 
## **Contents**

Title Page

SW Copyright Page

Dedication

Introduction

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Epilogue

The Purple Otter gets the Last Word - SW
The Dirge -

Series Pilot

Book Zero: The Dirge Series

Xavier P. Otter III

07/21/2014

Published by: Artisan Publishing Guild, LLC

APGuild@outlook.com

Edited by: Adele Symonds

Cover by: Katherine J
The Dirge - Series Pilot

Xavier P. Otter III

Copyright 2014 by Artisan Publishing Guild, LLC

Smashwords Edition
Dedication -

To Papa Wando who was a Purple Otter in his own right... He did it his way but left too soon to see us turn purple!

Love and Strength – Xavier P. Otter III
Introduction

Those blasted dragons... Every time we think we're getting ahead of them, the female comes down from the mountain to drop her pebbles. We spend the majority of our days trying to sort out real rocks from the dragon pebbles. We run the mechanical horse drawn crushing machines, that Dr. Kilgen invented, over the fields every day. They are steam driven machines that stomp the ground; the purpose of this is to find the pebbles that are converting to eggs from the sunlight. A second crew trails behind inspecting to see if any broken eggs are found. If any are detected, we bring in the goats, not real goats that would be cruel. Dr. Kilgen's goats, they are more like self-contained machines.

On average one of these goats can clear cut a quarter acre of land in about fifteen minutes. This also happens to be the amount of land it takes to fill their storage compartment. Once they are full they are emptied into the water barrel that's pulled behind the crushing machine. This cools the pebbles that are converting to eggs, killing the majority of them. The water is then poured out, strained across a screen and the contents are then run through the Purifier, a crazy grinder with diamond tipped teeth. This chews whatever is put into it to a fine powder. As long as this process is followed there is no chance of mistakes, mutation or worse as in the end, there should be no pebbles converted to eggs and no eggs to be fertilized by the males.

The ones that get through are in fields where no one sees the falling pebbles, or fields that have been reported but where the pebbles are able to convert to eggs quicker than we, or anyone from the surrounding cities, can conduct a purification before the bull dragon can fertilize the eggs. It's their fire, burning the fields that fertilize the eggs. It was Professor Errol that first documented the full dragon embryology, which happens to be much like that of a common frog, well, with of course a few distinguishing characteristics. The dragon emerges from the egg and goes into the ground not water. During their first stages, the frogs maturing are called tadpoles and dragons are gardpoles. While in this stage, gardpoles take in the dirt through their mouths and excrete whatever they don't need whereas the tadpoles, excrete the water through their gills. In the third stage the tadpoles grow arms and legs, these physical changes also appear in the gardpoles. During this stage the gardpoles will eat any of the first stage embryos that enter their tunnels, much like moles will eat the earthworms while they are tunneling. In the tadpoles final stage they lose their tail and come out of the water, in the gardpoles final stage they grow wings and come out of the earth.

We have witnessed some gardpoles emerge without wings, this is typically when there is a heat wave and the underground is completely flooded with forming dragons and there is not enough food to support them all. These wingless dragons won't grow wings as their maturing seems to be stunted and they are more or less the size of a large rhinoceros or a small elephant. They are also typically much meaner than the dragons that do get their wings and even harder to kill.

I gave you that introduction and completely forgot to introduce myself, I'm Sean McGovern. Well at least that's what I'm called now, I was born Daniel Alliaceous McGovern, my employer doesn't call me that. I work for the Kilgens but I report to one in particular, her name is Beatrice Kilgen. The job that I fulfill for her is, well, I follow her father around and record whatever he does. This may sound easy, but her father is Dr. Kilgen and he is, um, different. He believes that everything has a sound to it, so he walks around humming and blooping, clicking and snarking. Attempting to associate the specific rhythm that each 'thing' has and then finding new combinations of sounds. While he does this he never looks up from his feet. Quite often stopping to look at objects he finds on the ground other times kicking things down the road and asking "Did you get that Seanny Boy?"

Dr. Kilgen lives within the harmonics that bounce in his head; this is why I'm now Sean by the way. You see before she changed it he would ask me, "Did you get that Danny Boy?" After which he would sit down on the ground crying and sing Oh Danny Boy until the cows came home or until someone came and found us.

After hours of walking aimlessly with him, reading the rhythm of nature and me, writing down each and every sound he makes, he would decide we were finished and he would simply sit down wherever we might be. He would start discussing each and every sound combination he made and that I recorded. Originally I wore a recording device on my back, of Dr. Kilgen's design. It used my steps to power it and while it worked fine, the mechanisms made so much ambient noise that the smaller details of Dr. Kilgen's rhythms were lost. Having abandon the recording machine I now write down everything he says and does.

From my transcripts, come invention after invention and each one when completed produces the sound I captured. Beatrice builds the machines and her brother Callum uses them. He and Clang are the real dragon hunters in our band, oh yeah, I forgot to tell you that too, we're the Dirge and we hunt dragons. I keep getting ahead of myself, let's start at the beginning. This is the story of what the Dirge is and how 'we' are bound to it.
Chapter One

"The counsel is still in session Master Tinkerer." The guard that barred the door stood with a battle axe in each hand, crossing his chest.

"It's Doctor, Dr. Kilgen! And I can see that can't I Tens? That's why I'm here, I need to be in that session as well." Dr. Kilgen said, adjusting his goggles and inclining his head at the larger dwarf.

"Perhaps make an appointment and for the love of Sister Stone, run some fish bones through that frizz on your head." Tens said.

"Are they at least discussing the latest dragon infestation?" The girl asked from behind Dr. Kilgen.

"Beatrice, as I told your father I can't know what's being discussed in a room that I'm barred from." The guard answered.

"Look, these are different. If we don't start trying to get ahead of this..." This time it was the large dwarf leaning against the column at the entrance that spoke. His clean shaven face was in contrast to his Dwarfish physique.

"Callum, the Dragon Squad Elites have already been dispatched..." Tens started.

"When?" Beatrice asked.

"Last evening, the King and Queen personally saw them off. If it matters, they also sent emissaries to each of the Magical Seven. Now look it doesn't matter what you do..." Tens' words were cut short.

Moments later the door opened and the three Kilgen Dwarves walked through interrupting the High Counsel. "What is the meaning of this? Where is Tens?" The woman at the head of the table asked, looking around at the intruders.

"Queen Acaira, we have news that could not be barred from this illustrious gathering." Beatrice curtsied.

"Indeed not." Queen Acaira said seeing that the door hadn't fully shut as it was blocked by the boot of the prone guard. "I assume my guard will wake from that... condition?"

"Of course, Mother Queen." Callum said turning to see what the Queen was indicating. Walking back to the door he kicked the guard's foot out of the way allowing the door to close.

"Might I ask how you bested the finest warrior in my court?" This time the dwarf from the high seat asked.

"King Hume, Sire, my Pocket EE." Dr. Kilgen said removing a glass cylinder from inside his vest pocket. The device was clear and two small eels swam around inside it. On top, two copper probes protruded from a bronze cap. "He will be around in anywhere from ten minutes to six and a half hours. I can't be certain on the time as it depends on how angry I made the eels before releasing the charge." At this he pushed the button and a spark danced between the probes.

"Most interesting Master Tinkerer," King Hume said.

"It's Doctor." He said.

"I'm sorry, did you just correct your King?" the red faced dwarf with orange hair, to the right of the Queen asked.

"No disrespect was intended Tavish." Beatrice interjected. "Father King and Queen Mother, we needed you to know of the changes in the last immerging gardpoles..."

"You knocked out the guard and interrupted our proceedings to tell us something we already know?" This time the red faced duplicate on the King's left spoke.

"Pewpya." A small voice came from Dr. Kilgen's backpack.

"Tavio, allow them to continue." King Hume said. "Understanding our enemy is paramount to any successful endeavor."

"Yes, Father King." Tavio said bowing his head.

"Pyagrrr." The back pack opened and an Otter with orange spectacles poked his head from it. He held an orange haired dwarf doll in one of his hands which he was repeatedly punching with his other hand.

"X, in the bag. Sorry sire; thank you, sire. There are two significant changes: first, the sheer number. Second, the shape of their necks, they don't resemble the long and thin easy to cut through necks of the previous generations." Beatrice said.

"Are we saying that they have evolved? In one hatching?" the closest Dwarf asked, his pure white hair and beard joined into a well groomed mane, which was emphasized by his shaving of the hair from beneath his flat nose.

"It would appear so Professor Errol." Beatrice replied, showing more respect to this speaker than even the King and Queen.

"Interesting, interesting." The professor said.

"Is it true that you sent out the Dragon Squad Elite?" Callum asked.

"Yes, the DSE are on the job. I'm certain when they return we will know more. Professor Errol, what make you of the increased quantity?" The Queen asked.

"We have witnessed large broods in the past, especially in a remote..." he started.

"This is our second most populated city there could be no missing of the laying. We have guards watching the skies days and nights in Destero." King Hume said.

"Sounds like..." the thin dwarf in the corner mumbled.

"Nephew, what was that?" Queen Acaira asked.

"I said it sounds like a new parent in the dragons' lineage." The Queen's nephew said.

"Daniel, why do you think that?" The Queen asked.

"Mother Queen, it seems that is a solution to the findings as presented." Daniel said still looking at the parchment in front of him and writing.

"Logically that does make sense. We have had no emissaries in the Dragon Courts in over a hundred years." King Hume said. There was suddenly a commotion in the courtyard outside. Callum beat an aggressive pace to the window. "What is it boy?"

"It appears some of the DSE have returned." Callum turned to the King.

"Excellent let's greet them." The twins said standing up at the same time.

"It doesn't look excellent from here." Callum commented.
Chapter Two

"The brood wasn't a simple hatching!" The Dragon Squad member said still mounted on the horse in front of a flat wagon.

"It wasn't a brood, it was a..." The Master Commander lying on the cart trailed off. His face seeing a distant menace, his terror was momentarily palpable and then he went slack.

"What did he say?" King Hume asked.

"He said that it wasn't a brood, it was a DOOM." Callum reached over and closed the dead eyes of the Master Commander.

"How many did we lose?" the Queen asked.

"We're the last," the dwarf attempted to dismount.

"Four full battalions?" Tavish asked.

"Yes..." The soldier fell from the horse. Only now, as he lay on the ground at the feet of the King and Queen, did the extent of his injuries become apparent. Both his left arm and leg were missing significant portions.

"Medic!" Beatrice yelled.

"Callum bring me the Master Commander's jerkin and sash." Dr. Kilgen sprang into action; there was no time to spare.

"You will do no such thing!" One of the twins stood in between Callum and the impromptu bandages. Dr. Kilgen tossed the glass tube with the two eels over his head, Callum caught it in stride, a glint of copper and Tavio fell to the ground twitching. The pocket EE was then tossed to Beatrice as Tavish began his advance which of course led directly to the ground as well, the eels having been aggravated enough at this point to drop a Giant.

"Your Majesties, we owe this Dwarf the opportunity to live." Dr. Kilgen said.

"No disagreement from me. Take the sash I'm certain the Master Commander would offer it." Queen Acaira said. The Dwarven contingent watched Dr. Kilgen and Beatrice working over the fallen DSE. "Guards! We need to get the Master Commander, Tavio and Tavish all taken to the hospital wing. Give these Dwarves the room they need to save this soldier's life."

After the guards had taken the unconscious twins and the fallen officer away, Professor Errol arrived leaning heavily upon his cane. We need to know what happened at Destero." King Hume said to the late arrival.

"Sire, I would advise they not engage with this Doom." Dr. Kilgen said.

"Of course not!" The King replied.

"Would it be ok with Father King and Mother Queen if I accompanied the troops to record what happened?" The Queen's Nephew Daniel asked.

"And us as well?" Dr. Kilgen indicated his family.

"If you will keep my Nephew from harm!" the Queen answered Dr. Kilgen, yet looked at Beatrice.

"Of course Mother Queen." Beatrice replied.

"Then you may accompany whatever group we put together. I imagine by the time you return we will have word back as to how much support the Magical Seven will be sending. It's a shame Tens isn't able to travel, he would have been quite an aid." Queen Acaira said turning. She and the king walked back to the castle.

"Callum you go get Tens, we can load him in our wagon."

"Sir, he's a right fat bloke, how am I gonna carry him to the wagon?" Callum asked.

"Oh stop complaining. Take the bear." Dr. Kilgen continued to stabilize the fallen Dragon Squad member.

"Besides, this DS Elite got his Commander on that cart with an arm and leg missing." Beatrice said.

"He had a bit of motivation, didn't he?" Callum argued.

"Xavier! Get in the bear and give this sorry dwarf some motivation!" the Doctor said over his shoulder. Popping out of the backpack he was wearing, an Otter scampered across the yard into the covered wagon they had arrived in.

"I got it." Callum said.

"Too late bro!" Beatrice chuckled.

"Come on Pop that thing scares the bubbles out of my beer!" Callum said. The sound of frrrt frrrt glig, frrrt frrrt glig, became louder and louder as an eight foot tall bear with fur made from copper and ears that were gears that actually rotated as he walked, came towards them.

