Chapter Eleven: Absence and Fondness
(Eleven days prior to Spyro's death)
The Chronicler Ignitus stood before the Pool of Visions in his study, wondering what he could have done differently to avoid his own death. The mighty dragon, former leader of the Guardians, gazed into the dark, depressing pool to only find his eyes falling upon the glimpse of Spyro's death.
"I can't stop him from meeting his inevitable death," Ignitus said as he gazed among the lifeless frame of Spyro. "I can't help him this time, nothing can, I'm sorry my friend… The closest thing I had to a son. I can't even give you a piece of advice until it is to late." The pool then began to shift again, revealing a tall black dragon with a dark aura surrounding him. Ignitus couldn't understand the pool as he tried to piece the signs together.
"This has to be it, the Water of Forgiveness." Spyro said, standing among a lavishly carved and decorated chamber which was lined with gold and harvested a small pool of pure white and blue water.
"Where are the guardians who are said to protect this chamber?" Hunter asked as he surveyed two enormous stone statues which stood on large platforms with beautiful decorations among them at the sides of the pool.
"Those statues have to be the guardians, why haven't they attacked us yet?" Spyro said as he neared the pool. The water glistened like diamonds as Spyro sensed a cool, refreshing fragrance which seemed to emit from the pool itself.
"Probably because they know we mean them no harm," Hunter said as he searched the satchel for a container of some sort to store the water in with no luck. "Spyro, what are we supposed to carry the water in?" Spyro's heart nearly stopped in shock to Hunter's words.
"Why didn't I ask Terrador what we were supposed to carry the water in?" Spyro yelled at himself as he slammed his right fist onto the decorative stone floor.
"Wait, Spyro look, in the right guardian's hand!" Hunter exclaimed, pointing to a golden cup in the open palm of the guardian. Spyro's heart then jumped in delight as he frantically flew upward to investigate. Studded with red and white jewels, the cup casted Spyro's reflection as he grasped the golden neck of the cup in his hands. Upon removing the cup however, the guardians came to life, crumbling small stones from their bodies as the two faced Spyro.
"Wait, hold on a second!" Spyro pleaded before the guardians could attack.
"WHY SHOULD WE LISTEN TO A THIEVING MORTAL LIKE YOU?" The guardian on the left boomed as Spyro hovered in midair between the two.
"Forgive me of my trespasses for my name is Spyro and this is my friend Hunter from Avalar," The two guardians seemed to be listening well as Spyro continued his speech. "I have come from the dragon city of Warfang to rid myself of a demon lurking inside of me. This water is a key ingredient to curing me. Please allow me to obtain a small amount of this blessed water to heal my soul."
"WE KNOW OF YOUR LEGEND YOUNG DRAGON," The guardian on the left said as his yellow glowing eyes seemed to burn into Spyro's soul. "YOU ARE THE ONE WHO DEFEATED THE GOLEM OF THE DEEP AND YOU, ALONG WITH THE FEMALE DRAGON CYNDER, YOU TWO DESTROYEED THE DESYTROYER'S HEART. YOU TWO EVEN SURVIVED THE SIEGE OF WARFANG. BUT YOU, SINGLE HANDEDLY, CAUSED THE DEATH OF MALEFOR."
"Well actually, Cynder helped my defeat the Golem of the Deep." Spyro hesitantly corrected, suddenly feeling an overwhelming sensation of homesickness to be with his loving wife Cynder.
"SPYRO, WHATEVER THE JOURNEY, YOU ARE WELCOMING ICON TO A DARKENED HEART," The guardian on the right said. "PLEASE TAKE AS MUCH OF THE WATER AS YOU NEED, THE WATER WILL ALWAYS BE RICH AND PURE, NEVER TO BE LOST. THE CUP WHICH YOU WILL USE WILL DISINTIGRATE AND RETURN TO THIS CHAMBER ONCE YOUR USE FOR IT HAS EXPIRED. MAY THE LIGHT OF LIGHTS GUIDE YOU HOME." The two guardians bowed in unison to show their respect to Spyro as they returned to their former positions, leaving themselves lifeless as they stood like statues on each of their pedestals.
