XX

The guards rushed out of the temple with the Guardians in tow, weapons ready. The heat of the sun, plus the still-cooling lava puddles, made it excruciating outside. But, before they could deal with the damaged environment, they had to deal with a problem much more dangerous.

Figura.

She didn't even acknowledge them when they appeared behind her, ready for a hard and possibly deadly fight. She kept her eyes solidly trained on the body below her, blood still dripping from her lips.

They grimaced at the sight of Eozack. He was alive, but his breathing was slow, and he was unconscious, losing a lot of blood as well. If he remained like this for another hour or so, he'd die from the loss of blood.

"Turn around," a gray dragon clad in armor from horn to paw commanded, stepping in front of the others. He kept his voice low and threatening, but with a tiny hint of fear in it.

Figura didn't move. Everyone grew nervous when she didn't respond, when she didn't react to the command at all.

"Hey. Look at me." The grey dragon growled again. "Don't try anything, or we'll make sure it'll hurt more than it will have to."

No movement. Only, an eerily calm voice responded to them. "Leave me."

Figura craned her neck, looking at them with her fiery eyes filled with anger. Everyone resisted the urge to flee just them.

"Come again?"

Figura turned toward them fully, and bared her teeth at them, still littered with blood. "Get away from me or die! I don't care which."

Swords were unsheathed, and growls and glares were returned to her. Cheetahs, moles

The Guardians grew uneasy, hoping she didn't include them in her threats. They were now starting to regret coming out here to face her, especially like this, when she seemed to be in a very bad mood.

Ignitus, however, remained calm and quiet. Her glared at her with the guards, ready to see her surrender in defeat. 'What is her problem? She hurt Eozack, and she's pissed off at us?'

"This has to happen, Figura," the lead guard said. "You can't avoid this. You must face up to your crimes."

She rolled her eyes at them, and shook her head. "I don't have time for you now. I'll deal with you later."

She turned around back to Eozack, who still lay asleep, officially ignoring the others now.

"She dares to ignore us?!"

"I don't care how strong she is... she's going down now!"

"Tear her to shreds!"

The guards charged at her with the ferocity of a barbaric army. Swords were raised, horns were pointed, teeth were bared, and claws were out, ready to annihilate.

Figura sighed as she felt the light rumbling and loud yelling behind her. "So stupid."

She ducked as a sword slashed at her head, and spun, swiftly knocking a cheetah, off his feet. She toasted him quickly, and grabbed his scorched paw in her jaws.

She lifted him up with ease, and sent him flying into a smaller dragoness. The two went flying behind the crowd.

She sidestepped an armada of ice shards, and clashed heads with the attacker, her head clashing with a bluish purple dragoness. Seeing this, Figura snapped her head to the left, with her horns locked into the dragoness's, knocking her onto her side.

She quickly rushed her horns to the body for a quick kill, but she was tackled by something massive, crashing a few feet away.

Her attacker, a blood red fire dragon, did not hesitate. He opened his maw, and engulfed her in a cloud of flames. The onslaught lasted for a few seconds, and he finished with a smug smirk on his face.

She was gone. But, not due to the flames turning her into ashes. He'd realized this all too late when he felt someone tap his leg behind him, and he turned to see Ignitus.

"I'm a fire dragon now, dumb-ass."

She treated him instead with a river of lava erupting from her mouth. Everything melted before her, including his armor, his scales, and finally, he himself became nothing more than hot liquid.

"Foolish."

She spat, turning around to see any other attackers. Before her lay either unconscious bodies, ashes, or lightly torched corpses. She might've knocked that one dragon to the ground a little too hard. She smiled when she saw him about two feet deep into the ground, likely alive, but hurt like hell. Other than that, no one was still around.

Aside, from the Guardians, her biggest prize, staring back at her, frozen in fear.

She would've laughed, but her mind returned to one of her own, who laid nearby, barely alive. Her heart actually sank, for she was certain that this wasn't just a fluke, and he was somehow a dragon with shape-shifter blood.

