It was a bright, fresh morning over the skies of Crossbolt.

Rune stood on a balcony facing south; he could see the entire expanse of the city of Crossbolt. He took in all of the lightning towers, the bridges, the carriage systems... everything that made the kingdom look beautiful day or night. Beyond that, he could just barely see the edge of the plains that would mark the start of the final leg of his journey to Glenhaven.

Rune had started the day with another hearty feast with the Lightning King. Tintreon wanted to give a good and proper farewell to the prince and his Guardians. Once again, a lot of dragons were invited to dine with them. But this time, Rune excused himself early on in the feast to get some fresh air. And now here he was, taking in the sights far away from the chattering of a noble court.

He should have been happier; after all, it wouldn't be much longer before he was in his desert home again. There was so much he wanted to do there; no books to read, learning about Blankridge's antics, helping the Southern Guardians teach their newer students… and most importantly, spending time with his foster family.

But the aching in Rune's back kept reminding him of the trouble that came with him. First, it was Jonathan; the vile prince had been forced along so he could be delivered to the Elders of Glenhaven for his treason. Rune had risked a lot to confront him and try to gain information. And then… there were the assailants. They came out of nowhere and overpowered Rune. And they nearly… nearly…

He shivered and hugged himself tightly. Why did he have to keep forcing himself to think like that? He had to remember the positives; they didn't succeed. Riven was alive and well, in the care of her parents.

Prince Jonathan wasn't in the palace; his prison was sent out to be transported (under heavy surveillance) to a caravan of carriages at the southern edge of the kingdom. The carriages were being lowered via a bridge powered by earth dragon magic down to the plains. As for the three shadow dragonesses who attacked Riven… they would be remaining in Crossbolt; the Guardians convinced King Tintreon to scatter them in separate cell blocks for life. But there still wasn't any word on whether or not there were other assailants lurking around to target the dragonling.

"She's fine. Everything is fine." He whispered to himself. He took a deep breath and relaxed on his haunches. "There's no trouble anymore; they're locked up. The day was saved… everything is fine."

Rune took a deep breath as he stood tall in his princely regalia. Hontus had insisted that he dress up as nicely as he could when they left Tintreon's castle that day. It was to look nice and presentable for the regular folk; the same things Elenar always said at times like this.

Rune grimaced as he looked down at his silver cloak and stockings. He tried to ignore the itching that his horn rings caused. And he tried not to feel lop-sided as he took steps with his sword's scabbard weighing him down. But no matter how many times he dressed up like this, it never felt any less… humiliating.

The prince wracked his talons on the balcony as he looked over the many tiny-looking citizens around him. Even if he wasn't dressed in his best outfit, he'd still feel out of sorts. Maybe it was because he was used to the much taller Dragon Spire by this point… but looking down at the city streets from such a low altitude left Rune feeling... unsafe. Sure, there were lightning dragon guards stationed at key points all over Tintreon's castle… but it felt like anyone could have flown up and landed on the balcony to start some trouble.

And yet, being out on that balcony was STILL better than being inside the castle, walking down corridors, and running into the various staff. There were so many haughty nobles, all of whom were looking to harass and badger Rune with flowery praise and empty compliments.

So many people are always looking to get on my good side… Rune grumbled.

The middle ground on the journey was always the worst. Up in Warfang, he had his friends among the apprentices, who made him feel like a regular student. And down in Glenhaven, he had his lifelong friends and family, who treated him just the same. No focus on titles, no fake pleasantries… no trying to suck up to him for favors. Rune frowned and shook his head; the sooner they were done in Crossbolt, the better.

Rune reached under his cloak and grasped his satchel. He opened it up and pulled out his jade necklace. He held it up to the light and saw lightning bolts reflected off of its surface in the distance. The prince fell back on his haunches as he frowned at it; he'd gotten so close to giving it to Helianne as a parting gift, only for her to rush off before he'd gotten a chance.

So what was he to do with it now? Sell it? Hold onto it for another half a year? Would she even still want to see him again by then? There was always the chance that she'd just move on; the flora dragoness had all the reason in the world to break off their relationship before it even really got going.

Why do you have to give up so easily? Runefor demanded.

Don't talk to me. Rune snapped. I'm not in the mood.

I… I'm sure she'll have gotten over it by the time we're back in Warfang, Runefor continued. She never officially SAID that the relationship is over; can't you at least hold onto some hope?

Hope… Rune repeated the word and snorted. Now you're just reminding me of-

That's not what I meant. Runefor snarled. Don't bother thinking about HER.

Fine… Rune sighed. It's not like it would do any good, anyway.

As the prince was relaxing out on the balcony, he looked down and spotted several dragons venturing out into the courtyard. Hontus and Voden were most readily apparent; they were surrounded by the usual squadron of soldiers. Next was King Tintreon, followed by the nobles Graham and Flagra. While they were gathering up, a pool of shadows formed across from Voden. Soon, out came Dona, with little Riven riding on her mother's back. It looked like everyone else had gathered up to prepare for the final part of the journey to Glenhaven.

While they were mingling down below, Hontus and Tintreon looked up and saw Rune on the balcony. The Guardian waved a forepaw at the prince, so he waved back. On a whim, Rune called upon a bit of wind magic so he could speak directly to his foster father.

"I'll be right down!" He called. "I just need to make sure I have everything!"

Hontus gave Rune a thumbs-up, and he turned to converse with Tintreon. It looked like the lightning-king was laughing at something, as was usual. After sighing in relief, Rune put his necklace back in his satchel and went over his other belongings…

But as he was hunched over, Rune suddenly felt like someone was watching him. He looked up at the balcony, which fed into a corridor between two rooms. The prince scowled and quietly called upon his magic as he approached the doors. He very cautiously pulled the door open, to reveal…

A red-hided dragon in nomadic robes nervously reached for a knob. He took a quick breath and backed up before lowering his head down cautiously.

"Peace, your highness." The dragon frowned. "I mean you no harm."

"Who are you?" Rune demanded. "Why are you skulking after me?"

"My name is… Harlon." The dragon said. "And I come to you to give you a warning."

Rune scowled. "A warning about what?"

Harlon took a cautious breath, and he lowered his head down to bring his voice to a whisper.

"I tried giving the warning to Lady Dona, but she wouldn't give me the time of day." He said. "Please, you're my last hope of getting a message across to the High Queen."

"What are you talking about?" Rune said angrily. "Why not just warn King Tintreon, and have him send the message?"

"Because…" Harlon's eye twitched. "It's not my place to give away your mother's secret."

Rune scowled. "Wh-what secret?"

"It… It concerns your sister." Harlon whispered, with a wing shielding his muzzle.

Rune's eyes widened and his jaw fell open. He scratched his head with a wing-thumb as he locked eyes with the stranger. "E… Explain."

"Some time ago, I encountered the girl named Tyrrany." Harlon continued. "She was making her way across the ocean to Crossbolt, so she could continue on a journey south."

"What…?" Rune stammered.

"I don't know where she's headed…" Harlon said cautiously. "But I suspect that she's heading for Glenhaven. To what purpose, I don't know."

Rune backed up a few paces as he struggled to process the information. He never would have suspected that his half-sister would have fled across the ocean. The last Rune had heard of her, she had vanished from the park after her attempted capture of Cyrus. Nobody had seen her ever since. Could she really have snuck away to travel all the way to Glenhaven?

"How… how do I know I can trust you?" Rune said coldly. "I don't know who you are; you could be lying to me!"

"You'll… You'll just have to trust me." The dragon sighed. "I need to get going now; my daughter is waiting for me. Just… Just trust that I have your best interest at heart. And please; tell the High Queen that an old friend sends their regards."

Rune sneered. "I'll… I'll keep that in mind."

Harlon sighed, and then backed up to step into the hallway. And just like that, he was gone. Rune turned around and gazed out at the cityscape again as his mind raced to make sense of the news.

