OH MY GOSH OH MY GOSH OH MY GOSH! This is the final chapter of my story and is by far the longest without these annoying author notes that I put down for you guys. It is currently 2:00 AM where I am, I stayed up late just so that you guys wouldn't have to wait longer for the final chapter of this story. I hope that you guys enjoy reading this. :)

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters from the Legend of Spyro series. I do own my OCs.

Ch. 7: The Final Battle

Cynder was sitting on her haunches and looking out the window at the moon. Her torture has been hard but not too hard because of Crecco's feelings toward her. No blood has been drawn but there has been plenty of pain. She would get beaten with a wooden club and her wings would stomped on but without bones broken. The worst torture were the stories. Scenarios that always ended with Spyro dying because of Cynder were told by Crecco. He seemed to have endless stories to torture Cynder with. And than every night Crecco would ask for her love, Cynder would growl and lunge at him as an answer.

There was a click as the door was unlocked and Crecco entered. Cynder broke her gaze from the moon to glare at him. He chuckled and set something down on the table. It was a smooth pink crystal. Fearing another torture instrument Cynder huddled against the wall and put her wings over herself. Crecco said, "Don't be afraid. It won't hurt you physically. This is a special crystal that allows me to see things. You see your purple friend, Spyro, broke out of my sister's mansion."

Cynder's heart soared as she heard this. Spyro was now free and he would for sure get help and rescue her.

Crecco cut down her hopes by saying, "He's not coming to save you. He's currently in Warfang with a pink dragoness named Ember. It seems that he is content with leaving you for dead."

Anger welled up in Cynder as she shouted, "He'd never leave me! And he especially wouldn't pick Ember."

Crecco gave an evil chuckle as he said, "Than why don't we find out?" he than tapped the crystal and it glowed.

A projection came from the crystal that showed Spyro and a pink dragoness kissing. She broke away and said, "I love you so much. I'm so glad that you decided to leave Cynder with that evil dragon." they than continued kissing. The pink dragoness was really Gretta but Cynder thought it was Ember. She sat completely still as the recording repeated itself. Crecco said, "I'll just have it repeat for you. If you break it than I'll make sure that you bleed." he than left the room.

Cynder could only watch as Spyro and the pink dragoness kept kissing. Tears sprang into her eyes and she collapsed weeping. Spyro, she thought, why did you do this to me? Throughout the night the projection repeated itself as Cynder wept.

As soon as Spyro woke up his thoughts were of Cynder. He got up and looked around to see that Blaze was still asleep under his tree. Spyro quickly walked over and shook the fire dragon. Blaze gave a grumble as he rose. Giving a quick shake of his head to fully wake up Blaze said, "You wanna eat first or go save Cynder?"

Spyro quickly answered, "I think that she's been there long enough."

Blaze gave a smile, "Exactly what I was thinking."

Spyro returned the smile and they took off. They flew east quickly, the ground a blur under them. They reached the fortress after twenty minutes of hard and strenuous flying. Soon as it came in sight Blaze said, "We're going to fly straight over the wall. They're going to shoot arrows and rocks at us on sight. Do your best to dodge them, it's too soon to get injured. From there we'll break in through the front door. And than we look for Cynder and try to stay alive in the process."

Spyro quickly agreed and stretched his claws. He was eager to make the dragon who took Cynder pay.

They didn't encounter any resistance at the wall which made them suspicious. Their suspicions rose when no one was in the garden that they landed at. Carefully they made their way to the door to find it unlocked "You think he knows that we're here?" Spyro asked.

"Does it change anything?" Blaze said before entering.

Spyro quickly followed and they found themselves in the main room. They slowly walked towards the stairs when there was a screech.

Suddenly hundreds of grublins surrounded them. Spyro and Blaze were back to back shocked that there were that many grublins here. Spyro gulped as Blaze calmly said, "It's been an honor to know you Spyro. I'll see you on the other side."

The grublins surged forward. Blaze breathed fire while Spyro froze as many as he could. Grublins still got through and the two dragons were forced to use their claws. Blaze impaled one with his tail blade while crushing another in his jaws. Spyro had just ripped apart two grublins and was throwing another one around like a rag doll. Blaze pushed his side back a bit with his flame breath while Spyro was pushing his side back with his electric breath. The grublins pulled back to regroup which gave Blaze and Spyro a breather, "You heard of the Flame Roar?" Blaze asked.

Spyro just shook his head as he watched the grublins.

Blaze explained, "When you roar let loose as much fire as you can. Do it when they start to come at us."

