FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Chapter 15

"How for Ancestors scales did you eat all that food?" Cynder blurted out against the wind current, her wings were flapping in steady rhythm, keeping her close to the flank of her purple mate

Sparx was sprawled on top of his brother's head, in between his horns, lying on his back, with a small rope wrapped around him and attached to the left horn to keep him steady during all the possible turbulence.

He was emanating a weaker glow than usually, a heavier glow, as if his natural light had to push through some invisible, ductile slime until its light could be seen. He had his eyes closed, basking in the sun, hands interlaced on his round belly that was still in the process of digestion.

One of the yellow hands moved, lazily waving at the nagging dragoness, dismissing her away.

"See what I had to go through in my youth?" Spyro commented with a smile "I'm still waiting for a recompense for all this trauma"

He felt his brother patting his back tiredly.

"Keep this pace, give me some time and soon all the recompense I can produce will land on your back"

"Ugh" Cynder grunted with a wince "You're disgusting. You're not alone you know"

"So?"

"I'm here too" she pressed her paw to her chest, holding her head high in a dignified manner and closing her eyes. In her head she was already running all possible scenarios of a riposte she will be countered with

"Have some manners around a lady"

Sparx shook his head sadly.

"Tsk, tsk. So depressing. Cynder and lady don't fit together. You need to have class and looks for a lady, I will spare you the trouble of thinking and tell you that you don't have both"

Spyro bucked wildly.

"Hey!" Sparx exclaimed when he was lifted up, in shock latching onto one of the horns "What the hell are you doing dude!?"

"Be nice, Cynder didn't do anything to deserve this"

"What? Oh boy, you're so sensitive. Dude you're gone, are you not tired yet of seeing her paw when you look up?"

Spyro smirked, bucking up once more.

"Cut it out man!" Sparx yelled, slapping the purple back "It's in your well being also to take care of your passenger. I just ate!"

"Speaking of eating" Cynder stated, eyeing the small dragonfly up "Where did all that food fit anyway? You're the size of my claw"

"I'm a boss that's why. Amela said she brought that tray for a hero, so I ate it. I did my job"

"Those slices of meat were like a single dragonfly home. You couldn't possibly cram all of that into your throat"

Sparx patted his rounded belly contently. A triumphant grin spreading his lips.

"I did"

"How?"

"Because I can, was hungry, deserved some love and because many people think that I couldn't do it. Size doesn't matter, I'm the example of a great hero in a small body. Not my fault, blame my parents"

Cynder frowned, leaning towards her mate, having a difficult time believing Sparx' words.

"Do dragonflies even eat meat Spyro?"

"Honestly?" he shrugged "I have no idea, I mean I never saw any dragonfly eating what I did, but Sparx always devoured everything that I was given so I grew up believing that dragonflies eat everything"

"Guess he has to feed somehow his annoyance. He's an overgrown fly, he can't eat meat as a standard diet"

"Hey!" Sparx blurted out, pointing an irritated finger at the flying dragoness.

"I'm not a fly you dumb, fat lizard! I'm a dragonfly. DRAGON-FLY. Hear the dragon part? I'm the superior version of you guys"

"There is also that fly part in there"

"It's for misleading! Why do you think I make such a great scout and spy? I'm fast and clever, this is a part of my awesomeness"

Cynder smirked.

"I'm flattered that you consider dragons to be clever. This is the nicest compliment you ever told me"

"Who said you have anything to do with it? For it to work you need to have the fly part, where do you hear it in dragoness?"

Still grinning, she poked his rounded belly with her claw playfully.

"Oh come on, you can't fool me. You said it, there is no pulling back now"

Sparx pushed her claw away.

"I did no such thing!"

"Yes, yes, you did" she poked him once more

"Stop it!" he snarled, shoving her nagging claw away once again

"Don't be like that, I know you love me" she baby talked him, scratching his belly again

"Bugger off!" he slapped her paw away, thrashing wildly, mad that the rope, which was his idea in the first place, held him back

Spyro snickered.

"Stop laughing bro and find some place where you can ditch her!" Sparx screamed, his wings flapping at the purple back in annoyance "Let's make things go back to normal again, she was so much better when she was sad and miserable!"

The purple drake threw his mate a loving glance.

"Too late for that now"

"It's not too late! Tell her it was all a joke!"

Both young drakes looked at each other again, blush covered both of their snouts when immediately they walked the same memory lane, back to the night near the river.

With a cough Cynder averted her gaze, scratching her choker.

Spyro let out a shy chuckle.

"There are some things you can't fake"

"As if! I lied to you all my life and never found anything that could stop me"

"No restrictions prove only that you are a douche and a horrible brother" Cynder retorted

Sparx pulled at the rope fiercely, snapping it.

"Doesn't matter what it proves! I'm just saying everything is possible if you try hard enough"

"Don't act tough" she leaned forward, smiling teasingly "You would miss me if I was gone"

"The only thing I would miss if you were gone would be the spike of confidence you give me when I'm around you. I always feel better about myself when I look at you. There is no way we will ever find an uglier snout than yours"

"Still counts. Thank you"

"Just shut up!" Sparx snarled, dashing forward momentarily, flying away from both young dragons. He spun around for a second, pointing a finger at the dragoness "By Ancestors rotten butts you're so annoying when you're happy" he pointed at his brother, frowning deeply "And it's all your fault!"

With some other grumble that both drakes didn't hear due to the blowing wind the dragonfly darted forward. Natural, yellow glow pulsing with brighter, angry light.

Cynder bit her lip, single claw scratching the choker as she observed the flying away dragonfly.

"You think he's right? He's right isn't he?"

Spyro frowned, confused by her question.

"What are you talking about?"

She looked at him, her eyes were shocked and dumbfounded, yet there was something extremely pleasant about that glimmer.

"Did I really change that much? Is there anything left from old Cynder in me?"

"Does it matter?"

