Dante ran, dodging trees and roots and stones that appeared in his path. A sudden violent tremor caused him to stumble, nearly dropping the young pink bundle on his shoulders. "Fucking hell he's pissed!" Dante cursed, as he recovered and continued his sprint. Ember squirmed slightly on his shoulders, the sudden jostling aggravating the deep gash under the red cloth on her leg. Dante had used his own sleeve to try and stem the bleeding, but that did little good as evident by the dark stain of dragon blood trailing down his right side.

"Papa is mad… I've never seen him so upset…" The little dragon said, trying her best not to shed tears from either the pain or the fear she was feeling.

"Of course he is!" Dante shouted at her as he moves around another tree in his path. "What in the nine layers of hell were you thinking?! Going over to grublin territory like that, You're very lucky we arrived when we did!" Dante was mad as well. He didn't want to shout at Ember, but at the moment he felt she needed a good scolding.

"I'm sorry… I just… wanted to be like papa… in your story…"

"You wanted to- Ember, there are some major differences between you and your father." He jumped up over a log. "First off he rarely went anywhere alone, either having Sparx or Cynder or one of the guardians around to watch his back. Secondly he never went looking for danger!" He rose his voice at that, trying to hammer that point into her. "And lastly he had some gods damned common sense!" Dante could see the edge of the tree line up ahead. "I get wanting to be like your idols, but know your limits, and don't do anything stupid like that again." He spoke out a bit calmer.

"I know… I'm… sorry…" She was fading in and out.

"Damn it kid, don't you die on me." He said as he came around a corner, the cave den in sight…. Along with three heavily armored dragons. "God damn it…"

Earlier

Cynder and her squad were making great time. At the speed they were going, they were able to spot the island from the air much faster than anticipated. "Land ho!" Shouted Storm, his youthful voice sounding out over the winds. Cynder merely ignored him as she led the team in formation towards the shore.

"Alright team get ready to land!" She ordered over the wind. "And keep an eye out for the-"

"Contact below us!" Ash's warning came a split second before the water below burst upwards, revealing the leviathans massive head jumping out at them, its sharp teeth on full display with its maw wide open. The dragons scattered, narrowly avoiding getting devoured by the beast. However Storm wasn't so lucky as one of the creatures massive tendrils slapped him out of his flight and sent him into free fall.

"Storm!" Ash shouted as he dived down, barely catching his brother before he hit the water. "He's unconscious captain!" He cried out after giving him a brief once over.

"Take him to the island!" Cynder ordered as she watched Aurora launch a blast of ice breath, freezing one of the beasts flailing tendrils solid. Gregoir slammed into it with the force of a ten ton boulder, shattering it like glass. The beast screeched out in pain, before taking in a deep breath and letting out a jet of pressurized water at the dragons.

The attack missed, and gave Cynder an opening to launch an attack of her own. Shooting out a glob of acidic spit at the beast that slowly began eating away at its scaly hide, only for shadows to rise from the leathery surface to quickly repair the damaged tissue. Cynder scowled at that before whipping around and launching a blade if wind, striking a large glowing gash along the beasts left eye. "There you are. Target it's left eye! That's where the dark crystal is!"

The remaining three dragons gave shouts of acknowledgement as they moved in and focused their attention on its eye. The creatures Malefor created during the last war were all formidable, but they all had one glaring weakness, the dark crystals that animated and empowered them. Shattering these crystals guarantees the beasts demise, the only problem is finding them.

Aurora moved in first, dodging tendrils and streams of water as she approached. Letting out a stream of frost breath, freezing the area around the eye. Gregoir struck next, barreling onto the frozen flesh, cracking and shattering it to exposed the glowing purple gem within. Ignile flew over, launching fire balls in a strafing run, cracking the gem, but was grabbed by one of the beasts tendrils, the barbed appendage squeezing him tightly. Lucky for him Cynder attacked, shooting off a dark pulsating purple beam of convexity energy at the beasts exposed crystal. Causing the beast to release Ignile as its crystal was completely destroyed.

