 
Races of Armis – Emerald Wings

By Deb Sartoris

Smashwords Edition

Copyright @ 2012 Deb Sartoris

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you're reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. As the author of this book I hold all rights and privileges. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

* * * * *

This book is dedicated to my father – I love and miss him very much. His encouragement allowed me to be all I can be.

To my husband who has always given me the strength to be my own person. To my family all who have given me the encouragement to become anything that I wanted to be.

This novel was inspired by many fictional and non-fictional persons, places and things in my past, present and future which have given me many planets, species and quantum times to dream about.

I dedicate this novel to those worlds and species yet to be discovered and for those who find themselves dreaming of new worlds to invent.

Imagination is a powerful entity and it is inspired by many avenues. Inspiring others via any media possible will continue to give the fictional and non-fictional world wonderful stories to tell.

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Chapter 1:

We are on a sister planet of Armis which is located just outside of the Earth's galaxy. My name is Roberto and I'm from the old world planet known as Earth. I and others of my kind left their old worlds when our species found a new way to survive. We left on a journey to find her home planet a very long time ago. That adventure ended on this sister planet when our son was born. My wife Sofia believed that her home was in danger and we decided to travel by means of her space ship to try and locate her home world.

Today, I think would be good a good day to re-tell how my nephew Steven, the son of my brother in law Ely and his beautiful wife Wisteria, met his flying mate Algamight, the great Emerald winged dragon.

Algamight's story will take you through her life from the time she was born and then reborn from her golden egg. Algamight's journey was not without peril and sacrifice for herself and her species. How she and Steven came to be together is a great adventure.

I can see off in the distance the giant dragon, Algamight, who is now our planet's protector. You can not yet see the beauty of her body as the sun must touch her scales to bring her magnificence into view. I am witness to her greatness each day as she is so much a part of our lives on this planet now. When the great sun touches her scales you can see the gold, green and blue hues that are her clothing. Her eyes glow red as rubies and sparkle as if diamonds are held inside her irises. Her squadron of dragons slowly rides the night current as it gives way to the morning light.

Ely and his wife Wisteria are of Armis and their race is called Mica. It is difficult for me to explain the exact details as I'm not of their world or of their species. My wife Sofia is of the Armis bloodline. She and many others of her kind fled their planet many centuries ago when it was attacked by another race of beings. Their departure from Armis and their space flight led them to my planet Earth.

Ely and Wisteria were separated from Sofia when their spacecraft had to make an emergency landing on my planet. The escape pod carrying Sofia landed on the opposite side of my world just as Sofia saw her transport ship explode in the sky. Sofia had assumed for many centuries that the handful of people that were in her escape pod were the only survivors of her planet Armis.

Much time had passed from the explosion in the sky and the time when Sofia and I met in a bookstore. As chance would have it, our courtship over those many months led us deep into the adjoining forest near our estates.

One day as if guided by fate we happened upon this small cave near daylight and with that luck we came across Ely and Wisteria and the remaining remnants of a once lost race buried deep within the ground. Pieces of their large spaceship were buried with them, however the technology and the use of the ship were lost after Sofia was separated from them during the emergency landing procedure.

Time had passed for Ely and Wisteria who had also assumed that Sofia had been lost. Sofia is the queen of Armis. She is part of the planet and it is part of her. Ely and Wisteria are the same. Each must be with the other in order to bring new life into this world. Without Sofia the process of birthing their species' children into the world had all but stopped. Many of the Armis race died over those centuries. While others found a way to transfigure into creatures that already existed upon my old world.

The Mica's have the ability to transform into clear luminous entities that allow them to then become any type of species that they wish to emulate. Mica's are known for their love of all animals, plants and life forms and obtain their sustenance by drawing upon other creatures around them.

Ely and Wisteria had tried like many of the other survivors to bring children into their lives. Each time the process had failed and most of the group had resigned themselves into believing that they would not survive as a species.

* * * * *

Chapter 2:

Ely and Wisteria lived their lives as best that they could inside their cave and the broken pieces of their ship. As the time passed many of the remaining crew members of the ship began to scatter. Some chose to transform into other creatures that they grew to love. Some chose to stay and help Ely and Wisteria make a home within the cave.

No one can remember just how many years had passed before Sofia and I happened upon the small entrance to that cave. Sofia, Ely and all the others assumed that each was lost during the initial destruction of their ship so no one had taken the time to search for survivors.

Ely became the leader of their group and Sofia had become the leader of her small group. Each burdened with the task of ensuring their survival on an unknown world.

Ely and Wisteria had many injured to attend. As their craft was spinning out of control into the Earth's atmosphere, Ely and all of the remaining Micas shifted into their natural forms and bonded together with the ship in order to safely land onto the ground. This act saved most of the crew and much of their ship.

When Sofia and I found the cave and the remaining Micas there was an event that was about to occur. Wisteria was due to give birth to her first child. Micas must have someone with them to help bring their children into the world.

Sofia and I were present at this process. The Micas require time to slow and to make the space around them become still during their birthing process. It was a difficult time for me as I have often seen many children born that did not survive the process.

Ely and Sofia rested their hands upon Wisteria's belly and all three shimmered out of existence for a time that seemed endless to me.

Just as I was about to give up hope that all were lost the time shifted back to normal and everyone including the new child arrived back into their more familiar forms. This is how my nephew Steven came to be in this world.

* * * * *

Chapter 3:

Steven arrived to the cheers of all the inhabitants of the cave. My Sofia was the happiest to have found her brother at such a critical time in his life. Ely explained that while he and Wisteria could help others bring children into the world no one of the royal Armis blood line had survived the crash to help them bring their own child into the world.

Sofia's arrival at the cave just before the birth of Steven was another of many coincidences that have occurred since I have become part of this family of Micas.

After the birth of Steven both Sofia and Ely sent messages to the surviving crew members in an effort to bring everyone together and ensure that as many of the remaining Micas could be found and brought together at the cave.

Steven was growing and many other children were born after Sofia had arrived to attend to their births. Steven was the heir to Armis and it was important that he be trained in all the known skills of the Armis people.

As it would happen I was found by a hunter just as many of the Micas had returned to the cave. The hunter Mesquil was sent by my tribe to find me because of my dying elder and a message that he had written in his dream state upon the walls of his resting place.

As I and several others including Ely and Sofia left the cave to return back to my home village we did not know at the time that another ship from Armis was heading toward my home planet.

After the death of my elder and the translation of the message it became important for all of my species and the Micas to return together to the cave and the spaceship.

* * * * *

Chapter 4:

During our time with my people and the long boat voyage home to the cave the remaining Micas had spent their time in the repairing of the damaged ship. It was decided that any and all species that wanted to return with us back to Armis would be allowed to do so. The ship was large enough to take all travelers with us.

Some like me were unsure of the process of boarding a ship that traveled in space. I was well schooled in the sciences and yet I still could not put my mind around the thought of space travel.

Just as we were about to complete the ship repairs a second royal ship arrived on our home planet. They had come in search of the royal children – Sofia and Ely. They were sent by friends and other family members from Armis.

As each ship was part of the other repair parts were created and used to retrofit the older ship that had carried Ely and Sofia to my planet.

The time had come for us to leave my world.

Sofia had explained in great detail how much of the ship functioned. I knew how the materials would be loaded and stored and how the ship would lift up out of the many years of soil that covered it.

I understood how each person would be placed inside their Kyro tubes and sent into deep freeze for much of the long journey back to Armis.

What I did not understand was what would happen to the ship while we were asleep. Sofia and Ely both had tried to explain to me but I just could not understand the concept. The orbiting new ship in space would somehow join and become part of our ship that was buried in the ground.

As the two ships combine their essences this process would create the power required to shift us into a different time warp and start our journey home. The ships were part of Armis just as the rest of the Micas were and they are each separate and yet part of their planet like a light in the dark sky is a star in a starry night.

* * * * *

Chapter 5:

As the newly fixed space ship was about to take off each passenger was loaded and placed inside their Kyro tubes. Due to the large amount of travelers and the somewhat limited space – some of the Micas had to transform into their original state of being – each person is slightly different but for the most part their true essence can be best described as a crystal fog state.

This translucent state can allow many of them to be placed inside a single Kyro tube. My Sofia and Ely spent the better part of that final day sending their friends and family members into their deep sleep.

Ely, Wisteria and Steven had already been placed into their Kyro tubes and Sofia had checked to ensure that they would be safely asleep while we made our journey to their home planet. The many years that it takes to reach Armis, even with their extraordinary spacecraft, is something that I must confess worried me. Never had someone of my species had to endure such a long time without feeding. Sofia was confident that the state that the Kryo tubes place our bodies in would ensure I did not suffer during our long space travel.

Sofia and I returned to our chamber on the ship. Everything was ready. The ship had been checked and rechecked. The awaking schedules for the various crew members had been double checked by Sofia to ensure that the trip home to Armis was carefully monitored.

Sofia had been somewhat distracted – more than usual – the past few days as we prepared for our departure. As we prepared to join our families in sleep, Sofia appeared to shimmer even more. Her sparkle was back. Our night in the meadow only a few short days before had helped bring her life force back. As we lay down in our tube she smiled and kissed me. I could not ever fathom life without her.

I kissed my wife, my Sofia, and wrapped my arms around her. Sofia announced she wished to tell me something of great importance as the lid to our tube slowly closed. She told me that the change in her health was caused by our night together in the meadow. I had no idea what she might be trying to tell me. I was already getting groggy as the Kryo tube was slowly being filled with our sleep vapor. Sofia rolled next to me and whispered to me that I was to become a father.

As my eyes closed my last thoughts were of my wife and soon to be born child that had been conceived against all possible odds.

* * * * *

Chapter 6:

I do not know how much time had passed when I slowly became aware that I was being awoken. As it is with my species we can sleep for a long period of time. To the outside world our appearance would be considered a dead state. We can lay still and unmoving for many years.

Since the journey out into space and within this new technology of our Kyro tube had never been endured by our kind I was awoken in a state of confusion and distress.

I remembered going to sleep with Sofia at my side. I remembered the reason for our journey back to her home planet.

As I reached for Sofia – I saw that she was also slowly awaking. She was cold to the touch and we both had ice crystals all over our skin and clothing. The blue fog inside the tube was being sucked out via another tube and the air was being warmed at the same time.

"EMERGENCY AWAKING REQUIRED"

"MICAIANS ARE BEING COMUNICATED WITH"

The ship's voice was echoing loudly and outside of our compartment you could hear alarms and see flashing lights. As the lid to our tube lifted and the lights within our compartment were turned up I suddenly realized that Sofia looked completely different. While her body was still slightly covered in ice you could just make out the new swell of her belly. Sofia lifted herself up and off the Kyro tube table and stood unsteadily by the side of the unit while I attempted the same process of standing.

