A Duel with Destiny: The Power of Time

Back in Black: Original

The three months that followed the defeat of the purple dragon Malefor and the "end" of the world had been the best of Cynder's not very nice life. She and Spyro, connected by a chain of magic and their shared love, exploring the new world, playing and celebrating, fighting the hapless remnants of the evil dragon's army and sleeping together under the stars.

Cynder could have lived like that forever.

It was Spyro's sense of duty that drew them back to the Dragon Temple, where they had been just eggs, they had found it a ruin, destroyed in war and abandoned. Spyro had been saddened by its loss. The two of them had travelled, at Spyro's request, to the city of Warfang, which had been damaged but was not irreparable. Spyro's kind heart, Cynder loved him for it, but after three short months of happiness it was that which brought her back to the whispers, mutterings and cold disapproval that haunted Cynder in a way that Malefor's strongest magic never had.

Cynder thought she feared nothing, anyone who had seen her fight would agree, seeing her tearing into entire legions of murderous foes with Spyro by her side. Cynder had no fear of pain or battle, that was true, but what Cynder hadn't known was that she feared her fellow dragons.

She was beautiful, brave, clever and far more powerful, but Cynder was completely helpless against this new enemy. Cynder had been sure the magical chain that bound Spyro and her together would give her unshakable claim to Spyro's time and affection, but it took only days for some audacious dragon to turn that against her.

"Cynder is still evil; the Terror of the Skies is still a wicked demon dragon and puppet to Malefor. Only heroic Spyro is strong enough to restrain her, he keeps her as a slave and a paramour; she serves him like a pet. You don't believe me? Then tell me: Why are they chained together?"

Rumours were more powerful than even Cynder's fear magic, no amount of logical reasoning or outright denial from her or Spyro could wash away the taint this cast on their new relationship. Cynder knew that chain had to be removed, it had to be.

Spyro accepted this for her sake and after over a month of torturous whispering the magic was broken and the snake bands of the chain hidden in the vaults of Warfang. To Cynder's relief this did stop the rumours, but now that it was possible for her and Spyro to be apart from each other every dragon that had ever disapproved of her made certain they saw as little of each other as possible. Eventually Cynder had given up, she had run away, perhaps she would simply be a pariah, outcast, a shadow on the edge of the new world, forever alone. Perhaps that would be easier.

Travelling and fighting and sleeping under the stars, it just wasn't the same without Spyro, she dealt with it, moved on, but every now and then something would cruelly remind her of the life she had given up, Spyro.

How dare this troll wear an earthen mask? How dare it remind her of the dragon she cared for most in this world? Cynder dived from on high; black smoky flames engulfed the beast. Cynder slashed and kicked, determined to make the beast hurt as much as she had, it had no effect. Cynder's anger gave her strength; three years of growth had seen her grow to just under the size of a full grown dragon and develop into a beautiful young dragon, not unlike the image Malefor had created for her when she was the terror of the skies, feared the world over for her power. And she was powerful. Cynder hooked her claws around the troll and screamed in anger and then she threw the both of them over the cliff.

Cynder's wings unfurled and she watched coldly as the troll plunged to the ground. The mask went flying from its monstrous face; clearly the impact with the earth below its feet was sufficient damage from the right source. Now it could be harmed. The troll was slowly getting up but that was fine as Cynder wasn't done yet.