Spyro let out a sad sigh as he stood before four wooden posts. These post were being used as grave markers, for four unfortunate sailors who that had washed ashore on the beach. Their ship had the misfortune of coming to close to the island, and drawing the ire of the sea monster inhabiting the surrounding waters. Spyro had managed to chase the beast off, allowing the vessel to escape. But alas there were still casualties.
"You did the best you could." The echoing voice of his shadow sounded out in his head.
"I know… I just hate that anyone had to die." Spyro said solemnly.
"You're doing it again, focusing only on those you couldn't save. Instead focus on the ship and the remaining crew. If you hadn't acted the whole vessel would've been sunk. Who knows how many more lives would've been lost? Who knows how many you saved? Even if you only saved one sailor, that's still a life saved." Spyro contemplated his shadows words, finding a small bit of comfort in them.
"I suppose your right…" Spyro let out a dry chuckle. "Who'd have thought that a being composed entirely out of shadows would have such a… moral out look on things." The shadow besides him just shrugged, before following their solid companion who turned to walk away.
As Spyro walked, he made his way back towards his den. As the den came into view he spotted a young pink dragoness standing at its mouth, examining a small bundle made of leaves. Seeing his approach the little dragoness spoke out.
"Papa look! Another one showed up!" She said excitedly as she gestured to the small bundle sitting in front of the den entrance. This was a common occurrence actually. Every now and then a package would just randomly show up. Care packages they called them. More often than not they contained items that almost always came of use. From simple herbs to scrolls with instructions for crafting and making various things.
"I can see that Ember, but please step back while I open it." The packages themselves were benign enough, but it was the fact that they've never seen them delivered or even knew who sent them that put the dragon on edge. Spyro was happy enough to use them, as the contents have come in handy a number of times before.
"Another one eh? We swear that someone is playing games with us." The shadow said as they made their presence known to Ember. While they couldn't be heard by anyone other than Spyro, they could still be seen.
"Shadow! Hi!" Ember chirped happily as she began talking at them. Spyro meanwhile focused on the package. It was a bundle of tied up simple leafs, harmless enough. Opening it revealed some all too familiar herbs.
"Just some more herbs." He said as he turned back to his shadow. They were currently warping their shape into silly images, making Ember laugh. Spyro just smiled at them as he entered the den. A decade ago it was just a simple cave, but after Ember hatched he began expanding and changing it with his earth element. Now it was a massive cavern big enough to house about a dozen full-grown dragons, with various rooms and chambers dotted about with numerous glowing crystals acting as light sources.
On one side there were two sleeping chambers, and a… kinda library, filled with the dozens of scrolls and books they've received over the years. On the other side was a crude alchemy room full of various herbs and medicines. The room next to that was called 'Embers art room'. It was where Ember would spend a great deal of her time, using various clay based paints to express herself. Beside that was a simple storage room. There was only one room on the far side, a large clay furnace that Spyro used for glassblowing was within.
Making his way into the alchemy room, Spyro stored most of the newly gifted herbs away on a shelf off to the side. Moving over to the basin of boiling water on the other wall, he began adding and mixing the herbs in exact measurements. Letting the tonic come to a boil, he grabbed a crudely made glass bottle, and filled it with the dark green foul smelling liquid.
"I fucking hate this part…" He lamented as he downed the whole bottle, fighting his gag reflex. After he was finished, he looked down at his chest where a strange black discoloration of his scales could be seen right over where his magic core is. The mass began rapidly shrinking and regressing to a barely noticeable speck.
"It's getting worse." The shadow said as they appeared on the wall besides him. "The time between doses is shrinking."
"I'm well aware…" Spyro said as he placed the bottle down and made his way to the library. Idly he spotted Ember in her art room working on another one of her masterpieces. "Tomorrow we're beg- ACHOO!" His sneeze echoed out.
"Bless you papa!" Ember cried out from her art room.
"Thank you Ember." He said back as he entered the library.
"You know that usually means someone somewhere is talking about you." Spoke the shadow.
"Yeah sure… anyways as I was saying." He pulled out a scroll labeled 'fire'. "Tomorrow we're starting Embers training in her fire element." He said rather dismissive of their claim, not knowing how right his shadow was.
