Chapter 16: The Threads Rewoven

Spyro's POV, Secret Chamber, The Next Morning

I stirred as I woke up a roll of parchment sliding down my nose to land in front of me "Huh?" I mumbled yawning aloud before picking it up and rolling it out.

'Hey,

Ran to grab breakfast, see you there~ Otherwise I'll meet you back in the chamber. Hope you slept well.

Cynder'

I flushed softly as I remembered the feeling of warmth pressed against my side all night "Yeah…I think I slept pretty well…thanks Cyn" I muttered to myself tucking the scroll away into a little secluded compartment on the wall. "Now…ot get a little food…and see how the others are doing…" I paused on my way out blinking. I actually…felt positive… I mean I wasn't great…but…I was actually looking forward to the day again… "I…guess she had a bigger effect than I thought."

I shook my head and continued up outside slipping through the gap under the rock, just large enough for us to fit through as I started for the mess hall humming quietly "Spyro…" A voice called as I passed the doors to the Pool of Visions. "We need to talk…"

I growled flatly "I'm going to eat Terrador… I almost died a couple days ago if you didn't hear…" I replied simply.

"Spyro its been weeks since you left with Ignitus… its about time we learned what happened when you both passed the Belt of Fire…" The green and brown guardian shot back "Now come on… we can get something brought up from the kitchens."

I gave a sharp grunt "No…if you want a report you can wait… its not like me telling you everything now or later will change the fact that Malefor is deader than my home…."

The larger dragon grunted "I won't tolerate such flippant behavior Spyro…"

"Won't tolerate? Won't tolerate?" I snarled turning to glare at him "Did you forget the most important fact? I'm not one of your precious soldiers Terrador… I do not answer to you or anyone… so I can be as flippant as I want."

"You are still young Spyro… and as such you still owe allegiance to the Elders…" Terrador retorted simply "Now lets forget this idiocy and get to work…"

I let out a low growl, the ground rumbling beneath my feet "Idiocy? Its idiocy wanting to ignore thoughts of what I went through for a few days? Its idiocy to want to spend time with friends? Its idiocy that I want to pretend for a little while that I'm a normal dragon?!" I retorted flames flickering in my nostrils.

"You cannot shirk your responsibilities!" Terrador growled.

"I HAVE NEVER FORGOTTEN THEM!" I roared the ground shaking as cracks ran through the walls around Terrador "To even suggest I ever did...Is low…even for you."

"You are showing such a lack of care right now Spyro… if you refuse to do as your told then I'll be forced to drag you to the council room directly…" He retorted flatly

I gave a twisted sneer "You don't stand a chance Terrador… so lets not waste each others time…" I replied simply turning to walk away only to pause as I felt the shift and surge of energy from Terrador behind me as I twisted a surge of lightning catching his tail as I twisted a grunt of effort and a shot of earth energy to twist the ground beneath him saw him sailing overhead to land with a thunderous crash against the nearest wall of the Mess Hall a crunch sounding as he smashed through it landing across an empty table with a thud. Inside Cynder, Agatha, and Michael all stared alongside Hunter and Meadow as I frowned.

"There's my answer Terrador…you can take your 'authority' and that of the other guardians and shove it…" I muttered turning to walk away heading away from the temple. Heading south towards the ruins of the old location.

Cynder's POV, Mess Hall

"What…the hell just happened?" Mom asked confused "I mean… there was some shouting and then that big green dragon is flying through the wall."

"I think somethings wrong with Spyro…" I started softly "But I dunno what…"

Hunter glanced at me "I thought you said he was getting better…"

"Well he slept all through last night without nightmares…so I thought so….but apparently something happened." I shifted and moved to get up "I'll go check on him…"

Dad caught me by the tail as he frowned "Cynder…don't you think now that he's here there's people who know him better to check on him?" he asked quietly.

"If he's spoken to her about some of the things I think he has… then she knows him the best out of us all…" Hunter noted softly "He…."

"He's closed off… he wasn't doing well after his two friends died…not to mention some other events…" Meadow added glancing at us as he spoke.

I glanced up at the others "So you see? I NEED to go after him." I replied vehemently as Dad slowly let go of my tail.

