FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Chapter 10

When the door opened they expected many things to see. For example Spyro pictured that the walls would be covered in glyphs, prayers, chants, anything that would serve as a ward against evil and the...

Oh how he hated the word.

Taint.

Cynder after the encounter just by the door expected hordes of angry believers standing in formation, pitchforks at the ready to skewer her the moment she puts her head over the doorstep.

Cyril was prepared for absolutely anything, there was no single picture fixed inside his mind, images were flipping and flying, as if his invisible paw would be flicking through a really gruesome and vivid picture book.

He believed that the water filled cavities would be flowing with blood, bodies of those Brill accused of being possessed, or however he called it, lying dead on the marble floor. The mole's faithful clerics jumping all around, stabbing the corpses to make sure they never get up .

He was certain that these people were crazy. Zealots only take it a level further.

No one from them expected that the temple will be the same as they used to remember it.

Excluding the little details.

Like the present dragon carvings in every pillar dotting the main hall and the new wall erected in the middle of the temple with a couple of aggravated draconic snouts engraved on it, with text in the middle, carved in bold, gaudy letters.

EXPEL THE TAINT

Only Cynder from the group noticed the changes, Spyro was already familiar with them so they didn't provoke any reaction from him and Cyril...Cyril couldn't care less.

Besides those little differences the temple remained unchanged.

The floor remained marble like that in the courtyard, the water in the cavities was still flowing lazily and peacefully. The braziers were still giving that dim, atmospheric glow. The door and entrances remained in the same positions, no new ones were added. Statues representing the fallen dragons, worthy enough to be called Ancestors, remained in their lifeless vigil, eyeing the temple with their artificial, stony gazes. The whole interior was still beautifully illuminated by the columns of light entering through the even more prettier stained, colorful windows.

Even with the minor changes and the overall familiarity with the temple the eyes of every visitor were still drawn to what's truly important here. To the statues and the show of candlelight at their feet, now every stony figure had the same amount of candles placed at its base. The flames danced enthrallingly, spellbinding even the most fervent unbeliever.

The sight of dancing candle flame was simply majestic to look at.

The temple was surprisingly empty, which was hard to believe with the encounter just outside this holy place still fresh in their minds. There was only a handful of people here, all were lost in their own world of prayer near some of the statues, they had their backs turned towards them, nobody turned to see who just walked in.

There was only one single caretaker walking around the temple hall, the young draconic cleric's claws clicked on the marble floor so silently and regularly that one had to really focus to hear it, like the deliberate knocking against a tree of the most shy of woodpeckers. The young dragon was making his chores around the statues, replacing old candles and lightening up new ones, for a task many would consider boring and tedious the caretaker was displaying a great amount of zeal. As if the candles weren't only simple symbol of respect, but an object holding the rains of life and death.

Deep down the three recently arrived dragons felt that in a way it was the truth.

After all nothing is ever really lost to us as long as we remember it.

"It's so peaceful here" Spyro muttered in outright awe

"Don't allow this pretense to fool you" Cyril hissed anxiously, his cold eyes scanning the serene hall intently "They only wait for you to lower your guard"

"Doesn't smell like a trap to me" Cynder added, like before mesmerized by the pretty columns of colorful light illuminating the room through the even more beautiful glass

The Ice Guardian's gaze turned towards the young black dragoness, eyes shimmering with scorn.

"With your dreamy stare you are unimaginably reliable source of information"

She frowned, her emerald orbs losing the fascinated glimmer in a single blink, she momentarily glared angrily at the old dragon. She's an expert in reading sarcasm, and even bigger one when it comes to contempt, the combination of the two released a ringing, waking sound, like a rumbling bell, impossible to confuse with anything else.

"With your attitude you are unimaginably useful addition to our group" she responded with the same amount of scorn flowing in her every word

"Guys!" Spyro hissed through clenched teeth as he looked behind his shoulder, silencing the building growls within the throats of his companions

"Remember that we're in this together"

"Are we really?" Cyril snapped back, impulsively keeping his voice down "It seems like I'm the only one who is concentrated here, while you to daze off simply by looking at the pretty scenery. Ugh" he snorted disdainfully

"Nobody is dazing off here!" Spyro protested "We're just giving our opinion here, don't tell me that you're not surprised by this" he waved his paw around the serene interior "I'm sure all of us expected to see something completely different. I agree with Cynder here, it doesn't look like a trap at all"

The Guardian rolled his eyes "Of course you agree with Cynder, nobody expected you to do anything else"

"What THAT supposed to mean?" the dragoness snarled

He raised his paw, the bottom side dismissively aimed at her.

