame. At that moment Flame's face became a pinkish colour. Spyro looked at both of them narrowing his eyes.

" What were they doing?" Spyro asked. Both Flame and Ornis clamped their mouths shut. Spyro only beckoned them to continue. It was Flame though who spoke first.

" We … Were … Y'know what. It doesn't matter now. Lets just forget about it." Flame said quickly. Spyro rolled his eyes but didn't peruse the matter any further. All of them then proceeded to go over the plan again when they reached Warbrin. They were not to show any sign of hesitation or nervousness. That would give the dragons of the city a reason to think they were on the other side. Spyro growled at the thought of someone mistaking him for being evil.

" So we just walk in their and ask for the diamond. Simple as that." Flame said. Ornis shook his head while Winfil huffed.

" We can't just walk in and ask for it. We need to ask carefully in a way. We need to prove to them we're from Warfang and we mean good." Winfil said. Flame snorted at him.

" Wait a minute. We have Spyro with us so shouldn't they just be like ' oh there's the purple dragon, lets help him.'" Cynder said trying to imitate an older dragon but failing terribly. Spyro laughed a little at her and she frowned a little. This made Spyro all the more happier. He leaned in to her and gave her a small kiss.

" You know how cute you are when you're annoyed." He said looking into her eyes. Cynder went a bit red and turned away.

" Yeah. I know."

" HEY! We dragons over here want to make sure are plan is going to work. Not watch a theatre play of the dragons that loved." Flame shouted at them. Cynder narrowed her eyes at him which then turned into a full glare.

" At least he has-"

" Anyway." Spyro said holding a paw onto Cynder's mouth. " We best be getting sleep now. If my eyesight is correct, then the stars above us just now makes it nearly midnight. We have another big day of flying ahead of us tomorrow. So I suggest you all get a good bit of sleep." Spyro said to them all. He then stamped his back paw into the ground and made an earth shelter for him and Cynder. Cynder smiled and pecked him on the cheek.

" Let's go then my big purple dragon." She said softly. Spyro only grinned and walked in with her. Flame and the others were watching Spyro and Cynder cuddle under the shelter with a look of confusion.

" They must be trying not to think about what we all have to do." Winfil said getting a murmur of agreement from them all. " Well then. Now for my bed." Winfil continued and done the same as Spyro had and a large cave like peace of earth erupted from the ground. This one was the largest of the two Spyro and Earn had made.

" You need all that space just for yourself." Ornis asked sceptically. Winfil chuckled to himself.

" This can fit three dragons into it and more. No, this is for us three. Seeing as"-Winfil raised his voice a little looking over at Spyro.- " Someone can't be bothered to help you two to have a decent bed." Spyro turned his head to Winfil from where he lay and glowered at him, then he turned to Flame and Ornis and mouthed the words sorry and then pointed with his free paw to Cynder who had a firm grip of him and her tail thoroughly rapped around his own. Flame chortled a bit before entering the cave followed by Ornis. Winfil however, stayed out and looked at Earn. The green dragon was a little away from the five and was deep in sleep. Winfil sighed and shook his head. Before walking into the cave.

" Night everyone." Flame shouted. This only got him a few grunts and flick of the wing from Cynder in response. " Typical." Flame snorted before falling asleep. The night was uneventful. Many of the dragons were dreaming of events to come and event past. Cynder however was only just falling asleep after letting her mind wonder over what will happen between her and Spyro. It seamed to always nag at her mind when she was just about to sleep. Cynder welcomed the soothing numbness that was sleep until she was gone. She then felt the ground beneath her get cold and smooth. Like it had been polished. She snapped open her eyes to see she was not sleeping on dirt. She turned to see that Spyro was gone and so were the others. Cynder began getting frightened as she looked about and saw she wasn't in the forest. In-fact she couldn't have been in a more opposite place. The room she found herself in had stacks of books lining the walls. The only light was from the small pensive in one corner and the gargantuan egg timer in the middle of the room.

" Come here." Came a voice. Cynder snapped up into a battle position. Although she recognised the voice a little. She heard laughing coming from what must have been the voice. " You need not be afraid of me Cynder. You know that." Cynder's eyes darted around the room looking for the source of the words until she found it. Coming out from behind the timer was a large blue dragon. It wore a golden chain around its neck and there were several books floating around it. Cynder new this to be the chronicler.