"Good luck Cyn…just be careful" he commented softly as I jumped over the table with a flutter of my wings racing past Terrador's groaning form noticing a pair of dragons, one yellow and one blue coming towards the mess hall as I took off slipping between them.

Hang on Spyro…I'm on my way….

Mess Hall, Agatha's POV

"Okay…while she checks on him…lets find out what's going on here…" I muttered walking over to the slowly rising dragon "The hell happened to you?"

"Spyro's insubordinate behavior… that's what happened" he muttered shaking himself off "Who are you anyway?"

"My name's Agatha, I'm one of the dragons who brought him back to this place…I'm starting to wonder if I did the right thing…"

As he brushed himself off the green and brown dragon growled "What are you going on about?" he asked flatly.

"Simple… that the dragon I took care of for the last several weeks… who risked his LIFE to save my daughter when he was half dead himself… and who wanted to leave during his recovery every day, for the simple reason of he didn't want to risk his enemies finding him there…" I shot back narrowing my eyes at him a bit "And the morning after his recovery he throws YOU through a wall and storms away… now I'm no mind reader but I doubt its because he was 'insubordinate'." I shot back flatly

"He was…its been WEEKS since he left with Ignitus to confront Malefor… and he's yet to report about what happened…. We need to know if Malefor is truly gone. So we know if we can focus on rebuilding…or need to prepare for another attack." Terrador growled back.

I stared in shock "Wha…how dense are you?" I asked shocked "HE ALMOST DIED!" I retorted sharply "He showed up near our house, beaten almost completely to death, his bones more broken than whole… and he STILL protected my daughter from an ape attack… not only that… something happened… something that scarred him far worse than his physical injuries… I'm not sure what."

"What makes you think you know him so well… you only recently met him?" The earth dragon shot back flatly.

I snorted slightly "I'm a healer… I need to be able to do more than simply tell which bones are broken and the like." I retorted "I need to have some idea how they're doing emotionally… someone who's upset or depressed is more likely to relapse due to fevers or illnesses than someone who's better off emotionally. And I could tell…there was something very wrong with him…. And you want to heap the responsibilities that almost killed him back onto his shoulders not even a day after he's recovered…what in ancestor's name are you THINKING?!"

He grunted and turned to glare at me "Very well…I believe its time you and your family leave… this place is far from ready for guests…"

I frowned "You have no authority to force me to leave…. Last I heard the guardians are in charge of the dragon temple… NOT the city of Warfang…." I retorted flatly "So why don't you just go back to your little bunker in the council room or whatever you call it…while those of us who actually CARE about Spyro make sure he's okay." With that I turned and stormed off while Michael grunted and shoved past Terrador catching up with me.

"I thought we'd sent Cynder to check on him…" He muttered quietly

I growled softly "I have to get away from him or I'm going to do a lot worse than throw him across a courtyard…"

Old Temple Grounds, Cynder's POV

I grunted as I glanced around "Dammit Spyro…where the hell did you go?" I muttered quietly as I wove between the trees. A sharp series of clicks and clatters of loose rocks making me jump in surprise as I glanced down noticing chunks of brown rock scattered over the path I was on. "What in the?"

"Its part of whats ahead…" a voice commented making me jump in surprise glancing around as I spotted Spyro up ahead of me.

"Gah…Spyro you scared me…." I muttered shaking my head "And what do you mean…where'd all this stuff come from?"

He sighed softly "Well…. It'll be easier if I show you" he muttered "Come on…"

I blinked but hurried after him as he continued down the path as I fell into step next to him "So…wha-"

"Not here…" he replied flatly "I just…. There's something you have to see first…"

I frowned "You're not going closed off on me again are you?" I asked quietly

He shook his head sharply "No… I…no I'm not." He replied tail twitching slightly as without really thinking I wrapped a wing around him as he jumped slightly but smiled slightly "Thanks…"

"hey I told you I was here for you didn't I?" I replied softly "That's not going to vanish just cause we're not hiding away in your little secret base anymore."

He nodded "I guess I kinda needed to hear that… sorry" he added "for doubting you…"

"Hey… I'd be surprised if you didn't a bit… you've had a rough time." I noted quietly.

