Crash and Spyro, A Friendship Across Lifetimes

Chapter 43: The Life of a Hero

Author's Note: This is the end to Spyro's solo story.

There was supposed to be a big crowd today, to pay their respects to the Dragon who had defeated the legendary Sorceress and the malevolent Malefor. But Kindle wasn't sure how he felt. He wasn't sad, he wasn't grieving. He instead felt a little ticked off. Spyro had saved the entire world, twice, but that didn't make Kindle love his father any more than he should have. Cynder, his younger sister, was comforting their mother, Ember. As she grieved for the death of her husband, Kindle stared out the window. He noticed an Elderly, red Dragon, approach their home from outside. "It's a little early for guests" Kindle thought. He walked to the front door and opened it before the Elder could knock.

"Why hello there young Dragon, is Ember here?" The Elder asked.

"Yeah, who are you exactly?" Kindle asked suspiciously. How did this Dragon whom Kindle has never seen before know who his mother was?

"An old friend."

"Flame... is that you?" Ember asked surprised. "It is!"

"Hi Ember." Flame and Ember hugged, which shocked Kindle. The only other Dragon he had ever seen his mother hug was Spyro. And that didn't happen frequently. "It's been so long since we last saw each other. How you holding up?"

"Oh, not good, Flame." Ember responded tearfully. "How could he leave us so early? He was only fifty-eight years old."

"Is that him underneath the blanket?" Flame asked, calmly.

"Mhmm." Ember said as she sobbed again.

Flame walked over to a bedroom and nudged the door. "It's been a long time, Spyro. Since you freed me from the Sorceress, since you defeated those double crossing Rhynocs. Since Malefor and Cynder. I'm sorry I never got the chance to say goodbye, old friend. I'll regret it for the rest of my life." Flame closed the door and sat next to Ember and Cynder. "He was such a humble and good friend, Ember. He lost so much in his life, but always fought for the betterment of those he loved."

"I know, Flame" Ember said agreeing. "I loved him so much because of that."

"Phht" Kindle though. "If he was so 'humble' and carrying, then why was he never here? Why didn't he love me, then?"

"Spyro deserved someone like you, Ember" Flame continued. "An anchor to keep him grounded. To alleviate the losses he suffered. He was lucky to have you."

"Thanks, Flame. And thank you for coming. I honestly didn't know if you'd come. Considering how long you've been in the Old Gnork's Realm."

"Yeah. I've been away for almost thirty-five years. Never married or had children. Although I do have to say, Spyro's decision to allow parent Dragons to raise their children, probably one of his greatest. You're lucky, young man," Flame said at Kindle, "You had the greatest dad in the world."

This was almost the last straw for Kindle. My father didn't care about me. I never saw him act "heroically." All I ever heard were stories, and all I ever felt was a shadow of his greatness and him ignoring me.

"I'm so glad you came to attend his funeral today, Flame. It just wouldn't be complete without you" Ember said.

"I can still remember the times you, Spyro, Cynder, and I spent together before the Gnasty and the Sorceress. It was so much simpler."

"He just mentioned my sister's name again." Kindle thought.

"You wouldn't be talking about me by any chance?" Kindle's sister asked.

"No. Didn't you tell her about the Dragon she was named after, Ember." Flame then asked, confusedly.

Ember hesitated before she answered Flame's question. "Spyro thought it best not to discuss Cynder to the children."

"Shocker." Kindle said out loud instinctually.

"Kindle!" Ember replied angrily to his snarky comment.

"What, it's not like father ever talked about his past to me and Cynder, anyway. I learned most of what I know about Spyro from everyone except him. It's like he wanted it to be a secret."

"You're father had his reasons, Kindle." Ember said sternly.

No, Kindle wasn't going to here anymore rhetoric, today. "What, that he was ashamed, embarrassed, regretful, or depressed about being the 'greatest' Dragon in history? What was so bad about his life that I, his own son, couldn't know? Why did he ignore me?" He had blurted out that last sentence by accident, but it was too late to retract the statement.

"Well, you're a grown Dragons, Kindle and Cynder. And I think you deserve to know the truth." Flame said, surprisingly.

"Flame..." Ember asked but paused.

"What do you know about Malefor?" Flame asked Kindle

"I know that he was a purple Dragon like my father, and I also know that he was my father's uncle. After the Sorceress was defeated by the united effort of the Dragons, Avalar Resistance, Gnorks, and Rhynocs, the Dragons were betrayed by Ripto and he allied himself with Malefor. Like the Sorceress, Malefor sought control of the seven Power Gems, and he used there ability's to corrupt the minds of those who fought against him. He was eventually was defeated by my father, but it cost him the life of his best friend, Sparx the Dragonfly, who sacrificed his life to heal Spyro's mortal wounds."