The gesture made her tail sway from side to side furiously, a roar rumbled within her throat.

"Perhaps one of you would be so kind as to tell me why do you think everything is soooo dandy here?"

Spyro rubbed his forehead with a sigh "A little team play would be welcome Cyril, seriously"

"For starters I'm still here. See that mister concentrated?" Cynder snarled at the Guardian, aiming her claw at the columns and the gaudy three worded sentence "Seems important to me and yet I didn't burst in flames"

The Guardian's eyes only for a tiny second took the text into consideration, before ridiculing the black dragoness soon after.

"I feel safer already"

She frowned, raising her paw next to her nose, pushing two claws together, with only a little space left in between.

"If for a moment you would looks past your paranoid delusions you would consider the possibility that we might be wrong. These people look ordinary, they simply came to pray, that mole outside the temple, or the ones that got into the hospital might be exceptions. Many people have a lose screw after all"

"This place" she quickly looked around the temple "Doesn't look like a battlefield at all, have you considered the possibility that we actually might be the ones that will turn it into one?"

Cyril shook his head slowly in disbelief "I can't believe that after what you've been through, seen the world for what it truly is, you can still be so naïve"

"Guys, please" Spyro mumbled, tying to sound as calm as possible

"Spyro" Cyril addressed the young purple dragon "Tell our lovely...friend over here that the text on that column is a plain threat. Because it seems voice of reason of someone of higher social status hits deaf ears"

His eyes immediately traveled towards the engraved text, the last word filling him with the same amount of anger as always, yet he simply couldn't force himself to agree with the Ice Guardian. The calm surroundings, the peaceful, glowing light, everything so tranquil.

Why would the column radiate such a blunt threat in such company?

Something didn't add up.

"Maybe we're looking at this the wrong way" Spyro said, narrowing his gaze on the big letters thoughtfully "We came here certain that we found our criminal, the one responsible for everything" he cocked his head "What if we became so terribly absorbed by that idea that it made us blind?"

Cyril sighed tiredly, rubbing his forehead "What are you babbling about?"

His paw went up, claw tapping at his lower lip. "Listen" he turned towards his companions "The last time I talked with Brill I was so pissed at the guy, when I saw that stupid taint text it made me even more furious, something similar you are experiencing right now Cyril. I was so certain of myself that no matter what he said I took his every word as bunch of paranoid crap"

The ice dragon nodded "As you should"

"But now" he spun around again, amethysts orbs aimed at the column "when I leave all that wrath behind me the writing doesn't seem so bad to me anymore"

"If I wouldn't know you Spyro I would say that you were already converted by that smelly rat. You sound exactly like one of his zealots"

"Look at it from a natural point of view. What if the text is no battle cry as we believe? But some sort of a motivational speech? You know, like a motto, like don't succumb to evil stuff_,_ that kind of thing_"_

Cyril snorted, a puff of ice wafted from his nose.

"A plausible explanation for anyone with nothing more than a peanut inside the skull"

Cynder rolled her eyes "Perhaps instead of insulting our intelligence on every step you might enlighten us on your theory. Please, really, really please" she whined the last words with a clearly fake plea

"It's not a theory, but a fact children"

"Oh!" she blurt out indignantly "We're children now?"

The Guardian shrugged nonchalantly "Not my fault that you act as one"

"I have enough of this!" Spyro growled, his commanding, irritated tone clearly audible even through the clenched teeth that hurt because of the strong press

"Stop mocking Cynder Cyril! Stop mocking me! Us! I know that you're mad, but you have no right to let your anger out on us!"

"First wipe the milk from under your nose boy before you dare to talk to me like that" the ice dragon hissed back, eyes narrowed on the purple dragon, wounded pride clearly shinning within them

"After everything I've been part of, you still consider me a boy?"

