Crash, Spyro, and the Magical Shapeshifter C8

Chapter 8: What We Mean to Each Other

The role of the Chronicler is to observe and record. He is thousands of years old, and possesses immeasurable wisdom and knowledge given his time watching history transpire. He is the chosen Dragon to watch over the Books of Time, which have recorded almost every part of history and every dragon has a book dedicated to their lives. With such a vast collection of information, what normally peaks this wise sage’s curiosity are the gaps in information. For as much as he knows about time and history, the small details that have avoided his gaze are what interests him; keep him going in the millenniums of isolation. Such is the case of three dragons in particular, each of whom had, have, and will have a profound impact on the history of all dragons and by extension the history of the whole planet, past and present: Spyro, Malefor,... and Cynder.

But of course time travel always mucks things up. It tends to make a mess of chronology and causes cataloging history to be that much harder of a task. So whenever some creature finds out how to do so (dragon, human, whatever…), it usually means a headache for this ancient, grayish-light blue dragon. It also probably didn’t help the Chronicler's habit of talking to himself. Cause… who else was he going to speak to alone drifting in a library floating literally in the Convexity itself? A place unaffected by time and space.

“Where is she, where is she; the dragoness lost amongst the annals of time. If only, if only I could find her; complete my eulogy on the life of this troubled and tormented orphan.” The Chronicler's research into Cynder’s life, from his home in the White Isle (it was the first thing he could come up with… it’s not actually an Isle) was… err… difficult. Cause it wasn’t as if he was just observing the events of her life after they happened. No, time didn’t work like that when you sit outside of all conceivable reality. You basically have access to all of it, all at once, but with the added problem of seeing… everything. The job of going back and forth to write the details of a specific story down amongst “infinite inspiration” (it’s a metaphor for a single life’s tale against a universe of canon) was a painful and meticulous job, one of which aptly was probably only possible because he had all the time in the world… no, in the universe to write all this stuff down (I should stop talking to myself...).

“But of course, this has to be even more difficult than it should be. Cynder should be right here, by Spyro’s side as he confronts Malefor at… the Mountain of Malefor. What an egocentric label for a mountain. Named by a narcissistic jerk if I’ve ever heard one. Ugh, and I have to finish my book on Malefor, too. Well I would if he would stop being immortal. I mean that doesn't particularly matter for his book I’m procrastinating on finishing, but even I get tired of explaining why to myself. Oh the trouble he had/has/will cause. What a headache this is/will be.”

Continuing to peer through the rivers in time (again metaphor… oh wait you knew that, I’ll stop butting in), the Chronicler then got a hint at what transpired. “Strange... it appears Cynder is actually out and about a thousand years earlier than I expected. No, that can’t be right? What is this break to continuity? Man, why did I ever agree to this job? Anyway, at least I’ve got something.”

Continuing to observe, it appears Cynder spent her life as a young child by the side of Spyro after all, and seemed to love him as well. “Okay, I think everyone knows that. But still, why is she here so far from when she should be? As a matter of fact, I thought Spyro was also born a thousand years after this? This has to be due to that rift in time. The order of events is wrong. Oh this isn’t good. Not good at all.”

Cynder and Spyro spent a lot of time together in the Realm of Artisans. They fought some ugly dude named Gnasty Gnork together, then they both ended up in Avalar together and fought some other short, weird dude named Ripto. “Funny name. Do I have a book on him? I do… I’ll read it later… even though I wrote it… and he’s not a dragon… what is he? Maybe the book I wrote will tell me! What a minute!!! I’m off topic, I was sure Spyro did all that stuff by himself? Am I going insane...”

Peering into his, ehem... Crystal Ball (This thing gets every channel ever throughout all time, basically) he then saw the change to history that really mattered: when Cynder died. Where her story should end, yet it doesn’t. Her death sets in motion something not even the Chronicler expected. “Okay… So Spyro was receiving training from the Elders of that time period to fully realize himself as the Purple Dragon of Legend, yet his biggest test at the time was the Sorceress. The third enemy from the third ga… third ‘chapter’ in Spyro’s life. But Cynder’s also there for some reason; I need to get to the bottom of that. Spyro then confronts the Sorceress, only to find out she’s stronger than his previous two adversaries along with being more cunning and ruthless. She terrorizes the Forgotten Lands, the former home of all Dragons so long ago. Given that fact, Spyro will take it personally to see her downfall to avenge the lives of so many, dragons and citizens of Avalar alike. Yeah, you go get her Spyro.”