So… Runefor rumbled in the prince's head. What are we going to do if we find her?

I don't know… Rune shook his head. Mother doesn't want me to hurt her. But she's part of the plot to go after the two of us. I can't just… let my sister off with a slap on the wrist.

She wouldn't go quietly anyway. Runefor said. Remember what the hearsay from Cyrus was? If she attacked him on sight, she'll most likely do the same to you. It might even be her plan; why else would she sneak off to Glenhaven?

Rune's eye twitched; that sounded exactly right. If his sister had gone on ahead, she might have been plotting an ambush well in advance. It could have even been what Bergan explicitly instructed her to do. Rune couldn't keep all of this to himself; he needed to warn the Guardians.

The prince opened up his shadows, sank, and willed them to slide over the balcony to descend to the courtyard. He took a breath and did his best to remain calm as he worked to formulate the right words he'd have to tell them.

So, are we going to try sending that message to Warfang?

I… I don't know. Rune grimaced. I don't have the means to create shadow-mirrors; Wraith hadn't taught me that yet. And I doubt that Dona's willing to teach me.

Well, we'll have to figure SOMETHING out, if we want to warn Mother about Hope.

Yeah… I know.

Rune steeled his mind and prepared for the worst. He'd have a lot of time to prepare during the journey south. He wouldn't let worrying about his sister get in the way of enjoying another six months with his foster family. Rune didn't want to be miserable and worried all the time.

And he didn't want to disappoint his mother again.

~~…~~

The remains of Mount Erebus were cold, quiet, and lifeless; just as they had been for four years.

But today, under a dark sky, a pool of shadows erupted into existence at the base of the ruins. A portal emerged from the shadows, and it melted the surrounding snow into steam to reveal the dirt below.

Elenar, Wraith, and Urobos carefully stepped out of the magic and into the light of day… or rather, the closest thing to sunlight that such a place received. Elenar shivered as the cold air stung her mane.

"Are you alright, Your Grace?" Wraith nervously asked Urobos; the elderly dragon was splayed out and panting heavily.

"I'm… fine…" He took a long sigh. "It had been ages since I used magic that powerful."

"It did a number on me, too." Wraith grimaced. He cautiously flapped his wings and groaned as he struggled to stand tall. "Good thing I thought to bring spare draconic gems."

Elenar had been silent the whole time; she just couldn't look away from what had become of Erebus… her home. She took a shrill breath as she struggled to keep looking at it.

The lands around Mount Erebus had been untouched for nearly four years. Barren mountains and hills surrounded the remains of the mountain for miles around. There was once a massive snowstorm that raged for centuries in these lands… but it was gone now. The enchanted weather was permanently destroyed by the arcane duel that took place between Baneth and Malefor. Even the plant life had been sapped away; wilted grass and destroyed flowers hung throughout the area in many scattered patches.

And looming ominously over all of this? The Barrier.

A great, magical dome that surrounded the whole of what little remained of the great mountain. Its ethereal green shell ebbed and flowed like waves; none could pass beside those of the lineage of Spyro and Cynder… as well as those invited to pass through.

Elenar scrunched up her face as she struggled not to cry; even if this place didn't have the happiest of memories, she never wanted this. But nothing could ever repair the damage done by Malefor's cruelty. She dug her talons into the dirt and shook her limbs; if only she could do something…

"Elenar?" Urobos asked nearby. The queen sucked in a breath and turned to see the old drake frowning at her. "Are you alright?"

"I'm… content." The queen said cautiously. She picked herself up into her regal pose and took a deep breath. "Let's just carry on with the mission and leave this dreadful place while we have time."

"Understood…" Urobos trotted forward toward the barrier. "Follow behind me, you two."

The three dragons cautiously made their way toward the base of the barrier. Along the way, Wraith ran his talons worriedly through his mane.

"I can hardly believe how much time has passed…" Wraith said with a clatter of his fangs. "It still feels like yesterday when Cyrus and the rest of us came to… uh…" Wraith glanced at Elenar. "Bring you back, Your Majesty."

Elenar just sighed and faced forward. It was such a surreal thing to remember: Being dead, and then not dead. As she stood with her paws cold in the snow, she couldn't help but feel like she was… wrong. Unnatural. She shouldn't be here, breathing the cold air that hung over her former home. The scales on her neck ached, and her talons fidgeted. Once she was done here, she never wanted to come back to the Well of Souls again.

"So, uh… how do we get inside?" Wraith asked.

"Just leave it to me…" Urobos said.

Elenar watched as the old drake made his way forward. He walked right through the barrier without a hitch; it didn't even shift to react to his body. But when Wraith attempted to step through, he slammed his muzzle against it and was halted with a jolt of lighting.

"Ack!" Wraith grimaced and backed up. Elenar had to admit it was oddly amusing to see small sparks phasing through the crimson drake's body. Wraith covered his muzzle with a forepaw. "Like walking into a brick wall!"

"I haven't invited you in yet." Urobos scolded. He reached out with a forepaw and stuck a talon through it. Moving carefully, Urobos traced a very large oval pattern about his frame. Once his talon arrived at the original point, a section of the barrier suddenly disappeared, leaving a hole that was more than big enough for either Wraith or Elenar. Urobos cautiously stepped to the side and gestured with his tail.

"Step on through, you two." Urobos pleaded. "I can't hold this open for very long."

Wraith ducked his head as he passed his way through. He then turned around to whistle at the hole the old drake had carved.

"Impressive magic." The crimson drake nodded his head. "Very impressive. I need to learn how to do this."

"Maybe some other time." Urobos snorted. He looked at the queen. "Come along, Elenar."

"Right…" Elenar sighed. She lowered her head to pass her way through the barrier… when a bit of air blew against Elenar's side. She flinched and looked around in surprise. "What?!"

Immediately Wraith spread his limbs and gnashed his fangs. "What's wrong?!"

"I…" Elenar blinked and looked around. There was an odd shiver down her spine, but nothing seemed out of the ordinary. "I… I don't know." She collapsed her wings and grimaced. "Just… an odd feeling just now."

"Well, we mustn't dawdle any longer." Urobos grimaced. "This is growing much too uncomfortable for me to keep going."

Elenar quickly trotted inside the barrier, and the old drake pulled his talon free. Immediately the oval shape filled itself up again, and Urobos heaved heavily. He collapsed onto his haunches and placed a forepaw over his heart. Wraith immediately pulled out a life gem and brought it to Urobos's maw.

"Thank you…" Urobos took the gem and consumed it. Elenar sighed in relief; even the briefest glimpse of pain on her father-in-law's face was nightmarish to her.

Once he was back in top condition, Urobos spread his wings and took off into the air.

"Come: the mountain's depths await!" Urobos called down to them. "I'd rather conserve any last drop of magic I have until we're at the Well of Souls!"

Elenar nodded in agreement and followed after the old drake. Wraith was just behind them, but he had an uneasy expression as he gazed down at the dead stone around them.

"Why did we have to travel all this way to the Well of Souls just to get into contact with those two?" Wraith asked. "Couldn't you have just used that summoning glyph to bring them forth?" The crimson drake flared his nostrils. "And you know what else? Why couldn't they just contact us while we were still in Warfang?"

Urobos sneered, while Elenar just grimaced.

"First of all, the summoning glyphs aren't something to be used willy-nilly; there's no guarantee that either Lord Spyro or Lady Cynder is available for such an important discussion." Urobos snorted. "Second of all, if we're REALLY able to convince them to help us, then the Well of Souls is the one place we can bring them back; I'd think you'd know THAT for yourself already."

"Of course, I know that, sir." Wraith grimaced. "It's just… From the stories you guys all shared, Lord Spyro and Lady Cynder intervened in an attempt to stop Malefor from being brought back. If a similar danger is coming, then why didn't they warn us?"

"Maybe they don't know," Elenar said cautiously. Urobos and Wraith briefly looked back at her. "Maybe… Maybe it's something they've never encountered before."

