When Aggar woke up, he moaned and lay there for a far minute trying to get himself adjusted to where he was. He thought to himself, where exactly was I? This wasn't Tinpa and it wasn't any of the villages in south Aspana. It was dark and cold, he could smell the mold and musk of a cave. He opened his eyes and sat up and looked around. This cave didn't look familiar, so he got up and looked around. There were crystals in the walls that gave off a soft blue light like in a dream. Had he been here earlier? They had been in a lot of places. But it did seem familiar. Like something out of a dream or a promise that had to be kept. As Aggar started on his way, his mind drifted to a day long ago back when he served with Jandar and Rage against a God called Muerte. Muerte was, well, to tell the truth, she was evil. She also was the goddess of death, But hold on. That wasn't what made her evil. There have been many gods of death that weren't bad, and only a few of them turned out to be evil. Some ruled the land of the dead, and some were far too evil to be allowed to hold that position. Muerte was far too evil to rule over the dead. Alea prophesized that if Muerte held power in the underworld for more then 30 moons, she would kill all the gods and humans.
But hold on. I'm getting away from the story. Aggar wasn't sure where he was, but he knew he was where he should be. There was something here he needed to talk too. So, on he went. Around the bend and through the path full of stalactites and into the valley full of glowing orbs. This he thought was strange. they look like Dragon eggs.
[THAT IS BECAUSE THEY ARE]
Aggar jumped when the voice spook in his head.
[YOU KNOW WHY YOU ARE HERE,] The voice said. [YOU ALWAYS KNEW YOU WOULD END UP HERE. AND YOU KNOW WHO I AM.]
"Dread?"
[SEE, NOW WE BOTH KNOW WHO WE ARE AND WHERE WE ARE.]
"But I don't understand," Aggar said. "We were about to go into battle in Tigar to free the Royal family. I was about to fight something big."
[THAT IS NOT IMPORTANT,] Dread said [YOU MADE A PROMISE TO ME AND I WILL MAKE SURE ITS KEPT.]
"We were going to keep our promise," Aggar said. "But after we save Aspana."
[I DO NOT HAVE TIME,] Dread told him. [AND I NEED TO MAKE SURE THIS HATCHERY IS PROTECTED.]
"Yes," Aggar said as he looked around. His ears were ringing, it was giving him a terrible headache.
[YOU DO NOT UNDERSTAND, YOU DO NOT KNOW OUR WAYS.]
"No, I don't. But I can learn."
[YES YOU CAN, THAT'S WHY IM GOING TO TRUST YOU. YOU WILL GO FIRST.]
"First?" Aggar said, with a curious gaze. "What do you mean?"
[DO YOU NOT YOU HEAR THE CALL?]
"I hear something," He put a finger to his ear and wiggled it around.
[LISTEN AND FOLLOW THE VOICE.]
Aggar closed his eyes and relaxed. then he heard it.
[I'm here. I will always be here. Come to find me.]
Aggar opened his eyes and looked to the eggs like it was Unistff morning and it was his turn at the presents. He passed a green and brown egg. They were silent and cold. they weren't for him.
[Here,] A voice whispered.
He passed a red egg and two dark eggs, then he saw the most beautiful blue egg laying there pulsing and calling out to him.
"Is this you?" Aggar asked with wonder in his eyes.
[YES.] A warm pleasant feeling filled Aggar. It was like he'd just found the second part of himself.
He reached down and picked it up. It was beautiful. It looked like a piece of the sky had been broken off and came to him.
[DO YOU ACCEPT ME?]
"Yes." Aggar hugged the egg to his body as if someone might steal it.
As Aggar hugged the egg, it cracked and a small head peeked out. It looked around, then up at Aggar. In seconds the egg crumbled away and the dragon merged with Aggar.
[We are Hurycane, the weather dragon.]
Dressed in blue and gray, Hurycane walked to a pool and looked himself over. Dark brown hair over a handsome face. Green eyes and a slightly crooked nose from all the fighting up north. Aggar had an excellent physic and he was well able to produce young ones. Just then he remembered that Aggar was already mated. He leaped up in confused. What would she think of him now? Being merged with a Dragon can be tough. You have to be strong and stay in control or the Dragon will take over.
[I won't try and take control. I'm happy just to be here with you. We are Hurycaine.]
[WELCOME TO OUR CLAN HURYCAINE, WE ARE HONORED TO BE AT YOUR HATCHING
"Thank you Elder Dread," Hurycane said. "I am honored to be chosen."
As Hurycane brushed eggshells from his shoulder, Dread called out for him to stop.