"Maybe...I don't know. I've been all about praising independence, always talking how I never wanted my life to become someone else's, or vice versa. Look at me now, how true I am to my words, you alone were enough to kill off that old part of me completely. Now I can't imagine my life without you, where went that motivation to find my own destiny? In my search I ended up being once more a slave, to a wonderful feeling and a handsome, loving master. All of my proud blabbering was just a foolish cry of a clown pretending to be the king"

He swallowed, the bulge that went down his throat was bitter, full of uncertainty and fear, while also radiating that precious aura of support. Of responsibility and worry.

"I can't decide if you are boasting or complaining"

Her head dropped down, eyes shyly and sadly looking at her mate from below, submissive eyelids.

"Both?"

"Why?"

"I...love you, you know that right? I don't want you to feel guilty or anything"

He extended his leg to the side, sliding his paw under her chin and gently urging it to raise. He looked into her eyes, smiled and pinched her nose tenderly before withdrawing his leg.

She giggled.

"There is nothing you can say or do that would make me run away from you. Whatever burdens you heart, speak freely and I'll try to help"

She smiled gratefully.

"It was all Malefor in the beginning and then...from the moment you saved me...the second time, I was always by your side. Even when we finally got rid of that damn chain I was still by your side. Feelings aside, don't you think that my pursue for independence would make me move my own way, at least for a while? For all my talk about not wanting you to get involved in my troubles I have a hard time of ungluing myself from you. It makes me quite the hypocrite doesn't it?"

"No"

Her mouth tilted into a happy, yet not entirely honest, as if she wouldn't put her whole heart into it, smile. She was expecting such an answer.

"I'm not trying to cheer you up here on purpose, as cruel as that may sound considering that you are my life partner" Spyro straightened out, recognizing her smile instantly "I'm speaking my mind, do you want to know what I think? What I honestly think? Putting aside our feelings for each other and the bond we share?"

She nodded bashfully. Gulping down a bulge of fear that adopted the form of saliva.

He took a deep breath, aiming his gaze forward to spare her the burden of his stare.

"I think you should forget about Malefor entirely, you weren't given a chance to make up your mind, it was forced upon you and no matter what people say, there was absolutely no possibility to counter such evil magic, especially when you were so young and unprepared. No matter how good one could be, there is no way of fighting off Corruption when you are unprepared for the battle"

"As for me? Who ever said that destiny has only one true definition, that the goal is somewhere out there in the world and we need to find the way, or be led to it? It's something like your situation, ninety percent of population sees you as evil, vile and a manipulator, a popular definition of black dragon basically. And me? I see you for what you truly are and I'm crazy about you. If the mainstream definition of a black dragon would be the only true one then why I see you for something completely else than it states?"

He shrugged.

"Same thing applies to destiny, just because someone scribbled the words of the prophecy about my kind, putting the treasure for us to seek somewhere out there it doesn't mean that everyone has to follow the same principle. In my case the main definition might be accurate, since it was probably created based on the purple dragon's heritage, but for someone else? Why they need to follow the same rule? Maybe you never found the spot with the treasure because you never had to? Maybe your situation is similar to that of mine when regarding you. Maybe you create your own definition of destiny?"

"I mean, was it ever confirmed, like scientifically and by everyone, that destiny is a solo pursuit? Who said that we must find the meaning of life by ourselves alone? What if some of us don't have to? What if you are the perfect example of that? You don't have to find destiny by yourself, because you found it already with another"

His eyes widened and an uneasy gulp stretched his throat.

"Ok, this didn't sound very modest, but you know what I mean right? You didn't change Cynder, being around someone didn't steal away your independence, in fact I believe you became stronger because of it. Look, we should really find a hermit right now, he would say some very bad words about you and you know what you would do? Smile and perhaps joke, never again you would feel hurt and defeated"

"You didn't change, you became stronger. Guilt was always your main cloak, but now you shifted it with happiness. People might attack you and taunt you, but all you will do will laugh in their faces, smile and throw a taunt of your own. People might say ugly things, but none of them will actually hurt you. This strength is the true independence, never again will you ever be tormented and bullied by someone else's opinion. You have the strength to protect yourself, you know who you are, what you want and what you achieved, everyone else can rot in the Dark Realms and you wouldn't be afraid to tell them that. If this isn't independence than I don't what is"

He cleared his throat, scratching the front of his neck, his throat was dry and rough, it felt as if he would deplete every drop of saliva that could be found inside. He swallowed, to regain the cooling effect, but that only intensified the burn.

He cleared his throat again, it was like as if he would be speaking for hours straight without any break.

The discomfort however was nothing compared to the silence that surrounded him all of a sudden. He frowned, realizing just how ironically loud it was, before he shifted his curious attention at his companion.

His eyes widened.

Cynder was looking straight at him, her emerald eyes glimmering and big, shining and piercing, as if burrowing right into his soul. He swear he could feel her gaze poking at his nerves, reaching behind scales and grabbing his heart.

Her gaze was invading, unshackled by means of politeness and reserve, he felt as if he would be on a stage and the attention of the whole world would be turned at him. He felt small and lost, feeling of uncertainty filled his entire being, combined with a dose of fear and a pinch of excitement.

His whole body started to heat up and he couldn't tell if it was because of the embarrassment, or if her burrowing into his soul gaze pulled at the right nerves.

He was certain that it was the latter scenario.

He couldn't read anything from her eyes, he could barely withstand their gaze, her emerald orbs looked as if they wanted to devour him.

"W-W-What?" he stammered, swallowing another burning bulge of saliva

"I want to have sex with you so much right now"

It wasn't merely the words that made him recoil back and opened the door for a fierce blush to fill his cheeks. It was also her voice, deep and rough, like a growl yet with a soft tone of a purr mixed in there. He never heard her rumbling like that.

He couldn't decide what was more exciting, the perspective of spending the time with his mate, or her low, raw voice.

It was all so confusing.

"W-W-Why?"