"MASTER STEVEN REQUIRES ATTENTION"

"MISTRESS SOFIA – AWAKE YOU ARE REQUIRED"

"MASTER ROBERTO – AWAKE YOU MUST ATTEND TO SOFIA"

More alarms and commands from the ship.

Sofia's hand went to her belly and a smile crossed her blue tinted lips. As I came around to the other side to help her down she began to shimmer and I watched as the blue tint from our cold sleep slowly dissipated and her warm glowing skin returned.

"MISTRESS SOFIA – PREPARE FOR ROBERTO"

It was then that I realized that my body had not been fed for sometime. As I warmed within our compartment, Sofia's skin changed color. My true nature as a Dhampir raised its ugly head. My fangs dropped and the saliva within my mouth grew more active.

I started to take steps to back away from my wife. Each step seeming to take a life time. I was still cold. My skin was still drawn tight across my bones and blue from our Kyro tubes. As I have no natural way to increase my heart rate except to feed I begged Sofia to leave our compartment as quickly as possible.

Sofia also realized as she has done so many other times that I needed to feed. While I had been taking all of my blood from my Sofia in the past – now that she was with child and her belly was swollen in front of her I was using all my strength to stay out of her grasp.

Sofia walked slowly toward me with her face turned toward me. She was whispering something that even with my super hearing was inaudible to me.

"ORDER RECEIVED – NO OTHER DHAMPIRS HAVE BEEN AWAKENED"

As the space between us grew smaller with each step my hunger grew. My mind was concerned for her and our child but my animal instincts were all about the approaching food source.

Sofia reached my outstretched arms with a smile across her ruby red lips. "You must drink from me" were the words that my mind heard from her. Her lips did not move and yet her words were loud and clear like a wind across my skin. As the hunger pressed, from deep within my gums I could feel my fangs nip my own lips. I could no longer deny myself the pleasure of her neck as she turned her face slightly away from me.

I could see the pulse within her neck as it beat time with her heart rate. My mouth opened and I grabbed Sofia and struck her with such force that we both tumbled back onto the Kryo table. As the blood from my mate entered my mouth and the sweet taste of her dropped down my throat something seemed different. I had tasted Sofia many times over these past years and never had the taste of earth and sea overwhelmed me as I took my fill of her blood. I could see green fields and yet there was red like fire everywhere. I could smell smoke and sense danger.

* * * * *

Chapter 7:

As with Sofia all time seem to slow. Our compartment seemed warmer. Perhaps - partly because I had taken my fill from Sofia or because the spaceship had started our process of waking. In either case – we still had the flashing lights and the warning voice blaring in our ears.

"Danger – impact to planet in 10 minutes" – "Warning – ship reaching outer atmosphere of planet in 5 minutes".

I ran my tongue over the bite marks on Sofia neck and she began to pull herself off the table and straighten out her clothes.

"We must reach the control center. Hurry."

I grabbed Sofia's hand and pressed open the door to our chambers. The hallway was filled with a blue fog – almost like the kind that was in our Kyro tubes. As we ran toward the control center of the ship – Sofia explained that the ship vented all of the tubes out into the main ship as a quick measure to awaken the main crew – it is a safety measure that the ship uses if it feels that it is in danger.

"Danger – impact to planet in 8 minutes" – "Warning – ship reaching outer atmosphere of planet in 3 minutes".

As we rounded the last hallway we ran smack into Sofia's Brother Ely and his wife Wisteria. They were running full pace at the control center just like we were.

"Where is Steven? Why is he not with you? The ship told us in our compartment that something was wrong with him."

Ely said, "Do not worry for Master Steven – Sofia I promise he is safe and in our room."

"We must get Sofia to the control panels so she can control the ship." Again I don't understand the technology of this ship and was wondering about how my wife would be able to stop the pending crash of our ship.

Sofia was not able to stop the ship the first time when it crashed on my home planet – I was certain that the same fate was about to cause us to crash on yet another unknown planet.

We reached the control room as the computer was counting down the last few minutes.

Sofia sat down in the glowing silver chair in the middle of the room. As she did the chair seemed to absorb her. The chair and Sofia merged as a single unit. Both seemed to fade and shimmer.

Ely ran to the other side of the control center and he sat down in another chair similar to the one that Sofia had. Ely also became part of the chair. Wisteria and I could only stand and watch. Wisteria did not seem to be concerned that both of our mates had just joined in body with the spaceship.

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Chapter 8:

Time slipped by. The flashing lights were being turned off. The blaring voice of the ship had stopped and the smoke in the hallways was starting to clear out. The main window hatches started to slide open.

At first I could only see darkness – my eyes were still adjusting to being awake. Millions of bright lights filled the windows as the last of the protective metal screens slid down.

Outside our ship was another planet – very close to the ship it appeared to me. The inside of the ship was rocking and swaying and I had to reach for Wisteria and hang on to a pole near both of us.

Finally the ship seemed to straighten out and the rocking slowed down. The ship took on a quiet humming noise. As I helped Wisteria up from the floor we both noticed that the chairs that held our mates had returned back to normal metal chairs and both our mates were removing themselves from them.

Sofia and Ely went toward the front of the ship and starting working on the controls in the panels. I was at a loss as to what I should do. I'm not trained in such matters and it appeared that Sofia and Ely were trying their best to keep the ship in orbit around the planet. I decided to turn myself toward the open window just as the last of the smoke cleared our area.

I could see a bright green planet with red flashes of light all along the surface. Blue spots which would appear to anyone seeing them as water and brown blotches which I took as land masses began appearing all over the planet.

Finally, Sofia and Ely seemed to relax and both almost collapsed in the chairs near the control panels.

Sofia explained "That was really close! Our ship was called to this planet by someone or something in danger. Since the ship is melded with our species, it awoke us early from our sleep cycles."

"The ship did not realize the strength of the planets orbit and nearly crashed on the surface. It took both of us to pull the ship out of the inner orbit and return it back to a safer location above the planets orbital cycle."

"CHECKING NOW – OUR PRESENCE WAS NOT DETECTED"

"PLANET AND SPECIES BELOW ARE NOT ABLE TO TRAVEL INTO SPACE"

"PRIMITIVE RACE BY OUR STANDARDS"

"Thanks computer – please check on the ship for damages and summon Master Steven to us when he is ready" Ely said.

"Ok, let's see how much time has passed since we entered our sleep chambers." I thought this was a strange thing for Sofia to say – since I had assumed that little to no time had passed. Sofia's belly was not any larger then when we entered our chamber so therefore I assumed that we had only been asleep a short while.

"Ely, can you confirm my calculations?" "Working on it now, Sofia. It appears that we were asleep for almost 50 years. We are not on our original flight plan and this planet is not on our charts."

Just as this news was settling in a strange man entered the room. " Mom, Dad – are you alright? What happened? Where are we? Why did we get woken up early?"

Ely and Wisteria turned to the man and both hugged him. "Son...Steven, take a breath and slow down. Everything is fine."

Steven – how can this be – he was but an infant when we entered our sleep chambers. Sofia's belly was not any larger and our child was not grown and yet Steven whom I just saw as an infant was now a strong, handsome young man.

Ely and Wisteria seem to know him and yet that did not make any sense to me. They had to have been awoken the same way we had and surely they did not have time to get acquainted with their son before running to the control center.

"Sit down Steven – we can explain everything." "No! Wait - Mom – there is something that I must tell you. Someone is calling to me. I can hear their voice in my head. They are in real danger. It is as if I know this being and yet I have never seen this planet before in my life."

"Do you still hear the voice now that the ship has returned to the outer orbit?" "Yes – but a bit weaker then before. I'm not sure if the being is still alive or it is just because we are farther away from the surface of the planet."

"MISTRESS SOFIA – OTHERS ARE BEING AWAKEN BY THE CREATURES ON THE PLANET"

"What – how many others?"

"COUNTING NOW – 10, NO CORRECTION 15, CORRECTION COUNT IS INCREASING"

"Are there any Dhampir's awake?"

"CHECKING NOW MISTRESS – YES ONE HAS BEEN AWOKEN"

"MASTER Mesquil"

"Order received mistress – sending someone now"

"First things first." Sofia stood in the middle of the ship and placed her hands on the control panels. Her hands seemed to sink into the metal panel. "Let's get this ship and crew stabilized first."

Sofia called out a name – I could not understand the language that she used. Ely was standing next to me and he must have noticed the puzzled look on my face. "Sofia is talking with the ship now. Checking her systems and verifying which crew members are still sleeping and which were waking during our initial decent into the planet."

"This is going to take a little while – why don't we move into the conference room next to the control center and let Sofia finish her connection to the ship."

Ely, Wisteria, Steven and I all moved into the conference room. As the doors shut, Steven sat down in one of the chairs and put his hands on his head. Wisteria and Ely went to sit next to him and all sat at the table with hands touching each other.

"Quiet now son – it will be alright."

"Mom - I can hear the being again – more desperate now. It seems to be aware that I'm here now. She understands that I'm close she is asking no begging me to hurry."

"What did you say Steven – SHE understands?" "She needs me mom! I'm not sure why. I'm scared. I don't know why this being is asking for me."

"Do you think the being is going to harm you?" Ely put his hand on his Son's shoulder – "Relax, Steven, feel inside. Close your eyes, breath. Calm yourself. If you and this being are somehow connected, your fear and insecurity might be affecting the way this creature feels."

"Relax. Try and calm yourself. Breath slowly." "Better now." "Ok, so what do you feel with your connection to the creature on the planet."

* * * * *

Chapter 9:

"The creature is scared, trapped. Something is wrong. She senses danger all around. She is not able to get free. She is being held against her will. There are others like her nearby and all are trapped. She is worried about the others."

"Mom - Dad what does this all mean? Why can I hear this creature? She is not like me I can tell – not of our species and yet it is like we are joined together in mind."

Wisteria spoke up. "Perhaps the creature has the ability to send out her thoughts. We were passing through their space and somehow she reached into your mind."

"That still does not explain how that connection broke our ship off its flight plan and how it turned the ship toward this planet" Steven replied.

"You have much to learn about our species. You have only just been awoken. Many years have passed that have aged your body and spirit. Your training occurred during your sleep cycle and you are still adjusting to your surroundings. The 50 years that have passed in sleep would have given you the time to adjust to becoming the man that you are now. But because you do not have the physical experiences that come with your age you are unsure of what you must do."

"Each of us must find our own path. Each must look within our spirits and understand the reason for our existence. All of these things we learn though our life's journey. You however have no real life experiences to use to help you only what the computer and the ship has set forth to teach you during you sleep."

"We are both sure that you will find the purpose for our journey to this planet. You are the key to the reason why the ship turned off our assigned course and woke all of us early."