" Ah. Chronic-" She was about to finish the sentence but the dragon came closer and Cynder really saw who it was. She could never forget the eyes that forgave all of her sins.

" Ig...Ignitus." She stammered. Her eyes filling with tears. Ignitus smiled warmly at her.

" It has been to long Cynder." The blue dragon said. Cynder took a few hesitant steps forward before she was sure it was him. She then slammed into Ignitus giving him an almighty hug.

" But...The, ring of fire. You d-"

" Yes Cynder. You must have many questions but for now, I have brought you here not on good terms. The world is at risk from something."

" At risk. You mean that yellow dragoness and her army of wyvern." Cynder asked. Ignitus shook his head slowly.

" They are only half the risk Cynder." Ignitus sighed loudly. " Verena is trying to resurrect Malefor to destroy the world-"

" Bring him back! Is she insane."

" Most likely, but that was only the half part." Ignitus said. A confused look crossed Cynder's face as she stared into the old fire guardians eyes.

" Who could possibly be worse than Malefor?"

" I cannot tell you. I can only show you." after Ignitus said this, the world they were in spun. It materialized into thousands of specks before swirling around. They then snapped into a new position. Cynder had covered her eyes from the blinding white light but took down her wing to see Warfang. Her jaw dropped when she really saw it. The whole city was on fire, houses were gone and the temple was nowhere to be seen. The walls were all but ripped out of there foundations and scattered across the surrounding area. The forests all around them were either dead or still burning. Lightening was thundering nearly every ten seconds and the clouds themselves were swirling around, some making tornado's.

" Ignitus, what-" Cynder asked but caught sight of a dragon. The dragon stood motionless watching the flames ensue and had a frown on his face. Cynder could also make out another dragon at his legs laying on the ground.

" You see Cynder. This is what the world has to come."

" Wait who is that." She asked pointing at the dragon standing above the other one. Ignitus didn't say anything but only watched. Cynder took a step forward. When she got a closer look at the dragon, she could see more details. His hide was as black as night and had dark energy dancing around him as well as purple electricity. There was a slight glow coming from his face and when Cynder turned to see what it was, it was his eyes. They were completely white and glowing. She gasped then when she realized who it was. The golden wings that were now black. The golden chest plates that were now black. It was Spyro standing in-front of her. Her eyes then followed his white ones to the dragon next to him. She nearly fainted from what she saw. There she lay, motionless and limp on the ground. She could see clearly, two large spears sticking out of her side and blood everywhere. Cynder had to turn around from the gruesome sight.

" Make it stop."Cynder almost whimpered to Ignitus. Almost as soon as she said it, she felt the cold slabbing of the the chroniclers room.

" Cynder-" Ignitus started but was cut of by the black dragoness.

" No! I wont believe it. How could Spyro turn evil. After all he's fought to protect." She nearly yelled. Ignitus hung his head

" It happens after you return from you're last trip to retrieve the last artefact. There is a battle at Warfang which involves everyone. But the events that occur, only start that which has already started. You fight Verena yourself and before Spyro can get there to help you, five wyvern attack you and...they kill you. This then sets of Spyro's true dark form. Oryps returns and takes full control. I don't think you realize that, Oryps feels the same for you as Spyro does. He blamed everyone there for not saving you and, he destroys everyone. He doesn't even give a second glance to all the dragons that were his friends when he kills them. The once enemy's, Verena and the guardians, had to work together to try and stop him. But they were nothing under Oryps' power. The guardians and Verena's two leaders, Darksis and Corniss were crushed in an instant. Oryps then laid waste to the world after that. Killing everything." Ignitus finished. Cynder had tears streaming from her eyes. The dragon that she loved would be the destroyer of the world. The one that she would do anything for. Cynder bit back a sob and looked at Ignitus.

" But I thought Spyro learned to control his dark powers." She asked.

" Spyro has done the opposite Cynder. He let it embrace him and therefore became a part of it. When you faced Oryps in Warfang, He was merely half in control and therefore only half of his power was being released. Now Oryps has full control and Its already started to find ways out of him. You will notice the effect soon."