The three dragons glided down toward the southern platform; the same platform used all that time ago. Elenar grimaced as she made her descent; she hadn't been back here since that fateful night. The night when Baneth cast himself into the depths of the Underworld to keep Malefor imprisoned. The fact that this wretched Well, the very source of so much chaos, had remained untouched by the destruction of Erebus… it nearly drove Elenar mad. It was like some cruel joke was played on the queen; the one piece she wanted to be destroyed was all that remained of her childhood. Even that wickedly-green light deep within the crevice still remained.

But while Elenar looked around in disgust, she saw that Urobos looked around with a pained expression. The old drake looked around and fluttered his wings sporadically; his talons scratched the cold stone as he muttered under his breath. Elenar's heart ached to see the old dragon this way; he wasn't here when Baneth sacrificed himself, but Urobos knew very well what happened here that night.

"Your Grace?" Wraith asked uneasily. "Are you okay?"

"I… I'm alright." Urobos took a deep breath. "I guess it was my turn to feel my heart aching."

Elenar, Wraith, and Urobos spent a few minutes gathering clusters of gems from the edges of the platform. Once they were in a neat pile, the three dragons stood in the center of the platform.

"Now then…" Urobos took a deep breath. He reached into his satchel and retrieved a small dagger. "Let's begin."

Urobos dug the tip of his dagger into his talon. He gritted his fangs as he drew a bit of blood. Next, he spread his blood on the stone floor to create a circle. With that done, he used water magic to heal his wound before stepping back. Wraith stepped up to the circle, though he grimaced at the sight of the blood. With a bit of chanting, Wraith extended his forepaw and filled the circle with a mass of dark energy. Elenar helped him along with some chanting of her own. Together, the two shadow dragons created a tiny black fire on the surface of the blood, which spread around the entire circle.

"I call upon the spirits of the legendary purple dragon Spyro, and the dragon known as Cynder, the Grand Shadow!" Urobos bellowed into the flames. "If either of them wishes to speak to a humble descendent of theirs, let them appear before me!"

At first, nothing happened. The warm air within the dome stung their necks unimpeded, and the magic glistened silently. But then… a light shined forth. A verdant, mysterious light that sent shivers down Elenar's spine: The Underworld's Glow.

The green light of the Well of Souls grew brighter than before. Elenar could feel the floor vibrating as whispers echoed from deep within the crevice. The light became almost blinding: Elenar had to shield her face with a wing. Once her eyes had adjusted to the unearthly glow, the dragoness looked into the air above the crevice. Two spirits had emerged from the depths and hung weightlessly before the pit. One was purple, and the other was black. The purple one stepped forward onto the platform, making the stone feel warm beneath Elenar's feet. With a flash of light, the spirit took the form of a transparent dragon: Lord Spyro.

"My Lord…" Urobos bowed his head in subservience. Elenar and Wraith were quick to follow, not wanting to risk gaining the hero's ire.

"Hmm… It's been quite some time, Urobos." The voice of the purple dragon hung in the dragons' ear frills despite the spirit's head barely moving. Spyro glanced around at the Well of Souls' interior and glowered. "Of course, you would contact us HERE of all places."

"Erm…" Urobos grimaced.

"At least they finally contacted us, Spyro…" The voice of Cynder scolded; her spirit stepped onto the platform and took on her transparent form. "Maybe the three of them can explain what's been happening topside."

"Topside?" Wraith repeated in confusion.

"It's her word for the dragon realms…" Spyro sighed. He locked eyes with Urobos and wracked his talons on the stone. "Tell me; what's happened in Warfang?"

"You know that something's wrong?" Urobos asked incredulously.

"We've lost all contact with the boys," Cynder exclaimed. "Nothing we do to reach either Rune or Cyrus works! And what's worse; we can't get into The Nexus anymore!"

"That's because…" Elenar's lip quivered. She stepped closer and forced herself to look Lady Cynder in the eyes. "The Nexus is gone!"

"Gone?!" Spyro and Cynder shouted in unison.

"A great sphere of shadows engulfed The Nexus during a series of wildfires all across Warfang!" Elenar continued, struggling not to cry. "The white dragonlings… the children of Warfang… and even my son Cyrus have vanished to parts unknown!"

Spyro and Cynder looked at each other with horrified expressions. Cynder fidgeted with her paws; she looked ready to take off into the sky to try flying straight for Warfang. Spyro patted her on the side and tried to comfort her with his wings.

"My Lord, I have a terrible feeling that it's connected to the vision I had not long ago," Urobos said.

"Vision?" Spyro's brow furrowed. "What vision?"

Urobos took a moment to describe the terrible sights he saw whilst meditating with Argos and Icarox. Spyro and Cynder were especially disturbed by the description of multiple wicked eyes glaring out of the darkness. Elenar and Wraith were especially put off; the old drake hadn't mentioned such details before; it was too much like… like…

"Malefor?" Spyro wondered aloud.

"I… I don't know." Urobos grimaced.

"It can't be him." Cynder declared. "He's still imprisoned within Baneth's body, and Baneth is very much encased in stone…" Elenar winced upon hearing that, which made Cynder bite her tongue. "Err, sorry for being blunt, Elenar."

"Well…" Elenar shivered as she made herself stand tall. "If it's not Malefor in Urobos's vision, then it could be something just as bad." She stamped her forepaw. "Please… we need your help to find the missing children, and to protect Warfang from whatever threat is coming your way. I can't risk anything happening that leads to another war!"

Spyro and Cynder looked at each other with deep frowns.

"Well, we've sworn to protect the dragon realms in any way we can, even as spirits," Cynder said.

"But our time has passed." Spyro sighed. "We were pushing our luck the last time we meddled in mortal affairs to help stop Malefor; we can't keep jumping back into the dragon realms whenever another threat comes along."

"I know that there are rules for these sorts of things…" Cynder swung her tail around. "But there are also loopholes for said rules…" She turned her head and smirked at Urobos. "Like the Revival Ritual."

Urobos flinched in surprise, as did Elenar and Wraith. Cynder was on board with the plan already?

Spyro balked and immediately dashed about to lock eyes with Cynder. "Cynder! Don't you know by now that using that kind of magic is dangerous?!"

"I wasn't planning on conquering the world if that's what you're suggesting." Cynder snorted. "And don't tell me that you don't occasionally miss being able to eat butterflies."

Urobos and Wraith gave Spyro an odd look, while Elenar was simply bewildered. Spyro looked at the mortal dragons uneasily, and then cleared his throat and took a commanding posture before Cynder.

"It was only the one time…" Spyro grumbled. "And we need to be SERIOUS, Cynder; there are threats on the horizon and those children need to be found, but we can't return to the mortal world without consequences."

"If there's anyone who would stop us, they'd be here right now." Cynder declared. "But they're not, so I think it's a free game…"

Spyro gave the closest thing a spirit could give to a sigh of defeat. "I give up."

Cynder chuckled in victory and smiled at Urobos again. "Gather up some gems, Sunshine; we've got younglings to save."

Urobos smiled. "As you wish, Lady Cynder."

Right away, Urobos set to work consuming some of the life crystals to give himself a boost of power. Once he'd had a sufficient amount, the aged drake set to work channeling his elements to begin the Revival Ritual. Twelve magical orbs circled about in the air as the life crystals glowed marvelously. Spyro and Cynder carefully floated down over two of the piles and waited as the magic began to take hold.

And then, the ground began to shake. Elenar could feel the heat radiating from the spirits of the two heroes. She shivered and backed up as their spirits began to glow bright purple.

"Oh, geez…" Wraith grimaced and looked away. "This is getting a bit intense for me."

The ground shook more and more, and a blinding light struck Elenar's face. She shut her eyes and concealed her face with a wing as the power continued to build…

And then, it was all unleashed at once. Elenar was nearly forced onto her rear, while Wraith collapsed onto the stone. Gradually the light died down, and the vibrations stopped.

