Legend of Spyro: Stormfront

Chapter 16

Thought I was gone didn't you? Nahh, just have had a lot of stuff to do, mostly schoolwork yadda yadda, excuses. Spring break is this next week so I should be able to post another soon.

"I'm sure it is just some sort of natural growth process for a dragon his age." Nina told her husband from inside their house nestled in a tree waiting for Spyro and Cynder to finish their bath.

"But he looks so different! How could it be natural?" Flash responded with doubt in his voice.

"Well look at Cynder she doesn't look particularly friendly with all those blades but she seems nice." Nina countered she looked out the window in the direction of the stream to see Spyro and Cynder walking out from the trees.

"Honey their done and you won't mention a thing! Got it?" Nina said sternly.

"Yes Nina…" Flash responded quietly.

Spyro and Cynder watched from the middle of the glade as the two dragonflies flew out to meet them, Nina embracing her son now that he was clean.

"So how long will you be staying son?" Flash asked.

"Only for the night Dad we have some important business to get too."

"Only a night?" Nina asked looking slightly hurt at only having her son with her again for one day.

"Sorry mom." Spyro said with a shrug. "Although Sparx will be staying for the week."

"Really?"

"Yup that's true." Said the glowing yellow dragonfly as he swooped in.

"Where have you been Sparx?" Spyro asked.

"Well while you two beasts were taking a bath I was telling of how I was made god of the llama people."

"And probably greatly exaggerating your part in it as well." Cynder retorted.

"No not at all, just reminiscing how I fought off five apes at once all by myself."

"Sparx you never fought five apes…" Spyro responded.

Sparx hovered closer to Spyro and whispered into his ear. "Shhhh keep that on the low purple boy, they don't need to know that."

"Whose they?" Asked Cynder tilting her head in questioningly.

"My adoring fans of course!" Said Sparx, who soon pointed over to a stand of trees where three female dragonflies were hovering. Each of them giggled in delight when he looked at the group.

"Ohh Sparx when will you ever learn…" Nina stated rubbing her temples forlornly.

"So what was the alarm for that made the whole village hide from us?" Spyro asked questioningly.

"Ohh that?" This whole Dark Master business taught us we weren't alone in the world son. We thought it was best to be prepared… just in case you know."

"Well that makes sense." Cynder stated.

"Come now you must be tired from your journey; let's get a good meal in your bellies and then some rest." Nina said with a tender smile.

Cynder awoke the next morning in the middle of the glade that the trees of the dragonfly village surrounded. It was still mostly dark out, but a few inklings of light began to poke through the trees, letting it be known that dawn was well on its way.

"Spy," Cynder whispered over to the dark purple mass that lay on ground close by, the only response being a loud snore from the legendary dragon.

"Somethings never change…" Cynder said aloud. She walked over to him and gave him a slight nudge with her muzzle, Spyro only rolling over to get away from whatever threatened his precious sleep.

"Spyro get up already," she nudged him with her snout again, this time much more forcefully.

This time Spyro's eyes opened this time, however slowly, as if not wanting to greet the new day.

"Thanks Cyn. At least someone woke up on time." Spyro said as he began to stand up.

"Well I knew I couldn't count on you to do it, you'd sleep until after noon."

"Probably. Come on let's go say bye to mom and dad, then we can be on our way." As he started to walk over to his parent's tree abode.

Spyro stood on to his hind legs and poked his head into the little knot in the tree that formed the door of the house.

"Mom? Dad? You awake?" He quietly whispered.

"I'm now," his father responded. Flying out of the entrance.

"Me too." Responded a drowsy Nina.

A snore cut in sounding that Sparx was however still fast asleep.

"I'll go wake him." Nina responded.

"No don't, mom, let him sleep." Spyro said, now returning to a normal standing position.

"I'm sure he'll want to say goodbye to you Spyro."

"It is for the best mom."

"Well I suppose you'll be off then?" Flash asked a hint of longing in his voice.

"It's about that time dad."

Nina flew down to her adopted son and hugged him on the tip of his muzzle. "Be safe Spyro."

"Yes, don't do anything… rash, please." Flash added. "Come home safe."

"I will, besides I have Cynder with me, nothing can go wrong." Spyro said reassuringly trying to comfort his parents.

"Yes that's true. Take care of her as well; she's perfect for you Spyro." Nina said a quaint smile on her face. "Now go before I try to come with you." A small tear trickling down her face.