Cynder blinked, her stare lost the invading, arrogant power, replaced by shock that in a moment's notice morphed into a glistening, sea of amusement, empowered only by the slowly starching her lips smile.

A melodic laughter burst from her throat.

"I'm practically shoving my butt right in your snout and you're asking me why?"

She laughed again, this only made him look at his paws and allow the flush to nearly melt down his cheeks.

The smile on her snout changed form at seeing his reaction, no longer amused it radiated nothing but loving attention and nearly worshipping praise.

"Adorable, handsome and smart. How can all of those things be found in one boy? Sweet Ancestors I'm so lucky"

"I...umm..."

She darted forward, so swiftly that he never saw her approaching. She latched onto his shoulders, turning him, forcing him to straighten up and flap his wings vertically to keep himself aloft.

She had remarkable strength.

His eyes widened, corners of his vision that watched the world became blurry the moment she pressed her lips to his own. Kissing him with such a passionate devotion that reminded him of the devouring glance she was giving him.

It almost felt as if she sucked away his soul with her kiss.

He didn't even manage to break through the surprise before she retreated, glistening eyes burying into his own, confused ones.

"Thank you. I have never heard more beautiful words in my life"

Spyro swallowed, barely managing to force his throat to work, he felt as if a bigger part of him just died and went into a numb, exciting oblivion.

"You...are...welcome" he slurred

"You are right, maybe I shifted my cloaks after all. The old Cynder is there, she would cry her eyes out at hearing those words. I can feel her. But the new one is calling the shots right now and she, instead of crying tears of gratefulness, prefers to scream your name out in sexual, obliged bliss"

Despite his embarrassment his eyes still traveled along the feminine body in front of him, eyeing it quickly from top to bottom. This only made all of this bewilderment all that more terrible.

He felt as if his whole snout was about to melt. He simply couldn't withstand eye contact with her, which was quite stupid considering that they were already mates.

This boldness was simply intimidating.

"That...ummm...sounds n-nice"

Cynder giggled, biting on her paw and wiggling her shoulders.

"You're so cute when you're shy. Kinda makes me even more want to take a break on our quest and give you your reward"

He smiled bashfully, averting his gaze.

"I'd like to...but...we shouldn't...we-we-we-"

"Shhh" she licked his nose lovingly "I know"

Another lick followed soon after, tongue sliding across his hot cheek, applying the much needed cooling effect.

"Rain check?" she cooed

He repaid her with a sweet lick of his own, nodding shyly.

"EEEWWW!"

Both their eyes widened at the sudden, loud grumble of disgust. Both their heads turned to the side to spot Sparx right in front of them, covering his mouth as if he was about to throw up.

"What the hell is wrong with you?!" he shouted, spreading his arms wide "You drool on yourselves in the middle of the sky? I leave you alone for like two seconds and you already grope each other?! Have some tact people! You're not in the gutter, how am I supposed to concentrate on the job when you force disgusting images in my head?"

He gagged.

"You can still think about anything else than slurping dirt from each other's scales?"

Spyro politely moved away from his partner, scratching the back of his head uneasily.

Cynder rolled her eyes.

"Do you have to be affected by everything I do like it would be the end of the world? And why do you have to spoil everything? Affection is beautiful and I love your brother Sparx"

Sparx put his arms up defensively.

"Hey, that is your problem. Remember though Inkscale that not everyone loves my brother, for example me"

"Thanks Sparx" Spyro grumbled, aiming his frowned brows at the glowing dragonfly "That's very inspirational and nice"

"Oh hush you little crybaby" the dragonfly whined, rolling his eyes "I'm just saying that maybe you find it cute, sweet and all the rest of those creepy, stomach turning adjectives, but for people that aren't in your two headed circle of adoration all those things that you do in public are cringe worthy"

"Those outside folks don't give a damn about your feelings for each other. They hear champing of lips, sucking of tongue, slurping of saliva and grunts of breaths being blown into each other throats, carrying the scents of whatever you had in your mouth that day. Not to mention that they don't see love, but swapping of fluids and in your case, when tongue is involved, licking dust and dirt from someone else's body. This is not beautiful, this is gross and no different from farting!"

Cynder ran her claws against her lips, wincing, to say that Sparx' words were blunt wouldn't give it the right credit. With his rather crude explanation still in her head, she could feel every bit of food and drop of saliva on her lips, she poked at those bits with her claws and she couldn't stop thinking about nothing than the image that flourished in her head, as if she would be wiggling a plump pimple from side to side.

"I don't think I will kiss ever again"

"Don't listen to Sparx Cynder!" Spyro protested, pointing an angered claw at his glowing brother "You know just well how he likes to mess around, don't let him get to you!"

"Whoa! Dude!" the dragonfly dashed towards his draconic brother, making a circle around the purple figure, before stopping right in front of the amethyst eyes, leaning forward so his face took all of the dragon's vision.

"Chill. She'll be all over you no matter what, do I still need to show you everything? I thought you've grown up"

"Why do you always need to stick your nose in my, now ours, personal stuff?"

"It's no longer personal man if you spit your drool in every direction like a hungry Death Hound on a battlefield"

"There was no one here! And you're making a scene of a completely natural reaction!"

"Just because you didn't see anyone it doesn't mean that this part of the world can be your playground" Sparx moved away, waving nobly with his arm at the sky "Is the sky your property? Do you see your name written in the clouds?"

Sparx craned his neck forward, pressing the side of his hand against his forehead and narrowing his eyes.

"I don't"

"Stop fooling around Sparx and stop making people angry" Spyro growled

He challenged his brother's annoyed stare, folding his arms on his glowing chest.

"The only guy that got pissed off here is you and that is because you are an oversensitive, overprotective idiot"

The purple mouth opened with a growl, ready to form words, but stopping at the last moment. Spyro clenched his paw into a fist fiercely, even if he didn't agree with it and his brother was surprisingly annoying right now, there was that delicate bolt that forced his irritation back. He might have not agree with his words, but that didn't change that they had a brotherly bond and let Ancestors smite him if he allows anything to shatter it.