"Do you know any of the Dragons whom Malefor corrupted?"

"No, I heard it wasn't that many."

"Her name was Cynder, she was the first Dragon that Malefor ever corrupted. Cynder was presumed dead when Ripto turned on us Dragons and the Avalar Resistance during the attack on the Sorceress. Cynder was also your father's first love."

Ember looked away from Flame and Kindle. "My father loved someone besides my mother?" Kindle thought confused.

"Spyro thought that Ripto had killed her, so he murdered Ripto seeking vengeance. Cynder's death tore at Spyro, but as it turned out, Cynder was actually abducted by Ripto after she was badly wounded in the struggle against the Sorceress. She was delivered by Ripto to Malefor, and he used his twisted manipulation of the seven Power Gems to corrupt her mind and transform her into a weapon of his cause. She was distorted into an adult, a sinister creation that aided Malefor in any way he saw fit. This continued as Malefor launched his assault on the entire world. He corrupted other Dragons, including me. During Spyro's final confrontation with Malefor, he had to kill Cynder, who he didn't know was still alive until she regressed to her normal self upon being defeated. Your father killed the women he loved. He was able to get vengeance on Malefor at the coast of Sparx's life, but the damage was already done. That's why your father acted the way he did. He'd never admit it, but he was a broken man throughout his entire life. Spyro lost his father, his best friend, and his first love. I know he found happiness with your mother her, but a part of him always felt ashamed and responsible for those deaths."

Ember was crying at this point, and Cynder was taken aback. Kindle wasn't sure how to feel. He never knew who Cynder was and couldn't empathize with his father. But there was a reason he acted the way he did. He may not have been the best father, but it was for certain that he was a hero. That was the Dragon he would have to honor today.

"Ember," Flame continued, "there's something else I have to say, although I shouldn't. I was prepared to go to the grave with this, but... I know I'll regret never telling you this. As we were growing up together, I was primarily jealous of Spyro because you loved him. And even though it pained me, I was prepared to never tell you how much I loved you because of how much you loved Spyro. But then Spyro and Cynder slowly fell in love. I was a coward for never telling you how I felt. And after Cynder's death, I missed my opportunity. I regret the decision, but I know you found happiness with the Dragon you loved. And Spyro needed you, more than I did."

Flame got up from next to Ember and headed for the exit. "Flame, wait" Ember said as she got up. "You're meaning to tell me that for almost fifty-six years, you loved me but never had the courage to tell me."

"It's my biggest regret. But I knew I had to come her today and tell you, or else I couldn't live with myself."

Ember walked up to Flame, and they stared at each other for a moment before Ember slapped Flame across the face. Flame didn't say anything. Once he looked back at Ember, she kissed him.

"That's for not having the courage to tell me how you felt all these years."

"What, the slap or the kiss?"

"Both."

This was it, people from all over the world, those who came to pay their respects to the legend of Spyro, and those who were alive when he defeated both Malefor and the Sorceress. Kindle was to say some words about his father to honor him. Before this morning, Kindle didn't know what to say. He wouldn't have meant anything he would have said before Flame visited his mother this morning. As he walked in front of his father's casket, his heart pounding, he came up with the words he was to say to those who knew his father well and loved him for what he had done for them.

"We're gathered here today to celebrate the life of the Dragon who is responsible for the peace and prosperity of the world. However, that Dragon is not the one I grew up with. My father... was distant, cold, and unfeeling. Growing up, I always felt as if my father ignored me, and that caused me to resent him. I can see the surprise in your faces. I was angered by my father's lack of attention, and it isn't until today that I found out why. He may have braved confronting the Sorceress and Malefor, but he never had the courage to open himself to me or my sister. He bottled his pain inside of him and it left him in pain for many years. Today you're gathered here to pay your respects to a Legend, but I come here today to pay respect to my father. A Dragon only today I truly learned about, and I came here today to forgive him. I may never know the pain that he grew up with, the losses he suffered. And it was wrong of me to judge him, but I just wish he had the courage to trust me and talk about his past. I only truly found out how great of a Dragon he was after he died."

Kindle walked towards the casket and lit it on fire. He watched as the embers flew into the air and the fire spread throughout the wooden coffin and flammable material underneath. He then walked past the crowd and went home. His mother and sister followed him.