The Dark Masterby The Grimm ReaperChaptersChapter 1: RebornChapter 2: PresenceChapter 3: Inverse EffectsChapter 1: RebornHe felt himself beneath clear fresh skies. Not something he expected within the confines of the dark crystals. The last thing he remembered was being dragged down into the aforementioned crystals by the spirits of his predecessors. He then remembered how it came to that conclusion. Spyro and that traitor, Cynder. Even though he knew he was on his back, he dug his talons into the air and threw his eyes open. He was blinded by the pale blue of the sky. Having spent ancestors know how long in darkness, his eyes stung as though assaulted by a ferocious wind he was not prepared for. A groan escaped his leathery maw as he brought his front paws up to cover them from the blinding light. Is was through slightly ajar eyelids that he noticed something different about his paws. They were... a brighter shade of purple... stronger... younger. Curiosity got the better of him and he tried to roll over so as to inspect himself away from the glare of the light, but his body ached beyond that of any previous pain he'd experienced. Another groan, more defined that the last practically flew out faster than any lightning element could. Stuck on his back, he was forced to let his curiosity fester along with the slowly subsiding pain. Unfortunately, he wasn't going to be waiting alone. A figure brought blackness to his vision of orangey-red behind his eyelids. Chancing a glance, he cracked an eye open to see a young and clearly vibrant red and blue dragon with almost silvery horns and spines standing over him with a rather amused expression painted on its face. "What?" the wounded dragon asked, hoping the darkness in his voice would frighten the dragon off. To his own surprise, his voice was rather... plain. Still deep and slightly gravely (though the last aspect could be chalked up to his as of yet uncounted injuries), he felt he sounded rather... weak compared to what he used to sound like. "Wow! You survived that?! That was the worst fall I've ever seen. You looked like you were dead before you even hit the peak of the mountain." an oddly feminine voice answered through the maw of the dual-coloured dragon (now identified as a dragoness). "What fall?" he asked, frowning at the newcomer. "Look to your right, Dragon. You landed on the peak of High-slope Mountain then rolled down to the bottom here." she replied, turning his head for him towards the scene. What he saw surprised even him. A high slope, befitting the namesake stretched high above the clouds. Not only was it high, but also very steep, littered with jagged rocks. "I survived that?" he asked with as much shock in his voice as any dragon would at the unexpected result of the endeavour. "Yep! Though you clearly didn't come out of it unscathed. Opened up your side real good there. You look half dead as it is, one of your wings are broken and you're covered in blood. I'd say you nicked your side on the way down and rolled around in the blood on the way down. That means the wound's probably infected." she replied. The Purple dragon tried again to roll over but was immediately shot down with pain. "Any idea how to get me up?" he asked, looking to his new acquaintance. She put on a thinking face for a few moments before answering him. "Well, I don't know about helping you up, you're too banged up to even stand, let alone walk or fly. I could drag you, but I don't wanna risk moving you too much. Tho only option I see is making a sort of...support to put you onto so I can drag that without moving you too much. How's that sound?" she suggested. The Purple dragon found no flaws in that logic and tried to nod his head. "Please." he replied simply. Though he was a dragon of action, he was also intelligent, and being rude to the only known form of life nearby would not have been a good idea. "Great! I'll bring down a few trees and make like a sort of raft thing. I may have to move you a bit to get you onto it. Think you can handle that?" she asked. He almost felt like that was a challenge against his power. "Oh, the agony of choice." he replied with a hint of sarcasm within the humour. The dragoness took his words as he'd intended and chuckled. "Kay be right back!" she called before leaving his line of sight and soon after, sound. The purple dragon took that time to collect on as much sleep as he could before the initial painful transfer from ground to wood. He also used that slumber to think on his plans for the future. The dragon awoke to the sound of rustling. The first thing he saw was a slightly orange sky, followed by the sharp end of the tail belonging to the dragoness from before. While most young dragons would probably be disappointed at not seeing the other end of the tail, he thought about the tail spade and how easily that could slice a throat, dragon or otherwise. "I'm back!" her voice called with some slight strain. "I was getting worried. I've no knowledge of this place and I can't move. Not exactly a humbling situation for me." he replied, shifting his eyes towards the dragoness' location. This time he did get a glimpse of the other end of the tail, but she turned around to face him less than a second later. "Enjoy the view?" she teased, sticking her tongue out at him as she closed an eye. It was kind of cute, actually. "Just thinking how easily that spade could poke my eye out of you'd dropped it on me." he replied. The dragoness chuckled and looked behind her for a moment. "Well, I've set up the support; are you ready?" she asked. "Before we begin, could you tell me where you plan to take me?" he asked. "To Equestria. Don't get me wrong; I find ponies as delectable as the next dragon, but you gotta admit, their medical expertise is out of this world." she replied. The purple dragon only understood about a third of that sentence. "Okay... and how far is it to this... Equestria?" he asked. "You're obviously an outsider, probably from the Skylands. Equestria is about... three hundred miles West of here. I contemplated tying you to the support and dragging you there in the air, but then there was the issue of landing, not to mention turbulence. Plus, rope isn't exactly reliable... or available. So I'll be dragging you on the ground. It could take a few days." she replied. In all the Purple Dragon's years, he had never felt air-sick before, but thinking about being dragged through the air like that nearly made him gag on the spot. "That might be the better of your ideas. But if it's going to hurt just getting me onto that support, I'd rather wait until tomorrow before we head out. My body might not be able to take it as it is." he said, sounding rather ashamed of his weakened state and the request he was making of this dragoness who barely knew him and vice-versa. "Not a problem. I would have come back sooner, but I thought ahead and set up a shelter for us on the tree-line just a few yards West of here using what remained of the support's components. I kinda took down too many trees. I aim to impress, and I go overboard sometimes." she replied, scratching the back of her head in a sheepish fashion. "Well I am overly impressed, and extremely thankful." he replied, closing his eyes afterward with a sigh of relief. "Okay, I'm ready." he said, taking a deep breath. He saw the dragoness seemingly rotate upside down from his point of view before feeling her front paws curl under his shoulders. "Alrighty... One, two... three!" She tugged on him in a gentle manner, but with a great amount of strength behind it. The purple dragon felt his body stretch and he couldn't help but roar out in pain. "Sorry! Try not to bite your tongue, okay?" she said as she pulled again. The purple dragon had already expended the air in his lungs after the first pull and couldn't get anything else out during the second. All there was was a slight exasperated squeak before he sucked in air once again. "One more pull and you're up." she assured him. That was a very reassuring statement to him as he felt the pain once more. He felt the raft-like support beneath his scales and felt the edge slide past his hind legs. He was up, like she'd said. "Th...thanks!" he said, never having been so grateful in his life. "Don't mention it... Phew, you're heavier than you look!" she said, grabbing something in her mouth . She left his field of vision and he felt a slight tugging sensation beneath himself. The dragoness was puling him to the shelter. "I'm glad we decided not to start going to Equestria now. I'm not sure I could go without complaining." he tried to chuckle, but the motions made him hurt even more. "Yeah... Besides, it's almost nightfall. Dangerous to travel through the woods for a grounded Dragon. There are things