"Yes mom." Spyro returned to Cynder then looked over his shoulder at his beloved parents, who were both waving at him.

He mouthed a, "Goodbye." To have one returned to him as well, and turned to Cynder. "Let's go." They walked to the edge of the dragonfly village and disappeared into the trees.

As they trudged through the once again thick mud. Spyro couldn't shake a feeling that he would not be back here for a long time.

The oppressive canopy eventually gave way to splotches of sunlight. At first small, but getting larger and larger, eventually Spyro and Cynder found one they could take off out of and were back in the air. During most of the flight to the ocean very few words were exchanged. However the massive blue expanse soon came into to view.

Cynder gasped in awe at its expanse, she had never seen the ocean before. "I know you told me it was large, but I never expected it to be so big!" Cynder yelled while they were flying.

"Let's go land at the beach, we can wash and rest before starting there." Spyro replied.

After washing another days drudging through the swamp's worth of grime and taking a quick break, they started flying again. A few minutes and the land slowly began to disappear behind them.

"So how do we get to the White Isles?" Cynder asked.

"Well last time a giant turtle took me there…"

"You mean you don't know?" Cynder yelled.

"Ignitus wouldn't summon us to him just for us to drown in the ocean… I hope." Spyro responded.

"Well how did you get their last time?" Cynder asked with a sarcastic tone in her voice. She was surprised that she had never asked Spyro this before they decided to fly out over the open ocean. No response greeted her.

"Spyro?" She turned her head to look at Spyro, but was surprised to see no purple dragon in sight. Her heart skipped a beat when she saw a purple blur plummeting from the sky towards the ocean below. She dove after him, heart racing, she had to catch him. At this height hitting the water would be like hitting solid ground.

Spyro felt a wave of drowsiness come over him. In the blink of an eye he was out and into his dreams. He was in a building, their house to be exact. He glanced around before seeing that the balcony was occupied by none other than Cynder. She was much larger than he was for some reason; in fact it was her adult form that he had fought when she was with Malefor. She was just staring up blankly at the sky. Spyro began to walk over next to her and lifted his paw to open the curtain only to see as his hand passed completely through it. He gawked at his paw as he fazed in and out of the curtain before finally moving completely through it and out the other side, to behold that the stunning black dragoness was… crying.

He thought he heard her whisper a faint word, it sounded like, "Why?" He then noticed a piece of paper clutched in her paws. It was badly scorched and burned only being about a quarter of what it might have been at an untarnished state.

He heard a voice cry out from behind him, "I'm going out with my friends."

Spyro turned around to see what who had spoken, but he could not see past the curtain.

The adult Cynder wiped away her tears and spoke calmly trying to cover her sadness, "Be back before sundown."

"Alright, mom."

Spyro went to turn around but only felt his body plunge into water.

He was falling so fast. Twenty feet…

She had to catch him or his life would be over.

Ten feet…

The ocean soon blotted out her vision, except for the purple dragon in front of her.

Five feet…

She was so close.

Cynder shot out her paw grabbing Spyro by his hind leg. Her wings bolted open, her joints screaming in protest. A powerful blast of wind element from her maw towards the ocean below stopped them completely in the air. She fell limply and agonizingly tired the remaining few feet into the water.

The water brought her back to her senses somewhat, she felt something large push her upwards, and it was a slick hard surface. It soon broke the surface, carrying both her and Spyro, who was now awake.

"What the heck happened?" Asked a dazed and confused purple dragon.

"You just dropped out of the sky! Did you forget how to fly?" Cynder responded a little angry but happy that they were both safe.

Spyro didn't want to tell Cynder of his dream. It greatly disturbed him. Why was she crying? "One moment I was flying, everything went black, then I was here... on the turtle."

"We are on a turtle?" Cynder asked skeptically tilting her head.

"It is what took me to the White Isles the first time." Spyro responded while lying down on the green shell.

"So what do we do now?"

"We just wait, however I'm going to try and memorize the route this time."

They were nearing the midway point of their journey. The army had made good progress for now, and everything was on schedule. The night was being spent in a secluded valley that they had found, and his tent was set up only moments ago. The mighty battle scarred dragon lay down on the rug that was his sleeping mat.