Spyro swallowed deeply, letting a deep breath whizz out of his mouth in a prolonged sigh.

"What do you want Sparx? You wanted to annoy someone? Fool around? Well done, mission accomplished, can you please stop now?"

"Oh boy" Sparx huffed, rubbing his forehead and shaking his head in defeat "How I hate to come clean" he sighed deeply, darting in between two dragons

"Look, I get it, you're in love, can't live without each other and all that gay crap. There is absolutely nothing I, or everyone else can do to change this depressing turn of events. I gotta accept the fact that I will have the displeasure of seeing Cynder's not entirely pretty snout and your fat ass every single time together. Cool combo eh?"

He waved his hand dismissively.

"That's my problem tho. What I'm trying to do here is to open your eyes, tone the hormones down. From the two of you, I have bigger chances with Coaltail there than you bro. I know you, you're my stupid brother and you will never take what I say seriously. Did I say that you are stupid already?"

Spyro grinned, allowing a soft chuckle to leave his throat. He felt humbled, there weren't many moments where Sparx talked from his heart, he never truly did that actually, here it was no different. There was always room for brotherly devilry Sparx was known of, this was his style of saying that he cares.

He learned to recognize it when it happened and he always felt stupid when he did.

"Yes..."Spyro mumbled "Yes you did"

Sparx nodded.

"Good. Also we both grew up in a civilized home, where we learned some basic stuff about social behavior and all that crazy stuff. While Cyn didn't, sit her at a random table, give her all the cutlery and a bowl of soup. She wouldn't even look for the spoon, let alone recognize it before sucking and slurping out all of that soup directly from the bowl by diving her nose into it"

He darted towards the vertically hovering in the air dragoness, nudging her arm with his shoulder.

"Ain't that right Cyn?"

"N-no" she replied uncertainly "For your information I was on a feast already in a cheetah village some time ago. They weren't serving soup and any cutlery really, but I knew how to behave"

"Well done" he clapped his hands "It would really take some skill to misbehave among barbarians who tend to worship rocks"

"Get to the point Sparx" Spyro urged his brother

"For Ancestor's sweet horns bro!" Sparx whined, throwing his arms in the air "Stop being such a wuss, she's tough I'm not going to break her, relax. You are exactly the point what I'm trying to make here actually"

He waved his hand between the two young dragons, pointing alternately at each of them.

"This is the problem" he tapped his temple "You constantly think about each other, this leaves no room for intuition, you get reckless and pissed off by simple things. Imagine if you would be in a battle right now, how would that serve you in a fight? You can't get enough of each other, it's disgusting since you both are ugly as Brill's rotten ass, but that's beside the point"

"You let it take control of you whenever you feel safe and alone. It was me who caught you now, do you have any idea what would happen if some random dude would see you licking each other? Where was your intuition? Just because a place seems safe doesn't mean it is, or have you forgotten that already?"

He pointed to the north, where in the distance, still obscured, was the village of Boven and their ultimate destination.

"We are heading into dangerous territory, I don't care if the reports we heard didn't say anything about immediate threat. Reports can be falsified and you instead of paying attention and thinking about the task at hand start cuddling each other! Are you insane?"

"Can you for a minute forget about your feelings for each other? Because the bad guys we're going to meet, who we will meet because this is our luck and style of life, don't care that you are in love and plan to have a damn colony of children. They will cut your hearts out and they will have no problems in doing that when you are going to be focused on protecting your partner than yourself!"

He turned his hand around, palm facing up, his second hand was slapping against it. Blue eyes jumping between both drakes.

"Get. Your. Head. Back. In. The. Game" he intonated slowly, in perfect accordance with his slapping hand "Leave personal stuff for personal places, you don't have to show it off cause no one cares! And if they find out that you care, they will going to take advantage of it. So maybe, just maybe, fight as if you had a chain again wrapped around your necks and barely knew each other? You really want to fill those people's quivers with arrows?"

"Because I swear" he patted his chest, right where his heart was "if this overprotectiveness gets one of you killed I'm going to kick the survivor so hard in the ass that we won't need to find any more Veils since he will fly through every possible portal until he finally plunges into his own anus!"

Both young dragons looked at each other, their snouts red from embarrassment and eyes glistening with shame. They didn't avert their gazes however from each other, making sure that the partner ahead of them understand the stupidity of their action.

They understood, it was really like Sparx described, for all their safety measures they agreed to take, they somehow forgot about all of them when outside the city.

Cynder was the first one to look away, a sad, teasing yet defeated smile stretching her lips.

"You don't have any legs"

Sparx snorted.

"Don't you worry Smartass. I'm creative, I will find a way. I'm good at improvisation"

"Thank you Sparx"

"Yeah, yeah, don't melt on me now. The drama is over? Good, so maybe we can start moving finally, what do you think? I want this to be over quick, I need to be back in the city" he clapped his hands suddenly, making both dragons jerk their heads back in surprise "One more thing before I forget"

He extended his arms to the sides, forcing his hands into the draconic maws and grabbing a fang in each mouth, pulling at them to drag their snouts closer with all the strength he could muster.

A dragonfly had no strength to pull a dragon snout by a fang alone, or at all really, yet both young drakes were so shocked that their bodies followed the nudge of the dragonflies' muscles instinctively.

Sparx narrowed his eyes, burning, blue gaze burrowing into the huge and utterly shocked emerald and amethyst orbs alternately.

"If I ever catch you licking each other ever again on the job I'm going to tie your tongues into a knot when you'll sleep, smear them with honey and thrust them into an anthill. Do we understand each other?"

The bewilderment didn't allow their neck muscles to do anything else but to force their heads to nod.

"Good" he let go off the teeth, wiping the saliva on each draconic cheek the held fang belonged to "Move out children!" he yelled, darting forward, his natural glow pulsing with a fiercer light

With her mouth agape, Cynder followed the moving, glowing ball with her dumbfounded stare.