[THERE IS ANOTHER ONE JOINING YOU.]
Confused, Hurycane stepped to the side to a dining table and waited until a scared friend came walking out of the cave. As the white featured Pantheren came stumbling along,
"Dary'l?" Hurycane dropped his fruit and started down to the road. "Is that you?"
"Who?" Dary'l shook in fear before getting a good look. "Aggar? I see you've changed, where am I?."
[YOU ARE HERE WITH US IN THE LAST DRAGON HATCHERY IN ASPANA. WE ARE HOPING YOU WILL JOIN US.]
"This has to be a joke," Dary'l laughed. " "Is this a dream or a joke?"
He and Aggar stared out at the glowing eggs all through the cave. "For generations, my family served the Pantheren royal family in good times and through the bad. We were there when Master Timeo ran off with the Lady of Moreau, and besides his father, as he dragged him back to the palace. But now I can be one? Just as great as he? Yes. Yes, I will accept. What must I do?"
[GO GET YOUR EGG.] Dread said. [WALK DOWN THROUGH THE HATCHERY AND FIND THE EGG WAITING FOR YOU. YOU WILL FIND ONE THAT ACCEPTS YOU.]
Unsure of how this works, Dary'l walked down through the reds and browns to the blues and the dark one. He reached to grabbed the dark one and felt the shadow push him away. Wrong egg. That's not it for sure. Just as Dary'l turned, a deep green sang out his name. It promised him wonders, adventure, and companionship, and dreams he would never forget. Dary'l picked up the egg and put it to his heart and said four words.
"I do my love."
Suddenly there was a blinding flash of green light as the merging began. Teeth became fangs and two legs became four. Smooth tan skin turned into hard green scales and what was once a proud lion man became a noble Dragon. As the green dragon emerged from the light, he leaped up on his hind legs and roared rattling the ground all around them.
[WELCOME TO OUR CLAN FORGE.]
In a flash of green. Forge shifted forms and Dary'l stood at Aggar's side fit and ready for war. As far as Dread was concerned, the debt to the Dragon's had been paid. Now it was time for Dragon's to get to work freeing Aspana.
[THE DEBT TO ME IS PAID. DRAGONS ARE STRONG AGAIN IN ASPANA. GO NOW, YOU WILL RETURN TO WHERE YOU FELL ASLEEP THERE IS MUCH TO BE DONE.]
The two Dragons bowed, Dread sent them off on there way to end the war. It had been a good idea to trust in the strangers from the north. They made good with the promise to help to bring life to Aspana's clan. With four new Dragons, the future looks bright for Aspana. Now if only we could stop the fighting and treat each other with respect and dignity, things might be different.
As Dread gazed out at the unhatched eggs, he felt things had changed and the would be a future for the clan.
[STAND STRONG MY BROTHERS.]
From the dungeon, Zakia led the newly wakened king up through the palace. The was three floors up they would need to travel to reach the ground floor and an exit that would take them out to the gates where they join Astan and his resistance. They moved quietly down the hall to the first staircase. Yonas felt strange as he moved them through these familiar halls. This was the first time he had ever felt the need for caution as he made his way through his own palace.
Moving on to the next flight of stairs, Yonas felt a cold shiver run through his back as he crept up the stairs. He put out his hand to stop their advance. He had felt the feeling before. It was a warning of danger. Before he could turn to warn the others behind him, six Pantheren warriors came around the corner. Without a moment's hesitation, the king drew his blade and dispatched two warriors. Following their kings' example, Hati, and Kyan stepped in to face two warriors while Zakia was on another. With his staff in hand, Zakia made easy work of his opponent. A quick and easy wave put the warrior down. that left just one warrior. Sliding out a sword from behind her, Aryoona jumped in and with a quick spin, sank her blade into the back of the Pantheren warrior. As the last warrior fell, Kapor hurried to a shield set in the wall and pushed a hidden knob and slid open a hidden door.
"Hurry! He said. "The sound of battle will bring the guards."
One by one they made their way up into the passage. It was dark and dusty and the air was stale, but they had no choice but to move on. With Kapor in the lead checking the way they made their up through the passageway. As they moved, they could hear movement from outside. It was the movement of the invading Pantherens hurrying down to see who?.
Hand in hand they made their way through the dusty passage. After one turn, Kapor bumped his foot into a set of stairs. Quietly they started climbing. They moved from the dungeon up to the main floor with no problem. From there Yonas took the lead. After they checked the peepholes to make sure the exit area was clear, Kapor pressed the knob and Yonas stepped out into stairway and checked up and down the stairway well, then stepped into the passage hall to find no one there on guard.