" Is there anyway to stop it."

" There is one. But it involves you." Ignitus slowly sat on his haunches and looked at a book that approached him. " The only way for you to save him is, he needs to experience an extreme emotion while in his dark form. For example, his love for you. If you can get through to him while he's in that state then you've won. But there are two other things that must be at work for this to be successful. He needs to want to control it and lastly. He needs to absorb several purple crystals-"

" But the only way to get purple crystals is if..." Cynder trailed of.

" Yes. You have break the crystal that holds Malefor. And if you break that crystal, Well you know what happens next." Ignitus looked away from Cynder. The black dragoness was now fuming with rage.

" Then how do you expect me to save him." She nearly yelled.

" that is going to have to be you're choice. If you don't break the crystal, then the world will fall to Spyro. And if you do break it, the world will fall to Malefor-"

" So either way. The world will be destroyed." Cynder said sceptically.

" Cynder." Ignitus started. " You're fate, and the worlds fate are more intertwined than you think. You hold the choices that will either save the world or cause its destruction. But you must understand that time is of the essence."

" So how will I know what to choose." Asked Cynder. Ignitus gave a small chuckle.

" That decision lies only with you. Don't worry, you will know when the time comes." The chronicler then flung one of his arms out and a large black book floated in-front of him. He sighed looking at. " As if it couldn't get any worse. You will find you're will being tested yourself young dragon."

" Wait, What do you mean." Cynder started but the world around her started to fade and turn to black. Cynder snapped open her eyes with a sudden intake of breath. It was morning and the light was pouring in but Spyro was still sound asleep at her side. His wing was still draped over her. She couldn't help but sniff a little as some tears came down her cheek. Cynder didn't know how she would choose what to do. She could save Spyro but in-term that would release Malefor. Or she could try and win him back once he was in his dark form. Even though she had already done so. She lay there letting it play on her mind for another ten minutes. She had won him over when they were training to control the dark form in Warfang so what would stop her from doing it again. Cynder then remembered Ignitus saying Oryps will have full control and her heart fell a little. It was only when she heard the movement of a dragon outside did she stop thinking. She peered out and Spotted Earn looking at the lazily drifting clouds. Cynder smiled a little at him. Earn sat watching the clouds, though he was unaware of the danger lurking close by him. In the bushes to their left something was moving. Earn didn't notice this but Cynder did. She moved out the earth shelter and walked up to the transparent shadow wall to see what was stirring beneath the green shrubs. The black dragoness didn't have to wait long. Quick as a flash, a grublin lunged out for her. Instinctively, Cynder sidestepped but the grublin smashed into the shadow wall and fell hard on the ground. Cynder laughed a little at forgetting the shadow wall she and Spyro made not twelve hours ago.

" You're not getting through." The black dragoness said sweetly. She watched the grublin. cocking her head to the side a little. It seamed to be not letting up in its effortless tries to break through the wall. Cynder shook her head and began to turn but the sight of another shrub moving caught her eye. Out from which came another grublin, Then another, and another. Soon there were grublin's coming from the whole left side and attacking the wall. Cynder new the shadow wall couldn't hold off that many.

" GRUBLINS!" She yelled to the others who were still asleep. Earn snapped up out of his sitting position and took a battle stance next to Cynder. Flame fell out of the earth shelter taking no notice.

" What's all the shouting f-"

" Flame!" Cynder snapped. " Get yourself over here. Wake the others as well – We have grublin's that are going to get through the wall." Flame stood there. As if he had just been slapped across the face by Cynder's words. Almost instantly, Flame roared making all the others jump out there sleep. Winfil and Ornis were the first out followed closely by Spyro. The purple dragon taking a stance next to Earn and Cynder while the others were gazing at the opposite side.

" Get over here you guys." Earn scolded at Ornis, Flame and Winfil.

" Um..." Winfil stammered. " I think we have more than just those grublin's there." The green dragon said pointing to the other side were just as many grublin's were relentlessly attacking the wall. Small breaks were beginning to appear on the wall itself and the grublin's seemed to find new energy when noticing this.