"Of course, past deeds mean nothing if you came out from the experience with the same naivety you began with"

Spyro's eyes sparkled, the wagging tail swooshed indignantly.

"Oh, I've learnt plenty don't you worry. For example I've learnt that as a purple dragon it's my birthright to become the voice of my people"

Cyril chuckled in wry amusement.

"Don't embarrass yourself Spyro more than you already did" he smiled at the drake, his stretched mouth radiating the same aura as his laugh earlier "What now? You'll start barking out orders?"

"No! Of cou-" his voice ended abruptly, head lowered itself down, a thoughtful frown adorning his expression. In a moment's notice his head went back up, eyes narrowed on the Guardian confidently

"I will"

The smile disappeared from the Guardian's snout, his icy blue eyes widened.

He wasn't the only one who was surprised.

Cynder also gave the purple dragon a wide stare, perhaps a little less palpable than the Guardian's was, but in her case her cocked to the side head completed the image of shock.

"You certainly must be kidd-"

"You will stop with your snide remarks" Spyro cut off the Guardian unhesitatingly "That's an ORDER"

The shock was gone from the old dragon's snout, his expression adopting the image of barely contained fury.

"Wha-"

"You will stop treating us like idiots" he interjected again "That's an ORDER"

"Sp-"

"You will start considering our opinions" he chimed in once more "That's an ORDER"

After the third interruption Cyril didn't utter a single word, instead his body began speaking in his name. Trails of icy smoke started to rise from his claws which curled themselves backwards, like bird's talons ready to snatch its prey. His chest started to heave faster, instead of a normal breath, mists of cold clouds started to waft from his slowly panting mouth like steam from a train engine.

Cyril couldn't believe what he just heard, he felt like every part of his being demanding to show the impudent kid his place in this world, he was already at the brink of showing where exactly he has the boy's orders if not for that single pull holding him back.

Respect.

He hated that feeling, but there it was. No matter how many things he can say about the purple dragon in front of him one thing remains unchanged. Spyro did the impossible, exactly as he expected for a legendary dragon to do, after all is someone like him, of his spectacular bloodline notices a spark of greatness, it has to be true.

And it was.

Perhaps now the spark he noticed is starting to turn into a brightly burning flame.

About time.

To Spyro's great surprise Cyril's expression softened, well at least as much as his cold natural demeanor allowed to.

"Very well"

He blinked with a startled gasp, from all the things he expected the Guardian to do, he never believed he would comply. And without some screaming to top it all. He impulsively sought advice, turning his dumbfounded attention towards his feminine friend, her expression unfortunately offered none, body language pronouncing only one single sentence.

Don't ask me.

"You really want to know why your opinions are worthless?"

Spyro swallowed, suddenly being in the center of the ice dragon's attention made him really uncomfortable. As if through the pair of those two blue eyes the whole world was staring at him instead of a single, breathing creature.

"You're going to tell us? Just like that?" he asked, bewilderment clearly audible in his voice

"As much as I hate explaining myself, it's about time you took the reins of responsibility in your paws. Our race deserves a worthy leader"

Spyro rubbed the back of his head.

"Thanks...I guess"

"It was not a compliment. You still have a long way ahead of you" the Guardian retorted bluntly

"Uff" Cynder let out a sarcastic breath of relief "Good that nothing changed, it was really starting to get creepy with all that politeness here"

The Guardian's blue orbs shifted to the corner of his eyes, aiming themselves coldly at the dragoness.

"If the circus of Annoyance finished its show then perhaps I might be able to continue"

She smiled, prepared to counter- attack with another snide comment , but in that moment her eyes impulsively searched for Spyro, as if instinctively sensing his amethyst gaze on her.

Her instinct was correct, he was indeed looking her way.

The begging stare he was giving her wiped away every trace of smile from her mouth. His look and the recently spoken scolding words of the Guardian resounding in her head told her that this was a really poor time for a sarcastic remark. She was told that dispersing thick atmospheres with well-timed cheerful comments was her specialty.

It hit her rather bluntly that in this particular case there was a problem with the well-timed part.

She felt like Cyril for a moment and the feeling was enough for her to lower her head, curl her tail in between her legs and shuffle one of her paws across the floor shyly and in complete, total, embarrassing shame.

