Hey everybody! Well, this is it...the last chapter of Key to Destiny. I hope you like it! :)

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Spyro characters or games. They belong to their respective owners. Saffron and Alta belong to Riverstyxx, while Dax belongs to Alec the Dark Angel. I own the characters Matt and Selema.

Far, far away from where the climactic battle had taken place, a certain Chronicler dragon had been watching intently to all the details. Oh there were times he cringed, growled, and even cried watching the scene unfold before him. Nonetheless, it was Selema who had saved the Dragon Realms in the end. Though her use of the Time Fury attack should have drained her life energy completely, it seemed that the Ancestors had more in store for her in the future.

Ignitus sighed and shook his head. He then reared back and let himself enjoy a hearty laugh, something he felt had been ages since he'd last been able to do. It lasted for what felt like minutes, causing the old dragon to have a tear come to his eye once or twice out of pure joy. Still, Ignitus composed himself quickly.

"Well done, young dragons and warrior," Ignitus exclaimed. "Well done, indeed." He watched their reunion for a couple more minutes before reluctantly turning away from his gazing crystal.

Ignitus turned to the book that was floating next to him. Suddenly, the page that had been blank suddenly became the scene he'd witnessed before him before his eyes. He couldn't help but smile as Matt and Selema held one another tenderly before he closed the book and let it slide in between the books of the latter's parents where he knew it belonged.

It had been true that Ignitus had been suspicious to Matt and Selema's relationship for quite some time. Even in his time he had seen rare pairings, but never something like this. A human warrior and a dragoness of time who were not even of the same world, yet it didn't matter. In fact, it had been because they had given themselves to one another that may have saved them all in the end.

Again, Ignitus could only shake his head. Perhaps this was just one thing that he would never understand, even if he was the Chronicler now…

Suddenly, Ignitus felt a strange presence coming towards him. He chuckled and turned towards the source. "Ah…welcome my friend…please come in." Slowly, a gray dragon walked into the circular room, his eyes scanning the area with intrigue. The Chronicler felt that though he'd met with this dragon before, that the younger drake was still uncomfortable to the idea of being in his presence.

Ignitus chuckled again. "Nothing to say, young dragon?"

Alta turned and smirked. "What is there to say? There will be a tomorrow, I suppose."

"Did it all work out as you saw it to be?" Ignitus asked curiously.

Alta closed his eyes. "Well, nothing against you, but I think I'll keep that to myself."

Ignitus didn't object in the slightest, his lips curling into a small grin. "Very well."

Alta turned towards Ignitus with a serious tone. "Was it really necessary, Ignitus? I mean, I don't even think I needed to interfere as much as I did. Everything worked out in the end. Why lead Matt and the others along?"

Ignitus sighed. "It never hurts to get a nudge in the right direction. And what can I say…I care too much about Spyro and the others to let them go about it alone."

Alta shook his head. "And are you ever going to tell Spyro that you're still…well…around?"

"When the time is right…," Ignitus replied. "Now before we go further, let me just ask one more question…"

"The future?" Alta replied. "Well…I can say that things are at least going to be 'quiet' for a while. As for Selema…well…"

"Yes?"

"It seems that even I can't see what the future has in store for her. It's almost as if she is out of my sight…but not completely."

"Interesting…," Ignitus added. "Now then…" He waved his hand, calling over a gray book to his side. "It's time I fulfilled my end of our agreement."

For once, Alta's gray eyes went wide, his body shivering in excitement. He hesitated to ask, but did so nonetheless. "You mean…?"

Ignitus nodded. "Yes…," He said as the book opened. "Let us see what happened to your brother…"

Saffron could only look at her parents and shake her head. Her mother was scolding her father, Jaden, for being too reckless and not poking at the various dressings that surrounded his entire body. She could only sigh and trot towards her room up above, where she knelt down upon several layers of pillows before staring out the window.

The electric dragoness stared at the city she'd grown to call home, finding to be much calmer than she'd expected it to be. She thought for sure that after Spyro and Cynder had returned from defeating Malefor once more the streets would be filled to capacity to celebrate. However, to her surprise it was quiet. Perhaps the Festival and the chaos over these last several days had finally taken its toll on the Dragon City after all...

However, Saffron's thoughts strayed towards another person…well…make that a couple of people. She turned and reached for a small note that she'd received just hours before. It was short, simple, and to the point:

Saffron,

I know I haven't been the greatest friend these last couple of days, and for that I am truly sorry. I know that I have so much to tell you…but right now I can't really do that. Forgive me, but I need to go find what's out there waiting for me.

Just know that I'll be back soon. Give your mom and dad my very best, and please watch over Dax for me. You both are like sisters to me, and I promise I'll make it up it up to you someday. Until then, stay safe and be happy.

