This chapter just didn't want to be written but it's finally finished so have fun.

Chapter Six

Casille was overjoyed to see her shadow dragon alive. Although he slipped into unconsciousness almost immediately after being healed, she stayed beside him to be sure. The dragons that had stayed behind to fight were now either tending to their own injuries, or left to get some crystals for everyone. Spyro, Cynder, and Flame were the only ones around at this point. The legendary purple dragon almost collapsed on the spot from his wounds from some of the larger foes. Cynder was mostly unhurt, but completely drained of her power as she lay beside Spyro. Flame's incredible fury attack had left him unable to move afterwards as the blast had completely drained him.

"What was that?" Cynder thought. "He was using some of the most incredible shadow attacks I've ever seen… I guess I could do those too with enough practice. He better teach me those." She looked over to the resting shadow dragon and smiled at the thought of being able to wipe out that many enemies at once without her dark fury element. His eyes would open for a few seconds and then close again and his breathing slowed. If Casille hadn't been able to heal him, he would have been dead.

"And just what is Casille's power?" She thought before Spyro moved a bit, snapping her back to reality. She looked down to the purple dragon whose bleeding seemed to have stopped. The black dragoness gently rubbed against his side to calm him without reopening any wounds.

They had used everything they had to stop this force from attacking the young dragons as hunter and meadow lead them off and it looked like they had won, too bad they were incredibly mistaken.

In unison, about a dozen orcs rose from the ground, all wielding a variety of weapons. Cynder stood up and got ready to fight until she collapsed. Flame was still unconscious, and Spyro could only watch as he was too weakened to help. Casille covered Jet as much as she could, but without wings to shield his sides, it didn't help much.

Jet's eyes were opened just a sliver, but he could feel Casille trying to protect him. He tried to stand up, but fell back down exhausted. He became more alert when one got close enough and held his axe high over his head. As the creature brought the weapon down, a white, serrated tail slashed at its arms, making it drop the weapon.

Casille stood alone between the rest of the orcs and her friends, her tails flailing wildly and her claws digging into the ground beneath her. The orcs charged the white dragoness who refused to move. Once they got within a few feet, Casille struck back. The bladed tail took out two orcs instantly; the spiked one stabbed one in the chest, and the clubbed one swung hard, taking out two at once. For a dragoness who had never been in a fight before that day, she was incredible.

At one point, she impaled one through its chest and swung him around to knock two more back. As well as she was doing, she could see more and more enemies coming from the ground. This was something she could not handle alone. The creatures surrounded her when instinct took over again, just as when she had healed Meadow's leg.

The still mysterious mist surrounded Casille, and then the entire battlefield. The mist around the white dragoness disappeared, along with the one who hid inside it. The orcs looked around, but the mist was too thick. Everything was silent as the injured dragons watched.

A scream was heard and everyone's attention was averted to a recently killed orc. The mist faded, but Casille was still nowhere in sight. Another scream sounded, they looked over to see another orc get slashed from behind.

Finally, a third orc died in the center of the crowd. Not a sound was made, but it was clear what was happening. The body never hit the ground as it was held up in the air by Casille's tail crushing its neck. The last few feet of the tail was the only thing able to be seen though. The mist had somehow made her completely invisible.

It soon faded though and the dragoness again glared at the enemies. She sunk her claws into one's side and the creature stood still as white mist flowed from its eyes and mouth. The mist coming from the orc grew thicker and his body began to grow. The mist condensed and huge ice spikes shot out of its body, killing him instantly. Casille turned to face the army ahead. They all charged her but each attempt ended in failure. Jet watched as the dragoness was devastating enemies with ease.

Cynder had jumped in by now and was viciously attacking with her claws, horns, and tailblade alongside the mist dragoness. The two females were quite a deadly pair, easily felling one enemy after another. This continued until a roar was heard nearby. The group looked over to see a crossbowman's bolt hit Cynder in the side, just behind her front shoulder.

Spyro watched with horror as Cynder was hit again, this time by the flat side of an axe, and was sent flying towards him. Casille regained control and rushed over to trying to heal her with the little energy she had left. Spyro stared at the approaching enemies with pure anger.