Just then Sofia came into the room. She seemed much calmer. Her color and shimmer was back and she walked with an assurance that everything would be alright.

"So Steven – the ship tells me that you are the reason why we were pulled off course and woken early. What have you to say to that?"

"Honest, Aunt Sofia I have no idea what is happening any more then you do."

"Well you sure have changed in the last 50 years. Look at you all grown up and a strong man. I'm sure we will find our answers on the planet below."

"Everyone I have to tell you all something." Sofia motioned for all of us to sit down around the table. "I was not sure what was going on until I merged with the ship just a few minutes ago. My mind was being filled with voices. At first I thought it was from the ship and crew. It would make sense to me that everyone on board was scared and worried why we were woken early."

"But the ship has chosen to only wake a few dozen of us. I have asked all those who are awake to eat and dress. They will meet us in a few hours in the main docking area."

"I hear voices from the planet as well; that is what I need to tell you."

Ely raised his hand. "Sofia – it is alright – it appears that you are not the only one. Steven has been hearing a FEMALE voice ever since he was awoken a few minutes ago."

"Hmmm...female...that is very interesting!" "Oh stop Aunt Sofia – I can not control this creature. It is like I have always known her. I hear her voice inside my head. I think she has always been with me and yet I do not remember her."

"To be honest Aunt Sofia – I think I heard her voice while I was sleeping. I though I was dreaming but perhaps the dream was a gift of thought from the creature below on the planet."

Sofia nodded her head decisively. "The rest of the ship is in order most all of the crew is still in their Kyro tubes unaware of the stop of the ship around this planet. I think it is about time that we all go back to our chambers and get cleaned up. Eat, rest and lets all meet back at the docking area in a few hours with the rest of the crew that is awake."

* * * * *

Chapter 10:

Many moons ago on the planet of Algamo.....

A lone servant - Tusk– bent with age and dirty from head to foot ran along a small dark cave. His clothes were torn and smelled of sweat. Blood stains were on his shirt and pants. His hands were sore and torn in places. His right leg always hurt now. The long scar down his thigh was always red and never seemed to heal. His shoes were just strips of his clothes that he had tied around his feet using some twine he found. His head was gray now but he once was a tall, well cared for man. His skin was tanned from the sun and his muscles honed and tight from his many battles. His hair was once long brown and worn in a pony tail with pieces of bones from his kills tied into it. Tusk was once a leader of this area on his planet – the son of the great king who lived here a long time ago. Before...always everything he remembered was...before.

Algamo: A lush green planet with forest and water flowing on all of the land masses. Many life forms lived here. Birds sang in the trees once. Monkeys and other wildlife lived in the forest a long time ago. As Tusk remembered his planet his eyes filled with tears. He could remember how all who came to visit his family were happy. The other animals on the planet loved the royal family as well. Now, things were very different.

Of course all that was from a previous generation a very long time ago. The witch and her army had killed all but a remaining few of the original family. He was old now he knew that – but still he held out hope that somehow, someday he would have his revenge upon the witch and all of those who had enslaved his planet.

Each night he would look out to the stars and remember about the woman of his past. She was tall and matched his height all but a few inches. She had long brown hair and was tan as he was. She was to be his wife. The women of his planet held many secrets he knew but never once did his soon to be bride tell him those secrets. It was the way of their people that after their wedding the woman would tell her husband what her secret was.

Many nights they would sneak away out to the great lake. Tusk and his woman would make love upon the beach and wonder what their lives would be like. His bride, taken by the witch a long time ago as punishment to keep him in line, gone so long, he could not even remember her name.

Just then the ground rumbled and he placed his hands over his head as pieces of rock fell from the ceiling. The shaking was always followed by a blast of heat and if you were outside you could see the smoke and bright red fires that bellowed upward out of the ground.

Each time the shaking happened it appeared to Tusk to last longer and the mountains and sky seemed to be redder and filled with more smoke each day. Tusk could not remember now when was the last time he had not felt the ground shaking.

He was headed toward his master's chambers. He had some news that he hoped would be greatly rewarded. Perhaps the witch might allow him some extra bread and water with his weekly rations. He was the slave to the witch. He no longer was one of the royal family born on this planet.

As Tusk entered the mouth to the cave opening he said "The queen has laid her eggs my master. There are several dozen of them this time. Do you think that this will end our wars?"

"I am but the witch - Kvony – Witch to the royal family. How would I know of such things? We need the war to continue. It is what keeps my family in power. Without all of the evil that I bring there cannot be royals to stay in charge."

"Did you not just feel my power as it entered into this planet? Each time I make the ground shake I can feel the power that it brings to me and my family. The planet is giving herself up to me each day more and more."

"It is my soul purpose in life to keep the royal family in power. They are not always aware of what I must do to keep their little royal heads on their thrones."

"Tusk – empty the cages of the animals out – I think I will try another spell on the little red bird this time. Bring it to me! Now hurry up. I have seen you playing with the bird Tusk – what do you think I should do to it in return? You showed much love and attention to it and you know that this is not allowed in our kingdom."

"Perhaps I will pull its feathers out one at a time – pluck, screech, pluck, screech – see – it suffers now because you showed it kindness. You will never learn." The witch tossed the little red bird toward Tusk – "Here return it back to the cage. Let it lick the blood off its wings. It will learn that each time you come near it I will punish it – before long it will learn to bite you because it thinks you are the one hurting it."

"I must practice on the little animals in the other cages because soon, very soon, the eggs from the queen will hatch. I will need to choose one of the new born creatures to care for. She will be brought to my lair and she will be trained in the manner that all witches are trained. She will learn from me and only me."

"All that I am I will teach to her. She will learn to hate all things and learn that love is unwanted just as your little red bird has learned that your love, Tusk, has caused it to suffer."

Tusk always spent his own private time near the hatching area where the giant eggs stood. The cave here was large. Little light was allowed in except at the cave entrance. Tusk would bring his rations and his blanket with him and sleep on the warm sand near the eggs. He was welcomed always by a great bugle from the queen each time he entered. Her wings would rise up as far as her chains would allow and she would always bow her head to Tusk no matter how he smelled or looked.

Tusk favored one of the giant eggs. It was shaped different then the others. Not as large, and a bit more oval. The color of the egg's shell was different – not white but slightly greenish blue. The great queen had rolled the egg close to Tusk one night while he slept and each night when he returned the egg was always next to him regardless of where he slept in the cave.

Algamight was born in the early morning hours many months later. Many eggs broke open that morning and many of her species were chained and dragged off. Algamight remembers their screaming. No one came to be with them. They were enslaved as soon as they were born. Each creature was inspected and the wings of each one was trimmed and sliced with a sword. Blood was all over the sands and egg shells.

Algamight was a dragon. She was born to be queen of her species. She held in her heart the love of all things. As the witch Kvony came to inspect her as she hobbled out of her egg she knew she must hide her great mark under her wing. If the witch saw it she knew she would lose her wings just as all the other did. So before Kvony could get a good look – Algamight pulled her feathers out all around her mark – hoping that the blood would stain the other feathers and hide the crescent blue moon that laid there.

Kvony grabbed Algamight by the head – turned her side to side and lifted her wings each one at a time. Examining her body, there was nothing to see but blood and torn feathers but, deep inside, Algamight had a heart filled with love well hidden away from the evil witch.

"Well this one is a mess – not marked like the others. I think she is the one I will take from this hatching. She is already dirty and bloody; a good start for her training with me."

"Tusk, get the chains and bring this dragon to our lair."

* * * * *

Chapter 11:

Tusk wrapped the chain around the neck of the beautiful emerald winged dragon. The witch had left the chamber a few minutes ago. Tusk allowed himself to touch the dragon. He tried as gently as possible to bring the chain around the head of the dragon. He knew he was hurting it but he had no choice. If he did not follow the orders of the witch he would be whipped for many hours.

Tusk touched the dragon's chin, rubbed it. Algamight turned her eyes to Tusk – a small shiny tear slid down onto Tusk hands. As the tear touched his dirty hand it turned into a shiny bright green emerald.

Tusk saw the blood under her wing. His hand reached up to wipe the blood away and just then the dragon turned to look at him. It was as if she was telling Tusk to not touch her as it might cause further pain.

"It will be alright, I promise, my little one. Can you tell me your name yet?" Tusk's thoughts focused briefly.

Algamight thought she could understand this old man. But how could that be? Only the chosen royal family can communicate with the royal dragons. This old man was a slave just as she was about to become.

Algamight became the dragon slave to the witch. She had no hope of release - save her own death. Her only saving grace was the old, dirty man shuffling her to the lair of the witch.

"Finally you two arrive. Where have you been? Just how long does it take to walk a few miles? Bring the dragon over to me near the light; I want to have a good look at her."

Tusk guided the dragon under the witch's cold stare.

"Well, now. She is a plump one, considering she was only just born. I think the first order of business is to thin her down; no food for a week. Lets she how she looks then!"

"As for you, Tusk, I think that you should be punished for keeping me waiting so long." Just then a flash of light appeared over Tusk. His back felt like a razor hot poker was being drawn up his back. He screamed and fell to the floor. He tried to reach behind him to see what happened when another bright light flashed and again the pain of fire ran down his back.

The ground shook just then and many things fell off the shelves in the chamber.

"Well now that was fun – give you a slashing and the ground responds with a little shake. I wonder what it would do if I gave your little dragon there a few slashes to match yours?"

"Please mistress...do not strike her...it was my fault we were late. I...I could not keep up with her and I fell many times. She dragged me here as fast as she could run." Tusk stammered.

"Well you were at least honest. But you will also have no rations for a week. Take her down to the lower caves and chain her to the wall with the other animals I have there. I'm sure she and that little red bird of yours will have lots to think about."

* * * * *

Chapter 12:

Tusk did as he was instructed for fear of having the fire pain across his back again. Down the dark stairs and into the stale dungeon they walked. Many creatures were in cages along the wall. Each was in a cage or chains were bound to their feet or hands. Some cried when he entered but after they realized it was Tusk, everyone slid back into their corners. Chains rattled as each one tried to hide away as best they could.

The floor was covered in filth like it had not been cleaned in centuries, which in truth it had not. Somewhere along one wall you could hear water running – but it was so dark you could not see it. The air smelled of death and decay. Some of the creatures were crying. Some were coughing out their last breaths.

Tusk reached a wall where the chain was empty and sat down on the floor. He did not place the dragon in the chain as he was instructed. He knew the witch would not bother them for days since he was ordered to be without rations for a week just like his dragon.

Tusk put his hands on his head and shivered with pain. Algamight saw that Tusk was in much pain and brought her great dragon head to touch his hand. Tusk jumped as if he was being touched by the witch. A few seconds passed before Tusk remembered that they were in the dungeon. Algamight took her wings and spread them around Tusk and he felt warm and safe.

