TLOS: AND: Restless Night

Restless Night

Cynder nuzzled her adopted egg tenderly. "I don't know why you've made me feel this way, you're just a little thing that hasn't even hatched yet…" she admitted, looking down at the black shelled sphere. "But you've made me the happiest I've ever been in my life, well you and Spyro," she explained, smiling too the unborn child. "I wonder what you'll look like…I don't even know completely what I'm supposed to look like," she stated, the Apes having done a great many things to her that may have altered her appearance. She knew her wing and tail blades weren't natural, but there were some things she couldn't be sure about. For example, her markings; were they natural patterns or tattoos? A mix of both? She wasn't sure. About all she could be sure of was her color. Cynder looked back at the egg, happy to know those questions would soon be answered. "…I wonder if you can even hear me in there…"

"Of course it can, Cynder," answered Volteer, entering and surprising Cynder and making her jump. "Oh! Sorry for startling you, young dragon."

Cynder calmed herself and smiled. "It's ok, Volteer," she replied, glad to see him truthfully. "So it can hear me?"

Volteer nodded. "Yes, by this time its auditory functions are completely developed and its mind can recognize vocalizations to form memories of them."

Cynder nodded, looking back at the egg. "Thanks…" she said, patting the egg softly with a warm smile. She then remembered what she wanted to speak to him about. "Volteer…lately I've been a lot more aggressive than normal…" she admitted. "Sparx says it's because it's mating season, but I'm not sure…"

Volteer smiled. "Why that's completely natural, Cynder," he replied. "You see, females of any species have certain preparations there bodies undergo prior to mat-"

"Volteer!" shouted Cyril, entering the chamber rather quickly. "You know you're not supposed to give that speech around the eggs! They can hear you!" he reprimanded, looking at the little eggs. "Understanding you is another matter," he muttered under his breath.

Volteer blinked. "Oh yes, my mistake," he replied, embarrassed.

Cyril nodded. "Anyway, Cynder," he continued. "In the kid friendly manner of speaking, your body is getting ready to have eggs because it's the Year of the Dragon, so you're more aggressive. It's preparing itself not only to carry eggs but protect them once they're born. This will happen regardless of whether you're wanting to have eggs or not, as your body doesn't know if you are or not."

Cynder nodded, kind of grateful for Cyril coming in before Volteer could go into a lengthy explanation she probably wouldn't understand, and if she did would gross her out. "Thanks, that's all I needed…is that why Ember is so…flirty?"

"We honestly don't know," said Cyril. "We haven't seen her at any other time other than mating season," he explained. "But I wouldn't worry Cynder, it's probably just childish hero worship, nothing more."

"Yes, Spyro is quite well known around the world after all, it's quite a logical idea that female dragon your age would be captivated by him," said Volteer. "We have experienced that occurrence multiple times before. Cyril, remember that young lady who was overwhelmingly enamored with you when we first ascended to our present positions?"

Cyril looked embarrassed. "Oh yes, the one time I've had someone praise my family linage and not enjoyed it. And my, she didn't take rejection well…" he said, rubbing his cheek, remembering her response well. "Didn't help she was a Fire Dragon either."

Cynder blinked, finding this conversation awkward, as she had no idea what was going on. "Uh…ok, thanks for the advice…"

"Any time Cynder," said Cyril.

"It comes with our employment to impart wisdom on young ones," replied Volteer.

Cynder nodded, then gave a yawn. "Well I'm tired, I'm going to bed, see you in the morning…" she said, heading to bed.

"You know, if I'm not mistaken, doesn't Ember's mother greatly resemble that fire dragon who was once infatuated with you?" asked Volteer, remembering.

Cyril's eyes widened as he came to that realization. "…Yes…she does resemble her quite a lot…" he said. "What did she say her name was?"

"I do believe it was Fina," said Volteer.

Cyril nodded. "Yes, that's her," he stated, extremely surprised. "That explains quite a lot about Ember, doesn't it?" he asked. "My…I sure do hope Ember handles rejection better than her mother," he said, once again rubbing his cheek at the memory.

---

Cynder walked back into the room, finding Spyro already sleeping, Sparx as well. "Can't blame them, I'm worn out myself…" she said, curling up next to Spyro. She had to be careful, considering she had blades on her, but she managed. "Spyro…I love you…" she whispered. "I'm afraid Ember might try and take you away from me…but I trust you…" she whispered, laying her head across his back and slipping into sleep.

