"Ok, let's go!" Spyro says. Everyone starts walking. I hurry after them. "What is this place?" I ask. "See this path?" Jet Vac asks, gesturing downwards to the dirt track we're taking. "It'll lead us to some challenges. We need to pass those in order to reach the Core of Light."

"Really? Now that's cool," I grin. "That it is," he agrees. "You know, if you became a cadet you could sit in on my class about this place." "Not gonna happen," I shake my head. "But it sounds like a good class."

I figured it would be better not to throw Cynder under the bus by saying that his student would disagree with me.

"Why not?" He asked. "Some people would love the chance to become a cadet."

"Well I'm not 'some people', Jet Vac," I point out. "Besides, everyone has their reasons, just like I have mine."

"Well we'll find out more in a second," he mused, stopping at a random door. "Why the heck is there a door here?" I ask. "We need to tell it what we fear the most," Stealth Elf shrugged. "I'm guessing at very least one of you has said 'Jet Vac's eggs' before?" I question, remembering the time I first saw the bird man. "That was me!" Pop Fizz announces, raising his arm.

"The thing about it that confuses me most is that-"

"That's enough, Vexelle!" Jet Vac interrupts quickly. "Fine, fine," I sigh, but I lean closer to Pop Fizz and whisper my thought.

"I thought it was only females that could lay eggs."

While he starts uncontrollably laughing, Stealth Elf folds her arms. "Guys! This isn't funny! We need to get to the Core of Light and save Vexelle!"

"Hey, that's it!" Spyro says, then looks at the door. "We're scared of losing Vexelle!"

Gears turn, but the door doesn't quite open.

"Vexelle, you try saying something," Jet Vac suggests. "Tell the door what you fear the most."

"Uh... okay," I nod, then look at the door. "Um... I'm scared of taking too much aura from someone I care about."

More gears turn and the door opens. "What happens when you take too much aura?" Pop Fizz asks. "Whatever I took too much aura from will die," I say. "In that sense alone I'm like an Essence Reaper."

They all shuffle away from me, aside from Spyro. I laugh. "Why would I kill any of you? Come on, let's go."

We head through the door. It's like we're in the same place, but this time the path continues on. We follow it, the others keeping their distance from me now. "Guys, relax, I wouldn't kill any of you without a reason," I tell them. "I can sense that you're all nervous, you know. You don't have to be. I'm supposedly weak and stupid, remember?"

This time they stay away due to guilt.

"Ugh, and please stop with the pity party!" I sigh. "It just dampens the mood! Here, try this."

I use a yellow shockwave. They all cheer up now, but my wave wasn't powerful enough to make them go crazy. "Ok, I could get used to this one," Stealth Elf smirks, folding her hands behind her head without a care in the world.

"Oh yeah," Eruptor agrees, a slight spring now in his step, much to my amusement. "I don't see how this power can be used to fight in battles, though," Jet Vac remarks, thinking. "Well happiness isn't the only emotion I can cause, you of all people should know that," I smirk. "I can cause any emotion, even negative ones. If I wanted I bet I could make you lay an egg."

"Try me," Jet Vac dares. I use a cyan shockwave and he yelps, trying hard to stop himself from laying an egg, but one falls out. "Keep them in and I'll do it again," I threaten.

Within moments he's sat on a pile of eggs.

I laugh and release him from his forced fear, replacing it with happiness again. He slides down from his pile. "Well that was certainly strange!" He remarks. "Would you prefer romance?" I ask with a smirk, causing the others to all burst into laughter as well. Jet Vac just added another egg to the pile at the thought.

We come across another door. Just as I'm about to ask what we need to do to open this one, I sense another aura nearby. "Uh, guys? Someone else is here."

"Indeed I am!" Someone says as they pop out from behind the door. "My friends call me Dale, but for your purpose I'm the gatekeeper to this door!"

He spots the others and grins. "You all came back! Perhaps you finally want to spend some time with a lonely old wizard who just longs for some simple human contact?"

"Like last time, we'll just take the riddle," Stealth Elf says, narrowing her eyes at him. "She's not the most open of the group, is she?" I remark to 'Dale', deciding it to be better to stay on his good side. "Not really, no," he agrees. "What about you? Will you stay a spell?"

"Sorry, my life is kind of on the line at this point, so I don't exactly have too much time to spare right now," I say. "Raincheck?"

"I can work with that!" He agrees instantly. "Finally, somebody who doesn't just take the riddle and leave!"

I chuckle. "So what is this riddle, anyway? It sounds pretty cool." "Every day I need to use a new riddle, guess the answer right and you can pass through the gate!" Dale states. "Ooh, sounds fun. So what's today's riddle?" I ask.

Dale turned, then leapt around at us dramatically.

"Those who make me don't need me, those who buy me don't want me, those who are the Undead Element are said to escape from me, the only person who needs me don't know they have me, what am I?"

Dale smiles. "Oh, and you only have ten seconds! Go!"