Algamight lifted her head and used her teeth to pull the bloody shirt off Tusk. He flinched as the blood soaked shirt pulled away from his torn seared skin. Algamight inspected his back and pulled her head back down to Tusk, level on the floor.

Tusk had tears running down his face. The pain he was enduring now was greater then any other punishment that the witch had given him so far. Even when the witch had used his fathers sword to slice his leg, he had not felt this much pain.

Tusk was lost in his own thoughts when he heard a soft whisper of something. He looked up only to find the same darkness as before. He knew this place; no other animal or species in here had the gift of speech. He thought that he must be hallucinating with the pain.

But again the dragon touched his hands with her head. As he looked into her eyes – suddenly he was sure he could hear her speaking to him.

"Tusk, as you saved me from the hatching ground, please allow me to heal your back. It will be painful at first because I must touch you. But I promise the pain will quickly fade and you will heal much faster."

Tusk stared back at the dragon. "How can I hear you? I do not understand. I must be going crazy. All these years with the witch, going without food or water for days on end, must have damaged my mind."

Again Tusk lowered his head into his hands. Algamight used her foot this time and pulled his hands away. "I also do not understand how a slave can hear me, but it is true none the less. Only the great royal family should be able to hear us dragons and yet you are a slave just like me."

Tusk realized then what the dragon said. "I am of the royal family. My father was king to this land long before the witch and her army arrived in our kingdom. I was born to the great king a very long time ago – that makes me a royal – that is why we can hear and understand each other."

Suddenly the dragon started making a vibrating, purring sound. At first it was slow and very quiet but it gradually grew louder and louder. Far off, Tusk heard the same sound coming from everywhere. For a brief moment, the ground stopped rumbling under his feet. When the dragon sounds stopped, the ground began to rumble just like before.

* * * * *

Chapter 13:

"What was that? What did you do? The witch will hear your song and I'm sure she noticed the ground stopped shaking. You must not do that! We both will be punished if she figures out that you and the other dragons did that."

"Tusk – please – it is OK. The time that passed during our song was longer to you then to the outside world. We dragons have the ability to slow down time or speed it up based on our needs. We are all born with abilities – each one a little different. We all have our history in our memories and each of us can use our abilities to communicate with others of our kind.

"But why the song?" Tusk rasped.

"It is for you Tusk; you made me sing. It has long been in our memory after each hatching that no royal family members survived when the witch and her army came. We dragons thought you were all lost. We had assumed that we would never have our voices heard again. It is beyond our deepest wish to find you alive. You can not imagine what your life means to our kind."

Tusk looked away. "I'm not sure what I can do for you. I'm old, beaten, and have no strength to help you or anyone."

"But you are wrong. The witch has made you believe this so that you would not rise to defeat her. I can hear in my thoughts that somewhere there is another who is similar to me. He is but a tiny child only just born but within his blood there is a bit of our ancestors. He will come to us when his time is right."

"In the mean time, we must stay hidden and keep our heads low all the while gaining our strength. I can talk to the other dragons now that we have you as our link. Do you know if there are any other of the royal family left alive?"

"I do not know. I had at one time thought there were some left, but that was many years ago. My memory is not what it was and without adequate food or water my strength and my battle abilities are all just memories from ages past."

"My dragon sisters and brothers will search now that we can talk again. I'm so happy I could just sing out to the world."

"Whoa! Best you keep that humming sound of yours under wraps for now."

"Tusk – I must heal you now. As I said, it will hurt – both of us – I must use my blood and lick your wounds in order to heal them. I must ask you – do you have something sharp hidden in this dark place?"

Tusk thought and he remembered that he had a knife that he used to cut up bits of food when he was allowed to feed the animals here. Tusk hurried away.

Algamight took the time to reflect on how things had changed since she broke free from her shell. Far off she heard the man in her dreams cry. He was still a small infant and still cradled in his mothers arms. Time would have to go forward before she would meet this man – but time has no limits when you can control all that is important around you. Hope now filled her heart.

Tusk returned with the knife. "Ok Tusk, are you ready? Take the knife and slice my leg." Tusked gave a jerk. "What? I can not do that – why would I cause you injury? This is crazy."

"I have healed in the past without your help." Algamight sighed. "You are a stubborn man, Tusk. I will heal very quickly and you must have the blood from me in order to remove the curse the witch used to cut your back. Take your hands and wrap them around my legs. You must turn away as soon as you cut my leg. Now do it!"

The great Dragon took her feet and turned Tusk toward her leg. Tusk took the knife firm in his hand and cut deep into the dragon's leg. He threw the knife across the floor and turned his head just as the dragon's head whipped down. Her tongue lapped at the blood flowing from her leg and then reached over his head to his back. She used her scaly tongue to grind the blood into his wounds. Tusk screamed with all the air that was left in his lungs and collapsed. He thought he heard dragon song again as he passed out on the floor.

* * * * *

Chapter 14:

Ely and Wisteria were resting. The ship was quiet when suddenly their son Steven screamed in his sleep. He sat straight up in his bed and began talking. "I will hurry...I know there is not much time...I understand. I will bring the others; do not worry. Yes the hunter is also awake."

"Wake up Steven. Can you hear us? You are dreaming." Wisteria laid her hands on her son's shoulders. "Calm yourself, son. Everything is Ok. It is only a dream."

"What? Where am I? Mom, Dad, what is happening to me? I heard the creature again. She is desperate now. Not much time left. She is in danger. She requires our help right away. I must bring the hunter, Mesquil, with us. He has a part to play in all this. There is someone or something waiting for him on the planet. Only he can save the others. We must go!"

"Steven, we have just arrived on the planet. You have only been awake a short while. You have not taken food or rest properly yet. Please try and calm down."

"Mom, Dad – please! We must go find Aunt Sofia; I think she also heard something just now. It seems that the creatures on the planet can talk with us through our thoughts. There is some connection there that I do not understand. Aunt Sofia will know what to do."

* * * * *

Chapter 15:

Sofia and Roberto returned to their chamber. Finally, all of the ships emergencies had been cleared and the ship appeared to be in order.

"Alone at last we are my husband." Sofia had her hand in Roberto's. They had walked all the way to their chamber from the conference room.

"Yes wife we are alone." "

"I think we should shower then rest like the rest of the crew is doing."

"If that is your wish, my wife."

Sofia smiled and released Roberto's hand. She started to walk to the shower. As she did, it seemed that the clothes she was wearing were slowly disappearing. Each piece faded away or fell to the floor, a path of clothes all the way to the shower. It was as if Sofia had dissolved while walking to the shower.

"Mmmm...Husband, the water in the shower is perfect; perhaps you should join me?"

"Woman, you are wicked. We have been sleeping for 50 years. We were frozen. Your belly is already swollen with my child what more can you ask of me today?"

"I can ask that you join me in the shower!"

Roberto could do nothing but obey his wife. After all he had 50 years of frozen time and he needed a warm shower.

"Husband where are you?"

Roberto had tried best that he could to control his thoughts as he had been removing his clothes. He could hear his wife in the water, splashing. His teeth had pulled free from his gums and all that made him a husband had become alive once again.

Roberto opened the shower door. The fog from the heat of the shower had filled the room. He could just make out Sofia's body. He reached in and found her. "Husband, I think that we should stay in the warm water for a lifetime; what say you?"

Roberto found the swollen belly of his wife and laid his hand upon it. "I think we should allow our child to rest – that is what I think."

"You may say that my husband but the rest of you is saying something different – I can feel you against my body. You are not thinking we should be resting at all."

"What do you expect from me woman. You are standing naked in the shower and 50 years have passed – what would any normal male be thinking just now?"

Roberto kissed his wife. Their arms wrapped around each other. "I can not resist you today, wife, why is that?"

"Perhaps it is the warm water husband?"

"I think we need more space than this shower. Shower off!" Roberto picked up his dripping wet wife and carried her to their bed.

"We will ruin the bed and there are not many of them on the ship."

"I'm sure it will dry out – we will just turn on the HOT shower again and dry the room out!"

Roberto was using his free hand to trace tiny lines down Sofia arms. He traced a path across her belly and then across the top of her breasts. "Are you still worried about ruining the bed wife?"

"More – please! Not worried now!" Sofia panted. Roberto lowered his head to Sofia's mouth. Lightly at first, he traced his mouth across her pink lips. Careful not to nip her as his teeth had stretched to their full length just like the rest of him had. As he kissed her he could feel her legs pull free under him allowing his body to drop in the place that they both wanted.

"I'm not sure if this is such a good idea, wife?"

"I trust you – we – will be careful"

"What about the child tucked inside you?"

"Do not worry husband nothing will happen to our SON."

"What did you say my wife? Sofia was now running her hands down her husband's arms. I said our SON will be just fine with our love making I assure you." After that Roberto lost himself in the pleasure of his wife.

......

Sofia and Roberto rested on their bed. Roberto has his arms around his wife. So much time had passed and yet she looked exactly the same. Roberto found his hand was resting on Sofia swollen belly. A tiny nudge occurred just then as if to tell Roberto that the child knew he was touching it. He had a SON growing in there that is what Sofia had said. A SON? Just how did she know that?

Their lovemaking had worn both of them out and Roberto also found that his eyes could close now with his wife warm and snug wrapped in his arms under the blankets in their bed.

Sofia had fallen asleep first. She was happy and the child in her belly was resting. Her mind however was not resting. She was sure she felt danger. She could sense that someone or something required her assistance but she could not figure out what she needed to do. It was like she was part of the creature below on the planet but that did not make any sense to her. All that she could remember from her past from Armis was that the planet had many creatures on it. Perhaps there is some connection in that but of what Sofia was not sure.

Sofia lay very still so as not to disturb her husband. He was resting now also. His face was at rest. She could see just a hint of a smile on his lips. Sofia was sure that her husband was glad to know that a SON grew in her belly. She was sure he did not understand that knowledge but in time all that would be explained to him. For now she just wanted time to understand this planet and help the creatures below that were in danger.

* * * * *

Chapter 16:

"Tusk you must wake up now. Can you hear me? The witch is coming for us. Please wake up; she will not be happy to see you here with me. You must chain me to the wall before she arrives! Tusk! Can you hear me? Wake up!"

"What...who are you? How did a girl get down here? No wait how did a naked girl get down here?"

"Tusk, it's me, Algamight. I will explain everything after the witch leaves, now turn around and put your shirt back on."

Suddenly a shirt was tossed in his direction and as Tusk raised his arms up to pull the shirt over his shoulders he realized that his back seemed better. He was a little stiff and sore but he no longer felt the burning that he felt when the witch had whipped him.

