-1Disclaimer: I don't own Spyro the Dragon, or etc.

Chapter 4

Falling Down Part 1

Ignitus looked around as he wondered the swamp. He recalled when he had met Spyro not far from the swamps border, when he had been running from Cynder. He couldn't help, but wonder how far the Dark Master's influence had spread.

He stopped as he felt something out of place. He now surveyed the swamp with a sense of foreboding.

Two small baboons came flying out of the trees to his right. To his left, two more appeared. The four simians laughed evilly as they stood in front of Ignitus. The guardian looked down at the creatures with a sense of disbelief. He could easily tear through these so-called warriors. Was the Dark Master trying to mock him?

One of the monkeys pounced, but Ignitus easily sidestepped him and slammed him with his tail, sending the monkey flying back over the heads of his comrades. The remaining three baboons shared an uncertain look, before charging.

Ignitus rammed the first and sent it flying through the air. He kicked the next with his front foot and it collided with a tree trunk. He bite the last one and holding it firmly between his jaws, flung it straight up into the air. It finally landed back on the ground after first crashing through a tree branch.

A rush of air attracted his attention and he spun around to face another baboon, but one unlike anything he had ever seen. It was easily the largest he had ever seen. One side of it was covered in fur, but the other had black scales and the face on that side was more dragon-like then monkey. Two large dragon wings sprouting from its back kept it in the air. Ignitus could detect the unmistakable stink of the Dark Master's magic on it.

"Who are you?" Ignitus demanded as he got ready to attack.

"That is none of your concern, dragon!" The abomination spoke in a dark rumbling voice. He raised the staff in his dragon hand and sent a blast of dark magic flying at the elder. Ignitus managed to dodge it by leaping into the air. He hovered for several moments and then swooped down on his assailant. The two were sent crashing to the forest floor.

Ignitus pinned the baboons arms to the ground and opened his mouth ready to bite the creature's throat.

The baboon did not give him the chance. He opened his own mouth and a blast of black flame shot out. Ignitus jumped back as the flames burnt his face.

Ignitus stepped back as the baboon flapped its wings and flew into the air. The baboon launch another blast of black flame, but Ignitus dodged it. The baboon however had anticipated the dodge and struck the dragon in mid air with a blast of dark magic. Ignitus was sent rolling across the ground.

The abomination laughed as it watched Ignitus climb back to his feet. The red dragon fixed it with a defiant glare and opened his mouth. A ball of flames formed there and was sent flying at the surprised creature. A huge explosion ensued, a few fragments of glowing hot lava flying away. When the smoke cleared, the baboon was lying unconscious on the ground.

Ignitus sighed. He remembered a time when he could launch five of those blasts before he felt tired, now he had trouble with just one.

He gasped as his feet sunk through the ground. He looked down and saw nothing, but darkness beneath him. Tendrils reached up out of the darkness and wrapped around his legs, neck, and tail. Ignitus struggled, but the shadows only gripped more tightly and began to drag him down. He tried to launch a stream of fire at the darkness beneath him, but a tendril wrapped around his mouth and held it tightly closed.

Ignitus threw his head back and stood on his back feet. He floated a couple of feet off the ground and a cone of fire gathered around him. He roared as the tendril that tied his mouth shut turned to ash and the fire spread out in a wave, pushing the remaining tendrils away.

For a moment, it looked like Ignitus had won, but then the tentacles came again and held him in place with even more determination then before. He had used up the last of his strength to perform that fury attack. The darkness rose up behind him like a wave and swallowed him up. The Dark Master's red eyes could be seen glowing in the shadows before they faded away.

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(Several hours later.)

"I'm worried," Spyro said standing up. "Ignitus has been gone for a long time."

"Maybe he got lost," Sparx suggested. "He's not exactly young anymore, you know."

"I doubt it," Spyro said looking to where the sun could be seen setting behind the trees. "I'm going to go look for him."

"I'm coming with you," Spyro jumped in surprise as Cynder spoke. He hadn't even realized she was standing there.

"Right," Sparx said. "I'll lead the way. I know this swamp like the back of my hand- err, I mean glove." He laughed nervously at this.

"Um, right," Spyro said. "I think I'll lead thank you."

Sparx looked downcast, but none the less nodded in agreement, then buzzed on ahead anyway.

"Where are you going?" Spyro's mom asked as she poked her head out of the bush.

"We're going to look for Ignitus," Spyro replied. "He hasn't come back yet."

"Do you want us to help?" Spyro's dad asked, also sticking his head outside.

Spyro shook his head. "No, stay inside."

The dragonflies vanished back into the house and the trio set out into the jungle.