Okay, so this chapter took much longer to make than I expected, and I am sorry about that. But here you go. Just so you know, readers, if you have a suggestion for me, write a review of the chapter first, and then put the suggestion. It helps, because I want to know how I'm doing instead of just reading the suggestions. Have a nice day!
Chapter Eighteen: The Calm
"Wait, a minute, what in the name of God are you saying here, Spyro?" asked Camo once he'd explained everything to them. Though he hated that he'd woken all those who'd trusted he and Cynder up, he felt it was best they knew exactly what was going on, and the seriousness of it all. Spyro was incredibly worried, and it seemed that at any minute, he would suffer a heart attack from how badly he was sweating.
"Cynder decided to go off and save Sonic Boom on her own," Spyro said. "Oh God, this is so stressful! I can't believe she went off and did this! I'm not angry at her, but I just wish she could have chosen a better time to have done this! In fact, she should have just waited on all of us to leave together! Why in the name of God has she done this?"
"She was too worried about all that was going on, it seems," Hex said. "I know how that feels. There's something else in here, and when I say this, don't get angry at me, Spyro. I believe, because you wanted to leave tomorrow, she couldn't wait. She felt we needed to leave sooner. She was only thinking of Sonic Boom and how badly we needed to save her. I agree with her, though I didn't want to argue with you about it, is all."
Spyro realized Hex was right. He felt even back when he said the words that they should have left then and there, as they'd known where Sonic Boom was being held. He just wished his mate could have come up with a better solution. This was making Spyro very scared, and he felt he couldn't take it any longer.
"So does this mean we're going to go and save Sonic Boom and Cynder?" Drobot asked. "Because while that doesn't seem like such a bad idea, we need to think more about this. We're probably going to need to bring armor, especially if we're going to face Aemus and his army. There is so much we have to be prepared for. Aemus is the toughest opponent we've faced as a team before. He's held us at bay, while other enemies collapsed under pressure. So we have to think more about this, don't you think, Spyro?" But when he saw the Purple Dragon's expression, he thought better of what he was saying. "Well, it was just a suggestion," he added.
"Do I need to round up any of the other Skylanders?" Stealth Elf asked.
"We do," Spyro said. "I need to hold a team-meeting, if that's what we should call it. I don't even know what to call it anymore. All I know is that I feel terrible all of a sudden. And Hex, I'm not going to get angry at you, because I feel you're right. This is all because I didn't decide to leave later in the day yesterday, or even early this morning. That was my fault. This is all my fault. I've been such a terrible mate, and I feel as if I can never be forgiven for all the pain I've caused my mate. I want to help her, and now is the time. I know that when I speak to the rest of the Skylanders, many of them aren't going to join in, because not many of them trust Cynder. To be honest, other than us, I don't know any other Skylanders that do."
"I wish that wasn't true," said Hex. "Cynder's done more for us than most of the other Skylanders realize. Even if some of them do realize it, there are some things that stop them from continuing on in their trust. As much as I hate to admit it, Cynder attacking us was something that could do it. I know she was corrupted, but nonetheless, that was something that traumatized many of the Skylanders. But we can keep hoping more will trust her in the future. Fourtunately, there are many that trust Sonic Boom, and that includes the rest of her own Element. If we tell them about what's happened, they might join us on this mission, even if the only other Skylander in that Element that trusts Cynder is Whirlwind. I know that they like their Captain. I've heard Warnado recently complimenting her ability to lead the Element. Of course, he also complained about how she stopped him from hurting Cynder more, but that's beside the point."
Spyro sighed. "There's a lot going on around us, and not even I am able to understand it any longer," he explained to Hex. Looking behind him, he found she, Drobot, and Camo. He knew now that Trigger Happy and Stealth Elf, being the leaders of Drobot and Camo's respective Elements, were out getting the other Skylanders up, as were Sunburn, Whirlwind, Gill Grunt, and Flashwing. "You guys have stayed with Cynder and I for a while now, and I want to thank you for that. I know that not all of us are here, but I just want to say that I am grateful for all you've done for she and I."
"You're welcome, Spyro," Camo said. "If it wasn't for Cynder, then Whirlwind might not be around today. And if it weren't for you, that would have never happened, so thank you, too."
Spyro smiled a little, feeling deep emotional pain. Then he remembered something. "Camo, in Cynder's letter, she said that if she gets through this, then she would be delighted to be Whirlwind's maid of honor. And because of that, I would be delighted to be your best man, if you wouldn't mind."