"He's only scary when he smiles! Besides you're the one who said you couldn't carry Tens and Frrrt Glig is great at heavy lifting." Beatrice said not looking away from the patient.

"And eating rocks, trees and anything else that gets in the way of those gears," Callum was staring at the oncoming behemoth. The top of the head popped open and the Otter stuck his head out. "Those are my goggles you little thief!"

"Actually, I made those for him, they have specially angled lenses so he can see well. And they match mine." Dr. Kilgen said, "I need the fishing line to stitch this muscle." The second comment was directed to Beatrice.

Frrrt frrrt glig, the top of the head closed and the bear started forward. Only when it smiled showing rows of rotating grinding gears did Callum finally start to lead the way to the unconscious guard.

"That tunnel clearer is quite a thing to behold." Beatrice said.

"I think it was the fur you added that really gives it the look I was going for." Dr. Kilgen said. "I think I have an idea for this man's missing limbs, the leg would be clarg zzzp. While his arm would either be a hmmm qusct or mmhym zitz."

"Why not both for the arm?" Beatrice asked.

"Oooh yes, I like that!" he replied. "You start on those I can finish up here."

"Sounds good." Beatrice took some measurements and then headed to the covered wagon. Kicking the center of the right rear wheel caused a series of clicking and whirring sounds. The wheel folded down revealing two levers inside the wheel well. She pulled the left one and the side of the cart clicked and whirred into a forge. Minutes later the dwarf was ringing the sound of hammer to anvil. The speed at which she worked was nothing short of fantastic.

The majority of components were fabricated when Callum returned leading Xavier driving the bear that carried the still unconscious Tens. "You sure took forever to get back!" Dr. Kilgen said.

"Nrrr chirp." Xavier said.

"You have driven that thing enough times to know all its idiosyncrasies." The Doctor said.

"Plirkity cheep chirp."

"There is nothing new, only different old." The conversation between the Otter and the doctor continued until Xavier dropped Tens. He then attempted to bend the bear over to pick up the guard again. When he was about in position to do so the bear smiled and the grinders started. "Hmmm that's new."

"Nee." The Otter removed his goggles and crossed his arms.

"You know that Otter is getting to be quite a smarty pants." Callum said.

"Brrnee dif." Xavier replied having climbed out of the bear and inspected the pieces that Beatrice had formed.

"What did he say?" Callum asked.

"He said you're just jealous that he is smarter than you." Dr. Kilgen answered.

"You little..." Callum's advance at X was met by the Otter scampering under his short legs and back up the bear. Who immediately smiled at Callum, once again showing his grinding gears.

"We don't have time for that you two!" Beatrice chided, stepping aside as the guards took the now stabilized soldier off to the hospital.
Chapter Three

"What happened to me?" Tens asked from the back of the wagon.

"It may have been a seizure." Callum said over the sound of the hammer on anvil an hour later.

"How did I get here?" the guard asked as he started shaking off the remaining effects of the electric shock that he had experienced.

"Ay gg br." Xavier pointed at himself and then the large copper bear.

"For the love of Sister Stone what is that?" Tens retreated.

"It's a tunnel clearing bear! It won't hurt you!" Beatrice replied admiring her final piece of work.

"Not that," Callum indicated the bear, and then pointed at Xavier. "That rat with glasses."

"yyt?" Xavier crossed his arms and looked over his teal sunglasses.

"He doesn't really need the glasses. He just likes them." Dr. Kilgen said.

"bbb dood." Xavier pushed the glasses back into position.

"Yes X you do look good in them." Dr. Kilgen said.

"And he is an Otter, not a rat." Beatrice said. "We are going to be heading to Destero shortly."

"The rumblings earlier indicated that the Dragon Squad Elites were headed to Destero." Tens said.

"A lot has happened since your fit earlier. The remaining DSE returned..." Callum started.

"Showed those miserable dragons what fore again eh?" he asked.

"Actually, there is only one left and he is very badly injured." Callum answered. "Dr. Kilgen and Beatrice are finalizing some repairs for him."

"Repairs? The loss of an arm and leg cannot be repaired!" One of the twins said.

"These will end up being better than his original..." Dr. Kilgen started.

"But you're correct there is no replacement for the loss of a limb." Beatrice cut off her father abruptly.

"Indeed Beatrice, indeed." The other twin started. "Queen Acaira would like you to join her in the throne room."

"Of course! We will join her shortly, we need to complete something first!" Dr. Kilgen said.

"I don't think you understand how this works, Tavish said the Qu..." Tavio started.

"I believe you're the ones that don't understand! I won't be directed how to proceed, by you two or those on high." The doctor never looked away from his work.

"Are you certain that's your answer?" Tavish asked, when the Doctor didn't move, "Very well, Tavio and I will inform her majesty of your impertinence."

"Just don't misquote me you red faced bloats." The Doctor turned to address the twins directly.

"Very well." They departed.

"To the hospital?" Beatrice asked.

"Of course, I believe we're ready to give this DSE back what that blasted dragon took." Dr. Kilgen began the trip to find the injured soldier.

Tens accompanied the Kilgens through the castle. Arriving in the hospital wing they found a one hundred bed ward empty other than the single fallen DS member. "Why are these beds empty?" Dr. Kilgen asked.

"Because none of the guards, DSE, or counsel are ill." Tens answered.

"Interesting, our hospitals in the real world are overfull, of miners, the sick and the infirm. And this gorgeous facility with all the best doctors is catering to a single patient." The Doctor said.

"Father! We aren't in the loop on why the Counsel allows their subjects to go without care when they..."

"Hold that tongue before I have it removed!" King Hume stormed into the hospital wing trailed by Professor Errol.

"And I beg you to hold yours or I will simply laugh as the dragons eat it!" Dr. Kilgen said.

"I've never met a more impertinent dwarf." The King said.

"Well be happy you have now... Perhaps you'll live a bit longer and become a bit better informed!" The Doctor said.

"Father!" Beatrice attempted to slow her father's roll.

"What?" He looked at her pleading eyes."Fine!" Dr. Kilgen turned back to the patient ignoring the King's open threat. "How is the patient doing?"

"We have administered the stone bark and the wounds have healed." The nurse said. "I can't seem to rouse him from his slumber."

"I got this. Xavier, do your thing." Callum said. The Otter popped out of the backpack again, wearing glasses that matched his fur.

"Ti flc." Xavier jumped off Dr. Kilgen's head, twirling in the air his fat tail smacked the unconscious DSE three times across the face before he landed on his chest. He then planted a big kiss on the Dwarf's nose followed by another tail smack precisely upon the spot he had kissed.

"What the..." The Dwarf sat up. Xavier ran up his head and jumped into the backpack that Dr. Kilgen had made available by turning promptly.

"I have to say, your methods are beyond strange, they do however, seem to be effective." Professor Errol said.

"Master Commander?" the man inquired trying to sit up.

"At ease son." King Hume said laying a hand on his chest to stop him from rising. "You're safe, unfortunately your commander didn't fare so well."

"No! Father!" the Dwarf said.

"I didn't know that the Master Commander was your father. You did him high honor by returning him here!" The King said.

"Thank you Sire, but I failed."

"Not at all young one you brought valuable information back. Actually I have a question for you; what exactly did your father mean when he said the hatching was a 'Doom' not a brood?" King Hume asked.

"It was something the bull dragon said, 'I see you have met my children, not your normal brood, you will therefore call them a 'Doom' as that is what they spell for you.' When he said that my father and the other officers laughed," the soldier looked away remembering the battle.

"Thank you Soldier. I must return to the counsel room, you will join me there at once!" King Hume looked at Dr. Kilgen and departed.

"Soldier, I wanted to bring these to you as soon as we could." Dr. Kilgen said.

"Are you not going to the throne room?" Professor Errol asked.

"I believe he was talking to you Professor, my father has already made it clear he will join the King and Queen when he completes this." Callum aided the Professor from the chair next to the bed.

"Very well, I see you have something for my patient. Good luck soldier." The professor placed his hand on the injured DS Elite and then went in the direction the King departed to.

"This is going to sound strange but I'm bringing you a chance to give some payback to those creatures that did this to you and killed your father." Dr. Kilgen said.

"I'd do anything to do that!" The soldier said.

"Then let me affix this to you!" Beatrice said. "Callum help me." The two young Kilgens worked attaching the copper, bronze and black iron pieces they had been working on earlier.

"Can I ask what this is?" the nurse that had been fawning over the injured man earlier was showing displeasure at the brutal wrangling of her patient's broken body.

"This is revenge." The DSE member said, understanding what was happening.

"Yes, yes it is!" Beatrice affixed the final piece in place, the monocle over his eye.

"There is nothing wrong with his eye." The nurse said.

"It's fine nurse, I think I understand." The soldier said.

Chapter Four

"Then stand up and walk to me!" Dr. Kilgen said. "Actually no, hold on. I forgot to show you how to start yourself up! Sorry. First you need to make certain you have water in that tank. I already filled it so you're good to go for today. Next, check to see if that indicator shows red," He pointed to the red flag on the top of a small orb. "When it does, nothing will work so you need to pull the orb up, it will move about six inches," the soldier pulled the small orb out fully. "Now simply push it back in and, repeat that until the indicator turns green. Like that. Now what does your monocle show?"

"It has a green dot in the upper right, almost out of my view."

"Perfect, now feel the monocle with your real hand, do you feel a button?" Beatrice took lead now.

"Yes I do." The Elite said.

"Don't do anything yet. If you push it once it turns the mechanism on. To shut it off push it two more times." Beatrice added.

"Go ahead now that she's explained." Dr. Kilgen said.

"Ok..." The DSE member reached up and pushed the button. There was a whirring sound and then mmhym zitz as he made a fist. "Sister Stone it worked." Hmmm qusct the arm reached out and then over his head. Hmmm qusct again as he pushed his body off the bed to stand on his new leg.

"Go ahead!" the nurse urged.

Clarg zzzp, his first step went off a bit clunky, the second a bit smoother and the third was flawless. "Well I think we have a King and Queen to visit." The DS Elite smiled so large he looked as if he could disappear if he chose to.

"Mother Queen, Father King our apologies for keeping you waiting so long." Beatrice said as they walked in. The twins glared at the late comers.

"I hope that you enjoyed your last moments of freedom. Ignoring my orders is one thing but ignoring the King is a completely different thing." The speaker turned his red face toward his twin brother. They smiled at each other, looking as if they may chortle, like mean girls making fun of the frumpy one on picture day.

"I did, thank you. More importantly than my enjoyment, I believe I made it real clear what I was doing was more important." Dr. Kilgen said.

"You continue your impertinence!" King Hume stood.

"Father King, I hope that you can grant Dr. Kilgen another inch if you see what he was doing." The nurse from the hospital wing said standing by the door to the High Counsel room.

"I must get control of this disrespect. This room has become public domain." King Hume said.

"As it should be!" Dr. Kilgen added.

"What could be more important than getting this mission underway?" Queen Acaira asked trying to get past the last comment.

"Getting our final member ready." Beatrice answered.

"That is why I'm in here as well you're Majesties. My oath forced me to enter your chambers." The nurse explained.

"I'm more confused than when that rat beat up the Tavio doll earlier." Queen Acaira said.

"I'm the reason the nurse is in here and the reason the Kilgens were late arriving." The voice came from behind the raised seats.

"Who is back there?" King Hume asked. Clarg zzzp, Clarg zzzp was the only thing that could be heard in the silent room as the DSE member walked into view. "How did you... Silently clang behind us with that device on your leg?"

"I think we have a name for our final member, Silent Clang!" Dr. Kilgen said to Xavier, who had once again poked his head out of the backpack.

"Brp dee." Xavier said, the clear glasses he wore were an unusual triangular shape.

"Looks like your group is ready to depart." Queen Acaira said.

"Perhaps we can only take a few of the High Guardians." Tens said.

"Nonsense, Tens, you'll take all of them. We have received words from the Magical Seven; some of them will be arriving soon. We couldn't be in safer hands." King Hume said.

"Nephew." Queen Acaira called.

"Yes Mother Queen." The boy appeared surprising everyone, as they hadn't noticed him blending into the wall taking notes on everything that occurred.

"Put that book away for now and listen to me." She waited until the book was safely packed in his satchel. "I want you to stay close to Tens and his High Guard. However, if things start to go against the group listen to Silent Clang. This is his turf."

"Yes ma'am." The thin dwarf bowed to the King and Queen in turn.

"May I approach?" Dr. Kilgen asked showing a strange moment of humility to the royals.

"Yes Dr. Kilgen." King Hume said.

"This will allow us to communicate..."

"We have methods of communicating already." One of the twins said.

"Tavio please be still." Queen Acaira showed her irritation.

"As I started to say, this is a very private means of communicating. Only the one holding that disk can get the message. Push the button." Dr. Kilgen said. As the King did Xavier gave a squawk. "Sorry X." A small mechanical squirrel popped out of the bag running to Dr. Kilgen's head.

"Seriously a squirrel? It will take forever for a message to reach Dest..." Tavish cut himself off as the squirrel leapt into the air and flew around the room before landing gracefully on the King's knee.

"It's a flying squirrel, I can't believe that." The Queen laughed quietly.