Spyro nodded and they waited for the grublins. The grublins threw some tomahawks but the two dragons easily dodged them. The grublins than screeched and they all swarmed in.

Blaze and Spyro sucked in as much air as they could and got on their hind legs. Than they roared and flames exploded from their maws. Grublins screamed as the large flames overtook them. Blaze's flame even managed to go through the wall on his side. A majority of the grublins have been taken out but the attack had drained a lot of energy.

The grublins had regrouped and they gave another screech, "How much longer do you think we can hold out?" Blaze asked.

Spyro calmly said, "Until we get Cynder I'm not giving up."

Blaze nodded and gave a roar. Spyro also roared before the grublins gave a screech. More grublins came in through the windows and side hallways. Blaze looked at Spyro from the corner of his eye and gave a silent nod. Spyro returned it as the grublins came back at them. The two dragons fought with a fury in their bodies, ripping apart as many grublins as they could before they went down. And if things continued like this, they would fall.

Cynder was still awake, having been kept awake by the crystal all night. Her tears had run dry and she was currently waiting for them to come back.

Suddenly there was a grublin screech. She ignored it thinking that it was Crecco showing off his grublins to her or a training drill. But what surprised her was when the whole tower shook and there were two loud roars. She quickly looked outside to see flame exploding out of a wall. They're here! she thought. There were screams as she imagined grublins burning to death.

She had to tell them somehow where she was. The projection played in the background. She looked at it and decided, If those guys die than I'll be as good as dead anyway. She than used a loud fear scream on it and it cracked into a million pieces. I hope they heard that, she thought after another roar broke out. She kept doing it, desperately trying to get their attention.

Spyro was just impaling a grublin on his tail when he heard it. A familiar scream. He smiled and shouted to Blaze through the fight, "Blaze! I can hear her fear screams!"

"You mean she's scared!" Blaze shouted back as he stomped down hard on two grublins.

"No, she has the power of fear! It's coming from upstairs, come on!"

Blaze gave a nod and launched a fire bomb into the crowd. He raced after Spyro as it went off and an explosion ripped through the crowd. From there Spyro halted, "What are you doing?" Blaze shouted before he breathed fire down the stairs.

He heard it again and said, "This way!" before running to the right. Blaze ran after him while tossing an occasional fire bomb over his shoulder. They came to a steel door. Spyro tried it but said, "It's locked. I'm gonna have to break it down."

"Please do." Blaze said before turning his attention back to the grublins and breathing fire.

Spyro called his earth element and made an earth sphere around him. He charged it up and than rammed the door. He rammed it again and again until it finally broke down. Blaze pushed him in as he was breathing fire to keep the grublins away.

The next door was made of wood and didn't last long under Spyro's attacks. When it was broken down they quickly got inside. Blaze picked the door back up and held it in it's spot. There were bangs as grublins hit the door and tried to push it in.

They looked around the room and saw Cynder looking at them from her little hay bed. Spyro laughed with joy and didn't waste any time in breaking the chain with earth, "I'm so happy we found yo-" Spyro started to say but Cynder punched him in the mouth.

Blaze was shocked and his grip on the door slipped a bit. A single grublin screamed triumphant as it slipped it's way in. Blaze quickly grabbed the head with his jaws and crushed it.

"You leave me for Ember and than you come back saying that you're happy that you found me? You left me here! You went back to Warfang and were busy making out with Ember. I bet that Blaze had to drag you here against your will to save me!" Cynder shouted with hurt showing in her voice.

"But Cyn-" Spyro started.

"Don't you Cyn me! I saw the recording of you and Ember. You never cared about me. I thought that you might at least consider me friend enough to come straight here and save me. But I guess I was wrong." Cynder interrupted shouting again.

Spyro tried to speak but Cynder blew him into the wall. She was about to hit him again when Blaze yelled, "What do you think you're doing! We risk our lives to get you out of here and you repay us by hitting Spyro? I don't know what recording you're talking about but Spyro hasn't been anywhere near Warfang since you two were taken. And I know for sure that he wouldn't pick Ember over you."

Spyro spoke up as Cynder turned to glare at Blaze, "He's right Cynder, I haven't seen Warfang since we were captured. As for the kiss the pink dragoness was Gretta. She was the one who was torturing me and keeping me captive. She kissed me in front of the pink crystal and recorded it saying that it was for Crecco."

Cynder returned her glare to him and spat, "Why should I believe you?"

"Because it's my word against Crecco's. I wouldn't do anything to hurt you Cynder. You know that." Spyro said.

