Cynders abilities
#2 of Spyro Stories
CW: mild violence
Cynders abilities is actually the first story I wrote in the ability series, as her breath elements are obscure and not really explained. What does it feel like getting hit with shadow fire? What about ghostly apparitions of pure fear? That's what I wanted to portray.
The small grublin gripped his spear tightly as he stood guard on top of the crumbling wall. Malefor had used some strange dark magic to raise several small patches of land high above the smoldering volcano. The dark master wanted a good view of the Destroyer when it completed its ring and commenced the destruction of the planet below. The world would crumble, and when almost everyone was dead, Malefor would rule over a newly reborn world, one that he could shape himself using the scattered pieces of the broken planet.
The grublin smiled to himself. Those loyal to him would stand by him, and be rewarded greatly when the planet was reborn. But two dragons, thought to have been lost for three years, have risen to oppose Malefor. The wretched purple dragon Spyro, and the betrayer Cynder. The grublins duty was to stand watch, as these two dragons drew closer to stopping the dark masters plans.
Peering over the edge of the wall he was standing on, the grublin had a view of the entire valley of Avalar, Warfang, and beyond. However, two figures, flying below, caught his attention. He squinted as they drew ever closer, until the suns light glinted off their scales, showing black and purple. They were here, sooner than the grublin had expected. He turned to his companions and shouted a warning, telling them to stand ready, before peering back down. As the grublin watched Spyro and Cynder fly towards them, he saw the black dragoness opened her maw and....
(Poison)
Spit out a large glob of something eerily green. The grublin fell backwards to avoid being hit, and the green glob struck the edge of the wall. He watched as the stone started melting away slowly. Whatever that was, he didn't want to get hit by it. He stood back up as the two dragons landed on the wall, one on either end. Cynder was closest to him and she bared her teeth. Readying himself, the grublin thrust his spear forward toward her breast scales, aiming for her heart. She flipped backwards out of the way, and while she did, she used the flat of her tail blade to knock the weapon out of the grublins hands.
The weapon spun over the wall, careening down to the earth far below them. Weaponless, the grublin took a step backwards. Behind him, Spyro was dispatching one of his spear-mates. He had nowhere to go. The grublin watched hopelessly as Cynder leaped high into the air. When she reached the peak of her jump, she curled up and spun downward toward him. Time seemed to slow as the grublin saw his death barreling down upon him. As she spun, Cynder spat out more of her acidic green poison, coating her claws and tail blade in them. Right before she collided with him, the grublin dove forward out of the way, but Cynder still managed to rake her claws against his leg.
Instantly, he felt a burning sensation like a fire seep into his leg as he tumbled across the wall. He felt the burn quickly move up into his torso as the poison entered his bloodstream. He screamed out in agony as the poison ate at him from the inside out. If he still had his spear, he would go down fighting, but as his was lost to the wind, he lay on the cold stone, screaming until the poison consumed him and everything went dark.
(Wind)
Blew out a gust of wind. The wind struck the grublin and sent him flying through the air. He spun around, disoriented, the world moving much too fast for him to register properly. It was only when he landed against the wall with a crack that he was shocked back into reality. He tumbled over the edge, but just managed to grab hold before falling. Looking down, he saw his leg bent at an odd angle, yet he didn't feel any pain, not since the initial break.
Grabbing the edge with his other hand, he slowly pulled himself back up. To his left, Cynder was cornered against the wall by two of his spear-mates. She hissed menacingly at them as they drew closer, spears poised to strike. The grublin watched as Cynder flapped once, rising into the air, and started spinning. Faster and faster she spun until the air around her started coalescing, forming into a miniature tornado. His two spear-mates quickly got caught up in the vortex, getting sucked in. The tornado was strong enough that it started picking up small debris and rubble from the wall, flinging them in all directions. A good sized rock smashed against the grublins head, dazing him. His vision went blurry, and his head throbbed. He couldn't move, but he felt himself being drawn into the tornado like the others.
Before he knew it, he was spinning around, growing increasingly dizzy. The wind within the tornado was ferocious and unyielding. It tore at him, quite literally. Each current that passed him cut him up more and more. All he felt was pain for the last few moments that he was alive.
(Shadow)
Breathed out a torrent of dark flame. The grublin didn't have time to move out of the way before he was bathed in it. He didn't know what he was expecting to feel, but it certainly wasn't this. The black fire washed over him like a mist. It felt oddly cold, yet at the same time it seemed to burn. Everything hurt as the darkness obscured his vision and muddled his mind. He didn't know what was happening, but through the darkness that clouded his vision he spotted a figure standing in front of him. He attacked it, certain it was one of the dragons.
He spear clashed against something, and he was shoved back. Something cut his arm deep, probably one of the dragons claws. Thrusting his spear forward, he felt it pierce through something like flesh. He shoved his spear deeper, and the figure in front of him stopped moving.
The grublin smiled, certain he had just vanquished one of the dragons, when the shadow left his vision and he saw clearly again. His eyes widened as he followed where his spear lay. It was deep inside the stomach of one of his spear-mates, dark green blood dripping down the spears shaft and coating the grublins hand. Mortified, the grublin pulled his spear out of his companion, and the lifeless body collapsed on the wall.
Slowly turning around, he saw the black dragoness shredding another spear-mate with her claws. Crying out in rage, the grublin charged her, swinging his spear, eager for her blood. Before the blade connected, Cynder turned into pure smoke, and his spear passed harmlessly through her. The grublin had no time to do anything before Cynder erupted out of the smoke, throwing the grublin into the air. As the grublins ascension slowed to a stop, he glanced down to catch a glimpse of a large dismembered shadowy claw reaching for him, and then his world went black, but not from lack of vision.
(Fear)
Screamed. It was shrill, and seemed to cut through the fibers of his soul. His ears rang loudly, drowning out everything. The world around him went red, and his spear dropped out of his hand. A feeling of pure dread filled his body. What was he doing here? He was going to die. He didn't want to die. He collapsed on his knees, holding his head and crying out in fear.
Although he couldn't hear anything, he felt the vibrations of people fighting around him, and saw someone coming toward him. Glancing up, he saw Cynder several feet away from him, tinted red by his faulty vision. She seemed to tower over him, growing larger. She looked far from normal, more like a monster. Curved horns, large claws that looked to drop blood, and eyes that were filled with power. She was going to kill him. This beast that stood before him was going to kill him.
His heart pounded in his chest as he scrambled backwards, trying to get as far away from her as possible. She took a deep breath in, and coughed out several pulsating red orbs. They drifted slowly toward him, and when they were close enough, they sped up, shooting through his chest. The orbs passed harmlessly through him, yet when they did, a wave of pure fear flooded his body.
The orbs rounded around and passed through him again. Again and again, the orbs tore through him. Each time they did, the world around the grublin emanated terror. Everywhere he looked, something terrified him, and it grew increasingly worse with each pass the orbs made. The grublin screamed out in pure agony, tearing at his own eyes to avoid seeing what he saw. He didn't feel the pain, he didn't feel anything. He only felt the cold grasp of fear. Eventually, the little grublins heart couldn't take anymore, and promptly stopped to avoid any more of the horror.
Thanks for reading! May your inner fire burn strong