Camo smiled. "You know, I would love to have you guys," he said. "And so would Whirlwind. But what matters now is that we get Cynder and Sonic Boom out of wherever they are. Do you possibly know where that is? Do you know where Aemus's fortress is?"
"I do," Spyro answered. "As it turns out, the fortress, once belonged to Cynder, when she was corrupted. It's been so long since I was last there, I can't seem to remember completely. But there's good news. I have a map that will tell us where to go. Stealth Elf might be able to teleport us there. Though it might take a lot out of her, and we need her in the battle that is sure to follow when we arrive to confront Aemus."
"Well, I'm sure we'll find a way," Drobot said. "This can't last forever. Nothing lasts forever, after all. Aemus will be gone by the time the sun rises tomorrow, I'm sure of it."
He walked away, leaving Spyro and Hex alone, as the others had gone to check on how waking the Skylanders was going.
"I'm so scared for her, Hex," Spyro said. "There are times when I feel as if I haven't been a very good mate to her at all. I never stopped her from being taken, I never truly counseled her when she was going through her pain, and I wasn't able to stop her from giving herself up to Kaos. All I've done is save her, but I don't feel like I truly have. I feel as if I've failed. I don't even know if Cynder should be able to call me her mate, after all I've done."
"There's no need to worry on those things, Spyro," Hex said. "She's been through much, and so have you. By the time this is over, those thoughts will leave your mind, because you won't have to deal with them any longer."
Spyro nodded, and continued waiting on the other Skylanders to return. Soon enough, they did. Many of them seemed tired, and Spyro couldn't blame them. That was something he'd thought for a long time in recent months and weeks, as well as days and hours. Even minutes. He would think it again now.
Slam Bam and Flashwing were in front of them all. Flashwing seemed hot in the face, allowing Spyro to know she'd faced trouble while speaking to the Yeti. She smiled, however, at Spyro and Hex and took her place next to Spyro. "He needed a slap in the face to wake him up," she explained. "Then he started yelling. I think it helped to wake up most of the row."
"Good job," Spyro said. He didn't smile, however, because he didn't feel like he could. Not as long as Cynder and Sonic Boom were still out there. Looking around, he found all the Skylanders were now there, waiting for him to speak. He found the high rock that had helped him to give speeches in the past and quickly climbed it. "I'm sorry for waking you all up this early morning," he began.
"Yeah, why in the name of God did you have to wake us up to begin with?" called out Boomer. "There are some of us around here who want sleep, unlike you and—"
He nearly continued on before being punched in the back by Gill Grunt. Spyro knew he had been about to mention Cynder, and he was grateful the Troll had been cut off.
"The reason behind this is because there is a situation," Spyro continued. "During our battle in the Ice Caverns, we were knocked unconscious by an energy attack from the White Dragon Aemus, who you've all seen before. Despite Cynder's best efforts, he succeeded in kidnapping Sonic Boom. We've gone through this before, only this time, we're facing an enemy we can't even match in some battles."
"Why did you wake us up, then? You've done this before!" yelled Slam Bam. "You and your mate should go!"
"Well, that's the thing," Spyro told him. "Cynder already left. We didn't want her to, but she left. And there's a problem with her leaving. That place is a wintery wasteland, with blizzards blowing year-round. If any of you listened to me a few weeks ago, I mentioned that my mate cannot deal with those temperatures. Her body heat is gone, as a result of the Darkness that corrupted her. I know many of you dislike, for reasons I don't know, but I need some of you to come with me, because the Skylanders that will be accompanying me need help with Aemus and his army. That, and I know most of you trust Sonic Boom. If you trust her, then you should come with us to save her! I don't mean for all of you to go, but I need some of you to do so. Please. That's all I'm asking of you."
Silence fell over all of the Skylanders that surrounded him. He didn't even know who would listen to him this time. Once all of them had listened to him. But that was a long time ago, it seemed. Spyro sighed and continued to think everything over as he waited for the Skylanders to answer him.
I'm not sure if Stealth Elf can teleport all of us over to that area of Skylands. We need her for this, but if she teleports us over there, she would be tired. I don't know what to do, then. But we have to hurry up with all this. There's no time to waste.
He was snapped out of his thoughts when he felt Flashwing touch his shoulder. She motioned for him to look in front of him. When he did so, he found some of the Skylanders were now smiling at him. Even some of those who didn't trust Cynder. He was surprised by this. "So what have you decided?" he asked them.
"They'd rather write all the names down," Stealth Elf told him after listening to Bash.
