"Fine, I'll let you explain yourself. You get to explain your hand in my mother's death!" Ryuujin's face held a horrid remorse and sadness as well anger toward Cynder. "After I left my father's "care" my mother found the location Malefor had me. When she got there she tore into that bastard, beating him toward near death. But she didn't finish him. Something must have had happened, because not long after that you showed up and started destroying everything in your path... it was also the same year that Malefor was sealed away." Ryuujin grinded his fangs against themselves. "The only thing I know about what happened after Malefor was sealed was that my mother vanished and you came into existence."
The atmosphere was tense the blue dragons anger radiated off of his being.
Cynder felt sadness for the dragon before her, his mother could have been one of her first victims, Cynder began to feel a familiar pain in her head, and it was starting just like the others though it felt clearer.
Flashback
"No stop Malefor please! You already took my son away please not my daughter to!" The plea came from an adult slender ice blue dragoness lying down in a pool of blood, slashes and cuts covering her form.
"You have fought well against me Isis, but since Ryuujin is gone now I'll need a replacement." Said
Malefor clutching a purple egg in his grip. "Your daughter will serve me well, farewell Isis."
Flashback end
"Huh, what is it Isis?" Cynder muttered to herself.
"So you know my mother's name!" The blue dragon yelled. "I knew you didn't forget anything!"
Spyro could only watch as this dragon continued to berate Cynder but what could he do for a second a thin black aura appeared around the blue dragon, but quickly dissipated, due to an intervention of a earth dragoness flying in front of him and blocking his way.
"Ryuujin stop!" An earth dragoness blocking his path to Cynder said.
"Gaia!" Ryuujin snarled. "Do not get in my way; this does not concern you at all!"
"It does involve me! When my mate, is going to lose himself to darkness." Gaia said.
Ryuujin digging his claw along the ground in frustration leaving several very deep cuts, and grunting.
"Don't get in my way Gaia, that's the Terror of the Skies...I'm taking revenge for my mother!"
"Ryuujin! You know better than I do that's in her past, Malefor was controlling her." Gaia stated.
"Fine, I'll give her a chance, but know I'll be watching... Azodro Aulosrin come!" Ryuujin said. "Gaia... we'll talk later." He finished before leaving with the two ice dragons.
"I'm sorry about him he can let his anger get a hold of him fairly easily." The earth dragoness stated.
"He has a right to be angry at me, even though I hate to admit it." Cynder said.
"No don't worry about him, he knows it wasn't you 'you'," Gaia said, trying to reassure her. "he's just been a bit angry lately."
"Look this conversation is fun and all, but my wings are frozen to the ground." Spyro interrupted, wings still frozen to the ground.
"Spyro, why don't you just heat up your wings a bit, with your fire?" Cynder questioned her friend.
Spyro sighed. "I can't...my elements are gone again." Spyro deadpanned.
Cynder sighed as well. "Spyro, if this condition of yours is genetic, it would be a bad idea to have kids." Cynder teased Spyro.
"Yeah yeah laugh it up!"
After Spyro had been freed more laughter and teasing from Cynder while Gaia led both of them from the cistern toward the path Ryuujin and the two ice dragons took earlier.
It took almost 10 minutes to get to the end of the passage. At the end were small makeshift quarters for a few dragons. It a had an open area where about 12 young dragons about six to nine years of age, in what Spyro thought could be an elemental training class. They were being taught by an earth dragon that looked almost like younger Terrador, but his horns were a little straighter. He was teaching each one how each element is harnessed. Above them were two ice dragons who looked to be twins. And the one from earlier One was sorting what looked like old scrolls, and the other was arguing with an electric dragon. "Reminds me way to much of Cyril and Volteer." Thought Spyro about the dragon guardians.
On the ceiling hung a large cluster of crystals was lighting the entire room.
Near the back there were two more dragons. One was a fire dragon and the other was another blue dragon. The fire dragon was tending to some strange objects and was sorting though some different junk. The blue one was helping the fire dragon sort though the junk.