"What?" Daniel asked.

"King Hume has an aversion to squirrels, but flying squirrels really creep him out!" She said stifling an additional laugh; as the King tried to put distance between himself and the creature on his knee.

"If you give the disk to the Mother Queen, the squirrel won't pester you." Daniel said.

"Sometimes the easiest solutions are right there." Dr. Kilgen said. "X push the button on your disk." A moment later the squirrel took flight and returned to the back pack.

Chapter Five

"Take the lead Tens, we will follow your High Guard!" Callum said as he mounted the horse that Daniel was given to ride but couldn't for his fear of horses. He and Clang would ride behind the covered wagon after they had recompressed the forge into the side. The consortium headed off to Destero, the sun setting ahead of them brought no concern as they planned on stopping an hour from the city.

"Hold," the order came from the High Guard several hours later.

"Dr. Kilgen we've added a great deal of time attempting to stay away from the smaller outposts and towns on the normal trail. Our best guess we're still four hours from Destero but we should still get some sleep." Tens said walking his horse to a watering hole.

"Very well, is it ok to have a fire?" Beatrice asked.

"I see no reason why not but I'm speaking purely of hooligans, I would defer to Silent Clang on any questions regarding the dragons." Tens said.

"Four hours equates to a long distance, even for the excellent vision of dragons." Clang said.

"Well good I'm hungry!" Callum said.

"Haha, family rules..." Beatrice poked.

"No!"

"Beatrice is right you were the first to comment about food, you have to cook." Dr. Kilgen said.

"For everyone?" Callum asked.

"Don't worry, I'll help." Daniel said.

"I'll get the fire started." Beatrice started heading out to look for fire wood.

"I can help." Clang said. As they walked he asked her, "What exactly makes me work?"

"I'd imagine personal drive."

"No Beatrice, my shiny new parts. How do they work?"

"The pressure that you start with is to allow a thrice pressurized water to be misted over a replaceable, formed slab of Potassium. This creates a chemical reaction, giving off Hydrogen; this is collected and burned near instantaneously. This superheats the water in the tubes, the water doesn't actually need to boil as we don't need steam to make these little servos work, the thermal expansion of the water in the tubes will allow them to activate, although they will work with steam as well."

"So do I need to be afraid of exploding?" Clang asked.

"Not really, your system is very much hydrogen with a demand call loop. My father came up with it years ago we've tested it over several thousand hours." Beatrice said.

"Did any of the early experiments explode?" Clang asked as they return to camp.

"Sister Stone yes!" Dr. Kilgen said. "See this scar, the messenger squirrel designs exploded for several years."

"Then we had it to a point after it was stable but the squirrel shrank as the Potassium was used up. At the end of its useful life, poof, it would just dissolve." Callum added.

"Not to mention that during the forming of those damn things, I screwed up and quenched them in water every now and again..." Beatrice started.

"Boom. No more eyebrows... Ha Ha!" Callum burst out laughing.

Once the fire was ready Daniel and Callum started preparing the food for the consortium. Dr. Kilgen started the conversation about the DSE's trip to Destero a couple days ago. "Wait! I need to record this!" Daniel said running to the covered wagon.

"Great now I lost my help!" Callum complained.

"I'll help as you're so graciously feeding my team as well." Tens said.

"Thank you, Tens." Dr. Kilgen said. "I almost feel bad about shocking you."

"What?"

"Nothing." Beatrice said. "Are you ready Daniel?" Changing the subject as Daniel returned.

"Yes I am, go ahead Clang."

"The Dragon Squad Elites had been sent by the King and Queen as a result of an emergency message from the Governor of Destero. We travelled through the night and came within site of the city walls just after dawn. The Master Commander, my father, held us at the tree line. We saw nothing that would let us think anything had happened at all. The church bell was even tolling normally. We started marching across an open area between the city walls, the lake and the tree line surrounding the city. That was when the first wave started, the dragons that flew into the air from the center of the city circling us. Just as our spear cannons were set up and we began to fire, the earth on three sides of us broke away and the wingless doom came up. Still we fought the two waves and held our own. We couldn't cut the heads off the wingless although that didn't completely feel strange as they've always been a task to kill. But when we felled the first flying beast, we couldn't cut the head off those either. We knew something was wrong. That was about the time the next wave, literally hit us; out of the lake. Fliers from the water came in low barely above the heads of the wingless."

"Were they real water dragons?" Beatrice asked.

"They appeared to be normal winged dragons that must have gone out the back of the city walls. I've never seen actual water dragons, do they even exist?" Clang asked.

"There is lore that says they do exist, even have black feathers and..." Dr. Kilgen said.

"What happened next?" Tens asked playing the role of facilitator.

"The boys were being pulled down into the grounds, the spear cannons ran out of spears and the sky was now blacked out by the circling dragons overhead. When Zilger and Bilger, the most seasoned hunters on all of the four Dragon Squad Elites battalions called for a retreat of their group, Father realized this was not a winnable fight. But before he sounded the full retreat, a bull dragon appeared from nowhere and took both Zilger and Bilger in his mouth at once. Then he flew up onto the city wall and spit the brothers' empty armor into the middle of the battle and then taunted us, naming his children a 'Doom'. The remaining officers laughed, that's when the bull blew fire that lit the trees behind us on fire and the men lost all spirit and the ranks broke. The retreat signal was moot yet father sounded it, a wingless jumped up knocking the horn from his hand. He also drove his tail spikes into father's stomach. When I ran over and removed the last few feet of that dragon's tale it turned and took my arm and leg. I managed to stab it through the eye causing it to retreat back to the open earth. I got father to the flat bed wagon that at one point had the spear cannons on it. I mushed that horse for all I had." Clang finished.

"I thought that Zilger and Bilger had retired after the red dragon uprising when the DSE was ordered away from the battle." Tens said.

"They had but they got bored. If anyone ever needed to go in the middle of a battle it was that family. What a group of fighters. I think we need to get some shut eye. Thank you for the food." Clang said.

"You're welcome." Callum said.

"Thank you for the information." Dr. Kilgen laid his head on a rock.
Chapter Six

"Alright this morning we ride to find answers for the King and Queen. Make certain you're not seen, or you'll be the end of all of us. Do not fall into any play they may have in place." Clang said

"Such as?" Daniel asked.

"About two years ago the DSE arrived at a small outpost, we were greeted with several children tied around various points on the walls. One of the men broke ranks and ran to their aid. He made it to within feet of the first child when the fire came down from the tree the black dragon was perched in. Both the man that broke ranks and the child were burned and died there." He replied.

"Check, no breaking rank." Beatrice said.

"Black Dragons have always been good at setting traps." Dr. Kilgen said. After five hours the consortium saw the towers of the city. Another hour and they were in the same tree line that the DS Elite had stopped in to scout the situation.

"We dare go no closer. Tens have your men position their horses on one hundred yard intervals, should they hear a call for retreat they're to head straight to the High Counsel. The separation will ensure at least one will make it back." Clang directed. During the time that Clang ordered the High Guardians into their positions Daniel drew with exacting accuracy the damage the walls had sustained, as well as the open field between them and the walls. "Daniel," Clang whispered. "All the holes that were caused during the battle are filled in. Don't miss that on your sketches, there is something strange amiss."

Daniel detailed each and every mound in the grass, "Clang," Daniel said barely above the sound of a breath. "The mounds move!"

They then saw what they had missed earlier the mounds were indeed moving, as with the smooth breathing of the dragon below. "Good eye boy. They lay in wait! I knew something was wrong with the scene but I couldn't have imagined these creatures would set such glorious traps. Do your best to capture all the fine details of the situation." Dr. Kilgen whispered.

"You have an odd sense of what is glorious." Tens said.

When Daniel finished the additions to the drawing he nodded his head to Clang, who guided them to the next side. They sketched the city from three sides including the lake side. As they began departing the lake Clang bumped into a dead tree with his new foot. The tree tumbled over and several large bubbles emerged from the depths of the lake. They stayed completely still, less the movement of Daniel's pencil as he captured the bubbles into the previously completed picture. They maintained their cover an additional minute after the bubbles stopped. As they approached the final side they spotted a caravan of humans. They were too far ahead to warn, Clang indicated for them to stay hidden no matter the outcome.

The group had made it to an area of the road silhouetted by several aspirating mounds. When the draw bridge fell open unrestricted by the chains that would normally lower it in a controlled manner. The caravan, halting at the sound of the crash, was in position for the dragon's trap. The flames that came from the unseen dragon's maw were delivered with pin point accuracy. The consortium could feel the heat from his blast of fire well over one hundred yards from them. When the fire stopped mere moments later, three things happened: the draw bridge slammed shut instantly, two of the mounds on the side of the caravan fell away and four of the wingless emerged from the pits. No more than a minute later all traces of the caravan were erased. Not long after that the pits had reestablished themselves as mounds again.

Clang motioned for the group to return the way they had come. It was two hours before the group had traveled far enough away from the city walls when Clang drew them to a halt. "Dr. Kilgen, I need you to send a message to the King and Queen."

"Daniel, please write a condensed version of what you have in your narrative." Dr. Kilgen said.

"Of course sir," Daniel sat down beginning to compose the briefest of explanations of what had occurred.

"The Bull dragon must have taken up residence in the center courtyard." Callum said.

"I could almost picture him letting the draw bridge's chain go at the start of the attack and pulling it closed again at the end." Tens said.

Dr. Kilgen removed the squirrel, prepping it for the trip. The squirrel gave a whirring nod of its head. "I was going to ask you what had happened to the fallen you had spoken of..." Dr. Kilgen started.

"I had been puzzling on that myself." Clang answered the comment.

"Until the wingless came from the tunnels they made." Tens added. "Is that normal? Do the wingless always act as excavators like that?"

"I don't think I recall reading any lore that said they did in the past although there is no reason obviously that they couldn't, they are the same creatures that dug their way out of the ground." Beatrice said.

"Are they taking the bodies down there to ferm..." Tens cut himself off. "Please excuse my heartless..."

"No need for that, soldiers and fathers die, please continue your question." Clang said.

"Do you think they are taking the bodies down there to ferment?" Tens finished asking.

"Anything is possible, although again I don't rememb..." Beatrice started.

"They are feeding the embryos!" Dr. Kilgen interrupted his daughter.

"What?" Clang asked.

"They are feeding the emb... well to be specific they are feeding the stage three embryos to ensure they have enough food to get their wings." Dr. Kilgen kicked his feet doing an impromptu dance at this discovery.

"So now they are playing the role of nanny? To make certain that the defect that they were inflicted with is not forced upon the next generation?" Callum asked with complete non-belief.

"It would not be in their nature." Clang said.

"None of this is in their nature, there is something pushing new behavior." Beatrice said understanding exactly where her father was coming from.

"Here you go." Daniel handed the note to the doctor who inserted it into the, already open, squirrel's back.

"Did you get the part about feeding the embryos, Danny Boy?" Dr. Kilgen asked. He then promptly sat on the ground petting the squirrel and singing 'Oh Danny Boy' to it. After the first verse everyone in the party was staring. After the second verse some were singing. When the third verse came around Beatrice took the squirrel from her father.

"Avoid any high flying. I feel the skies will be under their hungry eyes today." She said as she sent the flying squirrel on his way. The sound of a distant 'Lay Alarm' stopped the doctor's singing.

"Mount up we have work to do!" he ordered completely taking charge of the nonplus situation.

Chapter Seven

"What did you see?" Callum asked the woman ringing the bell when they arrived on the site.

"There was a circling shadow. And then my house started to get pelted with small hail stones. When the sound stopped I went outside, the shadow had been a dragon. I ran to the bell and sounded the alarm. The men have started the cleansing, but there are only two of them and this was more pebbles than they can possibly handle."

"And the day is rather hot; you did the right thing by calling for..." Dr. Kilgen started.

"Wingless!" A cry from the other side of the house came. The high guard pulled their cross bows and rode their mounts into position.

"Fire one volley to pull the beasts away from the townsfolk." Tens shouted over the horrific sound of the charging wingless herd.

"Callum get the feted goat from the cart. Xavier get in the bear, Beatrice put the pole arm on the bear. Go!" Clang had already drawn his sword and taken a wagon wheel, from next to the house, in his mechanical arm as a shield. The clash was not long lived, just as Callum, inside a golden Satyr with two swords, and X inside the copper bear to which Beatrice had attached a pole arm of tremendous size, came around the house the newly redirected herd was gaining ground on the horsemen.

"To us!" Callum shouted and the High guardians turned their mounts and ran the herd at the gold and copper heroes. The Pole arm that Xavier's bear held stopped the first wingless in its tracks, the satyr leapt into the air bringing the first sword down upon the neck of the creature and then the second severing the head from the shoulders. Callum sprang instantly into the air again vaulting off the back of the next charging wingless. Clang struck out with the wheel turned shield, impacting the wingless that Callum's golden satyr had just vaulted and stopping the dragon cold. Again the satyr's blades came down on the stunned wingless, removing another head.

The terrible shriek of a dragon raised above the melee, Dr. Kilgen turned in time to see the smiling bear grinding the side of an attacking wingless that was missing about two foot from its tail. "Clang your nine o'clock!"