---

Cynder's mind found herself in a black void, nothing around her but darkness. "Where am I?" she asked, getting a little frightened. "Is anyone here? Hello?"

The three sets of eyes belonging to their new foe lit up in the darkness. "You've killed, Cynder," said the blue eyes. "You're a murderer!"

Cynder took a step back, then snarled. "No! I…I'm not! That wasn't my fault!"

"Oh yes it was, Cynder," replied the angry red eyes. "You killed other dragons! Dozens of dragons have had their blood spilled by those claws of yours!"

"Yes, don't try to run from it," said the yellow eyes, still cheerfully. However, considering the situation, the cheerful tone just made it creepy. "You're a murderer, you've got blood on your claws and it just won't wash off."

Cynder looked down at her claws, gasping as they were literally covered in warm blood. "N-no…" she stuttered, trying to get it off. "I'm not a killer! I had no control over myself! I was a slave!"

"Don't try to hide it," said the blue eyes. "You're a killer, and you've killed hundreds of dragons, Cynder!"

"Why did you kill us Cynder? Why?" asked a chorus of hateful voices.

Cynder covered her internal ears. "I-I didn't mean to! P-please stop!" she yelled, but they didn't stop.

"And there's a worse truth you'll need to accept, monster!" yelled the red eyes. "Here, let us show you…"

Cynder's eyes widen as something appeared before her, a look of horror coming to her face as tears rolled down her face. "No…please…no!"

---

Spyro found himself standing in the same black void as Cynder was. "Hello?" he called, looking around. "Is someone there?" he continued, wanting to get a response.

"Purple Dragon of Legend?" asked the red eyes as they materialized with the other sets. "What a joke! You think you're a savior? You're not!"

Spyro snarled. "What are you talking about? I saved the world."

"Maybe, but that's not all you did!" called the yellow eyes.

The world changed to the temple nursery 24 years ago, the Apes ruthlessly crushing eggs and Gaul making off with Cynder's. "This is your fault, Spyro! They came for you! They did this because you were born!" accused the red eyes.

Spyro gasped in shock. He staggered back, being taken off guard. "No…they came for me but…"

"They came for you! They destroyed all the eggs because of you!" accused the red eyes. "These little dragons' lives were snuffed out because of you! They're dead and it's on your head!"

Spyro shook his head, watching the images in horror. "…It's not my fault…I didn't…I didn't decide to be born…" he said, resolve slipping as tears started down his face. There was just something about the visions, the voices…they made it hard to argue with them.

"Oh but you were still born, Spyro! And because of that, Malefor had all these dragon eggs killed! You're as guilty as Malefor is! From birth you've caused suffering! Just like that monster!"

"I'm nothing like him!" yelled Spyro, hating being compared to him more than anything else. He was ashamed to be the same breed as that tyrant.

"But his darkness is sleeping inside you. Malefor was just like you at your age, then he snapped like a twig," said the yellow eyes.

"Face it, you're more like Malefor than you could dream!" said the blue eyes. "You're going to become a monster just like him!"

Spyro looked down, seeing his skin getting darker, spikes growing out. "No! I don't want to be like him!" he yelled, watching himself become larger, slowly changing into Malefor's form. "No! I can't…please…please make this stop!" he yelled, closing his eyes so as not to see.

"This is your destiny, child, to become a monster, it's the fate of the Purple Dragon," said the red eyes.

"That's enough!" called another voice, one that seemed familiar to Spyro. Suddenly, the vision shattered around Spyro.

---

Spyro opened his eyes, panting heavily. He found himself on a blue floating platform in a world resembling a night sky, two planets or moons floating in the background. He recognized this place, and the glowing pool in the center. "This place again?" he asked, looking around, but still shaken from his nightmare. However, he was glad to see himself as he looked over his body instead of Malefor. "Chronicler? Are you here?" he called, desperate for help as he walked up to the pool.

"Yes, young dragon," replied a voice, rather deep but kind. "It is I."

Spyro sighed in relief, though the voice sounded different than he remembered. He couldn't put a claw on where he'd heard it before. "Thank the Ancestors…w-what was that?" he asked, shaking in fear and confusion from his nightmare.

The Chronicler let out as sigh. "That was Deadlock," he explained. "I apologize I didn't reach you sooner, her mental powers are hard to break through, even for the Chronicler."

"Deadlock?" asked Spyro, confused. "Who or what is that?" he asked, wanting to know just what was tormenting him.

