Spyro rose before the sun was up. Despite all that had happened within the past week, he felt more energized than he had expected. The surplus of energy is what woke him this morning.
He kissed Cynder on the forehead causing the dragoness to smile in her sleep and her tail twitched excitedly. Spyro chuckled silently and slipped out of the room and into the semi-deserted hallways. This morning was cooler than it had been the last few days and a slight mist drifted into the underground city. Spyro flew towards the outer walls. The sentries nodded politely to him as he glided by overhead. The purple dragon pitched up towards the mouth of the cave and into a swift breeze. He gave a slight shiver and blew a couple tufts of flame to warm up.
This was the first time he had been outside since they had arrived to help defend the city from the invading wolves. Everything seemed quiet, except for the occasional chirp or squawk from a bird nearby. As Spyro flew on over the treetops he found himself looking around the landscape. He had saved the world and had restored it to the way it was, but somehow it felt different. Incomplete somehow.
Spyro was lost in his thoughts when he heard an all-too-familiar howl in the distance. He frowned and turned towards the direction the noise came from. As he neared the edge of a grove of trees he saw a group of wolves rushing across the open field. They were chasing a black dragon.
Spyro remembered what Infernus had mentioned to him, and Cynder as well as the other guardians. Several of the wolves that had managed to infiltrate the city and make it out alive had kidnapped several black dragons. He was unsure what the wolves intended to do about it and had sent out a search party several days before. This dragon looked like it had managed to escape and make a break for home.
The dragon tripped on a tree stump and turned around in time for the first of his pursuers to raise it's heavy blade high over his head. The dragon cried out and struck the wolf. The blow sent the canine smashing into a tree, breaking its bones from the impact and turning the tree to splinters. The other three wolves looked at each other then to their comrade and finally the dragon who was scrambling to get away. The trio howled angrily and raised their weapons.
Another agonized howl filled the air as the attackers were struck with a bolt of lightning. The wolves fell to the ground in smoking heap of burned fur and flesh. The wind blew the stench towards Spyro who curled his lip at it. He landed in the field and walked over to the dragon.
The black dragon was several years older than Spyro. He almost resembled a male version of Cynder with larger muscles than Spyro and his adult horns already showing signs of poking through his scales.
"Hey are you okay?" Spyro called as he approached the dragon. The dragon just stared at him with his mouth hung open in shock. Spyro noticed and put his head under the dragon's arm, and helped raise him up. "Come on. Let's get you back home. I'm sure you're family is worried about you." The dragon nodded dumbly and moved off of Spyro. "Can you walk alright?" Spyro asked as he eyed the dragon for any injuries. The dragon just nodded and hung his head low as if he had done something wrong. Spyro smiled softly and placed a comforting paw on his shoulder. "Don't worry, you're safe now." He assured him. "Now what do you say we get going?"
Stella strolled down the halls to one of the medical pavilions. She was feeling somewhat better after the long week had gone by. When she arrived at her destination she wrapped her talons on the doorway.
"Who is it?" A voice called. When she poked her head in the black dragon smiled. "Well now. What do I owe for such a visit from the future guardian of lightning?"
Stella smiled and set the flower down on the dragon's pillow. The dragon had identified himself as Liun.
"You don't owe anything." She blushed. "I was just stopping by to see how your recovery was coming."
"Better." Liun got up and spread his wings, giving them several strong flaps. His wound was still bandaged. "It doesn't hurt anymore when I use them."
"Good I'm glad." Stella smiled and sat down next to his pillow pile. "It's been great getting to know you Liun." She blushed as she said those words and did her best to hide it.
"Despite the circumstances." Liun sighed sadly and flopped back down on the cushions. "It's been great getting to know and amazing dragoness like you. It's not every day you get rescued and visited by a pretty guardian."
Stella's cheeks burned and she was forced to turn away slightly.
"At any rate, Liun. We leave tomorrow for Warfang."
"The dragon city?"
"Yes. It's my home for the remainder of the year. Until my training is complete at least. Then if I do become guardian, it will be my more permanent home."
"If you're trying to say goodbye, you don't need to trouble yourself about it." Liun stroked her cheek with a claw. Stella looked back at him curiously. "I'll come with you. Perhaps there's something the guardians will let me do to help out. Or maybe I could just stay with you there."