She returned to him, the bodies and the ruined environment invisible to her. Once again, she looked over him, over his scratches, deep cuts, and the large bite marks she left.

'I have to confirm this. I need to be sure,' she thought. Her body changed again, this time, into that of a large ape she'd killed long ago. Hefting him up with ease, she was ready to set off, but not without a word to her soon to be victims.

"It appears we'll have to wait. Don't worry, though, I'll deal with you soon enough. This... setback, won't stop my little quest for power."

The Guardians watched her with disbelief. A moment ago, she was a true monster, killing and destroying those elite guards, and attacking Eozack before that. Now, she wants to just kidnap him?

Ignitus wasn't going to let her go with his friend. She had his power, but she wasn't invincible.

"Guys," he looked to his friends. "I'm taking her down, you with me?"

Now, they looked at him in disbelief.

"Are you mad? If she get's any of us, she'll just get more and more powerful. You want to take that risk?" Volteer said.

Ignitus nodded, spreading his wings. "Yep. She's already got my powers, anyway. If we team up on her, we may be able to hold our own?"

"Are you sure?" Terrador questioned him, walking to his side.

"If we let her go, she'll just come back for us again. She's already proven to be too much for any of the other guys anyway. It's now or never."

The other dragons followed Ignitus's example. It was probably not the best idea, but, it was still a better one than sitting and twiddling their thumbs.

"Alright, let's do this."

"Ah whatever, don't get in my way."

"Simply incredible, amazing, and such a wonderful terrific..."

Irritated stares silenced the electric dragon. With a smile, Ignitus got ready for battle. He knew he would enjoy this, probably way more than he should.

"GO!"

Spyro's half-hour just after he'd collapsed and fainted had went like this:

After a violent shaking, he awoke, drowsy and in mind-numbing pain. Then, a gruff and stupid Skavenger Commander carried him out the arena, again with all the mocking, cursing, and flying of refreshments.

He slammed him down in a small room in the medical bay, in a room with colorful potions. He searched for a few minutes while Spyro slowly began to function again, his vision clearing and the ringing in his ears subsiding. A short search later, and he retrieved a orange potion labeled "For Wimps or Would-Be Losers."

Spyro didn't like the humor in the writing.

Regardless, the Commander drip a little of the liquid on his back, and Spyro's healing began to accelerate. When he was tossed back into the arena, most of his wounds had healed, and he was refreshed.

Ready to fight again.

Spyro had a few moments of observation and reflection as they retrieved Damu to continue the match. The crowd had grown into a frenzy while he was gone, though they calmed down when he returned, again redirecting their rudeness and stupidity back at him.

He wouldn't even be in this mess had he not left in anticipation of finding the Wishing Gem's remaining pieces. This was his punishment for sneaking off, and trying to steal from the Skavengers, which, had he been caught, could've dragged more fighting to the near-empty city anyway. He would've started another war in a sense, this one much closer to home.

He was stupid for ever trying to come out here. Hell, what were they really going to do the Wishing Gems? The Dark Guardians had nearly all of the World under their control, were crushing their armies as they spoke, and were slowly but surely climbing the steps to world domination.

Who could they bring back to stop that?

He may as well have just stayed a scared, weak, and stupid little dragon. He couldn't even speak to his Father for advice or knowledge anymore due to the whole Figura fiasco.

He was the purple dragon, but he was already becoming the most pathetic one to have ever lived. He still hadn't even unlocked his other elements!

"Damn it all to hell!"

He slammed his paws into the floor, just as the gates closed behind him. Her knew his opponent, the Ice Dragon Damu, was waiting for him, most likely with an arrogant and amused smile on his face.

Images of his friends flashed before his eyes, in the rare times where they smiled, and were actually happy, if only for a moment. Like when Ignitus first began to train him in combat and fire breathing, or when the aged Hunter took him out fishing, and Ignitus pushed him into the water, watching him scream and flail in the water before he realized he couldn't actually swim.

