Chapter Five: The Nightmare

Cynder returned to her old self the next day, it seemed. Spyro and the others were very grateful for all this. They still prayed it might remain that way. They didn't want Cynder to be hurt anymore.

After falling asleep on the beach, Spyro and the others had brought her to the treehouse. Spyro fell asleep next to her and put his left paw on her right paw.

As soon as she woke up, she saw Spyro and smiled. When he saw her, he smiled. "Good morning, beautiful," he greeted. "How are you feeling?"

"Better," she replied. "Flashwing helped me a lot. I guess it really helps to gain new friends. She's helped me out a lot, and I thank her for doing so much for me."

"It's the way things are," Spyro told her. "She cares for you, just as I, Sonic Boom, Sunburn, and the others do. You need to keep remembering that, okay?" She nodded. "Good. Now what do you think we should do today?"

"I'm not sure. Maybe go down to the beach? It's a sunny day, I think. I'm not too sure, though."

"I think so, because my back feels warm, and it's facing the open window," Spyro told her. "Of course, it could just be the fact you're so warm, kind, and loving. What do you think?"

"Maybe all three," Cynder said with a smile. She suddenly grimaced. The pain intensified, and then it subsided. "That was weird." At seeing Spyro's confused expression, she added, "I just had this really sudden headache. It's gone now, so there's no need to worry about it anymore. But it felt strange. I think I've only felt it once before."

Spyro decided it was best to leave the subject alone after that. He hoped it was not something much more. But he still did not want Cynder to become bombarded by questions any longer.

Cynder got up and stretched, yawned, and then stepped on to the balcony. She felt the warmth of the sun's rays hit her body, and she felt much warmer. She was ready to hit the beach, and after the beach she would most likely sleep near the Core. She felt she still needed her sleep, especially after everything she'd been forced to go through.

"Spyro, I'll be at the beach if you need me," she told him. "Love you!" She jumped off the balcony, opened her wings, and flew off.

Spyro smiled, and then thought to himself, God help us.

When Cynder landed again, this time near the beach, she found Flashwing standing not far from the Core of Light. She didn't notice Cynder was there. Finally she turned around and saw her. She smiled.

"Hey, Cyn!" she greeted. "How are you feeling?"

"Good," Cynder replied. "I'm still a little tired, but I'm feeling a whole lot better, thanks to you and the others. I think I'll be hanging out at the beach, if you need me."

"Do you mind if I tag along?" Flashwing asked. "I just want to be near you, because I want to let you know I'm your friend. I'm just that kind of a person, you know what I mean?"

Cynder nodded, and then made her way toward the beach. It was the first time she'd gone there without feeling terrible in a long time. That made her feel much better.

Suddenly Cynder felt pain in her head. She didn't know why. But she put it behind her, trying to not worry anybody else. But the one thought came back to her. The fact that she'd felt the connection before. She didn't understand why.

Where have I felt this before?

She went with Flashwing into the surf. She waded in until the salty water lapped at her chest. The water was warm, which she loved.

Cynder felt somebody splash her. Turning around, she found Spyro there, watching her. He was smiling brightly. She returned the smile.

"Oh, I'm going to get you for that!" she told him. "Come here!" She leapt at Spyro, but he moved out of the way in time, causing her to go completely underwater. When she came back up, she smirked at him. She could now see Sunburn and Sonic Boom in the water.

"You doing okay, Cynder?" Sonic Boom asked. "I can definitely see you're all wet."

"That, and she's just as beautiful as she's always been," Spyro called to them. He was now a little farther away, having swam to a rock. He looked Cynder over, and then he said, "You know, she might be even more beautiful today."

Cynder opened her wings and flew right at Spyro. She pulled him underwater. Despite the water being salty, Dragons' eyes are not affected by the salt. Spyro could see Cynder's sapphire-blue eyes, which shone brightly. He was enchanted by it all.

As for Cynder, she could see Spyro's amethyst eyes, which shone brightly as well.

I hope this moment never ends, Cynder thought to herself. And then suddenly, the pain in her head returned. She felt like she was being attacked. Something was constricting her throat, and she felt she was going to be sick.

Spyro saw this and automatically knew something was wrong. He knew he had a mental link with her now, but he hadn't used it in a long time, not since she'd been corrupted by Kaos. But he thought now was the perfect time to use the link.

Cynder, what's happening? he asked her.

I don't know, she replied. My throat…it's constricting! I can't breathe! I feel sick…and I feel like something is hitting me. It's so painful! I can't take it!

Spyro saw her eyes roll into the back of her head and go unconscious. While Dragons could breathe underwater while awake, if they went unconscious or fell asleep, their lungs would become waterlogged and they would die.

Spyro hurried to her and picked her body up in his claws. He hurried to the surface and flew out of the water and landed softly on the beach.

"Spyro, what happened?" Sonic Boom yelled to him. "What happened to Cynder? What's going on?"

"I don't know!" he yelled back. "Come here now! We need to help her!"

