Spyro: Dawn of Light, 3-39

Part 3 



CHAPTER 39



"The tower stopped just outside the mountain range," Shimmer explained as they flew.  Below they could see the crystallized Settlement ruins, filling them with a weird sense of sadness and calm at the same time with the soft glittering and shining of the crystal surfaces.  "There's an old castle somewhere in there not too far from where they stopped.  Gnasty loves power, I'd imagine he'd set himself up as a king and try to operate from there."

"Won't know until we head there then..."

Flame stared at the shining remains of the Settlement.  "I still can't believe it...but what's gonna happen to those ruins now?"

"Eh, we'll just badger Spyro to grow the rest of the town out of crystal," Shimmer said with a smirk.  "He'd probably do it too, I think he likes gems."

They tried their hardest to ignore the great tower of darkness practically right next to them, but it was difficult to say the least.  No doubt Spyro and Cynder were already at work there.  The hourglass shape stretched up into the clouds above, leaving a chilling, almost clingy feel to the air as they slowly made their way towards the mountain chain to the northwest.  Shimmer led the way, trying to remember where exactly they'd seen the massive stone tower.  If Gnasty hadn't already reacted to Tephra's unexplained absence, there was a chance of him simply camping out inside and waiting, but then again they had stopped at the foot of an ancient kingdom; there was no reason for the Gnorc commander to ignore such temptation.  

Smoke was their beacon.  Rising up from a valley with sheer walls between the mountains, black smoke filled the air with a heavy stench of metals and burning fuels.  The smoke hung so thick in the air that the kids couldn't approach from above, having to land at the mouth of the valley.  Up ahead lay the ruins of what once must have been a great kingdom much like the Ancient Citadel not too far away to the east, but this one was tucked away in the very rock of the mountain.  In fact the entire valley looked as though skilled artisans had cut deep into the rock just to scoop out the great walkways, slopes, terraces, and pillars that stood before them.  Crumbling from ages of disuse, it was none the less impressive to consider the history here, and saddening to see the tools of Gnorc and Ape destruction scattered everywhere.  Pickaxes and shovels were strewn every which way, gem roughs left ignored here and there amid piles of rocks mined out thoughtlessly from the chasm walls or from the towering pillars, great metal lockboxes and crates of explosives strewn around the place...it was depressing.  But what caught their attention was that there was not a single Gnorc or other living creature to be seen.  

"They must all be holed up in the castle..." Neves grunted, readjusting his glasses.  Flame took a deep breath, but gagged and choked on the smoggy air.

"Ew even the air tastes like hot metal here..."

They progressed unhindered by enemies, though there were several barricaded areas they had to clear.  The smoke above hemmed them in and kept them from flying over the wreckage.  Caelos tried to blow it back with wind, but the smoke seemed to have some sort of magical will of its own, swiftly filling in any void his gusts made.  It was deathly silent here, the valley felt dead, yet watchful...hateful, even.  It felt like whatever had happened here ages ago was a dark chapter of history that would not let itself be reconciled.  They couldn't really bring themselves to speak, feeling like any rock or crevice might have watchful eyes darting for cover behind them.  At long last they reached the end of the valley, finding a long, winding staircase ascending the sheer cliff wall to the castle above, the bends accentuating various old statues and relief murals long weathered into obscurity.  Vague dragon and bipedal forms could be made out, but any details were long lost on this relatively weak stone.  As they ascended, they felt even deeper scrutiny.  After three or so turns of the stairs, Plazyma's wing flew up in warning.

"Hang on...something's not right."

"I feel it too..." Shimmer murmured, flaring both her wings.  "Yeah...the winds are changing...being forced to change, rather.  Something big is coming."

Thunder cracked above the smoke cloud, then through the smog burst a shadowy dragon figure, solid black across the body with an ebony collar and dark sapphire jewel dangling over its chest, matching bands on its tail and ankles.  It swooped in tight circles over them before landing gracefully on the stairs, wings unfurling in a flash of shadow power, barring their progress.  It was a form much like Cynder's corrupted adult visage, yet even the horns and fangs were pure black as if lacquered.  The only color aside from the deep scab-red of the necklace ornament was the magenta glow from its eyes.  

"Hmph...I'm disappointed.  Tephra and Spyro aren't here.  This isn't worth my time."  Those eyes narrowed into slits.  "You're here to challenge Gnasty aren't you?  Stupid little brats.  You can't stop us now."

"She's a fire dragon," Flame stated, stepping forward ahead of Plazyma and Shimmer.  "You guys go on ahead, I'll deal with her."

"By yourself?!" Plazyma balked.  "You really are an idiot!"

"I'm the only one here who can take fire head on, get going," he urged.  She huffed and shook her head.

"Oh all right fine, whatever.  Nevermind that Gnasty has the fire orb and its power too y'know."

"I know that.  But we know his tactics.  This one's new."

"He's right, he's best suited for a new enemy using fire," Neves added, wings flared to usher them.  "Go!"

"Who said you could pass?" the black dragoness snarled, fire gathering in her jaws.  Flame shot his concentrated beam breath, but she dodged to the side, spinning up a few steps higher to stay in their way.  She retaliated with her fire breath at them, Neves quickly countering with his ice breath.  Steam rose up and surrounded the area, Caelos manipulating the cloud to obscure them.  With the quick distraction the kids were able to scoot around her and run up the stairs.  "GET BACK HERE!!" the black dragoness screeched, breathing fireballs at them.  One glanced off Plazyma's back, making her hiss and nearly stumble.

A sharp blast to the back of her head made her whip around, Flame standing there bristling at her.  He had tears in his eyes.  "You are not going any further!" he shouted, then threw himself at her with a loud roar, the two tumbling down the stairs in a mad flurry of paws and kicks and teeth.  