He had a realization with a start. If he lost today, he'd never see the end. He'd die, not knowing if the Guardians would win, and the world would return to peace, and those moments of utter happiness could continue. There was so much he wanted to see, wanted to do, even before he was changed.

He wanted to gain all of his elements, train and become powerful, participate in tournaments, and even meet someone and become happy, have his own kids and all in all, have a happy life.

He couldn't die today, not on some rotten, old ship filled with greedy, idiotic pirates. No. Not with them. He was the Purple Dragon...

He arose and faced Damu. He got into a fighting position, baring his teeth and growling, attempting to look as menacing as he could.

"I, am Spyro, The Purple Dragon. I won't lose to you, or anyone else!" He roared.

The crowd roared now, finally receiving some entertainment. People sat up in their seats, including all the Leaders and Captains, now about to finally see the Purple Dragon actually try.

The Ships Captains couldn't have been more happy. "BEGIN!"

Figura was pissed off.

A moment ago, she was a complete bad-ass, a true ass-kicker. She was unstoppable, trampling over dragons, cheetahs, and any other creature with ease, as if they were ants trying to fight a giant. She was winning, not long ago, but now, she found herself struggling. Actually struggling!

The Guardians rushed at her as one. She thought the display was cute. She even toyed with them for a while, fainting injuries and reacting outrageously with every blow. They were less than half her size, even when she was an ape, but when she returned to her dragon form, and started trying, she managed to push them back.

It seemed for a moment that they wanted their deaths early, like presents on Christmas.

But, after she knocked them all away, the little bastards started to do something she didn't expect them to try: actual teamwork.

First, that cold little brat Cyril came at her first, but before she could fly-swat him, he froze her legs and darted off. While she was occupied with unfreezing her legs, Terrador managed to hurl large rocks at her. They crumbled on impact, but they hurt, actually, fricken, hurt!

At least they managed to get her out of the ice trap, only for her to be assaulted by electricity. It coursed through her body, causing her to writhe and shake, in actual pain. When it finally stop, Spyro blasted her with firebombs, which, of course, didn't hurt, but they did cause smoke that clouded her, preventing her from launching any attacks, allowing their barrage to continue.

That was only the beginning. Now, Figura needed to put up an actual fight. She thought she was strong enough for now, but if she doesn't figure out something soon, these brats might just put her down for good!

Meanwhile, on the other hand, Ignitus couldn't believe how well they were faring against her. It was really a gamble to even take her on, considering how easily she disposed of those guards and the others, but it seems four guardians working together was enough to rain fire on her forest.

As long as he kept hitting her with fire bombs and causing smoke clouds, he could prevent her from attacking anybody, while the others raise hell on her body.

It worked very well... for a moment or two, at least.

Out of the smoke, Figura launched into the air. Wounds were all across her body, including burns, deep cuts, gashes, everything. She even twitched a little from the shocks.

They cheered when they saw her flying away from them. For the first time, they'd managed to harm her, and even made her flee for safety. But all woos and whoots were silenced when they saw her coming back, after doing a half circle in the air, flying straight for them and the temple.

"What's she doing?" Terrador looked up in fear. Figura opened her maw, and unleashed a massive wave of flames as she flew.

"Get out of the way!" The Guardians split just as the ground where they stood was cooked. They quickly got up, but only in time to see her run her flames over the temple, their home.

"NO! STOP, PLEASE!" Ignitus begged, to deaf ears. She flew right over the temple, unleashing a massive wave of lava and flames all over the stone structure. She spun in the air, facing it again, and for a finishing touch, launched a massive firebomb from her maw.

The air grew unbelievably hot and dense. Ignitus closed his eyes from the brightness of the explosion, but he and the others were sent flying from the shock wave.