that could catch even us off guard." she replied. The purple dragon figured nothing short of a Golem could get him in this state. It was only a few minutes before his ride stopped to a halt. Looking skyward, he noticed a roof made out of large leaves supported by tree branches of medium diameter. This dragoness was resourceful. "Nice architecture." he commented. "Just something I threw together. I had some spare time and you weren't going anywhere." she joked. "Funny." he said sarcastically. A few moments passed before either of them spoke again. By then, it had started to rain. "Alright, here we go. This should get rid of any infection in your wound, but I'll warn you now, it stings like a swarm." she said, drawing his attention away from the rain. "Maybe I thanked you too soon." he commented before feeling the 'sting'. Surprisingly, it didn't hurt as much as being pulled onto the support did. This was just bearable. He got away with a hiss and a groan. "Damn, I was hoping to call you a big baby. It's like a rule these days." she said, chuckling. "I haven't been a baby in a long, long time." he replied. There was another moment's silence between them. "I'm Zonoya, by the way. In case you were wondering." she said, sounding rather... upset. The purple dragon turned his head just enough to catch her out of the corner of his eye. "Zonoya... I don't know why, but that name suits you." he said, earning a sheepish smile from the dragoness. "You really think so? Most other dragons make fun of me for it. Because of that, I kind of hate it. But I just can't bring myself to change it." she explained. Perhaps he could use this to his advantage. He could do with another General once he was back to his old self, and who better than the one who willingly helped him? "Well, it's nice to meet you, Zonoya. My name... is Malefor." A young purple dragon felt as happy as could be. A dragoness whom he had developed a relationship with over the past few years had confessed her love for him. Cynder, once known as the 'Terror of the Skies' was now his to call his own. She loved him, and he loved her. He'd done so for a while now. He considered the defeat of Malefor to be a sort of Pre-binding gift to each other. Oh, the plans the young dragon had for him and her. He would cherish her for the rest of his days, and they had so many to days to cherish. Spyro flew in the sky with the love of his life. Nothing was better at that moment. They were free, free to live how they wanted, and they wanted to live together, forever more. Nothing could take that moment, nor the countless other moments to come from them... Author's Note So who noticed the Skylanders spoof? Nuts a note on that, I have not seen/played/whatevered Skylanders, I refuse to believe in its existence because it's made every dragon, especially Cynder and Spyro look uglier than Fugly Duckling's Avatar. Now then, you're probably wondering what that last body of text is all about... well too bad, I'm not tellin'. So that'll serve as incentive to make you all read further... once the chapters come out. Chapter 2: PresenceTwilight Sparkle, having awoken from a Nightmare, gasped as the sun first flickered in her eyes. It was bad timing on Celestia's part as she'd had a nightmare about being attacked by a dragon. The fire from its mouth was just about to reach her when the sun woke her up. Slightly annoyed at the whole fiasco having been nothing more than a Nightmare, she groaned as if to express that annoyance audibly. The realisation of her Royal duties for the day struck her and she groaned again, more so than before. "Twilight, some of us are still trying to sleep in here! Take your morning Cockatrice impression outside." the young dragon in her chamber groaned throwing his own little covers over his head. "Sorry, Spike. Just a bad morning; I really don't want to have to deal with Royal duties today." the lavender unicorn whined, placing hoof to head in frustration. It was her continued talking that prevented Spike from returning to sleep. With a groan of his own, he sat up in his little bed/cot. "Well I have to say, it was kind of thoughtless of Princess Celestia to not even ask you if you wanted to be a Princess in the first place." he said. Twilight looked at her wings through the mirror across from her bed. "I suppose so, but I would have accepted either way. Unless, of course, I knew what it was going to be like this, in which case... Sisters before Sissies." she mused, making Spike laugh. It was an inside joke that was shared between them, the girls and the other Princesses. The 'sissies' were the nobles while the 'sisters' were unsurprisingly, the friends Twilight had been forced to leave behind. The new Princess sighed with a look of melancholy plastered to her features. "What's really wrong, Twilight? You going through some sort of premature mid-life crisis or something?" Spike asked as he got out of his bed to sit beside Twilight on her own. Twilight sighed once more. "I just wish something interesting would happen like before. Something not life-threatening, but interesting all the same. Like Trixie playing up again, that always promises to be a barrel of laughs at her expense. I'd even settle for Discord or Chrysalis acting up again at this point. If I were Celestia, I wouldn't send my student out to do all this, I'd be soaking up the entertainment like a sponge... Oh, maybe you're right, Spike; maybe it is a premature mid-life crisis. I just want something maningful and exciting to happen." she replied, looking out through her window at the rising sun. ((At the same time)) The rain continued to add pressure on the leafy roof Zonoya had constructed the previous evening. It had done well to hold as long as it did, but Malefor had awoken just as the sun rose to see that the water collected within the leaves was beginning to bend the branches supporting it. It wouldn't be long before the whole thing collapsed. What woke him wasn't the mild moaning of the wind, nor was it the pattering of the rain beyond. At some point during the night, Zonoya had cuddled up to him to try and keep warm. Her shivering suggested that the endeavour was more or less in vain. He could feel her shaking like the leaves above, desperate to keep warm. It was almost a curse that Dragons had to be the only reptilian race with warm blood. Craning his neck ever so slightly, he saw that the fire Zonoya had made had long since burned out. He wondered if he would suffer from using his Earth element. Realistically speaking; it was little more than using his lungs. No movement was required. The increased rate of Zonoya's shaking made the decision for him. Like it or not, he owed this dragoness a lot. The least he could do was make her more comfortable while she aided him. With a slight exhale of his breath, the earth rose around the two dragons, forming a dome to protect them from both the rain and the cold of the wind. When that was finished, he began to heat up the area within by breathing small amounts of flame with each exhalation. Pretty soon, Zonoya stopped shaking and became satisfied with snuggling even further into Malefor's personal space. Even the dark master had to admit: it felt nice to have another dragon around. He wouldn't have had that were he successful in destroying the world. With little else to do until Zonoya awoke, Malefor began contemplating what it was he wanted to do with his life. He recalled being pulled into the dark crystal by his fellow Purple Dragons, but then he awoke on the ground of a strange land. It was clear to him what had happened; either he'd succeeded in destroying the world and it had been created anew in this form, rendering the battle with Spyro and Cynder (outcome included) null and void. Or, Spyro saw fit to give him another chance at life, one which he would be a fool to pass up. The latter outcome seemed more likely, and Malefor was far from a fool. The sickening thought occurred that Malefor actually had Spyro and Cynder to thank for this second chance. Granted, he'd begun this new life unable to move for fear of agony, but that was most likely an unforseen outcome on Spyro's part, and the situation wouldn't last forever...right? Very well, I'll give your way of thinking a chance, Spyro... I suppose it's the least I can do considering what you've done for me. he thought, sighing with resignation. Malefor knew then and there, that he would miss the power the darkness offered him. But perhaps it could be used for different purposes? Malefor felt the dragoness stir beside him. Thinking like a youthful dragon, he wondered how she would react after seeing where shed slept. A smile crept on Malefor's face before he rested his head to feign slumber. Zonoya awoke with a yawn. With sleepy