Lie, Truth and Trust

(Moreover, in the present…)

The war continued. After defeating the previous dark one, a new army attacked the city from the eastern walls. The army was as colossal as the previous one. In addition, they had not yet finished with the last redoubts of the north walls.

"We'll take care of these, Spyro" Johnny told him while, together with Edel, they knocked down a few of those who were left in that area, "You and Cynder go to the eastern walls together with Thorr, we need defenses in that area of the city "

"Understood, good luck" Spyro replied, leaving with Cynder, "Come on, Cynder"

"Behind you..." she replied.

So, Jhonny and Edel were left alone against at least twenty enemies.

"Ready as always, Jhonny?" Edel asked as her ice mana began to freeze the ground under her feet.

"Whenever you want" he replied, emanating his fire mana and heating each of his scales.

Meanwhile, Spyro, Cynder, and Thorr were flying as fast as they could towards the eastern walls, where a large group was also holding their ground and led by Flame, who was also protecting the cannons and the moles from the fireballs being fired from the towers. enemies.

"I will go to supplement the defenses" Thorr told them, "Defeat the army"

"Okay, we'll take care of it" Spyro replied. Then, he and Cynder rushed in front, where the army was waiting for them.

"Fast Predation!"

Something fast, or rather several fast things similar to black boomerangs, impacted near Spyro and Cynder, who missed by an inch; although the attack was even treacherously to have destroyed his own army. Both dragons turned to see another Dark general. This one also bore the same markings as the rest as well as an 'X' on the chest.

"Another Dark One..." Cynder told him.

"That's right" the Dark One told him, "They call me Golk... I'd say it's nice, but he'd only be lying"

"Well, lies don't surprise me in you" Spyro replied, "After dishonorable attacks, war and now a treasonous attack, I doubt very much that sincerity is one of your virtues"

Golk laughed.

"It's true…" he told them, pointing to Cynder, "but isn't there lying in all of them, Cynder?"

"I don't know what you're talking about" she replied angrily.

"We'll see about that…" Golk replied as his eyes glowed blood red.

Instantly, a series of mirrors came out from behind him, making various reflections of himself in front of Spyro and Cynder. They weren't like Golk's clones: these were illusions and one was the real one. Also, Johnny was still busy with the front army, so they weren't sure the same strategy would apply to Golk.

"Stormy Wind!" Cynder attacked, generating a whirlwind of air.

"Ice Spikes!" Spyro supported him, generating a gust of ice that, combined with Cynder's wind, grew larger.

The combined attack hit its mark, but all the Golks disappeared. Then, from above, another large number of reflections of the Dark One prepared to attack.

"Rapid Predation!" they all yelled together before releasing a storm of boomerangs.

"Dark Shield!" Cynder quickly defended with a dark purple shield.

Golk, the original apparently, descended congratulating Cynder.

"Magnificent quick defense..." he told her, "The power of darkness...it's rare for someone of that element to fight on your behalf...isn't it, Spyro?"

"Cynder can use dark elements," Spyro confronted him, "But her actions are sincere and full of light."

"It's true…? Like the action of being kidnapped so that you go to the well of souls? Or was it a voluntary action…?"

"That already happened a long time ago…" Cynder snapped.

"But was it true that you didn't take it there willingly or are you just telling lies to deny a statement you don't want to remember?"

"I…" he tried to say, but she was speechless.

"Don't listen to him, Cynder... Malefor already tried to trick us with that" Spyro soothed him.

Golk laughed.

"In the human world, the most painful thing that can be said when trying to cover up an act, is the truth," he said, "That's why lies and betrayal covered so much of the world I lived in. It is the best way to get everything without a single effort…"

"Lying?" Spyro asked angrily.

"That's right… Who gets to take the credit if he's… shall we say, dead? It's easy to steal and lie. In case there is someone who can discover the truth, it is better to silence all those big mouths… Now tell me, Cynder… is your act from years ago true or not?"

"No!" Cynder told her angrily.

"It's a great answer..." their eyes shone again, "The least painful way out is always a lie..."

Instantly, Cynder's head began to ache. Spyro got worried and tried to help her; but suddenly Cynder slashed at her with his right claw and then with her tail. The purple dragon was confused, was Cynder being manipulated by that dragon?

"When the lie falls as truth to one, her mind really gets confused," Golk explained with a laugh, "Cynder can't tell if you're her friend or mate…or, her enemy. It is my specialty…"

Cynder attacked Spyro again. This time, Spyro was ready to defend himself with his wing, but Cynder used her shadow powers to pierce through Spyro and hit him from behind, unnoticed by him. Hitting him, she also pushed him towards Golk who was looking at him with a machiavellian smile.

"Is it weird to feel like your own partner attacks you?" he sneered, "What's the answer?"

Spyro knew it was just part of Golk's mind game to control him as well. So he got up and attacked him.

"Dragon's Comet!"