Love,

Selema

Saffron had read the note more times than she could count. In fact, she was sure she could read it from memory by now. It was true, there were so many things she wanted to ask Selema. There were rumors of course as to what had happened up in the sky, and some even mentioned that Selema had a hand in defeating Malefor for good. Still, the yellow dragoness knew deep down that she would have to wait to get her answers.

Saffron looked out the window, this time towards the stars. Her violet eyes scanned the skies as a wide grin etched across her face.

"Somehow…," she whispered to herself. "I just knew that you both would be together…"

Spyro found himself walking ever so slowly down the marble stoned halls of the Temple, his tail dragging behind him and his wings sagging onto the floor. The purple dragon was flat out exhausted, and it wasn't just from the battle he'd just been waging. Behind him, Cynder wasn't doing much better, barely able to keep her eyes open.

Terrador, Cyril, and Volteer managed to divulge every detail of Malefor's demise from both of them. They were disappointed that Matt and Selema couldn't be there to be debriefed as well. When asked of their whereabouts, Spyro could only shrug.

"Your guess is as good as mine," he had exclaimed. "I assume they just went home to rest…which does sound pretty good right now."

"True…," Terrador had bellowed. "The three of us cannot sense his presence any longer either…perhaps he truly is finished once and for all."

Volteer had been just plain giddy. "Oh, my! An actual Time Fury! Oh, what I would've given to see it firsthand! The last one performed was nearly centuries ago! How exciting!"

Luckily, Terrador decided that Spyro could address the public at a later time. He and Cynder deserved the chance to catch their breath, which neither young dragon argued one bit. All the young couple wanted now was to crash and burn onto a comfy cushion while snuggled up to one another.

Spyro couldn't help but shake his head. "Was it really that simple?" he asked aloud.

"Hmm?" Cynder asked.

"Oh…I don't know," the purple dragon replied. "I just feel so…relieved."

Cynder smiled. "Me too…like the biggest burden has been lifted from my shoulders."

"For once…maybe we can actually think about having a normal life…live like normal dragons would."

Cynder just chuckled. "Spyro…I don't think our lives will ever be normal."

"Maybe you're right…," he replied before they finally arrived at their destination. The purple dragon then looked up, finding a note pinned next to the handle. "What's this?" He asked. He reached up for it and pulled it down off the small hook attached to it, a small tricket falling from within it.

"Huh?" Cynder asked, picking it up off the ground and inspecting it in her claw. "Wait…I've seen this before." It was a small dragon shaped that was connected with a chain. The dragon was shaped like…a key?

"That's because it belongs to Matt," Spyro said with a wide mouth. He motioned her to come over to his side. "Look at this…" Cynder did, her eyes scanning the note on the sheet of paper:

Spyro and Cynder

Sorry to leave so quickly and without saying goodbye. Don't bother waiting up for us. See you soon.

Your eternal friend and loyal Keyblader,

Matt

Spyro and Cynder turned to one another, their eyes wide and jaws dropped. Both had exactly the same thought on their mind.

"They didn't…?" Cynder asked.

Spyro could only chuckle. "Sure seems that way…but then again are you surprised?"

Cynder immediately grinned as well. "Not in the slightest…"

The sun had just disappeared over the western horizon, the stars above beginning to poke out above. All was peaceful and calm to say the very least, and the world itself seemed to breathe easier now that a monster was gone seemingly forever.

Sitting on the top of a hill underneath a tall oak rested the two newest heroes of the realm. They had wandered under the trees shade earlier and had moved only inches since. Matt rested with his back against the trunk, his eyes closed to the world while his arm was wrapped around the beautiful dragoness with him his heart belonged too. Selema had draped herself across his body, her head rested against his chest in a way so her horns wouldn't poke him. Her limbs lay limp across his hips, content to not move from this very spot.

Matt and Selema both let out a deep sigh, a small breeze blowing that aroused them from their dazed state. They looked at each other and could only smile.

"Hey," Matt said softly.

"Hey," Selema replied back, nuzzling against his chest affectionately. "You don't plan on making me get up anytime soon, do you?"

Matt chuckled and stroked her sides. "I don't know…you look too damn cute laying on me like that."

Selema giggled. "Good…because if it were up to me…I'd just want to lay here until the end of time."

"I'm sure we could figure it out if we combined forces," he teased.

The two lay in silence for several more moments before Matt suddenly noticed Selema's smile slowly disappear. "Something wrong?"

Selema hesitated for several moments before she finally said what she'd been ignoring ever since Matt had returned to her. "You have to leave…don't you?"

