//------------------------------// // Chapter 3 // Story: Heartfire // by TwiZone //------------------------------// It was the final day of training for Spike before Heartfire. He has gotten stronger and become wiser now. He was taught to not let his emotions take control of his actions that lead to a giant hole in the mountain. Spike began to ask questions about who trained him to use the Elements that he is able to control. His answer was the four Guardians of the dragon council where his father was on. The four guardians were named. Ignitus, Guardian Of Fire. Cyril, Guardian Of Ice. Volteer, Guardian Of Electricity. Terrador, Guardian Of Earth. But as always Spyro Just said enough about him and focused on training. Sparx has left later to visit his parents grave. Before he left he nudged Spikes leg slightly with a ‘get her tiger’ look. obviously meaning Spike asking Ember to be his mate. After the Two Dragons flew to the Everfree forest Spyro told Spike to meet him by the cave where that big green dragon was when Spike left Twilight when he was jealous of an Owl. “Oh boy, I was stupid at that time”. Spike smiles remembering the time. The forest was grey and foggy. Spike was having a hard time seeing through it as it was almost impossible. Sticks were snapping all around him like there was something stalking him. Spinning around to check if he was being followed but to no avail. As he turns around he sees two white eyes glow brightly in the fog. They were just there staring moving no movement at all. With one step Spike saw the eyes disappear into thin air like ash. Maybe it was just his head playing tricks on him. Suddenly a body was thrown at Spike as he was tackled by another dragon and thrown to the ground. His claws extended and he began to swipe like a ferocious creature. Left and right his claws attacked but did not hit his target. He felt a tail sweep him off his feet as he fell into the dirt. He felt sharp claws in his throat right before he opened his mouth full of fire. The fog reveals the dragon to be none other than his teacher Spyro. “What was that for?” Spike asks as Spyros claws leave his throat. Spyro turns around with a bit of disappointment. “That lesson was about awareness. I gave you multiple hints that I was there, yet you ignored them like they were nothing” Spyro tells Spike while he circles him. “What if you were actually were being hunted? You have to keep your senses sharp and aware” Spike looked down as he could feel the disappointed glare burn his soul. Spyro took a breath to calm down and put a claw on his shoulder. “Look I’m sorry for being hard on you, it’s just I believe you are ready for Heartfire but there are other dangers outside of Equestria”. “We are gonna be in the dragon lands for Heartfire, not some jungle” Spike arguably said as he looked at Spyro. “Yes I know but still it never hurts to learn more, least that’s what Cynder told me”. Spyro nodded his head to head to the cave where the dragon is. “Wasn’t she the Terror of the Sky’s?”. Spike asked since he’s been hearing a lot about this Cynder. But even after all, he heard there’s a part of spike that doesn't fully trust her. “Yes” was the only thing Spyro said while walking as his claws dug into the muddy ground. He always hated that name. It was just a title of what she was, not who she is now. “I don’t fully trust her,” Spike said as he heard a sigh from Spyro. “I know, everyone only knows her for who she was, but no one knows her for who she is now” After Spyro freed Cynder from the corruption that Malefor, Cynder was treated like an outcast. Spyro was the only person who treated her like an Equal. Treated her like she was worth something after all she had done. Never blamed her for anything her ‘former self’ had done. “I mean what if she’s just using you to get the Blood scepter from Ember.” Spyro stops walking. His muscles were tensing up he was struggling not to lash out. Struggling to make sure that side of him never shows again. “ I mean what if she IS just like Malefor, right under your nose” Spike felt his body get thrown towards a tree with a force of a god. Spike looks to see Spyros red eyes change white. Spyros horns changed to silver and his scales were black as night. “Spyro wha-“ Spike was struggling to speak. Spyros grip on his throat was not crushing his air support away. But after the force hitting him it felt like being hit by all four alicorn magic. “Shut up just shut up. I understand you not trusting her but don’t you ever EVER compare her to Malefor. She was a victim to his madness, he used her like a child with a toy, her past is not today and I will be damned before I let her become what HE forced her to be ever again.” It was just silence