eyes, she failed to notice the dome around her at first and believed it to still be dark. She tried to look around but found her vision impaired. She had to rely on sound until her eyes adjusted. The first thing she heard was the calm breathing of Malefor... just beside her. A blush formed instantly on her cheeks and for the first time today, she was thankful it was still dark. She then fought off the urge to scream , not wanting to wake her charge. Despite her embarrassment at the situation, she didn't move. She was actually rather comfortable. The air was even rather warm. She then heard the rain. Strangely enough, it had been muffled by something. Zonoya then realised that it was actually too dark, even for the early of morn. Luna's moon should have been out in full bloom, setting even. She rarely awoke before sunrise, but even she knew how things were supposed to work. She couldn't quite hear the trees, just the rain falling onto them. Zonoya decided not to panic. Very few creatures would mess with a dragon, let alone two, even a wounded one. Calming herself down, she began to think of the journey ahead. Three-hundred miles to Equestria; that would take ages. Still, it was time Zonoya had, and she'd already decided she liked this Dragon. Malefor seemed like the lonely broody type, and if she had to be perfectly honest with herself, she found that kind of Dragon very attractive. Of course, Malefor didn't seem like the average kind of dragon either. Most male dragons were bipedal, for height was, at least to them, a display of superiority. Dragonesses such as Zonoya retained a quadrupedal form so as to better show off their curves. Of course, this was a matter of choice to either gender, not to mention personality traits. Those two variables factored in to the overall outcome of a Dragon's appearance. In Zonoya's case, her appearance determined that through her colour scheme, she was often random but inventive, and also the type to enjoy a challenge she knew was in her league. Her figure suggested that despite those personality traits, she was not absent of femininity. She could love, just like any other dragoness. She was slender, flexible and (some might argue) drop-dead gorgeous. Her horns were displayed in a fashion that suggested she didn't much care for good or evil. She'd do her own thing. She had about four horns, to elongated ones at the top and another two smaller ones just behind her jawline. Each pointed out in opposite directions to take in the appearance of an 'X'. Zonoya was without a doubt, a unique dragoness in colour, figure and personality. Yet somehow Malefor rivalled her in terms of unique design. His bony chest plate had the strangest configuration; with two seemingly redundant plates pointing out in a vector like a pair of horns right over his breast. Zonoya had never seen a dragon with three Primary horns before. With two on either side of his skull and a third right in the very top. Combine those with the secondary horns layered behind them, he almost looked like he'd been born with a crown on his head. The kingly dragon stirred, feigning his sudden and unexpected awakening. A small amount of light managed to brighten up the area as Malefor's eyes emitted a golden glow. It was through that glow that Zonoya realised what had made her vision so dark. The dome of earth spanned roughly the squared length and width of five dragons. It left them with a large amount of room to stretch around in. What amazed Zonoya even further was the fact the dome had grown around the trees. "What is this?" she asked, sounding rather shocked by the display. "What does it look like?" Malefor replied with a smile plastered on his face. Zonoya was speechless afterward. Malefor's tone suggested to her that this was normal to him. That in turn suggested that he'd created it. How he did so was another matter. "How did you do this?!" she demanded. "The power of the purple dragon is limitless when it comes to the elements. This is but a taste of the power I possess." he said, taking a deep breath as if to relax himself. "I've never heard of a purple dragon doing this before. Dragons only breathe fire." Zonoya commented, examining the dome around them. "Is that so? Perhaps it's just a Skylander thing." Malefor responded. When the rain died down, Malefor used an Earth Bullet to shatter the dome, leaving the cool air to chill them both. After a slight shivering frenzy, Zonoya picked up her act as well as the vine tied to Malefor's support and began the trek. "So... You mean to tell me that... Skylanders can actually breathe... different elements?" Zonoya asked between tugs. "Maybe." Malefor replied. Truthfully, he wasn't sure. This was undoubtedly a different world to the one he knew, but the term Skylander may very well mean dragons and various other creatures from his origins. "Like what?" she asked, trying to pick up the conversation. "Well you've got your classic fire, then there's Earth, Ice, Electricity. There are others, but they aren't Primary Elements. Those are Poison, Wind, Darkness and Fear." he replied, refraining from mentioning Convexity. Power over time might be a little too much for her to believe. "And there are dragons who can use these abilities?" she asked. "Yes. Generally, the dragons would possess the colours of their elements. For example, Fire Dragons would hold a red and orangey colour, Earth dragons green and brown, and so forth." he replied. "And what about this whole thing with the Purple Dragons?" Malefor considered very carefully how to answer that question. "Purple dragons have the ability to wield and master all of the elements. In certain cases, they can even give other dragons the ability to learn multiples of the secondary Elements as well as augment them." he said, yawning slightly. "So you're saying you could teach anyone those elements?" she asked. Malefor began to wonder if Zonoya had a certain ambition that Cynder's elements would help with. "It comes at a cost." he replied. "And that cost is?" "Corruption." There was a moment's silence save for the scraping of the dirt beneath the support as Zonoya pulled it along. "What kind of corruption?" she asked after a minute. "The secondary elements are dark elements, meant for dark purposes. Unless you planned on taking over the world or something, I wouldn't recommend it. Of course, you could overcome the corruption, but it would take someone special to do that." "So you're saying I would become trapped in my own power and it would take someone close to me to pull me out?" she was quick to grasp the situation. "Yes. Which is why I wouldn't recommend learning how to use those elements just yet." "Sounds like you just don't want me bending to your will." she was very astute. "What's the matter, don't like the idea of a strange dragoness bowing to your wishes and calling you master?" she teased. "Didn't work out so well last time." Malefor muttered. "What?" "Nothing!" he quickly corrected. Chapter 3: Inverse EffectsHaving travelled far with Malefor in tow, Zonoya found herself enjoying the purple dragon's company. Why wouldn't she? He didn't mock her name, therefore he was already in her good graces. Unfortunately, carrying the purple dragon was proving more difficult for Zonoya than she had planned. She'd expected it to take three days to get to Equestria, but she'd only made it half way thanks to hills and mountain ranges. Not to mention the forests and having to find pathways between the trees wide enough to fit them both. Finaly, they came to a river. "Hey, you hungry for fish? Quick-draw river's known for its Bullet Tuna." the dual-coloured dragoness offered. Malefor awoke from his light slumber and moaned. "Sounds good to me." he replied, going back to sleep as Zonoya placed his support back down. The dragoness dove into the river, her talons managing to spike a few fish already. She flung then onto the riverbed beside Malefor and continued to fish for more. By the time she'd caught five fish, Malefor opened his eyes again to watch her flounder around for her prey. The purple dragon smiled before tapping a paw on the ground. Thin spikes of earth shot up around Zonoya, blocking the river's flow. The dragoness stood on end as dozens of fish hung from the hundreds of spikes that trapped her. "Warn a girl next time you're gonna do something like that! You nearly gave me a heart attack." the dragoness shouted at him. Malefor chanced a chuckle at her expense. It only hurt a little. It appeared he was beginning to heal on his own, but he had no doubt he'd need some proper surgery. His body could take care of flesh wounds and infection, as well as bruising of the bones, but he couldn't mend broken bones, and that's what he had. The spikes with fish on them bent and made