They somersaulted and twisted in the air, all the while screaming and shouting loudly. They hit the ground hard, digging themselves in the hot dirt. But, despite the pain, all Ignitus could think about was the image of his home, being obliterated before his very eyes. All those innocent, kind creatures dying instantly, so many of his friends, gone like they never existed.

Tears flowed from his eyes, but they were for all that was lost now.

Spyro was at least surviving. His battle with Damu ended with him just barely winning. He had surprised the dragon after he launched a bomb of smoke from all directions, fully surrounding him, and continued to blast him until he couldn't take it no more.

Well, that, or he simply let the purple dragon win, for whatever reason. He wasn't truly too injured, only a few cuts here and there, and some gross burns, but other than that, he seemed fine. In fact, he was happy when the fight was over, almost as if he had a good reason to give in.

Regardless, he was going to advance. His happiness was shot dead when he was thrown in a prison cell just next to the arena, still practically trash to the Skavengers.

Sitting in the disgusting smell, his face twisted with disgust. The smell was awful, an acute combination of blood, sweat, and urine. What he saw was no improvement of any sort, an old, rotten cell with just a few years left from falling to the Earth below. Above the dragon, stomping and shouting gave him a planet-shattering headache.

The only consolation was the little bars that separated him from the arena, giving him a nice view of the entire area. He walked up to it, putting his front paws up on the window.

Spyro sighed sadly, his eyes centered on the arena as new fighters approached, a armor-clad goblin and a mole with a flaming sword.

Watching barbaric battles observed by psychotic pirates while your friends search desperately for you on the ground below? Why not?

The sound of glass shattering had stopped the Guardians in their grief. They heads dashed left and right as they searched for the source, before they realized, with terror, what that sound had meant.

Figura, in her Karaia from still, had her head tilted up below the hole she'd made, swallowing gulp after gulp of blood. The Guardians arrived too late now to stop her or hinder her from staking the essence. They watched her, their eyes teary and bloodshot, and bodies still shaking from the shock of losing their home.

Surprisingly, Eozack's strange plan was working. Figura took the bait, amazingly. In a moment, she should stop drinking abruptly, and her body should start shaking intensely. She'll scream in pain and finally, she fall to the ground, dead, before their eyes.

Ignitus smiled when she stopped a moment or two later. She retched loudly, coughing up drops of blood that landed on the ground and on the broken glass. Ignitus's face became colorless however, when she stood tall, turning to them with an fiery glare.

"I am not as weak as you think I am," she seethed. "Nor am I as stupid. I've been here for hundreds of years, much longer than any of your great-family members. I've kept myself alive using the strength of others' bodies and their powers.

Her body began to glow, a dim light shining off of her orange scales. Ignitus took note of that before he listened to her more.

"I won't be beaten by you. I won't let you even pummel me around, or toy with me! Today, you little shits are going out, and I don't CARE if I live to see it! NOBODY STOPS ME!"

"Well, it looks like we need to change how you think then."

When Ignitus found the source of the voice, he couldn't believe what he saw. Dozens of dragons, of all colors, of all powers and elements were assembled. Their eyes were trained on Figura, who spat in when she saw them.

Ignitus didn't know what to say. Neither he nor any of the Guardians for that matter. He'd wished they were here a few moments ago, y'know, so they could've had Figura before she ever took the bait in the first place, but, this situation worked out well.

"I see now," she shape-shifter smiled, stretching out her draconic body as she eyed all the armor-clad dragons before her. "Everyone want's their death to come a little bit earlier, huh?"

"All you had to do was ask!" Her body grew again, and she began to morph yet again. To the terror of everyone, this psychotic being still had a secret for everyone: one in the form of a massive, yellow-eyed Wyvern!"

SuRPrisE!

Whew. The Figura Arc is on it's final words now. With new power, Figura reveals that she can transform into a rare, massive Wyvern.

It's a rough guess, but, I'd say that this story has less than ten chapters left. Gaul's ark is also nearing completion, and you'll see in the tournament.

Then, the final showdown will begin!