Gaia led them up a staircase leading to an upper platform. When they came to the top of the stairs, they were greeted by the sight of a large female fire dragon that was probably a little younger than the dragon guardians and Ryuujin with a young ice dragon, "Flarera, I found Arctic. He was running though the upper levels again," Ryuujin told the elder dragon.
"He really is a handful. How he gets past Blaze and Gaia is beyond me," Responded Flarera.
"I'm sure Xelo will take care of him," Said the scarred dragon.
"So who are these two?" asked the female, taking notice of Spyro and Cynder, "And both purple dragons no less. Amazing!"
"Great you two again. Please be careful Flarera," Ryuujin told her, "Please excuse me; I must be sure arctic hasn't run off again.
"Why should I be careful Ryuujin?" Asked Flarera.
"Because, that's the Terror of the Skies," Said Ryuujin before leaving.
Flarera sighed, Ryuujin wasn't letting his out the right way, and it was becoming hate aimed at Cynder.
When the blue dragon passed by Spyro and Cynder they could still feel his hate roll off him.
"Hmm Gaia, who are these two dragons any way." The adult fire dragon asked.
"This is Spyro and Cynder they got swept into the cistern thought the aqueducts."
"Hmm you two look exhausted," Said the female fire dragon. "Go and rest for now, Gaia can you please take Cynder here to a room. I wish to talk to Spyro for awhile." Gaia urged the purple dragoness to follow, though Cynder was heisted to follow. "Go Cynder you've been though a lot today I'll catch up in a bit." Spyro urged her.
Cynder just nodded and followed the earth dragoness away from the fire dragoness and Spyro.
"So Spyro is it, why are you and Cynder wondering down here, were in the middle of nowhere here."
"Neither of us knows, we defeated Malefor then nothing." Spyro answered her.
"Malefor's dead?" Flarera asked, stunned by his words.
"Yes, well I think he is." Spyro said, "Look both me and my friend are tried at the moment, can we continue this later?"
"Very well young dragon, but I expect anything I have to ask you is answered, understood." She told him.
"Yes I understand, and I give you my word that I will answer anything you want me to." Spyro answered, feeling a sense of authority from her, before leaving toward Cynder who ended up waiting for him.
After being led to an unused room for Spyro and Cynder got the chance to talk, without any stress or others nearby.
"Wow quite an ordeal this has been so far hasn't it Spyro." Cynder said. "Taking down Malefor and Ignitus sacrificing himself, and you want to start a family." Cynder smirked at him during the last part.
Spyro could only sputter and sweat, for once more Cynder brought up that question, even though not questioning him about it directly she was trying to irk him for an answer.
"Can you at least tell me at least if you plan on having one?" Cynder said starting to tease him.
Spyro was beginning to realize that she had him cornered. So why couldn't he say it, he did love her.
He had so since she was purified, but for some reason he couldn't tell her. He couldn't understand why he wouldn't tell her.
"Spyro, can I ask you something?" She said becoming serious breaking from teasing him, for now.
"What is it?"Spyro responded, shifting uneasily in his spot.
"Do you recall hearing anything, right before you fixed the realms?" She asked.
"I'm sorry Cynder, I don't remembering hearing anything." He admitted. "What did she hear that I didn't, I was right next to her?" He thought.
"Uh, alright then good night Spyro." Cynder said, lying down to go to sleep and soon followed by Spyro.
Dreamscape
"Spyro…"it was the voice once more calling to Spyro. He now realized he had heard it before, in the convexity well.
"Spyro…"It called again.
"Yes I'm here, who are you."
"Spyro…..Finally you have answered my call," It said, "Listen a dark storm is coming, what comes, will make Malefor did look like an ant."
Spyro eyes widened and he grew stiff, who could be even worse than Malefor.
"Who could make Malefor look like an ant?" He questioned.
"I am sorry Spyro, but I use high amounts of energy to commutate with you and I don't have much left to use."
Spyro, getting frustrated at the soon to be out come, asked. "Is their anyway you can receive more?"