Spyro nodded, looked to Flashwing and said, "Could you get the paper for me?"
She nodded to him, and returned less than a minute later with the parchment. Stealth Elf took it from her and began passing it around. While they waited, Spyro brought the rest near him and began speaking towards them.
"We've got this in our hands," he said. "This is almost over. The thing is, we need to go over who will be doing what. As much as I hate to say it, Sunburn, you can't be my second-in-command for the time-being. You're hurting badly, and although I share some of the feelings you do, I don't think I should step down for the moment."
"I understand, Spyro," said Sunburn. "I've gone through a lot, and I know you have, too, but you're stronger than I am. I'll willfully step down for the moment."
"So who are you going to take as your second-in-command?" asked Flashwing.
"You," Spyro told her. Seeing her shocked expression, he explained, "You've done more than I could have ever asked in the past few weeks. You used to dislike Cynder, but you became her friend when she needed you most. You've helped her more than anyone, besides Sonic Boom. I didn't help her quite as well, unfortunately. But you did. So that's why you're my second-in-command until we save Cynder. Do you understand me?"
Flashwing nodded. "I understand. I'll do my best, and I'll make sure not to let you down."
Spyro nodded. He turned back to the other Skylanders, and found Boomer standing there, holding out the piece of parchment to him. Spyro took it, and he was surprised when he found the list of names. There were more than he'd been expecting.
The list read:
Boomer, Echo, Ninjini, Tree Rex, Bouncer, Wrecking Ball, Blades, Jet-Vac, Bash, Prism Break, Terrafin, Eruptor, Flameslinger, Hot Dog, Ignitor, Shroom Boom, Stump Smash, Zook, Voodood, Pop Fizz, Chop Chop, Ghost Roaster, Roller Brawl, Chill, Wham-Shell, Zap
Down far at the bottom was scrawled:
(Though I'd rather not) Slam Bam
Counting them, Spyro realized thirty-five Skylanders would be accompanying him to the old fortress, as well as he and the other ten who trusted Cynder, meaning forty-six would be going to save Cynder and Sonic Boom. It was very surprising, seeing as how all those who'd signed did not trust Cynder. Chop Chop and Ghost Roaster had once, but that trust had left them after Kaos used her to attack them in her corrupted form.
"This means we'll have a pretty good amount of power against Aemus," Spyro said. "I know many of you don't trust that mate, and I do hate that fact, but I'm happy nonetheless that you'll be accompanying me. Now all we have to do is think of how to get to the fortress. I can think of two things: we walk there, or Stealth Elf teleports us. She has the map, so she knows where it is. The only problem is the fact she would use up much of her power doing so, and we need her to battle the enemies we will face."
"I have another way, Spyro," Stealth Elf said. "If you remember, we used the restrengthened Core to teleport us to Dragon's Peak. Thanks to this map, I can program the coordinates and use the Core to teleport us there. It doesn't take anything out of the Core, fortunately, and so we can get there in seconds. Even with so many of us, we can do it."
Spyro realized she was right. He nodded and smiled. "All right, then," he said. "Let's do this. We need to get to that location as quickly as we can. I'm not going to allow my mate and Sonic Boom to wait on us any longer. This is where we take Aemus down once and for all. He barged into our lives, and now we're going to take him out of the equation!"
The Skylanders cheered, and Stealth Elf ran to the Core to program the coordinates. Sunburn, Hex, and Flashwing remained near Spyro as the others walked off to speak with the others. Spyro sighed and looked to them. "Thank you for staying with Cynder and I for so long," he said. "This has been a stressful journey, and somehow, you've stayed with us."
"No problem," Flashwing said. "How many times do you think we'll be forced to go through this?"
"I hope this is the last time," Spyro said before walking away.
Cynder followed the Wraiths up to the castle. She wasn't sure she could still trust them, and she kept her Electricity ready to be released from within her throat. The Electricity was strong enough to kill every single Wraith in front of her.
"How m-m-much f-farther?" she hissed at them, freezing. She wished she had the fire near her, or even Spyro. She still felt terrible for leaving him behind. But it would all be over soon enough.
"Not much," said Smother. "We're almost there. But there's so much going on right now. I can feel it in the environment before me. We are close to the fortress, for sure. I'm not sure if you understand the meaning behind my explanation."
"I know what you m-mean," said Cynder. "This fortress once b-belonged to me."
The Wraiths looked at her with strange expressions. "So you're Cynder?" Muffle asked. "Well, Aemus has been talking all about you."