Matt's smile immediately ceased as well. It was true in all the chaos that had been occurring these last few days that he'd failed to remember that he still had his Keyblader duties to attend to. "Yeah…," Matt said, the words having to be forced from his mouth like a badly tasting fish. "I wish more than anything I could stay here with you." He would've explained more in detail why he couldn't stay, but Matt figured Selema was tired of hearing it nonetheless.

"I know…," Selema replied softly. She then turned and stared into his eyes again. "Which is why…I'm going with you."

Matt's heart leaped from his chest, his jaw instantly dropping. "W-what?"

Selema grinned again. "You heard me…when you do leave this world again…I'll be right there with you."

Matt stared back at her, dumbfounded by such a bold statement. "Selema…I…well…" He just couldn't find the right words to say.

"Please, Matt," Selema interrupted him, desperate for him to listen. "It was too hard to watch you go last time…please don't make me go through that again. I need you."

"And I need you too," Matt said, stroking her cheek. "But Selema, this is your home. This is where you belong."

Selema shook her head. "I thought so too...but that's all changed now. I know now that my one true place is with you. I know I'll miss my friends, but there really is nothing keeping me here. When I saw my parents…they said that I had earned the right to choose my own path."

Selema continued, resting her paws on his shoulders. "Matt…I want to see what you've seen, been where you've been. I want to be able to help people like you do, even if I can't wield a magic key. But most of all, I want to be by your side to face all those who would do others harm. As for what the Guardians or anyone else think, I already told you before that I don't care. I know now that this was what I was meant to do. Please, Matt?"

Matt's lips trembled, unable to say or do anything against her desire that came from her heart. "I-I don't know what to say."

"Just say yes," Selema whispered, her forehead next to his own.

Matt knew all the reasons that Selema shouldn't go with him, but at that moment he couldn't care less. Deep down, this was something he truly desired. "You understand the risks?" he asked. Selema nodded firmly. "Then…yes."

Selema then leaned in and kissed him tenderly, the warrior returning the favor eagerly. They remained like that for several minutes before finally pulling away from one another and hugging one another as though their lives depended on it.

"Thank you…," she whispered.

"No…thank you," he whispered back.

(I always pictured the song 'Just a Kiss' by Lady Antebellum would fit well after this scene. You should give it a listen. :3)

Within a matter of hours, Matt and Selema were aboard the Gummi Ship. It was primed and ready for take off. They had decided to leave immediately, not wanting to worry their comrades and friends. They both just felt that it was time.

However, they still made the quick stop at Selema's home to gather a few things. She left a note regarding her leaving, stating she would be back soon and that there was no need to worry for her. Of course, they managed to pot one of Selema's flowers as a keepsake. Now, it was rested on the ship's dashboard as a reminder to them both.

As Matt prepared to take the ship up, he leaned over to Selema and took her paw firmly in his. "Are you ready?" He asked.

Selema took one last look at her home before turning back to him, nodding several times. "Yes…"

Matt nodded as well. He then took the ship up higher than Selema had ever flown, her eyes widening as they left the atmosphere of the Dragon Realms. Now, they were in the space between the worlds and the stars surrounding it. "Amazing…," Selema gasped.

Matt smiled. "Well…where to first?"

Selema came up and nuzzled him before turning to look out the window again. "Surprise me…," she replied back.

Matt nodded, putting an arm around her neck as he punched in the coordinates to their destination. "Here we go…," Matt exclaimed as the ship kicked into gear.

It then sped faster than the speed of light towards a new adventure…or as Matt and Selema put it…a new beginning…

The End

...

Well, it's easy to say it feels bittersweet to see this story come to an end. Furthermore, I have to say that this may be the end of the 'Key' stories. I've had ideas on where to take it, and I could always come up with something in the future. Until then though, this is it.

I just wanted to tell you all how appreciative I am for those who've read and stuck by this story for so long. I never thought that I'd even get this popular writing, especially when combining the Kingdom Hearts and Spyro elements together. Every review or note I get mean the world to me, and I would never have gotten this far were it not for the support. Also, I wanted to thank Riverstyxx and Alec the Dark Angel again for using their characters for this story. It was not only good for the plot, but I wanted to make it a sort of tribute to how much your support has meant to me all this time.

On another note, I know this announcement may not go over well, but my Next Generation stories are now on hiatus...and it may be permanent. I'll admit that my passion for writing fanfiction has become strained in the last year or so, to the point where it was difficult to just sit down and write. I don't hate it, nor the things I write about. Still, it's hard to force yourself to do something if you're not committed. So for now, I can't say if or when I'll update or post anything on the site. I hope you all can forgive me.

Again, thank you from the bottom of my heart, and god bless!

Peace out,

Biz