"It is done!" Urobos declared.

Elenar uncovered her face and looked upon the sparkling form that stood before her. Wraith backed up and marveled at the sight as well.

Lord Spyro has been made a flesh and blood dragon once again… but he wasn't an old drake. He was in his prime: rippling muscles shifted under dazzling amethyst scales. He stood about as tall as Wraith, and his wingspan was quite impressive. His lightning-bolt horns glistened in the light of the ruins, and various little spines grew out of his chin (quite similar in form to the stubble on Wraith's chin).

Spyro took several deep, steady breaths. He adjusted his forelegs and flexed his muscles. Spyro even twisted his neck to the left and right.

"By the Ancestors, I feel great…" Spyro smiled. His ear frills twitched, and he chuckled a bit. "I almost don't recognize myself without the spiritual twinge."

"You certainly look handsome, Spyro." Said the voice of Cynder from behind him. Elenar, Urobos, and Wraith looked around Spyro to watch as Cynder's form finally took hold.

"Hmm…" Spyro smiled as he turned around to face her. "And I'm sure you look just as-"

Spyro's eyes widened as Cynder chuckled.

Cynder was an elderly dragoness. Not as old as she was when she died, perhaps, but definitely around the same age physically as Urobos. Her midnight-black scales glistened as she stretched out her fat wings, and she swung her tail from side to side as she trotted about.

"You… You're staying old?" Spyro asked incredulously.

"Well, I guess I got used to being a Grandma as I grew into it." Cynder snickered. The aged dragoness walked in an arc around Spyro, who stood dumbfounded. "Yes, I must say I truly enjoy this: I'm more mature than you, bigger than you, more powerful than you…" She looked in his direction and smirked. "Just like old times, huh Spyro?"

Spyro balked at that. He then snorted and looked away. "Of all the things to bring up…"

"Well, It's certainly amazing to have you back in the land of the living again." Urobos smiled. "With you two on our side, we can surely tackle this terrible fate that's coming."

"Indeed…" Spyro nodded. He gave his muscles a few more ripples… and then sighed in derision as Cynder sat on her haunches beside him to show how much taller she was than him now, even while sitting.

"We mustn't dawdle here anymore," Elenar said forcefully. "Lord Spyro, Lady Cynder, as good as it is to have you back with us-"

"Just Cynder will do, young lady," Cynder smirked.

"If you insist…" Elenar sighed, though she couldn't help but smile a little. "But please, we have to get going; there's no telling what danger the children are in!"

Cynder opened her muzzle to say something… only for her ear frills to twitch. She looked to the side and grimaced as her nostrils wrinkled. One by one, the other dragons around her realized that something was amiss; the very last one was Wraith. They all looked in a corner of the platform… where a pool of shadows began to form.

They growled lowly and watched angrily as a figure began to emerge from the pool of shadows. He had his head focused on a book in his forepaw as he casually stepped forward out of the shadows.

There he was; dressed in the same fancy outfit he always used to wear in their youth. The first thing she recognized was his sparkling red eyes, which glowed even as the rest of him lay hidden in the shadows. He then stepped forward into the light, exposing his amethyst scales and golden horns that rivaled Spyro's in splendor. The dragon that Elenar had simultaneously longed to see and dreaded speaking to.

Bergan.

"Hmmm…" The purple dragon turned to gaze out into the abyss. He blinked as he put his book away in his robes. "I'm finally through. But how did…?"

Finally, Bergan heard the growls of the gathered dragons. And for the first time, as the purple dragon turned to look… he was genuinely, truly caught off-guard.

"Wha…?" Bergan stammered. He looked at Spyro, and then at Cynder, and then at Urobos and Wraith. Bit by bit, the wheels turned in Bergan's head… and he took a deep breath as he realized what transpired. Bergan rubbed the bridge of his muzzle, and he began to chuckle. "Well… Well isn't THIS a nice surprise?"

Elenar couldn't believe her eyes; even as his face had aged, and his chin had grown a sizeable golden beard, she still saw that youthful expression upon Bergan's muzzle. He stepped forward slowly and looked around at the gathered dragons in awe.

"Who would have guessed…?" Bergan raised an eye ridge. "It must have been wonderful weather for a resurrection, hmm?"

Wraith spread his limbs and snarled. Urobos and Spyro held cautious glares as Bergan got close. Cynder held an uneasy frown; she seemed to wish to say something but held her tongue.

Bergan walked around Elenar; he didn't even acknowledge her with a glance. He instead came to a stop before Spyro and looked him up and down.

"Ah, Lord Spyro…" Bergan said calmly. "My grand-and-most-wonderful Lord of all the Realms, Spyro." Bergan walked in a circle all-around hero. "You're looking much younger than I remember."

"Bergan…" Spyro said with an air of annoyance.

"Hmm, unhappy to see me?" Bergan tilted his head. "Of course, you're not; you were never happy to have me around back in the Palace of Kings."

"How are you here?" Urobos demanded. "I didn't invite you past the barrier!"

"Hmph, I'm uninvited; just like old times." Bergan gave a faux sigh. "Just like when I was a boy. Of course, just like a boy, I have a knack for slipping through doors held ajar."

Elenar's eye twitched, and she remembered the gust of wind beside her. "You… You snuck in with your time magic."

Bergan didn't reply, but his lips tugged back on his muzzle. He then spun about and made a gesture with his cloak. "My skill and talent have increased by leaps and bounds, Lord Spyro. Some might even dare to say that I rival even YOUR talents these days."

Spyro merely scowled at Bergan. Cynder, however, sighed and stepped closer to look the bearded purple drake in the eyes. "Bergan, why are you here?"

"Hmm, that's a tricky one…" Bergan stretched his wings out and sighed. "See, I'd come back from a very long business trip, and I got the most curious of visions. Something very strange was going to happen at the Well of Souls; something I… I hadn't foreseen." Bergan stopped and briefly showed a puzzled look. "It's funny; normally I can see things coming months in advance… but this?"

He turned to glance at Spyro and Cynder.

"You two? Returning to the moral world? Oh, what a wonderful event!" He sardonically clapped his forepaws. "And here I am, one of the first dragons to learn the secret! There's so much we have to catch up on. After all…" He scowled over at Spyro. "Unlike the royal family, I wasn't allowed to say goodbye when you left."

Spyro scratched his talons on the stone floor. "Just like in your youth, you're trying my patience, Bergan."

"Am I? That's quite a shame." Bergan scoffed. "But, if none of you want to see an old acquaintance again, I suppose I'll just be on my way…"

"Stop!" Elenar screamed.

The other four dragons flinched and looked at Elenar, and then at Bergan. The bearded purple dragon slowly and finally turned to look at Elenar. The two of them locked eyes; he looked at her with a blank expression, while she became desperate.

Part of Elenar wanted to hug Bergan's chin with her head as she'd done in her youth… and the other part of her wanted to strangle his neck. For even if Elenar missed him, she couldn't forget that he was involved with whatever machinations Saul had cooking… as well as getting her involved.

"Where is she?!" Elenar demanded. "Where is our daughter?!"

"Your daughter?" Cynder asked curiously.

"Much has happened in Warfang…" Urobos spread his limbs out as he glared at Bergan. "We'll inform you on the trip south, but the short version is that their daughter recently attacked Cyrus."

Bergan held a frustrated face as Wraith growled off to one side, and Urobos and Spyro growled on the other. He then tapped his talons on the floor and sighed…

Seconds later, Elenar heard Bergan's breathing just to her side. In the middle of a blink, the other dragons gasped in surprise: Bergan had made use of his time magic again. But Elenar wasn't surprised; she just calmly turned around.

"Where is she?" Elenar demanded again.

"Is that really the first thing that comes to mind?" Bergan asked.

"Where IS she?!" Elenar pulled back her fangs. "Where is Hope?!"