"It's clear," He said. Come on."
Cautiously they started on down the hall heading for the front exit. In their heads, they hoped to find it without guards, but they knew it to be a false hope. Keeping to the left side of the passage Yonas moved with his weapon raised and a spell ready. It wasn't long before they reached the front entrance. As they started around the corner to get out of the castle, Yonas heard voices and pulled every back into a coat closet. He motioned for them to be quiet as he listened through one of the hidden view places. There he found an older Pantheren who looked to be in command along with more than fifteen warriors.
"Take ten warriors and search the palace. Yonas is here somewhere and he must be found and eliminated. The regent will have our heads if we fail him. Yonas has to die. We can't let any of the royal family escape."
"Aye Captain," The warrior smiled a devious grin. "It will be my pleasure."
As the warrior started off, Yonas looked through the hidden window to find there was still more warriors then they could deal with. He took Kapor to the side.
"Brother," He said. "I want you to stay with Aryoona here in the closet as we draw the fight away. Get her to Astan if he lives. If not, get her to the Dragons. They will know what to do."
No Brother. My place is at your side fighting to free our home.
"Kapor, please. You must stay and keep her safe. If Astan is dead, she has the last of our family line in her belly. It's up to you to keep them safe. Promise me you will do as I say."
"I promise."
Yonas took his brother's hand into his and squeezed it hard. Then he turned to Kyan and Hati who stood bravely to the side.
"Stay safe Brother."
With that, Yonas with his royal blade in hand charged out with Kyan and Hati at his side. Proud to be a Tigar, Kapor sat back as he heard the fighting in the courtyard, then took Aryoona wrapped in a cloak, back down into the hidden passages and down to the dungeon and out through a hidden back exit. From there, they watched as the Hyenen battled the Tigarens and the united forces of the felines of Aspana. But being here so close to the battleground was too dangerous for them, so Kapor led Aryoona to somewhere he thought to be safe.
Meanwhile outside the battle boiled as Astan stood at the bottom of the palace wall contemplating the overwhelming spells that keep the palace safe outside attack. There were red and gold lines that mixed with green brown and blue spells. Those were the easy spells. Astan knew he could unravel them. The only problem was the hint of deadly black and silver spells that were hidden woven tightly in the spells. He knew how dangerous they were. Even the slightest touch at the wrong time could cause unbelievable results. He reached out and touched the first strand. There was a sharp tingle in his hand. Astan ignored the pain and reached in for the next strand. This one was blue, a protection spell. Astan wrapped it around his wrist, then let it fall away. He could feel something ringing in his ear. This was not going to be easy.
Ten minutes in, red, blue, and yellow strands lay at his feet. Now Astan's ears were screaming. He took a green strand and pulled it out and tucked it neatly away with some of the others. With one hand, Astan pointed down at the strands at his feet. He did a circular movement, tossing the strands to the winds where they dissolved into dust,
As Astan worked, sweat ran down from his face. Red and blue strands worked their way up his legs, Astan kicked out at them trying to be free, but each time he kicked, the strands multiplied. One became two then two split into four. Anxious, Astan sent a surge of energy down through his body into his legs. As the surge hit the strands, they all fell away. For a minute he felt relieved until he released where he was and what he was doing. As he pushed his fear away, he reached for the next strand and went back to work. Green strands and a layer of brown grabbed his attention and filled the area around his feet with dirt that grew inch by inch getting deeper and deeper as he worked until a layer of blue came in and washed the dirt away. Astan knew this was getting harder as he reached in and grabbed the next layer of strands. For a second he let his attention slip out to see what was going on behind him.
Two Dragons, a blue and a green had the Hyenen dogs busy while two Griffins were high in the air deep in battle. With a sharp scream, Nereus launched himself at Stormcrest. His claws were out sharp and dripped with poison. Stormcrest held his wings open and ready. With a swat, he slammed at Nereus. His iron like wing tossed Nereus like an unused feather. Furious, Nereus leaped up and sent a blast at Starcrest. Folded his wing, Starcrest created a shield which sent the blast into the ground beside him.
Wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth, Nereus circled, looking for weak spots in Stormcrest's defense. The silver griffin's tail was up and ready to strike at Nereus next move. Fortunately, the physical move wasn't Nereus only choice. A beam of poison struck out from his poisonous tail. Stormcrest raised his wing to block the blow It seared his wing, but Stormcrest shook it off and held his defense strong.
[Why Brother?] Stormcrest pulled his wings in tight and expose his chest to show his vulnerability. [I don't want to fight. We are both from the same hatchery. We should both stand and fight for our own lands now that we are free.]