Finally he could relax and think, his muscles beginning to relax. How this expedition would go over, he thought? Would they simply give up? Or would there be an extended siege at the gates of the city. His muscled body twitched at the thought, he had to avoid that at all possible. It would end badly for both sides. Why couldn't the council have sent an envoy, not armies…Why are we even out here in the first place? He snorted loudly.

Then there was the matter of Malefor, the very name of that beast made him snarl in disgust, he had been defeated… supposedly but how accurate was this intelligence? And for that matter how was he defeated in the first place? He did not like not knowing what or who had done this, what if he was leading his men to their deaths? An aide's voice roused him from the confides of his mind.

"Sir, permission to enter."

"Granted."

"Sir the scouts report that a village is a few kilometers past this valley." He said handing him a scroll with details of the size and inhabitants of the village scribbled on to it. Probably from the scout who recorded the information. This had been what he had been dreading for the past few days. Making their way to Warfang through the surrounding army without being seen by anyone… It was next to impossible.

"Make a detour in the flight path, give it a wide berth."

"Yes sir General Erwing." He the aide responded before quickly removing himself from the tent.

Peace at last…for now.

Spyro stepped on to the sand of the island. This place had always given Sparx the creeps, and it certainly was not the most homely of places.

"So this is where Ignitus lives?" Asked Cynder stepping off the turtle's back. She watched it remove itself from the beach before receding into the deathly still waters without a sound.

"Why is the sky so, so messed up?"

"I don't know, it is always like this, day and night have no meaning here."

"Hopefully Ignitus removed the guards for us this time." Said Spyro before he began walking off the beach towards rocky cliffs.

After flying over several gorges and walking through the blue lit caves they came upon a large wooden door, which opened before them without any form of mechanism. To reveal a large courtyard with a domed structure ahead of them.

"This is the courtyard the voice spoke to me in. It was a riddle of some kind."

As if on cue a female voice rang out from everywhere.

One has passed our test

While each has been blessed

Purple and black are cursed

To be doomed against their worst

"That wasn't very comforting…" Cynder said looking over to Spyro

"I think you have to pass the tests I did Cynder."

"Your right that has to be what it meant with the first line, but what about the rest of it." Asked Cynder.

Spyro shrugged. The orbs were still all on their pedestals luckily. Spyro merely charged each of them and the door opened.

"Come on whatever it is that you have to do it will be through here." Spyro said as he started down the tunnel.

Spyro entered the all too familiar room of the challenges; its four doors of elements were closed barring entry. However there was another door this time, it had deep dark almost blood red markings.

"That one wasn't here before." Spyro said as he looked over the markings that covered the door.

"Then that one must be mine then." Said Cynder walking up to its entrance, which also opened of its own accord beckoning her inwards.

"Good luck Cyn. Let me take your satchel these fights were never easy for me." Cynder dropped the leather bag on the ground and Spyro slung it over his back.

She stepped through the boundary, she immediately felt as if the whole world was spinning, but as soon as it had started it stopped.

To reveal a large platform that looked very much like an arena. The sky around her was swirling with patterns of lights of all different colors. However, there was at the center of the arena what seemed to be a black cloud.

When she noticed it, the cloud swirled violently around itself. It began to stack up from the ground first forming a dragon's paws, followed by the legs, then the body, and finally the head, where two piercing yellow eyes began to glow. The black cloud then stopped moving and began to form into what looked like scales. Finally, it hardened into to what looked like true flesh, and changed colors to that of purple.

"No…"

The voice was cold and heartless. "Yes, Cynder I am what you fear most. For you have entered the challenge of fear, and I will be your ever so gracious host."

"I don't fear Spyro, I love him! You're just an imposter!"

"You may not fear Spyro himself, but you fear what he might become. You've been unfaithful Cynder and now, you will pay for it."

Cynder tried to come up the a response but before she could even think, a blindingly fast move the imposter Spyro was right in front of her. She barely had time to dodge a slash to her face from his claws, and carrying his spin a strike from his tail. Continuing his spin the imposter blew a jet of purple flames from his mouth forming a whip of deadly heat.

Cynder jumped over the deadly flames that passed just under paws, only for the imposter Spyro to spin again this time higher aiming for her head. Cynder sent a blast of her wind into the whip which blew it out momentarily for it to pass by her. She landed on all fours only to hear a rumbling underneath her feet. She jumped to the side to watch as several sharp stalagmites shot from the ground and would have gored her.

The imposter only had a smug grin on his face as Cynder looked over at him.