Rushing as quickly as they could, the four others vaulted up the long staircase.  Now they could hear sounds of fighting - clashes of axes on wood, swords clattering, yells of pain and defeat and rage, and a few horns blowing here and there.  The kids finally ended up at a wide, round courtyard filled with smaller arenas and dome-ceiling viewing areas, many of which had crumbled.  The doorway to the castle glowed red from within, smoke streaming out.  Here and there they could see large groups of Gnorcs and Apes locked in combat, gems scattered everywhere amid Ape bodies and armor sets.  Hulking commanders from either side were also striking at each other, elemental power waves leaping up here and there.  A few Gnorcs opened fire with rapid-fire muskets, raining bullets on the Apes.  It was pure chaos, and it left the young dragons thoroughly confused.  

"I guess this is it," Neves stated.  "I mean, I know they never really liked each other, but it looks like without Tephra, there's nothing holding their forces together anymore."  Further in, they could hear more gunshots opening up within the castle.  Magic bolts bounced every which way as a few mage Gnorcs cast their spells.  

"Question is, how do we get in?" Plazyma asked.  "They haven't seen us yet but..."

Caelos breathed out slowly, his eyes glowing.  The air around his mouth shimmered and then dispersed, coating them in a soundproofing bubble.  Neves led the way, Shimmer keeping an eye out for anyone approaching and Plazyma using her electrical sense.  It was harrowing trying to avoid detection, and rather straining on Caelos, but they managed to sneak around the courtyard perimeter and hop up the stonework to the second level, their eyes and throats burning from the smoke.  Keeping low to the floor for cleaner air they crept forward.  The hallways were a mess of combat and aftermath, but one thing was certain: the Gnorcs had a clear upper hand.  It wasn't just the Apes they were fighting either.  As the young dragons crept around and found the great hall's upper walkways, the carnage below was dominated by Rhynocs trying to defend themselves too.  It was Apes outside the castle and Rhynocs inside.  Skirting the great hall by way of these upper halls, they moved deeper into the castle.  So long as the enemy was split, there was no need to fight any of them.  Their target was Gnasty, not the minions.  

Of course, after the great hall was the throne room, exactly where they wanted to go.  To either side of the throne riser lay great staircases descending deep into the heart of the mountain, a dull orange light rising up from the depths with the smell of hot metal.  Gnasty stood there before his throne, his mighty gem-headed battle hammer in one hand, the other extended and glowing with fire power as he held the Fire Orb.  Streams of power were flowing from it into several Gnorc commanders kneeling before him.  Off to the side, the kids could see a filamentous figure wearing sunglasses and plated in metal sheets, bearing a staff with a skull and feathers and various gem baubles.  When Gnasty was finished powering up his soldiers, they turned to the figure, receiving a spinning wave of that rod which made their armor glow.  A collective yell rang forth and they charged to join the battle.  The door fell shut behind them, a loud clunk echoing through the hall as a lock secured the room.  Sitting on his throne, Gnasty chuckled deeply.  

"Soon we win and take over the world.  SHEMP!!"

"Here, lord," the mystery figure replied in a gravely voice.

"Make sure we crush them all."  With a sweep of his rod, Shemp disappeared, teleporting to the front courtyard.  Gnasty smirked.  "First Apes, then Rhynocs, then we smash puny dragons.  Plan is good."

"It won't be that easy," Plazyma called angrily.  

"SHHHH!!" Shimmer hissed, but it was too late, the electric dragoness was already gliding down to the floor.  Gnasty shot up off his throne, hefting his hammer.

"About time," he snarled, pointing his weapon at them as they lined up before him.  "Where is Spyro?"

"Taking care of other things," Neves replied, teeth bared.  "What are you planning here?"

"To smash you!" he replied simply, holding the Fire Orb aloft.  It flashed brightly and beams shot from it, twisting swiftly around the room and causing a great wall of fire to leap up from the floor to the second-level ceiling high above.  "Puny brats!"

"LOOK OUT!" Shimmer barked, spraying water as Gnasty leapt into the air with his hammer held high.  Her breath put out the gathered flames around the gemstone hammerheads, but the impact on the floor was still enough to send them tumbling.  Their dragonflies shivered with fright but kept close as they regrouped.  "There's not a whole lot we can do aside from fire and ice, but Caelos, try to disorient him!  Here he comes!"

Rushing forward the green brute swung wide at them, the air wave nearly bowling them over.  Where did that enormous strength come from?  One hit from that was sure to completely knock out their dragonflies!  Plazyma growled and ducked past him, then roared as she blasted him with her electric breath.  

"AAGH!" he shouted, jumping around and hollering in pain.  

"YES!! Finally someone who's not immune!" she cackled.

Gnasty swung wide at the wall of fire, parting the flames and quenching them from that spot as he vaulted down the stairwell.  "Oh come on!" Shimmer snarled, giving chase.  The others followed suit, Plazyma overtaking them in her zeal to smack down the Gnorc commander.  The smells of hot metal and burning wood grew stronger still as they descended, finally ending up running along steel-plated flooring hovering near a river of magma, no doubt used deeper within the castle for forging their weapons like at Boyzitbyg.  They could clearly hear the heavy tromp tromp tromp of the giant's steel-shod boots as he fled, rounding corners just ahead of them.  A steel-rimmed pool of water passed by, then led up a short flight of steps to a round platform where the Gnorc finally stopped.  He turned just in time to see a burst of electricity and a pair of horns hurtling right at him, Plazyma crashing right into him well ahead of the others.  She bounced off him with a backflip from the impact, sending him reeling a few steps, following up with a blast of her strongest electricity before she landed.  Gnasty grunted and shuddered as his muscles jerked, then he swung wildly at her, forcing her to back up and jump away to give him clearance to run again.  "YOU'RE NOT GETTING AWAY FROM ME!!" she shouted.  "I WANT A FAIR FIGHT DAMMIT!!"