A soft moan came from Algamight and when Tusk turned around the Emerald dragon was once again standing in front of him.

"Tusk, please put the chain around my leg. Hurry! The witch is almost here now. Turn around let me splash some water on your back and on that shirt it will look like your still bleeding to the witch and with that smell. She will not come near you are me – at least that is what I hope will happen."

The witch strolled into the room. "Tusk where are you? It has been 3 days since I punished you. I need you upstairs to help with an experiment I'm working on. Crap! What is this that I just stepped in? Oh no there goes another pair of shoes. TUSK? I'm getting mad...where are you? Do you need another whipping? I can't see a thing and WHAT is that smell?"

"Coming Master – I was cleaning out the stalls."

"Tusk...finally! Well you look like your whipping went well; still bleeding I see. I think next time you will obey me without question won't you? Now where is that dragon baby you brought down here? How has she done without any food or water for 3 days? Hmmm... she is skinner then I thought she would be."

Algamight pulled on her chain just then and made a whimpering sound.

"I see the creature is learning to suffer right along side of you Tusk. Bring the dragon with you and come upstairs to the main chamber. I have something I want to try on that dragon of yours."

Tusk pulled the chain from the wall and started walking with the dragon up the winding stair case. Thankfully the witch had decided to just vanish and was no longer with them. Tusk noticed the little cage that held the small red bird. He stopped to see if it was ok and it was laying down on the bottom of the cage.

Algamight peered over his shoulder. "I do not think your little bird will survive having so many feathers pulled out. It is cold and drafty down here and you were out for 3 days. I'm sure no one else has given it food or water while you were out."

Tusk reached into the cage and placed the little bird into a bird nest he had built high up on the window ledge. It had a dish for food and water. The sun was just coming in and you could feel the warming rays on the bedding. "There now little one. I will be back in a little while. Eat, drink and get warm. I will see if we can get you healed when we return. The little bird could only turn its head and look at Tusk.

"Ok, dragon, spill the beans! Just what happened in the 3 days since we came down here? I can barely remember getting here. I noticed when you were a naked girl in front of me that you had a long gash down your leg. Sorry, it was hard not to notice that."

"I know Tusk; I was sure you noticed. Do you remember anything after the queen whipped you?"

"Little things – like I remember practically crawling down here. My back felt like it was on fire." Tusk reached behind himself and felt – no pain but the skin seemed to be pulled tight and he felt a little stiff and sore.

"Do you remember what I asked you to do?"

"No dragon, I don't. What did you make me do? How do you think I got that gash along my leg? Kinda matches yours now doesn't it?"

"What, do you mean I did that to you? I'm so sorry! I was out of my head with pain; I would never hurt you! Please forgive me."

"Tusk, hang on. I asked you to cut me. I needed the blood from my body in order to heal you. When a dragon uses its own blood and combines it with our own salvia it makes a healing salve. If a dragon gives this freely to save another person something happens to the dragon. Each instance is different and unique with each dragon. In my case – somehow when I helped you my reward – or punishment, I'm not sure which is the case at the moment – it caused me to become a WOMAN – not a girl as you so bluntly put it earlier."

"Well it was dark and I had been passed out for 3 days without food and water. I thought I was dreaming or something – opening my eyes and there was a naked WOMAN in front of me."

"Listen, old man...let's keep this between us. You do not want to tell anyone that I can change between a dragon and a woman. I'm not sure how long it will last anyways; there is no history of a dragon being able to transform into something other than a dragon."

* * * * *

Chapter 17:

"It's about time you both made it up the stairs." The witch's voice was full of scorn. "Takes you both long enough. I wonder how long it will be until that dragon of yours can fly? That will cut the time it takes me to experiment on her quite a bit I think. Tusk, bring the beast over here near the window. Chain it to the wall. I want to see what happens after I give it this potion."

"Master, just how do you think to give the dragon something to drink?"

"Tusk you have it all wrong! I'M not going to give it the potion, YOU ARE! Force it down its mouth, I don't care – but get it down."

Tusks hands were shaky as he approached the dragon. Algamight pulled on her chain and reached out with her foot at Tusk, stomping it hard. The weight of it made a few vials fall off the shelves behind them. Hurry up Tusk, we are loosing daylight. The potion works best at high noon in the bright sun."

As Tusk reached the dragon he whispered "I'm sorry, Algamight, I must do this. Please don't fight me." Algamight did not wish to see Tusk whipped again as she was sure she would not be able to heal him again. Algamight opened her mouth and hoped that the nasty smelling vial did not taste as bad as it smelled. She was wrong – it tasted worse then it smelled.

As the liquid ran down her throat she started to gag and have spasms. Algamight felt like tiny needles were being pushed into her body. Her wings felt like they were being cut off. She now understood how all her sisters felt when their wings were cut with swords in the hatchery only a few days ago.

"Good – it appears to be working. The potion is designed to cause internal pain to anything that drinks it. I'm working on just how long it lasts, so let's go work on something else for a while and come back later to see your dragon. She can deal with the pain for a few hours. We have to work on the smell. I think you and I will go for a walk in the forest and see if I can locate a few herbs that we can mix into it and make it smell like fruit or something."

* * * * *

Chapter 18:

The witch and Tusk left the room. Just a few minutes later the potion wore off. Algamight felt her body returning back to normal. _The witch is wrong_ , Algamight thought, _she thinks the potion lasts a long time, but for me at least only a few minutes. Perhaps that is because we can bend time. Whatever the reason, she does not need to know I can resist it now._

Algamight was alone in the witch's chambers. A little snooping around would do her good and maybe she could find out where all the other dragons had been taken. Algamight tugged on her chain and realized that she could not get out of the iron bars. _Unless? Guess we'll see just how long this 'whole transform into a woman' thing lasts_.

Algamight thought about the woman she saw in the water in the dungeon. She had long white silver hair – almost to her waist. Her legs were long, and her face was white as newly fallen snow on the ground. Suddenly, without any warning Algamight felt like her insides were being torn apart. At first she thought it was the potion still causing issues but then she realized it was just her body transforming into the woman once again.

Plop! _Well that took care of the chain. I'm guessing my leg, now as a woman, is smaller than a dragon's leg – good to remember!_

Wow drafty...oh yea...point to remember...I'm naked following the transforming. Best not to try that in mixed company. Tusk already had an eye full. Not to worry about him – he is just an old man. Ok, Algamight, keep thinking that – having a naked woman around any man is something to worry about.

Algamight found a cape that the witch had discarded on one of the chairs and put it on. Then she started her search as best she could, always mindful of any sounds should the witch and Tusk return.

Algamight found a notebook on one of the tables and just as she started to open it she heard a noise. She stood perfectly still. As she turned her head toward the door, she realized that the noise was in her head. _A bird chirped...outside the window? Can I really hear that? Great...super hearing...what else can I do. Maybe if I can find the queen dragon she can answer some of my questions_.

Algamight looked through the book and other things in the chamber. She found no hint about the other dragons. She found nothing useful at all. After some time, Algamight realized that she should return to dragon form before the witch came back to inspect her progress.

_Off with the cape...brrr...we are going to have to work on that. Now what did I do in the dungeon. Think. Picture the dragon just like you did the woman. Concentrate._ Algamight screamed this time; the pain of transforming back and forth was not easy to bear.

She heard the door open – just as she was stepping back into the chain.

"Tusk did you hear that? Your dragon was still screaming even after all this time has passed! I think my potion works great now. With these herbs I can make it smell and taste like wine. No one will know when I pour this into their drinks now. What fun that will be to see them all flopping on the floor, screaming in pain. This will make it much easier for the royals to take care of all their enemies. They will be in so much pain, they won't be able to defend themselves" the witch cackled distractedly.

Then she gave a start. "I'm done with the both of you for today. Off with you; take that beast back down to the dungeon. No, wait; take it out to the lake first and give it a bath. That goes for you too, Tusk. You smell about as bad as that beast does."

* * * * *

Chapter 19:

"Steven, are you alright? Wake up son. You were screaming in your sleep. Can you hear me son wake up." Wisteria gently touched her sons shoulder trying to get him to wake up.

Just then his eyes popped open. "Water...lake...cold!"

"What did you say Steven?"

"Nothing...nothing mom – just a dream I think."

"Well you had us worried. We were sound asleep and we heard you tossing and turning so much, you knocked something off your shelf. Then you screamed. It was like you were in pain."

"I'm ok mom, dad. It was just a dream." Steven mentally checked all his body. He felt no pain now, but before he was awake...he felt...needles all over him...he could swear he felt needles.

"Mom? Dad? Do you smell pine trees and water?"

"What Steven? No, we don't...do you?"

"No, I don't, really. It must be the Kryo tube vapor still in the air then...never mind."

"Son you really do need to get something to eat and drink. Your body has been through a lot while we slept for 50 years. Your training and mental exercises that the computer did for you have only helped you so far." Ely tried to rationalize. "You must accept what has happened to you and try and embrace the changes that were made while we slept. I'm sure your head is filled with stories from the computer. I'm not surprised that you are having a hard time adjusting to being awake.

"Give it time. You will adjust soon enough" Wisteria interjected. "Now let's eat and get changed. We are to meet Sofia and Master Roberto in the main docking area soon."

"There were others who were woken up early like you son" Ely added. "I'm hearing stories that they all had dreams while they were asleep also. There must be something going on. It is very odd that you transformed so much. Usually this happens gradually but not so fast. We were not frozen so long that you should have been woken up a grown man – at least in body form anyways."

"What about the others, were any of them infants like I was?"

"A few, yes. They are like you are now – adult in body form without any explanation what so ever. Many of the others also have been having odd dreams. Some woke up saying that their bodies had been injured and many felt as if they were connected to something but did not know what the connection was or to whom it belonged to."

Wisteria sighed. "Steven, you should also know that one of Roberto's species, Mesquil, was awoken too. He thinks it was only the process of our Kyro tubes. His dreams were of being in a great battle with flying creatures all around him. He claims to never have done this in his past so he is blaming the vapor from our tubes – claiming it messed with his mind or something. We have not spoken directly with him only heard stories from others who were around him when he woke up. Seems it took several people to get him calmed down and then only after he had fed on 3 people did he seem to pull himself together."

Ely hesitated. "Even the computer can not understand what happened to you and the others. It has no record of your sudden growth or when exactly all these changes took place. It is like we only left old world Earth yesterday and yet 50 years have passed. If I did not know better I would say that something happened with the time fragment but that is not possible. Even in our oldest record on our home planet – time was only controlled by a few beings – and none of them are part of our original species now so we are all at a loss as to what is going on."

Wisteria broke in, "Enough of this speculation. Steven, let's get dressed and finish our meal. Your Aunt Sofia does not like to be kept waiting long."