"I believe you have something that belongs to me." The DS Elite baited the dragon from attacking the bear.

"Yesssssss, I like the way you tassste better than a mechanical bear anyway...." The spikeless wingless jeered.

"See if you like the taste of my blade!" Clang extended the wheel-shield aggressively into the dragon's snout, followed prodigiously by the driving of his sword into the eye socket that still had an eye.

"Blind! I'm blinded mother!" The comment was short lived as the Satyr's swords ended the fracas. The other wingless retreated at the fall of their leader, the High guardians gave pursuit.

"Back to the purification." Dr. Kilgen said.

"In case they come back X, stay about the bear," Callum said once he was out of the golden Satyr.

"Plydig." Xavier chirped.

"Beatrice please start getting the goats out, there is no reason to stomp here we know there was a laying." Dr. Kilgen said. "Callum you get the purifier out." The Doctor was saying this just as the two men from the outpost were dumping their goat into the river. "What are you doing?"

"Killing the eggs, mate." The older of the outpost dwarves said.

"Without a final purification?" Beatrice asked.

"Why bother? The cold water does well enough at killing those that don't get chewed up by the goat."

"You are always better to make certain, there is no chance of something odd happening if the eggs are purified completely." Dr. Kilgen said.

"Look Mate we don't have any fancy purification machines out here, we're lucky to have one goat." The same dwarf said.

"When we're done you can take two of mine for your one. Then I can do a tune up on this one."

"Who do you think you are ol' Dr. Kilgen, fixen to do a tunney on a goat?" The younger of the Dwarves poked.

"Actually, he is." Tens said from his horse.

"What?" the surprise from all the outpost Dwarves rang out.

"Did you see where they went to?" Dr. Kilgen said to the returning High Guardian leader.

"They entered a cave not far up."

"We can send in the Bear, that's his domain. Damn, if I had the Mole finished." Dr. Kilgen punched his awaiting palm.

"No time to chase the wingless. What's a Mole?" Clang said.

"Don't ask, he has had that one toning for years, it's never quite right though!" Callum said.

"If I had a better, stenographer." The doctor shot back.

"Make the exchange of goats, we have a long way to go and the day is half over."

"I'll not be leaving 'til this purification is done! It is too important. This was obviously another large laying, the wingless came in to defend it." Dr. Kilgen looked across the field.

"I agree with the Doctor on this one, Tens." Clang said.

"Very well then, Boys dismount we have work to do." Tens said.

"Excellent choice." Beatrice said.

"Dr. Kilgen," Tens started after the purification process was nearly completed. "When did you invent that machine Callum was inside of?"

"The feted goat?"

"If you say so." Tens replied.

"I invented it when we were trying to fend off the first of the thick necked fliers."

"Why do you ask?" Beatrice asked.

"I'd love to have one of those for each of the High Guard."

"It wouldn't work." Beatrice added.

"Um, why?" Tens asked.

"Each person has a rhythm; I need to learn yours to design a machine of that magnitude for you."

"Then how does this work?" Clang said raising his mechanical arm.

"That is a bit different, your arm and leg are acting directly in concert with your remaining muscles. The goat and bear are acting on the brain's thought first and the driver's movement second. If it was the other way, Callum's clumsy dwarf frame couldn't pull off those graceful jumps you saw." Dr. Kilgen explained.

"Then how can we get you to spend some time with each of my men?" Tens asked not letting the topic go.

"That would be completely up to the King and Queen... Father was already pushing the King's buttons and he was on his best behavior." Beatrice said.

"You were?" Tens asked.

"What did I do?" Dr. Kilgen asked innocently.

"See." Callum said.

Chapter Eight

"Three days!" King Hume yelled. "It's been three days since we got your letter. We'd given up all hope!"

"Why didn't you send us a message?" Dr. Kilgen asked.

"There was a bit of an issue with that." The King replied.

"I imagine it isn't a problem we haven't seen before where is he?" Beatrice asked.

"We have a guest waiting on us in the Grand hall." King Hume changed the subject quite obviously.

"Here." The Queen stood up and removed a pail from under her throne. Beatrice joined up with the Queen retrieving the pail that apparently contained the messenger.

"Oh my..." Beatrice said looking down.

"The Squirrel surprised me when it landed on me." King Hume said.

"On you? You gave the disk to the Queen when we were here." Dr. Kilgen said.

"OK fine, it flew in front of me and landed on the Queens throne. I freaked out a bit and hit it with my scepter." The King said.

"The gears are even bent, how many times did you hit him?" Beatrice asked.

"I don't know, perhaps..." the King started.

"He hit it until I returned from the loo. I'm sorry I'd put the disk in the throne pocket."

"Mother Queen, Father King the last three days have been even more amazing than the previous two that I told you about in the message." Daniel said changing the subject again.

"I look forward to hearing all about it but we really must head to the Grand Hall to meet with the gathered Magical Seven." Queen Acaira said.

"Why aren't you gathering in here?" Callum asked.

"Last time we allowed the Giants in here there was several hundred pounds of gold worth of damage." The King and Queen stood and started to leave. "Ah that reminds me, as you sort through that pail if any of the crown jewels from my scepter have found their way in there please..." King Hume started.

"Please add them into the reconstruction of the messenger, it would be appropriate!" the Queen interjected, adding a wink to Dr. Kilgen. "Will the Magical Seven be allowed to speak with our new dragon slayers?"

"I will have Tens, in there yes." The King answered.

"With respect Sire, I'm not qualified to speak for Dr. Kilgen." Tens said.

"I'm alright with you speaking for me Tens." Dr. Kilgen said the change in his attitude over the previous four days didn't miss Tens who inclined his head to the Doctor.

"I believe that Silent Clang, as the last of the Dragon Squad Elite, must join us as well." The King said.

"Of course sire." Clang answered.

"Did you say Giants are in the Magical Seven?" Callum asked.

"Yes, Giants, Unicorns, Faeries, Elves, Merfolk, Serpents and of course Dwarves." Queen Acaira said.

"I thought humans were..." Beatrice started.

"Bah, humans have no magic. They can by the use of potions and channelings appear to have, but they as a race are magicless." King Hume said.

"If, however, they are mixed with a magical being the offspring will be stronger than the magical parent. That is an interesting fact that has kept many magical creatures far from the humans." Queen Acaira said. The four left the high counsel room leaving the Kilgens alone in this grand room.

"Dr. Kilgen," the Queen said mere moments later, poking her head back in the room. "I would request that you sit outside of the Grand Hall. I believe that you'll be called upon to answer some questions, even if my husband doesn't." She indicated for them to follow her.

"Mother Queen," Dr. Kilgen said when they caught up.

"Yes." She replied continuing to walk.

"Where are your twin advisors?" he asked.

"They requested to take a leave, apparently they were more than a bit offended at their treatment since you arrived."

"Also is there anything my children and I should know about the Magical Seven?"

"Well I heard it was rude to stare at a giants knee caps." Beatrice said.

"A Giant will not show their knee caps so you shouldn't have to worry. The only pieces of etiquette I would offer, never interrupt a speaking Unicorn, never blatantly disagree with an Elf and do everything in your power to not sneeze if given a gift of a Faery's dust. Beyond that, try to follow my lead, please sit here I imagine you'll be called for soon." The Queen indicated a bench along the wall. She gracefully opened the door and entered the cacophony.

"The room quieted quickly after she got there." Beatrice said.

"The joining of the King and Queen's clans was the best thing that ever happened to this kingdom." Dr. Kilgen said.

"Have you given much thought to how we could defeat a bull that's large enough to blow fire strong enough to burn an entire caravan at fifty yards?" Beatrice said looking at her open palms.

"We were more than one hundred yards away and the tree I was behind started to smolder." Callum stated.

"Perhaps this bull and his fire is the reason for the mutations in the new dragon line, and why the wingless are falling into step." Beatrice said.

"There are none that can stand before fire like that, what if..." Dr. Kilgen's eyes unfocused. Beatrice started patting her pockets for paper and quill. Her father's head started lulling side to side listening to a distant music or rhythm. "TTTa ah dralum az aRRt." His eyes still unfocused gazed at the ceiling. "Gra tRa GA." Each of his fingers started to move as if feeling something in front of him, the trance was broken with a final series of sounds. "Enfle reflex reslv." His head fell forward, the sweat ran down his brow into his eyes.

"Father." Callum said trying to make sure everything was alright.

"Did you get it?" Dr. Kilgen turned to his daughter.

"I did." She handed him the piece of canvas.

"Excellent," he folded the proffered scribbling and put it in his pocket. The door in front of them opened and Professor Errol stepped out.

"The Queen is asking for you all to come in. The King has not said no directly, yet he is..."

"We already know he hates us. We won't embarrass the Queen!" Dr. Kilgen said.

"Ok then, please don't." Professor Errol said and after briefly glancing at the torn portrait of the King on the wall behind where they had been sitting he turned and returned to the Grand Hall.
Chapter Nine

"More of them eh? Come in then!" The dark featured Elf exclaimed. "And who are these late arrivals?"

"King Aubriar, this is Dr. Kilgen and ..." King Hume started.

"The inventor?" The female Giant's voice boomed her question.

"Actually yes, Queen Daphelna." Queen Acaira said. "These are his children, Beatrice and Callum. I've asked them in as I believe they can answer any questions that you have in regard to the recent encounter and their plans for disposition."

"Dr. Kilgen, your reputation precedes you sir." The largest of the ten Unicorns said.

"Thank you. If there are any questions, I will gladly do my best to answer them." Dr. Kilgen said. "Although as you may or may not have heard, my bluntness seems to have a less impressive reputation than my inventiveness, so please bare that in mind." The Doctor said making momentary eye contact with each of the races leaders.

"I can attest to that statement, I've known him for mere days and I wanted to put his head on a pike more than once." King Hume said.

"Well I for one am glad you sssstayed your hand King Hume, I would like to know how Dr. Kilgen propossssessss to fight the Bull dragon that wassss desssscribed by the Dragon Ssssquad Elite. By the way, the work you have done to make hissss misssssing limbssss lessss of an issssue, mosssst impressssive." The King of the Serpents hissed.

"Let me make a brief introduction of the Magical Seven so that Dr. Kilgen is not at a disadvantage." Queen Acaira said. "Starting to my left and working around, only with the Kings and Queens, no disrespect intended to their courts. King Aubriar and Queen Asbathy of the Elfish kingdoms, King Sslanss and Queen Sslanthss of the Serpent kingdoms, Queen Daphelna and King Otton of the Giant Clans, King Moonlief and Queen Uslanzar of the Merfolk, King Dwelig and Queen Zapne of the Unicorn Herds, King Pazten and Princess Isibeli of the Faery nation."

"Thank you for that kind introduction Mother Queen," Dr. Kilgen said although he noted her eyes opened fully and took a stony cast, he had apparently tripped on a taboo already. My children and I have had little time to fully plan for what lies in wait for us in Destero. Yet we've devised a fire machine that should allow shielding from the most impressive fire which this dragon projects."

"Can you explain a bit?" Princess Isibeli asked.

"Of course Princess, the conceptual design will have a two sided shield with a copper coil of water in the center. When the fire hits the shield the water will expand outward this will discharge across a steam turbine which will drive the pump. The steam will cool becoming condensate and the water will then merge into the holding tank. The inlet to the pump will draw from the same holding tank." Dr. Kilgen explained.

"And you devised this on your trip back from Destero?" King Otton asked. His deep giant's voice caused the water in the drinking glasses to ripple just as if he had slammed his foot on the floor.

"We actually came up with it in the hallway while we were waiting to be called in to the Grand Hall." Beatrice answered.

"What guaranteessss can you offer that would make our people feel ssssafe going into battle in ssssuch a manner, with an untessssted machine like this?" King Sslanss asked.

"Only that I will be there as well, I would never ask more of you than I do of myself." Dr. Kilgen said.

"I believe my people would cast their lot in with an inventor that will put his life on the same value as theirs." Queen Uslanzar slowly swished her tail in the tank of water she and her King were in.

"As would ours." King Aubriar said.

"When will these prototypes be ready?" Princess Isibeli asked.

"I plan on starting them as we leave here." Beatrice said. The room fell silent less the audible inhalation of breath from the Giants.

"The work that you see before you," Silent Clang interjected. "Is Beatrice's," he held up his mechanical hand.

"Sorry child, that was most rude of us to question your ability. It won't happen again." Queen Daphelna said.

"I assure you, this room has not been the first to question my skill with the hammer." Beatrice said with a coy smile.

"Queen Acaira," King Dwelig spoke up. "While I'm most certain the skills of the Doctor and his fowls are most impressive our herd is too small to engage a Master Bull dragon with untested equipment."

"This is more than an uprising, it will take all our magic to breathe the last to it and quell the evil that threatens to destroy all..." Queen Acaira started.

"All that you have. We have no threats on the Arid Steppes." Queen Zapne cut across her.

"For ones that so distrust any who choose to interrupt you that a sworn vendetta will more often than not result, this courtesy is not beholden to those that welcome you into their homes?" Dr. Kilgen asked.

"How dare y..." The Golden Unicorn to the right of Queen Zapne erupted.