He lunged away from her tackle and started for the path looping around back up to the throne room, but she bolted ahead of him with a clap of thunder and zapped him again with another breath blast.  Roaring out in pain, he fished the Fire Orb from its pouch on his belt and held it up, launching a volley of fireballs at her.  It wasn't hard to dodge, but when the dust and smoke cleared he was already off down a branch path deeper into the castle's foundry.  Snarling in anger she chased him once more.  They hopped from platform to platform over the lava river, the sheets of metal slowly pulling into the wall to prevent the others from following easily.  With another burst of electric speed she caught up to him just as he reached his destination and whipped around with his hammer, sending a spray of magic bolts at her.  One bolt caught her hind paw and she shrieked in pain, landing hard and finding her paw wouldn't respond.  Looking back quickly she gasped when she saw the lower half of her leg was green crystal.  Another quick bolt hit her opposite wing and she flopped to the side under the sudden change in weight, the stiff green limb clattering on the floor beside her.  "Stupid dragons," he growled, pointing his hammer at her.  The hammer head gems glowed, but a flash in her vision blocked the next bolt.  Glancing around in confusion they both saw her dragonfly flit up to her, a different color than usual.  

"Finally caught up to me huh?" she grinned.  Hefting herself up as best she could, electricity gathered around her, Gnasty stepping back in fear as he felt her elemental power surging.  With a screaming roar she gathered her Fury power and blasted him with a brilliant arc of lightning from her throat, many times more powerful than her usual breath.  The heat burst off his leather straps, his armor clattering to the floor around him.  He grunted and fell to his knees, then faceplanted, his heavy hammer skittering over to her side.  

"I'll be back," he grunted, looking up at her with a nasty smirk before he disappeared in a flash of smoke and magic sparks.

"Plazyma!!" Shimmer shouted, her voice echoing dully down the tunnel.  Pulling herself forward, the yellow dragoness rummaged through the wrecked armor, grinning as she pulled out a cloth pouch round and heavy with the Fire Orb.  She couldn't undo the pull tie on it for some reason though, nor would her claws or teeth tear the fabric.  Grunting in frustration she tried to store it, but it wouldn't disappear into her personal inventory.  

"Blah, stupid Gnorc magic," she grunted, then glared at her crystallized leg.  It was slowly creeping up her thigh, but surely one of the others had an Orb on them.  It was the Orbs that had given Spyro the ability to undo the spell after all.  

~Are you okay?!~ came Caelos' aerial voice, the wind dragon gliding up to her over the lava thermals.  He landed beside her and nosed at her wing.

"Where's Gnasty?" Shimmer asked, though she stopped when she saw his armor and hammer laying around Plazyma.  

"I think she did what we came for, but that was incredibly reckless," Neves grunted as he landed behind them.  With a sigh he produced the Ice Orb and touched it to her.  The crystal flashed and shattered like an eggshell, restoring her.  

"Ugh...thanks," she growled as she stretched.  "Yeah, maybe it was reckless, but we've been out in the Forgotten Realms too long.  It felt good to fight for once."  Giving him a smirk, she added "And this time we don't have to head back to the Temple to recover for days."  She nabbed the cloth pouch between her teeth and held it up for them.  "I can't theem to get it open," she said through her teeth.

"Probably bound to his hand then."  Shimmer laid her paw on the bag.  "I can't really feel anything, but I'm not familiar with Gnorc strains of magic."

"You're not supposed to use magic anyway," her boyfriend scolded, though with a little grin only she could see.

"I don't get why he ran though," Plazyma growled, pawing at a horned shoulderplate.  She tossed the Fire Orb up and caught it between her wing shoulders.  "He was putting up more of a fight at the Settlement, but here he just ran away."

Neves growled too, frowning.  "I don't like the implication but I think he's finally realized he can use his respawning to test us for weaknesses instead of just blindly attacking.  He probably just lured you away to see if his idea would work."  His eyes flitted to her leg and wing.  "If so, your recklessness just gave him something he might try to use."

"Meh."  She shrugged.  "I killed him with outright power.  He may have strong magic, but I found out something too.  He's incredibly weak.  He hides behind his offensive might and his magic, but when you zap him he's a pansy."

~I hate to take sides but I think Plazyma may be right,~ Caelos added.  ~Sure, he may have experimented here, and a headshot with that spell may have ended her until we got here, if he didn't have a plan after that.  But, I don't think he's smart enough about tactics as you think, Neves.  This planning of his is a new thing and we know he's very slow and operates on one track.  Whoever fights him next may not have much to worry about.  Not to discount your concerns of course, which are valid, but I feel his tactics will still be foolishly simple and straight.~

"Perhaps.  But let's get outta here, the heat's sapping my strength."  Indeed, he was looking pretty wilted.  Not pushing the matter any further they flew out as quickly as they could, Plazyma carrying the Fire Orb pouch in her mouth again.  

Outside, Flame heaved and panted, wincing as a large cut along his hip stung and throbbed.  His foe stood across the courtyard from him, smirking proudly, her long lithe tail flicking back and forth with audible snaps.  "You're quite tough," she remarked.  "But that shadow magic in that cut should start affecting you any minute now."

Crap, it already is... he growled to himself as his vision wavered and a chill ran over his body much like when Cynder shadowphased him.  

"No matter though.  I'm done here.  Gnasty's gone and gotten himself finished again so I've gotta babysit him.  I'll see you again, cutie."  Her grin and the flick of her tongue over her lips sent chills of disgust down his spine.  With a great sweep of her wings she flew off, speeding through the air as if she were a knife through butter.  Flame glided to the ground and pulled out a Health crystal, holding it to the cut.  It flickered and his wound glowed, but only managed to scab over instead of fully healing.  The chilly sensation lessened somewhat but didn't fully fade.  

"Damn magic..."

The battle was still raging below, the Gnorcs and Apes clawing and shooting each other to death, but with the reinforcements Gnasty had sent out the battle was now completely one-sided.  If Gnasty was defeated, his forces were probably just going to stay here and wait for his return.  Presently the others joined him, flying as quickly as they could in case his battle was still going.  Plazyma was a little disappointed to see he was alone and sporting a wound.