Warfang, a city once ravaged and broken by the horrors of war, now stood proud and whole once more. It has been ten years since that terrible day. Where the cities valiant defenders clashed against the forces of the Dark Master, Malefor. Even till this day, the mere utterance of his name brought fear in dread to the hearts of all that heard it. Were it not for the efforts of two young heroes, the city and then the entire world would've fallen to the Dark master's twisted machinations.
Spyro, the prophesized purple dragon of legend, and Cynder, the former terror of the skies, and once puppet servant of Malefor. When her strings were cut, she joined Spyro and the side of light against her former master. Along with the wise Guardian of Fire Ignitus, the two ventured to the heart of Malefors domain, and vanquished the vile dragon once and for all.
Sadly though, of the three that ventured into darkness, only one returned. Cynder came back from the final battle, crestfallen and with a tale of valiant sacrifice and great conflict. The fate of Ignitus was unquestionable, he nobly gave his life, so Spyro and Cynder could continue on to face their destinies.
The fate of Spyro on the other hand, was uncertain. Cynder spoke of how the young dragon selflessly gave of his own essence to the world, repairing the damage done to it. Following that was a mad dash back to the surface, where the young heroes were unfortunately separated. Many believe Spyro to have perished underground, unable to find his way back to the surface after being separated from Cynder. Others believe he may yet still live, but for one reason or another is unable to return.
Cynder let out a long sigh, as she passed by the statue of Spyro himself. Erected to honor him and his great contributions to the war. As Cynder trotted past the statue, her silver guard captain armor clanking with each step as she and two other guards adorned in bronze armors escorted a rather… loud electric dragon through the streets of the city.
"I keep telling you lot, it was an accident!" The chained dragon proclaimed as he was roughly pulled up the steps of the cities prison. "It was just a pinch too much potassium chloride! I never meant to cause that explosion!"
"Your 'accident' caused thousands of gems worth of damage, and sent more than a dozen individuals to the hospital." Cynder stated simply back to the prisoner. "And let's not forget practicing alchemy in and unsuitable area, without a permit I might add."
"Permits are expensive!" The prisoner protested as he was roughly shoved into a cell by one of the bronze armored guards. "I had a business to run."
"Had being the optimal word." She said as she dismissed the other two guards and left the holding cells. As she entered the main hub of the building, she was greeted by the voice of an old friend.
"Rough day in the office guard captain?" Came the voice of none other than Hunter, the cheetah warrior from Avalar. He was leaning against a nearby desk where another cheetah was doing paper work.
"You could say that." Cynder replied looking down at the bipedal cat, a smile visible on her face. Getting closer the two friends embraced, further signifying how big Cynder now was to her friend. She smiled fondly as she recalled times when it was she who had to look up at him whenever they spoke.
"I'll bet my friend." He said as they separated, his face going stern. "I'm sorry to say I'm not here to simply catch up with you." He said reaching into his cloak, and pulling out a scroll marked with the seal of the Guardians. "Terradore and the other's have sent me to bring you to them."
"Any Idea why?" A simple shake of his head in the negative was her only answer. "I see… In that case, let's not keep them waiting." With that the duo were off, leaving the prison, and heading straight to the Guardians tower at the heart of the city.
As they entered the tower, they noticed a group of some rather… rough looking individuals. It was a group comprised of canines, moles, even a few apes. Judging by the way they dressed, it was safe to assume they were sailors of a sort. "I keep telling ye, I saw him with me own eye!" A voice sounded out from within the main meeting chamber.
Upon entering, both Hunter and Cynder were greeted by the sight of a large canine. His fine cut coat and fancy hat signified his rank as a captain. He was speaking before the four Guardians. There was Terrador, guardian of earth, the oldest and most militaristic of the group. Sitting to his right was Cyril, guardian of ice, ever proud and out spoken about his noble lineage. To Terradors left was Volteer, guardian of electricity, the living thesaurus and local motor mouth. And to Volteers left was Aiden, the guardian of fire, he is the youngest and newest member of the group. Brought in to replace the late Ignitus.