"Oh, I'm sure," Cynder said. She realized that thanks to the fire, her body's temperature was still high, and not low as it had been for so long. This allowed her to not feel the cold as much and to not shiver as much. "Aemus and I have a long history, unfortunately. He hates me for a reason I don't understand all that much. But the good thing is, I'll be defeating Aemus as soon as I can. He deserves that. I can't allow him to keep living, if you know what I mean. He's caused me way too much pain and suffering. I'm not doing this only for myself, however. I'm also doing this for my mate, and for all my friends. Aemus has hurt me and all of us."
The Wraiths looked at Cynder with strange expressions again. They now saw tears in her beautiful sapphire eyes. Even Wraiths felt emotion, but they had to be taught it. It was not something that came natural to them, as it did for Cynder.
"Just show me the rest of the way," she said after wiping the tears from her eyes.
Spyro and the Skylanders who'd agreed on the journey stood at the Core. Stealth Elf was still tapping in the coordinates. She'd explained that, due to the location being near the wilderness, she had to be much more exact.
Finally, she was ready, and she walked back over to Spyro. "It's done," she said. "Now we must get on our way. We must save Cynder. Without her, I don't know what we can do. She's one of the strongest Skylanders I know, and one of the greatest friends I know. I won't leave her, or Sonic Boom."
"I know," he said. "My mate will be saved, and so will Sunburn's. We will get them back. There's no need to keep worrying, Stealth Elf. This will be the last time we deal with this."
"Okay," she said. "Everyone coming with us, come together! We're leaving now!" She held up a pad and pressed a button. There was a loud whirring sound.
Spyro looked around and saw everyone together. Stealth Elf was on his right, and on his left was Sunburn. He sighed, and he closed his eyes, ready for what was coming.
Cynder saw the Wraiths approach the castle from where she was hidden. She saw there were many guards there, and she believed that if she was found, they would easily overpower her unless she used a lot of power, something she would not do for the moment, as she wanted to conserve her energy for her fight with Aemus, and she was sure that fighting the guards would attract Aemus's attention, which would hinder her rescue mission. I have to wait, she told herself. This will be over quite soon. I'm coming Sonic Boom. You don't have to worry about a thing, because I'm coming to save you!
The Wraiths finally made it to the front entrance of the fortress. One of the guards saw them and said, "Halt! Who are you, and what in the name of Aemus do you want?"
"We want to speak to Aemus," said Smother. "We have a proposition for him."
"Let them through, Jáco," said another of the guards. "These Wraiths serve Aemus, remember? Muffle, Smother, and Hobbler. They're freaks, but they serve Aemus, at least. It's best we let them through now, before they cause us any trouble."
"Oh, we'll cause you trouble, all right!" said Smother. "Well, maybe not."
"You guard your freaking tongue, Wraith!" Jáco said. "You have no right speaking to us in a manner such as this!"
"Hey, what was that?" exclaimed Hobbler, pointing to the sky. As the guards looked up, he, Smother, and Muffle combined their abilities and released energy that tore the ground up all around them, causing a black cloud of smoke and dirt to form.
Cynder knew this was her chance. She ran forward and found Smother in the chaos. He nodded at her, and he aimed at the main gate, releasing more energy that caused a hole large enough for Cynder to Shadow-Dash under.
"Thank you," Cynder said. "For all you've done for me. I won't forget it."
"You're welcome," said Smother. "Kill Aemus for us. He deserves a brutal death, if you ask me. Now, we have to go! Good-bye, Cynder! I hope we meet again!"
He, Hobbler, and Muffle disappeared into thin air. Cynder ran for the opening, and she performed her Shadow-Dash. She entered the fortress that had once belonged to her. Looking around, she saw no guards. She looked to the shadows, and ran for her life. She had to get to Sonic Boom soon. Before Aemus caught on to the fact that she was in the fortress.
She quickly ran through one of the halls, and into another. She heard coughing behind her, and then a curse. She hid herself, closing her eyes. She knew that if one saw her eyes, she would be given away, as they glowed in darkness.
But she found that minutes later, she was still alone. She thanked God for that. She raised her head in the air, which was still frigid and caused her to shiver badly, and sniffed. She could smell Aemus's scent, but he was farther away, and when she found Sonic Boom's scent, the smell of catmint mixed with honey and…blood?
Cynder's eyes widened, and she realized Sonic Boom had possibly been injured by Aemus, which gave Cynder even more of a reason to hate the White Dragon. She grit her teeth, both against the cold and the thought of the demon injuring her best friend and sister.