"You didn't finish her?" she asked with a frown, tossing him the Fire Orb.  To their surprise, the drawstring undid itself as soon as the pouch touched his scales, the Orb rolling out onto the dead grass.

"Huh, that didn't take long."  He picked it up and looked at the glowing ruby set within the inches-thick clear crystal, feeling a very familiar warm power flowing into him.  "No, I didn't finish her.  She ran off.  But, I've figured out her fighting style and her weaknesses.  Next time I see her, she won't last long."

Shimmer squinted at him.  "She infected you with something.  I can feel it."

He went to reply, but felt a wave of hesitation.  "It's nothing to worry about.  I'm fine.  Let's go before the Gnorcs completely wipe out everyone else and head up here."

The water dragoness shot him an accusing glare but let it rest.  Two of us hit already by magic in the same outing, I don't like this...


------------


Several miles away, Cynder was still hiding, darting from shadow to shadow as she studied these creatures and tried to keep from being discovered.  She'd almost forgotten all about her dragonfly, the poor little thing shivering on her shoulder as they sat in her shadow power.  Strangely, the lightning blast had hit her health directly, bypassing her dragonfly's protective shielding.  She had to figure out what they were using, but another hit like that could knock her out or...even kill her.  The ring of Nons was still circling overhead lazily, ready to jump at her the moment she was found.  Even with as unfair as it sounded, she hoped Spyro would find something that would get their attention.  It was a long way to get out of the Nons' range, and there was no telling how far they could stray from the Night's influence.  Perhaps they were fully sufficient now but just lingering around the Night waiting for whatever was to come next.  

"I don't have Spyro's overwhelming power..." she muttered to herself, but then the memory of coming to a near tie with him in the White Isles surfaced.  Out there they were still unfamiliar with their power limits and had gone as all-out as they dared, resulting in a nearly even match.  Granted, perhaps Spyro had been being quite conservative with his abilities, but the display had been impressive nonetheless.  Trying to calm herself a bit, she glanced at the Night barrier and realized it was some sort of chaotic tear, a flow of magic, natural energy and elemental power all mixed together.  Could she do it...?

Gritting her teeth, she popped out of her shadow barrier with a loud roar, slashes erupting all through the air around her as she swept madly with her paws.  Dark matter slashes tore through the air, wreaking havoc on the ghastly Nonsleeper bodies.  Limbs fell off, heads and tails went flying, turning to mist and slowly reforming, but she managed to surprise a fair number around herself and clear some space for her landing.  Not giving them a chance to retaliate, she spun around, breathing shadow on herself.  Her tail seemed to lengthen, becoming like a jagged bolt of black lightning with a gleaming purple dark-matter blade at the end.  Her wings shot out into horrific bony blades, her thumbblades growing into more jagged bladed forks.  With several twirls, those dark appendages danced erratically in a whirlwind, lancing and slashing he Nons floating above her and trying to channel more power for another of their black lightning attacks.  Drawing on the elemental power in the Night barrier, the phantom around her grew even larger, until standing above her was an enormous puppet of solid shadow, terrible to behold and brimming with power.  The Nons she hadn't yet cut down backed off, hissing and pawing in her direction but hesitant to make a move on her.  Those she had sliced through were trying to reform themselves, but her use of the elemental power had disrupted their surroundings and they took their time in immaterial form to study this new change of events.  The vast shadow dragon stamped its paw in time with Cynder, then suddenly lashed out, its claws extending a hundred feet with each swipe.  Flashes of magic power erupted as the Nons defended themselves, though a few still got cut down.  Spinning around, she brought her tail whipping over herself into a ground slam, a pool of dark matter splashing up like a geyser on impact and swallowing those who failed to get away in time.  Several others gathered another lightning bolt and flung it at her, but it tore right where she should have been, the gap launching a counterblast in their general direction.  The little form of Cynder was shadowphased and immune to most of their attacks now.  Unsure of how to proceed, the ghostly apparitions hissed at her but stopped trying to attack.  Cynder stood there, gauging her surroundings and their reactions.  Why weren't they trying to fight?  Was something supposed to happen with the Eternal Night?

"What are you?" her voice echoed through her puppet above her, its eyes glowing red.  Most of the Nons paused and tilted their heads at her, some spines flaring here and there.  "I ask again, what are you creatures?  You attack us without reason, you've gathered power and changed yourselves, and now you seem to be waiting for something.  What are you?  What were you before?" she demanded.

Some were humming or growling, others just stared at her, tilting their heads back and forth as if trying to understand her words.  Finally, one hesitantly took a few steps forward on all fours, facing sideways like an intimidating animal but with its head leaned forward as if trying to figure out whether she was a real threat or not.  The ones in the air that had shot her down were still aligned in a circle, but without contact, also waiting to see how this played out.

"Chssss..." the closest one hissed, then clacked its jaw.

"I know you things can speak, I've heard you before."  Instead of a reply, they continued to stare at her.  I've gotta keep them busy out here in case Spyro finds something in there...  "Why were you bound to Elamrof?  Are you really evil spirits held by the Well?  We don't know what you are."

The one that had approached her canted its head again, then its mouth hung morbidly slack like something out of a horrific dream, tongue wagging and slithering.  Its hissing noises sounded almost like it was trying to replicate her speech.  Had they lost the ability to talk with their power-up?

"Ssssssave..." it breathily hissed, sounding like many soft, evil voices whispering at once.

"Excuse me?"

"Sssssaaaaveee yyyyoouuu..."

"I don't understand."

"Dessssstrrroooyyyy..."

Crouching, she prepared herself for an attack, but when the creature tilted its head once again, she stopped.  What was it trying to convey?  Was it mimicking only words it understood, or had heard before?