The beast reared back, roaring and flailing in pain as its body began hardening and turning to stone. When the transformation from flesh to stone was finished, Gregoir flew up to it, swinging his mace like tail at the beast shattering it to a million pieces that then sunk to the bottom of the ocean.

"Well that's done." Ignile said as he flew over to Cynder. Looking over her second in command, Cynder noticed the bruises and abrasions adorning his body. "It uh… looks a lot worse than it is."

"Have Aurora look at you when we land anyways, can't be too careful." Cynder said as she turned to the island where she could see that said ice dragoness had already landed on the beach and was tending to the still unconscious form of Storm. Cynder couldn't help but frown at the sight of one of her subordinates being hurt. "Let's land."

The three still airborne dragons landed beside their teammates. Approaching them Cynder was the first to speak. "How is he?" She asked the medic. Aurora looked up from Storm, a relieved look on her face. Lifting her front paws, she began to speak in sign language.

"He's fine ma'am, just unconscious." She reached into a pouch attached to her armor and pulled out a small bundle of herbs. Passing them over to Ash who lit them with a small lick of flame, before passing it under Storms nose. The electric dragon jolted awake gasping for air as the strong scent of the smelling salts hit him.

"What hit me?" He asked groggily rubbing his head, but his eyes widened as he saw the crumbled stony remains of the leviathan. "Fucking hell, tell me I didn't miss my chance to take on that thing." He lamented, getting a tail slap to the back of his head from his brother in response.

"He'll be fine ma'am." Ash said simply as he helped his grumbling and cursing brother up.

"Good. Aurora, Ignile got hurt in the fight, take a look at him." Cynder ordered before she began looking around the beach. She spotted a nearby cave that showed signs of habitation. "Ash, Gregoir, we'll check out that cave. The rest of you remain here. Let us know if anything happens." With that the three of them entered the den.

The inside was best described as rugged, but at the same time homey. As Cynder and Ash split up to check the various alcoves around the central area, Gregoir's attention was drawn to the walls of the den. Placing a paw on the hard stone, he closed his eyes in concentration. After a moment he opened them and spoke. "These walls aren't natural, nor were they carved by any tools. I can feel the latent magic in them. A dragon with the earth element definitely built this place."

Cynder nodded to Gregoir before looking back around what looked like a crude, but well organized alchemy setup. Dried herbs and various tonics were stored and organized in various crudely blown glass bottles. "So that confirms that a dragon definitely lives here." She said as she moved to the next room over. Peering in to see what looked like a small library filled with scrolls and books. Picking up one and opening it, she saw that it was instructions on how to tend to scale rot. A condition that many younglings go through in their first five years of life. "Why would he need this? Also, how did he even get this when stranded on an island?"

"Captain Cynder, I've found something… interesting." Ash's voice drew her attention away from the scroll. She placed it back gently before moving to a room on the other side of the den where Ash was poking his head inside. Peering inside Cynder was stunned by the bright and vibrant colors that covered nearly every inch of the room. The walls, the floor, and even the ceiling were all covered in various painted images. There were pictures of trees, the ocean, various things that looked like they came from the mind of a child, and the ones that caught her attention the most where the once depicting dragons.

Cynder walked in, careful where she stepped so as not to ruin any of the art, her gaze at the main centerpiece on the side wall. There she saw three dragons. Their features were hard to make out, but their sizes and colors stood out like a sore talon. The smallest dragon was pink with golden wings, they were standing between the two bigger dragons with a crudely written 'me' underneath them. The larger dragon to the left was pitch black with no other features than pure white eyes, that even as a child's painting Cynder felt stared into her soul. The fitting word 'shadow' labeled this one. But the real eye catcher for her was the purple dragon on the other side of the little pink one. They had a single golden wing and the label 'papa' written in bold letters.

"Papa? He... has a child?" Cynder asked, an uncertain tone in her voice.