* * * * *

## Chapter 20:

"Sofia, love, you must wake up." Roberto traced his hand down his wife chin. His fingers lingered a little longer as they brushed across her red lips. They were still a little swollen from all their kisses the night before."

Both Sofia and Roberto lay on their mattress on the floor – seems they ended up on the floor sometime during their lovemaking. Roberto pulled a piece of Sofia hair across his hands. Dry now, of course, but it was wet last night when they fell out of the shower onto the bed.

Sofia was slowly waking up. Her eye lids flickered once, twice, three times and then open at last. "Husband – I see you are awake now."

"Yes my love, wide awake. You should eat now Sofia it is almost time for us to meet everyone in the docking area. I know you don't typically consume food, but with my feeding upon you several times yesterday and last night – and with the baby growing in you – don't you think that a little food would be in order this time?"

Just then Sofia's stomach made a mad growl as if to answer the question. "Yes, I think you might be right."

"I will clean up. You get dressed and head to the kitchen for some food. I need to go meet with Mesquil; I did not have time yesterday and your needs in the shower outweighed my desire to see him then. So now I must go find him and find out how he is doing. Your computer commented while you were asleep many hours ago that it took 3 people to calm him down and I want to hear what he has to say."

Sofia relented. "Fair enough, you go to the hunter and I will go find something to eat. Meet me shortly at the entrance to the docking area."

"Agreed, my love" Roberto bent down and placed a soft yet passionate kiss on his wife's lips and was gone in the next instant.

Hmm – super human speed – some day that will get you into trouble – just wait and see husband!

* * * * *

## Chapter 21:

Roberto tapped on the door to Mesquil's chambers. Not a sound could be heard. Roberto at first thought that he had the wrong door. His memory was above average and he was sure this was the door number the computer had said his friend was in. Roberto was about to tap on the door again when the door suddenly flashed open and Roberto almost tumbled into his friend.

Mesquil smiled. "Damn technology! I can not get use to this stuff. I like the forest, caves and wild animals better; at least you knew where you stood. Here on this ship...well, weird is all I'm saying...just plain weird."

Roberto smacked his friend hard on the back. "I agree old friend. I think I would also love a long run after some beast rather than wake up frozen in some plastic tube."

"Why are you here Roberto? I would think that you would be with your Sofia somewhere curled up in the bed sheets. Seems that is all you two do, even with her belly already swollen with your seed."

"Yes hunter, that would be a great place to be now but that was last night and my wife needs to sleep and eat sometime. But enough about my wife, I hear that it took feeding on 3 people to get you to calm down before they could talk any sense into you?"

"I woke up from a dream with flying creatures all around me, my sword in my hand. I was in a battle for my life. Then I found myself climbing out of that damn plastic tube over there half frozen and 3 people were holding me. What did they think would happen!"

"Old friend, I wish I could have been with you when you woke. While I did not have a mad dream, I woke frozen and hungry also. I nearly drained my wife dry before I came to my senses. It is a good thing she is something other then a mere human or she would be dead now. Did anyone tell you that you were not the only one to be woken up early?"

"Yes. They told me that several dozen people, including Master Steven, were awoken early. Rumor has it that several went into their chambers as infants and woke up as adults. Is that true or was that just talk among the ships crew?

"True enough, old friend. Steven and a few woke up as young men, well, physically at least. Sofia told me that the computer was in teaching mode while the children slept. Steven has all the knowledge from his people in his head but has not had the time to adjust to being a man yet."

"But let's talk about you Mesquil. I heard you say just now something about a crazy dream. I have heard some of this story from others on the ship but I would like to hear the story straight from the horse's mouth this time. So talk before I have to beat it out of you!"

Mesquil looked past Roberto towards the Kyro tube. "I'm not sure what I can tell you Roberto. It is all kind of foggy. It felt real to me at the time when I was waking up but now I'm not so sure..."

"Continue."

"Well in this dream...I knew I was fighting for the good side...like you and I together in a big battle. I think master Steven was there also – I can't be sure. But I remember seeing your wife."

Roberto grinned. "WAIT HOLD ON JUST A MINUTE – you were dreaming about my wife?"

"Give me a break Roberto. It's not like that...let me finish. There were these strange flying beasts all around us. You will love this – some of the beasts had riders. You, Sofia, myself and I'm assuming master Steven were among them. Steven's father and several others were on the ground in full battle gear, fighting."

"These beasts were creatures I have never seen before, not ever. They were large, with wings the size of half a tree length. They were all different colors, blues, browns, yellows, greens. It was like the sky was filled with colors from everything we have ever seen."

"There was smoke everywhere and it was HOT, I mean REAL hot; like the world was melting or something. The ground had cracks and was shaking and rumbling. Roberto...I was scared. I have never been scared in all my life. I know what I'm capable of and I know I can kill easy enough but this battle...it was worse than anything I have ever encountered."

"There were strangers all around and they were coming toward us but I knew we held a surprise for those who were going to attack us. Just when we were about to get attacked I woke up."

"I'm sure the dream had something to do with being frozen and not eating for such a long period of time. My imagination must have been working overtime."

Roberto shook his head. "Mesquil, you should know that the description of your dream is not unlike some of the details that others have given. Many that were woken up early shared a dream very similar to yours. Each had a little more or less detail, but they all agreed on one thing: a battle was upon them and they all saw the same strange flying creatures in the air."

"Get dressed. It is time to go meet Sofia and some of the others in the docking area. Sofia has said that we should all meet in one place and discuss what the computer has found out about the planet."

Mesquil shook himself. "Very well, let's get going. I'm anxious to see what others have to say about all this strange stuff going on."

* * * * *

Chapter 22:

Sofia was almost finished with her meal in the dining room when she felt the baby move. It was not a normal movement. Something odd was going on. She did not want to worry Roberto but there was something wrong with the baby and she needed to spend some time alone to figure out if the baby was ok. For now, she hoped that the baby was just upset over the odd events of the last few hours. Roberto had taken more blood from her than she expected but not so much to cause any real problems. No, it was more then food or blood loss that was causing the baby to be upset. Sofia returned her empty plate to the food station and headed out toward the docking area.

Her brother Ely and his wife were walking up just as Sofia entered the hallway. "Where is Master Steven?"

"He is ahead of us by a few minutes." Wisteria replied. "He could not wait to catch up with Roberto and Mesquil. He said that he needed to talk with them both about something."

Ely stopped. "Sofia, are you feeling alright? Your color is a little off and...wait...let me count: one...two...three...four; the baby's heart rate is elevated. Have you taken time to meditate since you were woken up?"

Sofia sighed. "No. Not yet. Yes, I know that the baby is having some issues...I can tell. I don't think it's anything to worry about just now."

Ely spoke softly. "Sofia, you know Roberto will hear the baby with his super hearing. He will know something is wrong."

"I know, but what can we do just now? We need to get to the docking station and meet up with the others."

Ely shook his head. "Wisteria please you go on ahead and catch up with Steven and the others. Sofia and I need to take a few minutes and see if we can give the baby a rest."

"Ok husband, I will try and stall them a little while. Remember, Roberto does not like to be put off long and he will come looking for you both soon enough."

Ely took Sofia into one of the empty chambers along their path. "Let's get you seated on the floor and I will try and help you into a trance so we can ensure that the baby is ok. Computer, can you bring the temperature up in the chamber to meet Sofia's requirements?"

"COMPLYING"

"Ely, I'm not sure this is necessary. I'm sure everything is fine."

"Sofia, you carry the heir to our planet in your womb. I think taking 5 minutes to ensure the child's well being is not asking too much."

Ely and Sofia sat down on the floor of the chamber while the room adjusted for them to try bringing Sofia into her birth trance.

"Ok, breathe in...now out...slowly...in...out...slow. Sofia, take my hand. Count with me: one...two...three; feel the baby. Relax and let yourself fade...easy...take it slow."

Sofia closed her eyes and breathed deep for several seconds.

"Sofia, you can transform into your true form now. I will hold you here until you are ready to return. Take the time to bond with the baby – calm the child."

The chamber filled with a bright light as Sofia's form changed.

"Sofia, can you sense anything from the baby yet? You are not far enough along to be able to meditate completely yet but usually the mothers can tell by now how the baby is doing."

"Ely, I was asleep for 50 years and the time that we usually spend bonding with our children was lost to me during our sleep cycle. I'm sure that the baby is trying to adjust to me and all the crazy stuff going on around us."

"Did you let Master Roberto feed too much?"

Sofia hesitated. "Perhaps...I didn't think it was a problem but maybe he took a little too much this time."

"I can speak to Roberto about his feeding habits until you delivery this child. He can take his fill of me or any of the others until we know you and the baby are both safe."

"You and I both know that Roberto will not be happy about feeding from anyone else but me; he will starve himself before he drinks from another person."

"You can't say that for sure; he is devoted to you and this child. You do not give him much credit. I'm sure he will comply."

"Enough of this talk. We can discuss this later after we figure out what is going on with our ship, your son and this planet that we have found ourselves orbiting around." The bright light went out as Sofia's body returned. "Ely, please don't worry about me or the baby. I know I carry the heir to our world in my womb but remember a woman always knows what is going on with her baby. I have rested long enough. I can sense that Roberto is becoming impatient with us. Help me up and let's get to the dock before he comes looking for us and we have to explain what we were just doing."

* * * * *

Chapter 23:

Most of the ship's crew was standing around the shuttle craft when Sofia and Ely entered the dock.

"Quiet everyone – Mistress Sofia has arrived."

Roberto was suddenly at his wife side as if he had never left. Sofia jumped ever so slightly. "Did I scare you wife?" Sofia smiled, "No, I'm not used to your suddenly just appearing. It still gives me pause."

Sofia turned to the others. "Ok everyone. I'm sure you all have had time to refresh yourselves and discuss our recent events. It is true we have been woken from our journey early. It seems that our ship and one of our own, Master Steven, is somehow linked to this planet."

The room was suddenly filled with whispers as many people started talking at once. Ely tried, best he could, to get the group to calm down but nothing seemed to work until Steven climbed up on a table, seemingly lost in thought. In that moment the entire room got instantly quiet.

Ely reached for Steven but Sofia put her hand on Ely and gave him a look that caused him to stop short of touching Steven. "I think he is in a trance. Give him a minute – let's see what happens."

Steven's body was standing on the table in the dock area but his spirit was not on the ship any longer. He felt his mind drift off the ship and down toward the planet. He could feel the wind as it passed by and see the clouds of the planet. As he drew ever closer to the planet surface he recognized the lake that was in his dream.

He landed in a meadow near the edge of the lake. He was in wisp form and yet he could see and smell and hear everything going on around him.

And that's when he heard the voice. "Finally, Steven, it is about time that you found your way to me."