"Now as for why I think you're opinions are only sweet delusions" Cyril continued turning his attention indifferently from the dragoness and towards the purple drake before pointing his claw at the massive door through which they passed recently

"First. People outside and the looks they were giving our entertaining friend over here. You can't possibly believe that they were also exceptions, or simple worried stares"

Spyro impulsively turned his attention towards the door.

"For us maybe it was weird, but to better understand them I think we should look from their perspective"

"Their perspective? Dogs on a leash don't have perspective, they just wait for their master to give them a signal to lash out"

Spyro winced "That's a pretty...harsh comparison"

Cyril shrugged indifferently "There's no room for sentiments in truth"

"D-" he licked his lips, the thought of insulting people, even if he didn't really mean it and only wanted to keep the conversation on track, made him disgusted with himself no matter the motive

"Dogs" he finally muttered "not only obey commands, but also protect their territory. Somehow there is no one banging at the door right now"

The Guardian narrowed his eyes on the mentioned door, as if expecting them to explode soon and let a horde of rabid, bloodthirsty hounds inside. When nothing happened, Cyril's tail began to wag anxiously.

"They must be waiting for something" he mumbled his pensive thoughts out loud

"Maybe they are simply afraid" Cynder added her on ideas to the conversation

"Frightened people don't challenge their horrors for a battle of stares. They run"

"To where? If your faith was as strong as theirs, where would you run? What place would you consider to be safe?"

"A temple" Spyro answered the question

Cynder nodded jauntily "Exactly. Wouldn't you be afraid if a known murderer entered your home?"

"Cynder..."

"Look from their perspective right?" she chimed in, interrupting Spyro's caring mumble "For them I'm evil incarnate, my stinky, dark paws crossed the doorstep to their most sacred haven. You understand now their fear? They're afraid that I taint their temple, if I was a stout believer I would get cold paws also"

Cyril let out a disgruntled snicker "You quickly forget that one of those scared people tried to choke you to death"

She raised her paw into the air in such a way that only a single claw pointed up.

"One. One of how many again? Besides, as I already said, one person doesn't make the image of the whole, some take matters way too seriously. In truth I'm not really sure she WANTED to kill me, all she wanted was to prevent me from getting inside. She simply took it a little too far" she shrugged "People aren't the same"

"That mole most likely was on a different level of indoctrination, very much similar to the drooling rodents that visited the hospital"

"We don't have any evidence linking those moles from the hospital to Brill" Spyro added

"Who else could it be?" Cyril growled, turning his head sharply at the dragon, leaving a trail of icy smoke hanging in the air behind his moving nose

"Nothing like that happened in this city, everything changed when that little fucker showed up here. That's all the evidence we need"

"That's not evidence, but guesses"

"Spyro" Cyril rumbled, pressing his claws to his forehead as if trying to calm a pulsing headache "I follow your orders as you wanted, don't force me to desert. I swear, you two sound exactly like Terrador."

"What if these people are innocent?" Cynder asked

"That's the whole point!" The Gurdian exclaimed, his muffled shout radiating relief

Both young dragons looked at each other in confusion.

"You lost us" Spyro pointed out the obvious

The old dragon pointed his claw at the dragoness,

"Cynder just hit the jackpot"

"I did?" she mumbled surprised

"What has innocence to do with anything?" Spyro asked, expression adorned by a thoughtful frown "Weren't you just talking just how all these people resemble dogs?"

Cyril nodded.

"I did, that was my first argument why you are delusional. My second argument is innocence"

Once more the young eyes met and once more they radiated nothing but confusion.

"Nope" Cynder said with a kind smile "We're still not following"

"No surprise there. You are incapable of understanding this" Cyril closed his eyes with a wince, already feeling the angry looks of his young companions on him. His paw jumped up in the air defensively "It came out wrong, I meant no disrespect. You are simply too young to understand some things and I'm not calling you childish here, just for the record. This is just the way it is"

"Then help us understand" Cynder pleaded politely

With a sigh the Guardian's eyes traveled up the pillar of light, until they reached the beautiful stained window on the ceiling, depicting a flying dragon in all his glory on a cloudless sky.

