Legend of Spyro: Stormfront
Chapter 12
"I promise I will never hurt you again Cynder." Spyro told Cynder who he in his arms.
"Will you take me to the gardens today Spyro, please?" She responded meekly.
"Yes Cynder, whatever you want. I'm so sorry I put you through that." Spyro said voice beginning to crack a little.
"Don't worry about it Spyro, I needed to redeem myself. After what I did to you that night, I couldn't help but think that it was all my fault. Now, I feel a little better." Cynder then fell sound asleep in his arms from sheer exhaustion.
The Guardians began to walk over towards the two. "Why don't you take Cynder home Spyro? We'll finish up with any other business that needs attending to here." Cyril said.
"I don't believe that is your decision to make." Magnus responded from a distance.
"Magnus if you dare to vote against the rest of us I will have you thrown off this Council!" Lightnara yelled at him. "All in favor of releasing Spyro from prison raise your paw." Lightnara immediately raised her paw soon followed by Tremor. "Frost you have been unusually quite?"
"I have been solely sorting out the facts of this situation. I do believe Spyro was at one point evil; however he certainly does not seem evil now." And she raised her paw.
"Despite what I saw inside of Spyro, which of what I will never speak of, after seeing him care for Cynder like this, I also vote for his release." And Raxius raised his paw as well.
They all looked at Magnus. "Magnus you made a promise, if you break it there will be consequences. I will see breaking that promise as a sign of low integrity." Frost stated.
"How can you not see that this dragon is evil? He attacked this city!" Magnus responded harshly.
"I see a dragon kindly caring for a friend. What is so evil about that?" Raxius retorted.
"You have two options Magnus vote in favor, or there will be a special election in the near future." Tremor threatened.
"I see that I am to be bullied into this. Very well." And Magnus raised his paw reluctantly.
"Then it is settled. Spyro you are a free to go." Lightnara stated.
"Thank you." Spyro told the Council as he positioned Cynder on his back to take her home so she could rest. Then he unfolded his wings and took off heading in the direction of his old home.
With all the chance of continued action gone, the students started to return to their dorms, hopefully to catch a few more precious moments of sleep before their day began.
Flame, Flare, and Quake also started to walk back as well.
"So do you really think he is back to normal?" Flare asked.
"I hope so. I don't want to ever fight Spyro again." Flame responded. "We were that close to failing. If the real Spyro had not stepped in we would have all died for sure, not to mention the rest of Warfang."
"I don't know, I still have my doubts." Quake stated.
"Why? After the way he cared for Cynder back there sure made him look like he truly was himself." Flare responded.
"He looks so different, you saw his scales they were definitely a darker shade of purple. Then, what if it is all an act or something? What if that monster is just pretending to be our friend?" Quake stated.
"Why would he need to do that Quake?" Flame questioned. "What could be possibly gained by it? If he was still evil he would have already destroyed the city in my mind."
"I don't know? Maybe you guys are right…" Quake let himself trail off.
They reached the point where they had to split off to go to their separate rooms.
"Well see you guys later today." Flame said.
"Ya, you too." Quake said.
"Bye guys." Flare said.
Spyro took off for his former home, Cynder secure on his back. He had to make gentle flaps of his wings or else the force would drive his sharp spines into Cynder. Nobody was yet up; however in a few minutes the citizens would soon be waking to start the daily routine. Spyro sped up a little to make sure he would not be caught alone with a dragon draped over his back. The sun was just starting to peek itself over the horizon. Spyro stared at its beauty for a little while, the reds, yellows, and oranges mixing perfectly, with a few streaks of purple streaking towards the night side.
"I wish Cynder was awake to see this. She would like it." He said to himself.
He then realized he was about to pass over his home so he went into a spiral to slow himself down for a landing. His claws scrapped on the stone floor as he landed on the back balcony that overlooked most of Warfang. He cantered into his home. It was the same as he last remembered it. Peaceful and quite as usual. Sparx's snores could be heard vibrating out of his own hanging nest in the corner of the room. He set Cynder carefully down on her own bed of black and red cushions. He then retired to his own purple and yellow cushions hopefully to catch some needed rest.
He then thought about his promise to Cynder. He would have to take her to the gardens today after she woke up. He thought about how he would get through a large part of Warfang after what had happened. What would people think of him as he walked by? Would he have to use Dragon Time to sneak through undetected?
"I guess I will have my answer in a few hours." Then he laid his head down to rest and wait for Cynder.
Spyro awoke a few hours later, and it was now mid-morning. He looked over towards Cynder's cushions. She was still sound asleep.
"I hope I didn't go too far…" Spyro thought. "No, Cynder is strong, she will pull through."