their way over to Malefor's side to join the fish Zonoya had caught. The rest just retreated back into the earth, restoring the flow of the river. "Apologies, my dear Zonoya. You are right, of course. I shall endeavour to be more forthcoming with my intentions from now on." Malefor teased. "Whatever. Just don't call me 'dear'. I ain't nobody's 'dear'." she said somewhat aggressively. "A double negative? My, the ideas that could run through a dragon's head after realising that... I shudder to think." he goaded her. "Yeah, well as long as you're still crippled, you're no use as a mate, even if I did fancy you." she defended. "Got something against the disabled, have we?" Malefor asked. "Yeah, they're weak and can't protect their mates, let along their hatchlings, should they be lucky enough to have any." Zonoya retorted. "You're starting to think like a common animal, Zonoya." Malefor teased. "Your chances with me are getting slimmer, Malefor." Zonoya teased back. "Oh, I have chances, do I? Something to look forward to, then." he declared. Zonoya realised what she'd said and blushed red under her scales. "You can cook your own fish, then." she said. Malefor huffed as if to say he didn't care all that much. He further disgraced Zonoya by picking up a fish in another spike of earth and grilling it. He then had the earth drop it into his mouth and he consumed away. "Smarty-pants." she said, defeated. Having enjoyed a nice meal more or less together, the two found it was growing rather late. Malefor created another Earth dome around the pair and lit the inside up with heated rocks, doubling as a source of warmth for the two of them. Despite the obvious better alternative for warmth, Zonoya chose to huddle up beside Malefor. He had no objections. He'd grown quite fond of the dragoness in the past few days. So this was what it was like to be Spyro, to have friends, to love and feel loved. It wasn't so bad, he guessed. "Twilight, something ails you." Luna said, descending onto Twilight's balcony after seeing the young alicorn staring up at the night sky. "Yes, Luna. I don't know what it is though. At first, I thought it was just more reservations regarding my new status as a Princess, but now I think it's external to me. I feel like something is on its way here, and it spells trouble for us all." the lavender mare replied. Luna sat beside her friend and niece, draping a wing over her to try and comfort her. "I know the feeling, Twilight. Celestia and I had similar feelings after having defeated Discord and Sombra. Many mention the eerie calm before the storm, but next to nopony mentions the uneasiness afterward. After having dealt with So many of our old mistakes... including myself, you're getting the feeling like we're due for another threat to Equestria. Am I wrong?" Luna asked. Twilight considered her new Aunt's opinion of the situation Twilight found herself in. "You know, now that you mention it; I believe that's exactly what it is. Now that I know what keeps me up at night, how do I deal with it?" she asked. "Celestia and I used to have maids and assistants that kept us company during the late hours of our designated rule, like Spike is your assistant. After Discord, I could hardly get any sleep without the maid's company. Then one day, she told me something that made me feel much better." Luna said. Twilight waited patiently, holding her breath. "She told me that even if a new enemy were around the corner, he or she would not come tonight. Villains need sleep too, and with the guard patrolling day and night, night would be the better option for them. After hearing that, I knew that I would always be awake when a villain came, and should one chance coming in the day, My sister would protect me, and vice-versa." Luna explained. Twilight smiled at her friend. "And know this, Twilight. Celestia and I both love you very much, for different reasons too. Celestia because you grew up around her, and you've become like a daughter to her. As for me, I owe you my life, my role as Princess of the night, even the night sky itself. I would not have these things back if not for you, Twilight. Should a new threat occur, it will never reach you before you awake." she assured. Twilight smiled from cheek to cheek. She truly was happy to be a Princess with Celestia and Luna. Twilight felt she would personally favour Celestia, but Luna had proved to be a great comfort during the nights when she had time to think of whatever ailed her. She would never admit it, but Luna was without a doubt, her favourite Princess. Perhaps because she too had only recently begun her own duties after a thousand years, that Luna understood Twilight's woes. Either way, they were the best of friends. A knocking on the door interrupted their moment and a Night guard peeked his head through the door. "Apologies, Princesses, but I have news from the East Equestrian border." the guard said. "Do report, sir guard." Twilight offered, earning a smile from the Lunar princess. "Your highness. The Eastern Border patrol says Intel from Gryphon allies reported sightings of two dragons headed our way. One was apparently injured while the other one dragged their companion on a support. The Patrol is requesting permission on how to proceed when they arrive." the guard said. The two princesses looked at each other with a mixture of confusion and worry. "Well, at least we know for sure the danger won't be coming tonight." Luna assured Twilight. "Was one of the dragons purple like Spike?" Twilight asked the guard. "I'm uncertain, Princess. Colours weren't specified in the report. Shall I ask in the response message?" the guard asked. Twilight hesitated to answer. She'd had a dream about a purple dragon, huge with glowing white eyes. Granted, it was only a dream, but still, better to be safe than sorry. "Please." she said. The guard nodded and turned to Luna. "If they are in need of assistance, then perhaps aiding any way we can will help smooth our relationship with the Dragon Empire. Some good may come of this. Tell the patrols to let the dragons into Equestria." she ordered. The guard nodded once again and left the two to their own devices. "The colour of the dragon is important, Twilight? You've had a nightmare about one?" Luna asked. Twilight nodded solemnly. "Yes, Luna. I fear a dragon may be our next biggest threat to Equestria." she replied. Luna considered her words for a moment. "Not all is as it seems, Twilight, either in dream or reality. A purple dragon may be among the pair headed toward us, but would it be the same one, or will this one be our saviour?" Luna suggested. "Cynder, hold on. I'm still tired from our encounter with Malefor, you know." Spyro chuckled. Cynder said nothing as she circled around the purple dragon and nuzzled him gently. "Is everything alright, Cynder? You've been quiet all day." Spyro noted. Cynder seemed guilty about something. "Spyro, I'm sorry. I was hoping to keep this up for a little longer. But it seems you're about ready to awaken." she said. Spyro began to grow confused. "Cynder... I don't understand." he said. "You will, Spyro. And I'm sure you won't like what you discover. But know this; I love you, with all my heart. And I will always love you, till the day you die and forever after. You're the love of my life, Spyro, and you're my hero. Don't let what you discover stop you from doing what you know is right." she replied. "Cynder?" Cynder's voice and form began to fade away, along with the world around him. Everything began to fade to darkness. "Goodbye."... ...Spyro woke up. His head hurt and his body ached. The last thing he remembered was spending time in blissful happiness with Cynder. Now he was confused. He lay on a mountain peak with a flat surface on the top. All he saw was stone and bone. Confusion struck him immediately. Where was he? Why was he here? How did he even get here? As questions began to fill his head, he found his most recent memories of Cynder slipping away. Pretty soon, the most recent thing he remembered were those three words: 'I love you!'. The quote seemed to whistle in a wind strong enough to roll a bone to his paw. He looked down to see a skeleton standing to his right where Cynder had been when he'd realigned the Dragon Realm. Fear began to overcome him and was quickly confirmed as the bone that had rolled onto him bore the same shape and horns as Cynder herself. The rest of the proof lay in her shackles which were wrapped around a set of leg bones and the disk of a tail. This was Cynder. This... was her skeleton. "Cynder..." under the midnight sky, a pair of eyes turned white with rage. Author's Note Alright! I'd hoped to wait before revealing the situation with Spyro and Cynder, but it just seemed necessary there. So, here's the latest update. Rate and Comment people!