"Whoa, he really put us in our place. Since when he is so smart and eager to face danger? Is this some sort of Smart Brotherly Day of Speeches? First you now Sparx"

Spyro rubbed his upper lip, exactly underneath it was the pulled fang.

"I dunno, but he is right. Let's focus on the job, we aren't that far now, who knows maybe everything will work out and we'll close that thing in a minute"

"We better move before he yells at us again" she flattened her body in the air, wings flapping to push her flight forward "I must admit he kinda scared me there with that whole intimidating speech thing"

"Yeah, let's just hope Sparx was the only scary thing we meet today"

*

"We are perfectly safe" a gloved hand moved the branches from one of the tilted trees out of their way, allowing the trio to pass underneath the recently opened entryway before the owner let go off the tree and moved behind the three young companions

They were making their way through the forest leading to the ruins once more, this time however the path was well treaded and probably explored countless of times. It was obvious from the comfort and certainty the scout who met them at the camp moved through the nature's maze.

Their cheetah guide moved in front of them, his boots crunching twigs, cloak fluttering slightly, ears pushing up the hood on his head. He radiated confidence, a valuable body language of every guide.

"When we received the missive about your arrival we made certain that nothing would endanger us. We scouted the forest and the ruins, the portal showed no signs of activity, it remained in the same state as in the first day of our duty here. This is why I don't understand why the sudden urge to tinker with it. it doesn't cause us any troubles and truthfully, pardon me, neither you truly know how exactly it works. If something is working, I personally would leave it alone"

"I don't like this idea either to be honest" Spyro admitted "But we all know what came through that thing last time and how hard it was to stop it. It cost us one village, I can't even imagine in my worst nightmares what else can happen if this portal one day decides to come to life"

He noticed the hood on the cheetah's head lowering down, ears that were responsible to hold it up flattened on the skull.

"I hope everything will work out. We evacuated everyone, today there won't be any more people coming to pay their respects. The ruins are all yours, are you certain that you don't need our assistance?"

Spyro licked his lips, feeling the saliva trembling on his mouth and the tip of the tongue. His whole body was slowly dancing to the familiar, scary itching.

"I'm certain. Make sure no one gets close. We got this"

The cheetah nodded, pushing form their way the last wooden arms of a tree that tried to touch them and revealed the slope down that led towards the ruins.

This spot looked exactly like the last time they've been here, minus the presence of the golems. If not for the dark, gruesome memories, this place, illuminated by the light breaking through the tree crowns, would be majestic. Like a place that you liked to hang out in with your childhood friends, place where you shouldn't be, but somehow were drawn to it nevertheless.

Here good stories and memories were weaved, the thought only empowered by the sight of a fire burning in front of the temple and a company of scouts, at least a dozen, sitting by the modest camp.

All of this would be very nice if their noses wouldn't remember the stench of death.

They knew the bodies weren't here anymore, they were given their proper burial respects and yet, they could still smell them as if Time itself wouldn't allow them to forget.

And they all knew that Time played a special role when it came to the portals.

The scout gestured at the camp.

"Please join us for a moment, we have fresh water and some provisions. I'm sure you could use both after your journey"

Sparx gagged instinctively at the perspective of more eating, his hand shot to his face, covering the mouth. Just in case.

Cynder smiled at his reaction, observing him with an amused glimmer in her eyes.

"I think we'll just take you up on the drink offer"

The cheetah's ears perked up at attention, hooded head turned sharply to look behind the shoulder. He acted with a reflex of a deer that just heard a twig snapping nearby. Feline eyes glistened under the hood before their directed themselves back to the purple drake to the side.

Ears immediately flattened once more, Spyro met the cheetah's gaze and immediately recognized the uneasiness and nervousness in the yellow eyes. The scout acted as if he just saw a ghost.

"Something's wrong?" he asked softly, even if he already knew that the scout completely forgot about Cynder's presence and just invited her to share a cup of water around a fire with his companions that probably shared between each other more than one story, theory just how much she is responsible for this plight

"O-Of course not" the cheetah stammered, averting his gaze, he slid down the slope and instead of waiting for them as he always did on each obstacle they met on their path, he started to walk immediately

Spyro noticed the cheetah reaching behind his cape, at the level of his belt, something flashed from underneath his clothes.

It was a light signal, probably a reflection of a ray of the sun from a sword. Whatever it was, it was quite clear that the scout's companions at the camp recognized the signal, since momentarily a commotion stirred in their little group.

"What are the chances that they are happy to see us?" Sparx commented, pushing in between his brother's horns

"Wait up bros!" Cynder giggled from behind them, sliding down to the bottom of the slope "I want to be a part of this powwow too!" she pranced to their side "What are we talking about?"

"We're planning to drink their stuff and move on without a word" Sparx grinned "You in?"

"Of course, I never decline the hospitality of all our friends we meet on our way. They are always so thrilled to see us, how can we refuse?"

"You heard that bro?" Sparx patted the purple head below him "We have friends!"

"Please don't provoke them guys" Spyro pleaded "Let's grab a quick sip, listen to what they have to say real fast and continue on. We really don't want anything to deconcentrate us now"

He raised his leg, looking at his paw closely. It was shaking uncontrollably like that of an old dragon ravaged by sickness.

"How bad is it?" Cynder inquired worriedly, her attention drawn to the same paw her partner's eyes were watching

He dropped his leg back on the ground, offering a reassuring smile to his female companion.

"The same as before"

This might actually be the truth, he didn't really know himself in all honesty. This words however sounded better than I don't know.

"Please, sit" their guide gestured at the place around the fire when the trio approached the fire

Many of those spots were empty now, since only two out of dozen guards remained by the fire. Their also had hoods draped over their heads, pulled against their skulls so tightly that barely any trace of face could be seen within.

They looked like Death's itself little helpers, the only thing that betrayed that there are in fact living creatures were their feline tails. Jerking spasmodically from side to side, trying yet failing in containing the annoyance triggered by their new company.