Cynder's glare lessened a bit and she thought. Why should she believe Crecco instead of Spyro. He was also right that he wouldn't do anything to hurt her. He didn't fight back when Malefor turned her evil right before they fought him. A tear sprang into her eyes as she became sorry for what she did.

Spyro got close to her and whispered, "I love you Cynder. I would gladly give up my life for you."

Cynder's heart stopped. He'd just said that he loved her. She slowly looked up and into his eyes. Nothing but sincerity was in there. She suddenly went forward and hugged Spyro.

He was shocked at this sudden contact. He patted Cynder on the back and pulled her closer. They hugged for a few minutes, wishing that it could go on forever, but had to stop so that they could confront the current problem.

Blaze was holding up their only exit and the grublins were on the other side. There were no other ways out of the room except for the window but it wouldn't fit Blaze. Cynder lied down and rested her head on the floor thinking. Spyro laid down next to her and draped his wing over her. Blaze gave a grunt as the grublins all threw their weight against the door.

They were kept there for the whole day. Blaze and Spyro would take turns holding up the door. Spyro would get longer shifts though because he could hold the door up with earth. It gave Cynder some time so sleep since she didn't get any last night.

When the sun was barely touching the horizon Blaze got an idea. He had Spyro hold up the door for him and looked up at the ceiling. It was a basic stone cone roof held up with wooden beams.

Blaze jumped up and grabbed one of the beam. He hung there for a few seconds before trying to pull it down. The beam came down and Blaze shouted as it landed on him. Cynder helped him push it off. Blaze got up and jumped up onto another beam, bringing it down too. Curious as to what he was doing Spyro asked, "What are you doing Blaze? You're going to bring the roof down."

Blaze gave a smile and said, "That's the idea."

Suddenly Spyro and Cynder got what he was doing. While Blaze was pulling down another beam Cynder spat acid and burned through another one. When half of the beams were removed entirely on one side they stopped.

Blaze took the door from Spyro and said, "Think you can blow the roof off of this place for us?"

Spyro smiled and charged up a rock missile. When he couldn't hold it anymore he launched it at the roof. A circle in the roof was created by the missile and the rest fell down, "Go go!" Blaze shouted before he let go of the door and flew out the hole.

Spyro and Cynder followed suit as the grublins fell into the room. Blaze waited for them before they all set out. They flew as hard as they could south, towards Warfang. Eventually they had to stop when darkness began to fill the sky.

They landed in a clearing next to a river. Blaze drank a lot of the water as soon as he landed. Spyro and Cynder laid against each other and waited for Blaze to finish. When he finished he wiped his mouth and said, "If we head straight south than we should reach Warfang by tomorrow at midday. Tonight we'll take shifts with Spyro first, than me and finally Cynder."

Spyro and Cynder didn't argue and Cynder curled up against Spyro. Blaze came close to Spyro and whispered so that Cynder didn't hear, "Don't let her distract you. If you don't spot an ambush in time than we're all goners."

Spyro nodded and Blaze curled up a bit away from them. Spyro looked around the clearing and kept an eye out for anyone. His watch was uneventful in the way that nothing stirred except for a bunny. When the moon was a third across the sky Spyro launched a little fireball at Blaze. It hit him on the head and Blaze jumped up with fire at the back of his throat. Spyro laughed and said, "I'm just waking you up. Used the fireball as payback for what you waking me up and I didn't want to get up." he nodded his head at Cynder who was pushed against him and sleeping peacefully.

"Ya, I wouldn't want to get up either if I had a dragoness against me like that. You go to sleep and dream of her now. I'll watch for you guys."

Spyro nodded his thanks and rested his head on Cynder's neck. Blaze looked up at the sky to check the moon's position. He decided after taking a glance at Cynder that he'd let her sleep throughout the night. She has to recover from her experience he thought.

He tucked his paws under his chest like a cat and listened while scanning the clearing. There was a snap of a twig but a bunny soon came out from the direction of the sound so he disregarded it. He checked back at the moon and was surprised to see that it was close to the horizon. Morning will come soon and than we can get back to the safety of Warfang he thought.

Suddenly there was a twang and an arrow was shot into the center of the clearing with a paper wrapped around it. Blaze snapped his eyes toward the direction the arrow came from to see a grublin fleeing through the woods. Cautiously he walked to the arrow and took off the note. He opened it to find it blank. His eyes widened and he turned back towards Spyro and Cynder when Crecco knocked him over.