Bergan blinked slowly and blew smoke out of his nostrils. He then walked casually around Elenar's side while Spyro, Urobos, and Wraith approached him.

"Hope?" Bergan repeated with a false smile. That smile quickly faded into a sneer. "Is that what you think her name is?"

"Of course it is!" Elenar snapped. "Now tell me where she is!"

"That's NOT her name, Elenar." Bergan snapped. Elenar flinched and stumbled backward in shock, while the bearded drake simply sighed. "It's Tyrrany."

"Tyrrany?" Cynder asked incredulously. "Why would you choose a name like that?"

"It's a very special name…" Bergan grinned. "I rejected the name chosen by the late shadow queen; honestly, the whole tradition is archaic in my eyes."

Elenar flinched. "How can you say that about my mother? She chose all the names of my children very carefully!"

"It doesn't matter to me." Bergan insisted. "Because I picked a much more FITTING name for my daughter. A name that I'll never forget, no matter how many dragons tried to force me to…" The bearded drake stamped his forepaw. "My mother's name!"

A silence fell over the platform as all eyes were on Bergan. The bearded drake flourished his cape as he glared right at Elenar, who flinched back in shock. Never before had any of the gathered dragons seen such… such VITRIOL in the bearded dragon's eyes.

"You forgot, didn't you?" Bergan asked bitterly. "That I wanted to name my child in remembrance of my dear mother? I guess it's only fair: After all, you forgot about our daughter, too."

"I did NOT!" Elenar exclaimed. "Bergan, please! Take me to our daughter! I need to talk to her and explain that-!"

"Oh! So now, after all this time, NOW you want to talk?" Bergan demanded. He reached out and grabbed Elenar's forepaw. "Well, by all means, let's TALK!"

The purple dragon snapped his talons as the other dragons lunged forward. Elenar gasped as Bergan's magic rocked her body. All sound surrounding the pair became muted as a blue tint covered everything in existence. Bergan then let go of Elenar's forepaw and took several steps back from her.

"First and foremost, where our daughter has gone is none of YOUR concern." Bergan snorted. "After all, it wasn't your concern when she was growing up in Faeshrine without you. For eight years."

"What?" Elenar balked.

Bergan turned around and glared into Elenar's eyes. "Eight years. That's how long you had to come and see her! EIGHT YEARS!"

Elenar blinked and shivered. "I… I…"

"You couldn't have taken time out of your oh-so-busy days in The Hive to come and visit your firstborn child?" Bergan demanded. "You couldn't have one day, ONE DAY, to come to our daughter and tell her that you loved her in person?"

"I…" Elenar stammered. "I had to…"

"I don't care what you THINK you had to do as the future queen of a doomed city." Bergan snorted. "I would have gladly brought her to The Hive, but your oh-so-delightful father threatened to KILL HER if I remember correctly."

Elenar flinched, while Bergan flapped his wings. He walked around her and blew smoke from his nostrils.

"So, what was I to do, hmm?" He tapped his paw. "Send you letters? Because I tried that, and it only ended with threats from your father AGAIN to never contact you." Bergan snorted. "I would have hoped that at SOME POINT you'd have worked up the courage to stand up to him; to finally come and see the little girl you claimed to love."

"Stop!" Elenar shouted. "He… he would have thrown me out onto the street!"

"Really?" Bergan snorted again. "Am I honestly to understand that Urobos, Baneth, your mother, your sister, and all of the other people who loved you… would do nothing to support you if you said you wanted to have your daughter if your life?"

"You know there was another reason I had to hide that I had a daughter!" Elenar pointed an accusing talon at him. "She's… She's a white dragon! My father wasn't the only one who hated white dragons; MANY in The Hive would have killed Hope if given half the chance! She needed to be kept safe; hidden from the world until the time was right."

"And what time was that? After you were brought back to life?" Bergan queried. He tapped a talon on the floor, creating a distorted echoing in the air. "Tell me: did you count on being revived after your first death? When you were held captive in the Underworld, did you think to yourself 'well, I'm sure that I'll be living again soon? Then I can fix all my mistakes.'?"

Elenar felt her heart sink into her stomach. "N-No… Of course I… I didn't…"

"There was a chance that you would have stayed dead; forever held prisoner by Malefor," Bergan said with a scowl. "Perhaps not being in your daughter's life was one of your biggest regrets. But unlike the rest of the mistakes you've fixed, you're not getting off the hook so easily with ME, Elenar."

Elenar's mind raced; all she could think about was how many times she cowered at the thought of going behind her father's back. Her daughter… her little girl… had grown up without her, all because Elenar was too cowardly to turn against King Alexander. Too cowardly to face the truth…

No… No, Elenar couldn't let Bergan get under her skin. She had to fight back; to bring to light all the misdeeds HE'D done!

"You sent our daughter to attack my son!" Elenar yelled at Bergan. "You're aiding and abetting someone who's plotting to take my life!"

Bergan rolled his eyes and scoffed. "Who do you think I am, Elenar? Do you really think I would have played along with Saul if he ever had a chance to kill you?"

"What?" Elenar balked.

"Jonathan has no chance of killing you; nor does Saul, for that matter." He fluttered his wings. "What our daughter does, she does on her own: You'll have to figure out how to win her mercy by yourself."

"Where IS she?!" Elenar screamed again as she scratched the stone. "I can't make things right with her if I can't find her! Just tell me where she is, Bergan! PLEASE!"

"Sadly, I think it's time to move on to some other answers…" Bergan gave a sardonic grin.

As he said those words, the bluish blur around the world faded away. Noises returned to their normal levels, and the other dragons moved at normal speeds again. Spyro groaned as he tried to re-orient himself. Once he was back up to speed, he stomped forward and breathed angrily down Bergan's neck.

"Whatever you two were discussing, I don't CARE at this point." Spyro snapped. "Bergan, You are accused of crimes against the dragon realms!"

"Oh, please have mercy on me, Lord Spyro." Bergan gave a sarcastically-submissive bow of his head. "Whatever will I do to easily escape? Oh, if only I had the power to freeze time and make a quick getaway!"

Spyro growled in anger, while Bergan simply snorted. He then stepped back a few paces and twirled about. Wraith looked about ready to snap at him, but the purple drake flicked him on the muzzle.

"The children are fine." Bergan declared. "You were going to ask me to confess to stealing away The Nexus, right? And all of the children inside? Well, fine, I confess: I spirited the fortress away."

"I knew it!" Urobos exclaimed with a scowl. Wraith tried to snap at Bergan's talons, but the purple drake simply whisked himself off to stand beside Cynder in another blink of an eye.

"You prick…" Wraith growled.

"Don't worry about the white dragons, though: They're all safe and sound." Bergan smiled. "They'll be reunited with their parents in due time."

"WHEN?" Cynder demanded. "WHEN will you give Warfang back its children?"

"When I'm convinced that they'll be safe." Bergan declared. "In the meantime, I-"

"Bring them BACK!" Urobos growled at Bergan. The aged black drake dug at the floor and fanned out his wings aggressively. "Return the Nexus, you fiend!"

"Honestly, is that any way to handle diplomatic negotiations?" Bergan gave a grin. "I guess you break down in the heat of the moment. Just like old times, Lord Urobos."

Urobos's anger didn't die one bit. In fact, Spyro joined in on the angry growling. Even Wraith was quick to get in on the action. And all the while, Elenar, and Cynder glared at Bergan (though the former struggled to keep her composure.) After a moment of silence, Bergan simply sighed and shook his head again.

"Despite my snark and my grievances, I didn't come here looking for a fight." He said. "My business was with examining the ruins…" He gestured around. "There's something… fishy about it."

"What are you going on about?" Wraith asked angrily.

"It's… hard to say." Bergan scratched his chin. "There's a sort of… blind spot. Something about the future of this place is… hard to grasp." He turned back around to glance at Spyro and Cynder. "Maybe it has something to do with… you. Being alive."