"Yes, relax and open your mind." Spyro did as the voice ask, maybe being a little overeager to get answers. Soon he felt a new presences enter his mind, a large frame of a adult dragon emerged from the darkness, Spyro's eyes widened in fear, it was one dragon he knew all too well, Malefor.
Spyro awoke with a jolt. "Was it a dream?" Spyro asked himself.
"No, Spyro it was not." Panic began to arise from within Spyro. He had let the dark master into his mind. "Do not panic, do not yell, at least until you let me explain, why I am here." Spyro did not know why, but for some reason he felt like he needed to.
"I am not the Malefor you know, I am the last remaining remnant of the true Malefor, when I was still good," it said.
Spyro mentally scoffed "That's hard to believe! Still how did you come to rest in my mind?" Spyro thought to him.
"Do you remember when you got in the way of the moons alignment, the event that would free "me"?"
"Yes I do, I was filled with an overwhelming amount of convexity." Spyro said.
"It wasn't convexity that was overwhelming you, it was me, see when you got in the moons path you made a direct link from me to you," it continued, "My corrupted mind tried to sway you like I had Cynder before, but you resisted strongly against it, when it pulled away from you, it left me behind, I do not know why but I am glad it did as now I can try to figure out what my corrupted self was up to."
"What was it trying to do?" Spyro asked. "In truth I do not know, but whatever it is it was corrupting me since I was young and I need to figure out what was happening."
"Why should I trust you?"
"You don't have to, it's up to you weather you want to or not." He said. "But now go back to sleep you'll need the rest."
Spyro still didn't know why, but he felt he could trust this Malefor somewhat at least, soon the purple dragon went back to sleep.
The next morning
Spyro shifted in his sleep, he felt something up against his side something warm, he liked it, he was about to fall back to sleep when he remembered he had to talk that Flarera dragon. When he fully woke up he found who was next to his side, it was Cynder somehow she had curled up against him in the night. And her head was inches away from his; he felt his self heat up fast from her proximity to him. He wasn't sure what to do, but before long Cynder's eye open and seeing what position she was in near Spyro, she quickly stood up and pulled away from him. Blushing, even if you could see it.
"Uh oh, sorry Spyro." She apologized.
"I-it's no problem Cynder." He said. "I'm glad you're up, we have to talk to Flarera."
"Oh right." She had forgotten.
"Hey you two up yet Flarera is awaiting you." A stern male voice called out.
"Umm yeah we're ready." Cynder called back.
"Fine then hurry."
"Spyro, do we really have to do this?" Cynder questioned.
"Yes Cynder I promised we would answer any question she had for us."
"Uh fine, I'm just starting to hate being surrounded by other dragons, I don't mind you Spyro" Cynder said.
"Umm thanks I guess?" Spyro said, not knowing whether to feel insulted or not.
"Come on Spyro don't take it like that." she said. "I'm just worried.
"About what Cynder?"
"It's that Ryuujin dragon, I know he has every right to hate me, but behind his hate I can feel something else something very dark." she said.
"I didn't feel anything, maybe it was just the shock of the moment."
"Maybe..."
Spyro and Cynder now fully up made their way to where Flarera was which was a high platform.
"Spyro you're here, good, are you ready to answer anything I ask of you?
"Yes I gave you my word; I have no reason to go back on it."
"Good to hear." Flarera smiled.
"So, what do you want to know?" Spyro asked the fire dragoness.
"first why do you lack combat skills, Ryuujin informed me that the ice twins took you down easily, a purple dragon of legend shouldn't have such poor skills." she criticized Spyro.
"Truly I don't know for the life of me." Spyro told her. "Normally I'm an adequate fighter, but I don't know why I can't fight now and that's not my only problem; as I've have lost my elemental powers 'again'."
"Again?" Flarera questioned.
"When he uses excesses amounts of power he tends to lose access to them." Cynder stated. "Almost like a running joke now."
Spyro glared at Cynder for her last comment knowing she was teasing him. She only grinned in response.