Crecco grabbed Blaze's muzzle to keep his mouth shut and placed two sets of claws on the red dragon's body. Blaze squirmed as hard as he could but Crecco held him down. He than tried to wake up Spyro and Cynder but his shouts were muffled since his snout was being held shut. Crecco brought his mouth down to Blaze's ear hole and whispered, "We wouldn't want them to be awake for this do we?"

He than dug his claws into Blaze's side. Blaze squirmed again at the pain but again Crecco held him down. Crecco whispered, "You see I can't retake Cynder now. The grublins have deserted me after having lost so many comrades to you and Spyro. That last grublin I had to threaten just to shoot an arrow to distract you. But I can still make you pay for freeing them, maybe even take your life."

Crecco dug his claws into Blaze again but harder. Blood ran down his side. Blaze tried to lift his head but Crecco held him down. Suddenly Blaze quickly lifted his head. But when he got hope Crecco slammed it into the ground. Crecco continued to slam his head into the ground until blood came from it. Blaze panted as Crecco dugs his claws into his side again. Crecco laughed and said, "How does it feel to be so close to friends who could help you yet they're asleep? You're here until I'm over, and by than it'll be too late for you."

Blaze breathed fire through his nostrils but all that achieved was burning the grass and lighting up the clearing a bit. Crecco chuckled again as he dug his hind claws into Blaze's thigh. He than opened his jaws and clasped down onto Blaze's head. All Blaze could do was shut his eyes as he felt the dragon's teeth cutting into his head. Crecco than slashed the sides of Blaze's neck, drawing dangerously close to the kill slash. Than he kicked Blaze in the gut until his eyes started to roll. Crecco slammed his head one last time on the ground before heading to his finale, "Now this time you're going to roar nice and loud for me. Wake your friends up and we shall see their reaction to their state. I know that you won't attack me because you can't in your state. All you can do is wait for death to come."

Crecco pulled Blaze's wings out and stacked them on each other on the ground. Blaze could only wait for the pain. Crecco let go of Blaze's snout right before he plunged his claws straight through Blaze's wings. Blaze's eyes widened at the amount of pain and he roared.

Spyro and Cynder's eyes snapped open and they saw Crecco standing over Blaze. Spyro roared and charged at the yellow dragon. Crecco just laughed as he unfurled his wings and flew away as fast as he could. Cynder ran over to Blaze as Spyro launched fireballs at Crecco's fleeing form. Spyro stopped when Cynder called him over.

Blaze's eyes were half closed as he took raspy breaths. Blood formed rivers on his side from all the cuts. His head was cut in a jaw pattern as well as bleeding heavily onto the grass. His neck looked like there were gills made of blood that ran down the front and back to the ground. The wings were bleeding greatly into the holes made by Crecco's claws.

Cynder tried to slow down some of the bleeding by putting pressure on it but there were too many spots bleeding heavily. Her black paws were colored red as Spyro tried to make Blaze as comfortable as he could. Blaze coughed blood. Cynder sadly said, "We'd have the smallest chance of rescuing him if it was only exterior wounds. But it seems that there's some internal bleeding too."

Spyro put a wing over her as tears started in both their eyes. Blaze moved his head a bit so that he could see them and said, "It's not too bad. I'll be walking before you know it." he broke into a fits of coughs as soon as he finished.

"Blaze, how can you think you're going to walk? You know that you're goi-." Spyro started but was interrupted by Blaze.

"Don't say that." Blaze said with tears now in his eyes, "Don't say what's going to happen. We never know. You guys are going to have to go to Warfang without me, I'll catch up with you."

They all knew that he was lying but Spyro and Cynder agreed to it for him. Blaze raised a shaking claw to Cynder's cheek and said, "I want to tell you guys something." he than gently pulled Cynder's head down to Spyro's chest. Spyro stood as still as a statue with Cynder that close, "Can you hear his heart beat?" Blaze asked before going into another coughing fit.

Cynder whispered, "Yes, I can hear it."

Blaze smiled and said, "Good. So long as Spyro loves you than his heart will beat for you. And so long as you love him your heart beats for him."

His claw fell to the ground and Cynder brought her head back up. Spyro nudged Blaze when he didn't do anything for a minute and his eyes were shut. Suddenly the fire dragon opened his eyes, but they started to half close again. He turned his eyes toward Spyro and said, "Until a good substitute Fire Guardian is in place I want you to go down to the library and study the art of fire for an hour every Monday at five o'clock. Than after you study, head to the training circle and practice with nothing but fire. Make sure that Cynder isn't with you, I want you to pay attention to fire, not her. The other guardians will allow this so long as you tell them that I want it."