"In time, Spyro. You don't know enough of the situation to understand who Deadlock is just yet," explained the voice. "But know this, everything she said to you was a lie, you are not responsible for the disaster 24 years ago and you are most certainly not at risk of becoming the new Dark Master, at least not from what I can see. The future I see for you is quite bright, so do not worry."

Spyro let out a sigh of relief, calming down. "Thank you…that was horrible, I though I was going to have a heart attack…"

"Yes, I imagine it was," replied the Chronicler. "Spyro, a new evil is coming forwards. I know you and Cynder have earned peace, but sadly, evil never sleeps," he explained, the pool showing an image of the serpent-like creatures who served the entity now tormenting Spyro. "These vile creatures are called Naga."

"Naga?" asked Spyro, looking at them. "I've never seen anything like them before…"

"Consider yourself fortunate," replied the Chronicler. "The Naga are ruthless evil creatures," he explained. "Centuries ago, before even Malefor, the Naga did unspeakable evil to all who crossed their paths and it seemed none could stand before them," he continued, the picture changing to the Naga ruthlessly attacking other creatures. "Until the first Purple Dragon was born, that is."

Spyro looked confused. "You mean Malefor?"

Yes, Malefor. When Malefor had mastered the four core powers as a child, about your age, he defeated the Naga. This was prior to his fall to the darkness," he explained, the image changing, displaying a much younger version of Malefor, about Spyro's age when he started his journey. Malefor's skin was much lighter and his spikes less pronounced, looking far less frightening. In the image, he was shown fighting back the Naga hordes with his great power.

"That's Malefor?" asked Spyro, shocked at what Malefor used to be like.

"As strange as it may seem, yes," replied the Chronicler. "Malefor was once indeed a hero, but unlike you, power mattered more to him. The more he got, the more he wanted and it consumed him…but that's not the point right now," he stated, having gotten off subject. "His elders prevented Malefor from destroying them completely, likely one of the things contributing to his growing evil by denying him his wish for destruction. Regardless, they chose instead to banish the Naga to a place known as Serpent's Edge, in the Unknown Realms."

"Unknown Realms?" asked Spyro. "What does that mean?"

"They're a vast stretch of lands far outside the Dragon Realms," explained the Chronicler, a vast rainforest being displayed in the pool. "So called because they're a place Dragons have never explored, the reason being the Naga and their cohorts control most of it," he continued. "But after eons in hiding, the permanent fall of Malefor has given the Naga the opportunity to seek their revenge."

Spyro blinked, a little confused. "So they didn't attack because they were afraid of Malefor?"

"Exactly," replied the Chronicler. "Now that Malefor has been defeated once and for all, the Naga have finally caught wind of his defeat and seek to take their revenge on the Dragons," he continued. "The entity that tormented you in your dreams is Deadlock, the Queen of the Naga, though she is not a Naga herself," he stated, three sets of eyes appearing in a shadowed form within the pool. "Deadlock and the Naga seem to have a specific vendetta on you and Cynder as well."

"They want revenge on us?" asked Spyro, confused as to why they'd want revenge on the ones who defeated their enemy. "What did we do?"

"Well as the Purple Dragon, they see you as a way to take revenge for Malefor defeating them," the Chronicler explained. "They can't avenge their defeat on him, so they chose you…as for Cynder, that much I'm not certain of," he continued. "Though that may be my own fault, I'm rather new at my job."

"Huh?" asked Spyro, then remembered the voice was different. "You're not the same Chronicler I knew, are you?"

The Chronicler chuckled, amused Spyro finally caught on. "That's correct, young dragon," he replied. "You see, when you repaired the world following the Destroyer's attack, a new age started. With every new age, a new Chronicler must be chosen. The one you knew has retired so to speak, passed on to finally take his place in the afterlife with the others he knew from his time on earth."

Spyro nodded, though was a little saddened to know the old Chronicler was gone. "I understand," he said. "What else do you need to tell me?"

"Well Spyro, after you have your first encounter with the Naga, you'll need to come with Cynder to White Isle to meet with me," explained the Chronicler. "There I'll be better able to explain things. Now it's time for you to return to the real world, young dragon, and prepare to face the Naga's armies," he continued. "May the Ancestors watch over you, may they watch over us all…"

Spyro was about to say something, but was cut off as the dream faded. Something just seemed so familiar though…

---

Spyro groaned, slowly awakening in the real world. "Huh?" he asked, yawning as he looked around. "At least he had better timing than the old one…" he muttered. "Hey Cynder…" he said, turning to her, only to find her in the throws of a nightmare. He then remembered what the Chronicler had said. "Cynder!" he yelled, shaking her, knowing she was in Deadlock's clutches like he was.