"Looks like it ma'am." Ash said , his gaze on the pure black dragon. "That one kind of creeps me out." He said , his gaze stuck on the blank eyes in the picture. Sure it was obviously a painting done by a child, but the other two dragons at least had some distinguishing features. But that black one… it's like staring into the abyss, and it's staring back.

Cynder couldn't help but agree with Ash. The dark dragon striking a cord in her memory, digging up images of Spyro when he almost lost himself in his despair after Ignitus sacrificed himself. The fact that there was a pure black line connecting them to Spyro under the main painting also didn't help the tightening feeling in her gut.

A sudden tremor literally shook her out of her thoughts. The ground shook and dust fell from the ceiling, almost as if the whole island moved. "What just happened?" She questioned Ash who responded with a shrug.

"That was powerful earth magic." Gregoir's gravelly voice sounded out as he entered the painting covered room. "Somebody's-"

"Captain, we've got movement in the tree line!" Ignile's voice echoes through the den from the entrance, interrupting Gregoir. Looking to each other the three dashed outside where shouting could be heard.

"- don't have time for this! Ember is hurt and the big guy is in the middle of committing grublin genocide right now! Let me through so I can tend to her leg!" A warped echoing voice shouted out as the three came out of the den. Cynder and Gregoir immediately recognizing the robed figure of a revenant. And judging by Ignile's face, he knew what they were dealing with also.

"If you truly care about the child, you'll put her down and let us tend to her." Ignile ordered, his form tense and ready to pounce on the living shadow. The revenant looked towards the entrance, probably looking for a chance to sneak on inside, but his gaze froze when his blank eyes spotted Cynder, they widened in recognition.

"You! You're-" What ever he was about to say was cut off as another massive tremor occurred underfoot, causing nearly everyone there to stumble, a loud echoing boom following soon after. "Damn it!" The revenant cursed as he lurched forward, struggling not to drop the pink youngling on his shoulders. A pained whimper coming from said child.

"Shhh… It's okay Ember. Everything will be okay." He said trying to comfort her. His gaze than soon landed on Aurora. "You! You're a medic right?" He asked the mute frost dragon, getting a silent nod in return. He sighed as he gently kneeled down and placed Ember on the ground. "A grublin blade slashed her in the leg. About a quarter inch deep and may have hit an artery. Please help her." Aurora wasted no time in doing so, jumping over to the pink youngling and delicately peeling off the blood soaked cloth from her injured leg. It was only than that Cynder realized that it was a sleeve, and looking at the revenants arms, she saw that his right arm was completely exposed, the shadowy appendage on full display. Revenants, from what she could remember, never would've exposed any parts of themselves like that for any reason whatsoever.

"Who are you revenant?" Cynder asked. "And what is your connection with… Ember was it?" Said revenant nodded.

"Right, my names Dante. And I of course know who you are Cynder." He said calmly raising his hands, trying not to appear threatening. Especially to Ignile and Gregoir who were glaring daggers at him. "As for how I know Ember… well long story short I was assigned to watch her and Spyro while they were here on the island." Everyone perked up as he said the name, actual confirmation that Spyro was here. But their expressions hardened at the mention of watching them. "Now I know that sounds bad, but hear me-" He was cut off my yet another more violent tremor. "Shit! Is he trying to sink the island?!" His eyes shifted to Cynder, raising a shadowy finger to point to her. "You need to get over there! Stop him before he goes to far! You're the only one that can!"

There was fear in his voice, but it was not for himself. With the way he hovered over Ember as Aurora continued treating her leg told Cynder who he was really worried for. "Fine I'll go. But I'll want answers when I come back." Dante merely nodded. "Ignile, you're in charge. Watch him, but don't harm him unless he does something." Ignile rose a brow at that last sentence, but nodded his acknowledgement to he order.

"Wait you should probably know…." She took off to the skies. "… That he has… amnesia…" Dante finished lamely, watching as Cynder's form shrunk away in the distance. He turned his attention to the others where four out of the remaining five dragons were staring at him questionably. "Guess I should… probably explain that… anyone up for story time?"