He looked over at Sparx's nest. To his surprise he was gone. Sparx had gotten up and failed to wake Spyro.
"That's odd, he always wakes me up." Spyro said. "Either he was feeling very considerate today or he is scared of me." Spyro shuddered, to think that Sparx is possibly terrified of him now. "My own brother thinks I'm a monster." Spyro said as he looked his head towards the ground and at his paws.
He noticed his scales; they were definitely darker than what they had used to be. In fact they were the same color as Malefor's when they fought in center of the world. Even the claws on his paws had changed too, where they were once straight and reasonably pointed, they were now hooked and deadly sharp, each claw capable of severing a vital arty in the neck. He looked over his shoulder; there he noticed his now set of double spikes. They were very sharp, and even looked like they were serrated on the curved backside, and there once gold color were now a dusky yellow almost brown color. The tail spike had also changed. It had thinned out, and the tip came to a sharp point, further up it branched out symmetrically to form two more weapons in equal length to the main body of the spike. He now effectively had three stabbing weapons on the end of his tail. Then he looked at the black streak of flames running down most of his midline of his body, the light being reflected off the glossy black scales. They were the only scales that had a shine to them at all. When he turned it looked like the flame pattern the scales were in would dance a little.
"What part of me isn't a lethal weapon? No wonder everyone thinks I'm a monster. I look like one. I even think my teeth are sharper." He said despairingly. "How am I supposed to walk in public like this? If someone bumps into me I'm likely to stab them. And this isn't even when I'm in my dark form! Who could love a beast like me?"
"I could." He heard a female voice say. He looked over towards the source of the voice. To see the green eyes of Cynder on her cushions looking at him.
"How much did you hear?" Spyro asked.
"Enough to know that your beating yourself up inside." Cynder responded.
"I can't help it. Every time I look at myself I see another Malefor." Spyro said.
"You know you are different than him. Spyro you happen to be talking to the only dragoness on the planet who knows how you are feeling." Cynder retorted. "I was the same way after you rescued me."
"I guess we are even then." Spyro stated.
"Ironic, isn't it?" Cynder said. "You rescued me from darkness, I rescued you, and now we both look alike."
"I guess I'm just not used to it is all." Spyro responded. "When I was younger, I always had someone telling me what to do, or what was to be done is clear. Now, I feel lost."
"You have me Spyro, you will always have me." Cynder said.
"Thanks Cynder." Spyro said with a tear in his eye.
"Now how about that trip to the garden you promised me?" She asked.
"Are you sure you are alright?" Spyro asked.
Cynder rolled off her cushions and stood up, "Yes I think so, but let's take it slow if you don't mind."
"Of course, Cynder." Spyro responded. Spyro then walked up to her and Spyro escorted her out of their home.
The street was empty, being a residential one; however Spyro was sure that the commercial streets would be packed.
Spyro was about to take off, but Cynder stuck her wing out impeding his take off path. "We are walking."
"Do you think that is the best idea?" Spyro asked a little fear slipping into his voice.
"Yes Spyro, they need to see you for what you really are, the best way to do that is to walk amongst them and act friendly and put on a smile. It puts everyone at ease that way." Cynder told him.
"Did that work for you?" Spyro said.
Cynder started to walk down the street, "For the most part."
Spyro cantered up beside her. "What do you mean for the most part?"
"Hopefully we won't have to get into that one." Cynder responded as they turned the corner onto a main street.
There were dragons and moles everywhere: buying stuff, carting goods, and going about their daily business.
Cynder stepped forward closely followed by Spyro into the street. They oriented themselves to the flow of travel; luckily no one had yet recognized Spyro or was too busy to notice. They made it about halfway up the hill to the gardens when a large green earth dragon buying fruit from a stall stepped back. In his carelessness, he tripped over Spyro's tail. He lost his balance and crashed into a stall, suddenly vegetables went flying in every direction, landing in the street, and on top of everyone.
The earth dragon finally recovered himself from the wreck of the stall, brushing vegetable matter off of his face, and himself.
The mole manning the stole then barked at him, "My stall is ruined! You are paying for it!" He pointed an accusing finger at the earth dragon.
"Whose he idiot who doesn't nowhere to put his tail?" He stated in a voice as deep as Terrador's.
Spyro looked over at Cynder, who promptly gave him a nudge out into the circle that had formed around the demanding green dragon.
"Who was it? I'm not paying for these damages!" He yelled.
He then noticed Spyro stepping forward. An unmistakable look of fear shot across the large dragon's face. The crowd saw what he was looking at to then notice Spyro as well. All eyes immediately fell on him, and a few gasps could be heard.