Fear was deep in his eyes and his heart was thumping hard.

"What just happened?" he asked himself.

At the same time, Cynder woke and opened her eyes. She observed her surroundings and saw it was a world completely made of ice. She shivered, feeling the chill deep into her bones.

Where am I? she thought.

"Hello?" she called out. "Where am I? Can anyone help me learn where I am? Where is everybody? Spyro? Sonic Boom? Sunburn? Flashwing? Drobot? Hex? Are any of you guys here?"

But there was no response. Cynder shivered again. She found an ice cave and entered it. There was the sound of a crackling fire reached her ears. She hurried through the tunnel made of ice to find it, hoping to warm herself up inside.

When she found it, she ran right to it. She realized it was the same color as Spyro's flames. While Fire's normal color was red-orange, Spyro's Fire had a violet hue. Cynder liked it because it was the same violet hue her scales had. That made her feel good, as she believed it represented their love for one another. Although her Electricity's color was close to Spyro's scale color, she believed it was too dark. She hated having Elements that came only from her corruption.

"That's my curse," she said to herself. She felt a single tear running down her cheek. As it reached her chin, it froze. She wiped the frozen tear, trying to keep from freezing to death.

"What's the matter, Cynder?" came a voice. It was rasping and husky. It sounded familiar to Cynder. "You could be less miserable if you remained with me. You should have remained with me, because I could have led you on the path to greatness. After all, Malefor did so much for us, and yet you decided to leave him to die. In fact, you were the one to kill him!"

"How was that my fault?" Cynder yelled. "I don't even know who you are! But I do know you're wrong! Just show me who you are! I have a right to know, don't I?"

"Yes, you have a right to know, and you already do know," the voice told her. "Just look inside yourself!"

Cynder didn't understand what the voice was attempting to tell her. She reached into her inner thoughts and searched, and for a long while, she could not find anything. And then one thing came to her mind, and she could do nothing but shiver in fear.

"No, it can't be…" she started, but the voice stopped her.

"Yes, Cynder," they said. "You now know who I am."

Cynder heard heavy footsteps, and then came growling. Cynder felt deep pain in her chest, and though it came from some sort a wound, it was not a physical wound.

Turning around slowly, she found herself looking into two evil red eyes. Right there in front of her was a large Black Dragon. Cynder recognized the Dragon to be her corrupted self. Cynder couldn't believe it. She just wanted to let herself die.

"What do you want?" Cynder asked her corrupted self. "Why are you here? Why am I here? What in the name of God is this place?!"

"This is a Hell of your own making," her corrupted self explained. "I believe you've heard someone say this to you before, but let me just say it again: LIFE ISN'T FAIR!"

The corrupted Cynder laughed huskily and sadistically.

"The one thing I want right now is to fight you to see which form is more powerful!" the corrupted form sadistically whispered to Cynder. "What do you say to that, little one?"

Cynder didn't know what she was supposed to do. But before she could think anything more, her corrupted form attempted to slash her right wing, but Cynder jumped out of the way just in time.

"I need to be real careful," Cynder said to herself. She knew now she would have to fight her corrupted form, much to her deep chagrin.

Maybe I won't have to deal with the form anymore once this is over, Cynder thought.

Due to her thoughts, she had let her guard down. She felt her corrupted form rake her claws through her right flank. Cynder couldn't deal with the pain too much longer. She hadn't even been in this fight for long, and she was already badly hurt.

"Come on Cyn, hold yourself together! You can do this!" she told herself. She leapt at her corrupted form and latched on, cutting at her with her claws. But she was shaken off and thrown into a rock.

Her corrupted form just laughed. "Welcome to the end, little one! Now only the beast is alive inside!"

Cynder saw her corrupted form raise her long claws. The blade at the end of her corrupted form's tail come right at her.

The blade went right through her belly. The great pain intensified as the blade went deeper. Cynder saw the blood streaming freely from her body. Then she saw the claws coming for her throat. Cynder closed her eyes and felt her throat being slit. She thought no more.

But then suddenly she opened her eyes and realized she was no longer in that world, that she was back at the Ruins. She threw up water and began coughing.

"Cynder!" Spyro yelled. She looked at him and then hugged him hard. She wasn't crying, but she could feel the deep fear inside her chest. "Cyn, what's wrong?" he asked.

"I'll explain later," she told him. "Did anything happen to me when I went unconscious under the water?"

"No, fortunately," Sonic Boom replied. She was staring at her best friend with worried emerald eyes. "Are okay?"

"For now, I think I will be," Cynder told them all.

Suddenly they heard an explosion behind them. Cynder felt cold all of a sudden, and she wondered why that was. But soon an answer came for her.

Aemus came through the smoke caused by the explosion, smiling in an evil way. Cynder gulped and got closer to Spyro. Spyro got in front of her, attempting to protect her. "You're not going to hurt her again, Aemus," he said.

Aemus smiled.

"Hm, we'll see about that."