Cynder's eyes launched open and she jumped up, shocked, panting heavily and shaking in fear.

"Cynder…it's ok," said Spyro.

Cynder turned and looked at him. She suddenly burst into tears and laid her head on his shoulder, trying to find any comfort. "S-Spyro…I…I k-killed her," she sobbed, clearly deeply disturbed.

Spyro didn't know how to respond. "What do you mean?"

"M-my mother!" Cynder cried. "I killed her when I was Dark Cynder! She begged me not to and I killed her! I saw it! She kept begging me not to kill her and I did it anyway!" she cried, horrified. She'd seen it with her own eyes, she'd been the one to kill her mother. The dragon knew she was her daughter and tried talking her down, only to be struck down by her.

Spyro gasped but moved Cynder to look in his eyes, looking serious. "Cynder, don't believe that…" he demanded, knowing exactly what it was.

Cynder looked hurt and confused. "But Spyro, I saw it…"

Spyro shook his head. "No, what you saw was a nightmare caused by someone named Deadlock," he explained. "The Chronicler told me, me and you are being targeted by some monster named Deadlock. She trapped me in a nightmare and tried to convince me I would turn out just like Malefor, I even saw myself turning into him," he continued, still shaken by his own nightmare. "But it was just a lie, I'm not going to turn out like him."

Cynder seemed to settle down a little. "So I didn't…I didn't kill my mother?" she asked, still shaken.

Spyro looked uncertain. "I'm sorry…but I can't be sure of that," he replied, wishing he could be of more help than he was being. "But what I am sure of is it was Deadlock's fault you saw that, so it could be a trick," he explained, looking her in the eyes. "And I know something else. Even if you did kill her, you weren't yourself. You were Malefor's puppet and I don't think she'd hold it against you for being brainwashed at the time."

Cynder settled down, looking down at her paws, some tears still running down her face. "But…if I did kill her, even if it wasn't my fault…how do I tell our child?" she asked. "What do I tell it if it asks about its grandparents? I just want to be a good mother Spyro, how can I if I killed mine?"

Spyro smiled and nuzzled her softly. "Cynder, you'll be a great mother, I'm sure of that. You're the strongest dragon I've ever met. Most other dragons would just get crushed under everything you've been through, you carry on. I know you'll be able to do this."

Cynder listened, then looked up with a smile. "Thanks Spyro…that means a lot," she said, then sighed. "…I know I didn't know her, Spyro…but it still hurts to think I might have done such a terrible thing," she admitted, thinking. "…Do you really think she'd forgive me if I really did do it?" she asked, trying to hide how upset it made her. She was trying to look reassured for his sake, knowing he couldn't bare to see her hurting.

Spyro nodded. "Yeah, I'm sure of it. If she'd be anything like my family, she'd know you didn't mean to" Sure it'd never been something like this, but he'd yelled harshly at his dragonfly family on occasion in anger. They always knew he didn't mean what he said. "Speaking of my family, where's Sparx?"

"Under here!" said a muffled voice from behind Spyro.

Spyro looked back to see his tail was on top of Sparx. "Oh! Sorry!" he yelled, removing his tail from Sparx. "Guess that happened when I woke up."

Sparx growled, panting. "Sure, next time I'm sleeping a bit further away…" he said, kind of angry. He flew up and dusted himself off. "Did you say the Chronicler? The weird old dragon who kept giving you fainting spells?"

"Yeah," said Spyro, nodding. "Well not the same one."

"Not the same one?" asked Sparx. "There's more than one?"

Spyro shook his head. "No, the old one retired when we fixed the planet, the new one talked to me about…" he said, then gasped as he remembered the conversation's point. "Oh no…the Naga! We have to tell the Guardians!"

"Naga?" asked Cynder, confused. "What are the Naga?"

"I'll explain later!" yelled Spyro, running out of the room, the other two in pursuit They soon reached the Guardians' chambers, only to find them already out on a balcony.

---

"Everyone! The Chronicler contacted me!" he yelled, running out onto the balcony. "There's an army coming!"

"It appears your warning is a tad late, dear boy," said Cyril, looking out over the balcony with the others.

Spyro, Cynder, and Sparx all looked out over the balcony, seeing the Naga and the strange stone creatures approaching in a small army towards the temple. This earned a group gasp of surprise from them.

"Oh, so those are Naga…" said Sparx, staring wide-eyed at the army approaching.