"Umm… sorry?" Spyro said. "I don't have any money on me right now, but if I go back to the house I can get some."
"No, no, no, no Spyro… sir. I am perfectly content with paying for this moles stall." He said his voice quivering. "Ple-please don't hurt me."
Spyro just stared at the ground, and he turned around. "Have a nice day then." He said quietly. He made his way towards the edge of the crowd, who upon seeing Spyro walking towards them immediately parted and left several feet of room for Spyro to walk through. He saw Cynder a little farther ahead waiting for him.
Cynder saw Spyro walking towards her; she was too far away to hear what had gone on. However, Spyro's face told her exactly what happened. He looked completely downtrodden. She immediately new it had not gone over well.
"What did he say?" Cynder asked her voice gentle and kind.
"Don't hurt me." Spyro said despairingly.
"Ignore it Spyro." Cynder said. "You are what you make yourself out to be. People saw, that even though you had a confrontation, you did not use violence or anger, and the word will spread."
"I guess you're right. Come on let's keep going." Spyro told her a little happier now.
The rest of the walk to the gardens was uneventful thankfully.
There were several families with young dragons playing throughout the gardens. Their parents keeping watch to ensure their children's safety. Spyro and Cynder skirted the edge of the gardens stone wall that blocked the view from the rest of Warfang. They found a secluded grove with a few bushes blocking anybody from seeing them, and sat down and started talking. Mostly it was Cynder whoever did the talking; Spyro didn't seem to be in much of a mood. She talked about various things from Warfang to old there old adventures. She was trying to stay away from the last few days of history as they could only bring hurt to Spyro.
Spyro kept having a nagging feeling though, like he was forgetting someone. He thought back to times when he was in the swamp, far from war and the organized chaos of Warfang. Of course the swamp was gone now, once having been close to the Dragon Temple there. However, when Malefor recaptured it and burnt the surrounding lands to the ground the swamp had perished. Luckily, Spyro knew the dragonflies were safe. First thing, after returning to Warfang, Sparx, Cynder and himself had set out in search of any remaining dragonflies. They found them; they had taken shelter from the war down river from the dam. The river formed into a large estuary that fed into the ocean, and provided a similar habitat to the swamp.
He chuckled inwardly to himself when he remembered his dad, Flash, saying, "When we saw the temple fly up into the sky, we figured it was time to get out."
Then it struck him. His parents! He had not seen them in over a year. He felt a feeling of longing to see them again.
"Cynder do you mind if we take a trip to my parents? I miss them." Spyro said to her.
"Of course Spyro, it will give Warfang some time to quiet down a bit too." Cynder said.
"We can make the arrangements later." Spyro said. "Right now I want to enjoy my time with you."
"Aww so sweet of you, Spyro." Cynder said.
Suddenly the bushes behind them rustled. Cynder didn't think there would be any enemies in the middle of Warfang, so she did not get into a battle stance.
"Who's there? Show yourself!" Cynder stated aggressively.
A small teal blue dragoness not more than two years old poked her head out of the bushes. She had a golden underbelly, similar to what Spyro's use to be. Her
"Sorry, mister and misses I didn't mean too." She said in her high pitched toddler's voice.
"What is your name, sweetie." Cynder asked.
"Mommy says I'm not supposed to talk to strangers…" She responded.
"My name is Cynder." Cynder told the little dragoness.
She let out a small gasp. "Mommy says you're a hero. I don't think you are stranger anymore. My name is Glaza."
"That is a very cute name Glaza." Cynder told her.
"Thanks." She responded in her high child voice. "What is his name? He looks scary." She said and backed up a step, to get further from Spyro.
Spyro looked down at the ground. "My name is Spyro."
She let out another gasp. "Mommy says you're a bad dragon. That you made us have to hide in those dark caves. They were scary."
Spyro's heart fell. Cynder quickly took over for him.
"Spyro's not a bad dragon; he's just… well… misunderstood." Cynder said.
"What does that mean?" Glaza asked. Suddenly, a call was heard, "Glaza!"
"That's my mommy." Glaza said, before she called out to her, "I'm over here mommy."
They heard the patter of dragon paws come up to the bushes. "Why are you in the bushes my dear?" The dragoness said.
"I'm talking to people mommy." Glaza responded.
"Who could you possibly be talking to in the bushes?" Then a much larger version of Glaza's head poked through the bushes.
"Ohh my! Lady Cynder was my daughter bothering you?" She then looked over at Spyro. She made the exact same face as Glaza did when she learned Spyro's name.
"Glaza go home, now!" Her mother ordered her child.
"Aww, but mommy I just met them." Glaza responded her voice pleading.