Despite his injuries, he stood up like nothing ever happened and his fierce eyes began to glow a pure white and his purple scales began to darken. A dark aura surrounded the normally kind and caring dragon as he drew closer to the mob of creatures. Cynder opened her eyes and watched the dragon she loved turn into the dark monstrosity again. She remembered how his personality was altered like this and turned him into a merciless killing machine, how it made him ruthlessly kill the ape king like he was nothing.

The dark dragon kept walking toward the army who seemed to experience fear for the first time, seeing as how they halted their advance and actually began backing away. One tried to charge Spyro swinging his axe as hard as he could. The axe merely stopped as it hit the dragon's aura as if it were solid. This dark Spyro grinned wickedly before opening his maw and blasted the creature with a beam of darkness imbued convexity at point blank range. The beam annihilated the orc instantly as well as the row of enemies that stood far behind him.

He stood there, looking at the remaining army with the same wicked smile. His blast had made the fear in their ranks sky rocket and they began to run away. The dragon didn't want that to happen though. He opened his maw again and swept the dark convexity beam across the field, destroying the entire army in a heartbeat. After he was done, he slammed his front paws on the ground, forcing a few orcs to the surface and he quickly did the same to them.

The dark dragon turned around, now locking his gaze on his own allies. He opened his maw and a ball of dark convexity began charging in the back of his throat.

"SPYRO!"

Cynder called out to the enraged purple dragon and he appeared to stop, if only for a moment. She called out again, this time getting closer to the legendary dragon. She felt her own darkness tug inside of her, pulling toward Spyro who was now only a few feet from her. The dragon was motionless, as if his mind was at war with the dark power inside his body.

She pressed her head against his and put her wings around him. His scales began to return to their purple color, but stopped halfway through. He stayed that way for a moment before the bright purple scales were visible again and his amethyst eyes returned, filled with tears. All of his wounds were healed as he returned, as if the dark form sped his recovery.

The other three watched as the pair stayed that way for what felt like forever, waiting to see if the monstrous, dark-scaled Spyro would return. To their relief, he retained his normal purple and gold pattern. The dark power may have healed him, but it still left him exhausted and made him collapse in front of Cynder.

"Incredible," Jet thought. "That power was a bit much even for a purple dragon." His thoughts were interrupted when Casille laid her head back on his chest. He looked at her and watched as the beautiful dragoness went to sleep. The dragons came back soon and brought an enormous load of crystals, enough for everyone at least. After they landed, the crystals were divided to everyone.

Jet looked around and saw a few dragons tending to Spyro and Cynder, a few around him and Casille, and Ember and Celestia trying to wake Flame. Once everyone was able to move normally, they followed the path left by Meadow and Hunter. Spyro and Cynder were in front of the group and Cynder would try to coax Spyro into talking but he stayed silent, still ashamed of letting his dark power take over for the third time.

Casille was walking beside jet, but was barely paying attention. She still wondered how this mist element was able to take control of her for brief moments and the very interesting abilities it gave her. Being forced to leave Warfang, coming to Avalar and getting attacked almost immediately, and nearly losing the purple dragon to darkness, it wasn't really a good day for anyone.

The group stopped when Hunter came into view in a clearing and they saw the village that the cheetahs had built for them. Hunter had his bow out and ready, apparently worried about more wyverns showing up until he saw the dragons.

"It's good to see that all of you are alright. Did any of them follow you?" the gold-furred cheetah asked. Spyro only shook his head, still not wanting to talk.

Hunter began to look concerned for his friend. "Is something wrong?"

"It's ok Hunter, I'll take care of it." Cynder said. "So does it matter which house we stay in?"

"Not really, but some of you might have to stay two or three to a house. We did not have much time or materials to work with…"

Cynder put a wing over Spyro and led him to the nearest building. The others all started walking around to find their own houses except for Celestia, Ember, and Flame who stayed to talk with Hunter. The sisters mostly talked with each other though while Flame was talking with the cheetah.

"So how are we going to get enough food and training? Practicing fire is difficult when you could end up burning down the village." The red dragon asked.

"There are many animals around to hunt for food and we will send anything we can spare. As for training, there is a cave not far from here that should be large enough to use. If you fly about as fast as Spyro then you should make it in about five minutes. I assume he will be busy teaching the young dragons with their elements."