Inside the Night, Spyro was perched at the peak of the mountain, looking out over the terrain as he thought.  There had to be something here.  Off in the distance he could see the land fading in and out still, but here immediately around the mountain everything was monochromatic and steady.  Suddenly, it clicked.  If he was connected to the Eternal Night, perhaps there was a failsafe active to prevent a purple dragon from interfering?  Was he somehow, by his own power, locked into this... shadowy other-realm, for his own protection or to protect the Night?  Holding his breath, he tried his best to placate his intense power, but all that did was make him dizzy.  There had to be some way for him to circumvent this, to get to the real Elamrof crater and figure out what the mechanic behind all this was.

Do you really think this wise, child?

He growled, baring his teeth.  "Go away."

Let me tell you something, young dragon...You know nothing of what is truly going on.  What would you say if I told you that fighting the Night is actually harmful to your world?

"I'd say you can screw off because you're trying to con me.  I don't know who you are or why you persist, but I do know that I don't trust you."

Ah, but how can you "know" without knowing anything?  You try to take the higher moral ground but you stand on precariously stacked mica plates, little fool.  But while you sit here wracking your young, inexperienced brain, allow me to offer some insight.  You yourself know full well that light and dark are polar opposites, one cannot exist without the contrast of the other?  Spyro offered no reply, trying his best to tune out this voice and simply ignore it.  Creation cannot happen without destruction, reducing what was before to bare elements for reconstruction.  Light cannot exist without dark for contrast.  Nothingness cannot exist without something.  Even among your very elemental powers, certain elements intrinsically oppose each other.  The Eternal Night is no different.  For countless ages this world has carried on...but it is weary, little one.  This planet is exhausted.  It must rest.  Your world has been bathed in light, goodness, creation, fruitfulness, positive energy and matter...but just like you, one can only persist for so long before sleep, darkness, is necessary.  The Eternal Night is just that.  The world's way of resting.

"By destroying everything and converting it to evil?  I highly doubt that.  Now get lost."

I cannot stop you.  I merely offer the truth of the matter.  What you seek to do is to repress the world's urge to rest, to sleep, to keep it awake and further stretch its capacities until it utterly fails on itself.  Your world will slowly fracture, your food sources dry up, your oceans will heave and flood the land, volcanoes burst and all manner of natural disasters will rise up as the world becomes unconscious.  It has happened before.

"I don't believe you."

And well you should not without proof, but I have none to give.  You could ask a certain...guardian...

"You tempted me with the door of answers below Warfang, you continue to try to get me to second-guess myself, but I will not listen to you.  Even if you're right about all this, there's no reason the world would simply destroy everything on itself for the sake of rest."

It is not rest in the way you think of it, Spyro... Nature itself is a force of cycles, of ebbs and swells...and the Eternal Night is an ebb where the world has swelled for much longer than it can endure.  It is balance.  And it is inevitable.  If you force down this event now, you only cause the next to become stronger.  The world will balance itself, you only worsen it by resisting.  Even if you are the Purple Dragon, the one blessed by the world itself...it will balance itself in spite of you should you continue to ignore your purpose...

With a roar of frustration Spyro suddenly flared up, purple flames licking at the air around him, even seeming to reach into the air to some other plane.  "GO AWAY!!!" he shouted, the entire mountain shaking.  With a sudden ripping sensation that knocked the air from his lungs he was sent falling, that horrible controlling force snatching at him and forcing his lungs to take in air.  His mind raced with panic, terror and confusion as he tried to breathe, yet was forced to breathe, yet felt like he wasn't getting any air, all while tumbling head over tail into a great gaping crater full of horrible ghastly forms and the glittering of thousands of crystal golems.  

The only thing he could think of was to encase himself in crystal and snow to avoid an otherwise ending impact, but when he tried to form a thick snowball around himself, instead more purple fire blazed forth with white plasma within it, the purple dragon becoming a purple fireball.  He landed in the crater, caught by surprise as he merely bounced and rolled along the ground.  When he got back, still dizzy from that controlling grip causing his lungs to saw back and forth against his body's rhythm, he found himself surrounded, a smaller round crater left where he'd landed and trails of purple fire everywhere radiating from that blast zone.  What the hell had just happened?  Either way he was in the enemy's very nest and had basically just announced his presence.  All around him, gangly, sinister, foggy creatures with red eyes glared at him, hissing, most in defensive postures, probably from his fiery entrance.  A loud howling scream rose up from them, a multitude lunging into the air and spreading great bat-like bony wings covered in ethereal blades, their claws extending into horrible spears.  The ones on the ground bent over onto all fours and seemed to change shape, more lizard-like in appearance as their faces extended into long, toothy muzzles.  Crystal golems sat motionless among them, but were clearly operational.

"I don't have time for this," Spyro choked out.  Even his thoughts and words felt like he had to force them past someone else's will.  Looking down, he realized he was standing on top of the crumbled Well of Souls, nothing more than a gigantic pile of rubble now that had sunk into its own foundations over time.  His paw shaking in protest, he lifted it up, then with a loud roar a spear of light formed just over him and was swiftly sent plunging into the rubble with a terrific blast, hollowing out a tunnel straight down.  The surrounding throng lunged in at him, several forming a circle over him and touching wingtips, gathering dark energy between them.  Spyro tried to go into the hole, but couldn't get himself to move properly.  Using his earth powers he levitated a stone, then grimaced and bashed himself over the head with it.  Dizzy, disoriented from the sharp blast of pain, he stumbled and flopped over right into the hole, rolling and skidding down along the rocks until he landed and rolled onto his face, ending up on his back and staring at the ceiling above.  He's made it into some sort of chamber, but it was so dark he couldn't see anything, and it smelled so horrible his eyes were watering anyway.  Coughing and wincing at the smell and the bruises and cuts all over him from that fall, he shook himself and produced a Health Crystal.  It seemed down here he avoided that controlling force...at least for now anyway.  He had to find out what the cause of the Night was, and he had to do it before those creatures followed him down here or that force grabbed him again.

