I've decided to split everyone's training into four different parts. Blane's up first, then Talea, Spyro and Cynder, and last Nguyen and Hunter. Hunter, technically, won't actually be training so-

Will you just shut up and start the chapter!

Yeah, I wanna know what happens, and I bet the readers do too!

Geez, are you two immature or what? Whatever, on with the chapter!

Disclaimer: I do not own Spyro or any of the copyrighted things I use. I do, however, own my characters and this story.

Chapter 16: Facing Your Darkness

Dex was completely out of view by the time the others had come back into the room. Ignitus sat waiting, his mind going through possible ways to tell Spyro what he needed to tell him.

"Where did Dex go?" Blane asked, looking around for him.

"To his room here," Ignitus said absently, "he doesn't need to be here while I train all of you."

"Oh," Blane said, slightly disappointed, "I was kinda hoping to talk to him."

"Perhaps later," Ignitus said, coming out of his thoughts and looking at everyone in turn, "it is time for each of you to learn the techniques to defeat Ragnarok."

As he finished, the study began to fade and a large training room appeared. It was fairly large, large enough that everyone would have their own place to train. It looked like the training room at the temple, except it was much cleaner and looked like a slightly darker version.

"Each of you will learn something unique and different," Ignitus explained, looking at everyone, "and these abilities will aid you in your coming role in the final battle of this war."

Ignitus turned to Spyro, "Spyro, you will learn the elements that were given to Cynder when she was under the Dark Master's influence; Fear, Poison, Wind, and Shadow."

Spyro looked shocked and turned to look at Cynder who looked surprised as well.

Ignitus turned to look at her as well and said, "Cynder, you will learn the elements you were denied when you were forced to become the Dark Master's slave; Earth, Fire, Water, and Electricity."

"But I thought only a purple dragon could learn all of the elements?" Cynder said, stunned.

"That is true, but have you seen your scales when the light hits them?" Ignitus asked. As he finished, a bright light emanated from under her, illuminating her scales and making them appear a dark purple.

"I'm a purple dragon?" Cynder asked, completely off-guard.

"When the Dark Master took away your free will and made you his slave, he unknowingly made you into a purple dragon," Ignitus explained, "you two will instruct one another in how to control the other's elements."

A door appeared on the right side of the room and Ignitus motioned for the two to go in. They looked at one another before walking towards it. The door opened and the two went inside before it closed behind them.

"Nguyen," Ignitus said, causing everyone to turn their gaze back to him, "you will learn to contact the spirits of the Ancestors and the Damned."

"What? Why?" Nguyen asked, confused and worried at the same time.

"It is a useful skill that will be very helpful if you are ever in need of guidance," Ignitus said vaguely, "Hunter, you will assist him since I know you are good at meditation and that will be very useful for this technique."

"As you wish Ignitus," Hunter said, inclining his head in understanding. Another door appeared at the back of the training room and Nguyen and Hunter began walking towards it. The door opened and the two walked inside, the door closing behind them.

"And as for you two," Ignitus said, turning his attention to Blane and Talea, "Talea, you shall learn how to control water, not only visible but invisible as well."

"Water?" Talea said, puzzled, "But I'm an ice dragon, not a water dragon."

"That is true," Ignitus said, "but an ancestor of yours was, giving you the ability."

"Oh," she said, still not completely understanding.

"And you, Blane," Ignitus said, turning to look at Blane, "you shall learn to control your darker half."

"How can I learn to control Cain?" Blane asked, tilting his head to the side in confusion.

"Not Cain," Ignitus said, "the dark side of you that took control back at Warfang that gave you the strength to destroy not only two of Ragnarok's generals, but also the entire army they commanded."

"Are you crazy?" Blane shouted, looking at Ignitus with a mixture of shock, grief, and anger, "why would I want to control something that not only almost killed me but also destroyed all of those people without any remorse?"

After Blane stopped, he felt a hand on his shoulder as well as a wing envelop him. He looked behind him and saw Silena and Rurik standing there. Both of them looked the same as when he saw them when he was unconscious back in Warfang.

"It is a part of you Blane," Silena said gently.

"And if you're going to defeat Ragnarok you need to learn to control it and make it work to your advantage," Rurik finished.

"I don't know if I can," Blane said, looking down, "what if I lose control and go on a rampage? What if I hurt someone? Or worse?"