Chapter 1: RebornHe felt himself beneath clear fresh skies. Not something he expected within the confines of the dark crystals. The last thing he remembered was being dragged down into the aforementioned crystals by the spirits of his predecessors. He then remembered how it came to that conclusion. Spyro and that traitor, Cynder. Even though he knew he was on his back, he dug his talons into the air and threw his eyes open. He was blinded by the pale blue of the sky. Having spent ancestors know how long in darkness, his eyes stung as though assaulted by a ferocious wind he was not prepared for. A groan escaped his leathery maw as he brought his front paws up to cover them from the blinding light. Is was through slightly ajar eyelids that he noticed something different about his paws. They were... a brighter shade of purple... stronger... younger. Curiosity got the better of him and he tried to roll over so as to inspect himself away from the glare of the light, but his body ached beyond that of any previous pain he'd experienced. Another groan, more defined that the last practically flew out faster than any lightning element could. Stuck on his back, he was forced to let his curiosity fester along with the slowly subsiding pain. Unfortunately, he wasn't going to be waiting alone. A figure brought blackness to his vision of orangey-red behind his eyelids. Chancing a glance, he cracked an eye open to see a young and clearly vibrant red and blue dragon with almost silvery horns and spines standing over him with a rather amused expression painted on its face. "What?" the wounded dragon asked, hoping the darkness in his voice would frighten the dragon off. To his own surprise, his voice was rather... plain. Still deep and slightly gravely (though the last aspect could be chalked up to his as of yet uncounted injuries), he felt he sounded rather... weak compared to what he used to sound like. "Wow! You survived that?! That was the worst fall I've ever seen. You looked like you were dead before you even hit the peak of the mountain." an oddly feminine voice answered through the maw of the dual-coloured dragon (now identified as a dragoness). "What fall?" he asked, frowning at the newcomer. "Look to your right, Dragon. You landed on the peak of High-slope Mountain then rolled down to the bottom here." she replied, turning his head for him towards the scene. What he saw surprised even him. A high slope, befitting the namesake stretched high above the clouds. Not only was it high, but also very steep, littered with jagged rocks. "I survived that?" he asked with as much shock in his voice as any dragon would at the unexpected result of the endeavour. "Yep! Though you clearly didn't come out of it unscathed. Opened up your side real good there. You look half dead as it is, one of your wings are broken and you're covered in blood. I'd say you nicked your side on the way down and rolled around in the blood on the way down. That means the wound's probably infected." she replied. The Purple dragon tried again to roll over but was immediately shot down with pain. "Any idea how to get me up?" he asked, looking to his new acquaintance. She put on a thinking face for a few moments before answering him. "Well, I don't know about helping you up, you're too banged up to even stand, let alone walk or fly. I could drag you, but I don't wanna risk moving you too much. Tho only option I see is making a sort of...support to put you onto so I can drag that without moving you too much. How's that sound?" she suggested. The Purple dragon found no flaws in that logic and tried to nod his head. "Please." he replied simply. Though he was a dragon of action, he was also intelligent, and being rude to the only known form of life nearby would not have been a good idea. "Great! I'll bring down a few trees and make like a sort of raft thing. I may have to move you a bit to get you onto it. Think you can handle that?" she asked. He almost felt like that was a challenge against his power. "Oh, the agony of choice." he replied with a hint of sarcasm within the humour. The dragoness took his words as he'd intended and chuckled. "Kay be right back!" she called before leaving his line of sight and soon after, sound. The purple dragon took that time to collect on as much sleep as he could before the initial painful transfer from ground to wood. He also used that slumber to think on his plans for the future. The dragon awoke to the sound of rustling. The first thing he saw was a slightly orange sky, followed by the sharp end of the tail belonging to the dragoness from before. While most young dragons would probably be disappointed at not seeing the other end of the tail, he thought about the tail spade and how easily that could slice a throat, dragon or otherwise. "I'm back!" her voice called with some slight strain. "I was getting worried. I've no knowledge of this place and I can't move. Not exactly a humbling situation for me." he replied, shifting his eyes towards the dragoness' location. This time he did get a glimpse of the other end of the tail, but she turned around to face him less than a second later. "Enjoy the view?" she teased, sticking her tongue out at him as she closed an eye. It was kind of cute, actually. "Just thinking how easily that spade could poke my eye out of you'd dropped it on me." he replied. The dragoness chuckled and looked behind her for a moment. "Well, I've set up the support; are you ready?" she asked. "Before we begin, could you tell me where you plan to take me?" he asked. "To Equestria. Don't get me wrong; I find ponies as delectable as the next dragon, but you gotta admit, their medical expertise is out of this world." she replied. The purple dragon only understood about a third of that sentence. "Okay... and how far is it to this... Equestria?" he asked. "You're obviously an outsider, probably from the Skylands. Equestria is about... three hundred miles West of here. I contemplated tying you to the support and dragging you there in the air, but then there was the issue of landing, not to mention turbulence. Plus, rope isn't exactly reliable... or available. So I'll be dragging you on the ground. It could take a few days." she replied. In all the Purple Dragon's years, he had never felt air-sick before, but thinking about being dragged through the air like that nearly made him gag on the spot. "That might be the better of your ideas. But if it's going to hurt just getting me onto that support, I'd rather wait until tomorrow before we head out. My body might not be able to take it as it is." he said, sounding rather ashamed of his weakened state and the request he was making of this dragoness who barely knew him and vice-versa. "Not a problem. I would have come back sooner, but I thought ahead and set up a shelter for us on the tree-line just a few yards West of here using what remained of the support's components. I kinda took down too many trees. I aim to impress, and I go overboard sometimes." she replied, scratching the back of her head in a sheepish fashion. "Well I am overly impressed, and extremely thankful." he replied, closing his eyes afterward with a sigh of relief. "Okay, I'm ready." he said, taking a deep breath. He saw the dragoness seemingly rotate upside down from his point of view before feeling her front paws curl under his shoulders. "Alrighty... One, two... three!" She tugged on him in a gentle manner, but with a great amount of strength behind it. The purple dragon felt his body stretch and he couldn't help but roar out in pain. "Sorry! Try not to bite your tongue, okay?" she said as she pulled again. The purple dragon had already expended the air in his lungs after the first pull and couldn't get anything else out during the second. All there was was a slight exasperated squeak before he sucked in air once again. "One more pull and you're up." she assured him. That was a very reassuring statement to him as he felt the pain once more. He felt the raft-like support beneath his scales and felt the edge slide past his hind legs. He was up, like she'd said. "Th...thanks!" he said, never having been so grateful in his life. "Don't mention it... Phew, you're heavier than you look!" she said, grabbing something in her mouth . She left his field of vision and he felt a slight tugging sensation beneath himself. The dragoness was puling him to the shelter. "I'm glad we decided not to start going to Equestria now. I'm not sure I could go without complaining." he tried to chuckle, but the motions made him hurt even more. "Yeah... Besides, it's almost nightfall. Dangerous to travel through the woods for a grounded Dragon. There are things that could catch even us off guard." she replied. The