Back outside, the air shook and the entire congregation looked up in alarm at the Night barrier.  Cynder glanced back, but saw no change.  Regardless, the Nonsleepers started to move towards the barrier.  Flinging her paw out, her puppet's paw slashed through the air, sharp claws trying to bar passage, but the creatures simply dissolved into mist to bypass her, entering the Night and becoming even more horrific in appearance, distorted like terrible nightmare ghouls.  The one addressing her, however, stayed where it was.

"Drrragooooonnnnnn..." it slurred.

"What do you mean?"

"Drrrraaaaagoooonnnnnnnn..." it repeated slower, pointing at her.  "Coorrrruuupssssiiiinnnnn..."

It sounded like a blend of "corruption" and "sin", making her blister with rage.  "I am no longer corrupted!  I will not serve him anymore!"  With a growl it shook its head and followed its kin into the Night.  "HEY WAIT!!" she ordered, trying to block it from leaving, but with a sudden snarl it raced at her, bowled her over and almost carried her into the Night barrier before disappearing through it.  Scrambling to her feet, her shadow puppet destroyed by her snap in concentration, she whimpered.  "Oh crap Spyro I couldn't...I couldn't stop them...please!  Please be safe!!"  She reached out to walk through, but had to force herself to stop, feeling the hungry, negative power of the barrier pulling at her.  "Spyro...please...come back to me, please!"

"I know this chamber..." Spyro grunted as he looked into a pool.  "These poor spirits trapped here...they had nothing to do with the evil ones..."  He could almost feel the ethereal liquid crying for help and it made him shiver.  He was at the foot of the giant statue of the Dark Master, the room he'd had to scale to find the staircase to Gaul's throne room.  Only the floor of the chamber was still intact; the statue had fallen over in ruin, its pieces somehow doming over and creating a structure that the rest of the mountain had fallen around.  Glaring at the broken face staring down at him, he pressed on, hoping to somehow find a way to the throne room again.  There was nothing else in this complex that he knew of, everything else had been security and the true power of the Eternal Night had been focused in that lower chamber under the throne room.  There had to be something there.

Echoing hollers, screeches, moans, and clattering of rocks told him he didn't have long to muse about this.  With another loud yell he conjured a spear of earth power and threw it through the wall, shattering the statue's feet.  It was a gamble, one that didn't quite pay off.  He could feel the residual shards of his Time crystal above him, but the new tunnel collapsed on itself solidly.  This wasn't the hidden chamber.  

"The black one sends her regards," came a hiss behind him.  Spyro whipped around and ducked under an incoming slash, only to get kicked backwards, bashing his head on a boulder.    With a hurried blast of earth breath he forced his way into the wall, giving rapid, short blasts and weaving side to side, trying to evade his opponent, but it crawled along the tunnel and kept up with him as if to taunt him.  Behind them the tunnel started collapsing, trapping them.  Spyro knew he could replicate Tephra's little trick of floating through the earth, but with its power consumption he didn't want to risk it just yet unless he needed to escape at all costs.  Without warning the rocks crumbled and fell out under his paws, dumping him and his adversary into a familiar chamber, a circular platform surrounded by green glowing fluid.  The shadowy Nonsleeper was almost black in appearance with vivid red eyes, looking almost like a spidery dragon with blades for wings.

"What did you do to Cynder?!" he demanded, the ghoul laughing with many voices that grated on his ears.  It lunged at him again, but in his rage he blasted it with fire, the color turning white, then blue, then purple, the Nonsleeper screaming in pain and fear.

"Hhhhooowww are you sssso ssssstrong?!" it demanded, skittering away to the other end of the platform.  Its whole body bubbled and it stood up on two legs, head thrown back in a screeching roar as it grew double its size.  It swung its scythe-like claws at him from across the room, but Spyro merely jumped and rolled between them, breathing fire and gathering its light into a sword on his paw.  When he landed he spun and threw the sword, the Nonsleeper screeching and doubling over as the blade sank through its gut.

"You have no more power on this world!  I name you Evil and I banish you in the name of all that is good and light!"  The Nonsleeper stumbled as if struck hard and with a hiss it fled, turning into mist and disappearing into the rubble above.  Snorting and shaking himself to clear his head, the purple dragon looked around.  It wouldn't be much longer before the others came after him.  In the middle of the platform was that base he'd fallen onto right when the beam of the moons had struck.  He shuddered in disgust but padded up to it, standing on it.  Once he was fully within the circle, he gasped and groaned in pain as a dark power washed over him, that controlling grip clamping over his entire body.  He didn't see it but his scales were flashing between black and purple as he struggled to resist that horrible control.  He felt weak, his heart, lungs, even his brain struggling to remain his own as that other willpower attempted to subjugate everything about him.  This wasn't what he was looking for!  He was supposed to find some sort of clue!

You will submit to me, foolish one...

"NO!!"

You have no choice...it is your purpose...

With a sudden chill, Spyro realized he'd been tricked.  He'd been led here.  He was what was needed to finish the Night.  His power.  Struggling harder against that willpower creeping ever more into his body, he thrashed and snapped at the air, trying to move his paws, but they remained rooted in place, controlled by something else.  Those voices had goaded his anger and made him more resolute in coming here.  Now this...thing...was taking him over.

Your power is not yours, and you have not used it properly.  I will fix that.

That voice was...coming from him?

"GO AWAY!!"

You came right into this of your will, you cannot tell me to leave now!

No!  This was not what he wanted!  If he gave in now, everything, their whole world, everything he fought for would be lost!  With a flash, Cynder came to mind.  Cynder...what did that Nonsleeper mean?  What had they done to her?!  He couldn't leave her!

Yes, that's it...fear...anger...submit!  Give in!