" Should be easy enough though." Spyro said with a flat voice.

" Don't speak to soon." Earn said sternly through clenched teeth. Spyro flinched a little at the intensity of Earns voice but it was quickly wiped from his mind when one of the grublin's finally smashed through the wall. Nearly as soon as the breach came, The whole wall collapsed letting in all the grublin's.

" Kill them all." Earn said in a low voice. He sprang for the nearest grublin slashing his claws across its face and neck killing it instantly. Earn then span round slamming his paws into the ground causing spikes to spring out of the ground into any grublin they came in contact with.

" What he said." Flame yelled before spraying a belt of fire over some of the creatures. Spyro and Cynder began fighting of grublin's along with the others. Ornis used his wind element to slam his opponents into the nearby trees either knocking them out or killing them. All six of the dragons were fighting hard. Cynder was spraying acid on grublin's then working with Ornis, combining both their wind elements to kill more of the vermin's. Earn was off from the group a little surrounded. The green dragon grinned at them all.

" You wont kill me that easily." That being said, the ground started to shake and Earn roared just as a wave of earth was sent out in every direction completely swallowing the grublin's. But even as all the dragons killed them. More seamed to take their place. Cynder kept hurling wind and shadow attacks at them but it was no use. The black dragoness span around to Spyro.

" Spyro. Use your dark powers." Cynder yelled at the purple dragon. Spyro didn't think twice when he let his scales darken to pure black and his eyes turned to stone white. The dark and purple electricity danced around him catching any grublin that went too near.

" With pleasure." Spyro said, his voice sounding lower than usual. With an almighty roar, Spyro disappeared and reappeared in-front of the main mass of grublin's. He growled and let lose a beam of convexity which enveloped all of the grublin's killing them. Spyro then turned on the other stragglers now trying to run away and roared making the ground shake. Spikes of earth shot out everywhere, Bigger than the ones Earn and Winfil were producing and sent the grublin's flying. Spyro Growled looking over the surroundings making sure there weren't any more grublin's. He smiled when he saw one struggling to reach the tree line. Spyro's smile grew wider still as he zapped to the space in front of it chuckling darkly.

" I don't think so." Spyro said lowly before letting the dark electricity floating around him zap and electrocute the grublin until its body was no more than ash. All the while having an eerie smile on his face. Cynder couldn't help but remember Ignitus's words.

" We did it." Flame yelled punching the air. Spyro relaxed a little and his scales brightened back up to their royal purple but there was no let up in his anger.

" All those grublin's couldn't form an attack on us of that magnitude. Someone must be controlling them." He said to all of the dragons in a flat tone.

Cynder walked over to him and sat on her haunches. " Who could have done this. The last person to control the grublin's like that was … him."

" I don't know. But it most certainly isn't him. I – we killed him. He will not return." Said Spyro forcefully.

" perhaps we should just move on and not stay here much longer." Said Flame glancing around quickly. Ornis, Winfil and Earn all nodded, though Earn had his eyes locked on the spot the last grublin came and a glare on his muzzle.

" Right then everyone. Just leave everything and leave. I don't know if there are any more grublin's that could attack us and I for one don't want to stick around to find out." Spyro said earning nods from.

" She'll have to do better than that to kill us." Earn growled.

" She?" Asked Winfil.

" Verena. Who else would want us dead?"

" You make a good point but still. She would have to have strong elements to control the grublins."

" She has an army of wyvern and not to mention the shadow dragons. She must be strong." Stated Cynder. Flame cleared his throat loudly gaining the attention of everyone.

" We were leaving?"

" Yes. Leaving" Winfil said and quickly flared his wings before pulling himself into the air. The others followed closely but Spyro was still on the ground. The purple dragon watched as the dragons rose to a hover looking back at him. Spyro promised himself there and then that he would die before letting anything happen to his friends. Or dragon kind for that matter. Before he too, took flight and the dragons flew into the slowly turning to blue, orange sky. The second camp point on their minds.

A/N: Sorry for the long awaited update. School work got heavier and I lost interest in this for a period of time /:

Thanks for the feedback (: I'll take note.

A little smaller than other chapters but it felt the right length.

As always, hope you enjoy it.