"When this city was being built" Cyril began his monolog, his tone of voice becoming more soft as he recalled old memories "you weren't even in the plans of your parents. It's common knowledge that Warfang was constructed in our name, but only a few truly understand what it truly means"

Something unexpected happened second later, that shocked the two young dragons. A truly, happy and honest smile stretched the dragon's old mouth.

"You should have seen our race then. Proud, confident and strong. Generals in the likes you will never meet now. Those statues that surround us now, I knew some of these Ancestors personally and I'm proud to say so. That was a great generation, and the greatest of them all not so long ago walked this very earth. Malefor"

Both Cynder and Spyro looked at each other, slightly disturbed by the fact that someone can call a mass murderer the greatest example of the draconic race. However they didn't dare to interrupt the Guardian in reciting history.

"I know what you're thinking" Cyril said, as if he was reading their minds like an open book "Back then the name Malefor represented every trait that was the essence of a dragon. The good ones. You hear people saying that Warfang was constructed before Malefor and that is also what you find in history books. The truth is however that Malefor was very much alive when the first blocks of the city were put together. Sadly that part of his life was forgotten, no wonder, since the impact on the world he left as Malefor that many are familiar with was far more...noticeable"

Spyro and Cynder heard some time ago that the Dark Master had a different side to him. Spyro wasn't entirely convinced, more due to personal beef than anything else, but he was able to acknowledge, even with great difficulty, that perhaps things were different one day.

Cynder on the other paw didn't believe in any word about Malefor actually being the good guy. Only hearing the praising voice of the Guardian when he mentions that wicked name which turned her life to hell made her furious.

Cyril sighed, clearly announcing that the little digress is over.

"We stood against creatures which names are already forgotten, and creatures that still walk this soil. We defeated them all, gaining more and more land, eventually earning the respect of all the lesser races. We earned their devotion, we earned the respect we deserved. Years flew by in an atmosphere of peace. That's when Malefor in his, I believe, great wisdom, changed it all"

Whatever strands of politeness holding her fury back snapped.

"Then he was sick from the beginning! You were just too blind to see it!" Cynder blurt out, only with extreme difficulty holding back the roar building up within her throat that would most likely shake the very foundations of the temple.

"You call going on a bloody rampage wisdom?! That bastard ruined years of peace! Thrown this world into chaos! What's wrong with people wanting peace?!"

"With peace? Nothing" the Guardian replied calmly, unmoved by the dragonesses outburst "With innocence? Very much"

"There is absolutely nothing that Malefor did that in any way benefited our world!"

"I already explained to you once how Brill and his city, Warfang, city constructed in the name of divine creatures, us, messed with people heads, so excuse me if I won't go into details again. All you need to know that people no longer thought about fighting, forgot about the bloodshed, memories of past wars were only that, memories. It was expected from the lesser races to hide in the shadows of their betters, but it was not expected from us to meld into that shadow ourselves!"

"People forgot about bloody wars. Simply tragic!" she exclaimed sarcastically

"Brill not only made us forget about the wars, but also made us believe that they never happened in the first place!"

Cynder snorted disdainfully, her head shaking fiercely, obviously unable to see logic in the Guardian's words. If there was any to begin with that is.

"What's wrong with that?" Spyro stepped in, automatically taking his partner's side, releasing her from burden to stand against the horrors of her past alone

"This is not our way!" Cyril growled, clenching his paw firmly

"Forgetting about horrible past is a normal thing to do. Wounds heal over time"

"That's the problem Spyro! People started to treat past experiences like wounds while in truth they should become our scars! We are defenders of this withered world! We are not meant to forget and become meek sheep, we are meant to be hardened by the experience to become golems. We are creatures of warfare!"

"There is hardly any warfare to find in peace"

"Wrong!" Cyril blurt out, pointing his claw at the purple dragon challengingly, as if expecting to hear this argument and trample it into a pulp at a moment's notice

"Life is a constant warfare! Even during peace!" he moved his eyes between the two young dragons, sadness radiated from his blue eyes "Can't you really not see this? We are creatures capable of wielding the elements of the world itself! Our every move should leave an impact on this earth! We are creatures indescribable by words! Symbols of magnificence!"