Cynder and Sparx stopped at the fire, Spyro however walked some distance farther from the camp, eyes aimed at the ruins and at the wall, behind which the staircase hid that led to their destination.

He felt his heart rattling inside the ribcage in accordance with the tremors running through his body. Tremors he had a hard time classifying, he no longer knew if they were caused by supernatural means or his own fear.

Cynder observed her partner for a while, but then her gaze was forced upon the duo of cheetahs on the opposite side of the fire. Their heads were tilted down, it was impossible to see their faces, but that didn't mean she couldn't sense their burning eyes on her. If it would be possible she was sure they would dissolve her on the spot.

They stirred guilt in her, forcing images of the stack of corpses she found in this ruins, remains of the villagers of Boven. Expecting her to crumble under it. Perhaps the old Cynder would, perhaps she would avert her gaze and let the guilt torment her.

This new Cynder however withstood their looks, the guilt was knocking at the door to her soul, but she didn't let it in and she made sure they understood that. Challenging their obscured faces to a battle of stares.

"You have some nerve to show your mug around here" finally one of the scouts growled, his head tilted up, revealing a full of hate brown eyes

She smirked, sealing her victory in this silent skirmish of stares.

Their cheetah guide approached the irritated cheetah from behind, putting a hand on the tensed shoulder, while extending his other arm, offering a mug of water to the dragoness.

The irritated scout balked and then shook fiercely as if he would take a dip in the most freezing of waters. He shrugged off the hand from his shoulder with a couple of violent jerks.

Spyro looked behind his shoulder, frowning deeply. Immediately he met the apologetic gaze of their guide and his risen in defense hand.

"There is no need for this" the guide said softly

"There is! And you know it damn well!" the angered cheetah jumped on his two legs, narrowing his gaze so strongly on the mediator that he would kill him on the spot with gaze alone if that would be possible

"Someone has to finally say it!"

Sparx shook his head with a sigh, slowly tilting his own mug.

"Why people can't be silent for once"

"Say what?" Spyro returned to the fire, his eyes never leaving the irritated cheetah as he sat down next to Cynder, taking a sip from the same mug she recently drank from

The guide pointed a threatening finger at his furious colleague.

"Don't" he hissed

He however made nothing of the threat.

"That you are a dickless bastard that for a piece of pussy from your slutty friend lost his head! First Malefor and now you fuck this whore and show her off, letting her do whatever she wants while she should be executed the moment she stuck her head out! But no! Mighty, brainless protector can't lose his fuck toy, who else is going to bend over and lift her tail on his every whim?"

"Shut up!" the guide roared, extending his arm to snatch the shouting cheetah by the coat

The shouting feline however smacked the hand away and jumped back, away from reach.

"You come back here, waggling your tails like nothing ever happened, while she, no, both of you are responsible for the massacre in this village! That bitch for starting it and you for not having the balls to do anything about it! Fuck you! You come here, sit with us, demand to share water with you and act as if you care about the faith of the world. You don't you fuckers! You aren't here listening to all those cries, all those people weeping for their lost loved ones. You make a mess and then leave, coming back later, thinking that people forgot and the worst pain is over, to fix the disaster you motherfuckers caused yourselves!"

"Go for a walk!" the cheetah guide roared at the top of his lungs, the fire flickered under the breath wafting from the throat "This is an order!"

The cheetah began retreating, slowly, his burning gaze never leaving the duo of dragons.

"I pissed in that mug! Hope you choke on it murderers! After that I hope that fucking portal tears you to shreds. I'm going to find your heads and make a stinky shit into your mouths!"

"Last warning!"

The screaming cheetah spun around, walking off into the ruins, extending one of his arms up and giving whoever was looking his way an obscene, offensive gesture.

"I wish you the most agonizing, gruesome deaths cocksuckers!"

The cheetah who still sat near the fire snickered audibly, his sharp fangs flashed from underneath the darkness of the hood.

The scout who was clearly the leader of this band snarled, leaning over the sitting cheetah, glaring at him from above.

"Got anything to say?"

"There's no need. Everything was said already"

"Get out of my sight"

The feline got up without a word of complaint at the sound of the commanding growl. His face was obscured, yet there was no chance to miss the wide, triumphant and amused grin stretching his mouth.

Under the watchful, pissed off gaze of his commander he walked into the distance.

The only remaining cheetah sighed deeply, shoulders slumping down.

"I apologize, I thought they would have some respect. They both lost their loved ones in Boven. The guy who was screaming lost all of his siblings and family. He is the last one from his line, the only alive member from a five children litter. Seems he wasn't over the pain as he claimed to be"

"We need to go" Spyro muttered, his voice lost all the sound of confidence from earlier. He tried to put the mug down, but ended up with tripping it. His violently shaking paw unable to hold the mug

He got up and both of his companions immediately followed in his wake, prepared to leave

"I...I understand" the cheetah mumbled, rubbing his neck nervsouly "If there is any way I can help"

"You helped enough" Sparx snapped coldly

Then without any more unnecessary words they started to descend the stairs, disappearing within the ruins. Only when the light of the day vanished behind them Spyro slammed his flank into the wall, shuddering wid?y and letting out a deep, wavering sigh.

Cynder's wings dropped on the ground in a sign of devastated pity.

"I know how it feels and probably I should be the last dragoness saying this, but don't let them get to you"

"No one ever said anything like that about me... the words he said about you..." he growled angrily

"Forget about me, they can say whatever they want about me. It is you who is important" she approached her partner, placing her paw on his shoulder, squeezing it comfortingly

"Part of the world, not the center of it. Do you understand now?"

Spyro shook his head. Having a difficult time of throwing away Malefor's fatalistic words that drilled currently into his skill. Not to mention all the flashes of bodies he left on his path.

He couldn't shake off the feeling that a long, happy life is just not meant for him.