I'm coming, Sonic Boom.
Spyro and the rest of the Skylanders found themselves in the wintery wasteland. They looked around, finding they could not see any type of fortress. But Spyro remembered where it was…he thought. It'd been so long, and the memory of the fortress was one he hoped to get out of his mind.
They were near the realm of Concurrent Skies, he knew. He'd tried traveling there to find Cynder once, only to find a castle on an island that had been destroyed, which later led to the battle in Convexity against Malefor. He'd never returned to the fortress, something he felt happy about. But he was here now, and he had to save his mate and his best friend's mate.
"I see nothing," came Slam Bam's voice. "Are you sure this is the right place?"
"Cynder wouldn't have led us to another place, even if she didn't completely want us to follow her," Spyro explained. "She left that map for a reason. I haven't been here in so long, however. I need to try and remember where the fortress is."
"If you don't remember, then how did she?" asked Flashwing.
"Because she lived there for nearly fourteen years," Spyro replied. "I know that Cynder wouldn't forget about a place she lived in for so long. It wouldn't be like her. She knows it." He looked around, and then heard Drobot.
"Spyro, I found something!" he said. Spyro hurried over, and Drobot showed him a footprint. It was small, but it had left a deep indentation in the soft, yet deep, snow. "Could this footprint possibly be Cynder's? It looks small enough to be one of her paws."
Spyro sniffed the footprint, and he found that Drobot was correct: it was Cynder's. All they had to do was follow the trail of footprints. Then they would find the fortress and be one step closer to finding Cynder and Sonic Boom.
"Come on!" he called to the Skylanders. "This might be a long path to follow, but we have to! I would allow Stealth Elf to teleport us to the top of the mountain, but she would have trouble, as she's never sene the top before, and I don't want her wasting all her energy! We need to hurry, but you guys need to make sure you don't use too much of your strength or body heat!"
They began their ascent, and Spyro looked to Hex. "Can you sense anything?" he asked.
"Yes," she said. "I sense both Cynder and Sonic Boom. They are close. But so is Aemus. I sense that all three are…very near each other. Spyro, I think Cynder's in the fortress!"
"What?" Spyro said. "How is that possible? I know Cynder's smart, but I wouldn't have thought she could get into the fortress that easily! She might have been its previous inhabitant, but Aemus is the most recent, and if he found her, he would kill her! How do you know she's in there?"
"It makes the most sense," she said. "They wouldn't be so close together if they weren't all in the fortress. That's what I think, and I believe that's what I know."
Spyro nodded. He looked to his right, finding Sunburn, Camo, and Whirlwind.
"Sunburn, are you doing all right?" he asked.
"No," he replied solemnly. "I know we're getting my mate back, though. This won't be the end, I know it. This battle will last a long time, though. I know that sounds as if I'm making a prophecy that might not come true, but I have to say that. Aemus and his army have been hard on us for a while. This is not one of those battles where we can be a little more carefree. We have to be vigilant. We have to keep looking after one another. But in the end, we will succeed. I have that feeling, and one thing I've learned in years past is that it's always good to trust that feeling in your gut."
Spyro smiled. "You're right," he said. "That's the feeling I had in me just before I revealed to Cynder that I loved her, and that's probably how she felt."
"I think a lot of us have felt such a thing," Flashwing spoke. "You and Cynder, Sunburn and Sonic Boom, Whirlwind and Camo…Drobot and I. We have that feeling, and it's good if we remind ourselves that's what we should trust. With this dangerous battle coming up, I'm trusting that feeling more than ever."
"We all need to," Camo said. "This isn't something to screw with. We've gone through some big battles before, the Battle of Dragon's Peak to name just one, but this one tops them all in many different ways, even if no one but the Skylanders and Aemus and his army will remember or know of. We have too much to lose, and we can't afford to lose any of it. Cynder's the only one who can stop Aemus. I know that for sure. She has the power to do so. If she could destroy Malefor, then she should be able to destroy Aemus, don't you think?"
Spyro nodded. "I hope so."
Aemus sat in his throne room. He sighed, not knowing what to do. He had the urge to torture Sonic Boom again, but he decided against it. It was best he waited for now.
Cynder would be coming to him soon, he knew. She was already on her way, he believed, and when she arrived, he would find her, and he would kill her. He had the whole scenario mapped out in his mind, and he was ready for it all to happen.
One of his soldiers came flying into the room, a serious expression upon their face.
