The Legend of Spyro: A Duel with Destiny

Regrets

"But did I?" Cynder asked. "I could have gone and got help earlier. But I... didn't. Malefor was right about that."

Imperia waited a few moments to see if Cynder would continue; but the black dragoness stayed silent. Imperia leaned closer, giving Cynder a reassuring squeeze. "Why didn't you?"

"Because... well... It's hard to describe." She said. "I wanted to give Hope a chance; there was just something about him... something dark that felt like it was pulling me in."

Imperia tilted her head. "I think I understand what you mean about feeling pulled in; if you want to talk about it. But there is one thing I don't understand; what does 'giving hope a chance' mean? You were trying to talk him into coming quietly?"

Cynder shook her head. "No, Hope as a name. That's what Dark Spyro is calling himself: Hope. It's a name that's meant to represent how he feels about me and about his transformation."

"I see." Imperia nodded. "Hope... It's a nice name. So when you say giving him a chance..."

"He had something to tell me, and I listened." Cynder admitted. "Now I feel wrong, dirty. He spoke like I was the only thing in the world that mattered; he promised me anything I wanted."

"He asked you to run away with him."

"Yes he did. I really am that predictable, huh?" Cynder inspected her claws, looking down.

Imperia smiled and wrapped her tail around Cynder. "Only to Spyro and me. You should have seen how much Malefor agonises over how to deal with you; it's honestly quite cute. Only the dragons you trust have an easy time guessing what you're thinking, and sometimes not even then!"

"Even I don't know what I'm thinking sometimes." Cynder smiled wryly. "I certainly didn't then. I couldn't think anything, my thoughts were all just getting tangled up in each other and I couldn't get Hope out of my mind."

Imperia nodded sympathetically. "I know how you felt. I remember years and years ago when I linked myself to the Dark Master."

"You what?" Cynder stared.

"Oh, heehee, right. I didn't tell you about that. I only told the other guardians while I was in my cell."

Imperia blushed.

"Well; long ago when I was trying to convince the guardians that wind dragons could be guardians my best evidence was the legend saying the purple dragon could master the wind element. So I decided to go to the source and try to find proof. I summoned the spirit of the Dark Master at the well of souls. It was quite an experience; what mattered was that it allowed me to link with Malefor too; but I did get a few moments directly exposed to the Dark Master."

She shivered slightly.

"It was like being electrocuted, it was like he was seeing right into my soul, I could feel his eyes like they were burning inside my brain, I could feel all his hatred for living things, he wanted to tear my magic from my body and consume it. I can imagine the feeling you got was somewhat similar, but with a lot less killing intent."

"I guess so." Cynder nodded. "I felt it right in my heart; I wanted to be with him. All the things he said were things I wanted, things I might have said to him in a slightly different situation."

"But you didn't go with him in the end. You felt that feeling and you chose to resist it."

"I nearly gave into it. That's why I didn't call anyone, why we only had the morning to prepare. I didn't slip away from him... I just waited. I wanted to see what he was like. I would have gone I think, if my dark side was still there. He was calling to her, calling to something inside me; and while she wasn't there... there was still some part of me, the real me, that was tempted."