Spyro nodded and said, "I'll do my best."

Blaze nodded and said, "You guys should go on as soon as you can. Sun's gonna be up soon. But first, I want you guys to take one of my scales to remember me by."

They were about to object when Blaze said, "I'm not sure when I'll see you guys again so do it, for me. I could also use the rest that removing a scale provides. Soon as you do it, fly away and don't look back."

Cynder looked at Spyro who nodded. She than lifted one of Blaze's larger thigh scales and tugged. It came loose with a snap and blood came from the spot, "Blaze, it's making you bleed." Spyro said.

Blaze chuckled and said, "It's just one more. Now get out of here and live long enough for the courtship dance and to have a few hatchlings."

Spyro and Cynder slowly turned away and flew south. They didn't look back at their dying friend as was his wish. Silent tears fell down both their faces.

Back in the clearing the young fire dragon's green eyes were starting to shut. Before they shut entirely, a yellow paw set down in front of his face. He would've growled if he hadn't faded into the darkness at that point.

Spyro was sitting at the lake looking out across the calm blue water. It's been two weeks ever since him and Cynder were captured by Crecco. The guardians were devastated at the loss of Blaze. Not only had another good Fire Guardian been lost, but now there wasn't an apprentice to follow. Advertisements were currently across the city for a new Fire Guardian.

Blaze didn't even get a proper burial. The guardians had sent dragons to collect his body as soon as they could but Blaze's body had disappeared.

Search parties for Crecco had been sent out but not as many as possible. That yellow scum had killed his best friend and taken his love hostage and now he was probably off hiding someplace enjoying the last of his days.

There were the beating of wings as someone landed behind him. He didn't look because he could recognize Cynder's wings beating whenever and wherever. She sat down against him and intertwined his tail with hers. Spyro asked, "Where ya been?"

Cynder replied as she enjoyed the contact, "I've been at the library looking something up. How's the training going?"

"Good. Moving right along with ice, electricity and earth. It's hard to progress with fire though when your tutor is a book."

Cynder nodded and said, "Could you do something for me?"

"Of course. Just name it."

Cynder hesitantly brought out Blaze's scale and put it in front of them, "Could you breathe fire on this for me?" she stepped to the side so as to avoid the fire.

Spyro glanced at her before he breathed a steady stream of fire on the scale. Cynder's eyes dropped when she saw the flames just staying on the scale. Spyro was about to ask what was going on when the scale flashed red and the fire was pulled into it. Cynder's eyes were wide and staring right at the scale when Spyro asked, "What just happened Cyn?"

She looked at him and said, "The thing I was looking up was dragon scales. If you take a dragon scale and breath the dragon's element on it than you can tell if the dragon's alive or dead. If the scale absorbs the element than the dragon who the scale is from is still alive."

Spyro's eyes widened as he got up and said, "We've gotta tell the guardians. I was wondering where Blaze's body was since it wasn't in the clearing."

Cynder picked up the scale and followed Spyro as he got in the air, "You think that the guardians will increase the search parties?"

Spyro said, "Of course. To know that the dragon who saved us is still out there and is probably captured than they will."

The two dragons flew as fast as they could toward the temple to tell the guardians their discovery.

A solid rock door opened and allowed light into a dark cell. Crecco hummed as he lit the torches before shutting the door. He looked through the electric barrier at a glowing set of green eyes and said, "Why don't you show me how well the red crystals worked."

The green eyes narrowed and a fire dragon stepped into the light. His scales reflected the light from the torches like a newly polished floor. His black claws were scratching against the floor as a growl escaped his lips.

Crecco laughed and said, "Welcome to hell. Remember today as your last day without pain."

The yellow dragon than left through the stone door laughing. The red dragon looked down at the ground and sighed. A single tear fell down his face as he thought of his chances of getting out alive. Spyro and Cynder thought he was dead and he was no doubt hidden somewhere safe. His final conclusion was that Blaze, the Fire Guardian, would eventually die in the claws of Crecco.

Wow. Well please review this. This is the last chapter thus your last chance to review. There's been close to 375 views yet I only have 4 reviews so please review this and tell me what you think and possible ways that I could better myself. There will be a sequel which I plan on getting up before I go back to school. I know how you are probably feeling right now what with the huge cliffhanger. I have been in that position so many times that it has become my mortal enemy, but I can see why people use cliffhangers. So remember to review this and eat your green veggies unlike me. I am not a role model *eats candy bar*. It's fun being insane, try it. OH and thank you all for reading this story, I've had alot of fun writing it. ;)