"What is it this time, Jáco?" hissed Aemus.
"We've been attacked," Jáco said. "We're in trouble, my lord. Those three troublesome Wraiths caused something to happen, and one of the guards is dead now! Blire, I believe. I'm not sure why they did such a thing, but—"
"Take me to the scene, now!" Aemus ordered.
He followed Jáco out of the throne room, down one flight of stairs, and then into one of the halls. As he ran forward, Aemus could have sworn he saw something move in the shadows. He whirled around, but found nothing there. He shrugged it off and thought, It's just my nerves. He ran after Jáco, who'd run ahead into the entrance hall. Aemus passed the door leading to his arena, which he hoped to save for later. When he arrived, he found Jáco standing there near the main gate. A small part of it had been broken off, but not enough for someone to slip through, however.
"Darn those Wraiths!" Jáco exclaimed. "I don't know where they went off to, but when I find them, I'm going to give them a peace of my mind! I will tell them how much I hate them for what they have done! I'll use electricity if I have to!" As Jáco ranted on with curses towards the Wraiths, Aemus thought over what the captain of his guards had spoken, and his gray eyes widened.
"Say that last part again," he ordered Jáco.
"What? The part about using electricity on them?" Jáco asked. "I'm not sure why you'd want me to say that again. There's not much to be said there, I'm afraid, master."
Aemus smiled. "No, there's much to be said. I know why the Wraiths did what they did. They hate me, and so they allowed someone to move into the fortress. They've allowed an enemy into here." He looked to the small hole, and then he remembered how he'd believed something had moved in the shadows, and now it was all coming together for him. A cold, emotionless laugh escaped his lips. "I know what they did, and if I see them again, they'll regret it, but they've actually helped me. I know what to do." He sniffed the air and found the scent he was searching for. "I now have my chance. This is just perfect. I know what's coming, Jáco, and when it all happens, I'll get the chance I've been waiting on for a long time. Cynder's in this castle somewhere, and I'll have the chance of killing her once and for all. Tonight, I feast on her flesh!"
Cynder ran through her fortress, remembering the old halls, and then stopped for a moment to catch her breath, which she hadn't released in nearly five minutes. Aemus had nearly seen her while she was getting out of the entrance hall. But it seemed he hadn't noticed her. She was glad about that.
Sonic Boom was close now. She could smell her scent coming even closer. She was nearing a chamber she'd never wanted to return to, after all the evil things she'd done in it: the torture chamber. Then she realized something: Sonic Boom's scent was in the torture chamber, which had the stench of death permeating it. It made her recoil. But she now knew where she had to go.
The torture chamber's main door was open when she found it. She would have to fly down to a lower level, as the torture chamber was in an area that some had to climb down to access. There was another path to the level she was on now, and she was sure she would have to use it to get Sonic Boom out of there. She wouldn't fly with her until they were near the back of the fortress, which had a secret exit. But the other way out would take her a long time. But it would be worth it.
She looked into the chamber, and then opened her wings and flew into it. She now had to locate her best friend, whom she hoped would be easy to find.
She saw some of the doors were open, but sniffing around again, she found that Sonic Boom was at the very end of the tunnel, which would make her journey from there to the upper level that much more annoying. But she was doing it for her sister, and she knew that was the best thing she could ever do.
Cynder touched her paws on the floor and began running toward the end of the chamber. Memories from her past began hitting her, at first softly, and then harder than ever. Blood, death, flesh, fear, demons…She remembered it all, and she couldn't believe how her past had gone. Cynder wanted it to all change, and she knew it would all change soon enough. Another thing that was in her mind was the fact her broken back leg was hurting again. She wished it would heal soon. She began limping to the end of the hall.
Soon enough, she'd reached the end of the hall, and she found the door in front of her was partially open. She slowly placed her front right paw on the door and pushed it open. Looking around, she saw a sword on the ground, and then she saw the black mass in the far corner. The creature looked over at her, and Cynder sighed with relief when she saw their eyes were an emerald color. She knew it was Sonic Boom, just by her eyes.
"Cynder!" said Sonic Boom. She got to her feet and ran to Cynder. The two embraced. Cynder heard Sonic Boom begin sobbing. "I knew you'd come! Thank God for you, Cyn! I'm sorry I haven't been there for you in the past, and I would like to change all that. Please forgive me for all I've done to you!"
"What are you talking about?" Cynder asked. "You've done nothing to me. You've stayed by my side ever since the day I met you. You're my greatest friend, my sister, Sonic Boom!"