purple dragon figured nothing short of a Golem could get him in this state. It was only a few minutes before his ride stopped to a halt. Looking skyward, he noticed a roof made out of large leaves supported by tree branches of medium diameter. This dragoness was resourceful. "Nice architecture." he commented. "Just something I threw together. I had some spare time and you weren't going anywhere." she joked. "Funny." he said sarcastically. A few moments passed before either of them spoke again. By then, it had started to rain. "Alright, here we go. This should get rid of any infection in your wound, but I'll warn you now, it stings like a swarm." she said, drawing his attention away from the rain. "Maybe I thanked you too soon." he commented before feeling the 'sting'. Surprisingly, it didn't hurt as much as being pulled onto the support did. This was just bearable. He got away with a hiss and a groan. "Damn, I was hoping to call you a big baby. It's like a rule these days." she said, chuckling. "I haven't been a baby in a long, long time." he replied. There was another moment's silence between them. "I'm Zonoya, by the way. In case you were wondering." she said, sounding rather... upset. The purple dragon turned his head just enough to catch her out of the corner of his eye. "Zonoya... I don't know why, but that name suits you." he said, earning a sheepish smile from the dragoness. "You really think so? Most other dragons make fun of me for it. Because of that, I kind of hate it. But I just can't bring myself to change it." she explained. Perhaps he could use this to his advantage. He could do with another General once he was back to his old self, and who better than the one who willingly helped him? "Well, it's nice to meet you, Zonoya. My name... is Malefor." A young purple dragon felt as happy as could be. A dragoness whom he had developed a relationship with over the past few years had confessed her love for him. Cynder, once known as the 'Terror of the Skies' was now his to call his own. She loved him, and he loved her. He'd done so for a while now. He considered the defeat of Malefor to be a sort of Pre-binding gift to each other. Oh, the plans the young dragon had for him and her. He would cherish her for the rest of his days, and they had so many to days to cherish. Spyro flew in the sky with the love of his life. Nothing was better at that moment. They were free, free to live how they wanted, and they wanted to live together, forever more. Nothing could take that moment, nor the countless other moments to come from them... Author's Note So who noticed the Skylanders spoof? Nuts a note on that, I have not seen/played/whatevered Skylanders, I refuse to believe in its existence because it's made every dragon, especially Cynder and Spyro look uglier than Fugly Duckling's Avatar. Now then, you're probably wondering what that last body of text is all about... well too bad, I'm not tellin'. So that'll serve as incentive to make you all read further... once the chapters come out.
Chapter 2: PresenceTwilight Sparkle, having awoken from a Nightmare, gasped as the sun first flickered in her eyes. It was bad timing on Celestia's part as she'd had a nightmare about being attacked by a dragon. The fire from its mouth was just about to reach her when the sun woke her up. Slightly annoyed at the whole fiasco having been nothing more than a Nightmare, she groaned as if to express that annoyance audibly. The realisation of her Royal duties for the day struck her and she groaned again, more so than before. "Twilight, some of us are still trying to sleep in here! Take your morning Cockatrice impression outside." the young dragon in her chamber groaned throwing his own little covers over his head. "Sorry, Spike. Just a bad morning; I really don't want to have to deal with Royal duties today." the lavender unicorn whined, placing hoof to head in frustration. It was her continued talking that prevented Spike from returning to sleep. With a groan of his own, he sat up in his little bed/cot. "Well I have to say, it was kind of thoughtless of Princess Celestia to not even ask you if you wanted to be a Princess in the first place." he said. Twilight looked at her wings through the mirror across from her bed. "I suppose so, but I would have accepted either way. Unless, of course, I knew what it was going to be like this, in which case... Sisters before Sissies." she mused, making Spike laugh. It was an inside joke that was shared between them, the girls and the other Princesses. The 'sissies' were the nobles while the 'sisters' were unsurprisingly, the friends Twilight had been forced to leave behind. The new Princess sighed with a look of melancholy plastered to her features. "What's really wrong, Twilight? You going through some sort of premature mid-life crisis or something?" Spike asked as he got out of his bed to sit beside Twilight on her own. Twilight sighed once more. "I just wish something interesting would happen like before. Something not life-threatening, but interesting all the same. Like Trixie playing up again, that always promises to be a barrel of laughs at her expense. I'd even settle for Discord or Chrysalis acting up again at this point. If I were Celestia, I wouldn't send my student out to do all this, I'd be soaking up the entertainment like a sponge... Oh, maybe you're right, Spike; maybe it is a premature mid-life crisis. I just want something maningful and exciting to happen." she replied, looking out through her window at the rising sun. ((At the same time)) The rain continued to add pressure on the leafy roof Zonoya had constructed the previous evening. It had done well to hold as long as it did, but Malefor had awoken just as the sun rose to see that the water collected within the leaves was beginning to bend the branches supporting it. It wouldn't be long before the whole thing collapsed. What woke him wasn't the mild moaning of the wind, nor was it the pattering of the rain beyond. At some point during the night, Zonoya had cuddled up to him to try and keep warm. Her shivering suggested that the endeavour was more or less in vain. He could feel her shaking like the leaves above, desperate to keep warm. It was almost a curse that Dragons had to be the only reptilian race with warm blood. Craning his neck ever so slightly, he saw that the fire Zonoya had made had long since burned out. He wondered if he would suffer from using his Earth element. Realistically speaking; it was little more than using his lungs. No movement was required. The increased rate of Zonoya's shaking made the decision for him. Like it or not, he owed this dragoness a lot. The least he could do was make her more comfortable while she aided him. With a slight exhale of his breath, the earth rose around the two dragons, forming a dome to protect them from both the rain and the cold of the wind. When that was finished, he began to heat up the area within by breathing small amounts of flame with each exhalation. Pretty soon, Zonoya stopped shaking and became satisfied with snuggling even further into Malefor's personal space. Even the dark master had to admit: it felt nice to have another dragon around. He wouldn't have had that were he successful in destroying the world. With little else to do until Zonoya awoke, Malefor began contemplating what it was he wanted to do with his life. He recalled being pulled into the dark crystal by his fellow Purple Dragons, but then he awoke on the ground of a strange land. It was clear to him what had happened; either he'd succeeded in destroying the world and it had been created anew in this form, rendering the battle with Spyro and Cynder (outcome included) null and void. Or, Spyro saw fit to give him another chance at life, one which he would be a fool to pass up. The latter outcome seemed more likely, and Malefor was far from a fool. The sickening thought occurred that Malefor actually had Spyro and Cynder to thank for this second chance. Granted, he'd begun this new life unable to move for fear of agony, but that was most likely an unforseen outcome on Spyro's part, and the situation wouldn't last forever...right? Very well, I'll give your way of thinking a chance, Spyro... I suppose it's the least I can do considering what you've done for me. he thought, sighing with resignation. Malefor knew then and there, that he would miss the power the darkness offered him. But perhaps it could be used for different purposes? Malefor felt the dragoness stir beside him. Thinking like a youthful dragon, he wondered how she would react after seeing where shed slept. A smile crept on Malefor's face before he rested his head to feign slumber. Zonoya awoke with a yawn. With sleepy eyes, she failed to notice the dome around her at first