"Spyro will never become that!"

"Foolish Cynder, I am Spyro's past, present, and future."

"NO!" Cynder screamed with an edge of fear powers in her voice.

The imposter froze for just a moment. Just long enough for her to launch an attack.

Cynder spat a glob of poison at him which landed on his right paw. It instantly began to burn and bubble on his flesh. Before he could shake it off, Cynder sent another blast of her wind that knocked him over. Cynder ran after him trying to go for a killing blow. She raised her tail high to strike, she plunged it downward at his neck.

The imposter deflected it with his tail blade, sending Cynder's tail blade into the ground, she had to yank it out of the stone. The imposter used this time to recover, and started to glow purple preparing a convexity furry.

Cynder had to act quickly if he got the convexity fury off it would be the end of her. A glowing purple orb expanded from the imposter. Cynder pushed with all her might with her back legs and flapped her wings. She rammed the fake Spyro in the face with her forehead.

They both fell limp to the ground, Cynder on the edge of losing consciousness from the blow to her head. The other dragon limp on the ground, but managed to speak.

With that he disappeared vanishing on what looked like a wind blowing away the smoke.

Cynder's mind finally began to break loose of the cloud in her mind, but she couldn't help but doubt.

"Do I really think that Spyro might…? No he wouldn't, never." Squashing that train of thought before it went any further. She stood up and began to walk towards the now open door behind her.

Spyro watched the black dragoness emerge from the door. She looked tired but not injured in any way.

"How'd it go?" A curious purple dragon asked.

"I don't want to talk about it right now." Cynder said quietly obviously deeply troubled.

"Whatever you wish Cyn." Spyro said walking over to her to provide something to lean on to the panting dragoness.

The main door opened before them, the one leading to the Chronicler's lair. They began to walk down the hallway towards their destination.

"I'm sure you miss him." Said the exhausted Cynder.

"Yes I do, but I finally have a chance to see him now." Spyro had a small smirk on his face.

"I was wondering if you two had forgotten about me." The voice came from the end of the hall and it sounded all too familiar.

Spyro and Cynder began to rush down the hall as fast as Cynder exhausted state would allow her. They turned the corner to see the large hourglass in front of them with a teal blue dragon standing next to it.

"Ignitus?" They both said in perfect unison.

"It is I, young dragons." The pair rushed in and gave a large hug to the new Chronicler.

"I hope the challenge didn't give you too much trouble Cynder."

"No, not at all." She responded lying hoping to hide her shame. She had doubted Spyro, and it was something she would not forgiver herself for easily.

"Now down to business, I'm sure you're wondering what I called you here for." He said lying down and crossing his paws. "But before I tell you, the context must be explained I'm afraid.

"Context of what?" Asked Cynder, her curiosity peaked.

"All will be revealed in time, now where to begin…" Ignitus seemed to think for a moment before lifting his head and looked into their eyes.

Many millennia ago before Malefor was even a thought in anyone's minds, there were thirteen dragon cities.

"You mean there are more dragon cities other than Warfang?" Asked Spyro his curiosity peaked as well.

"Yes, but let's get on with the story for it is a long one."

These thirteen dragon cities were free and independent of one another. This was the golden age of the dragons when free thought and freedom were abound. However one city began to grow jealous of the others, this city surprised the other ones with war. It invaded the others conquering them one by one, using the might of the last to conquer the next. It created an empire. The original name of the city has been lost in time, however it is known by a new name. The capital and conqueror of the other cities name was changed to Warfang. In honor of its blood soaked triumph over all others.

"You mean Warfang is really named for war?" Cynder asked.

"Yes, but that is not the point of the story."

After many years and the occasional rebellion all things went back to normal, dragons lived their life in peace for many more years. A treaty was signed between the subjugated cities and Warfang. That the army would come to their defense should their ever be a need.

However Spyro's predecessor stepped into the seen. During the first war with Malefor, he had created his army of apes as you know. However, the Council at the time decided that the army of the empire would stay at the capital fearing Malefor would strike it down, this threw the other cities into the jaws of the beast. Malefor knew this, and annihilated the other cities, and we thought there were no survivors or that they had moved on to parts unknown. But we were terribly wrong. Those cities rebuilt and now there is an army on the way to raze Warfang to the ground in revenge for their abandonment.

Hope you liked it, as always please review. The motivation helps a lot. Thanks.