Spyro scowled once more, while Cynder glowered with disapproval. Bergan sighed and shook his head.

"Look at you all: getting on all-fours and snarling. Did you want to fight to the death, just moments after your resurrection?" Bergan sighed. "I'm not your enemy, you know. I'm not."

"Well, you don't exactly come across as friendly." Wraith snapped.

"I need all of you to listen." Bergan continued; he pointed a talon toward the group. "I've seen what comes next. All of the children in The Nexus… the apprentices, the white younglings, and the artificially-created dark dragons… they're all a part of the future of the dragon realms." He put his forepaw down. "But they'll have no chance of seeing that future so long as there are still bigoted dragons inhabiting Warfang."

"We'll deal with the extremists and the Sons of Culmubrae with our methods." Urobos snapped. "You're not permitted to just step in and meddle with free will."

Bergan's eye twitched, but he struggled to put on a warm smile.

"Let ME handle things instead." Bergan insisted. He shot a glare at Spyro and Cynder. "The realms descended into chaos after you two passed on. And the rest of us have struggled to pick up the pieces. Many dragons died, and I was routinely given no choice but to sit idly by as the world burned. But while the rest of the world collapsed, Faeshrine THRIVED." He stamped his forepaw. "So much has blossomed, thanks to many brilliant minds. Art, science, transportation, medicine… all of these, and more, have flourished in Faeshrine; it's truly ahead of the times! And it was all because I was able to nurture the hearts and minds of dragons, who would have otherwise been declared traitors and heretics under the brutal regime of the Order of Culmubrae."

Spyro and Cynder exchanged dubious glances, while Wraith and Urobos glared at Bergan incredulously. Elenar, meanwhile, just sighed and held her tongue.

"Faeshrine is, for lack of a better term… my greatest prototype." Bergan declared. "And it doesn't have to be contained in one city; I can scarcely imagine what new era could start if Faeshrine's philosophies can spread all across the realms!"

"So that's it then: you plot to take over the world." Spyro scowled. Bergan narrowed his eyes and snorted.

"Take over? Of course not: I'm simply doing what I feel is right to make our realms better." He shot Spyro a toothy grin. "Didn't you do the very same thing, when you established all of the new kingdoms over a century ago?"

"We did what we felt would establish peace after so many dragons were revived," Cynder said with a frown. "I'd thought we taught you this when you were a boy."

"I learned all that I could, Cynder," Bergan replied. "I learned how to finally control my visions of the future… using one of these."

Bergan reached into his robes and casually produced a crystal ball; just like the one, he used to show Elenar visions of the future all those years ago. Urobos glared at Bergan and stepped closer.

"The future is growing GRIM, Bergan." Urobos snapped. "I've been given a vision of my own lately; something wicked is going to return to the dragon realms soon. And part of the premonitions has already come true! Thanks to YOUR involvement!"

Bergan balked. "Excuse me?"

"Fires burning across Warfang!" Urobos stamped his forepaw. "The Nexus vanishing without a trace! I saw them both, and YOU are responsible for both! Your actions are going to lead the dragon realms to destruction! Just like when you were a child, your meddling is causing misery in the hearts of the people of Warfang!"

Bergan's eyes were wide; that was an implication he could have done without. His face slowly became a scowl, and he growled just as angrily as the aged drake did.

"You think you know what's in store for the future, just because of ONE vision?" Bergan asked accusingly. "You should try dozens! HUNDREDS! There are countless pathways on the flow of time, leading to any number of possible futures!" The crystal ball in his forepaw began to glow a brilliant white. "Here; let me show you a personal FAVORITE of mine!"

Bergan held the crystal ball in the air, and a burst of white light flooded free from it. The other dragons all gasped in surprise as the light engulfed them. Elenar in particular cried out in fear, as she expected those horrible yellow eyes to glare down at her at any moment…

When the light faded, Elenar was curious to find the sun beating down on her head. She looked up at the bright blue sky in confusion… and then heard some strange noises below her. The dragoness looked down… and nearly had a heart attack. She was standing in mid-air, nearly a hundred feet above the ground! The shock was so sudden that it nearly made her forget about the other dragons with her…. And soon, everyone was in awe as they beheld the mysterious sights around them.

They were in some sort of city, but it was unlike any city they'd ever seen in their lives. The roads were paved over with some kind of dark, almost black stone, and grey stones were forming rectangular grids. Carriages made of metal and steel thundered their way down the streets at speeds much faster than anything Elenar had seen before. Some great towers and spires pierced high into the sky; higher even than the Dragon Spire did. Countless citizens were walking the streets, and elevated walkways passed between many buildings. More dragons than Elenar had ever seen before flew through the skies in all the colors that a dragon's scales could be… even white.

Elenar looked around in shock and awe; she could hardly believe what she was seeing. And the other dragons with her were equally as dumbstruck at her.

"What… What is this place?" Wraith asked incredulously.

"This is Warfang…" Bergan said. "A hundred years from now."

"A hundred years?" Cynder asked in surprise. She and the others looked around again.

Everything was sparkling and clean, and the city limits of Warfang seemed to stretch twice as wide as Warfang did in the present day. And as Bergan shifted the crystal ball, the dragons found themselves descending toward the street. They came to a disorienting landing and looked around again; dragons and non-dragons alike walked on by wearing bizarre clothing and jewelry. And once again, they could see white dragons walking among them freely, like nothing was out of the ordinary.

"If I'm able to keep doing what I'm doing, then I'll be able to speed technological advancement along nearly a thousandfold!" Bergan declared. "Look at how much lives could be improved!"

Bergan gestured around with his talons to point at the various shops and businesses present on the street corners of this futuristic Warfang. There was a place where elderly dragons (older than Urobos, even) were sitting and talking to family members as dragons in medical uniforms applied healing gems to wounds. Across the street, there was a medical pavilion, where a mole doctor placed a needle-like device against a dragon's neck to inject some kind of green liquid. And further down the street, there was a place where those metallic carriages were being sold on a grand lot by a white dragon in a fancy outfit. Urobos was genuinely enraptured, as was Wraith. Cynder couldn't help but smile as she gazed all around. Even Elenar was drawn in by the enticing visual; to see white dragons able to live openly and happily with other dragons… was a secret dream of hers.

"Do you see all of this?" Bergan asked with enthusiasm. "I cry myself to sleep sometimes because I'll never live long enough to see the real thing…" He sighed for a moment, but then perked up and tapped a talon to his temple. "But I can get the ball rolling! Everything you see here can be brought to life someday: I simply have to teach everything I know and have seen to those children asleep in The Nexus!"

Spyro's ear frills twitched at that. "Really?"

"Yes!" Bergan smiled. "From there, those younglings can grow up to spread the knowledge to others. In just a few short decades, we'll be more than halfway to making the dragon realms a true paradise!"

The bearded drake shifted his foreleg to point the crystal ball toward the other dragons.

"Can't you all stand beside me?" He asked. "Help me to bring my plans to fruition. I could finally do what a purple dragon is meant to do! I can make our world a safer place for all children! So for once in your lives, TRUST IN ME!"

Elenar and the others looked around one more time as the bedazzling visions of the future Warfang. Elenar had to admit: it was very tempting…

"No!" Spyro scowled. He reached out and smacked the crystal ball out of Bergan's paw. For once, the bearded dragon had a genuine face of heartbreak and horror at being caught off-guard. The crystal ball smashed on the floor, shattering into a million pieces. And just like that, the visions of the future ended, and the Well of Souls returned.

Bergan snarled in anger as he reached down to scoop up the pieces. As he did so, Spyro's shadow loomed over him.

"You might think that you know what's right, Bergan," Spyro said coldly. "You might think that you're doing what's necessary to help the dragon realms. And yet you're STILL trying to meddle in the lives of others, just like when you were a boy."

Lightning danced across Spyro's back spikes as he tapped his talon on the floor.