But of course the Chronicler soon knew this happy story would come to an end. Cause Cynder's life soon ends after this. The Sorceress finds out this little, innocent, black dragoness who accompanied Spyro on all his innocent adventures was someone her nemesis also loved, so she kidnaped her. It drove Spyro crazy trying to find and rescue her. “Poor little guy.”

He eventually finds her and challenges the Sorceress for her freedom, but the tyrant has other plans. “Oh man, I’m so sorry Spyro.” She murders her right in front of him. That was the last time Spyro was ever Spyro. After that, he became someone else. “Sigh… the undocumented history of the Dark One… well in this new continuity anyway.”

There was something else the Chronicler was missing. Spyro may have gone off the deep end after his innocence and future was murdered in front of him, but still doesn’t explain why Spyro currently is also 100,000 years farther in the future fighting a human like he who is able to wield the Convexity. It doesn’t explain why that Spyro’s “life story” doesn’t involve Cynder at all. “I am definitely missing something. Are there two Spyros? Two timelines? Ugh this is going to be so much paperwork documenting the cause of yet another rift in the endless multiverse. Hmm… Maybe I should recount Malefor’s life from start to finish… If it ever does finish, immortal jerk. Okay… Okay, I think I got it.”

What the Chronicler also meant was something hidden from history. Apparently Malefor for at least in his youth was destined for greatness. To be a great Purple Dragon, kind of like current Spyro. “Makes sense, they're the same skin color, so they have the same purpose: Legendary Dragons. At least that’s what my books that I wrote say. Plus the author is pretty smart =}... Anyway, something tragic happens to Malefor earlier in his life. At a point when his name wasn’t actually Malefor. Name changes! They always get me! Of course! A fallen hero doesn’t often retain the name of their youth. That name gets buried in the sands of time like with the memory of them actually being good at one point. Spyro at the suggestion of one of his corrupted Elders, who intended all along for Spyro to become the monster he is now, offered up a new name to his pupil. Who was that Elder again?” The Chronicler flipped through some pages of one of his books to find the name Red. “Oh, that generically named bad Dragon… Moving on! So Spyro turns out to be Malefor! What, that’s ridiculous! But it’s the truth... maybe? Eh, let’s go with an alternative fact for now. So tragic! All because Cynder died. Well… I guess I have what I need for Cynder’s book. It’s a shame, too. Her life was to be so much more than that.”

A knock on his front door literally had the Chronicler's ghost jump out of him. “What the, I haven’t had a guest in a literal eternity.” Who was knocking on his front door? Who knew he was alive? “Umm…” He walked carefully and peered past the curtain out through a window which showed the endless abyss that is the Convexity. But who was there certainly made his job to finish Cynder’s story that much more difficult. “Sigh………… It’s never easy. Cosmic coincidences (it’s not a coincidence don’t believe that) just mean more paperwork.” With his his front door open revealing three guests, the Chronicler spoke. “Cynder plus company, what do you want?”

Crash’s statement, though jaggy, rough, and scratchy, brought Spyro to a grinding pause. “I what?” he asked pausing in both his approach and thought.

“Do  y-  ooh?”

Crash then began walking towards Spyro slowly, never wavering his gaze from the dragon. Coco meanwhile amidst the pain enveloping her entire body which prevented her from standing was able to glance at her brother and Spyro before their impending schermish. Her brother had done this to her, beaten her to a point where she couldn’t stand, blood dripping from various lacerations and staining her clothing. But of course today the secret was out that she wasn’t actually Crash’s brother at all, and that instead she was Tawana's sister… and that maybe she deserved this. To watch someone she loved, who for her whole life was her idol, fall to the depths of evil he his entire life stood against. That... more than her fractured ribs, caused greater pain and sorrow. Looking at what her brother had become, was the real torture as she then lost consciousness.

Spyro on the other hand stood fast as his former friend approached him, the blue poison Emily used to warp his mind still glowing bright blue in his veins and eyes. What Alisha told Spyro the night before, as well as what Crash just accused him of rang through Spyro’s mind as he decided what to say next. Either admit a truth that confounds him, or deflect this. “I know what you mean, Crash. And it’s true. You're... one of my best friends. What you do, who you are… that bandicoot, is more than a brother to me, and he wouldn’t hurt me.”

They were now within five feet of each other. Stall him; give Emily enough time to open a portal to the Convexity. That’s all I had to do. “I    d-   ownt,    wha-  ant,    tu-u.”