"Spyro, we must hurry, the demon grows stronger inside of you by the second." Hunter said as him and Spyro approached the pool of water. Spyro carefully filled the golden cup with the purifying water and handed it to Hunter. Just then, a glowing figure of Terrador appeared among the two.
"I see that you have finally acquired the blessed water, well done," Terrador said, sounding hopeful as he spoke. "Step lightly however, if one drop is spilt, all hope is lost in releasing you from your demonic counterpart."
"That will be next to the impossible; we have to fly all the way back to Warfang." Hunter stated, Spyro's stomach churned to the thought of no hope.
"I know of this, I have summoned a teleportation spell to you from an Avalarian Hermit, the spell should take effect very soon." Terrador stated, disappearing from sight.
Suddenly, the ground and surrounding area was filled with a blinding flash of light. Then, the area was as black as the night sky.
(Ten days prior to Spyro's death)
"Spyro open your eyes!" Cynder yelled in a whisper, desperately trying to awaken the purple dragon.
"Cynder, where are we?" Spyro asked, focusing on a sudden flash of movement from the darkest corner of the Golem of the Deep's lair where Spyro and Cynder were unaware of them being readied to be sacrificed.
The memory of his past ripped him awake as he found himself next to Cynder, motionless as a dark dragon stepped before the edge of an ominous looking mountain.
"You should have been more careful, now you both are finished," The dragon said, a black aura of massive proportions covered his body. "Now she's dead, along with everything you cherished. You've got nothing against me; I've taken everything from you!"
"No, you don't have my spirit." Spyro said, coughing violently as small drops of blood spat onto the ground from his mouth.
"Time's up Spyro." The dragon said as everything faded to black.
"Hunter, are you there?" Spyro stammered, his own words echoed like a gong was rung in his brain.
"Don't worry; the effects of the spell will fade away shortly." The voice was high pitched and ragged at its peak as Spyro identified the Cheetah Hermit.
"I'm at the Dragon Temple correct?" Spyro asked, slowly coming to his senses.
"That is correct young one," The Hermit said as Volteer landed among the platform with Cyril and Terrador. "You are in the Dragon Study, it has been almost five hours since you've returned."
"Where's the water at?" Spyro simply asked as he rubbed his spinning head.
"We have a clear crystal ready in the archives in the lower levels of this temple," Cyril said as the three Guardian dragons fully entered the study. "The water is down there as well, we can begin the ritual whenever you're ready."
"Tell me Spyro, what is it like to have a demon presence inside of you?" The Hermit asked, pulling his cloaked hood over his head.
"At first you feel the raw power in your body… it is immeasurable it seems," Spyro explained, knowing he was running out of time. "But all of the violent urges it wants is nearly unconquerable."
"Go and seek out Cynder, she will most likely want to speak with you and spectate this separation of the demon and you." Terrador ordered, Cynder's name seemed to sing love tunes in Spyro's ears as he ran towards the balcony, leaped with grace, and flew off towards Flame and Ember's cave.
"I haven't seen her in days… hang on my love, I'm coming home." Spyro said with a smile as he flew faster towards his beloved.
"It's good to see you have returned my brother," Prowlus said as he and Hunter embraced in a short brotherly hug while they both shook hands. "How did the journey go?"
"Everything went as planned; Spyro seemed to react well to his training in Shadow Forest. He said his father, Malefor, was his spiritual guide."
"Do you think Spyro will be corrupted later on by this meeting?" Prowlus asked as he and Hunter patrolled their village, admiring their civilizations progress.
"Very doubtful Prowlus," Hunter said as the two found themselves watching young Cheetah cubs practicing their archery skills on makeshift targets just outside the village. "His heart is too pure to allow such a thing… I think he knows his boundaries. He wouldn't allow power to corrupt him like Malefor did."
"You're right, that and with Cynder by his side, there is no reason why he would want power." Prowlus said as he and Hunter began to teach the young Cheetah's new techniques with their bows and arrows.