Hello everybody, I hope you've been enjoying the book and have been eagerly anticipating the reveal about which character isn't who they say they are. Also, the book is sadly coming to an end in the next chapter because I couldn't draw out the story any longer (I also didn't want to because no one likes it when a story is drawn out.). I hope you enjoy chapter 7.
The Malefor Chronicles Book 1: The Return of Malefor
Chapter 7: The Seeds of Darkness
"It's done!" exclaimed Pop Fizz. It's six in the morning, everyone is gathered in the Tower's central chamber getting ready to head back Skylands after yesterday's events.
"Excellent, now we can sterilize my bullet wound so the acid isn't eating through my shoulder." said Dragonheart.
Cynder and Bash turned towards Dragonheart with looks of fear and concern on their faces, the only one other than Pop Fizz who didn't look concerned was Spyro. Dragonheart thought he saw a smile form on Spyro's face, but it vanished as soon as it appeared.
"You were shot and you didn't tell us?" asked Cynder.
"I didn't want you guys to worry so I decided to keep it under wraps." said Dragonheart, "It hardly matters now, so there's no need to worry."
"You still should have told us." Bash responded.
"Look, we're leaving in five minutes, so go get everything ready while I get this wound sterilized." Dragonheart said.
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Five minutes later Dragonheart and his friends exited the Void at the Core of Light and made their way to the Academy's courtyard.
"Can we please find some other form of transportation; Void travel makes me sick." Cynder complained.
"Well, I find Void travel to be more precise than using the Portal system and it lets us travel to Layers that aren't connected by Portals, so if you can find us a more reliable mode of transportation, let me know." said Dragonheart.
As they entered the courtyard, Jet Vac walked up and stopped them.
"Jet Vac, where's Hugo?" asked Dragonheart, "I asked him to meet me here."
"Hugo had to go to Stonetown to work out a trade agreement so he asked me to take his place." Jet Vac answered.
"Alright, give me an update on the Well of Souls then." said Dragonheart.
"There has been no change in the Well's condition since you last checked," said Jet Vac, "I'll let you decide whether that's good or bad."
"That's not possible." said Dragonheart, "He should be building the Well as we speak."
"I already told you that Malefor's not building the Well." said Spyro.
"Oh, really, and how is it that you know this?" asked Dragonheart.
"Because he's right here talking to you." said Spyro.
"Spyro, what do you mean?" asked Dragonheart.
"You're a bit slow on the uptake, aren't you? What I mean is that Malefor is me and I am Malefor." said the purple dragon that was formerly known to the group as Spyro. At that moment, five massive warships flew overhead and an army of apes dropped down and surrounded the courtyard. An ape in purple armor and a spiked helmet walked up to the purple dragon, two long scimitars holstered at his waist.
"So, the exile finally shows his face," said Dragonheart, "took you long enough. And Gaul, I see you still have your eye."
"What's that supposed to mean?" grunted the ape.
"Well, as River Song once said; spoilers." said Dragonheart, a smile playing across his face.
"I do believe that is enough of your quirky commentary." said Malefor, "Now Gaul, raise the barrier."
Gaul turned and barked at four apes behind him, they ran off and a few seconds later the sky darkened and pulsed with a strange, dark energy. Malefor walked up to the Academy's doorway, then turned around to view the group of Skylanders below him. He told one of the apes to bring him one of the rookie Skylanders. The ape grabbed one of the rookies and brought him up to Malefor who grabbed him by the neck.
"Before we begin, Dragonheart, I need you to hand over you gem." said Malefor, "If not, this poor whelp dies."
"Holster detach." said Dragonheart, his eyes, burning with rage, never leaving Malefor. An ape walked over and took Mary from Dragonheart's outstretched hand and took it over to Malefor.
"Thank you for your cooperation Dragonheart." said Malefor. He then lifted the rookie into the air and threw him against the border. The instant the rookie touched the barrier, his whole body burst into flames. The rookie let out a scream of pain and then died, his body nothing more than a burnt crisp on the ground.
"That was a warning to those hoping to flee." said Malefor.
"You promised he would live!" shouted Dragonheart angrily.
"Did I?" asked Malefor, "It seems that little detail slipped my mind. Gaul, take care of them, but leave Dragonheart alive. I want him to suffer for as long as possible."
Malefor turned around and entered the Academy. The apes surrounding Dragonheart and the Skylanders smiled cruelly and started to close in the group. Dragonheart leaned close to Cynder and said, "I need an opening, think you can get me one?"
"One opening coming up." said Cynder, a fierce smile forming on her face. She leaped into the air and breathed Shadow Fire on the apes below causing them to back up in fear and confusion. Dragonheart took advantage of the distraction and ran past the apes and vaulted over the railing. Gaul stepped in front of the Academy's front door and drew his scimitars.
"You wouldn't attack an unarmed man, would you?" asked Dragonheart.
"I attack who ever I want, be them armed or unarmed." Gaul grunted.
"Well, in that case, en garde!" yelled Dragonheart.
Gaul raised his scimitars and rushed Dragonheart who side stepped the attack and kicked Gaul in the back making him fall and drop his swords. Dragonheart ran over and picked up one of Gaul's swords as Gaul was recovering the fall. Gaul grabbed his other sword and sliced at Dragonheart who parried the attack and thrust the blade into Gaul's left eye. Gaul let out a scream of pain and clutched at his eye as Dragonheart opened the door to the main hall to confront Malefor.
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Dragonheart found Malefor standing on the far end of the main hall.
"I should have known you would do whatever it takes to reach your end goal," said Malefor, "even if it means throwing away others' lives. You've done it before."
"That's what this is all about?" asked Dragonheart, "I've already told you that both of you knew what you were getting into, you just let your feelings get to you."
"If it wasn't for you, she would still be alive!" Malefor roared.
"She was alive until you killed her out of pure anger." said Dragonheart, "That's one reason you were exiled in the first place."
"I've had enough of your lies, of your trickery!" Malefor yelled, "During these past two months I have had plenty of time to think, and I've come to the realization that I am the one destined to destroy you once and for all. And after I kill you, I will kill everyone here, after that, Spyro, Drobot, and Sunburn will die."
Malefor charged Dragonheart, his horns down to impale him. Dragonheart rolled out of the way, narrowly avoiding the attack, causing Malefor to crash into the thick oak doors of the main hall, his horns stuck.
"Mary, where are you?" asked Dragonheart.
In his head, he heard Mary say, "I'm on the mantle of the fireplace, took you long enough to get here."
Dragonheart ran to the fireplace, but before he could reach it, a fireball flew past his head and hit the ground in front of him, creating a wall of fire between him and Mary. Dragonheart turned and saw Malefor facing him, free from the oak door. Black shadows rose from Dragonheart's body his face twisted into an angry grimace.
"The seed of Darkness has been planted, give into your anger, let it feed the Darkness inside of you!" Malefor yelled.
Dragonheart, no longer able to control his anger, let out a scream of rage and a ring of black fire appeared around him. The fire quickly spread throughout the room lighting everything ablaze. Dragonheart saw a door of darkness appear behind Malefor and then the world went dark.
I hoped you all enjoyed chapter 7 and Dragonheart's confrontation with Malefor. I've been wanting to write this since I started this little project of mine. Sadly there is only one last chapter for this book, but I've enjoyed writing this and giving you all something to read in your free time.