"All were warned of my attitude, don't scold me now." The Doctor didn't back down.

"Midas, my behavior was abhorrent. Queen Acaira, I beg forgiveness." The Unicorn Queen said.

"Which is of course given." Queen Acaira replied.

"There is a matter that you must understand; the humans that you protect on the Arid Steppes are no safer from these layings than the lands of the Dwarves. The dragon's fire that's fertilizing these pebbles to eggs to hatchlings is not something we've seen throughout our history. Queen Acaira was correct in what she started to say. We are all needed, for if this is not staunched there will be nothing to protect, less becoming the dragons next favorite food." King Aubriar said flatly.

"King Aubriar your kind have been here the longest and we must respect that you know the plight that stands before us." King Dwelig said.

"We are in this with you until the end of the Magical Seven." Queen Zapne said tipping her horn to Queen Acaira.

Chapter 10

"Thank you all for your counsel." King Hume said.

"Tomorrow the combined forces of the Magical Seven will begin the trek to reclaim Destero. Will the High representatives remain here and enjoy the hospitality of our people?" Queen Acaira asked. One by one the leadership of the Magical Seven declined the offer, each having important order of business to attend. "Please don't make apologies, the role we all play is understood. It is much appreciated that your support is here today."

"If I could meet each of the battle Commanders in the courtyard for our battle readiness discussions in fifteen minutes," Silent Clang saluted and left the room.

"King Hume, Queen Acaira, we shall be in the forge should any needs arise." Dr. Kilgen said. The Queen Mother followed them out of the hall.

"In the forge you'll meet my Master Blacksmith, Niamut; he has much the same personality as you Doctor. Please tell him this; 'Purdue Boilermakers make the hottest steam'. He will understand I sent you and help you achieve a miracle of fitting an army in a day." She dipped her head and joined the departing guests in the Grand Hall.

"Makes the hottest steam, bah!" Dr. Kilgen started to walk in the direction he knew the forge to be in.

"Hs cht." Xavier chided from his place on the Doctor's back.

"Code words, what kind of code words be those?" he asked.

"Cln." Xavier adjusted his golden oval glasses, then thought better of it and removed and cleaned them using the doctor's hair.

"Clan? Perhaps my friend, there is much we don't know about the inner workings of the Dwarven capital." Dr. Kilgen replied.

"Who are you? And what business have you in my forge?" The grizzled dwarf said to them thirty minutes later when they arrived, having gotten lost several times on the way there. He had a pure white braid in the back of his head and a matching one off his chin. His thick apron was of the finest dragon hide as there were no burns on it.

"We were sent by the Queen." Beatrice said.

"Aye and I'm making golden horseshoes for my prancing unicorn rocker," Niamut said.

"You do know there are Unicorns in the palace right?" Callum said conspiratorially.

"I'm assuming you have one ounce of not stupid in you." The Blacksmith said facing Dr. Kilgen. "As you've taught these two Jibraldin to speak." To this comment Dr. Kilgen burst out laughing.

"Hs cht!" Xavier, now wearing leather goggles, reminded.

"Yes, I remember ya garden decoration. Purdue Boilers make the hottest steam, oh wait Boliermakers."

"Ma apologies miss, apparently she did send you," wiping his hands on his apron, proffering it to Beatrice first. "My name is Niamut I'm the Master Blacksmith under the Queen's family this..." he pulled the thick braid on his chin as he thought. "One hundred years? Hmmm and not even a watch." He smacked his knee and gave a horse-laugh.

"I'm Beatrice," she said when his laughter slowed, she shook the hand he had returned in her direction. "This is..."

"Beatrice Kilgen?" he asked, turning her hand over to look at it. "You are a smithy so you must be! I heard you were on the castle grounds. I would be honored if you would work in my humble forge." The respect he showed her set her back.

"Thank you, I would like to introduce my father and brother." She said.

"N ze." Xavier said crossing his arms.

"Aye and yer little companion Xavier. I know of all of you." Niamut said. "What are we inventing today?"

"We need to build several dragon shields. I have a concept in mind and tomorr..." Dr. Kilgen started.

"Yes sir, tomorrow you leave to retake Destero. Tell me what you need from me." The Master Blacksmith was well informed and eager to help. The group quickly started building the needed prototype. "The stories I've heard of your hammer, Lass, they don't touch the truth of it. I haven't been an apprentice in nigh One hundred and thirty years, yet I've learned much and more from you this day!"

"Your flattery is most k..." Beatrice started.

"Don't start she has to fit that head in the wagon later!" Callum said. Beatrice replied by splashing him with the hot quenching water.

"Alright you two, I need to take this prototype to the courtyard." Dr. Kilgen said. "Callum, you come with me, you two keep at it." He said to Beatrice and Niamut.

"Oh can I really? Keep working in my own forge, thank you!" The Master Blacksmith poked as he hammered.

"I don't think he reminds me of you at all." Callum said as they headed off pushing the shield.

"Neither do I." Dr. Kilgen replied.

"He's much more amiable than you are." Callum laughed at his own humor until his father stopped pushing the machine.

"Who's amiable now, ya Jibraldin."

"Where?" Clang said running over with his sword drawn.

"Oh put that away, I was calling him a... Never mind give him a hand to get this thing out there so I can explain how it works." Dr. Kilgen said wiping the back of his hand over his brow.

"Cl gk." Xavier said wiping the Doctor's head with a handkerchief from the backpack.

"Thanks." He walked into the group of recruits, each of the Magical Seven had given anywhere from twenty to fifty soldiers. "Greetings, I'm Dr. Kilgen. This machine is our latest invention, the dragon shield, I didn't have a lot of time for creative names or fancy designs this is the prototype. Callum go get the portable dragon breath so we can give a proper display." Off he ran in the direction Dr. Kilgen hoped was their wagon. "Back here are the controls." He spent a couple minutes explaining the concept, which had evolved from the original. Now instead of a standalone shield, the turbine that drove the pump could also propel the cart forward or backward and rotate the shields position. About the time the explanations were completed with each of the individual groups Callum returned.

"I brought two just in case." He said.

"We need water in the holding tank and then we can give it a test!" Dr. Kilgen said, a couple minutes later Callum stood in front of the shield aiming a copper dragon's head at it. The band of the Magical Seven stood behind him. Clang and Dr. Kilgen stood on the cart, the shield between Callum and them. "Ok give it what for."

"Test one." Callum yelled and he released a torrent of fire from the maw of the copper dragon. The group behind him took an involuntary step away. The shield itself couldn't be seen as the burst of flame was so intense. "End test one." Callum shut it down.

"Whew," was the only sound from behind the shield. "I was a bit worried there for a moment, we forgot to fully prime the system." Dr. Kilgen said.

"It got a bit toasty back here." Clang said.

"Brqqqq." Xavier said wiping his brow. When he snapped the water out of the rag, the sweat sizzled on the shield. "Cu."

"Alright," Dr. Kilgen stepped back on the cart. "Next!"

"Test two." Callum inclined his head at Tens who was aiming the second dragon head at the shield. The two fires came together and turned from orange to blue to white. "End test two." When the flames went out the shield was just feet from them.

"This thing is awesome!" Clang said.

Chapter Eleven

"The time has come." Beatrice said. "The shields are done and we need to begin the excursion to Destero."

"Each group will need to transport their shields." The golden Unicorn, Midas said.

"That will be a bit much for ssssome, the giantssss for example aren't even here." The largest of the Serpents said.

"Then they don't need one I guess, we're not pack mules Sudarus." Midas said.

"We have already had our words, Midas. In this case, you insult yourself and your herd." Dr. Kilgen said completely destroying the Unicorn's name with contempt.

"How exactly did I do that?"

"I will haul the Giant's unit; we can pull the wagon with one horse, with the one shield on board." Dr. Kilgen said ignoring the Unicorn.

"Sure we can tie two tanks behind the individual horse." Beatrice said.

"Do you need ussss to carry your load you lazy nagssss?" Sudarus asked. The Serpents tongue had no sooner returned to his mouth when the golden Unicorn began his charge.

"If you don't stop this I will!" The Elf grabbed the mane of the passing Unicorn, in an act that defied logic and all the laws of physics the Elf stayed his ground. The body of the Unicorn pivoted around the Elf. "Get over there and be done."

"This is far from done Casgar." Midas said.

"Your golden boy attitude wears on all of us. Now prance over with your herd and find yourself grateful I didn't remove that horn on your way by, it took much control to not let this foolishness to escalate. Call it ended or we will end it in the Realms of Battle!" Casgar allowed his anger to show on the last three words, the magic that released from his hands when he spoke of this realm raised him from the ground.

"It is ended." Midas took the strap of one of the shields and began the trip. His head and soul trying to find the scent of the arid Steppes to allow him to forget the humiliation he just dealt himself. Casgar's eyes had turned a solid shade of teal when his magic had become palpable and remained in this state until well after Midas had acknowledged the end.

"Sudarus, here under... let's try to keep our words from getting those teal eyes from focusing on anyone in our group." Dr. Kilgen said.

"I believe that'ssss a good plan Doctor. I have to ssssay, it'ssss a good thing we don't wear pantssss." The self-deprecating humor caught the dwarf group off guard; they each in turn threw their heads back and slapped their thighs in laughter. "Doesss anyone need asssssisssstancssse transsssporting their shieldssss?"

"We got this." The Faery that wore the black of leadership said, giving a small gesture he transformed into a black bear as large as Dr. Kilgen's copper bear. As they watched two other Faeries in brown did the same hand motion and they also changed into bears, although they were not as large as the first.

"First time sssseeing a Faery break the rulessss of physsssical magic?" Sudarus asked, looking at Daniel's open mouth.

"I... um... yes, I thought transformed items couldn't have more mass than the initial object." Daniel finally said.

"Earth Faery-folk pull their defining size from their connection with Mother Earth; I've seen King Pazten form a twenty foot polar bear. His connection with our earth is remarkable. Malteque is not quite as impressive, yet that form he is in now is not fully evolved." The Faery that spoke placed her lyre between her silver wings as the war-party started moving.

"My name is Beatrice," she held out her hand to the hovering Faery. She returned the gesture, shaking her hand, "I'm new to your magic, but I'm guessing you're violating some form of magical laws as well."

"My name is Zetlina, we are bound with the trees. The connection I have is with the four winds. I am a Sylphid as are the other silver and yellow Faeries in our band, we are representing the Dryads. Those over there in white," she pointed at several tall faeries that were speaking with the Elves. "Are the Cloud Faeries, in addition to their human height their wings are invisible so they can easily be confused for Elves. Well not like our other Elf companions..." She looked up into the shimmering light and dark particles that hovered ten feet over the head of Casgar.

"The DockÁlfar and LiossssÁlfar... thissss is the firsssst time we've fought with them on our sssside."

"Actually, the fact that they are here surprised everyone." Zetlina said glancing over at Casgar.

"Is he one of them?" Dr. Kilgen asked.

"He is both of them..." Zetlina started.

"The only one that hassss ever been both." Sudarus added.

The trip to Destero seemed faster than the pumping of a bellows on a forge. "Hold here." Clang ordered the group. "The Giants are supposed to be around here somewhere."

"Fytuina, go find th..." Casgar started speaking to the particles over his head.

"With respect Casgar, your cousin will not instill confidence in them. I will find them!" Zetlina rose into the air and turned into a silver shimmer and headed off to look for creatures that aren't exactly known for their ability to be stealthy.

"Fair comment." Casgar said to no one in particular. Less than a minute later she returned. "They had to move to the other side of the lake." Zetlina said.

"Why?" Midas asked.

"Um, all the way around this city in less than a minute, where in those fifty-nine seconds could I have gotten a story from a Giant?" Zetlina asked.

"Another fair comment." Casgar said.

"What is our plan Clang? We were told you were supposed to be the most able..." Midas cut himself off as nine Giants joined the group. "Welcome."

"We didn't mean to concern you but there was a bit of an issue." The Giant that spoke had a beard that was braided loosely with moss and branches. The effect was a rather convincing camouflage. "My youngest son," he indicated the Cyclops in the center of the Giants, "has a soft spot when it comes to humans. There was a caravan of horsemen that were all in armor and their banners flying."

"They were incredibly brave." The youngest Giant said.

"Herdarious, enough! They were apparently here to find a caravan that had come days ago. They called the drawbridge down, that's when the dragons attacked. I ordered that we held our positions."

"They were fighting so bravely. They had killed at least seven of the wingless. They positioned the dead in such a way that the bull's fire couldn't hurt them."

"Herdarious... Fine go ahead."

"Thank you Father Dreyt. When the Bull came out to fight, the knights didn't back down, they continued to fight the infestation of wingless. I couldn't take it so I started to run to their aid."

"They saw him and broke ranks. Fighting dragons, fine... But fighting dragons and Giants not today." Dreyt said.

"I got pulled back into the forest before the dragons saw me. I just wanted to help."

"We moved over here just in case, it was a good move because when the dragons got back from chasing the humans they came right over here."

"Let us show you what we brought to help us fight this battle on our terms." Clang said.

"And then we make those dragons pay for what they did to those knights." The Cyclops ground his fists together.

"Yes my son, we will." Dreyt said.