"In peace, when we discuss the future the whole world trembles, ready to be shaped according to our will. In war, when we march the earth shakes below our paws and the sky cracks under the strong flaps of our wings. When we love, every flower withers, waterfalls freeze, sun dims, the world stops, unable to stand against the beauty of our feeling. When we mate the earth itself cracks underneath our rolling, sweating bodies, the sky splits and clouds skitter away at the sound of our blissful roars!"

"Lust, Gluttony, Greed, Wrath, Envy, Pride. This is what defines us! Nothing else, nothing more! There is no place for innocence here!"

Cynder spun around, eyes glowing with pained fury.

"These are destructive traits! More likely leading us into oblivion than the pedestal of glory you so badly dream of!"

"That's no mere fantasy girl" he waved his paw around "Look around you, we were on that pedestal! Malefor led us there"

"What pedestal are you talking about?! He led people yeah, but to their doom! Nowhere else! He slaughtered millions! And you worship his name as he would be a hero!"

"He snuffed out a generation of worthless creatures, treading a path for a new one to thrive. I'm aware that many of those deaths were an unfortunate collateral damage, but most were a necessary remedy"

"You're right!" Cynder exclaimed, her eyes widening in a dripping with sarcasm expression that even the blind would see. Her stifled shout making those praying at the sides of the temple wriggle nervously

"We should really construct his statue here, why he deserves all the respect for the bloodbath he caused!"

"Come on Cyril!" Spyro chimed in, his voice far more aggressive than he wanted it to sound "The guy is dead, gone, there's no point bringing his cursed name here. Let's bury that part of our history, it has nothing to do with our current problems anyway"

His purple eyes impulsively turned towards his partner, offering as much of silent support as possible. Even if she didn't pay him much attention, panting heavily like a bull, her glowing green eyes constantly aimed at the ice dragon, he hoped that she felt his support.

Just as he felt the pain and the blood dripping from the freshly torn scabs on her soul.

"That part of our history has everything to do with our today's problems Spyro. Everything!" Cyril extended his claw, drawing an invisible line across the row of statues to his right

"Ancestors watch us day and night, and you know what they feel? Shame" his paw fell back down on the floor devastated "Our proud race reduced to dust, struggling against apes. Apes!" he shook his head in disappointment "Fiery hearts turned to glass"

He furiously spun around, paw landing on the nearest pillar, claws digging into the stone with screeching noise.

"This meekness is Brill's fault. He turned us into worthless creatures. Malefor was the cure and hopefully, if Ignitus was right, the cleansing ended with you Spyro"

Cynder tapped her paw against the floor, the slapping sound very similar to the sound of clapping hands.

"Ok then! Statues of murderers coming right up!" her head started to turn from side to side in a mocking manner, keeping the false pretense of searching for something

"Where are the rocks? Such magnificent symbol can't be ignored!"

Cyril's claws stopped moving, his blue eyes narrowing on the scratches they left behind. A smirk stretched his lips.

"Then you better not forget about your own statue"

Spyro cringed, with the eyes of his imagination seeing the wounds behind the freshly peeled off scabs bursting open, sending waves of blood flying. His bent down silhouette turned, eyes in fear aiming themselves at his friend.

Her whole figure was completely frozen in a pose of utter shock. The bandaged, injured leg bent and hovering above ground. Mouth parted open, eyes so huge that they nearly popped out from their orbits.

Invisible currents of agony crawling behind scales like snakes.

"Cynder..."

"You are the extension of his will after all"

His pitiful mumble carrying her name was killed somewhere in between the arrogant words of the Ice Guardian.

The wince only deepened on his snout, when he opened his eyes the temple seemed to get darker, as if the moon itself would push the sun out of the way. People that visited the temple let out gasps of fear. Heads of the people kept turning around, scanning every part of the temple, either above or below.

Only when they finally spotted the reason behind this uneasiness in the air they all huddled close to each other, mumbling something, words only for their ears to hear, their nervous whispers mixing with the temple's special atmosphere. Every eye landing on the trio of dragons.

"I wasn't given a choice"

Spyro's eyes landed on the one responsible for saying this words. The shocked expression disappeared completely from Cynder's features, replaced by a mask of fury and total contempt for absolutely everything.

Her eyes were no longer wide and startled, their physical appearance was nothing out of the ordinary.

It was what hid inside that drew a dagger through his heart.