"So does the purple dragon of legend find himself smitten with the Terror of the Skies?" Flarera said watching the two. This broke Spyros glare at Cynder and made him blush at the accusation.
"Uh I'm not sure what you mean." Spyro lied.
"You really don't know what I mean?" Flarera questioned. "You remind me of my mate, back when he was trying to convey his feelings to me, always lying about it and sputtering when it come forth.
"Who was your mate?" Questioned the purple dragoness.
"You might have heard of him, he was Terrador the dragon guardian of earth for the Esricith kingdom. He was my mate and Xelo's father." she said remembering the earth dragon.
"Wait Terrordor's your mate and he has a son!" asked Spyro, shocked that he met anyone related to the dragon guardians.
"You know of my mate?" responded Flarera.
"Yes he and the other guardians trained me in the elements." Spyro responded.
"Good to hear he's alive I haven't seen him in awhile. So what of the other guardians, dose Cyril still run his mouth about nobility, and Volteer still won't shut his will he?"
"Not really." Spyro said.
"And Ignitus, what happened to him?"
"Oh, he's not here anymore." Spyro said, remembering his sacrifice. 'I do apologize Spyro; I never intended anything like this to happen.' Spyro jumped a bit forgetting he had a 'guest' in his mind now.
"Ignitus sacrificed himself so me and Spyro could continue on and face Malefor." Cynder said, knowing Spyro didn't what to talk about it.
"Sad, but someone like him will always be remembered." Flarera said.
"But let's continue with the questions shall we?"
"So Xelo, the earth dragon, who was teaching the class, is yours, is the other earth dragon yours as well." Cynder asked.
"Yes. That's Xelo. He's almost just like his father, calm, collected, and a leader," said Flarera, "It's sad. He never got to meet his brother due to Malefor's attack on the temple all those years ago." Flarera spoke with sadness in her voice at the memories of losing her other son to Malefor, "but no, the other Gaia isn't mine, she was already here with Ryuujin and most of the others."
"Wait, when you came, Ryuujin was already here?" Cynder said. "I assumed you set this up."
"No Ryuujin did, he along with Gaia, Aulosrin, Azodro, Ghor, Blaze, and Kaiyofes."
"So one thing who's in charge here?" Cynder asked, wondering who had the official say in the small haven.
"Ryuujin is really in charge here, I'm only looked toward for guidance." Flarera stated.
"Why is one so angry and almost cynical in charge?" Cynder questioned again.
"He was not always that way, about a year ago a great surge of power swept through here And it seemed to effect Ryuujin strangely. At first he just got a bit uneasy, and then he became more irritable, soon followed by anger and so on and so on. It's been that way for awhile now and more recently it's been even worse, but I'm not really one to ask about that." She finished.
"Who should we be asking then, certainly there's a way he can be helped." Spyro asked.
"we don't know, Kaiyofes is our archivist here and has never read anything in the scrolls or books he's found about something like this, Aulosrin and Azodro might know something, but they are very close to Ryuujin and probably wouldn't say anything without him knowing it; Ryuujin has been very…sensitive about the matter," she stopped to think. "So, the only other one who would know anything about what's happing would be, Gaia, but he'll be near her at this time of day."
"Why at a specific time of day?" Cynder asked.
"Because their marked." Flarera said.
"Marked?" Spyro and Cynder said, having no idea what she said.
"Neither of you know what being marked is?" they shook their head no. "Being marked is the prelude to being mates.
Outside the ruins
Ryuujin was neither in his quarters nor in the ruins at all. He was outside enjoying the storm. He loved rain. It was the only time that he can think clearly. Nothing in the world was more peaceful to him.
Even though he was relaxed, he was always on guard. He would almost never relax.
"Out here again, Ryuujin?" Ryuujin jumped at the voice. He looked at where the voice came from and saw a female earth dragon.
"Oh, Gaia, it's you," Ryuujin replied, calming down.
"You're certainly jumpy tonight," Said the female dragon.
"I was just thinking about those two new ones, Cynder and her 'friend' Spyro."
"Ryuujin, you worry too much sometimes," said Gaia, "You need to relax."