"This is so unfair" he muttered, devastated

"Chin up bro!" Sparx put his hands under his brother's jaw and pushed, making his head to tilt up

"We're just a few steps from showing them who's boss! Only minutes separate you from showing them what a hero I am. You'll get a bit of spoils too don't you worry" he patted the purple head reassuringly

Spyro despite the stabs of depression smiled weakly.

"Boosting your ego is the goal of my life"

Sparx clapped his hands.

"Exactly! Your words not mine" he dashed to the front, making a spin towards the drakes while throwing his arms up

"Come on team!" he shouted "For my glory!" with a backflip and a pulse of light brighter than usual he dashed down the stairs

Cynder giggled.

"It's good to have Sparx around, who would have guessed"

She stepped forward, walking slowly down, before she was out of reach completely she seductively ran the blunt end of her tail tip across her mate's jaw.

She looked behind her shoulder, eyes glistening with pride and love.

"Come my hero" she whispered alluringly

There was something magical in the way she looked his way, in the way she spoke. His heart skipped a beat as he observed and listened to her, there was something absolutely divine about her.

And he could do nothing to resist the nudge of his legs that ordered him to move after her.

This lower level of the ruins was exactly the same as they have left it in that memorable day. Minus the smell of death. If not for the memories and freshly put in abundance flowers that reminded everyone of the victims it would be quite a pleasant spot to spend some free time in.

Even the pulsing, blue slit of disproportion in the air wouldn't be able to change that.

Three pairs of eyes landed on the Veil, if not for the knowledge about its possibilities it would be beautiful. Like observing a delicately shaking tile of water under the first rays of the morning sun.

"I never paid much attention to it before, but I must admit that this Veil is very pretty" Cynder stated the obvious

"Chicks" Sparx rolled his eyes "Always need to call something sweet. Think about blood and gore because this is exactly what that thing brought, not sunshine and rainbows"

"That was just an observation, you don't have to immediately gross it out"

"Yes I do. Just go on, close that thing and let's go home. It's not sweet and nice"

Spyro didn't say anything, he was staring at the Veil, shaking uncontrollably. His whole body was dancing, he couldn't tell any longer if this wasn't fear alone this time dictating the tune.

Sparx brow raised in surprise.

"Dude? You having runs or something?"

"Spyro?" Cynder whispered softly, her paw landing on his back. The gentle touch forced a flick from his wings and it seemed like his every scale bristled , like a coat of an angry cat.

She looked up at Sparx pleadingly.

His eyes widened, he felt a stab in his heart, reading the knowing look like a book. With a fake annoyed sigh, he spun around, finding himself something else to look at.

"I'm here" she whispered once more, her tone of voice was cracking with loving energy, she nuzzled him affectionately "We both are and we aren't going anywhere"

He relaxed within her embrace and soothing voice, shyly nuzzzling her in return.

"Something changed Cynder" despite the fact that the quakes running through his body lessened considerably due to his partner closeness his teeth still rattled as if he was freezing

She swallowed anxiously.

"For better or for worse?"

He directed his gaze at the swiveling, magical blue slit in the air. He wasn't sure, but he would swear that the portal was emitting some kind of echo, it sounded like a wind blowing somewhere high in the mountains, or as the gusts every dragon faces when diving swiftly through the air.

It was a fantastic sound. A freeing sound. A completing sound.

Like the noise of a cutting wind for every creature born to soar.

"I think for the better actually" he mumbled with a held back breath

Cynder jerked her head back in surprise, he used the moment of their separation to move forward, his eyes transfixed on the portal.

Spyro cocked his head, listening to the distant hum of crashing ocean waves, the echo of wind blowing through the mountains, the far away blow of horn.

"Do you hear that?" he asked, his voice mostly fluent and barely wavering, he didn't even notice his shaking nearly stopping completely

Both Cynder and Sparx looked at each other, their expressions wrinkled by deep, thoughtful and full of concentration frowns.

"Hear what man? Precise dude, I can only hear our breathing"

"The Veil, do you hear the Veil?"

Their frowns deepened, they observed nervous bulge of saliva moving down each other's throat.

"No bro"

"Spyro be careful!"

He heard Cynder's worried squeak when he made advanced towards the portal, she was scared and concerned for his safety.

He however knew that there was no reason for that.

The humming grew louder.

He blinked and in the brief moment where there was only blackness he saw himself standing on a shore, looking down on the sea and its waves clashing against the rocky riverbank.

He again moved a bit closer, he could no longer hear the shouts of his companions, his head was filled with unending humming.

Not at all foreboding. It felt natural.

Before he realized it he was standing in front of the Veil, paw extending towards the magical slit.

Waves of water clashed and clashed against the rocks.

Something tugged at his leg, he felt it, just as he felt the hum.

Water was all around him.

Another tug, something tried to break through the noise created by the waves.

It was silenced however, the humming sound was too strong. He no longer stood on the riverbank observing the rocks.

Something pulled at his leg once more.

All that mattered were the waves, he no longer was a mere observer.

He was the rock and the waves were crashing against him.

His claw slipped into the magical slit.

A sense of extreme bliss washed over him.

He was complete.

"DUDE!"

"SPYRO!"

The combined scream exploded in his head, a mix of male grumble and feminine squeak. The waves disappeared, he was in the ruins, with the aftershock of the blare rumbling in his skull.

He was being pushed away from the portal, a powerful force was pulling him back. The force wasn't coming from behind however, but from the front, on his chest.

He was being shoved.

It was already too late for the mind to make all the necessary adjustments, it was caught in a surprise, unable to prepare a proper muscle defense. His body felt light, as if he was a stuffed doll.

He dropped on his back, roughly, the pain numbed by shock creeping into his nerves.

He saw his brother approaching from above, he opened his mouth, ready to ask about what is going on, however he was silenced.

Sparx smacked him across his left cheek.

"Dude!" his brother yelled, smacking him once more, this time on his other cheek

His snout heated, as if a fire would ignite itself under his scales.