"Cynder...I'm so sorry..." he whimpered, feeling his legs give out.  "I'm so sorry...please don't hate me..."  All he could think of was her heartbroken, scared face, that face of abandonment and fear he'd seen so many times in his dreams.  Nothing else mattered in that moment but that crestfallen, broken look on her face.  "I can't do that to you..."  Pounding the floor with his paw, he shakily forced himself up, snarling, tears running down his face.  "I WILL NOT HURT YOU!!" he screamed into the abyss, purple fire flaring up around him abruptly.  The crater shook and trembled, harder, harder, growing in intensity, then with an almighty crack the ground under him opened up, shattering the platform as a purple Fury ripped across him.

Cynder sobbed to herself, staring into the mutated landscape beyond the barrier.  "Spyro what have I done...please...please be okay!!" she begged.  A six-eyed, mutated form materialized before her and she screamed and darted back, the creature bellowing and chasing her, shuddering as it passed through the barrier.  Its skin looked like it was pulling apart over a translucent skeleton, its limbs mutilated with blades and spikes sprouting out everywhere, a mouth with three sets of sharp fangs and a belly full of Gems.  "No...no!  SPYRO!!" she screamed.  "YOU PROMISED!!"  With a furious roar she blasted it with all her might, the creature sent flying back through the Night barrier, her beam of power streaming across the landscape.

A purple beam of light shot up from the Elamrof crater, conjoining with Cynder's power, the two arcs of power shooting up into the sky and blasting the Eternal Night apart utterly.  There was a terrible, throbbing howl that seemed to echo across the land as that dark culmination of negative energy was torn apart and dispersed.  A widespread wailing of defeat rose up from the nearby area as Nonsleepers everywhere howled in rage and confusion.  Ignorant of everything else around her, Cynder flew as fast as she could to toe wastes of Elamrof, the crate even more decimated after that blast.  She could feel a soothing warmth flowing over her like a warm wind from it, instead of that awful dark power from before.  Her wings just couldn't get her there fast enough!  Sobbing with panic she raced as if for life itself, her wind power carrying her along with incredible speed until she reached the mountain and found Spyro standing over the corpse of that mutated dragon she'd blasted.  Gasping with relief she nearly collapsed from the air, landing clumsily by him.  Their eyes met and they both rushed up to each other, standing up and hugging with their forelegs and wings, nuzzling and necking.

"Oh Spyro I thought...I thought you'd been poisoned, I thought this thing was you!" she choked.

"I thought the Nons had done something to you, they said you sent regards and all that like a threat..."  Giving her a squeeze he laughed, ignoring the tears streaming down his face.  "I'm so glad you're okay...you're alive..."

"Oh Spyro..."  She pulled back and they fell on all fours, still nuzzling, Cynder licking his cheek and sniffling.  "I was so scared I'd lost you..."

"Me too...I think they were trying to use our anger as a last defense.  But we need to get outta here."  Wiping his eyes with his wings he glanced back at the crater.  "They're gonna be pissed as hell and we don't want to be here for that."  Looking up at the sky he sighed with a smile.  "It's gone...It's finally gone..."

"You did it, Spyro!" she said, kissing his cheek and making him blush.  "The Eternal Night is finally over!"

Something was prompting him to say "We did it", but he just smiled in return and licked her cheek, to which she blushed and looked away shyly.  "C'mon.  One tool of the enemy down, more to go.  And this should make it easier.  Next up, those Dark Gems."

The crater groaned behind them and they heard the sound of stone falling into caverns, growing louder and closer.  Taking wing they flew as quickly as they could, but with a great heave the whole mountain seemed to slump in on itself, creating a true crater deep in the ground as it continued to fall into whatever depths had been plumbed for the Well.  It was such a sudden and massive collapse that Spyro and Cynder yelled as they were caught in a suction draft, the air being pulled in sharply from the sudden displacement like an inverted explosion.  Tumbling madly and struggling against the random gusts and wind currents, Spyro finally managed to grab Cynder and she grimaced as static electricity surrounded them.  With a flash, and the weird tingly smell of ozone in their noses, they were safely away from the chaos.  Spyro set her down and then flopped onto his back, panting and staring at the sky.  Cynder flopped onto his belly and he smiled and hugged her.  She purred and giggled, still blushing.  "Should we be relaxing here?  It may not be safe yet," she pointed out, poking his nose with her claw.  He couldn't help but notice those steel bands still on her wrists and neck.

"Cynder...mind telling me why you wear these?" he asked, poking her bracelets.  She balked, then sighed and slipped off him.  

"Way to ruin the moment, idiot."

"I'm sorry, but...it's really bugging me.  Why do that to yourself?"

She sighed and shook her head.  "Spyro...I can't tell you."

"Yes you can.  You don't have that necklace choking you anymore."

With a little growl she glared at him.  "Fine...I wear them because...I'm tired of all the fear.  All the anger.  People keep seeing me as the Terror of the Skies no matter what I do...so I might as well give them what they want.  And do good things while I wear these."

"That's...not the whole matter."  When she turned away again, he nuzzled her neck.  "Cynder...please..."

She shivered, her voice breaking a bit.  "Spyro...I just said...all that fear and anger..."

He wrapped his wing around her and pulled her to his side.  "Cynder...you're you.  Don't let them define you.  You're my best friend, even with what you did back then.  You don't have to beat yourself up over it or force yourself to endure whatever this is you're putting yourself through."

"You wouldn't understand..." she grumbled, pushing away and wiping her face with her paw.  Her dragonfly crawled up onto her nose and flashed sadly.

"Maybe not, but I know you're in pain."

"That's why I wear these..."

An idea came to his mind about that, a personal idea.  With a sigh he nudged her again.  "Alright...I'm sorry for...breaking the mood...you know I'm not good with romance stuff."

"Romance?" she asked, turning with a raised brow.  He flinched and blushed.

"I-I mean...isn't that what you meant by mood?"