"Your interference with the affairs of others' lives has cut Cynder and me off from contacting Rune and Cyrus. You've set several fires all across my city and risked injuring countless beings you're supposedly trying to help. Not to mention your abduction of the children of The Nexus."

Bergan scowled; he stood up as he held several fragments of his crystal ball in his forepaw.

"I only did that to save them from the extremists." He snapped. "Or are you implying that I should have just let the children get slain?"

"Bring them BACK, Bergan!" Spyro growled. "If what you did was truly altruistic, then return the children to their parents immediately!"

"There are still extremists lurking in Warfang!" Bergan declared. "I ousted the worst ones, but the rest have gone into hiding! They're out there, plotting to slaughter white dragons the moment they appear! Warfang isn't safe for those children, and you know it!"

"Urobos and Elenar will find some new means to protect them!" Spyro yelled even louder. "YOU are not to get involved in their lives anymore! You've done enough damage to the realms!"

"Damage?" Bergan's eye twitched. Spyro slammed the ground with his paw again, making the other dragons shake.

"You may not think you've committed crimes, but you have." Spyro continued. "You've gone too far, Bergan, and you must face the consequences." He locked eyes with the bearded drake. "You will return Elenar's daughter to her, you will bring The Nexus and all of the children back to Warfang. And then, you are to be exiled from the dragon realms, and never to return."

Bergan's eye ridges narrowed into the most grueling, wretched mask of anger that Elenar had ever seen. He very slowly reached into his robes as he focused his glare on Spyro. He put the fragments of the crystal ball away as he rifled through his pockets.

"So, if that's the way you want to play this game…" Bergan retrieved a large, glowing gem of convexity. He then smashed it in his forepaw, surrounding his talons with dark energy. "Then I'll give you someone to fight."

Bergan pointed his forepaw at the ground and unleashed a burst of dark energy. Instinctively Spyro unleashed a bolt of electricity toward Bergan. But the bearded purple drake simply held his forepaw out and caught the lightning upon his talons. Bergan growled as his foreleg shook, but he felt no pain as his paw jittered around. Meanwhile, the dark energy on the ground spread out into a wide arc, before erupting upward in a miniature geyser. Spyro finally ended his lightning current as he shifted to face whatever was coming free.

"What are you doing, Bergan?" Cynder demanded.

"Allow me to introduce someone who thinks my plans are worth believing in." Bergan grinned. He made a dramatic gesture with his wings and stepped out of the way as the geyser of magic widened into a portal.

Two sinister eyes opened up deep within the portal. The ground shook as something stomped forward, making all of the other dragons get on the defensive. A great, muscular foreleg emerged and slammed down on the ground, followed by another one. Two great, black wings extended outward as the beast got closer. It was a great, muscular, black dragon, and he stood fiercely on all fours as he stepped into view. Bronze anklets were decorated on all four legs, and it blew purple smoke from its nostrils as he leered at the others. Spyro, Cynder, Urobos, Elenar, and Wraith all got a good look at the dragon's face, as well as his glowing red birthmarks. And all five of them reeled back in shock and alarm, none more so than Elenar.

"No…" Elenar's eyes widened in horror. "N-No…"

"Surprised?" Bergan asked. He locked eyes with Elenar and gave a sardonic grin.

"Bergan, what have you done?!" Cynder screamed.

The black dragon moved his wing to block Bergan from view as he grinned wickedly. "He's given me a new lease on life!"

"Cyrus?!" Wraith exclaimed. The crimson drake stepped cautiously closer. The muscular Cyrus turned his head and scowled at Wraith, making him flinch back a bit.

"I've enlisted the aid of our dear prince here." Bergan declared. "It seems he's had a lot of pent-up aggression, and nobody gave him the time of day before I came along."

"You still think you're a good person after doing THAT to him?!" Spyro screamed.

"Morality is subjective." Bergan shrugged his shoulders. "But at the very least, unlike what Malefor did to you, Cynder, I gave Cyrus a choice, and he accepted it gladly. Although he needed a bit of taming here and there"

"Well, I don't believe that in the slightest." Cynder stuck her nostril in the air.

"BELIEVE IT." Cyrus slammed the ground, sending waves of convexity through the ground that nearly knocked Cynder off her feet. Cyrus then gave a wicked laugh as he spent similar waves throughout the area. Most of the other dragons merely took off into the air…

But Elenar remained. Despite being bombarded by waves of magic, she refused to budge. She just couldn't move; not after she looked upon what Bergan had done to her son.

"Cyrus…" She said as she cautiously approached the great black dragon. Cyrus stopped attacking the floor as he turned to glare down at her. "My son, please stop. This isn't like you."

Cyrus scowled. "And how would YOU know what I'm like?"

"Cyrus, I know everything about you." Elenar pleaded. "Why wouldn't I? I'm your mother!"

"Oh, of course." Cyrus scoffed. "So I imagine you know about how I've been repeatedly pushed aside in favor of Rune."

"What?" Elenar's eyes widened incredulously. "I love both of you equally!"

"And yet Rune's the one everyone worried about." Cyrus scowled at her. "Rune's your special little boy who suffered a horrible tragedy, and who's been chosen to become the next High King of Warfang. And I'm just some obnoxious emergency spare that everyone either ignores or thinks I'm a lady."

Cyrus beat his wings and flexed his muscular limbs. "Well, no more of THAT anymore! Nobody's going to insult the great General Cyrus!"

"General?" Elenar repeated in confusion.

"Cyrus, nobody's ignored you!" Urobos pleaded. The elderly black dragon came to a landing beside Elenar and looked up cautiously at Cyrus. "We worry about you night and day, just as much as your brother. I'm sorry if you weren't happy with how you looked. But doing THIS to your form with magic is only going to damage you in the long run!"

"Oh, is that so?" Cyrus stamped the ground again, shaking their paws. He glared over at Spyro and Cynder, who cautiously landed on the ground. He studied their features carefully, as well as their uneasy faces, before finally scowling at Elenar and Urobos. "Seems like you used magic to raise the dead. Funny how you get to pick and choose what's okay and what's not, just like ALWAYS."

"We don't want to fight you, Cyrus!" Shouted Wraith. Cyrus's ear frills twitched, and he looked toward the right of Elenar, where the crimson drake appeared in a cloud of smoke. The Deep Shadow bit his lower lip as he uneasily looked upon the corrupted drake's rippling muscles.

"You could always be honest with me!" Wraith said. "You know that right?! If anything's bothering you, just say it!"

"Actually… there IS something I've wanted to say," Cyrus said quietly.

"Then say it." Elenar insisted. She stepped forward and hugged her son's foreleg as she gazed up at him. "We're listening."

A wicked grin spread across Cyrus's muzzle, making the queen break down. He lifted a muscular arm and held his thumb-talon against his finger-talon.

"I figured out teleportation."

Wraith and Urobos gasped in surprise as Cyrus snapped his talons. Immediately, a great pool of black energy opened up beneath the dragons' paws. Wraith and Urobos sank into the depths immediately, while Elenar clung to Cyrus's foreleg to keep from falling. Her ear frills shook as she heard her allies' cries of surprise, and she looked up at Cyrus in desperation. And there… she saw his furious face as he looked down at her in judgment. Cyrus looked about ready to say something to her, but the sounds of rushing paws broke his concentration: Spyro and Cynder were charging over to grab Elenar.

Cyrus scratched Elenar's side, making her cry out in pain. She instinctively let go of his foreleg and plummeted down into the pool of darkness. And after that, the pool sealed itself up, and Spyro slammed his forepaws down on the hard stone.

"Damnit!" Spyro growled. He rose and scowled at Cyrus. "Where did you send them?!"

"Figure it out." Cyrus snapped. He then spread his limbs out and gnashed his fangs. "Or maybe I'll tell you if you can beat it out of me."