Her emerald orbs lost the shimmer that he so adored, the once happy eyes, sparkling brighter than ever after their shared night were gone. Now turned completely lifeless, looking so very much alike the green eyes of Cynder driven by Corruption. With gaze like that and the shadow that stretched from underneath her body and crept from every darkened corner of the temple covering rock after rock in complete blackness, one would believe that the sun will never wake again. It's the time when your horrors are brought to life.

He wasn't afraid of the stretching shadows, or the murderous gaze, because with bond such as theirs he knew that it was simply a mask. The rekindled darkness wasn't aimed at anybody, it was simply a reflection of her own battle with her own horrors.

He was afraid of the fact that he knew that there is absolutely nothing he can do to make this right.

"He used me" Cynder continued, voice as dark as the growing shadows, surprisingly kept low and quiet, unconsciously perhaps following the unwritten rules of respect of the temple

"Precisely" Cynder added, with unhidden fascination observing the shrouded in darkness temple

"Turned me into a monster"

"Semantics. People are mostly too stupid to see the bigger picture"

The room got darker even more, the old dragon's words and the way he pronounced each and every one of them...so cold and sure of himself...made her want to spit all that shadow in his direction and suffocate him.

"Ruined my life"

The Guardian pressed his paw to one of the pillars, a part that was still quite bright. With an indescribable spark in his eyes he observed as the slithering shadows from the bottom of the pillar crept over his leg.

"I would disagree with that"

"Cyril that's enough!" Spyro growled, sick of this situation

"Forced me to murder thousands of people" Cynder continued in her constantly darkening voice

"One generation has to end for another to thrive"

"Enough!" Spyro shouted again

She made a step towards the Guardian, paw sinking into the splotch of darkness that followed her.

"He made me his slave"

He observed her with a glimmer in his eyes that betrayed awe, even if every other part of his body desperately clung to indifference.

"The end justifies the means"

"Enough!" Spyro roared, however once again his voice reached deaf ears

Another step, black paws sunk deeper into the gladly following magical pool of shadow.

"He took away my WILL"

Cyril shrugged callously.

"For the job to be done you had to become him. You killed Brill, I say that proves you became like your master"

"I AM NOT LIKE HIM!" she roared, shadows around the temple pulsed like a dark heart, her rumbling, intimidating blare made all the people in the temple scream in horror, forcing those close to dash towards the main door, the rest scattered in every other direction.

Cyril observed with disgust the scenery of cowardice unfolding all around him, his eyes especially focused on the young draconic caretaker, who seemed to be the most frightened of them all.

"At least this shortens our time of waiting for that fucker to show up"

The temple brightened momentarily, shadows shrunk back from the walls and pillars, sliding back underneath Cynder's paws where they belonged. Stretching only from her body, in the direction the braziers wanted.

Everything went back to normal.

When Spyro's head finally stopped moving around and returned to its original, natural spot he noticed Cynder's eyes aimed directly at him. Eyes full of hurt, but also of almost palpable gratitude and indebtedness.

He wasn't certain, but he thought he noticed a crack of a smile appearing on her serious snout.

Green eyes shifted back at the ice dragon.

"You know why I'm not like him? I have something that asshole never had. I have unwavering TRUST which I have no intention on shattering. You should be glad for that, who knows, maybe that's why you're still breathing"

Cyril smirked, surprisingly not offended by the insulting threat that in any other situation would provoke him.

"Perhaps you are not like him as you say, but you have the traits I mentioned embedded within you. Traits HE personified"

"Bullshit. Somehow I don't picture Malefor fighting against the odds for people's forgiveness"

"Gluttony" Cyril pointed out proudly

"Neither do I imagine him wanting it"

"Lust"

Cynder frowned, she was pretty certain he was provoking her.

"Being such a bumptious dick as he was, he would never bare the fact that someone opposes him and lives to see another day"

"Pride"

A growl rumbled within her throat, the thought about giving up never crossing her mind.

"He never wanted a life of peace that many people live"

"Greed"

The cocky tone of his voice made her furious.

"War and death were always on his mind, no matter how well he hid it, people don't become power hungry idiots the next day just like that. Peace didn't exist in his dictionary"

"Envy"

Whatever notions of restraint snapped away.