"But what about your family?" Stella pointed out. "What would they say?"
Liun shook his head. "I have no family to speak of here. I lost them when I was a hatchling. But I can tell you this much." He leaned in and brought his snout up to Stella's. "I'm sure they'd want me to be part of something important and to be happy." Without another word he leaned in and kissed Stella. The golden guardian's eyes grew wide as she felt the blood in her body burn and her heart thump against her chest. Then she closed her eyes and delved into the moment.
Spyro led the dragon back through the woods towards the mouth of the cave. The walk back took over an hour, and by now the sun was burning away the last of the morning fog. Once inside the cave, Spyro marched up to the gate. The guards opened it with curious expressions on their faces as to why the purple dragon would enter through the main gate rather than flying over the obstacle as he had done before. Spyro led the dragon back to the residential area of the city. By now Spyro's stomach was growling for breakfast but he had to take the dragon to the elders in the main tempe first.
As the two ascended the stairs Spyro spoke. "I'm sure the elders here are going to be glad you managed to escape from the wolves." He started. "They may ask you what happened to the other dragons that went missing."
The dragon looked up slightly as they neared the top of the stairs.
Suddenly, from out of nowhere Spyro felt something stab deep into his shoulder. He hollered in pain and collapsed on the stairs. He looked back to see the black dragon's broad-headed tail blade buried into his flesh.
Spyro watched as a twisted grin spread across the dragon's mouth. His eyes began to glow purple and dark energy spread out from his body. The flames spiraled high and began to take shape. The figure that loomed over them sneered and Spyro felt his blood run cold.
"No!" Spyro gasped in horror.
"Oh yes." The dragon laughed evilly. "Hello again young Spyro."
"Malefor!" Spyro tried to resist the force of the black dragon's blade but only ended up getting the tip driven deeper into his shoulder. "How is this possible? I...I destroyed you!"
The black dragon laughed. "Young dragon, did Ignitus teach you nothing? When a dragon dies, he does not truly leave this world because his spirit lives on." Spyro's eyes grew wider as he remembered the former fire guardian's words. "It's like I told you before." Malefor leaned down close to Spyro. The purple dragon could feel to coldness of the dark energy on his face. "I am eternal." The black dragon withdrew his tail blade causing Spyro to cry out again as his blood spurted onto the stairs.
"Spyro!" All three dragons turned to see Cynder running up the stairs towards them. The black dragon stepped back allowing Cynder to get close to Spyro. "There you are." She huffed as she caught her breath. "I've been searching all over for you. I wanted to go to breakfast with you before we start planning to leave tomorrow." It was then she noticed the blood trickling down Spyro's arm and side. "Oh my god! Spyro you're bleeding!" She leaned in closer to the wound to get a better look. "What happened? Were you attacked?"
"Cynder..." Spyro started, fighting against the pain. He couldn't understand why she was paying no mind to the other dragon standing no more than three feet away from her. He froze when the Dark Master extended his tail and let the end of his tail hover next to Cynder's throat. The black dragoness was completely unaware of the action. "Cynder...I..." Spyro stammered.
"She can't see or hear me Spyro." Malefor sneered. "Neither can any other dragon. But if you do tell her about me, then I will kill her where she stands."
Spyro's eyes grew wide in terror as he glanced from his dragoness to the Dark Master and back.
Cynder noticed the way he was looking around and cocked her head suspiciously. "Spyro? What are you looking at?" She turned around to see nothing but air. She looked back at him with a suspicious stare.
"N-nothing!" Spyro stammered. "I...I just..." He watched as the black dragon's tail blade twitched beside Cynder's neck. "I just was out for a walk outside the cave and ran into a broken tree branch." He hated lying to her, but he had to if he didn't want to lose her.
Cynder narrowed her eyes at him. "That's a serious wound Spyro!" She scolded. "Come on! Let's get you patched up before it gets infected."
Spyro looked up at the Dark Master. The black dragon withdrew his tail blade and nodded.
"Go on Spyro." He said in a taunting tone. "You may as well go with her. You're going to need it." Spyro hung his head, crushed and turned to follow Cynder to the healer's pavilion. Malefor watched him go and his sinister laugh echoed in Spyro's head. "This is only the beginning for you."