Cynder the Dragon was egg-napped by Gaul and brainwashed to become a tool in the Great Wars, but was saved from the spell by Spyro, who later became her close friend.

Youth

Cynder, in an attempt for protection, was brought as an egg to the Dragon Temple of the Golden Mushroom Swamp, where Cyril and the other Guardians kept vigil, but was later egg-napped by the Dark Armies the night of the Raid, and brought to the Ape King Gaul. She hatched in Gaul's filthy paws, in the Mountain Fortress built by Malefor.

When hatchling Cynder was “corrupted by the Dark Master’s poisonous powers”, she became possessed by Malefor. He was physically weak, but many of Cynder’s actions and words were actually done and said by the Dark Master, such as the various incursions against the Dragons, and perhaps even the quote, “If only life were that easy, little one.”

After a close encounter with Cynder, Spyro had said to Ignitus, “There was something familiar in her eyes,”: the “something familiar” was sorrow. Sorrow that was so great, for a moment it had shone through the possession of the Dark Master. She didn’t know it then, but that grief was for all that she had done in moments of his control. All that she had witnessed him doing through her.

When she said, “My master returns,” she truly meant that however, for she didn’t know that it was Malefor that was controlling her, and thought that bringing back Malefor would be welcoming a hero back to the realm, a hero that could possibly help her gain freedom as well.

Elemental Powers

Cynder had lost contact with her true element after being corrupted by Gaul with Malefor's dark spell, which had replaced her elemental breath power with Malefor's Shadow Fire, and so she did not acquire her first Wind abilities till twelve years later, when she was freed from the spell by Spyro.

Three years later, however, she gained four new dark elemental powers: Poison, Fear, Shadow, and Dark Æther. The Chronicler appeared to her in a vision and briefly explained that her new elemental abilities were because of her exposure to Dark Magic. This time, her newfound powers were not a result of Malefor’s darkness, but of Spyro’s (being in Spyro’s time crystal for three years, after he was momentarily dark). She is getting some temporary effects of Dark Purple Dragons.

Cynder powers timeline:

Hatchling: Wind

Corrupted: Shadow Fire

Returned to true form: Wind

In proximity to Dark Spyro: Wind, Poison, Shadow, Fear, Dark Æther