If you're reading this, good to see you decided to stick around. I'm thinking this one is going to be really fun. I don't know why, I just do. So let's not waste a second! It's time for the mystic arts to roam free!

Dragon of Mystery Presents:

A Tale of Mystical Intrigue

Starring Spyro, Cynder, and the many heroes of Marvel Comics

Ashes of Midnight

(Enjoy the show...)

(Our story opens up on a dark and stormy night as a helicopter touches down at a ruin built into the side of a cliff in seemingly the middle of nowhere. But this helicopter does not come bearing good omens, as out of it steps Crossbones, immediately met by 8 HYDRA troopers)

HYDRA Troopers: Hail HYDRA!

(Crossbones pays them no mind and progresses inside the ruin, where he tries to communicate with another HYDRA member, this one a little more scholarly than the masked mercenary)

Crossbones: You know how much I hate this hocus pocus shit, Faustus. And I really hate that this is using our last Aether crystal. Now would you mind telling me what the hell is so...

(Crossbones doesn't even get to finish his sentence as he sees exactly what this ruin is. It's a tomb of some sort, and this Faustus character is apparently about to begin a mystic ritual. HYDRA goons positioned like it's Raiders of the Lost Ark, and three HYDRA mystics pouring green energy into the tomb through a violet crystal while chanting some strange spell)

HYDRA Mystics: O Mater Tenebris, Et Morte Aeterna...

(And now Crossbones' contact, Doctor Faustus joins in)

Doctor Faustus: O Sleeping Mother, sacred harbinger, awaken and claim what is yours.

(As Doctor Faustus recites his spell, the spellbook in front of him glows green as do the runes on the coffin while Doctor Faustus turns his attention to the Aether crystal)

Doctor Faustus: O Dark Master, bringer of the Great Cleansing, awaken and claim your rightful place!

(Now both the gem and the coffin are starting to glow, but strangely the energy flows are starting to merge)

Doctor Faustus: You who rise with the moon in darkness, and prepare the path for the Midnight Sun. Turn your merciless eyes upon us and ARISE!

(But while the objects are now imbued with magical power, nothing seems to be happening, and Crossbones is unimpressed)

Crossbones: Nice show, Doc. Next time call Zemo, or better yet, I'll just shoot you in the face and save HYDRA the trouble.

(And just as Crossbones makes this threat known, the coffin opens, fully absorbing the energy from the Aether crystal as it does, and Doctor Faustus is pleased by this)

Doctor Faustus: Lilith has accepted our offering! It won't be long now...

(Suddenly, a voice emerges from the coffin)

Lilith: My child... where are you my child?

(Unfortunately one of the mystics decides to get too close as a hand emerges from the coffin and grabs her by the throat, draining her life force. Meanwhile, the Aether crystal is activating as well, as an all too familiar voice rings out from within it. One we all assumed long dead)

Malefor: I... Am... ETERNAL!

(And just like that, two dark forces emerge, Lilith from her coffin, and Malefor from the crystal. But Lillith is stronger than Malefor it seems, as she has a physical form while Malefor only appears as a spirit. And just as the two make themselves known, they seem to merge, with Malefor's spirit forming into violet armor while appearing as an astral form behind her. And with the combined power of the two, she fulfills the Raiders of the Lost Ark analogy and casts tendrils of energy through the room, skewering every HYDRA goon save Faustus and Crossbones with green and violet tendrils of magic. But just as they do, we transition elsewhere, to seemingly the next day, where a familiar pair of dragons are flying through New York City, one violet and one ebony, heading towards Avengers Tower)

Cynder: Come on, Spyro! We're going to be late! You know Cap will kill us if we miss another meeting!

Spyro: I'm moving as fast as I can...

(Something is clearly up with Spyro, and Cynder knows it)

Cynder: Spyro, I know you can fly faster than that.

(But just as she says that, Spyro falls out of the sky. Cynder, surprised but still concerned, rushes to his rescue, only to be met in descent by a familiar red and gold Avenger)

Iron Man: Need a hand?

Cynder: Maybe.

(And with that, the two swoop into action, catching Spyro before he hits the ground, Tony lifting his visor as they land)

Iron Man: You gave us quite the scare there, Spy. What's going on?

Spyro: (Regaining his strength) I... I don't know. Something just... knocked me out of the sky.

Cynder: We noticed that. Anything more specific?

Spyro: I don't know. It feels like something is... off... with the universe.

?: Like something bad is about to happen?

(And at this point, we see exactly where they've landed, 177A Bleecker Street. and standing in front of them is the Sorcerer Supreme, Doctor Strange)

Doctor Strange: I sensed it too. Something is definitely wrong. Our mutual magic is being siphoned by... something. I'm not sure what. We need to gather our forces, forthwith.

Iron Man: You'll forgive me for not trusting your wizard willies, Doc.

Cynder: Then Spyro's state should be enough.

Spyro: You've got to trust him, Tony.

Iron Man: (Sighs as he puts his visor down) Good thing we were about to have a meeting anyways. Meet you all at the Tower.

(And with that, Iron Man jets off, followed by Cynder and Doctor Strange, pulling the weakened Spyro in a bubble)

Spyro: Whatever this is, it's worse than even you could realize, Doctor Strange.

Doctor Strange: How so?

Spyro: I haven't felt like this since I used Aether for the first time. It feels like something siphoned the element right out of me.

Doctor Strange: If this is true, this is most dire indeed.

(And as the quartet heads towards Avengers Tower, our story ends for today)

And that looks like a good place to wrap for now. So, HYDRA has merged Lilith and Malefor, somehow. And knowing how the game goes from this point, things are only about to get worse. So, what comes next? Tune in next time to find out! Same time... same channel!