Now it was her turn to blush.  "D-Don't be stupid!  We were celebrating!  Oh come on let's just go back..."  She took off into the air, trying her hardest to stop blushing.  As they flew, they occasionally brushed wins, accidentally at first, but as the land turned to ocean under them and the Temple island became visible, the awkwardness faded and they made a little game of brushing wingtips as they slowly flew and spread their wings to glide, taking it easy for once.  Without the Night, the world already felt a little warmer, the haze in the sky not quite so thick and brown.  





"I still can't believe it!" Flame exclaimed with a huge grin.  "You actually pulled it off!"

"Yeah, but it was a scarier ordeal than I've faced yet, even though it wasn't a really tough battle..." Spyro grunted, then hissed as Rivyera and Bianca poked at him.  

"Whaddaya mean?" Sidian asked, head tilted.

The purple dragon sighed, stretching his wing as Rivyera pulled at it.  "I just...it wasn't a physical battle this time.  It was a contest of willpower.  There's something out there trying to grab at me...and it...it nearly took me."

"The Dark Master..." Neves snarled.  Spyro shrugged.

"I don't know.  There was a voice taunting me about the Night being the world's version of balancing so many ages of plentitude and peace, there was another willpower trying to control my whole body and even my mind...then there was that voice going on about my power not being mine and how I've misused it..."

"Evil can take many forms," Rivyera replied.  "One spirit can seem as many as it needs, and many can act as one.  It could have been one power pretending to be many to confuse you."

"Whatever it was...I don't trust it to be fully gone yet.  The Night may be finally dispelled but the world's got to recover, and that doesn't happen overnight," Neves answered, the others nodding.  "So long as there's still decay and negativity from its aftermath, we can only expect more attacks and evil powers.  Even though the Night is gone and the lesser evil spirits with it, the stronger ones, including the Nons, have been fortified by it and are still abroad."

Bianca stood back and sighed.  "Alright...so far as I can tell, he's clear.  No residual magic spells or hexes so far as I can tell."

"Indeed," Rivyera agreed, giving him a motherly pat as she finished inspecting his wing.  "You're all beaten up, but so far as I can tell you should be fine.  Just make sure you use some Health crystals.  I have Flame to inspect next."

"I'm fine," the red replied, backing away, but Bianaca suddenly poofed in a colorful puff of smoke and reappeared behind him.

"I smell poison magic."

"You'd better not need a blueberry bath for that!" he yelped.

"Ooohh, not a bad idea," Rivyera said with a grin.  "The antioxidants would definitely help."

"NOOOO!!!" he yelled, running out of the room.  They burst out laughing.

"Poor Flame, doesn't wanna be purple again," Cynder snickered.  They heard him yelp again and the Temple trembled, more yelling floating down the halls.  

"Sounds like he disturbed Tephra.  He'll never learn," Shimmer said with a humorous sigh.  "Oh well."

Spyro yawned and stretched, Sparx flitting up to him.  The other dragonflies flitted around the room, then together they flew out to search for some snacks, Plazyma's bug leading the way with its duller glow and color.  "Why's your dragonfly so low?" he asked.

"Eh, Gnasty hit me with a crystal spell a few times.  But I smoked his ass."  She pulled out his warhammer, making Spyro and Cynder stare.  "And also scored this nifty trophy too."

"Oh he's gonna be pissed off," Spyro grumbled.

"Yeah, but guess what?  He's fully open to our breath attacks.  He's so focused on offense that even with all that armor, he's a pansy against our dragon powers.  Maybe even more than he was before at the Oceanic Isles."

Flame pulled out the Fire Orb pouch, the gem rolling out into view.  "We've also got this, finally.  So in one day we've gotten all eight elemental orbs, we've stopped Gnasty's formation of a Gnorc army at that castle, and the Eternal Night has been stopped!"

"Things are finally looking up for once," Shimmer said, stretching and quivering a bit.  "So what's the next task?"

"Those Dark Gems.  The Eternal Night may have posed a bigger threat but those things are still out there chewin' up the world," Plazyma growled.  

Sidian sighed.  "Spyro told me his idea for that...but I need Tephra's help.  We can do it together, but I don't know if she'll do it...even if I ask."

"That's a chance we need to take, and even if you can't destroy every last Gem at once, anything is a win at this point."  Spyro yawned again and rubbed his eyes.  "My gosh, that struggle hit me harder than I thought..."

"Let's all get some rest, you kids have earned it," Rivyera said quietly, backing out of the room.  "Freshen up for the next obstacle."  As they got into their beds and got comfortable, Rivyera went to see her children, Nightshade entertaining them with little spheres of his shadow power.  "They're fine," she reported, nuzzling him.  

"Spyro and Cynder looked...upset, when they got back."

"Yes...I didn't ask about it but they both looked like they'd gone through a terrible scare and were crying badly.  Whatever happened out there must've been stressful."

"Indeed..." he sighed.  Mirage tackled her icy brother and the two tumbled over each other squeaking and squealing.  Rivyera giggled and laid down by her mate, leaning against him.  Tecton crawled up to her and yawned, then flopped over her paw.  She rubbed his back and he fell asleep quickly.  "I hope this means the end is near...hopefully the skies will clear and the world can recover."

"You know as well as the rest of us that the damages will take much longer to recover than they did to be inflicted..." she replied sadly.  "Unless Spyro or someone has some sort of trick up their sleeves...we may be looking at a worldwide famine coming up."

"This may be a chance to return to the public's favors, but we still have yet to see how things play out with the Department.  We're not ready for that just yet.  Ignitus and Volteer and the Professor have been combing through what they can, when they can, it's a slow process with everything they brought back and all that we're having the kids do that we still have to oversee."

"I know, dear."  She licked his cheek slowly, Mirage and Araglace flopping by their father and yawning.  "But let's just take this victory for today and wait on the negatives for tomorrow.  I'm amazed Spyro managed to clear this threat so quickly.  I was expecting it to take a few days at least."

"That shows just how far he's come with his power.  But the real test for him now approaches swiftly."