"No buts, when we get home we are going to have a long discussion." Her mother told her. "As for you." She then pointed an accusing paw at Spyro. "What were you going to do to my daughter?" She said her voice harsh.
Spyro grew a little angry at this. Simply by being here, and he was being accused. Cynder saw this and stepped in for him.
"We were simply talking." Cynder stated her voice sounding aggravated.
"I don't believe that! After all those people he has sent to the infirmary, and those dragons he murdered. How can you trust him! Just stay away from my daughter you monster!" Glaza's mother yelled at Spyro, then scooped her daughter into her arms, and withdrew from the bushes. The flapping of wings signaled that Glaza and her mother were gone.
Cynder looked over at Spyro. He was crying. "Come on Spyro, let's get you home. I'm sorry I made you come out today." She said, trying to comfort him.
They had flown right home after the incident at the gardens. Spyro's tail dragged the ground as he went inside; he made his way over to his cushions and plopped down. He did not say anything.
He thought that telling the crowd of his misdeeds was the best course of action. However, now it seemed like a stupid idea. Then, he couldn't help but think about what Glaza mother is said, about how he had sent people to the infirmary. Malefor may have shown who he had killed in his brief rein; however he didn't show whose lives he wrecked. He could only imagine people in the infirmary, bleeding, missing limbs, mutilated bodies, and it was all his fault. It was his army, his orders that were carried out upon the city of Warfang. He remembered it vividly, the memory itself scaring him.
"How many?" He thought. "How many fathers won't be able to walk? How many parents saw their children injured? It's a wonder I can walk through the city without being attacked."
Cynder roused him from his depressed brooding. "Spyro, I'm going out to talk to someone. I will be back in a little while, okay?"
"Okay, Cyn." He said quietly, while he stared at the wall.
Cynder then left the house.
"I have to cheer him up somehow. Maybe a sparring match with Flame, or even better Quake and Flame." She thought. "Ya that will cheer him up… hopefully." She then took off towards the academy. "Hopefully I can find them."
She touched down outside the academy entrance, and cantered in through the entrance. She always liked the look of the entrance. It had high ceilings, and could be barred by a large oak door, but it usually always open. Upon entering there were white stone columns that went down a grand hallway. In the center was a statue, one of her and Spyro, looking up towards an unknown point. They were both in battle armor, and baring their teeth. It was to commemorate the defeat of the Dark Master. The statue was one of a few meant to replace the old statues of Malefor.
"I remember when we had to pose for the smaller version… it took forever." She thought to herself.
She then turned down one of the side corridors towards the dormitories leaving the grand entrance behind. She turned down several corridors before reaching Flame's room. She knocked.
Flame answered the door. "Hey Cynder, what's up."
"Not much." She responded. "It's Spyro he hasn't had a good day, and I was wondering if you could cheer him up."
"I'm always ready to help a friend. What do you want me to do?" Flame asked.
"Well… I was hoping you would spar with him." Cynder told him.
Flame's face sunk. "Are you sure about that? I probably couldn't last thirty seconds in there with him."
"I was going to get Quake too. I figured maybe that would provide a better match." Cynder told him, desperately hoping he would accept.
"Alright, I'll do it, but I don't know if this will help him." Flame told her.
"Thanks Flame. This means a lot. Now let's go get Quake." Cynder told the red dragon. "Now where's Quakes room?"
"It's a hall over, come on I'll show you. Do you mind if we bring Flare along?" Flame asked her.
"No, not at all Flame." Cynder said.
"Thanks, her room is on the way to Quake's so we don't have to get out of our way either." Flame responded.
Spyro heard a knock on the door. Cynder then walked in.
"Spyro get up, we're going." Cynder said, a little forcefully.
"Don't you think I have been outside enough by now?" Spyro responded.
"We are only going to the training grounds, and we can fly though whole way if you want too." Cynder said.
"Why are we going there?" Spyro asked her.
"Flame and Quake want to spar with you. You still have friends you know." Cynder said.
"Neither one of them could beat me one-on-one you know that Cynder, I will only hurt them." Spyro stated.
"That's why you aren't fighting them one-on-one; you're fighting both at the same time. Now come on, or are you scared of a few students?" Cynder said.
"Well, I guess I could." Spyro reluctantly said.
"I knew you couldn't resist a challenge. Let's go." Cynder said.
"Alright, but we're flying the whole way." Spyro told her, hoping to avoid any conflicts.
"That's fine with me, Spyro."
Hope you guys liked it. If you haven't noticed its been taking me longer to write my chapters now, I hope they are of better quality. Now there is a little blue button below this. Please press it, and write a review, thanks. Have a nice day.