* * * * *

Chapter 24:

The voice came from a beautiful young woman with a pale face and long hair, white as snow and shining as silver. "What is happening to me...where am I...and WHO ARE YOU?"

"Do not be afraid, Steven. I have summoned you across many galaxies and across many time segments. I need your help. You must bring your group down here from your ship. They must rescue the queen dragon and help release our people from their enslavers."

Steven felt confused. "First of all, how could you summon our entire ship here? What did you say about time segments? My father was just talking about time fragments to me. He said it is not possible to bend time this much. There could be side effects."

"Yes, Steven, the major side effect is that I had to force your development from a child into the man you are now. I needed you and your group strong and ready for battle."

"You said something about rescuing a queen dragon...what is a Dragon?"

"We do not have much time to discuss everything just yet. I promise all things will be revealed to you soon. I only contacted you now because I know you are gathering on your ship. Please try and understand. When you wake up back on the ship, tell your Aunt Sofia what I have told you – she will understand. This conversation will trigger a memory I have placed in her unborn child's mind. That message will be transferred to Sofia a few minutes after your return. Both of you will appear to faint but when you wake up, all of what I said will make better sense."

"Now you must leave this place I do not have any more time to explain as my keeper is approaching. Go. We will be together soon I promise." His body began to lift from the surface when the strange woman with white-silver hair touched his face and she was gone.

Her voice became an echo: "Remember, Steven: RESCUE THE QUEEN DRAGON! It is the only way to save everyone here."

* * * * *

Chapter 25:

Steven stood for a long time on the table. Several minutes passed and the room remained very quiet. It appeared as if Steven was safe but he was starting to fade out. Little by little his body transformed into the mist that Roberto had seen before. Ely and his wife both gasped as Steven faded out almost completely.

As Steven's body faded, Sofia fainted. With his super speed Roberto was able to grab his wife before she fell into the floor. "Something is wrong."

Roberto lifted Sofia and placed her on the table near where the mist of Steven was barely visible. Ely and the others gathered around Sofia. She started to fade but not as completely as Steven. Roberto reached out his hand to touch his wife but Ely stopped him short of the touch.

"What are you doing Ely? I have never seen you stop me from touching Sofia. Why start now?"

"Roberto please understand: I think there might be something wrong. Sofia is not feeling well. I tried to bring her and the baby into bonding earlier but we did not have much time to accomplish that task. The time jump and our extended sleep cycle must have altered the way she and her child bonded. When you fed from Sofia after you woke, you took more blood then normal. The draining of her life force along with all the odd events must have done something to her."

Roberto shuddered. "Ely I did not know. Sofia did not tell me that my feeding was harming her or the baby. She kept insisting she was fine. I did not know any different. I'm not familiar with woman and their birth cycles and your species is new to me as you know."

"Roberto it is ok I promise. I checked Sofia earlier and there was no real issue a few minutes ago."

"Then why did she just faint? Look at her. She is fading in and out of her wisp form. That can't be good. It always takes a lot of energy and strength from her when she does that even one time and she has been like this for a few minutes now...this can not be good."

Roberto stopped talking as Ely had turned his attention to his wife and their son Steven, who was transforming back into his human form. Slowly he became more solid and then he was falling onto the table just as Sofia had a few minutes before. Ely was able to catch Steven just as he landed on the table.

All eyes were on Steven and no one noticed that Sofia was also becoming more solid. Sofia reached out her hand and touched Steven and Roberto realized at that moment that his wife was also back to her human form.

* * * * *

Chapter 26:

"Sofia, are you alright my love? Let me touch you now...you are cold...do you need a blanket?" Roberto's voice went from relief to worry.

"Aunt Sofia, what happened?"

Ely cut in. "Steven, are you alright? You transformed into our true nature: our wisp form. This normally does not happen for many years and usually you are aware of this time and there is a ceremony that occurs where some of the elders help you with your first transformation. Your early awakening must have done something to your life cycle and forced you into your first transformation sooner then was expected."

"Aunt Sofia...I must tell you something...it is very important." Steven murmured.

"Steven now is not the time. Your Aunt Sofia just fainted and was in wisp form for an extended period while you were gone. She needs to rest..."

"NO!" Steven's voiced gathered urgency. "This can't wait. Aunt Sofia, I'm to tell you –RESCUE THE QUEEN DRAGON!"

As the words left his mouth and Sofia heard them the baby stirred within her womb and Sofia placed her hand instinctively upon her belly. To the others around her it appeared as if something was wrong. Sofia's belly vibrated and you could see the baby move.

Roberto tried to take command. "Ely, we must take Sofia to the medical center now. Look at her. Something is wrong with the baby. Hurry, help me with her. I can transport her faster if someone helps me."

"Roberto, STOP. Ely, everything is ok." Sofia shoved everyone's hands away.

"What is happening? Is there something wrong with the baby? " Roberto looked into her eyes. "Sofia, I could not live with myself if my feeding upon you caused problems with the baby."

Sofia held up her hand. "Roberto, take a deep breath. I promise the baby is fine...I'm fine. Steven? How do you feel?"

Steven thought to himself a moment. "Actually now that you ask, I feel better then ever!"

Sofia nodded her head. "Same with me: I feel as if I have slept and ate and have had the best renewal that could happen."

But Ely intervened. "Well I don't think we should just take their word for it. Let's move them to the medical center and let the ship have a good look at both of them just to be sure."

Roberto lifted his wife from the table and Ely helped his son, Steven, up and together they all went to the medical center.

* * * * *

Chapter 27:

Algamight stood beside the lake. Cold blue water splashed back and forth, each wave taking sections of the sand off the beach. She was naked once again. Algamight could feel the cool breeze on her bare legs sending chill bumps up and down her body.

Really, I must find a way to transform between dragon and woman without always leaving myself naked. Perhaps next time I should imagine a tunic or something.

Algamight did not remember being at the lake or how she arrived there. Something important happened but was a distant memory that would not come all the way to the surface. It was like having a dream and trying to remember it when you wake up.

The dream did not matter now. She had to change back again to the dragon before she was caught out in the open in her woman form. But Algamight dreaded turning back into the dragon as each time before, it was extremely painful; and then it took many days time before she could transform again. But she knew she must endure the pain once again as she could hear footsteps approaching from the rocky path just above the ledge overlooking the icy blue lake.

Algamight looked into the water and imagined the dragon. She saw it in the water as if she was already turned. She walked toward the lake. Inch by inch the water moved up her body and just as the water was about to go over her head she screamed in pain and fell all the way into the water just as Tusk turned the corner.

"Where are you dragon? The witch will come looking for us. It has been hours. You should have eaten your fill of the wild beast by now and cleaned the blood off your talons. Where are you?"

Suddenly the water in the middle of the lake starting spinning around and around almost like a great wind. Faster and faster the water turned and each time the spinning circle grew closer and closer to the beach where Tusk stood. Tusk started to back away from the waters edge but the water was being pulled inward toward the center of the lake away from the beach.

As Tusk turned to run back up the path the green dragon erupted up out of the lake and landed on the beach. Tusk could see the water glinting off the dragon's wings. There were new markings on the dragon that he had never seen before. White silver streaks were glowing across the center of the dragon's body. The same streaks were on the inside of her wings as well. Perhaps, he thought, it was just the way the sun and water reflected off the dragon scales.

Algamight saw Tusk standing by the beach and she turned her great body directly toward him. As she approached she dragged her talons in the water grabbing water as she skimmed along the surface of the water. With a laugh, she sent the water flying directly at Tusk, splashing water all over him.

"I don't find that's funny at all." Tusk growled. "You nearly scared me to death and I don't have many years left to me as it is."

"Tusk, it is only water, nothing bad. Besides, I think you could use a bath. You are covered in dirt and leaves. You and the witch must have been rolling around out there in the woods!"

"Come on. We have to return to the castle. We have been gone for hours and the witch will no doubt want something before the night is upon us." Tusk started to leave but stopped and turned back to her. "Algamight, have you noticed the streaks that are glowing along your back and wings?"

"What? Where? What are you talking about?" Algamight walked back over to the waters edge and used the reflection of the blue water as a mirror. She turned left, then right and tried to look over her back. Tusk where are the marks you are talking about?"

"Open your wings fully and look again? Do you see them now?"

As Algamight looked into the water she saw the markings. Faint, yes, but white silver lines were forming symbols inside her wings. Each marking was different and each side of her wings had markings. The lines were all connected and running up her long neck and around her back.

"Oh...this can not be good. If the witch see's this you will be punished for sure."

"I did not do anything wrong. Why would these markings cause trouble for me? I'm sure it is just because I'm growing older and more mature. Perhaps these are normal for my species. Since I don't have any reference or knowledge of my family how do I not know that all dragons are covered in these markings?"

"Algamight, I have been a slave of the witch for a long time. Long before her arrival, the dragons flew free around our realm. Many of the dragons that I saw carried these marks. Each dragon with these special markings could do magical things. Some could transform like you have done between dragon and human. Others could disappear and reappear in another area."

"When the others arrived with the witch she took notice of the special markings of the dragons and started capturing them to obtain their power. This is why you don't see any more of your kind out in the open. The witch has placed all the dragons that hatch in a secret place far away from here. No one knows where this place is. Only the witch comes and goes to that place. There are rumors that bad things are done to the dragons as the witch try's to capture their magical essence."

"I think we need to figure out a way to hide your markings. Can you walk back out into the lake a little? I think some well placed sand and mud will hide them. They are very faint now and I'm sure that we can keep them hidden from the witch if we try."

Algamight nodded. "So be it, Tusk. I will allow you to hide my marks for now."

Tusk worked for a little while using the sand and mud from the lake to cover the marks. The sun was beginning to set but was still hot enough to quickly dry the mud. The green scales and the mud blended well together and unless you were standing very close to the dragon you could not make out the markings at all.

"Tusk, I need to tell you something." She hesitated. "I think something happened while you were resting up on the ridge. Did you...see...anything?"

Tusk shook his head. "Nope. I was resting, remember? That means my eyes were closed and I was not watching you. Last thing I saw was a large beast in your talons. You had just landed and was pulling its leg off. I had seen enough so I left you to your kill and I took a nap."

"Why? What happened? Did the beast fight back?"

"No, that's not it. But something...I'm not sure..." His voice trailed off, then he shook himself and spoke in a more certain tone. "Sounds to me like you over-ate again. Every time you gorge yourself you have some kind of memory loss. Maybe I need to put you on a diet again; you are getting a little pudgy around the belly!"

Algamight took her wing and pushed Tusk to the ground and bellowed up to the sky. "Never tell a dragon she is getting pudgy!" Algamight hovered her large talon inches from Tusk's chest. Tusk swayed back. "Ok, ok, I'm sorry! Don't tear me into pieces!"