But the Golk that went through split into more illusions and the attack was missed. Before Spyro could decide anything, Cynder caught him by the neck.

"Cynder... don't do it..."

However, he heard a small murmur from her. Then Cynder tossed him forward, but Spyro wasn't sore at all. It was then that he understood.

"Okay… I'm sorry, Cynder, but I have to stop you…" he told her.

Spyro lunged at Cynder and she dodged him with her shadow element. The purple dragon then released a breath of fire, but she tore through the ground and slashed at him for the sword with a cry of fear element from her.

Spyro, upon hearing the scream, had to close his ears as he fell to the ground so as not to hear. Golk, the real one, got behind Cynder.

"Excellent, Cynder..." the Dark One told him, "Now leave it to me..."

Golk advanced, but just as he had passed Cynder, he heard her shout:

"Dark Spear!"

Then, he felt her body being pierced by a blade made of dark mana. Cynder had set him up.

"You're right, there's nothing more painful than the truth…" Cynder laughed.

"Damn…" Golk snarled as he tried to use his ability, but Cynder's powers nullified it, "were you fooling me?"

"It was the only way for you to reveal the original you and then be able to nullify your power of darkness. Well, just like mine, it has the same type of mana. I had already deduced it before with another of your friends…"

Spyro got up. It was then that Cynder added:

"We had already solved that problem: I might have taken Spyro to the well of souls, but it was only because I wanted Malefor to leave me alone. Later, I understood that this was impossible, Spyro made me see it. I felt your mind control power, but I decided to play the victim to bring you down…"

Saying so, she drew the spear.

"Shadow Dragon!" she attacked him.

The great black dragon pounced on Golk and completely consumed him. When he finished, only the Dark One was left, wasting away in ashes.

"It seems like a lifetime of fooling others… only to be the one fooled…" she said without remorse.

"Maybe you can fool someone for a while," Spyro told him, "But in the end you're the one who is fooling yourself. When the lives of others are at stake, the truth is more powerful than the lie..."

"So Me and the other Dark One have only been being tricked..." he muttered before disappearing into the ashes.

Spyro and Cynder didn't speak for a few seconds. Around him, there were no enemies left, as Golk's life force kept them in battle. The army of the front walls also seemed to have been defeated.

"I'm sorry, Spyro," she told him.

"Cynder... How long has it been already?" Spyro asked happily, "Those things should be forgotten. And by the way, excellent idea to use lies against him… Definitely a genius"

Cynder smiled.

"You know, I have my moments... Although, it still intrigues me... are the Dark Ones fooled too?"

"I don't know…" Spyro said, watching the sunset arrive, "But this fight is only just beginning, it seems. We must be ready for whatever…"

"Maybe you can fool someone for a while," Spyro told him, "But in the end you're the one who is fooling yourself. When the lives of others are at stake, the truth is more powerful than the lie..."

"So I and the other Dark Ones have only been being tricked..." he muttered before disappearing into the ashes.

Spyro and Cynder didn't speak for a few seconds. Around him, there were no enemies left, as Golk's life force kept them in battle. The army of the front walls also seemed to have been defeated.

"I'm sorry, Spyro," she told him.

"Cynder... How long has it been already?" Spyro asked happily, "Those things should be forgotten. And by the way, excellent idea to use lies against her… Definitely a genius"

Cynder smiled.

"You know, I have my moments... Although, it still intrigues me... are the Dark Ones fooled too?"

"I don't know…" Spyro said, watching the sunset arrive, "But this fight is only just beginning, it seems. We must be ready for whatever…"

(In the realm of darkness…)

"Golk has fallen too" Hyperion said, "I think if I were, we could end this faster..."

Saying so, he took a look at the giant dark crystal, where Malefor was resting.

"Malefor only has one more day left and he will finally be whole" Darkcel mentioned, "You must not get impatient, Hyperion. Being the strongest of all won't help you against all those dragons…"

"Akuma, what do you think?"

"I'm impatient too: there are only five of us left" he replied, "Going one by one doesn't work and the abilities of Golk and Vane have not been progressive at all despite the numbers"

"Good, then we will launch a massive attack tomorrow... Whatever Malefor says, I'm bored of waiting" Mercenary opined.

"We can leave you the leftovers… Darkcel, Mercenary, Dahaak and I will weaken them and then you will finish them off… Hey, Dahaak, what do you think of my idea?"

The last Dark One was to the side, listening to everything they said, but he only looked through a shadowy image at all the dragons… especially, one in particular.

"That dragon... the guardian of fire... what was the past of him?" he muttered as he moved the shadows and they changed to reveal a five year old human boy, "I understand..."

"What stands out to you about him?" asked Mercenary, "I know he is half human too and he is strong, but if you try to trick him, you will end up like Rhea and Vane"

"Ha… I won't go down that easily…" he boasted, "But I want you to let me fight him alone…"

"What need is there for that…?" Akuma asked.

Dahaak laughed.

"Let's just say that I want to confirm what his mother once said about him…"