"There are many 'what if's' in life Blane," Rurik explained lightly, "you never know what's going to happen. You just have to look on the bright side and let things play out.'

"Sometimes things are just out of our control," Silena agreed.

"And you won't," Rurik added, "you are much stronger than you think. You not only have the strength to control your darker half, but also use it to end Ragnarok once and for all."

"I-I just don't know if I can take any more of this," Blane said, a tear falling from his face to the ground, "I'm destined to defeat Ragnarok, but I don't think I'll come back from it."

"You will," Rurik said.

"Because you have something to come back for," Silena finished.

"You're right," Blane said, his voice a bit lighter as he looked up at his parents, "I have my friends, my brother, and Talea to come back to."

"Good," Rurik said as he and Silena began to fade from view, "remember that we are always here when you need us."

"No matter what," Silena agreed just before they completely faded from view.

It was then that Blane realized that Talea was screaming his name.

"Blane!" she shouted again before he turned to look at her.

"What?" he asked.

"You've been standing like that for almost ten minutes," she said, worry in her voice, "you wouldn't answer me."

"Sorry," he said with an apologetic smile, "I was…distracted."

"Alright, it is time for you both to commence your training," Ignitus interjected, bringing their attention back to him, "Talea, you will take one half of the training room, Blane you take the other."

They nodded and separated, Blane taking the right side of the training room while Talea took the left. Ignitus told Talea to try to find the moisture in the air and make it visible before he went to tell Blane what he needed to do.

"Blane, the only way for you to gain control of your darker half is to fight it," Ignitus said, causing Blane to look at him in confusion.

"How am I supposed to fight something that is a part of me?" Blane said, puzzled. After he finished, he felt a dark presence behind him and turned to see…himself. The other Blane was in human form, but he looked like a darker version of him. The tunic he wore was similar to Blane's, only his was black. The pants he wore were the same color and his hair as well. His skin was white with the scales on him were black. The wings that came from his back were the same size as Blane's and were pitch black. His eyes were a soulless black, with no white showing at all. He had a blade similar to the one Blane had sheathed at his waist and a smile that would make a rock shatter was plastered on his face.

"Does this answer your question?" Dark Blane asked mockingly, his voice dark and distorted.

"I suppose," Blane said before he disappeared in a flash of light and reappeared in his human form. He unsheathed his sword, Dark Blane doing the same. Unlike Blane's, Dark Blane's sword was pitch black and serrated, giving it an evil appearance. Ignitus watched the two Blanes closely, waiting for one of them to make a move. Talea, who had noticed the two Blanes, stopped what she was doing and watched as well.

"Fool," Dark Blane said, pointing his blade at Blane, "do you realize what will happen if you lose to me?"

"No," Blane said, placing his blade on his shoulder, "but I'm guessing it's something bad?"

"Bad?" Dark Blane asked contemptuously, "If you lose to me, I get control over you."

"That's another reason to win then," Blane said with a smirk. Dark Blane flew at Blane with blinding speed, his blade attempting to slash him. Blane hardly had enough time to react and block with his sword. The force behind Dark Blane's blow forced Blane back a few feet before Blane was able to push him away. Dark Blane ran at him again, bringing his sword in the opposite direction than last time. Blane blocked once again, but wasn't knocked back this time. Blane pushed him back again, but this time he ran at Dark Blane. Blane swung his sword, but Dark Blane blocked it with ease. Sparks flew as the two clashed back and forth, Talea and Ignitus watching the fight with interest.

Two dragons hiding in the corner of the room watched the fight with intensity as well. One of the dragons was Dex, while the other was a pale blue dragoness. She had a darker blue underbelly and white horns and a spade-like tail tip. Her wings were the same blue as her underbelly while the membranes were light-blue. Her green eyes flashed over to Dex before back to the fight.

"That's your dad?" she asked him, motioning towards Blane.

"Yeah," Dex said, "I can't believe it, there he is not even 10 feet away and I can't tell him I'm his son."

"Well telling him now wouldn't be very smart," the dragoness said in an attempt to lighten him up, "he's a bit busy."

"I know Annabelle," he said, laying his head on his paws, "it's just so frustrating to be so close and so far away at the same time."

"You got to talk to him didn't you?" Annabelle asked.

"Yeah, but-" He started.

"But nothing," She interrupted, "he knows who you are, and if what your mother told you about him then he'll come to you and ask what you were going to say before Ignitus cut you off."

