Crash and Spyro, A Friendship Across Lifetimes

Chapter 41: Vengence

RED's body lay unmoving on the ground, his throat ripped open and forming a pool of blood on the ground. Spyro still stood above him, staring coldly at the dead Elder before him. Cynder limped her way besides Spyro, both terrified at what he just did, and surprised to see how quickly he had done so. Three Power Gems now lay on the ground, glowing lightly. Most of Artisans was still dealing with the Rhynoc and Gnork invaders, although the area around the Senate Building was the calm eye in the middle of this hurricane.

"Spyro..." Cynder asked, and then froze once Spyro looked at her. He was a beacon of rage, a menacing stare with glowing eyes which contrasted with the dark aura surrounding him. "Where's Sparx?"

The question startled Spyro, he must have forgotten about him.

It took all night, but the Rhynocs bottleneck entrance into Artisans' proved to be a disadvantage, as they could never get the appropriate amount of troops into the Dragon Realms. Warriors of all species held them back valiantly, and the resistance claimed victory. It of course, did not come at a great coast. Dozens of Dragons, several monkeys, lions, fauns, cheetahs, penguins, and yetis, sacrificed their lives to repel the surprise attack. It was a somber occasion, reflected by the damage to the town in Artisans. Ember leaned against Spyro, seeking support as she watched Flame and several other Dragons be sent off in a final farewell as the fire was lit beneath them, a proper and formal burial of those who had fallen. The crowd dispersed after a while, and Spyro, Cynder, and Ember walked somberly together.

"Flame acted so brave, Ember. His sacrifice is probably the reason I'm still alive." Spyro said consolingly to Ember.

"I know" Ember responded cheerfully. "When Cynder, Flame, and I saw you confront Red, I was so scared. But Flame said he was going to help you. That he would do anything to help you. He may have never told you, Spyro. But he believed in you. That you were the Dragon to end this."

"I was wrong about him" Cynder responded sadly. "I thought he was always a jealous, prideful Dragon. That he only cared about himself. But it was never true, he may have had a weird way of showing it, but he cared about all of us. Even me." Cynder paused for a moment, and then continued. "Crash and Sparks are still missing."

The mentioning of Crash and Sparks made Spyro stop walking. He was trying to bury his grief, be strong for the others. A tear formed in Spyro's eye unwillingly, and both Ember and Cynder noticed.

"I could have saved both of their lives."

"Spyro, we don't know if there dead or not," Cynder said softly, "and you can't blame yourself for this."

"Yes I can!" Spyro said angrily. "Everyone's counting on me to end this, and I have the power to do so. But even now everyone I care about is still sacrificing themselves to protect me. It's not fair and I can't forgive myself for this. Flame's death was my fault! Sparx being captured was my fault!"

"No Spyro," Hunter said out of nowhere, "everyone here is not counting on you. But that doesn't mean you can't defeat the Sorceress. Your friends sacrificed themselves not because you needed protecting, but because like true warriors they were willing to sacrifice themselves to protect the people they care about. They acted selflessly, and their sacrifices will be celebrated once this is all over. But right now, instead of feeling sorry for yourself, you focus. You have a great power within you, I saw it. But that power is useless without control."

"Thanks Hunter," Spyro responded calmly.

"Spyro!" Sheila yelled as she hopped towards his direction. "Come quickly, you'll need to see this." Everyone followed Sheila to the now destroyed Senate Building, and in front of the portal arc stood Bianca and Sparks floating around her. Thomas, Magnus, Byrd, Bentley, and the Professor were also gathered near the portal. Sparx flew over to Spyro and flew around him excitedly as Spyro smiled upon seeing his best friend alive. Hunter, meanwhile, stared at Bianca in mistrust.

"You better have a good reason for coming back, traitor." Hunter said without emotion.

Bianca sighed before she spoke. "About a week ago, the Sorceress found my people's home and leveled us. She killed almost everyone, leaving only my brother, two sisters, and my mother alive. She told me that I would act as her mole for the resistance, or else she would murder them as well. I should have never agreed to, but it didn't matter. She killed them anyway. Spyro, I can't ever forgive myself for allowing this to happen to you and the Dragons. But... I came back to help. Your friend, Crash... saved my life. He confronted the Sorceress alone and told me to come here. He was also able to free Sparx, but I don't think he was able to make it out of the Sorceress' castle alive. He... told me to tell you that 'he was sorry,' and to give you this." Bianca handed Aku-Aku to Spyro, and he let it rest in his front paw. Sparx hovered in front of Spyro, also staring at the talisman. Spyro turned his head to the side and looked away.

"Crash, why would you go alone" Spyro thought. But he dismissed the thought as soon as it came to him. Crash knew it was a one way trip, and didn't care. He had the opportunity to save Sparx's life, and did so, because he carried about him and about me. Spyro then draped the necklace around his neck and felt a familiar presence. Spyro understood now why Crash thought Sparks and "Aku-Aku" would get along. They were just two incarnations of the same being.

"Thank you, Crash." Spyro whispered to himself. He walked forward, past Bianca, and activated the portal in front of him. Cynder was asking what he was doing, but he didn't care. The Power Gems lifted from around Red's carcass and floated towards Spyro. "Crash had the courage to face the Sorceress, and now I have it, too."

"Wait, Spyro," Cynder said urgently, "you can't go alone."

"The barrier keeping the Sorceress out of the Dragon Realms has fallen" Thomas interjected. "And there is nothing keeping the Sorceress from coming here. We don't have any time to waste and nowhere to hide. If we are to end her reign of terror, it happens now."

"Then it's settled," Byrd wobbled forward. "We march to the Forgotten Realms and confront the Sorceress."

"That won't be necessary" Spyro said as he approached the portal. He flew through before anyone could argue. Sparx followed, and so did the Power Gems.