after Spyro yelled at Spike. His grip on his throat was gone and his scales returned to his normal color. Spyro looked down in shame for what he had just done. “I’m-im sorry” “What was that?” Spike asked while rubbing his neck. Spyros claw felt like it was on fire “I-I-don’t wanna talk about it, this lesson is over”. Spyro says while walking away. Spike watches Spyro leave. Cursing himself for his rage to take hold of him again. Maybe that’s why Spyro was teaching Spike to not let his emotions cloud his judgment. But Spike was alone as he was wondering even more questions again ever since he met Spyro. What was the darkness thing?. How long has Spyro had it?. How did he get it?. However, these questions can wait until Nightfall. ——————————————————————------------------------------------------------------------- “Why would he care for me?” Cynder said looking at her silver sharp claws. The ones that use to be tainted with the blood of dragons that never bowed before Malefor. “He saw what I did, how I tried to kill him multiple times”. Cynder looks at the shattered mirror that Ember brought as a gift for her. Ember has become somewhat of a sister towards Cynder. It was way before Spike helped her change the way dragons are in the lands. But after another nightmare, she threw one of her spiked shackles at the mirror and broke it. Her shackles that go around her neck and two forelegs were reminders of everything she has done. They reminded her of the pain she caused, alongside the pain she suffered whenever she failed in her mission. Spyro should’ve just killed her when they fought their final battle at the Isle Of Glass. But he didn’t. He saved her. He gave her a second chance. He was there whenever she needed help or when her nightmares were too much to handle. But then came the cutting. Cynders nightmares were full of children telling her to cut. Her biggest regret while being controlled was not fighting back against the darkness and make sure those kids got away from the madness safely. Each morning and each night she brought her claw up and sliced a small part of her scales. The blood trickled down her leg as it soon became Addictive. But after a while, he found out. Spyro replaces his guard duties to his best friend Flame. Flame was just a normal dragon that holds high loyalty towards Dragon Lord Ember. After asking for the time to help Cynder recover from her addiction to cutting. Ember was quickly to let him have the time off since as much as she would like to help she can’t because of the clans sudden riots. Spyro watched Cynder closely and even slept in her cave at times just to make sure she had no ideas of cutting. Time went past faster than she ever thought. She was recovering and it was all thanks to Spyro. When he left Cynder alive she only had one idea in her mind about why. “He just wants to kill me. Just waiting for the right time”. But after the reveal about his feelings to her was a shock. “All this time he cared about me”. She will admit the time she has being spending with Spyro was something she longed for every day. He wanted her to forget about Malefor, He wanted her to forget about being called ‘The Terror Of The Sky’s’. She never belonged for that life. Yet now it haunts her forever. Her heart tends to beat at even a simple mention of Spyro. While in her trance of Spyro she didn't hear her door open. Soon she heard a cough that brought her back. She quickly turned around to see Ember leaning against the wall. “Thinking about Spyro again, are you? She chuckles while walking towards Cynder. “Yes but it’s so hard not to though. Not after all he has done for me” ember sits back on Cynders bed as she can see nothing but love in Cynders eyes. “So no more ‘he shouldn’t love me’ crap?” Ember says putting a claw of her shoulder. Cynder nodded as a response. “Well, I’m glad”. Soon a smile sneaked up Embers face. “Maybe you will get together during Heartfire”. Cynders smile turned into worry as she looked into the shattered mirror. “Heartfire it’s only a few hours away, how do my scales look? Are they shiny enough? Or how are my wings?”