"You're right," Dex said, his spirits lifting as he turned to look at Annabelle, "Have I ever told you how much I love you?"

"You could tell me a bit more often," she said playfully, kissing him lightly. He chuckled and the two turned their attention back to the fight.

By this time, Blane was breathing heavily and sweat dripped from his face. Dark Blane, however, looked as if he had just started. Blane ran at him again, attempting to slash him, but once again found himself blocked. Blane was pushed away and Dark Blane rushed at him, a devilish grin on his face as he slashed at an opening in Blane's guard. Blane cried out in pain as he felt the blade pierce his right shoulder.

Dark Blane brought his face closer to Blane's and mocked, "You believed you had the strength to defeat me? The only reason you've gotten this far is because you relied on your much stronger, so-called, friends. You are weak and pathetic, but when I have your body you will be strong and ruthless. But the first thing I'll do when I get control of your body is kill all of the ones you hold dear, starting with your little Talea."

"No!" Blane shouted, grabbing the blade in his shoulder with his left hand and breaking it. Dark Blane stumbled back in surprise as his sword was broken. Blane got to his feet, his wings spreading out to their full length and his horns growing from the top of his head. His sword was now engulfed in white flames and he charged Dark Blane, his sword lightly scraping the ground as he ran, leaving a trail of white flames. Dark Blane was frozen in fear and unable to move. Blane drove his sword into Dark Blane's chest, the flames from his blade licking and charring his tunic. The tip of Blane's sword stuck out of Dark Blane's back, dripping in dark black blood. Shadows began to engulf Dark Blane's from before he exploded in darkness, leaving Blane standing there, his sword no longer bloodied.

"That was…incredible." Ignitus said, breathless, as he walked over to where Blane stood, "you destroyed him, and unlocked an even stronger form."

"Well," Blane said, panting, as he looked over his shoulder at Ignitus, "I don't think I'll be conscious much-"

He was unable to finish as he dropped to the floor, unconscious. Talea ran over to him, but Ignitus blocked her with his wing.

"What are you doing?" she demanded angrily, looking at him with a look that could kill, "Let me through!"

"No," Ignitus said, shaking his head, "you still need to finish your training. I will move him to the wall; he will be unconscious while his body recovers. He will wake up soon though."

Talea growled but did as she was told and went back to trying to find the water in the air. Ignitus picked up Blane's body and did what he told her he would and brought him over to the wall and sat him with his back against the wall. As he did, he looked over to where Dex and Annabelle were hiding.

He looked over to see if Talea had noticed, but she was too absorbed in finishing so she could go over to Blane to notice anything.

"I know you two are there," he said, turning his head back to the two dragons' hiding spot, "so you might as well come out."

The two dragons did as they were told and stepped away from their hiding spot and towards the large, teal dragon. They stopped in front of him and looked up at him with looks of those caught doing something they shouldn't be.

"I should've known you two would come to watch," he said, chuckling, "you two are as stubborn as your parents are."

"Then at least we know it runs in the family," Annabelle retorted.

"Ah, I see you are aware of my connection to you, Annabelle." Ignitus said, still chuckling.

"Have you told my dad yet?" she asked.

"I will when he is done training with your mother," Ignitus assured before turning to look at Dex, "I know how much you want to get to know your father, but you know very well why you can't."

"You know he'll want to know what I was going to say before you cut him off." It wasn't a question.

"Yes, but you cannot tell him." Ignitus said, knowing it was a futile effort.

"You know I won't listen." Once again it wasn't a question.

"I had to try didn't I?" Ignitus sighed, looking up at the domed ceiling, "Ah well, wait till he comes to you though. Don't go up and tell him, all right?"

"Only if he doesn't take too long," Dex said with a humorous smile.

"You are definitely your father's son," Ignitus said, chuckling once again.

"Without a doubt," Dex said, still grinning as he and Annabelle turned around and walked out the door that led back to their room.

Ignitus just shook his head in amusement, saying, "I don't know what came over me to let those two come back to this time, but I know for sure that it may solve more problems than if I hadn't brought them."

He turned his attention back to Talea to give her a few pointers as she was still struggling to find the water in the air.

xXxXxXxXxXx

Well, whaddaya say? Good or not?

I'd give it a seven.

Eight point five.

Thanks, I guess, but I meant the readers… R&R, otherwise I won't know if I suck or not!

You d-

I wasn't asking you!