"OH FUCK YOU CYRIL!" she roared straight into his snout, letting out all her boiling emotion in that single blare "Fuck you and your condescending tone! Your idol rots in the hell he deserves and I hope you'll join him there soon!"

With that she stormed off, making her way to nearest rows of statues, tail wagging furiously from side to side.

Spyro opened his mouth, but no sound came out, he simply felt that this was not the right time to say anything. Independence needs its space, especially in situations like these.

"Wrath"

He frowned at the sound of the arrogant tone, lips wavered as he turned, revealing his sharp teeth that only added more intimidating touch to his angry snarl.

"What the hell is wrong with you?!" Spyro snapped at the Guardian

Cyril's eyes landed on the purple drake, eyes radiating nothing but cold boredom.

"What the hell were you thinking by bringing it up?! You said you'll stop with your insults!"

"If you would only look past the shackling impulse of friendship you would see that I followed your every given order"

"Like hell you did!" he accusingly pointed his claw in the direction his friend went "If that would be the case you wouldn't have offended Cynder!"

The Guardian rolled his eyes "I don't remember you ordering me to hold back from speaking the truth. If there are some who can't handle it..." he shrugged "Not my problem"

"Who gave you the right to say what is true and what not?! Your arguments can be interpreted as obsession with Brill as well!"

Cyril laughed "I just showed you the proof Spyro and you still go into denial"

"You praised Malefor for Ancestor's sake!" he blurt out, stomping the floor with his earlier risen leg

"I tried to open your clouded by feelings eyes. I didn't praise him, don't take me for a fool, I remembered what he did. By his example I showed you what it means to be a dragon"

"What's the difference?! You have an almost fatalistic view about our race. It all leads to the same thing!"

Cyril sighed, rubbing his forehead tiredly "Spyro spare me the sickening moral talk, I had enough of hearing it from Terrador's mouth as it is. Just accept your potential, directly if you will"

"I don't plan on doing anything for you! You hurt my friend!"

"And yet you are still here!" the ice dragon exclaimed, flaring his wings open in irritation "You unconsciously follow the role meant for you"

He did not respond to that, clearly showing that he is not interested in the role the Guardian has in mind.

Cyril didn't care.

"Can't you really not see this? Ignitus was right about you"

Spyro threw a brief glance at the statue that represented his late mentor. He really wanted to tell the Ice Guardian to screw himself, but he just couldn't force himself to do it. He owed something to his foster father.

"I just showed that Cynder represents all those traits I mentioned"

"That's not true" he replied confidently "There is no kindness there and she showed plenty. She is so much more, impossible to describe with six words"

"Motives! You are talking about motives!" Cyril practically whined "Those may differ from dragon to dragon. The essence remains the same however"

"I saved Cynder when I got the chance. How that fills into the so called essence?"

"Exactly!" he blurt out obviously relieved "Even if you also represent the true definition of a dragon you managed to break the shackles! You stopped the cleansing, not once but twice! You also turned the first nemesis into an ally! Ignitus said you are a way of nature to balance itself and I stand by his words"

Spyro lowered his head, thinking about what has just been said. Ignitus was wise, even through his somewhat blind belief in his powers he could perfectly argument his every word that you simply could not agree with it.

And yet now, hearing Cyril recalling with awe the very same words Ignitus used many times filled him with nothing but doubt.

"You marked the beginning of a new generation" Cyril continued "You and Cynder will show what it means to be a dragon. You will pass your virtues onto your offspring, truly a great future is ahead for our race. I say this from the deepest part of my egotistical heart"

"What if you're wrong?" Spyro asked, making the Guardian gasp slightly "What if all those things that you say are only a battle between good and evil? What if simple morals are in play here?"

"Please, destiny and prophecy, both of them are real. Don't insult Ignitus' memory by doubting that"

"If they are real then what is Brill doing here? He was killed was he not?"

Cyril growled, claws leavening deep scratch marks on the floor "An unfortunate coincidence, nothing else"

"What if he is the one that is supposed to help us? Expand the definition of dragon?"

"He is here to corrupt it as he always did!" Cyril rumbled "And I won't allow this city to be turned into a pasture for meek sheep"

"I would rather see it burn first"