Chapter 5

Cynders eyes slowly opened. The sun had risen. She stood, stretched, and looked to Spyro. He was sleeping, though clearly not peacefully. With the events of last night, who could blame him? Cynder sat down for some time, pondering her situation. Then, she heard steps. Thew black dragon from before, Led by a Blue dragon rounded the corner.

"Cynder, correct?" the blue dragon asked.

"That's me." Cynder stood.

"Come with me. King Meinsar has called for your trial soon." he said. He motioned to the black dragon. "Open it." he said. The black dragon inserted a key, and the gate creaked open. Cynder hesitated. With the events of last night, and her knowledge of Zelas, What would happen to her? She figured she would speak, but not now.

She exited the cell, ad the gate swung closed. 'Cynder!" She pause,d and turned around. Cyndser came up to the gate. "What's happening?" He asked. Cynder bowed her head.

"She is going to her 'trial', Spyro. You wait here." The blue dragon said. Spyro glared a thim, but made no further comment.

Cynder was led outside, and was led around for a few minutes. As they went, Cynder began to question the blue dragons sense of direction. But it was not lnog before that concern was silenced. He knew where they were going, just refused to acknowledge the truth of the matter. It was a square. An execution site. She gulped a the site.

There were dozens of dragons all around, muttering to themselves. Cynder was led to a guillotine. She then saw the Wyvern, Zemas. He stood, looking confident, and content. "There's our guest..." He said in a raised tone. The dragons quieted, and turned their gaze forwards. Cynder was brought next to the Guillotine, and chained to it.

Zemas approached her. "My my, look at you... Such a grown young dragon." he smirked at her.

"Get out of my face, You waste of life." Cynder snarled quietly in his face.

"Feisty as always..." Zemas laughed quietly, and turned to the crowds. "Greetings, people of Warfang. We have called you here today, for one reason. The murderers of King Zanatus has been found, and are to be put to justice. I know that this may seem impossible..." he paused, as though unused to the info himself. Cynder knew better.

"But Apparently, Cynder, here, Is the killer. And Worked with Spyro to complete the task-"

"Liar." Cynder said simply. Zemas turned to her.

"Am I?" he asked.

"Yes, you are. I know you Zemas, don't you dare try to hide yourself form these people. I know how you once served Malefor, and would love to see me and Spyro dead as retribution." Cynder snarled.

Zemas chuckled.

"You must be kidding. Me, Serve Malefor? I am no fool." Zemas turned to the crowd, and Cynder felt reverberations in the air. Cynder snarled. He was working his magic, warping their perceptions to believe him. And she was powerless to stop him. "Dragon's of Warfang, I ask of you, who has an account of witnessing Cynder, or Spyro, before yesterday?"

In the next few minute,s a few Dragons came forward. One detailed that he was a hutner, who spotted Spyro making the dealings with the poison dealer. The other two claimed to have seen Cynder, though one was unsure if it was her, or just a look-alike in the darkness of the night. Cynder glared at Zemas. "I think that's about enough." he said.

"They're wrong." Cynder said. "I only arrived here yesterday afternoon."

"And yet, I could feel a presence in the castle the night of the poisoning. Everyone knows I am an adept mage, and I sense the same presence from you now. Unmistakeable. And im not the only one. Other mages have too." Zemas looked to the castle."Now, do you have any evidence against the charges of treason, and murder of royalty?"

Cynder didn't speak, she was trying hard to find a way out of all of this. "No? Very well. Put her in." Zemas stood back. Cynder felt a paw on her neck, and it suddenly guided her to the guillotine. Her head came to a rest.

Spyro watched from his window, and gasped when he saw Cynder walking into the execution site. "What is Cynder doing down there!" he asked.

Spyro tried to bend the bars, but it was no good. He saw her head be placed in the blades path. "No.." he choked on his words. "Cynder..."

"CYNDER!"

And the blade fell...

Yup, Manipulation stories are had to have make sense. This chapter was likely the most annoying thus far, mainly cause of the fact that it was so hard for me, with so little experience in this field of genre, to have it all make any decent amount of sense.

-Skijarama