Spyro nodded softly falling silent as he walked up the path the chunks of stone and rubble growing more and more plentiful as we continued as finally a clearing came into view, a crumbling building visible in the center, the ground was oddly rippled almost in waves… and was cracked for long areas around it. "Here we are….the remains of the former Dragon Temple… and the last place I ever saw Ignitus alive…"

I twisted my head around to glance at him "Wait…this…"

"Is where I fought Malefor yeah…" Spyro replied softly voice shaking slightly "Its…still fresh in my mind… but I had to come out here…and see the aftermath for myself I suppose" he sighed softly closing his eyes firmly "This temple was until recently suspended in the air over a volcano in the heart of the burned lands… somehow while stopping his plans…I managed to put it…mostly back where it belonged…"

"Mostly?"

"We kinda blew some parts of it to dust during the fight." Spyro replied "That and I lost parts of it…I think while putting it back…the fact it had been bleeding lava since Malefor ripped the temple out of the ground didn't help matters." He replied quietly.

I nodded slightly "Well congrats on putting it mostly back..." I trailed off noticing the look on his face "What's wrong?"

"This…isn't all that I came here to see" he replied quietly "I…well I grew up not far from here… I haven't been back since the day I left… I mean I heard that this area was damaged from the war…but I guess part of me still hopes something…"

"Something's left?" I replied quietly as he nodded "Well…lead the way, we can talk while we go if you want"

He nodded slightly and started down the widest path "So…what did you want to know?" he asked quietly.

I sighed softly "Well…what was going on with that green dragon back there? I sensed that something was wrong…but…"

"That…is the understatement of the century Cynder." He sighed flatly a few embers escaping his nose as he did so "I… they're the only living things in the world that I seriously doubt…if I'd help them out in an emergency." He muttered with a soft growl.

"What did they do?" I asked surprised, I mean…he'd risked his life to protect me when we hadn't even spoken a word to each other… much less when he nearly died saving me again from Gaul… to not help someone…

"Because, I refuse to help the ones who see me, and treat me only as a weapon…without any thought or will of my own… only to do as ordered by them." He grunted flatly "Ever since I saved their ungrateful asses from Ripto's traps and prisons… they've done very little to acknowledge me as a living thing. I might as well be a dragon shaped cannon they can aim at the enemy and have level it for them…"

I stared in surprise as he continued voice growing louder "And the best part is, the most personal time I think I've ever spent with any of them… is when they were each training me to control my powers, their elements… so even THEN I was being treated as their personal weapon. Barely a 'thank you for risking your life to save me… back to the temple to train you how to fight better and throw you out into the dreadwings den once more.' The only one who cared…who actually took the time to talk, to treat me like an actual dragon… was Ignitus. Which is the only reason I was ever thinking of returning here… he'd have wanted them to know. And for me to at least try and make amends with them… but at the same time I knew it would never work. They don't care…they've never cared… they simply took a dragon too young to know any better, taught him to fight. And threw him out into the world hoping I wouldn't die till I fixed their problems."

"Spyro" I started softly as he shook his head.

"Don't…they're not the important factor… though it is why I'm planning on leaving…" Spyro muttered quietly "I can't stand being here any longer… I just…I wanted to come back one more time…" he sighed wings drooping slightly.

"Come with us then…" I suggested as he blinked and glanced at me blushing a bit "Well…you already know my parents like you. And I'm sure we can help you get set up somewhere in Avalar."

He flushed "You guys would really do that…for me?" he asked quietly.

I smiled and blushed stepping around to face him as I gently reached forward to pull him into a warm embrace wings wrapping around his shoulders "yes we would…I would even if they wouldn't help" I smiled softly even as my cheeks heated up hidden for the moment by my scales "I've said it before, and I'll say it again… you deserve to be happy… to be somewhere you can be yourself… and if that's away from ehre…then I'll do what I can to help get you outta here." I smirked slightly "Even if I have to kick a guardian's ass to do it."

He snorted softly "I doubt you'll have to go…quite that far" he muttered as I blushed feeling one of his paws wrap around my back beneath my wings to return the hug "Terrador's the most likely to fight and I already showed him up today. The other two are too cowardly to try and stop me…"

I chuckled softly and before I could stop myself…or even think too much about the move I gave his cheek a light lick "Glad to hear" I replied quietly as I felt him freeze at the contact.