"Hey!" Sparx swung again

This time however he jerked his head back, fingers grazed across his jaw.

"Stop hitting me or I'll bite you!" he snarled, snapping his teeth to scare his attacker away

"Are you alright Spyro?" Cynder shouted in terror, her pretty snout appearing above him, right next to his watching him intently brother

"My back is starting to hurt and my snout burns. Why are you asking?"

"Why?!" Sparx blurt out, exploding with a mocking snicker, hand flew to the side, gesturing at the portal "You were not responding! You walked towards that thing as if Cynder would be there, bending over and raising her tail! We couldn't pull you away!"

Cynder narrowed her eyes on the dragonfly, slight blush creeping on her cheeks. Her expression was a combination of anger and embarrassment.

"I'm not a big fan of that analogy, but yeah" her gaze returned to him, devoid of anything else but love and care "You were charmed, we couldn't get to you. Not to mention that you were really strong"

"Like those golem things, you were made of stone" Sparx shook his head "There is no way you're getting close to that thing again"

His eyes landed on the portal, there was no longer any hum coming from it, yet that didn't mean that the Veil was silent.

It wasn't.

He could hear it, it was singing a soft song and he understood the melody.

"No!" he exclaimed, jumping on all fours dexterously "I can do this!"

Sparx placed a hand on the advancing nose, looking straight into his brother's eyes.

"This is exactly what a guy who doesn't know what he's doing would say"

"I got this! Trust me! Stay next to me, if I do something stupid pull me away, or knock me out, whatever. I'm connected with that thing guys! Like with my elemental energy! We can end this right here and now!"

"Isn't this a bit too optimistic?" Cynder asked "I mean, I can feel my element too, but that doesn't mean I understand it"

"I'm a purple dragon, it was always like this. No worries, I've got it covered, we're going to show everyone that we aren't the bad guys here"

"Bro, you know how it always played out when I said that I've got it covered?"

"From the two of us Sparx, I have actually honest intentions to help"

The dragonfly shrugged.

"Fair point, but I still would watch my tail if I was you"

"I will" Spyro huffed excitedly, approaching the portal

The reflection of its blue, delicate silhouette danced inside his amethyst orbs. He took a deep breath, if there was a way to make up for all these deaths this was it. This was the only way how they could make amends for everything they had done.

Everything he had done.

The chances for everything to work exactly right were simply too high to ignore. For once saving the world might actually be quite easy.

He extended his leg, flexing and relaxing the toes on his front paw alternately, his claws taking dips in the bluish illumination of the portal.

With a prolonged exhale he touched the portal and to his surprise his claws sunk into the Veil. The portal pulsed gently on contact.

Spyro's eyes widened and a sharp gasp escaped his throat. Excited, anxious eyes turned towards Sparx, who was looking at him the same way. They both were thinking about the same thing.

This didn't happen before.

Who could have thought that Time is actually his friend.

Too excited and too reckless to put some restraint on his moves, he thrust his claws a little deeper. He shivered.

The Veil pulsed, stretching a little, opening its bluish insides.

The magic within the portal was warm, the light almost slick like Cynder when he entered her during that memorable night. A ridiculous analogy, but he couldn't think straight to come up with a better one.

It was simply too good to be true.

The Veil started to react to his presence, he could sense elemental energy stirring in him, his Time powers were waking up from their slumber. They heard the song, they were tuning themselves to the music.

It union was finished before he knew it, his body reacting immediately, activating his Time abilities. The real world wasn't influenced in any way, all that energy that he usually used to stop time was sucked away by the portal.

It pulsed again, changing shape, becoming more round and wide. The swirling, blue colors within started to form shapes, a bulging sound filled his ear holes as if a soup would be boiling somewhere.

He could see textures, surfaces of walls and something red, distant at first, but growing closer with each second and becoming more vivid as the result.

He was mesmerized by the blurry sight, concentrating on the misshapen images which kept growing larger and larger.

He blinked, trying to focus on something and make sense out of it, but his sight was filled with a red light.

Again that bulging sound, closer, exactly as if voicing the size of the shapes he sees.

His Time energy was being sucked away, the images were getting closer. He thought he saw a stony draconic snout.

That noise!

That slurping noise was becoming stronger, the red light almost blinding as it moved towards him.

He felt a powerful tug on his extended leg. It was exactly as if he would have a rope tied around his leg and someone on the other side pulled its entire length and the only way to get more of it was to pull him with it as well.

His eyes widened, a powerful fist of fear gripped his heart when a realization struck him.

The images weren't just getting closer, it was him that was moving towards them.

He was moving through the portal!

He screamed, he didn't know if he was heard since that fucking bulging sound was practically deafening!

He looked around, in search of his companions, he could barely see due to the red light all around the place. He managed to catch their silhouettes however when a darker texture of he didn't care what anymore passed around them.

Their eyes were widened in terror.

With panic creeping into his muscles and every possible nerve he fervently started to tug at the magical rope of his elemental energy.

He was too stretched out, too depleted.

He thought despite the horrible thought, hope filled his heart when he felt the magical energy give under his strength.

He won part of the rope back.

His head was filled with only one thought when it sensed this small victory.

Close it!

Close it!

Close it!

The portal pulsed wildly, he felt its every vibration on his body, his bones rattled.

It was working!

Close it!

Close it!

Close it!

He chanted fervently, pulling at the rope, grunting in effort, last ounces of held breath of tension whizzing through his teeth.

The young drake however never did any rope pulling or paw wrestling in his life before. If he did he would know that once you were pushed through a certain barrier there was no going back. Your every effort put into defense is wasted strength on prolonging your defeat and sacrificing the chance for revenge in the next round to come.

Last gust of his stored breath whizzed through his tightly clenched teeth.

His lungs started to sting.

All strength left him.

His opponent tugged at the rope, practically sending him flying in the direction of the pull.

His nostrils were filled with the stench of lava.

Among all this chaos his horrified eyes managed to catch one word written in bold, black letters.

DISPOSAL.