Merona

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*"So you let Ignitus die and come back here acting like you're some kind of hero?"* - Merona

## **Background**

Merona was born to parents who lived in isolation from other dragons. They both came from families where they were the only child, and both grew up very lonely because of it. They were able to relate to each other on this and would end up becoming mates-for-life. Not long after Merona's hatching, her father, Scorthin, was charmed into a cult of purple dragon worshipers. He loved his daughter, but found himself spending more time in the cult with his friends than with his mate, Ceriba, who was clingy and obsessed with him. Scorthin was Ceriba's whole world after marrying him, and would often get very jealous of his time spent with his friends, or even with their own daughter. While Scorthin was very loving with Merona, sometimes it seemed that he was the only one Ceriba cared for.

One day when Scorthin took Merona with him to his cult, a freak accident happened that caused one of the cult members to become possessed by a dark force none of them could handle. Scorthin and a few other dragons would try to restrain the possessed dragon, but it twisted and writhed and dug its claws straight into his heart, as well as biting the throat and eyes of the other dragons restraining it. The cult leader murdered the dragon on the spot before it could harm anyone else, but the three dragons who were attacked were dead. Merona's father being one of them, as she was there to watch the whole attack happen before her eyes.

Ceriba was filled with an inconsolable sorrow upon hearing this news, and would go into a depression. Merona would go hungry for days as her mother wouldn't bother to take care of her. One day however, with what was assumed as a shred of pity for her, Ceriba took Merona to the Dragon Temple to live with the Guardians. But when she was questioned by the Guardians, Ceriba simply blurted out "I don't want her!" and flew away.

Merona, even though she was young, almost understood the situation, as the last words she ever heard her mother say would stay in her head for the rest of her life.

Merona was damaged from both watching her father's attack and death, and hearing her mother disown her, that she spent many nights crying for the both of them to come back to her life. Her sorrow turned to bitterness as she grew, and though the Guardians tried, they couldn't truly successfully calm her pain. Ignitus was persistent however, as Ceriba's words made his heart burn with intense sympathy for Merona. Through his fire lessons with Merona, they were able to form a connection as Merona's fire abilities were incredibly powerful, even at such a young age. They would continue to bond as Ignitus slowly tried to heal her heart in any way he could. Merona would open up to him in secret, almost as though he were her second father. He would be the only one she would listen or be nice to, and she would accompany him in every opportunity she could, even if it was just simply sitting next to him as he gave his lessons.

Merona was the only young dragon to live with the Guardians at the temple for a while before new hatchlings would be brought there to train, as the Night of the Raid happened not long before Merona was taken to the Temple.

When news spread of an evil dragon named Cynder who was hunting for the Guardians, they decided to lead an army against her and her apes in order to prevent her from eventually coming for them at the Temple. Merona didn't want Ignitus to go, but he reassured her he would be fine, and asked her to protect the other young ones there while he was gone. She promised, and the four Guardians left for battle, leaving her, the hatchlings and a few broodmothers who would stay to protect them.

Terrador, Volteer and Cyril were captured during the battle, but Ignitus managed to escape and went into hiding in the marshlands, purposely leaving just enough of a trail to keep the apes from going to the Temple, but at a loss of what action to take next. As the days went on, Merona could sense that something went wrong, and that Ignitus would depend on her to protect the orphaned hatchlings living at the Temple with her as well as the broodmothers. Ignitus had always told her than if ever something were to go wrong at the Temple and he wasn't there with her that she was to follow the Silver River. It would lead to a city full of dragons, and she would find safety there. Merona took the hatchlings and broodmothers with her along the river, protecting them with her strong fire abilities until they reached the Dragon City, where they were taken in by the dragon caregivers. Merona would wait there, her eyes to the sky for when Ignitus would show up again.

They were reunited when Ignitus would arrive at the city after sending the purple dragon Spyro off on his quest for the tree in the Ancient Grove. This was the first time Merona was told that there was another purple dragon, but what was more on her mind was that Ignitus had stayed at the Temple with this purple dragon rather than come to the city to find her. Was this purple dragon the kind of thing her father had worshiped in his cult? This thing was what had taken her father away. Was it now trying to take Ignitus away from her too? Merona felt an instant bitterness grow towards this new purple dragon.

For years they lived in the city, listening to Ignitus go on and on about the purple dragon Spyro and how he would return one day. Merona had grown downright disgusted with it. She had lived with Ignitus for so long, why was he so obsessed with this dragon she'd never met? She didn't want to voice her disgust, as this purple dragon had lit a light in his eyes she'd never seen before, but it had caused her to drift further and further away from him. When Spyro returned to the city, she had no desire to meet him. She would watch him and Ignitus from the side, growing more and more jealous at their bond. So she decided to distance herself even further, until suddenly the news was broken that Ignitus had sacrificed his life so that Spyro had a path to confront Malefor.

Merona was broken again. Many emotions flared up at once as she charged the battlefield to fight off Malefor's grublins. Pain, confusion, abandonment, desperation, anger, sorrow, and the most painful, unbearable regret.

Why had she let her pride keep her from Ignitus' side? Why was this purple dragon worth more than his life? Why would he die for it? Why would he not speak to her before doing this? Why would he leave her?

She hated the purple dragon.

But what could she do? Ignitus trusted him, so she couldn't bare to let herself do anything to him. So then what? Nothing. Just... nothing. She would go back to where she was when her mother abandoned her. She was alone, and she should stay alone. Not even Ignitus wanted her in the end. So she had nothing left but to do... nothing.

Nothing... but hate the purple dragons who took both her fathers away.

With Ignitus gone, new Guardians were set to be announced. A spark flickered in Merona. If she could be the next Fire Guardian, perhaps she could make Ignitus proud. Carry out his legacy, show him she was worthy... show her parents she was worthy. Before her hopes could get too high though, the ceremony took place where a small, scraggly hatchling was chosen to be the next Fire Guardian instead. Her heart broke again. Why would such a runt be chosen over someone like her who was willing, able and powerful? It made SENSE for her to be the next Guardian, after essentially being raised by one. So why...?

Why indeed. Why so many things. But it didn't matter anymore. Merona would retreat to her dug out shack in the city where she spent most of her time, and would continue to spend. Unworthy, unloved and alone, with no purpose she ever ended up amounting to.

That is, until the request came for her to teach the little Fire apprentice how to be a Guardian.