There are two freedoms - the false, where a man is free to do what he likes; the true, where he is free to do what he ought.

Charles Kingsley

Brian's POV

The three of us landed on the stone platform, I took the right flank while Cynder took the left leaving Spyro in the front. Malefor swung his tail menacingly as his body was clocked in a field of Convexity. This is going to be difficult, very difficult.

"So, the Purple dragons stand before me," Malefor chuckled as he then turned his head towards me, "Followed by the beast that hide in the shadows like a coward it seems." Malefor taunted as he stood up on his hind legs. "It doesn't matter if you face me with three or three thousand dragons fools! I am eternal!" Malefor yelled as he slammed into the ground creating a shockwave.

Spyro and I took flight to avoid the attack as Cynder used Cloak of Shadows attack to escape the damage.

The fight has started.

Cynder came up out of the shadows and slashed at Malefor's exposed underbelly. Unfortunately, Malefor was quicker and side stepped it before shoulder bashing Cynder into a stone wall that started to fall on top of her. I dived in and pulled her out just in time. I went on the attack and dived in on the Dark Master readying an energy blast. I fired my energy orb at him and pulled up fast. Malefor terraformed a shield wall out of the stone to take my energy blast, and he raised it high enough that I crashed into it.

The world went dark, I was knocked out. Leaving Spyro and a dazed Cynder to face Malefor alone.

Spyro's POV

Malefor launched Ice spikes at me so I responded by unleashing my fire breath. Malefor and I were even for now but I knew that he was holding back. I had to catch him off guard some how. . .

The brief memory of Malefor using a stone wall to counter Brian quickly ran through my head, I'm gonna do something similar. I stopped breathing fire and dropped to the ground curled up in a earth sphere, I slammed into the ground and summoned a pillar of earth to shoot up under Malefor's chin. Very similar to the Uppercut move in the human sport Boxing.

Malefor tumbled back from the blow he never saw coming, Cynder now recovered from her daze advanced performing a devastating Siren Screech in Malefor's ear, stunning him further. Together, we pressed the attack. One of us get's his attention as the other deals damage. The fight started to shift in our favor until I realized something: This was too easy, Malefor's holding back,

Malefor backed up against another stone wall trying to lure Cynder and I into a trap of some sort. Cynder saw that I knew something was wrong and decided to hang back, waiting for Malefor to come out of his own trap.

Except it wasn't a trap at all. Malefor smashed the wall with his tail and pulled out a huge dark crystal on a gold chain and proceeded to place it around his neck. He approached us with a sadistic grin on his face as I felt all of my Mana being drained by the dark crystal. In one cruel move, Malefor rendered Cynder and I helpless without our elements, as he grew stronger in the presence of the crystallized evil. The weather around us turned into thunder clouds as the volcano pumped ashes into the sky blotting out the sun.

"You fools," Malefor roared as he backhanded me into a wall, "When will you learn? I am eternal! I cannot be defeated!"

Brian's POV

The sound of thunder and the smell of ashes greeted me as I regained consciousness. Pain tore at my body all over as I tried to stand up. I think I injured my wings and legs immobilizing me. My vision was blurred and I could taste blood in my mouth, Head injury, wonderful. I tried to stand again but fell back down groaning in pain. I heard something close, and I froze in place when I realized what it was: A grublin battle cry. I was spotted.

Shouting in it's worthless language, it charged at me. But soon it's war cries turned into screams of terror accompanied by the roar of an assault rifle. Even half dead I could make out Dixon's voice as they approached:

"Remember as soon as we land I want a defencive perimeter ASAP, Amber, see what you can do, the rest of you keep your guns loaded and safeties off."

The ground shook as the Guardian landed carrying the Rangers on their backs. Amber landed right in front of my and raised my head up so I could drink.

"Sorry Brian, but this medicine is going to taste pretty bad." She warned me as I felt a liquid trickle into my throat. I don't even want to describe how disgusting it was but somehow all of my injuries were gone. Still it was disgusting.

"Thanks, You saved my life." I explained as I stood up and gave my wings a quick test.

"You saved my life first, I wanted to return the favor. Somehow." Amber replied looking into my eyes with a certain look. I almost became lost in it, forgetting about Malefor, the war with the mercs, and everything else until I heard Jim fire his shotgun.

"Contact!" Jim yelled as he pumped out the spent round.

I gave Amber a quick nod before shooting up into the ash filled sky to rejoin, and finish, the fight.

When I saw Malefor sadistically approaching Spyro proudly showing off his necklace I grinned as I charged up an energy blast and fired. Scoring a direct hit on the dark crystal, the energy blast destroyed Malefor's little jewel. And I seriously doubt that 'getting blown up' is covered in his necklace's thirty-day warranty. Following through with my attack run I tackled Malefor, knocking him off his feet.

Spyro and Cynder weakly got to their feet, I placed myself between them and Malefor.

"Spyro, Cynder, fall back and get yourselves patched up. I'll keep him busy." I ordered as Malefor got to his feet. Both Spyro and Cynder nodded and took off. I turned to my enemy and crouched into a pouncing position.

"All right coward," I taunted, "Let's see what else you've got."

Yeah a little romance there, Aw well. So, the final battle eh? Please tell me what you think in your reviews.