Chapter Twelve

"Your plan sssseemssss sssstraight forward."  Sudarus said.

"The problem?" Clang asked.

"We don't really know for certain where the wingless burrows go to from the mound." Casgar said.

"That's true, I am however not nearly as concerned with..." Clang cut himself off as the bull dragon from the center of the city took flight. With three mighty flaps of his giant wings he was but a pin point in the sky above them.

"There must be a laying that's reached conversion, he is off to fertilize the field." Dr. Kilgen said.

"Then we should advance now." Casgar said.

"Agreed, everyone to your areas, our group will begin the attack. When you hear the first sounds of battle begin your count-down." Clang said. The coalition broke into individual bands and they headed to their predetermined locations. When they did this Callum and Xavier got loaded into their heroes, all now waited on Clang to feel the moment was right.

"Daniel, you need to take cover in the woods. No matter what happens don't break cover." Dr. Kilgen said.

"Yes sir."

"We advance now," was all Clang said after Daniel had taken cover.

The shields were pulled until the first sign that the wingless were moving. The ground shifted ever so slightly. "Leave the shields and prepare for the wingless to attack." Clang said. The three shields were left in their positions, the one they had mounted the Dragon Squad's spear gun upon was in the middle. The ground broke away as the band of Dwarves and Faeries advanced between the shields and the city walls.

"And so it begins." Zetlina said, bringing her lyre to the front. "The first is mine!" she cried just as a bronze wingless emerged, the Faery began playing a strange progression on her instrument. The dragon halted its advance, turned and faced the pits, waiting on the next dragons to come out. "Do not attack the bronze, he is in my control."

"Very well." Callum said from inside his golden Satyr, beginning to move in to position for his acrobatics. "X, behind you!" he shouted as he leapt into the air. The ground erupted without falling away, the Otter was caught unawares, the first dragon grabbed him around the midsection starting to pull him into the pit that was newly formed. "Not today, red." Callum ridiculed as his aerial assault brought him beside the red wingless that held the copper bear, he cleaved the head with the second sword strike.

The Giants and Serpents appeared at the twelve o'clock position to the Dwarf and Faeries six. Their clubs broke the back of each and every wingless that attacked them. From the walls of the city several winged dragons appeared. "Wyverns!" Dreyt yelled.

"Cousinsss! Sssso you have chossssen ssssidessss after all! You have chossssen POORLY!" Sudarus clanged his two angled Kukris together. He slithered back to allow some distance for battle. The wyverns didn't immediately engage, this caused Sudarus' scales to tingle. Looking quickly across the battlefield seeing the dragon's ploy he shouted, "Herdarioussss, return to the group, we're being flanked!" Too late, several blue dragons came from the lake pulling the Cyclops into and under the water.

"Herdarious!" Dreyt yelled and began a frenzied advance to reach the lake.

To the Dwarves' three o'clock Casgar brought his forces to bear on the wingless and the wyverns that had now joined the fracas. "Today my dark and light brethren we show these trumped up lizards that there is no place for them if they aren't with us!" His eyes had turned the solid teal again and his thin Elfish blades radiated energy of the same color. Both the DockÁlfar and LiosÁlfar took solid form as the party reached the wyverns. While the dragonkin didn't have arms like dragons, their wings would flap with enough speed and ferocity that they would either buffet their attacker with wind, setting them back or they would take flight instantly, avoiding even the most skilled sword attack. The attacker not having found purchase with their blade would be left over extended. The wyverns used their barbed tail much like a knight would use a morning star, pummeling their undefended opponents. "DockÁlfar bring to bear your dark energy to fell these annoying beasts."

"Dark energy? You call that dark?" The voice boomed from a black dragon as he landed with four of his kind, which made the wyverns look more like puppies than dragons.

There was a commotion in the middle of the lake and the Cyclops rose from the water standing on the shoulders of two Mermen that had joined the melee a bit earlier than originally planned. "We weren't to join for another five minutes. You are undisciplined." Midas yelled from the side of the lake as his herd also joined early as their cover had been blown.

"I'm glad for their undisciplined antics." Herdarious replied.

"I am as well!" Dreyt commented as he threw one of his clubs at the head of a blue dragon which was swooping in to attack the unarmed Merman carrying his son. The club found its mark with a resounding crunch and the blue crashed dead into the water. The Cyclops grabbed the rebounding club and made ready for any incoming attacks.

"We have a group of green wingless coming from behind the city; I guess breaking cover early pulled the battle our way just as I thought it might Baycol." Midas chided.

"So you thought we would just hang low and let the others have all the fun?" The alabaster skinned Merman with lavender hair poked. He raised the enormous turritella communis shells he held in each hand and floated above the earth, swimming through the air just like water. He brought the twin spiral shells together snapping the spines of the wingless, while paralyzed they didn't die from the attacks. "Midas if you would be so kind as to put these creatures out of their misery?"

"My pleasure," replied the golden Unicorn, in a matter of moments, was covered in gore as the dragon's blood coated his pelt and the pelt of each of his herd.

Dr. Kilgen took aim at the verbose black dragon releasing the bolt from the Dragon Squad's most effective weapon. The shot rang true and the dragon dropped, right as it reared to release his fire at the Elves. The remaining four black dragons took flight to avenge their fallen leader.

"You better load that spear real fast I think I made them angry!" Dr. Kilgen said as the black dragons closed on them.

"You're a go!" Beatrice said though the Doctor held his shot. "We have incoming!" she yelled to the rest of the group.

"Got 'cha." Clang answered. As the blacks landed, Zetlina's Bronze wingless attacked the one in front.

"Get off me vermin." The black dragon in front said, swatting the bronze away with little effort. The distraction had the desired effect the second spear found its mark and another black dragon fell. The roar that followed came from behind Dr. Kilgen's shield rather than the direction of the remaining blacks. He turned in time to see Malteque, now unrestricting his magic, charging out of the woods in the form of a nearly twenty foot tall black bear.

"Beatrice, load us again."

The Serpent commander looked across the battle, the majority of the deaths had been felt by the dragons, though each of the consortium had felt their losses. He had lost his mate as well as several of his brothers and friends. The ground that started off as a few simple mounds across the lovely field of grass outside the city of Destero, was now a few islands of land surrounded by an ocean of caved in tunnels.

"I call my rhumba to me. We are going underground." Sudarus said.

"Sudarus!" Callum yelled. "X and I are coming with you!"

"That issss a choicssse for you to make, I have revenge to be dealt!" the Serpent commander replied entering the tunnels. Callum in the golden Satyr and Xavier in the copper bear tunnel clearer joined him. The tunnels were dark, though the light from each cave in and each exit to the surface did give some light. The leather goggles that Callum and X both wore began to whirl when the light fell too low. The gears gave a tickling sensation to the wearer as the spring hummed and vibrated while it closed the aperture focusing all the light into a smaller area creating a false bright spot in the center of the line of sight. The loss of peripheral vision became quickly apparent as the wingless would appear out of nowhere surprising the heroes. Battling in a confined area proved much more difficult for the Satyr than the tunnel clearer and after several near misses Callum relinquished the lead to Xavier.

"I can't believe I'm following an Otter into battle." Callum said.

"Better than being found dead down here later for sssstupidly sssstaying on point." Sudarus said, surprising Callum as he had no idea the Serpent had gotten in behind them.

"Pwz tut." X said.

"What did he ssssay?" Sudarus asked.

"I don't speak Otter. But it appears we've reached the end of this tunnel."

"Prp wee."

"What creature ssspeakssss Otter?"

"An Otter." Callum answered flatly.

"O...Kay..." Sudarus confused changed the topic. "Then I think we're done down here. Let's head up the first vertical passsssage we find."

"Sounds good." Callum replied as they changed direction stepping over several dead wingless that lined the tunnels.

"There are few," Casgar said. "That would think to interject themselves into a battle that an Elf had started." His battle with the wyverns continued, he had felled fourteen of the creatures that had killed his cousin. "I didn't ask for the help..." his death dance was accented by comments to himself from time to time. "Fytuina, you were the one..." this time the words were halted as three wyverns came upon him at once. The teal energy released in a ball that expanded through the three opponents, leaving only small pieces. "that showed me I need not be ashamed of my DockÁlfar side." Struck by a green wingless in the back Casgar hit the ground blowing his frustration into the dirt as the beast made to trample him. He raised himself from the ground with his coiling magic. He then allowed the magic's flow to rotate his slack body pulling his thin blades through the beast cleaving it down the middle. "For a LiosÁlfar to offer such advice." He removed the head of the last wingless attacking him. "You were the best of us." The blood on his face covered the teal tear that fell from his eye.

"The Bull returns!" Midas yelled over the melody of battle. The words barely registered as the anger that ran through Casgar's blood would allow nothing as trite a reason to slow him.

"To the shields!" Dr. Kilgen yelled. Casgar turned as the wingless from the adjacent field were running in the direction of the yelling.

Chapter Thirteen

"Cowards! You wait for me to leave?" The Bull dragon shrieked as it landed on the wall of Destero. "I am Beyzgelek and I will leave your half burned living bodies to feed the Doom I have just hatched!"

"Your braggart confidence betrays you! You barely staved off the attacks of humans!" Herdarious shouted.

"I was right I did smell rancid giants earlier. I'll correct that mistake momentarily. I will burn your flesh and muscle in your legs down to the bones and make you watch. After which I will pluck that single eye out and make you eat it. So the sight of your destroyed appendages will be the last you will ever behold and the smell of your rotting burned flesh will keep it fresh in your mind until my newly hatched children put you out of your misery."

"Ain't you a big talker, how about you shut that maw and commence with all the death you plan on dealing out." Clang said.

"The last of the Dragon Squad Elite, what bright shiny bobbles you have," Beyzgelek noticed for the first time that the attackers were all stationed behind the same style wagon with a rounded front. "Let me take a closer look at those pretty wagons you hide on." His wings punished the air they flapped so hard.

"Do not waste your bolts, they will simply bounce off his plated scales." Clang commanded the group. "Casgar, you have the lead on ordering the offensive, I shall keep the defense."

"Oh yes FREAK," the dragon let a low chuckle inflect his speech, "you'll order the barrage to kill... the beast... HA... Too rich!" The Bull dragon continued to hover, "You?" His eyes now trained on Dr. Kilgen all humor replaced with loathing. "The inventor, Oh I'll take you to someone special, you have earned a place of honor in the hearts of all Dragons." When he landed and walked with all four legs on the ground up to the Kilgen's wagon.

"Thank you I think I'll remain here, killing all of your kind that I can." Dr. Kilgen said. These words were met with the first test of the dragon shields devised to thwart this Bull dragon. When the blast of fire had stopped the dragon glared at the unharmed company behind the round wagon.

"Most impressive Inventor, you have done it again but what say you to a real test?" The dragon launched himself into the air and circled.

"Set your shield to position two." Clang yelled. His order coming a moment too late for the band of Unicorns that Midas' son was a part of as the Bull dragon's fire reached them before the shield transitioned between positions.

"No!" Midas yelled and broke cover, charging to his fallen son.

"Fool stay behind the shield!" Dr. Kilgen said. The dragon dove, his plan was obviously not to burn the golden Unicorn. As it extended its claws toward the helpless creature, one that was less helpless leapt into the fray, faltering the Bull's plan.

"Foolish Faery! Your bear form is no more a threat to me than a seal is to a shark."

"Be that as it may your attack was halted by this seal." Malteque growled as he pulled the dragon to the ground. Focusing all his strength on one wing, he was rewarded with a dreadful pop and a bloodcurdling scream.

"My wing!" The bull pulled Malteque off his back, slamming him against the hard packed ground. Acting quickly as to not allow a respite the dragon threw the black bear one hundred feet into the wall of the city. The damage now clear as one of the wings lay in a heap on the ground. "I don't need to fly to defeat a band of insignificant non-dragons." Beyzgelek said.

"Did you stay up late thinking of that insult? I think your wit left you with that wing." Casgar said. "And you call me a freak? You're the only one winged dragon in the world!"

"You will feel the fires of hell now!" The dragon screamed and lashed out with his tail. The wagon that he targeted was not Casgar's but that of his kin. As their protection toppled over the white-hot fire rained down on them before they could change to particles. "Ha, what say you now?" Turning his eyes back to Casgar.

"I say that you cannot know the extent of pain!" Casgar's emotionless voice could've grown goose-bumps on the dead.

"Then we have only begun to be ev..." Beyzgelek's words broke. "What magic is this?" He asked looking about, his surroundings having completely changed.

"You have entered Dwlv Tryna, the Elven Realms of Battle! And your body will rot here for all eternity." One of Casgar's swords folded and refolded upon itself forming a shield. The dragon had only enough time to start an inhalation of breath before the Elf had vanished.

"Your tricks will do you no good I cannot die in this place!"

"I didn't say you would!" Casgar appeared in full form feet from Beyzgelek's eye, which he removed with a quick slash. The dragon blew fire as it backed away swatting the Elf half way across this magical world.