Crash then turned to his right and looked at his “sister,” battered and bloody as a result of his own doing. He then turned from Spyro and walked towards Coco and knelt next to her unconscious body. HIs back was away from Spyro, who was unsure and confused by Crash’s words and intentions. I thought he was hypnotized? It was the sound of Crash’s voice, raspy and evidently full of emotion that then grabbed Spyro’s attention. “Eye    h-  ave   tuu.” Walking towards his flank Spyro then saw as Crash glanced at him that he was crying. The sight of his sister, what he did to her, it had to be too hard for him to bear. How much they loved each other, how much they meant to each other considering how important they were in each other’s lives. Coco was the only other person left alive that was his family. Spyro knew that, he learned that after being told the fate of Tawna, and felt absolutely horrible for Crash… his best friend… who’s become immeasurably important in his life, too.

“No Crash, you do have to. You don’t have to let that witch undo everything which you stand for. Don’t ever believe that. Coco, she looks up to you, she sees the strength and good heartedness that I see in you, and loves you… like I do. Okay, you're my family, too, now. And I can’t stand to see you like this any longer.” Spyro said that with a little emotion growing in his voice, for he admitted what Crash accused him of, what Alisha foretold him of last night, and what Spyro was troubled over in the days following Crash rescuing Elora all those weeks ago.

“I d-   on’t   h-  ve    da    str-   ang-   th.”

“That’s not true. Your strength is your resolve, your perseverance, your dedication to helping others that began the day you first fell in love with Tawna. And no matter what kind of mind games Emily does to you, she can never erase the kind soul the defines who you are. A hero that would never harm your sister, but would stand up to anyone who would. Your strength is your amazing character, your gentle, courageous soul. That’s what I see in you and that’s what Coco sees in you, too. Just find that strength I know you already have and you’ll be free.”

With tears streaming freely, Crash knelt on the ground turned his head to the left to match Spyro’s gaze. He bowed then bowed his head in shame and closed his eyes to avert Spyro's concerned gaze. It was a display of emotional agony, which Spyro couldn’t stand to look at unaffected. The guilt is weighing on him for what he’s done; it’s tearing him apart even though it isn’t his fault. Cause even now while mind controlled he has the resolve to fight the hypnotism and see what he’s doing. He’s fighting this, and all I have to do is help him beat this. “Hey, this isn’t your fault; I won’t let you believe that. You’ve proven to me time and time again the righteous soul you have. It’s what... I admire about you. Why, like Coco… I look up to you, too.” At this point Spyro was right next to Crash. He could vicariously feel the pain Crash was going through, understanding the burden and the weight his actions are putting on him. “I’ll be here for you.” And that’s when Spyro embraced Crash by placing his front paw on Crash’s back, trying to aid Crash in his grieving. In any way lend him strength by showing support, to show he wasn’t alone in this. The contact was warm, and it was reassuring. An outward symbol of the friendship between these two, that it was deep. It also was what Crash was hoping for.

“Eyehm   s-  arr-  y.”

Crash’s demeanor instantly changed from agony to focus, but it was too late for Spyro to react or even fully notice. Crash’s spin sent him flying back, it having the ability to fling Spyro away at bone shattering velocities. Spyro flew through the air, bouncing of the dirt now oriented with his side parallel to the ground before the center of his back struck the center of a tree, causing Spyro to decelerate instantly while his hind legs and neck curled around the tree for a moment before Spyro slumped to the ground unconscious from whiplash and the severity of impact.

Crash’s sad demeanor from before was a deception, like with his sister earlier to lure his best friend into a false sense of confidence, ensuring he could end the fight with the formidable Spyro in one blow. Cheap tactics such as this Crash wouldn’t have used had he not been under Emily’s spell, but as of now his only goal was to permit his mistress to open a portal to the convexity and not allow Coco or Spyro to interfere, and if he had to use their emotions against them to gain the upper hand, then so be it. Done with the both of them, Crash walked towards Emily and a terrified Anvi.

The ritual at this point was a spectacle of flashing lights and a speech of incomprehensible words spoken by Emily herself. Her hands were as active as the purple pulsing glow of the pentagram and mystic symbols painted on the ground of glowing energy. And in the center of that ritualistic imagery was Anvi, scared, terrified, and motherless. Her life mere moments away from being ended so that Emily could get her family back.