"I was tortured by Aemus," Sonic Boom explained. "He showed me the memory of the day you became your corrupted form. When I saw it, I felt as if I hadn't been there for you enough. I'm so sorry."
"I understand," Cynder admitted honestly. "That memory does that to me, as well. I may have only been a hatchling, but I remember it vividly. You can never forget that much pain, nor can you forget your first kill. But it's better we put that behind us. I'm going to get you out of here, but we have to hurry! I know a way out, because this was once the fortress I occupied. I can get you out of here quickly, and you can lean on my shoulder, if you want. Are you injured?"
Sonic Boom nodded. "One of my wings are broken. Aemus broke it after using that blade to slice it. It's the same blade used in the Ice Caverns to hurt me. It's the one with the Ill Luck. Be careful, don't touch it!"
"I won't," Cynder said. "I'd rather not deal with any pain today, or tonight, or whatever it is right now! I just know that we need to hurry. To be honest, I'm alone, Sonic Boom. Nobody else is here with me. I left Spyro and the rest of those who trust me behind so I could come and save you."
Sonic Boom turned to look at her friend with an incredulous expression. "You did what?" she hissed. "Cyn, do you realize how stupid that was? You could have gotten yourself killed already! Not only is Aemus around here, but you have no body heat! Just touching your scales, you feel like you're freezing!"
"I am," Cynder replied. "My teeth just aren't chattering right now. I want to end this soon, but first, we have to get you out of here. Do you understand me? I know a way, and I'm going to bring you there! But you have to understand me when I say, if I'm captured by Aemus, you need to run for your life! Don't care what happens to me! I promised Spyro, Sunburn, Flashwing, and all the others that you would return! I wrote them a letter explaining that! I'm not going back on my word, Sonic Boom! You have to understand me!"
Sonic Boom seemed reluctant, but then she nodded. Cynder sighed with relief. She and Sonic Boom made their way across the hall. Sonic Boom noticed Cynder was limping. "Are you sure you don't want to lean on my shoulder?" she asked. "You're the one limping. The only thing I can't do right now is fly, but you're the one who has the trouble walking."
"I'll be fine," Cynder said. "If I can go this far, then I should be able to move just a little bit farther. I hope."
Spyro saw the fortress now. It had taken more than an hour to climb up the mountain path. He and the other Skylanders hid themselves in the wood next to the fortress, attempting to formulate their plan just a little more.
"This is the last stretch," said Spyro. "We have to get inside, but the only question is, how?"
"Up on the roof?" asked Flashwing.
"Not all of us can fly, Flashwing," said Whirlwind. "Stealth Elf could teleport us up there, but I'd rather her not use anymore energy on us. It'd be too dangerous, especially in the situation we're facing now. We've got a small way to go, though. Can anyone think of another way to infiltrate this place?"
"Actually, the idea of the roof doesn't seem implausible. It's a huge fortress, but we should be able to find some way to climb up there. There has to be a way."
"I've already sensed a way," said Stealth Elf. "There's a few ways to get into the castle from the roof. The only problem we have is the guards up there. But I know a way to get them. Near the back of the fortress, we have an area that we can climb up. None of the guards are facing that way. They're only facing the front. Stupidity, if you ask me. Aemus told them to look for those coming up the main path. Fortunately, we hid in the wood before starting all the way to the fortress."
"All right," Spyro said. "There are other ways we can do this, but we can't alert Aemus to us, so this seems the most plausible decision. Everyone ready?"
The Skylanders in front of him nodded. He swallowed hard, looked to Sunburn and the rest of those who trusted Cynder, and then said, "Let's go."
Spyro quickly ran to the right, and when he was sure he was on the left side of the fortress, he opened his wings and flew upward. He hurried to the spot Stealth Elf had mentioned, and when he finally arrived, he took out the closest guard with a blast of yellow Electricity. They made no sound, but the crackling Electricity did, which made Spyro freeze in place. But then he realized none of the guards had heard the crackling, and he silently sighed with relief.
Looking around him, he found some of the other Skylanders coming up. Whirlwind and Camo, who was on Whirlwind's back flew up next to him, followed by Sunburn, Flashwing, and Drobot. Still, none of the guards had noticed them. The Dragon Knight Blades joined them soon enough. He nodded to Spyro, and then released a Blade Shard upon four of the guards. Unfortunately, much to their horror, the guards sputtered as they died, and the other guards knew for sure who had caused it when they turned around to stare at his body.
By then, it was already too late…for the guards.