"I know all your Lore! All the damage we do to each other in here is for nothing. For when we leave, our wounds will all be healed! Your anger has betrayed you Elf! Did you forget the magical effects of Dwlv Tryna? After I have defeated you; I will be whole again. My wing will be returned to me! You fool, all because I burned your..." he reached out with his mind, "cousin." The dragon blew fire in the direction he had sensed the Elf's mind, knowing it was futile. He calmed himself further and padded the ground turning his head this way and that looking through his remaining eye to find the dark and light twinkling dust that this Elf generated in his alternate form. From the corner of his eye he spied him coming in high. He stood up on his back legs and began to blow fire... The world changed again, his fire had gone out, his vision returned and he could feel both wings on his back. Oh sweet wholeness he thought.

"NOW!" Casgar's words rang out. All four of the Dragon Squad Elite's bolts entered his unprotected underbelly and the dragon, Beyzgelek, was no more.

There was no time to celebrate there were injured to tend to. The two earth Faeries still in their bear forms rushed across the grounds to Malteque. As they crossed the battle riddled grounds the remaining wingless erupted from below, the two were pulled into the pits by a swell of red wingless. Moments later the air was rent with howls as the one remaining bear fought from beneath the onslaught. Malteque having seen the hopelessness of the situation, closed his eyes and said, "To you Yhancliff the mantle I pass..." his struggle for life having ended he changed from the enormous bear into a solid stone.

The next sounds from the pit came from the wingless as they were pummeled by Yhancliff, having accepted the mantle of leadership and transformed into the form of the black bear. The wingless paid the price of Beyzgelek's actions. With each kill the bear form grew in confidence and correspondingly his connection to the earth grew. When the sounds that rose from the pits finally ceased , Yhancliff, still shape shifted, emerged with his fallen brother in his mouth. He had grown to over thirty feet and his black fur had become tipped in gold.

The Wyvern and Winged of all colors had fled when the bull dragon had fallen; the city of Desteros was once again in the hands of the Dwarf Clans. Clang and Beatrice engaged the Giant Hammer which crashed against the Anvil Bell. The surviving Dwarves would come up from the mine shafts that each major Dwarven city had. They would know only a Dwarf could make the hammer and anvil sing calling for a safe return above.

The group each gave their condolences for the dead, their thanks for the living and set out in the direction they had come. Each taking with them a new understanding of what the Magical Seven stood for.
Chapter Fourteen

"Welcome back." They were greeted at the gate by Tens and the High Guardians of the city. "The King and Queen are waiting for you; as are the rest of the Magical Seven."

"Why are they here? And how did they beat us?" Callum pondered aloud.

"They have means of travel we, as Dwarves don't." Daniel said.

"Do we have time to freshen up?" Beatrice asked.

"I rather think not. King Otton has already broken more than his entire kingdom is worth." Tens said conspiratorially.

"Very well lead the way." Dr. Kilgen said. His backpack shifted and he whispered over his shoulder, "You alright back there?"

"Pyh tuyw." Xavier complained and tried to get comfortable.

"I know there's a lot of junk in there. Didn't have time to sort it all out what with all the marching and fightin'. Just go to sleep and be still."

"Kings and Queens of the Magical Seven I give you, the Kilgens and Silent Clang." Tens said regally as they entered the Grand Hall.

"Ah well done, indeed." Queen Daphelna said, giving a polite clap, yet her Giant hands echoed as explosions. The rest of the Kings and Queens joined in on the applause.

"Thank you, however there are far too many that were also responsible for the victory and far too many fallen for us to deserve congratulations." Dr. Kilgen said graciously.

"Yes, quite right." Queen Zapne said, and then inclined her horn to the newly arrived. "Please tell us first of the victory and then I should like to understand the failings..."

"Excuse me?" Queen Acaira interrupted.

"I gave proper course; do I not deserve to know how it is the protection that this one promised failed my kind?"

"We all lost our 'kind' why do you blame it on the Inventor?" King Sslanss asked.

"I see no less in the Dwarven contingent." Queen Zapne retorted.

"We lost the majority of a city!" King Hume said.

"And that was why we came to your aid, but we lost over a third of the forces that we sent because of 'His' machine!" King Dwelig extolled.

"I believe this is..." King Moonlief started.

"Do NOT speak, fish... Your kind brought shame upon you and got several of mine killed as well." Queen Zapne stood on her back legs pointing a hoof at the King of the Merfolk.

"ENOUGH!" King Aubriar, whose eyes had gone silver, rose above the table, as silver energy crackled all around him. The room, while standing, fell silent.

"If I may." Dr. Kilgen said.

"Of course, Doctor." Queen Acaira said.

"King Dwelig, Queen Zapne and also you Midas," Dr. Kilgen included Midas who he hadn't until that moment seen. "I'm extremely sorry for the loss of your herd. I know that there is nothing I can do to bring them back..."

"No you cannot!" Midas interrupted.

"If there is ever anything that I can do..."

"Give up one of your fowls?" Queen Zapne inquired. Before anyone could even blink the roof was torn from the Grand Hall. In the light from the outside a pearl dragon stood.

"My name is Nawlhefra, I am the Queen of the Dragons!" Her pearl scales shimmered with reflected sunlight. The room for the most part didn't move. "You over the last moon passing have killed thousands of my children, this is the order of things and I've abided. But the killing of Beyzgelek, my mate will not go unpunished."

The flurry of actions that followed would change the course of all their lives. The Unicorns had gotten themselves into position while the dragon was speaking and upon the word unpunished they attacked. The horns of King Dwelig and Queen Zapne entered the backs of King Hume and Queen Acaira respectively. While Midas attempted the same sneak attack on Dr. Kilgen, his attack was thwarted by the grace of a sleeping Otter. Xavier, having heard the hooves on the ground coming up behind them fashioned his tunnel goggles and examined the contents of the backpack. Selecting what he thought was a weapon he readied himself for what may transgress.

The attack started with such swiftness he barely had time to push the button to activate the lance. As it turned out what he had mistook for a weapon was actually a tree trimming shield the Doctor kept close in case the wagon got stuck. The shield whirred and blooped itself into shape tearing away the backpack and grinding the Unicorn's horn into a fine powder which Xavier inhaled accidently. His horn gone, Midas turned into a statue of ash, which X heroically smacked with the shield.

King Hume and Queen Acaira had no Otter to save their lives, the Unicorns horns found their marks. They died without a word or exclamation. The deed done the Unicorns vanished just as the High guardians moved into attack. The dragon let forth an evil laugh, giving her allies an opportunity to be clear of her fiery death. King Aubriar seeing what was to come pulled his allies with him to Dwlv Tryna.

"Listen to me, Nawlhefra is blowing fire at a room full of nothing. However, when we return the room will either be on fire or worse." King Aubriar said.

"Worse?" Callum inquired.

"It could be melted stone. I have no means of moving us somewhere else but I have bought us some time." He turned to his Queen and gave a slight nod of his head. For this she balled up her fist and punched him in the jaw. The power behind her Elvish punch knocked him end over end, landing some twenty feet away.

"Another traitor!" Tens yelled and he began to charge the Elf Queen.

"No no!" Aubriar said, making a small hand gesture, casting a containment spell on Tens, who halted within feet of striking Queen Asbathy. "There is a tax to being in Dwlv Tryna, battle..."

"The Realm of Battle? That is where you brought us?" Clang said in awe.

"I did."

"Thank you! I had often wondered what it would be like." Clang continued.

"You knew of it?" Queen Asbathy asked.

"We in the Dragon Squad Elite had often wished we had such a place, where you could train in full contact fighting yet return fully healed."

"Did you bring Queen Acaira and King Hume?" Tens asked looking around for the King and Queen.

"Alas, the dead cannot travel to Dwlv Tryna." The Queen of the Elves said.

"We need to get back! The dragon may be destroying the city." King Pazten said.

"If you have a shield spell get prepared to use it. Once we return rush to the exit." King Aubriar said.

"If the need is such I will return us here, leaving King Aubriar there to return when he can." Queen Asbathy said.

"What do you mean when he can?" King Moonlief asked.

"He has used his daily summoning, he must wait for a moonset before he can return." She answered.

"Very well, let's return." King Aubriar said and they returned to the Grand Hall. The Queen dragon had left, without burning the room. King Hume and Queen Acaira's bodies lie in puddles of their blended blood.

"It would appear that while the dragon queen didn't burn this room, she did destroy the bell tower and the statues of King Hume and Queen Acaira in the courtyard." Queen Asbathy looked out the window.

"The Uni-cowardssss are long departed." King Sslanss said looking about the room for the Unicorns.

"No doubt on the back of that dragon queen." Tens joined Clang and Beatrice at the feet of the royals.

"Pyl pwt." Xavier whispered from Dr. Kilgen's shoulder.

"Where?" The Doctor's reply was even quieter.

"Pere." The answer having been given Dr. Kilgen walked through the hall shaking each of the Alliance leader's hands thanking them for their help. When he reached King Aubriar he paused.

"There is a Unicorn in the far corner of the room." His whisper prompted the response he had hoped for. The King of the Elves made the same hand gesture he had used on Tens earlier.

"Show!" he said startling the room. And the bound Unicorn became visible, moving his head back and forth.

"How?" the Unicorn asked in horror. He then gave a mighty motion of his head and snapped his own horn off against the floor. He turned to ash in front of them.

"Are there anymore?" Tens said his axes out and ready.

"Ping." The Otter said.

"He says no." Dr. Kilgen said.

"What happened to you Xavier?" Callum asked.

"Apparently Otters can see invisible Unicorns. Nothing is wrong with him." The Doctor said.

"No Dad, look at him." Beatrice said, for the first time Dr. Kilgen noticed the entire room was staring at X. The Doctor turned his head and began to laugh, a little chuckle at first and then a true belly laugh which spread through the room.

"Pyt?" X asked. When there was no answer he scurried over to Tens' shiny battle axe and looked at his reflection. The room was laughing during this time of mourning because he had unmistakably turned a shade of purple. "Pu tat Peew PA?"

"Breathing in what?" Dr. Kilgen asked.

"Tat Peew."

"When did you breathe in Unicorn horn?" he asked.

"Did he just say he breathed in Unicorn horn? King Aubriar asked.

"Yes."

"That is why he saw the camouflaged Unicorn. When did he inhale Unicorn horn?" the Elf King asked.

"P Das P tpa pew."

"He did what?"

"What did he ssssay?" King Sslanss asked.

"Midas attacked me at the same time the King and Queen were killed. X used a branch shield from my bag and it ground up the horn..."

"Pit peong?"

"And he wants to know how long it will last." Dr. Kilgen translated.

"There is no cure for freshly ground Unicorn horn, it is permanent." Queen Asbathy said. "And Xavier, it is a lovely shade of purple."

"Py shu." X said, his violet cheeks turning a bit pink.

"There may be more side effects that he will not know until they show themselves." Princess Isibeli said.

"Quite true child." King Aubriar said.

"Something has happened to the King and Queen!" Professor Errol exclaimed running through the door! "Oh Sister Stone!" The old Professor sat on the floor, face in hands and began to cry.

"Professor Errol, how did you know?" Queen Uslanzar asked.

"The Dirge has begun." The Professor answered without looking up.

Chapter Fifteen

"What is a Dirge?" The room at large asked.

"A dirge is a song of lamentation that is different than 'The Dirge'. When the Dwarven high most leadership is stricken, The Dirge begins. This is required to keep the Conjoined Clans from breaking apart. Each member of the Dwarven race must walk through the 'Open Arch' to determine if they are selected for The Dirge. That's how I knew it had begun, the 'Open Arch' which has been closed for over five hundred years opened up."

"How will a Dwarf know if they are selected? And how many will be selected? And how..." Tens started prattling off questions.

"Slow down boy, we have a dead King and Queen to attend to." Professor Errol said.

This occurred over the next seven days, the King and Queen were laid out in their most beautiful finery. Their golden caskets were opened for all to see, the line reached from Destero to the Capital. Each Dwarf in turn saying their goodbyes; afterwards each would exit through the 'Open Arch'. None were selected by the seventh day, the Magical Six, renamed after officially removing the Unicorns, met in the Grand Hall.

"Do we need to start having non-Dwarves go through the arch?" King Pazten asked.

"We actually tried, one of the Elves and a Serpent both tried to go through. The 'Open Arch' closed and would not allow them through." Professor Errol said.

"Do you have a list of all the Dwarves that have passed through?" King Moonlief asked.

"I do. We have quite a few that didn't go through." Professor Errol said.

"For pity's sake, what do we need to do to get them here?" King Aubriar asked.

"Several are here. We cannot order the Dwarves through the 'Open Arch', the fact is if a Dwarf is selected they must see this through. It is a huge responsibility." The Professor said.

"Who hasn't passed through, can I know that so I can talk to them?" Queen Asbathy asked.

"I for one haven't," Clang said.

"I also didn't." Daniel said.

"Nor I." Beatrice said.

"And I." Callum said.

"Which means you also Dr. Kilgen?" Aubriar asked.

"I went through."

"Really?" Queen Sslanthss asked.

"Of course he didn't." Beatrice retorted. The purple Otter smacked him on his head.

"We have responsibilities. We must keep the dragons down." The Doctor said.

"Others will need to meet that task. Besides, you may not be selected." Professor Errol said.

"Fine." Dr. Kilgen said.