"Probably, but I'm going to help any way I can. I might end up teaching fire if it can get some weight off his shoulders." The fire dragon said. "He's saved the entire planet, and just now he saved all of us, it's the least I can do."

"I'll teach ice then."

Flame turned to see Celestia smiling. She may not have been an ice master, but it wasn't new to her either. Spyro may still have to teach the advanced ice skills, but she could easily handle the rest.

"Thanks Hunter, I'll tell Spyro tomorrow if he's up to talking by then." Flame said before flying into the clustered buildings followed by Ember and Celestia.

In a house a few doors down from the savior's, Jet climbed into a large straw bed and fell on his side, still tired from the battle when he had to use the strongest shadow fury he had ever done. Casille climbed up with him and pushed her back up against the shadow dragon's navy blue chest and let his paws droop over her.

"I'm happy you're okay. I really thought that fall had killed you…" she said as tears began forming in her eyes.

"Actually… I think it did. You brought me back." Jet said as he pulled the white dragoness closer to him.

Casille's eyes shot open. "Y-you did?"

"I think so. I felt that impact and the next thing I see was a round door with a stone on either side engraved with black runes. The next thing I know, you're laying on me. I guess I literally owe you my life now don't I?"

Casille rolled over in his embrace to look him in the eye. "No, you don't owe me anything. I tried to heal you but I couldn't until Spyro and Cynder gave me most of the energy they had left. Besides, if it wasn't for you, I probably wouldn't be talking to anyone or be able to do this." As soon as she finished her sentence, she pressed her maw to Jet's.

They stayed that way for nearly five minutes before they parted. Jet smiled before he put a wing around her and let his exhaustion drag him into a deep sleep. Casille looked at the black dragon covering her. I hope he lives the long life he deserves. With everything he has been through, he should be as idolized as Spyro. At least I'll always see him like he should be.

"Spyro, please talk to me…" Cynder said. The two were sitting on the bed in their house and the purple dragon had his head on Cynder's shoulder as she tried to cheer him up. She had never seen him this put down before.

"Please Spyro, is there anything at all I can do?" she asked again.

Spyro only gave an answer Cynder wished she had never heard. "Only if you think you can kill me before I transform again…"

"W-what?" she asked in disbelief.

"The night before we met Flame and the others, what woke me up was a nightmare. I was on a mountain of dead bodies in a burning city I could only describe as Warfang. I looked over and saw my own dark form and I had killed you and when I changed today, I had even less control than the last two times and I almost attacked you, Jet, Casille, and Flame. I don't want you to ever get hurt because of me so promise if I change again, you will take me out."

Cynder was speechless but the purple dragon had lost his normally cheerful and cocky attitude and he didn't even seem like the same person. "I'm sorry Spyro, but I can't and won't. I love you too much to hurt you, much less kill you… besides, that form is almost unstoppable and I'd die if I fought you like that."

Spyro smiled for a brief moment before he spoke again. "Then get Jet to do it. He has the same power except he has control over it."

"That's it!" Cynder nearly shouted. "Why not ask Jet to help you control that dark power? I can always learn shadow later."

Spyro was shocked. "Jet can use darkness?"

"Yes. That was what he accidentally blasted me with that day at Warfang when you watched us train. How else would it have ripped through my shadowfire so easily? He already told Casille too."

"Alright, well I'll ask him. But I want you to be there every time we train so you two can at least knock me out if I lose it."

Cynder smiled and nodded, happy to see Spyro had cheered up again and his normal attitude returned. She gave the purple dragon a quick kiss and fell asleep with Spyro beside her.

Sorry if I hit a nerve when Spyro got depressed but it plays in with the plot so bear with me please. This one took a lot of thinking because writer's block hit me like a big bag of bricks. Also, I had a few distractions like going to the hospital with Tiff and her fiancé to get a sonogram. (I get to be a godfather in about six months.) Speaking of Tiffany, she had a HUGE influence on this chapter so a lot of credit to her. Anyone know how weird it feels to give editing tips through a phone call when she couldn't see the text she was helping me correct? Wasn't very fun. Well I've babbled enough so I'm going to go start on the next chapter now so later! Please R&R.