Crash knew of the pain and tragedy of Emily’s life, for earlier when she peered into his memories and she learned all of his character and past, Crash was able to do the same with her though maybe Emily didn’t realize. This ritual, the sacrifice was wrong and Emily should be condemned for wanting to go through with this. But at the same time… What would Crash do - be willing to do - to save Tawan’s life if such an opportunity existed? Would he be capable of murder, to trade one life for another? It’s a situation you couldn’t ever really know what decision you’d make until you were presented with the opportunity. And with this foresight Crash was now at least sympathetic to Emily’s plight. His loyalty via her spell was unquestioning, but as he stood helpless to stop this ritualistic killing of the girl he originally came here to save… Crash could at least see the similarities between himself and his captor. If only if I could have helped - if not in getting her parents lives - then show her that the death of your loved ones doesn’t mean the end of the live you call your own. It isn’t the end when you lose it all. Families are what you make of them, blood or not. Like him and Coco… him and Spyro, as they each said to me before I betrayed them both.

“Now… I get my family back. Vocat te ad convexum, vocat ponte caeli et terrae! Sim Sala Bim!”

Alisha was too late, she found this location despite the veil Emily had created to keep her away only because the Convexity Emily was calling forth to the mortal realm gave away her location. As Alisha arrived to try to save her daughter, instead she was horrified to watch her die in sacrifice.

All the light outlining the design of the pentagram beneath Anvi glowed blindingly bright, before the light converged to the center where Anvi laid helplessly. There was a second of normalcy before the bright light returned; now literally erupting from Anvi’s chest as she herself screamed. The light flung from Anvi’s helpless body like lava from a volcano, but instead of spilling outwards to the sides pooled above her and began to form a large circle of black and dark purple color. That was the portal to the convexity. And in its creation Anvi faded, the portals energy literally feeding off her very essence, devouring her like a parasite until she began to disappear, growing transparent until eventually fading away completely once Emily’s spell finished and a stable portal was made between the Earth and the Convexity.

“No…” Alisha could only whisper, even with all her powerful was reduced to being a spectator to watching her own daughter parish.

What happened next was even worse, for it wasn’t the end of her daughter but potentially the end of millions of lives. Malefor emerged from Emily’s portal large, dark eyes, foreboding, and menacing. Finally back on Earth, ever since Aku-Aku had foiled his last attempt to return at the cost of his own life and brother’s a thousand years ago.

˂This isn’t good, Alisha. We may very well be doomed. I’m sorry… Crash and Spyro couldn’t save your daughter.˃

˂I know Aku-Aku. Fate.... it seems, is not in our favor after all˃ Alisha replied to a spiritual friend.

Spyro, feeling the bones in his back shift and pop as he got up, could only look in horror the site before him. It was another purple dragon, a full grown adult, who looked vaguely like himself, but fully versed and therefore stained with the power of the Convexity. Spyro couldn’t help but notice the familiarity in his face though.

Crash and Emily meanwhile stood to Malefor’s left, as emissaries greeting his arrival, successful in their mission to bring him here, and spell certain doom for the world that was only given 100,000 years reprieve from his tyranny. Breathing in a long breath of fresh air for the first time in 1000 years, Malefor then exhaled with a smile on his face before he spoke.

“It’s good to be back.”

“Chronicler, we need your help” Cynder said with respect.

“Oh, you know who I am! Wonderful! You’re not supposed to but you do, so that’s great! Let me guess, you need me to tell you something about your future or something? Well I’m not done writing your book yet, and you being here is going to make finishing it even more complicated than it should be.”

“Cynder, are you sure we need this old geezer's help getting back to Earth?” the red dragon behind her spoke skeptically.

“Geezer!” the Chronicler replied angrily, “I’ll just so happen to let you know young ‘whipper snapper’ that I am one of the oldest and most respected dragon elders in existence, who has observed, documented, and recorded your life from its start to its eventual end once it will eventually happen! So how about you show some respect youngling before I erase your story from continuity… umm… whoever you are?”

“Oh, he doesn’t know who I am. That’s hilarious! The Dragon who writes books about every other Dragon in existence doesn’t know who I am. Can you believe that Cynder, what a fraud?”

Neither angry nor loudly, Cynder calmly addressed her recently acquired acquaintance who was aiding her on her quest. “Listen Flame, I’d appreciate it if you not harass the one Dragon that might actually know where in the future we’re heading to. Our mission is riding on him helping us, which we also need to convince him to do. So try to act nice for once in your life.”

“Whatever Cynder, but you know as well as I do whatever ‘niceness’ I had died with Ember.”