and believed it to still be dark. She tried to look around but found her vision impaired. She had to rely on sound until her eyes adjusted. The first thing she heard was the calm breathing of Malefor... just beside her. A blush formed instantly on her cheeks and for the first time today, she was thankful it was still dark. She then fought off the urge to scream , not wanting to wake her charge. Despite her embarrassment at the situation, she didn't move. She was actually rather comfortable. The air was even rather warm. She then heard the rain. Strangely enough, it had been muffled by something. Zonoya then realised that it was actually too dark, even for the early of morn. Luna's moon should have been out in full bloom, setting even. She rarely awoke before sunrise, but even she knew how things were supposed to work. She couldn't quite hear the trees, just the rain falling onto them. Zonoya decided not to panic. Very few creatures would mess with a dragon, let alone two, even a wounded one. Calming herself down, she began to think of the journey ahead. Three-hundred miles to Equestria; that would take ages. Still, it was time Zonoya had, and she'd already decided she liked this Dragon. Malefor seemed like the lonely broody type, and if she had to be perfectly honest with herself, she found that kind of Dragon very attractive. Of course, Malefor didn't seem like the average kind of dragon either. Most male dragons were bipedal, for height was, at least to them, a display of superiority. Dragonesses such as Zonoya retained a quadrupedal form so as to better show off their curves. Of course, this was a matter of choice to either gender, not to mention personality traits. Those two variables factored in to the overall outcome of a Dragon's appearance. In Zonoya's case, her appearance determined that through her colour scheme, she was often random but inventive, and also the type to enjoy a challenge she knew was in her league. Her figure suggested that despite those personality traits, she was not absent of femininity. She could love, just like any other dragoness. She was slender, flexible and (some might argue) drop-dead gorgeous. Her horns were displayed in a fashion that suggested she didn't much care for good or evil. She'd do her own thing. She had about four horns, to elongated ones at the top and another two smaller ones just behind her jawline. Each pointed out in opposite directions to take in the appearance of an 'X'. Zonoya was without a doubt, a unique dragoness in colour, figure and personality. Yet somehow Malefor rivalled her in terms of unique design. His bony chest plate had the strangest configuration; with two seemingly redundant plates pointing out in a vector like a pair of horns right over his breast. Zonoya had never seen a dragon with three Primary horns before. With two on either side of his skull and a third right in the very top. Combine those with the secondary horns layered behind them, he almost looked like he'd been born with a crown on his head. The kingly dragon stirred, feigning his sudden and unexpected awakening. A small amount of light managed to brighten up the area as Malefor's eyes emitted a golden glow. It was through that glow that Zonoya realised what had made her vision so dark. The dome of earth spanned roughly the squared length and width of five dragons. It left them with a large amount of room to stretch around in. What amazed Zonoya even further was the fact the dome had grown around the trees. "What is this?" she asked, sounding rather shocked by the display. "What does it look like?" Malefor replied with a smile plastered on his face. Zonoya was speechless afterward. Malefor's tone suggested to her that this was normal to him. That in turn suggested that he'd created it. How he did so was another matter. "How did you do this?!" she demanded. "The power of the purple dragon is limitless when it comes to the elements. This is but a taste of the power I possess." he said, taking a deep breath as if to relax himself. "I've never heard of a purple dragon doing this before. Dragons only breathe fire." Zonoya commented, examining the dome around them. "Is that so? Perhaps it's just a Skylander thing." Malefor responded. When the rain died down, Malefor used an Earth Bullet to shatter the dome, leaving the cool air to chill them both. After a slight shivering frenzy, Zonoya picked up her act as well as the vine tied to Malefor's support and began the trek. "So... You mean to tell me that... Skylanders can actually breathe... different elements?" Zonoya asked between tugs. "Maybe." Malefor replied. Truthfully, he wasn't sure. This was undoubtedly a different world to the one he knew, but the term Skylander may very well mean dragons and various other creatures from his origins. "Like what?" she asked, trying to pick up the conversation. "Well you've got your classic fire, then there's Earth, Ice, Electricity. There are others, but they aren't Primary Elements. Those are Poison, Wind, Darkness and Fear." he replied, refraining from mentioning Convexity. Power over time might be a little too much for her to believe. "And there are dragons who can use these abilities?" she asked. "Yes. Generally, the dragons would possess the colours of their elements. For example, Fire Dragons would hold a red and orangey colour, Earth dragons green and brown, and so forth." he replied. "And what about this whole thing with the Purple Dragons?" Malefor considered very carefully how to answer that question. "Purple dragons have the ability to wield and master all of the elements. In certain cases, they can even give other dragons the ability to learn multiples of the secondary Elements as well as augment them." he said, yawning slightly. "So you're saying you could teach anyone those elements?" she asked. Malefor began to wonder if Zonoya had a certain ambition that Cynder's elements would help with. "It comes at a cost." he replied. "And that cost is?" "Corruption." There was a moment's silence save for the scraping of the dirt beneath the support as Zonoya pulled it along. "What kind of corruption?" she asked after a minute. "The secondary elements are dark elements, meant for dark purposes. Unless you planned on taking over the world or something, I wouldn't recommend it. Of course, you could overcome the corruption, but it would take someone special to do that." "So you're saying I would become trapped in my own power and it would take someone close to me to pull me out?" she was quick to grasp the situation. "Yes. Which is why I wouldn't recommend learning how to use those elements just yet." "Sounds like you just don't want me bending to your will." she was very astute. "What's the matter, don't like the idea of a strange dragoness bowing to your wishes and calling you master?" she teased. "Didn't work out so well last time." Malefor muttered. "What?" "Nothing!" he quickly corrected.
Chapter 3: Inverse EffectsHaving travelled far with Malefor in tow, Zonoya found herself enjoying the purple dragon's company. Why wouldn't she? He didn't mock her name, therefore he was already in her good graces. Unfortunately, carrying the purple dragon was proving more difficult for Zonoya than she had planned. She'd expected it to take three days to get to Equestria, but she'd only made it half way thanks to hills and mountain ranges. Not to mention the forests and having to find pathways between the trees wide enough to fit them both. Finaly, they came to a river. "Hey, you hungry for fish? Quick-draw river's known for its Bullet Tuna." the dual-coloured dragoness offered. Malefor awoke from his light slumber and moaned. "Sounds good to me." he replied, going back to sleep as Zonoya placed his support back down. The dragoness dove into the river, her talons managing to spike a few fish already. She flung then onto the riverbed beside Malefor and continued to fish for more. By the time she'd caught five fish, Malefor opened his eyes again to watch her flounder around for her prey. The purple dragon smiled before tapping a paw on the ground. Thin spikes of earth shot up around Zonoya, blocking the river's flow. The dragoness stood on end as dozens of fish hung from the hundreds of spikes that trapped her. "Warn a girl next time you're gonna do something like that! You nearly gave me a heart attack." the dragoness shouted at him. Malefor chanced a chuckle at her expense. It only hurt a little. It appeared he was beginning to heal on his own, but he had no doubt he'd need some proper surgery. His body could take care of flesh wounds and infection, as well as bruising of the bones, but he couldn't mend broken bones, and that's what he had. The spikes with fish on them bent and made their way over to Malefor's side to join the fish