"Captain Victor, we are not doubting what you think you saw." Cyril began with his usual pompous attitude. "We merely wish to be more sure your claim has merit before spending any resources investigating."
"Proof? Ye want proof? The proof be the damage done to me ship! The crew we lost to that beast!" The captain said, his one good eye glaring at the Guardians.
"There is no doubt that you and your crew were attacked captain." Spoke Aiden. "It is the other claim you have made that we need to clear up."
"Yes quite so my good fellow! The idea that all this time he was just sitting on an island right off our eastern coast! Why it just boggles the mind! Such a revelation is nigh inconceivable! So please do forgive us for trying to ascer-" Volteer was interrupted by and elbow to the side from Terrador.
"Cynder, Hunter, I'm glad you could join us." His voice reverberated out, drawing attention to the new arrivals. "Take a seat you two. The good captain was just about to regale us with the story of his latest expedition off the eastern coast."
"I've already told ye thrice now!" The captain protested.
"Yes you did, and you are going to tell us again." Terradors tone left no room for argument. The captain grumbled under his breath, saying something about ruddy lizards, before letting out a sigh and beginning.
"Okay fine. Me crew and I make port at port Dagon, on the eastern shoreline. About two moons worth of sailing due north-northeast, there be an island. One that wasn't there before the shattering."
That word, shattering, struck a cord with all who heard it. It was the name for the moment when Malefors plans almost came to fruition. When the world shattered, but was put back together by Spyro. Most of the world was put back together properly, but there were still some… changes to the landscape. Continents were shifted, mountain ranges crumbled, Islands popping up in the seas where there weren't any before. The largest example of this was the Skylands, a large cluster of floating islands to the west.
"No body knows from where the island came from, or what secrets it holds. For nary a decade no vessel dared approached. Until mine did that be. We set out from port Dagon, and sailed for two days straight. On the morn of the third, the island came in sight. A beautiful speck of land she was. Deceptively so." The captain paused his tale, his hands tightening into fists. With another sigh, he centered himself and began once more.
"The approach was… calm, peaceful, serene even… until it wasn't. We thought we were ready for anything, but our tune soured when a massive tendril burst out of the water, blocking our path. Three more soon followed, each one wrapping around me ship holding it in place. Me crew tried to hack at them with their blades, but… everyone who tried… died. Poisoned and swallowed by a dark miasma."
"That sounds a lot like one of the shadow creatures Malefor created for his army." Cynder said, worried about the implications of such a creature still existing.
"Aye lass, and I bet ye be an expert on such beasties no?" The atmosphere in the chamber grew cold and heavy at the captains words. Looking back at the Guardians revealed the rather… displeased faces of arguably the four most powerful elder dragons currently alive. Captain Victor let out a nervous gulp before returning to his tale.
"A-anyways, as I was saying. The tendrils dark miasma poisoned and killed any who got to close. Many of me crew were flung off the deck and into the sea. It was then that from the deep the creatures head rose above the portside. A monstrous beast of scales and miasma. A true leviathan. It reared its ugly head back, ready to strike when, a bright beam of purple light struck the beast. The blow stunned it, causing its grip on me ship to loosen." A beam of purple light? That almost sounded like a blast of convexity… but aside from herself, Cynder only knew of two other beings capable of such a feat. One of whom is dead.
"Not wasting the chance I gave the order to retreat. As we turned to sail away the beast made to strike us again, only to be stopped once more by another beam. Seeing that this one came from the shore of the island, I pulled out me trusty scope, wanting to find out what or who saved us. That be when I saw him. Right there, standing on the beach, purple smoke bellowing out of his equally purple maw. He be the spitting image of yon statue in the city plaza. Only older, and it looked like he be missing a wing."
Cynder and Hunters eyes were wide, their hearts swelling at what they were hearing. Cynders heart in particular was beating rapidly. "You're… are you saying what I think you're saying?" She had to ask. Had to hear the words.
"Aye lass. Though marooned, he lives. Our savior, your savior, hells everyone's savior! Spyro lives." As the room is sent into stunned silence, none noticed the pair of glowing eyes in the dark corners of the room fading away.