[We will never be free.] Nereus shouted as he shifted from his gorilla form. "We will never have our own land as long as the Dragons fly and rule the mountains. They will always hunt us."
"That is not true," Beno said. "Dragons today are peaceful and they fight for freedom. Come with me and we will forge a new life for the Griffins"
"You speak of madness." Nereus raged and spit out at Stormcrest. "We will never be free, There will always be someone holding us back."
"The future doesn't have to be so bleak," Beno said. "But if we want to change, we have to stand up and act. Help me and we will take our first step to change."
Nereus listened to Beno words. Words like freedom, good and bad and change were alien to him. But he was familiar with rebel, hate, and madness. Those words fueled his heart and kept him on his path of hate. But he would have none of Stormcrest's change, He would have war!!!
"No more talk!" Nereus screamed."We are enemies. We are here to fight. Face me in battle.]
Beno let out a huff as if he would rather talk and maybe reason could change Nereus stone mind and bring peace to the Griffins.
"If I must." Beno raised his wings and tossed a fury of lightning dust at Nereus. All Nereus could do was raise his wings and be ready for the attack. As Nereus waited, he watched as hundreds of sparkling particles appeared over him and dropped down out of a grey cloud. Like bolts thrown by Zeus, the particles rained down sending thousands of volts of electricity into anyone caught in its field of influence. Just before the shock hit him, Nereus knead down and touched the ground sending a large portion if the shock wave away.
With a sly, evil grin, Nereus stood up. He raised his arms and took on his Griffin form. As his form changed, Nereus called out to the wind and air elements to bring a dark cloud to life over Beno's head. To be ready for Nereus next attack, Beno shifted and whispered a protection spell just in time as the cloud as let loose with an explosion of corrosive rain that set everything around Beno a fire. A quick wave washed away the flames and left nothing but ash to be swept away.
Beno was tired, he had been through a lot since all this started. Beno had lost his place with the Gorillas. His parents were dead. And there would be no more games at Keon's yard. None that he would be allowed to play in. And worst of all, Lady Shauri is dead. He felt so guilty for leaving her to her fate in Domina. They knew Igoro had no love for her. He would kill her first chance he got. But if there was a chance to get the person responsible for his parent's death, Beno had to take it. What cousin Goren's reasons were, Beno had no idea, But he was determined to see his father fail, and that was enough for Beno.
As Beno and Nereus circled each other, a leaf fell from a tree and hit Nereus shoulder. Reacting with surprise, Nereus shouted and sent a red thread spell at Beno. Like a cobra, the spell shot out and wrapped itself around Beno's legs. He lurched forward and fell flat on his face. With a dark smile, Nereus stepped forward on Beno's hand to claim his prize.
"You will die today." Nereus smiled. "What will your last words be?"
Beno looked up at Nereus standing over him with a death spell on his lips."
"My death won't be the end," Beno said. "It will be a beginning. My death will be a step toward freedom for...
Before Beno could finish his sentence, Nereus slammed his spell down in his face. The heat of the spell didn't seem very intense. It filling Beno's body with eldritch fire that made him stronger. Beno took a step toward Nereus confident this was his moment to strike. Suddenly he stopped. The burning pain was getting more pronounced. He could feel it moving from the soles of his feet getting hotter and hotter. Beno screamed out. He screamed a sound many couldn't even hear. But there was one that heard it loud and clear and he laughed with an evil sound that sent a chill through all that could hear it.
As the battle at the gate raged on, Astan moved slowly from one strand to the next. He noticed the pain was getting stronger and stronger. Right now he could take it, but soon, way too soon it would be beyond his pain tolerance. Then what would he do? As he moved on, the next set of strands was black. He looked for a way around them, but there were no side tracks. He would have to move on straight through.
With one hand he did a circular motion over the strands to call them up. With the other, Astan reached out to get a gentle grasp on the darkly hooded strand. Its end moved back and forth. Astan watched it danced to the movement of his hand. He knew he had to be careful. This viper like strand could snap out and end the dance at the if he were to lose his concentration just for a concentration. To keep him moving, Astan kept a song on his lips with the beat moving with his heartbeat. To the left, then right, step forward three steps then back one. Dance a pirouette then bow. Suddenly Astan felt his leg cramp. He stopped for a moment and reached down to rub his leg then whispered a soothing healing spell, then started back on the next.
As he lay the last of the sets black strand down, he saw there was and a resting place here. It figures, whoever set the spells on the need to rest after so much work. After double checking his work, Astan looked around to see how the others were doing. The two Dragons were doing fine. They should finish they're battles shortly.