. Ember could only but laugh at Cynders reaction. “Cynder, Cynder you don’t need to look perfect”. Cynder kept pacing. “But I have to, I need to look perfect for him because of everything he has done for me” Ember shakes her head still smiling. “Cynder to him your just perfect the way you are” “Alright, Ember enough about me and Spyro. What about you and Spike”. Cynders sudden turn for the question took Embers smile and rub the back of her scales. “Oh uh uh what do you mean” trying to look innocent but Ember fell for Cynders trap. “Oh you can’t hide it from me, I’ve read those letter you send to Twilight asking how Spike is when he’s in Ponyville.” Cynders smiled as a blood began to warm near Embers cheeks. “Well I uh well I was getting used to this friendship thing and I thought it was important to always know how your friends are.” The stuttering from Embers voice was staggering. She was lucky enough to make words come out of her snout. Cynder walked towards Embers babbling self and rested a paw on her shoulder. “Don’t worry Em, you helped me with Spyro and now I’m gonna help you with Spike”. The two dragons left Cynders cave for preparation of Heartfire. —————————————————————— Training felt eerie after Spyro yelled at Spike. His arms and wings were sore after countless workouts and every hour fly. But later Spyro asked Spike to return to the bigger dragons lair. The flight was hard because of his wings but Spike was pulling through. A fire was lit inside the giant cave signaling that Spyro was already there. The darkness covered all the tree as raindrops cover the forest. The sound of the rain hitting his wings was like a tents tarp being hit with stones. Spike lands into the entrance where Spyro is seen waiting for the cave. “Hello Spike” “Hello Spyro” Silence engulfed them both. Spyro coughs to get rid of the silence. “Alright, Spike I’ve taught you enough for Heartfire. But right now I need to see your training go against a real target” Spike stood tall and ready. He had some I fished business with this dragon already but he kinda felt sorry for just attacking right now His wings expanded and he flew inside without second thoughts. This is all for asking Ember at Heartfire of course. All the training with Spyro would pay off. “At least I’m sure”. he says while he finds the sleeping green dragon laying upon his treasure. Spikes first instinct was to attack the wings. A downed dragon is a dead dragon. Spikes claws sharpen as he charged towards the wing. Cutting the flaps with ease the blood on the dragon spilled on Spikes body, but he was only getting started. The green dragon woke with a pain in his left wing that would set anyone in a rage. Fire spewed out of Spikes' mouth sending shots on the other dragons back. Smoke was covering the dragon until a green claw smacked Spike into the wall. The wall cracked with the impact of Spikes body. But Spike recovered fast before another claw crushed the wall. Jumping off the wall and scratching the belly of the giant beast proved better then Spike thought. Blood was spilling from his stomach while he put his claw to cover the wound. Spike was unrelenting in his attacks cutting every inch of his green and bloody scales. Each slice was painful and the fireballs were stinging on each cut. The green dragon runs to escape the assault of Spikes fireballs. Breaking the dirt circle entrance to his lair as the rain covered the dragon. Spike slammed his entire body in the dragon's head as the force of Spike sent the dragon to the ground. The ground shifted as the large dragon dropped to the ground. Lighting cracked the sky as Spike walked near the head of the behemoth dragon. Spikes eyes were full of death. He brings his claw up to finally swipe the dragons life away before a voice called out to him. “Spike stop,” Spyro says as he lands behind Spike. “You've won. The battle is over”. Spike was struggling to let his claw fall to the ground. “What will it be Spike? Killer Or merciful?” Spike struggling stopped as he thought what would Twilight think of him? What about Ember?. No Spike is no killer. His bloodlust took control as it made him go crazy with killing. His claws slashed the mud as his eyes turned back into the healthy green they were. Spike flew away before saying anything leaving the slowly dying giant alone with Spyro. “Xananth, you think your crimes against the Dragon Lord would go unnoticed did you?” Spyro says while looking into its eyes. The giant said nothing while Spyros scales changed. “It was you who started the riot within the Dark Blood clan, that crime is punishable by death in the ancient laws of dragons”. “Of course Ember does not know about them and until all the clans are settled for Peace, I will not destroy the old documents that hold them” Spyros scales changed to black with his underbelly dark purple and his horns silver. His voice changed from the lighter tone within a dark tone in a matter of seconds. “Spike can't kill you, poor guy only needed to be trained to fight for Heartfire.” Spyros claw extends in the airs as lightning cracks louder and louder. “I do this for Spike, Ember, and Cynder”. Finally, Spyros claws slash and end the suffering of Xananth. Spyros scales turns back to purple and immediately breaks down. “I-I need this Dark Aether out of me before it takes control of my life and harms Cynder”.