Spyro looked at Cyrus in anger at first… but then he looked at Cynder as she approached from the side. Cynder placed a forepaw on Spyro's, and then frowned at Cyrus.

"We don't want to hurt you, Sunshine." Cynder nodded her head. She sat down on the stone floor and looked up at Cyrus with a nod. "Just tell us what you want."

Cyrus snarled and gnashed his fangs… but he stood in place. His talons dug into the stone as he turned toward Spyro and blew purple smoke from his nostrils. "I want to FIGHT!"

Spyro bit his lower lip. He took a deep breath, and then joined Cynder by relaxing on the stone floor.

"No." Spyro shook his head. "You're our descendant. We could never hurt you."

The muscular black drake glared down at Spyro incredulously. "What?!"

"You heard him, Sunshine," Cynder said with a soft sigh. "We love you too much to want to lay a talon on you. So… you win by default." She flapped her wings.

Cyrus had trouble processing what was being said. He glared angrily between the two of them before stomping his forepaw and fanning out his wings.

"You can't do that!" He screamed. "You can't just give up! You're supposed to be the two legendary heroes, not cowards! So stop dicking around and fight me! FIGHT ME!"

But Spyro and Cynder wouldn't budge; they just sat there, looking upon Cyrus sadly with the warm and inviting eyes that any grandparent would. Cyrus snarled in rage; he lifted a forepaw and sucked in a deep breath to unleash some horrible burst of convexity…

But it didn't come. His talons glowed and his limbs shook… but the muscular drake just couldn't work up the nerve to attack. He just snarled down at Spyro and Cynder, as a few tears began to trickle from his eyes.

"Why…" Cyrus asked through gnashed fangs. He swallowed back his convexity and focused on the two heroes. "Why won't you fight me?"

"Because we love you, Cyrus," Spyro said with a nod. "We love you as much as any extended family member of ours."

Cyrus growled again and struggled not to cry. He slammed his forepaw down and roared angrily as he tore the stone apart. The muscular drake then slammed his head on the stone several times; he needed something, ANYTHING to beat upon that would provide some means of resistance.

"Cyrus, stop hurting yourself!" Cynder pleaded. "That won't help you feel any better!"

"But the ground is the only thing that fights back!" Cyrus hissed. "What else am I to fight against?! What else is there to use my power on?!"

"Oh, Sunshine, don't try doing that." Cynder frowned. "Trust me: I've been there."

"Well, that's some interesting sentiments being shared around." Bergan chuckled. Spyro and Cynder flinched; they'd nearly forgotten that the other purple drake was there.

Bergan stepped up to Cyrus's side and patted him on the shoulder. "I suppose you've made quite a demonstration of your powers, my prince. I think it's time we head back to The Nexus."

"And just leave these two here?" Cyrus snapped.

"We have bigger fish to catch, my boy." Bergan chuckled. "Besides, I've already seen what I wanted to see here. Plus, I don't want to hurt them any more than you do… even IF Spyro deserves a smack to the head."

Spyro growled at Bergan, but the bearded drake simply grasped Cyrus's sides and raised a forepaw into the air.

"I've tried several times to get you to understand my point of view… but it's always a waste of my time." Bergan sighed. "Well, if you won't help me along, then I guess I'll just have to carry on without you. I'll keep a close watch on the children of Warfang until the city is finally safe for them. In the meantime… you might want to high-tail it south to Glenhaven."

"What?" Spyro balked.

"A certain green monarch is plotting to launch a liberation of the desert city… and Rune and Tyrrany are about to be caught in the middle of it."

"What?!" Cynder exclaimed.

"Ta-ta for now."

With but a snap of his talons, Bergan disappeared. And Cyrus went along with him.

All Spyro and Cynder could was look at each other with uneasy expressions; they'd allowed Bergan to slip away with the prince, just like that. As they were wondering what to say or do, they heard a pool of shadows opening up behind them. They turned around to see Urobos, Wraith, and Elenar emerging out onto the stone.

"Cyrus!" Elenar cried as she looked around.

"Where is he?!" Wraith exclaimed. "And where's Bergan?"

"They're gone…" Cynder said worriedly.

"DAMNIT!" Wraith slammed his forepaw down. "First we're teleported nearly a mile away! And by the time we get back, we're TOO LATE!"

Spyro could only sigh as he watched Wraith tire himself out by slamming his paws down. Across the way, Urobos and Elenar were looking pretty miserable.

"I can't believe it…" Urobos said with wide eyes. He slumped over onto the floor and shivered. "He was right there… and he just slipped right through our talons!"

"And ours, too." Cynder sighed. She stepped forward and sat down across from Urobos. "I'm sorry, Sunshine. We're just as responsible for this failure."

Elenar raised her forepaw to her mane; she gripped it so hard that she nearly ripped a few hairs out. She couldn't believe it; as if losing track of one of her children was bad enough, she'd lost a son to the powers of corruption. How could this have happened? How terrible of a mother could she truly have been? Tears broke from her eyes; she felt like the worst mother in the world.

Cynder saw this and made her way over to her. She draped a wing over Elenar's back and pulled her in for a hug. She then rested her head atop Elenar's and rocked her back and forth. It didn't take long for Elenar to finally break down.

"There, there…" Cynder whispered. "Let it all out, dear. I know what it's like to lose track of a child. No matter how old they are, it always hurts."

"I…" Elenar wiped her eyes. "I just wish there was something I could have done."

"We all do, Elenar," Cynder said soothingly as she let Elenar cry against her foreleg.

Across the way, Urobos tore at the ground. Wraith rumbled uneasily in his throat as he tapped his talons erratically.

"I just can't believe it…" Wraith grimaced. "My start pupil… turned into a big, violent meathead!" He scratched the ground and hissed. "Who does that Bergan thinks he's fooling, forcing a teenager to mutate like that?! Convexity isn't a toy!"

"I guess you never met him as a youngling…" Urobos sighed. "I'd say that this is the natural progression of all the experiments he tried in his formative years."

"We need to do something to get the old Cyrus back…" Wraith grimaced. "Err, and all the other kids too, of course. But Un-corrupting Cyrus is going to be a TOP priority of mine!"

"Well, it will have to wait until we get back to Warfang!" Spyro exclaimed. "We've wasted enough time here as it is!" The purple drake stamped the ground to get everyone's attention. "Gather in a circle, all of you! We need to prepare to head for Glenhaven."

"Glenhaven?" Elenar asked worriedly.

"We'll explain on the way," Cynder said as she stood up. "But suffice it to say, there's trouble brewing in Glenhaven."

With few options left, the five dragons gathered together to channel their magic to teleport their way back to Warfang. But all the while, Elenar couldn't stop thinking about her children.

Her daughter was missing… her son Cyrus was corrupted into a monster… and there was trouble heading toward Glenhaven, the place that Rune traveling to. She had to find him… she had to protect him; she didn't want to lose all THREE of her darlings.

The five dragons pooled their shadowy magic and whisked themselves away… but not before Wraith smelled something in the air. It was like sulfur, mixed with burning coal. And after the dragons left… the ruins rumbled.

Something groaned deep within the Well. A whispering filled the air… and a hole was torn in the floor of the northern platform. Out of that hole… leaked wicked purple magic.

Time was beginning to run out for the safety of the dragon realms.

~~…~~

Greetings, friends and loved ones.

I felt that I needed some focus on Rune for the last part of Act 2 since he's still one of the major characters of the story. Also, he basically vanished from the plot for about one-third of Act 3 originally; that needs to be fixed too.

Anywho: so ends Act 2. And the stakes are starting to rise. What's in store for Rune, Cyrus, and Tyrrany? Just what is Bergan planning? And what's going on in Glenhaven?

Well… you're going to have to wait a while. I've decided that I want to take the month of August off as an extended break from the story.

Act 3 shall be edited starting in October… and maybe, the story will be done before Christmas. We'll just have to see where things go from here.

Tenebra ecce Veritas.