"Gaia, not now. We'll flirt later. Just leave me be for now," Ryuujin said.
"Ryuujin, I care about you. Why won't you let me help you?"
"Because I can't let go of the past and she killed my mother," Ryuujin said, with venom coating his words, "and I will find out what I want from her!"
"Ryuujin, you know I know what you feel. Mates always feel each other's feelings."Gaia said feeling Ryuujin's inner loathing and sorrow.
"Yeah, sorry Gaia. I forget our connection sometimes," Said Ryuujin, a little ashamed by forgetting she was his marked mate.
Back inside
"When young dragons reach a certain age, when both male and female dragon truly convey their full feelings for each other, they go into a trance, and mark each other by biting the others neck or other area and leave a scent mark, along with a special bite mark." Flarera said. "And it can happen during any time during a dragon's teen year."
"Why does it happen like that?" Spyro asked.
"Well to put it bluntly it says piss off this belongs to me!" Flarera responded. "Basically, marking one's territory."
Outside
"It's fine Ryuujin. But don't forget, I love you."
"I love you to, Gaia. I'll come back in soon," said Ryuujin.
"And don't forget Ryuujin the season is near." This completely broke Ryuujin's train of thought.
Back inside
"Then the season comes." Flarera told them.
"The season?" Cynder questioned.
"Right I keep forgetting neither you have no knowledge of this," Falrera said. "The season is a time of pure transition for young dragons to become adults. It usually happens between eighteen and twenty years of age."
Outside
"I uh umm, he." Ryuujin sputtered not knowing what to say or do.
Gaia could only laugh at Ryuujin's 'act'.
"So did you only come out here to make me squirm," Ryuujin glared at her. "Or did you want something else." He said lighting his gaze a bit.
"No I just came out here to be with my soon to be mate." She said, watching Ryuujin trying to hide his embarrassment of the matter.
"I don't want to think about that right now Gaia!" Ryuujin said.
"Oh why not," Gaia asked. "You don't what hatchlings or, do you not want me?" Gaia asked in a mock hurt voice.
"Gaia I'm not in the mood to play games, I need to get this darkness out of me before I even consider hatchlings. I don't want to pass this on to them." He said, trying to shame himself for having such a foul thing within himself. "I will remove it no matter what it takes; it's too dangerous to keep in me."
"Maybe... Maybe it's time to stop running and looking for a way out Ryuujin. Maybe it's time to face it head on…I'm going back in for now."He stayed outside in the rain while Gaia made her way inside.
"Time to face it head on huh?" He said to himself.
Later that day
Cynder and Spyro after having finished a Q&A with Flarera had split up.
Cynder couldn't stop thinking about it; did she have a claw in the matter that Ryuujin's mother was dead? Come to think of it, who was that ice dragoness that was dying and pleading with Malefor not to take her daughter, she so was that her mother?
"No stop, Malefor please! You already took my son away please not my daughter to!" the plea came from a adult slender ice blue dragoness laying down in a pool of blood, slashes and cuts covering her form.
"You have fought well against me Isis, but since Ryuujin is gone now I'll need a replacement." said Malefor, clutching a purple egg in his grip. "Your daughter will serve me well, farewell Isis."
'So that was me when I was younger," Cynder wondered. "Isis? Ryuujin said that name right? What did he say?"
"So you know my mother's name!" the blue dragon yelled. "I knew you didn't forget anything!"
"Isis was his mother," Cynder stopped her thoughts. "But Malefor had her daughter as a replacement; I never saw any other dragon aside from myself under Malefor leadership." Cynder's eyes grew wide. "Was I the egg that Malefor had? But Ignitus said I was stolen from the dragon temple. But could he have been wrong?" Cynder questioned herself. "If that's true wouldn't that mean-ow." Cynder lost in her thoughts had unknowingly bumped into someone turning a corner, and that someone was none other than Ryuujin.
So Spyro has a guest in his mind, a 'pure' Malefor, is he here to help or is this just some attempt to bring himself back to life and finish the job?