Every single other Skylander that had followed Spyro and those who trusted Cynder, using their smarts and ingenuity, as well as great teamwork, were already near the top, and by the time all of them had reached their position, Spyro said, "Don't make a sound."
The guards nodded, realizing they were outnumbered. Spyro wished he could smile at this, but he could not, not with the serious situation at hand.
Spyro slowly made his way to a large trapdoor in the middle of the roof. He looked to the guards as he slowly opened it, and he found it surprisingly unheavy. When at last it was opened, he told the guards, "Leave, now! Before I make you. There are more than forty Skylanders on this roof, and if none of you obey my command, we will kill you. I'm not sure if any of you have family, but if you do and wish to see them again, get off this roof and don't alert Aemus to our presence! Or else!"
The guards nodded, and slowly they jumped off the roof. Spyro turned to the rest of the Skylanders, who stared at him with strange expressions. "What?" he asked.
"How'd you know that would work?" Slam Bam asked.
"It probably won't," Spyro explained. "Once they're far enough away, they'll probably alert Aemus to our presence anyway. But it doesn't matter, so long as get inside and do what we came here to do. Do you all understand me?"
They nodded, and Spyro looked to Flashwing and Whirlwind. "The both of you, sniff around for Cynder and Sonic Boom. I know Cynder's scent, but I've never tried to get Sonic Boom's scent before, however. Do either of you know what it is?"
"It's catmint, mixed with honey," Sunburn said. "She's my mate, so I'm pretty sure I should know her scent."
Spyro nodded again. "And Cynder's scent is like that of roses, but it's permeated by darkness, so that should help you somewhat," he explained to Whirlwind and Flashwing. "You're both going to go and find them. Sunburn, I know you want to go with them, but I need you here with me for the time-being. Do you understand me? I want to be with my mate, too, but we have to look around for Aemus as well. This time, we're going to sneak up on him, and then we're going to fight him and his army one last time. Catching him by surprise might help us win this battle."
Sunburn nodded, albeit reluctantly.
"All right," Spyro said. "The rest of you are with me. I'm not sure where Aemus might be, but that doesn't mean we can't keep looking around for him. Now come on! We have our assignments, so let's go!"
"Wait a minute," said Whirlwind. "Spyro, I'm sensing something, and it's not good."
"What do you mean?"
"I think Aemus already knows we're here."
Sonic Boom and Cynder were still on their way to the secret entrance. Cynder still knew the path well, but she hadn't been there in so long, so she was a small amount rusty.
"This hall seems a little too long for the size of the fortress I saw," Sonic Boom said. "Why is that?"
"The fortress that you see on the surface is also built into the mountain itself. It's amazing, isn't it?" Cynder said. "If only we could admire it more. Instead, we're like fugitives down here, something you know I'm not a big fan of."
"Trust me, I'm your best friend," Sonic Boom said. "I know a lot about you, especially when it comes to that. After all, besides Eon and Hex, the other people you allowed to know your backstory were Sunburn and I, almost two years before some of these events occurred, before…you know what happened."
Cynder nodded. She and Spyro had told Sunburn and Sonic Boom of her backstory two years before she'd been taken by Malefor. Cynder was happy back then that she'd had a friend whom she could trust with almost anything.
"We're almost out of here," Cynder told her. "Just a little bit longer." She sniffed the air around her to make sure Aemus was not around, and as she sniffed around, not only did she find that Aemus was farther away from them, but she found something else, something that gave her hope.
She smiled, which surprised Sonic Boom.
"What is it, Cynder?" she asked.
"I think we're about to be saved," she replied. "This nightmare is almost over!"
"How do you know?"
"Because Spyro and Sunburn are here. Flashwing, Drobot, Whirlwind, Camo…they're all here."
"Thank God," said Sonic Boom. "But there's one problem. If they're here, then who's to say they haven't alerted Aemus to their presence possibly?"
Cynder realized Sonic Boom was right. By entering into the fortress, Spyro and the others might have alerted Aemus to the fact they were there, and by result, that she was there!
"Don't worry about that for now, Sonic Boom! We'll be fine, so long as we keep moving! Don't lose faith! You're my sister, and I'm going to get you out of here! Believe me!"
"I'm with you," Sonic Boom told her. "Until the end of time. You're my sister, and I'm not leaving your side, Cyn."
We're getting out of here, thought Cynder. We will be getting out of here soon. There's nothing holding us back from that. Aemus will be destroyed tonight, I know it for sure. But then another thought crept up on her: I hope.