"Really?" Queen Sslanthss asked.

"No!" the Doctor replied. Just then a sound of a bell followed by an exclamation of surprise and pain came from the 'Open Arch'.

"Someone has been chosen." Professor Errol said as he tottered into the next room. There rubbing his face was Daniel.

"What did it do to me?" Daniel took his hand away revealing a brass eyepiece.

"It looks like it gave you some hardware." Clang said raising his mechanical arm. "Welcome to the club."

"It's done then?" Beatrice asked. "Daniel is The Dirge?"

"The 'Open Arch' isn't closed yet." Professor Errol pointed at the obvious.

"You guys aren't going to make me go alone are you?" Daniel asked.

"Fine." Dr. Kilgen said.

"Really?" Queen Sslanthss asked.

"How many timessss musssst you fall for that dear?" Sslanss asked. The bell toned again.

"Crabs!" Dr. Kilgen said his back to the group. When he turned he too had an eye piece, his was platinum. "Get 'ur backsides moving we gotta finish this blasted choosing."

"Hey!" Beatrice said as Callum pushed her through the opening. The bell indeed toned, "That hurt!" she also said.

"Let's see it then!" Callum said. "Hey!" this time it was Clang that did the pushing, and caused the bell to tone. Callum turned his eye piece was gold. "Well it's still open you might as well join us in here." He said to Clang who stood on the other side of the Arch with most of the Royals.

"I don't think I will fit." Clang answered.

"We'll make room!" Beatrice said showing her completely black eye piece. The mechi-Dwarf took several steps forward and halted in the center of the 'Open Arch'. "See nothing to worry about."

"I don't know if that makes me happy or sa..." Clang started to take a step forward, Tone, tinkle, Stamp, SLAM the 'Open Arch' closed. "Very funny." Clang said looking back at the Arch, he bent and picked up something from the ground. When he faced the others the monocle he had in his eye was replaced by a copper, bronze and black iron eye piece. He walked up to Beatrice and handed her the monocle he had picked up from the ground. Feeling the eye piece the button that turned on and off his mechanical arm and leg was transferred to the new one.

"Well done, let's walk back around to the Grand Hall and find out what comes next." Dr. Kilgen said leaving the funeral room.

"Daniel, what in Sister Stone's socks made you decide to walk through the Arch?" Callum asked as they walked out.

"I knew it was going to tell me I needed to be included in the resolving of the hole left with my Aunt and Uncle's deaths. I knew I had to work through my fear." Daniel replied.

"What the..." Callum exclaimed.

"Are you ok? What's wrong?" Clang ran up to Callum

"My eye just focused on a cricket hopping across the floor." Callum said.

"And?" Beatrice said.

"It freaked me out, sorry." Callum said a bit embarrassed.

"He said Master Bull dragon!" Dr. Kilgen said almost to himself.

"What?" Beatrice asked.

"King Dwelig, he said 'Our herd is too small to engage a Master Bull dragon.' It didn't register at the time but Nawlhefra named Beyzgelek as her mate, only someone that already knew the relationship would've called him a Master Bull." Dr. Kilgen said.

"You're right this proves King Hume and Queen Acaira's murders were planned well in advance," King Aubriar said.

"Not to change subjects; but I wanted to thank you for letting us take part in it." Princess Isibeli said.

"Once again the youngest of us states the obvious that we've overlooked. The Elvish contingent also thanks you for allowing us to participate in this, once in a lifetime event."

"The same for the Merfolk."

"And the Giants."

"Ussss assss well."

"Your Majesties, I mean you no disrespect but I need you to excuse us for some time. There are some ceremonial rites of passage that must be completed in the lower levels. None other than Dwarves can pass onto the Selibritalin Stairs for the enchantments..." Professor Errol said.

"What will happen?" King Aubriar asked.

"You will continually be walking upstairs." Dr. Kilgen said.

"That is an amazing enchantment, what about we fliers in the group?" King Pazten asked.

"I've not witnessed that before, would you be willing to try?" Professor Errol said.

"Ooh I would love to." Princess Isibeli raised her hand.

"Daughter, I didn't mean to have you volunteer to be blown up." The Faery King said.

"King Pazten, though I don't know exactly what will happen, the enchantment has never shown evil intent. Even to some very evil doers that tried ter get doon 'er." Professor Errol said.

"Fine, if you promise in the eyes of the White Bear!" The Earth Faery dropped his shape into the great bear.

"I swear." The Professor did not blink or lose his step back.

"Too great! I'm a numpty Lass!" she clapped her hands.

"Where did you hear such a term?" Dr. Kilgen asked as they walked to the landing that led to the Selibritalin Stairs to the Lowers.

"We've been here for a week, I listen to those outside my window." The Princess said.

"Please Princess Isibeli, attempt to go the Lowers." Professor Errol said. The Faery began her descent and just as quickly found herself flying back up the stairs. "Perfect!" She tried once more, once she, was flying up she flew back down and found herself flying backwards up the stairs.

"I have to say I like that magic." King Aubriar said again. "My people would have bound or blown the intruder up."

"Dear! I would say blowing up would not typically happen." Queen Asbathy said.

"Only because we would not want to chance damaging what we protected with the spell." The Elf King said.

"True." The Elves wiggled their ears at each other.

"So what happened?" Queen Dephelna asked from the Grand Hall, the Giants not being able to fit.

"She failed to fly down..." King Silansss said as the Royals all left the Dwarves to their business.

Chapter Sixteen

"What is it we are going to the lowers for?" Daniel asked as the stairs began to move taking them down.

"You my boy have access to a library that none in five hundred years have been able to enter." Professor Errol said.

"I have been over every inch of the Low..." Daniel stopped talking as Professor Errol was no longer in front of him. "Professor?"

"I think he got off on the previous floor." Callum said.

"I don't think he was given a choice in that. X left my backpack as well." Dr. Kilgen said.

"I hope there is light or at least torches down here." Daniel said.

"Can you see now?" Beatrice asked.

"Of Course, its light."

"Is it? Close your eye with the new eye-piece." Clang said.

"Ok how's that possible? Its pitch black, but I can see perfectly?" Callum asked, interjecting into the conversation.

"The light is obviously created and received by the eye piece, your brain is then compensating allowing you to still have your depth-perception." Dr. Kilgen said.

When they reached the bottom of the moving stairs they stepped off and walked into a large room full of shelves. From where they stood they could see volume after volume of books, scrolls and even tablets. After they had taken a few steps in the direction of the bookshelves each of the selected halted in surprise; they had appeared in front of themselves.

"I am the Dirge Librarian and yes, I am you." Each of them heard the same statement yet saw themselves giving it. "Please get beyond that quickly. It's easier to make your brain register your own image than a Librarian who has been dead for years. You are down here because something terrible has befallen your King and Queen. Each of you has been selected to be a member of The Dirge in order to fill the chasm that has been created in the wake of this loss. To begin the repair process the first thing we need to do is locate the aisle that contains the specific event that occurred that launched The Dirge." They looked at the heading on each aisle until they found what they were looking for.

"Attacks, over here." Callum said, they all walked up and stood in front of the word 'Attack' on the floor.

"The King and Queen were attacked, that is terrible. I need more information, who or what was the attack performed by?" The Librarian asked.

"Do I really look that awesome?" Clang asked.

"Aye for a Jessie." Beatrice poked.

"Ouch!" Clang said.

"Dragon, over here." Daniel said finding the entry.

"No, Unicorn over here!" Callum said.

"You're both wrong, get over here." Dr. Kilgen said.

"Your King and Queen were killed through a collusion of the dragons and unicorns." The selected told themselves again. "If any in your band have ingested fresh unicorn horn you can focus on the dragons first. Is this the case?"

"Yes." The group all said.

"Oh that is good news. Then let's focus on the dragons. You need to find all the pieces to assemble the Arctic Fiery Rose. It's a relic that once assembled can be used to correct the dragon issue. Each of the Magical Seven has one of the primary pieces. As you are dealing with the treacherous unicorns you have an extra hurdle to overcome, for now you will get the other six pieces and then return here. Turn and walk to the large stone in the middle of the room."

"Anyone else freaking out a bit?" Daniel asked.

"Of course Laddy, this is a bit much for anyone to digest in one sitting." Dr. Kilgen reflected as they walked to the stone.

"This, believe it or not, is the Sister Stone." The projected said.

"Holy cow!" Dr. Kilgen said, although each made degrees of the same exclamation.

"Give her a swift kick." The group all kicked the stone, when they finished rubbing their toes the projection started again. "I can't believe you fell for that. You will need to move the stone. Below it you will find a locked box."

"I hate this guy." Daniel said.

"It's you." Clang said.

"Well not everyone has narcissistic tendencies." Daniel retorted.

"Clang can you try to move this?" Dr. Kilgen asked.

"Sure I can try." He bent over and gave the stone a slide with very little effort. "There, and I'm not, nor have I ever been narcissistic. I just like these 'shiny bobbles' as that dragon called them."

"I'm glad you have come to accept..." Beatrice started.

"Now that you have the box, return to the upper level where the High Instructor waits for you; the mark of the instructor will open the box. The first piece of the relic is inside, it will lead you to the next piece. Remember, The Dirge is a commitment and you must keep your quest only within The Dirge. Good luck, the future of the Dwarven Clans rests on your shoulders." The presenter faded.

The stairs took them to the Professor who waited, as they were told by themselves he would be. "What happened?" The Professor asked.

"We can't say sir. I'm sorry." Beatrice said.

"I understand."

"Do you have the symbol of your station?" Daniel asked.

"Symbol of my what?" Professor Errol asked.

"Your station, High Instructor?" Dr. Kilgen said.

"Doctor, I've no idea what you could possibly mean."

"When you took the post as Professor, was there a medallion or a badge that you were given?" Daniel asked.

"No son, there wasn't."

"Was there ever?" Beatrice asked.

"I don't know but there are engravings of each of us in the tower." Professor Errol said.

"Well no time like the present." Clang said. The group followed the professor through a side door that led under the capital to an underground staircase to the tower. As they rode the stairs up, "Sir, why do they put the High Instructor up here in a tower?"

"It's far easier to replace a roof on a tower than an entire building. Experiments often go wrong." Professor Errol said. "These are the engravings." The group looked at the engravings finding the pendant around the neck of a High Instructor prior to Professor Errol. "I see what you mean now. More importantly, I know where the pendant is."

"Where is it we need to go? We apparently already have a large task ahead of us so let's run over and get the key." Clang asked.

"Sorry but the job just got larger it's not as simple as running over and getting it." Professor Errol said.

"That sounds bad." Daniel closed his eyes and waited.

"The first stop on your quest will need to be on the Island of Deeds. That is where all the High Instructors are placed."

"That place is haunted." Beatrice said.

"Yes, it most definitely is, however a lot of the ghosts are friendly." Professor Errol said.

"Besides, did any of us think this was going to be easy?" Dr. Kilgen asked the group.

"That's a silly question Doctor. Is it ever easy when you're involved?" Professor Errol asked.

"I guess we can return to the Grand hall and tell the Royals that The Dirge has its first destination." Clang said.

Epilogue

Daniel's Log Entry:

"While we can't tell you what we are going to be doing, we do appear to have our first destination." Dr. Kilgen had said to the gathering in the Grand Hall. They had wanted to know where and once they were aware he couldn't tell them, they wanted to supply soldiers again. Turning down warriors like Casgar was beyond difficult, perhaps that was part of the tests. There were no hard feelings from the Royals for our denying them the information or rejecting their many offers of help. They had all stayed to see us off. Our ship was christened, The Didgeri Dirge, we set it up with everything an inventor could ever want and all the fire equipment that a blacksmith could need!

"The quest is three days in the making, we can see the Island of Deeds and I'm making this journal entry to note the condition of the waters that we have weighed anchor in. Dr. Kilgen doesn't know if getting closer to the isle is possible. The water teams with life, every now and again black feathers can be seen wafting from the water. When the feather returns to the water a whirlpool is formed. In the case when a feather lands in a whirlpool it inverts and a waterspout appears. As our vessel is so top heavy, getting caught in a whirlpool or getting hit by a waterspout would either capsize or beach us; ending The Dirge before it even began.

"As I write this final entry we've decided to take the lifeboat and row ashore. Dr. Kilgen is trying to load, what he calls, necessities onto the boat; while Clang is concerned of them sinking. I am being told that there are several illuminated figures gliding across the water in our direction. We have learned that each of our eye pieces has specific properties; apparently my eye piece has the longest range. Beatrice is asking me to put the book down and take a look at the figures... I just did as she asked and looked at the figures coming at us and they're ghosts, real ghosts coming toward the boat. They are yelling at me to get on the lifeboat, but I at least wanted to capture this in case...

We want to take a moment to thank you for reading The Dirge. If you enjoyed this Steampunk Dwarven Dragon Hunter adventure, please return to the title to leave a review.

Each and every review is very important to independent authors. As we don't have the juggernaut support staffs that the major authors/publishers do. In this case it will be the reviews that tell us if moving forward with the series is important to you, our readers.

We have released The Dirge Season One, Episode One, along with this pilot and if you wish to purchase it you can click the link to be taken there.

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Xavier P. Otter III

