~Backstage~

Alec: Well, I finally got this chapter done.

Spyro: Any longer and I would've been old enough to be a grandfather

Alec: Awe, you just gave away a part of a joke near the end...kinda. Although It's not exactly a joke, but a threat, and the situation is slightly different.

Zayril: How's Sienna doing with the situation with...well...you?

Sienna: *in the other room crying* WHY?

Alec: Does that answer your question?

Malefor: Are you gonna tell them about your name?

Alec: Oh, right. This chapter will be where my dragon name will be revealed. I don't know if I'll do the same for future stories.

Disclaimer:

Spyro: Alec and Zayril do not own any canon Spyro characters.

Alec: We only own our own OCs.

Malefor: Mogguth is owned by the Wyrm twins, Stephanie and Sinrah VI and Holly (AKA Ortinbras Itrenore and Ashkor).

Zayril: And if you... *interrupted by Sienna*

Sienna: *in the other room, still crying * Why did Malefor have to take him away?

Zayril: *continuing* ...If you don't like the story, then just don't read it.

~Chapter 17: All an Act~

Alec followed Malefor into the catacombs and was greeted by Flame, "So this is him?" Flame asked, looking at Alec skeptically, "You'd better know where you are on the food chain here. Got that? I outrank you!"

Alec managed to tap into his subconscious memories of when he was Malefor's general, "I know where I rank. The question is, do you?" Alec asked Flame in a childlike manner. Flame then swiped at Alec out of frustration. But his paw went though a cloud of black smoke. Alec reappeared in top of Flame's head, "If you really outranked me, you would've predicted that...Just like I predicted you to attack me. But all you are is a big meanie."

"Why you little..." Flame said as he swiped at Alec. But once again he vanished, causing him to knock himself in the head, knocking himself out cold for the count.

Malefor then lead Alec to the chamber with the crystals. On the way, Malefor praised Alec for his performance, "That was impressive, Lek," Malefor said.

Alec stopped in his tracks, "Lek?" Alec questioned.

"Do you not remember your own name?" Malefor asked, "I suppose I'm not surprised. When the Chronicler took you to the Human Realms, he wiped your memory. What do you go by now?"

"A-Alec," Alec replied, a little thrown off at learning his name, "Sorry, I was just a little confused."

"Well, I never called you by your name before. So calling you Alec wouldn't be to much for me to remember," Malefor said, "But forgive me if I mistakenly call you Lek."

"It's alright," Alec...or rather, Lek replied, "Lek isn't that far off from Alec. But forgive me if I don't respond to the name Lek."

"As I was saying, Le...I mean, Alec," Malefor said, correcting himself, "Your performance was impressive. It was almost eerie how much like your actions resembled that of when you were my general twelve years ago."

"I agree," Alec replied, "I just managed to tap into the part of mind that was still corrupted and let the rest of my mind be commanded by that. It was strange. I was in control, but at the same time, not in control."

"Well, it's time to speak with the demon dragons," Malefor said as they entered the chamber with the crystals.

X~~~~~X

Jaye slowly opened her eyes as she began to wake up. The first thing she noticed was her surroundings. She was in a holding cell. And guarding the cell watching her was the silvery gray dragon. When she tried to get up, she felt a burning pain all over her body.

"Your body is still healing from the burns," Xander said, noticing the pain she was in, "But you're lucky Sienna didn't have enough energy to kill you. I'm pretty sure that's what she was trying to do."

"Where am I?" Jaye asked, feeling a little disoriented.

"You're at the dragon temple in Warfang," Xander said, "We brought you here for questioning when you woke up." Xander then headed out to let someone know that she was awake.

"Wait!" Jaye exclaimed, but she was too late. Xander had already disappeared behind the door. A few moments later, Xander came back through.

"The earth guardian, Terrador will be here soon," Xander told Jaye, "But don't expect him to go easy on you just because he's more forgiving that the others."

"May I speak with Sienna?" Jaye asked a little nervously.

"AND EMOTIONALLY SCAR HER EVEN MORE?" Xander exclaimed in rage, "Sienna locked herself in her room! Spyro and the others are worried about her! And it's all because you wouldn't let her save Alec!"

"We'll take it from here, Xander," Terrador said as he came in with Cynder to relieve him of his guard duty. Xander gave Jaye one last glare that struck fear into her before he left.

Cynder walked up to Jaye's cell. She was there to question Jaye because of her experience of being controlled by Malefor. So she would be more sympathetic, "You're name is Jaye, right?" Cynder asked.

"Y-Yes, it is," Jaye said nervously.

"Were you acting under Ma-Malefor's control?" Cynder said. She stuttered when saying Malefor. Just the thought of him made her quiver with fear.

"That's hard for me to answer," Jaye said, "I was doing what Malefor asked of me. But if you're asking me if I'm evil, no I'm not." Jaye glanced at Terrador, then looked back to Cynder, "Is it alright if I talk to you in private?"

Cynder looked over to Terrador then nodded, "I'll be right outside the entrance in case anything happens," Terrador said before he headed out, giving Cynder and Jaye their privacy.

