-1Disclaimer: The only characters I own in this fic is the black dragonfly.

Chapter 6

The Chains of Darkness

"So let me get this straight," Sparx began. "Spyro's somehow absorbed some dark magic from the Dark Master, right?"

"Right," Cynder replied pushing through the bushes. A few limbs flew back at Sparx, who was forced to duck and dodge them.

"And he was so devastated that he ran off, right?" Sparx continued.

"Right," Cynder replied, pushing past a particularly large branch. The limb was sent flying back and smacked Sparx. The poor dragonfly was sent flying.

Sparx pushed himself up from the swamp water. "But what I don't understand is why he'd run off."

"He was scared and confused," Cynder said, turning around and facing the dragonfly. "Are you implying something?"

"Maybe I am," Sparx spat back.

Cynder lowered her head down to the insect's eye level. Sparx's scuttled back.

"If I had done anything to Spyro, why didn't I go and kill you then?" Cynder asked in a flat tone. With that said, she turned away and started off again.

How had Spyro managed to lose her? The Dark Master had trained her well. She should have been able to follow his trail.

Sparx flew up next to her. "I guess you're right. You wouldn't have kept me, alive unless of course there was some kind of ulterior motive behind it."

"Gee, thanks," Cynder huffed. That was the best apology she was going to get from the dragonfly anyway.

She stopped and stared ahead. The terrain had abruptly changed from the swampy area to a dark forest. Somehow the forest's floor was completely flat and gave the appearance of an unforgiving wasteland. The tree's bark was black and they had barely any leaves on their thin branches.

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" Sparx asked.

"If you're thinking that that's Deep Pine, then that's what I'm thinking," Cynder replied her mouth hanging open in shock. She started forward.

"You're not going in there?" Sparx exclaimed. "How do you know that's where Spyro is?"

"I can feel the Dark Master in there," Cynder replied as she stepped onto the rock hard ground of Deep Pine.

"Hello!" Sparx yelled, flying up in front of Cynder's face and earning an annoyed look from the dragoness. "That's not a reason!"

"Yes, it is," Cynder replied, ducking around the dragonfly.

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Ignitus groaned as consciousness returned to him. The surroundings that met his eyes were bizarre. The ground appeared to be a swirling mixture of purple and red fog. The wall had the fog climbing up it in tendrils, but otherwise appeared to be a shapeless light blue that reached infinitely into the air.

"Where am I?" Ignitus asked aloud.

"You are within my prison," Ignitus whirled around to face the voice's owner, the shadowed figure behind him.

The Dark Master's form was that of a humanoid shadow. A cape of swirling blackness hung off his shoulders and spikes extended from various areas on him. His hands ended in claws.

"How'd you bring me here?" Ignitus growled, baring his fangs and readying himself to fight, even though he knew that the Dark Master was far stronger then him.

"Cynder served me well," The Dark Master smirked, strolling forward. "She used those crystals to break the elemental hold on my prison, now I can project a… shadow of myself into your world, but I cannot fully manifest my powers there. All I can do is speak and influence my minions, but since you were so close to Deep Pine, an area where the dimensional barrier is weakest, I was able to reach through and drag you in here!"

"To what end?" Ignitus asked.

"Oh, come now, you know me better then that," The demon laughed. "I'm not going to spill my whole plan to you. Let's just say that you're here because that prevents you from interrupting my plans for young Spyro."

"What do you want with him?" Ignitus roared.

The Dark Master smirked. "I need someone born in the Year of the Dragon festival to open the gate for me. You could open the gate and escape yourself and try to stop my plans, but then I'd fallow you out. Choices, choices." His smirk widened. "Of course, I could just as easily conduct my plans from within here."

Ignitus roared and exhaled a stream of fire. The specter laughed as the flames washed over him and when they vanished he was unharmed.

"Funny thing about this place," he laughed. "It's rules are different. In here, it's impossible to die…"

There was a whoosh of air and suddenly, the Dark Master was standing only a few feet away from Ignitus. A shadowed blade extended from his hand and he plunged it into Ignitus's heart.

"Of course, it… still… hurts!"

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Spyro stumbled to the edge of the stream. He glanced down at the unfamiliar face reflected back at him. His scales were now black and his horns were twisted into demonic spirals.

He gasped as something slammed into his neck and wrapped itself there. He glanced down at the silver collar around his neck.

Standing on his back feet, he grabbed the collar with his front feet and tried to pull it off, but it wouldn't budge.

"Don't bother," Spyro spun around and faced the Dark Master. "Nothing can break my hold on you now."

Spyro roared and jumped at the apparition. He gasped as he flew straight through him.

"Please, don't waste your strength," the demon's mouth curled into a grin. "I find it much more fun when someone tries to resist my magic."

"You can't control me!" Spyro shouted at him.

The Dark Master chuckled and snapped his claws. Spyro promptly sat down. He tried to move, but it felt like a massive weight was crushing down on him. He couldn't even open his mouth.

The Dark Master began to pace around the immobilized dragon. "Now, why don't you just sit down a minute and think about what I'm offering you. A chance to rule at my side when I finally cover this world in darkness, you might find that you like being powerful."

Spyro managed to force a growl through his closed mouth.

Grinning, the Dark Master leaned down next to his ear. "And I can give you Cynder. I'm working on turning her back to my side as well," he stood back up. "She's cute, isn't she?"

Spyro growled as the Dark Master finally let him move. He stood up, intending to try and harm the demon, but he found that he couldn't. His legs felt like cement and he found himself actually considering, really considering, the trickster's offer.

He found himself opening his mouth to answer. He tried to say no, but what came out instead was "Yes."

The Dark Master smirked. "Excellent. You've made the right choice."

A dark cloud began gathering around the young dragon. He groaned as his limbs began lengthening and he grew larger.

"It'll only hurt a moment," the Dark Master chuckled.

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Cynder stopped. She could sense that the Dark Master was using a large amount of dark magic.

"This way!" she shouted breaking into a run. Sparx gasped and flew after her, the poor dragonfly barely managed to keep up.

Cynder leapt into the air and beat her wings. She flew above the tree tops, sensing the Dark Master's power much easier from higher up. She prepared to dive forward, but something slammed into her side and sent her crashing back to the ground.

She groaned and tried to stand up, but found herself too weak. Cynder looked up and saw her attacker land in front of her.