“Flame?” The Chronicler said with intrigue before he had a realization. “What a minute, I finished your story already! You’re supposed to be dead. And so are you Cynder. Whatever time alternating shenanigans you’re pulling to be here is definitely not okay. You two youngsters are in so much trouble. And you too, human.” The Chronicler was referring to the young girl behind Cynder.

“Oh what, you’re going to paddle us old timer?” Flame said with wit.

“As a matter a fact I should you disrespectful, ignorant, cocky…” Before The Chronicler could continue, Cynder cut him off.

“Listened, Chronicler. We wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t important. We all know that your job is as an observer and never to interfere, but the current situation calls for your intervention. Sp-  Malefor will appear in the future once more, and he needs to be stopped. Flame, Anvi, and I are going to stop him.”

“Hmm… Anvi huh? Well I don’t know too much about humans, for I’m not allowed to record their lives even if I wanted to. But no the other Elder Dragons said to leave that job to an actual human: Father Time. Eh, anyway, what exactly are you asking me to do? I may be more willing to help than you think?”

“We want to know how to get back to Earth. My friend over here, Anvi, life was sacrificed to make a portal for Malefor to use, and as far as we know summoning a portal from the physical plane is the only way to get from the Convexity back to Earth.”

“A lot of lives are in danger,” Anvi finally spoke up, “my mom’s included.” Please Chronicler, help us.”

“Oh sure, I can tell you how to get to Earth at the correct time. It’s actually quite simple really, but before I do so I have two conditions.”

“And what are those, Elder?” Cynder asked courteously.

“Well first off I’d like ‘Flame’-y temper over there to apologize.”

“What, are you serious!?” Flame said annoyed. To which Cynder gave him a look that set him straight. Their mission was more important than his pride. After all he was here to avenge Ember’s life.

“Sigh… I’m sorry I called you old. And a geezer. And for being rude in the first place.

“Weak and definitely not genuine,” the Chronicler said in incontently, “but I’ll take it. For my second condition is more important.”

Flame grumbled something but again received a look from Cynder which quieted him before she looked forward once more. “What is your second condition, Chronicler?”

“Oh it’s nothing really; I’d just like you to recount your journey of how you got to my doorstep for me. You’re life has been so hard to document, and now here you are before me. I rarely get to use primary sources in my works, I’m already excited. Now come inside and we’ll get started. I’m sure your tale of fighting alongside Spyro before things got really bad, how you’re still alive, and now wanting to fight your former love to save the world from his wrath over losing you is an epic in its own right. And then you’ll meet a version of Spyro that’s actually not homicide but whose heart kind if is a different place. Oh how exciting! Come inside and we’ll get started. Oh, and Anvi, I’d love to get your story too. Now I know humans aren’t in my jurisdiction, but dragon-human interaction definitely is. Oh I can’t wait to rub my publication in Father Time’s face, and tell him to take his ‘e-lec-tron-ic’ books and shove it. Just because his species invented that kind of machinery doesn’t mean he has to rub it in my face that he in turn can use it! The nerve of that guy, and he doesn’t even let me borrow any sugar! Lousy neighbor!”

Flame meanwhile was not amused and irritated once more. “Oh my lord! Cynder, are you sure you want this guy documenting our lives. I’m sure his arthritis will start acting up as his writing, and we’ll be here forever. Time is of the essence you know.

“Time” the Chronicler interjected, “is not of the essence. Listen up youngster, first rule of this place called the Convexity, is that there is no time. This place doesn’t have any. I could take an eternity finishing your stories, and it wouldn’t matter because this place doesn’t record the seconds it took to finish. So basically I have all the time in the world to take as long as I want writing ‘your’ book in particular, Flame, and it wouldn’t affect your mission in the slightest. So, shall we get started then. I’ll be sure to be ‘thorough’ with my questions and documentation.”

Flame could only growl in frustration as he, Cynder, and his new friend (relatively) Anvi all entered the Chronicler’s home/library. “Wait,” the red dragon said as he thought of something to counter the old blue dragon getting on his nerves, for Flame instinctively always needed to have the last word in any altercation, “wouldn’t... Father Time also have jurisdiction on recoding how Cynder and Anvi first met? And if so, couldn’t he beat you to publication and rub his story in your face, even if ‘Time’ doesn’t matter?”

That made the Chronicler stop in his tracks, before an added pep in his step. Flame could always push the right buttons if he tried. Cynder gave him another look, but at least this time he knew it was worth it.