"Why did you want to speak with me in private?" Cynder asked suspiciously.

"I have classified information that I can only tell one of you," Jaye said, "But you have to swear to secrecy about it."

"Why can't you tell all of us?" Cynder asked.

"Because it's to dangerous for all of you to know," Jaye explained, "It has to do with Malefor and his plans. And how he wants to help you defeat the demon dragons."

X~~~~~X

Alec and Malefor were in the crystal room where Malefor was going to give his report to the demon dragons, "What is your report, Malefor?"the purple crystal asked.

Alec went over to the purple crystal with child-like curiosity. It was partly acting, and partly genuine curiosity, "How did this purple crystal talk?" Alec asked as he tapped the crystal.

"Who was that?" the red crystal asked. Alec then looked over at the red crystal.

"That was your general wasn't it?" the purple crystal asked.

"Ah yes," the red crystal said, "Flame told us moments ago that you had an annoying little pest with you."

"Master, why is everyone here so mean?" Alec asked Malefor, looking up at him with sad puppy dog eyes.

Malefor could resist smirking at that. Alec truly was a good actor, "Yes, this is my new general, Lek," Malefor said, "Unfortunately, I lost..."

"You lost the dark ice dragoness, Jaye," the black crystal said, "But I know that the loss was not in vein. Or as he's known by his friends, Alec. Of course here in the Dragon Realms, he's legendary for the destruction he caused when he was known as the child-like demon."

Alec began to give an intimidating growl before attacking the black crystal. A beam of darkness shot out of the black crystal and hit Alec, throwing him off and across the room.

"You should keep your general under control, Malefor," the black crystal said, "Otherwise, he may not be as lucky."

"But it was his uncontrollable nature that made him so infamous across the Dragon Realms," the red crystal said, "And if you do kill him, make sure it's after we've been freed."

"Alive, his friends won't dare to harm him," the silver crystal said, "We'd better get ready. The Light of Shadows starts in four days."

With that said, the conversation was over with. Alec was having trouble getting back up. The blast from the black crystal took allot out of him.

"Come on," Malefor said as he helped Alec up, "So she'll hopefully be trusted, I allowed Jaye to tell one of your friends my real plans to a certain extent. But only one. I actually hope it's Cynder, because she has one of my hexus'."

"What's a hexus?" Alec asked.

"It's one of several items I've made that house a part of my spirit," Malefor explained, "It's how I've been able to come back to life during the Night of Eternal Darkness. In that case, it was Gaul's staff. Cynder's hexus is her shackles. And I gave the key to Jaye."

"I'm sure Cynder will be glad to be rid of her shackles," Alec said, "But how is she supposed to activate the hexus? I mean, is there a ritual, does it need energy, does there have to be a chant, does it just happen, what?"

"Oh no," Malefor said, "I didn't tell Jaye how to activate the hexus!"

"What do you need to do to activate it?" Alec asked.

"It just has to come in contact with Convexity," Malefor said, "And it has to be off of her body. Otherwise, rather than being given a new body, I will instead take her body. That's how Cynder originally became corrupted. I was a part of her being."

"Maybe I should go to tell her then," Alec suggested.

"Well, until I have a new body, I have to keep up this act," Malefor said, "You can, but it has to look like an attack."

"I understand," Alec said, "And one more thing. How long has Cynder been wearing her shackles?"

"They were put on her at birth," Malefor said, "Why?"

"Well, is she able to clean under them?" Alec asked rhetorically, "Because if she's never cleaned under them and she takes them off..."

"EEW!" The two of them exclaimed.

X~~~~~X

"So Malefor's really on our side?" Cynder asked once Jaye finished explaining, "And Alec is still himself?"

"Yes," Jaye nodded.

"And my shackles can give Malefor a new body? And he gave you the key?"

"Yes," Jaye answered again, "But they have to keep up this act until they can save Ember."

X~~~~~X

Ember was locked up in a cage that was too small to stand up in. The cage was hanging from the ceiling of the catacomb. The floor of the cave was fifty feet down. A fall from that height would severely injure, if not kill her. So she tried to keep as still as possible out of fear of shaking something loose.

"Please let me down from here!" Ember whimpered, "I promise I won't run away! I just don't want to be all the way up here!"

Flame then flew up and appeared in front of Ember, "WOULD YOU QUIT YOUR WHINING, YOU LITTLE PARASITE?" Flame roared in frustration, causing the cage to shake. This made Ember scream in fear, "If I let you down, then you'd better stop your whining. Or else, you'll be hanging over a chasm so high, you'd be old enough to have grandchildren by the time you reach the bottom!"

Ember nodded nervously. Flame then unhooked the cage and lowered it to the floor. Dropping her while about five feet off the ground. As much as she wanted to cry out for help, she was afraid of having to be hung from the ceiling again. She was uncomfortable, but at least she was on the solid ground.

So Alec's dragon name was Lek. And he's a good actor. But will he save Ember in time? And just how dirty is it under Cynder's shackles? Please R&R