"C-cynder?" he asked quietly "Did you…"

I flushed as I let my wings drop slightly both of us pulling back as we met each others gaze…both of us blushing visible at this point "I did…Spyro…there's something I need to talk to you about…"

He nodded faintly "And what's that…?" he asked quietly.

I bit my lip a moment as I thought how best to word it "Well… you know we didn't exactly meet in the best way… what with you having to rescue me and then giving me a heart attack…" I started quietly.

"Yes? What about it Cynder?"

"Well…over the last several weeks… you've become very….well important to me… and… recently…when I was worried you were going to die having to save me…again… and then hearing about all this… I… I dunno the feelings just keep getting stronger… and…there's part of me who can't help but think…"

"Its more than just being friends?" He finished quietly as I paused in surprise looking at him "I…I thought I was the only one… I kina just chalked it up to being desperate to find someone who cared… and if I kept quiet it would fade back to normal…"

I stared at him in shock "H-how long? Have you felt like this?"

He blushed glancing away slightly "Since right before Gaul showed up… I just…I felt that even if I was feeling the way I am… that you deserved someone better than me…"

I frowned and leaned closer bumping my nose gently against his "Hey…knock that kinda talk off right now… "

"Cynder…can you honestly look at me, and tell me I'm the kind of drake anyone would want to…well…to be with?" he asked quietly "I've spent the last few years of my life fighting a war… I don't really know much else about being a dragon but fighting…"

I smiled softly listening to his complaints as I let my eyes wander a bit, his scales glittered in the warm midmorning sunlight. He was in good shape, but for a few scars here and there, showing up as a lighter shade of white against his purple scales, as his chest had the worst of them a long scar across his chest from one shoulder down to about the middle of it, from something during the war. And the only other visible damage was his one horn being a bit shorter than the other. "Spyro… how many times do I have to say…I don't care?" I purred softly leaning forward to bump my nose gently against his making him stop his protestations with a small squeak.

"Y-you don't?" he asked quietly.

I smiled shyly cheeks crimson "No I don't… you're you…flaws…scars and all" I noted softly "I care about you Spyro… a lot… and nothing is going to change that…"

He blushed heavily but smiled "W-well… t-thank you Cynder… I care about you too… I don't know… a lot about this kind of stuff… but…"

"And you think I do?" I asked playfully "We'll figure it out… our own way." I purred softly blushing worse as I leaned in to give him a gentle kiss on the lips feeling him freeze up in surprise before he relaxed into the embrace.

Outside the Temple Ruins, Spyro's POV

After far too short a time the kiss ended as we pulled away both blushing brightly "W-well…that was…interesting" she mumbled softly.

"A good kind of interesting or a bad kind of interesting?" I asked quietly as she smirked and flicked her tongue out flicking me on the nose as I let out a small snort.

"Good you goof" she purred lightly "Your actually pretty good at that"

I flushed softly and smiled "Well you're not too bad yourself" I replied softly as she giggled. "So you really think your parents won't mind me coming to stay a little while longer?"

"Not at all" she purred lightly "Come on Spyro…I think its time you let the world handle itself for awhile… and focus on your own future."

I blushed and smiled as we slowly pulled away starting back towards the mess hall "Well as long as it has you in it… things are looking pretty good already."

She chuckled softly and grinned "Come on Romeo… race ya back." She smirked running off as I blinked.

"Hey get back here!" I called running after her.

"Gotta catch me first." She teased back as we raced through the trees.

"Don't count me outta the race yet" I retorted, grinning. For the first time in a long time… I wasn't worried… I simply relaxed and enjoyed the moment…

End

Author's Note:

This…is so weird to think…this is it… the last chapter… Threads of Fate is done…. There were times I never thought I'd get to this point. Well first off I need to thank HowlingDomain… angel you've done so much for me… and I never would have finished this story without you. Both with your help with editing…and with all those times you didn't complain about me going off on tangents writing…

Now…as for this…right now I have no sequels for Threads of Fate planned… mostly as this stories main point…was Spyro dealing with his time in the war…and recovering. I don't know where to go from here… whether to have a new evil threaten… or what…. But I might do oneshots or such with this universe…and I may come back someday… no promises.

Till then I hope you all have enjoyed the ride, this has been a lot of fun even with the troubles I had at times with getting this out. I'm glad I got it finished.