Zonoya had caught. The rest just retreated back into the earth, restoring the flow of the river. "Apologies, my dear Zonoya. You are right, of course. I shall endeavour to be more forthcoming with my intentions from now on." Malefor teased. "Whatever. Just don't call me 'dear'. I ain't nobody's 'dear'." she said somewhat aggressively. "A double negative? My, the ideas that could run through a dragon's head after realising that... I shudder to think." he goaded her. "Yeah, well as long as you're still crippled, you're no use as a mate, even if I did fancy you." she defended. "Got something against the disabled, have we?" Malefor asked. "Yeah, they're weak and can't protect their mates, let along their hatchlings, should they be lucky enough to have any." Zonoya retorted. "You're starting to think like a common animal, Zonoya." Malefor teased. "Your chances with me are getting slimmer, Malefor." Zonoya teased back. "Oh, I have chances, do I? Something to look forward to, then." he declared. Zonoya realised what she'd said and blushed red under her scales. "You can cook your own fish, then." she said. Malefor huffed as if to say he didn't care all that much. He further disgraced Zonoya by picking up a fish in another spike of earth and grilling it. He then had the earth drop it into his mouth and he consumed away. "Smarty-pants." she said, defeated. Having enjoyed a nice meal more or less together, the two found it was growing rather late. Malefor created another Earth dome around the pair and lit the inside up with heated rocks, doubling as a source of warmth for the two of them. Despite the obvious better alternative for warmth, Zonoya chose to huddle up beside Malefor. He had no objections. He'd grown quite fond of the dragoness in the past few days. So this was what it was like to be Spyro, to have friends, to love and feel loved. It wasn't so bad, he guessed. "Twilight, something ails you." Luna said, descending onto Twilight's balcony after seeing the young alicorn staring up at the night sky. "Yes, Luna. I don't know what it is though. At first, I thought it was just more reservations regarding my new status as a Princess, but now I think it's external to me. I feel like something is on its way here, and it spells trouble for us all." the lavender mare replied. Luna sat beside her friend and niece, draping a wing over her to try and comfort her. "I know the feeling, Twilight. Celestia and I had similar feelings after having defeated Discord and Sombra. Many mention the eerie calm before the storm, but next to nopony mentions the uneasiness afterward. After having dealt with So many of our old mistakes... including myself, you're getting the feeling like we're due for another threat to Equestria. Am I wrong?" Luna asked. Twilight considered her new Aunt's opinion of the situation Twilight found herself in. "You know, now that you mention it; I believe that's exactly what it is. Now that I know what keeps me up at night, how do I deal with it?" she asked. "Celestia and I used to have maids and assistants that kept us company during the late hours of our designated rule, like Spike is your assistant. After Discord, I could hardly get any sleep without the maid's company. Then one day, she told me something that made me feel much better." Luna said. Twilight waited patiently, holding her breath. "She told me that even if a new enemy were around the corner, he or she would not come tonight. Villains need sleep too, and with the guard patrolling day and night, night would be the better option for them. After hearing that, I knew that I would always be awake when a villain came, and should one chance coming in the day, My sister would protect me, and vice-versa." Luna explained. Twilight smiled at her friend. "And know this, Twilight. Celestia and I both love you very much, for different reasons too. Celestia because you grew up around her, and you've become like a daughter to her. As for me, I owe you my life, my role as Princess of the night, even the night sky itself. I would not have these things back if not for you, Twilight. Should a new threat occur, it will never reach you before you awake." she assured. Twilight smiled from cheek to cheek. She truly was happy to be a Princess with Celestia and Luna. Twilight felt she would personally favour Celestia, but Luna had proved to be a great comfort during the nights when she had time to think of whatever ailed her. She would never admit it, but Luna was without a doubt, her favourite Princess. Perhaps because she too had only recently begun her own duties after a thousand years, that Luna understood Twilight's woes. Either way, they were the best of friends. A knocking on the door interrupted their moment and a Night guard peeked his head through the door. "Apologies, Princesses, but I have news from the East Equestrian border." the guard said. "Do report, sir guard." Twilight offered, earning a smile from the Lunar princess. "Your highness. The Eastern Border patrol says Intel from Gryphon allies reported sightings of two dragons headed our way. One was apparently injured while the other one dragged their companion on a support. The Patrol is requesting permission on how to proceed when they arrive." the guard said. The two princesses looked at each other with a mixture of confusion and worry. "Well, at least we know for sure the danger won't be coming tonight." Luna assured Twilight. "Was one of the dragons purple like Spike?" Twilight asked the guard. "I'm uncertain, Princess. Colours weren't specified in the report. Shall I ask in the response message?" the guard asked. Twilight hesitated to answer. She'd had a dream about a purple dragon, huge with glowing white eyes. Granted, it was only a dream, but still, better to be safe than sorry. "Please." she said. The guard nodded and turned to Luna. "If they are in need of assistance, then perhaps aiding any way we can will help smooth our relationship with the Dragon Empire. Some good may come of this. Tell the patrols to let the dragons into Equestria." she ordered. The guard nodded once again and left the two to their own devices. "The colour of the dragon is important, Twilight? You've had a nightmare about one?" Luna asked. Twilight nodded solemnly. "Yes, Luna. I fear a dragon may be our next biggest threat to Equestria." she replied. Luna considered her words for a moment. "Not all is as it seems, Twilight, either in dream or reality. A purple dragon may be among the pair headed toward us, but would it be the same one, or will this one be our saviour?" Luna suggested. "Cynder, hold on. I'm still tired from our encounter with Malefor, you know." Spyro chuckled. Cynder said nothing as she circled around the purple dragon and nuzzled him gently. "Is everything alright, Cynder? You've been quiet all day." Spyro noted. Cynder seemed guilty about something. "Spyro, I'm sorry. I was hoping to keep this up for a little longer. But it seems you're about ready to awaken." she said. Spyro began to grow confused. "Cynder... I don't understand." he said. "You will, Spyro. And I'm sure you won't like what you discover. But know this; I love you, with all my heart. And I will always love you, till the day you die and forever after. You're the love of my life, Spyro, and you're my hero. Don't let what you discover stop you from doing what you know is right." she replied. "Cynder?" Cynder's voice and form began to fade away, along with the world around him. Everything began to fade to darkness. "Goodbye."... ...Spyro woke up. His head hurt and his body ached. The last thing he remembered was spending time in blissful happiness with Cynder. Now he was confused. He lay on a mountain peak with a flat surface on the top. All he saw was stone and bone. Confusion struck him immediately. Where was he? Why was he here? How did he even get here? As questions began to fill his head, he found his most recent memories of Cynder slipping away. Pretty soon, the most recent thing he remembered were those three words: 'I love you!'. The quote seemed to whistle in a wind strong enough to roll a bone to his paw. He looked down to see a skeleton standing to his right where Cynder had been when he'd realigned the Dragon Realm. Fear began to overcome him and was quickly confirmed as the bone that had rolled onto him bore the same shape and horns as Cynder herself. The rest of the proof lay in her shackles which were wrapped around a set of leg bones and the disk of a tail. This was Cynder. This... was her skeleton. "Cynder..." under the midnight sky, a pair of eyes turned white with rage. Author's Note Alright! I'd hoped to wait before revealing the situation with Spyro and Cynder, but it just seemed necessary there. So, here's the latest update. Rate and Comment people!