But Algamight spoke gently. "Come on, Tusk. Climb up on my leg and get up to my head. I will fly us back to the castle. It will take less time and you should see the forest from up here; it is a sight to behold."

As he climbed, Tusk started thinking out loud. "Algamight, I have been thinking we should be prepared for the worst. The witch keeps saying she is expecting guests and that she can't wait to kill them. It is like she is obsessed with these new visitors; thinking like they mean her harm. She keeps trying to find ways of ending their lives but each time she tries something new, it fails. Well, except for today, with you. That drug she gave you lasted a long time and you were in such pain. I'm sorry that I made you drink that stuff."

Algamight circled the lake, each time taking them higher and higher above the pine trees and around the rock cove where Tusk had been napping in the cave.

"Tusk," she said, "that drink the witch made – while it did make me feel pain at first, it faded very quickly and I did not feel any pain after a few minutes. I was able to transform into the silver hair woman while you were gone and I snooped around the chamber."

"But, when we returned, you were screaming in such pain." Tusk's heart ached when he recalled the terrible sound. "I thought you were suffering so much."

"Well yes, I was in pain, but not from the drug." She replied. "Each time I turn between the woman and the dragon I experience pain. I wish I knew how to control the transformation better."

"Perhaps there is someone who could help me, Tusk. Do you think that you could locate my fellow dragons? Among them is our queen. Maybe she could help me understand what is happening with me. I believe I must either choose a form to stay in or endure the pain of going between both creatures. I think only the queen can tell me what to do. You said that the witch took all of the other dragons away and locked them someplace."

Tusk sighed. "Algamight, I'm not even sure they're still alive. The witch said she was having them destroyed. I know that is what she said. But I think there are many among the slaves that still favor the old ways. I think they told the witch they destroyed the dragons but they may have hidden them away somewhere safe."

Algamight straightened her course toward the castle. "I know they are alive as I can sense them. I must find them Tusk. I think our lives depend upon it. I think these visitors must find the dragons and rescue them."

As the words left her beak something stirred within her memory. A man was standing in front of her on the beach by the lake. She was talking with him. She touched his face. She remembered that face: it was the same one that was in her dreams from before. He was older now, more man than boy, but the same person. The memory of the dream came forth faster and faster. Algamight knew now that this strange man would someday rescue her and the other dragons and free them all from the witch.

Tusk yanked her out of her reverie. "Look, Algamight, below – what is that? It looks like a mountain cave but the trees are pulled in front of it. Circle back around...did you see that? A pile of bones – large ones – they look like the beast that you just killed and ate for your supper. Did you eat here before?"

Algamight thought for a second. "No, I did not fly this far. I have never been here before. I was not looking where I was flying and I veered off course. I had something else on my mind. This is all new territory to me. Have you ever been here Tusk?"

* * * * *

Chapter 28:

Algamight circled back around and as she did, she could sense something below; not an animal or prey like the furry beast she had for her supper but something different.

But Tusk spoke up. "We do not have time for this now Algamight we must return to the castle before the witch comes looking for us. If you can remember how to return here we can try and come here another day when the witch will not be watching for us.

"I don't want to leave this place Tusk. I know it is an important place."

"Listen to me, Algamight we must go back. The witch will punish both of us if we do not return soon. You know I can not endure her whip again. I'm not strong enough and I do not want you to be punished either. You are not in control of your human form yet. If the witch shackles you and uses powers on you to punish you perhaps you will transform by mistake and she will know you have magic within your blood. Now is not the time to do this. Better we come another day. Circle back around so you know how to get here again and let's get back to the castle."

Algamight did what Tusk said. She circled around, took notice of the trees and landscape and headed back toward the castle.

* * * * *

Chapter 29:

Below Algamight and Tusk far deep inside the cave that was hidden by the trees there laid the great queen dragon. She stirred from her encasement. Something or someone had woken her. But all around it was dark. Beside her in the stone wall were others of her kind. As far as she could see each dragon was held with a shackle around its leg and locked inside cages.

The great queen, Azual, was covered in mud and blood. Her leg was bloody and torn almost to the bone. You could no longer see her blue scales as the cave was deep enough to shield them from the sun. With out the light of the sun to renew her colors she was now a dull brown. She could no longer transform into the woman of long ago as the lack of sun and food had all but taken away her magic.

All of the other dragons were in the same condition and Azual shed a tear. She had tried to bring someone to help them. She had used much of her remaining magic to search for someone to save them. She thought that she had found that person but that time seemed to be many years ago. Maybe it was just a dream. She was very old now she knew.

After each clutch the witch would bring her back to this place and chain her to the wall. She would be put to sleep and the time would pass for many years. Azual was not sure why she was awake now. Perhaps the witch was coming back for them now.

She knew that she had laid another queen egg at the last hatching but was never allowed to see it. Her daughter, the next queen, was to be hatched. She would be old enough to begin changing between dragon and human form by now. Azual remembered her time of that age. Without proper training and strength she knew her daughter would suffer each time during her transformations.

Soon the new queen will need to go into her egg and be reborn again. Azual and the other dragons always helped prepare the egg that the new queen entered. It was their way. The old queen and her group would create the new egg case and the new queen would enter it for her time of rebirth. Only the dragons knew of this magic and no amount of pain inflicted on them by the witch would reveal that secret.

Azual missed her family. The Great War with the strange people who came and killed all of her beloved people had occurred so many years ago. Azual knew that her family was all killed but she held within her heart the love of the man she left behind. She would never see him again she knew that now but the love of dragon and man never dies until the dragon takes her last breath.

* * * * *
Chapter 30:

"Medical examination complete"

Ely read the results. "Sofia's unborn child has no ill effects. As for Steven, his internal scans show no ill effects. However, his brain scan showed that his mind had some changes as if he had a mental projection inserted into his primary lobe. What does this mean Sophia?"

"I do not know, Ely" Sofia replied. "The computer says that there has been someone tampering with Steven's mind and I'm sure that somebody has been talking with me. I'm sure it is not the computer or one of the crew. It has to be somebody from down on the planet."

Ely shook his head. "That doesn't make sense. No other species outside of our own planet has ever been able to communicate with us. How could this be possible? This planet was not even on our star charts."

"Ely, I'm not sure either. The computer cannot give us the answer. All we can do is make sure there's no ill effect to the ship or the crew and make a decision as to what we are going to do about the planet."

"We should leave the exam room. You know that Roberto will not be waiting patiently in the outer area for us to finish."

"I know, Ely. I'm just trying to decide the best next step."

* * * * *
Chapter 31:

"Finally!" Roberto stopped pacing as Sophia and Ely walked in to the room. "You are done. I was just about to come in there if you did not appear in the next 5 minutes."

"Relax husband. Both of us are fine. The computer did not find any abnormalities."

"Ok...well...that is not logical at all. Both of you just faded to wisp form for several minutes and then fainted. There is SOMETHING going on. I don't care what that soulless machine keeps saying."

"I totally understand what you are feeling, Roberto. Ely and I both feel the same way. It is not normal for our species to change into wisp form like we just did. As for Steven...he should not be able to make his first change until many years from now. It is as if we both were forced into our true forms so that we could better understand our instructions from the planet."

Ely spoke up. "What did you say 'from the planet'? I thought earlier you said that SOMEONE was talking to you and now you just said the PLANET?"

"It is a bit confusing even to me. It is both the planet and someone or something."

Just then, Steven appeared beside his mom and dad. "Aunt Sofia, have you told them yet that we must bring the transport ship down to the planet?"

Roberto's voice rose. "What? We are NOT going down to the planet. We can not do that. Both of you were just controlled by...something...down there. What do you think will happen once we are actually ON that planet? I will not allow you both to be put in such danger."

"Calm down, husband. What Steven was trying to communicate is that we must take a legion of our group down to the planet. Two separate ships to two separate places." Sofia's face took on a pensive look. "I'm not sure why I know that...but I know the exact location that each group must go to and exactly who should be in each group. We don't have much time. I am sure many lives depend on our swift action and our ability to get both groups down on the surface at the same time."

Silence filled the room but it was Roberto that overcame the initial shock and latched on to the implications of what Sofia just said.

"You are crazy wife. There is no way to bring that many people down to the planet at once. It took several trips to transport us from Earth. And if you haven't already noticed, there is now only ONE transport ship available."

That's when everyone started talking at once.

"We do not need the transport ship for the second group of people – that is going to be our weapon we can use to win the fight."

"What fight? You are talking in riddles. I think I need to take you back to our chamber and get you into that bed of ours for some additional rest cycles."

"Do we even have enough for a legion?"

"Excuse me – Excuse me – HELLO!" Steven was standing on a chair in the middle of the waiting area, yelling at all of them now. "Listen to me! I know what Aunt Sofia is saying seems odd, but she is telling you everything that I was told. I was actually on the planet. I was talking with someone. We must get down to the planet before the end of this day or many lives will be lost forever."

"Steven – please get down from there before you fall and hit your head."

"Alright everyone, let's all take a deep breath. Calm down." Ely helped his son down from the chair. "I know the both of you can sense that there is a desperate need to reach the planet. The computer stated that Steven has had some transfer of information via his brain scans. I believe that you both were given instructions but – do we really know if the being that is communicating with you is even working for the good of the planet?"

"YES" – came out loud in DUAL voice as Steven and Sofia both answered at the same time.

* * * * *
Chapter 32:

"Computer, can you tell us what is in the area of the following two locations on the planet?" Sofia entered the two locations from the memory that she had.

"WORKING...Both locations show primitive building structures. One is located deep inside a maze of caves. The other is located among many buildings. The caves do not appear to have many people around them. There are large non-humanoid creatures buried deep in the caves. In the other location there are many human like creatures, armed with battle gear."

"Great, just great!" Mesquil entered the room. "Just what I wanted to hear. See, I told you guys that I had a dream about a battle."

Roberto raised his voice "Listen up everyone; we are not going head strong down into a battle without some preparation time."

Sofia put her hand on his arm. "We do not expect to go down to the planet unprepared, do we, Steven?"

"No Aunt Sofia, we do not. We both have a list of items we need to bring with us...I'm not sure why I know that...but I do. Aunt Sofia, I'm to lead one group while Mesquil leads the other fighters to the other location."

Ely raised his eyebrows. "You both are acting as if the entire battle has already been fought and you know exactly what to do. We have never been here before – you said so yourself. The planet did not even appear in your computer charts. Just how do you both know where to go on the surface, whom to bring with you and what supplies to bring?"

"DON'T KNOW" – came the dual voices again. Sofia tried to explain. "We just know – it really is like we have fought this battle already."

Roberto shrugged his shoulders. "Since you both seem to have this battle planned out ahead of time, spill the details and let's see how well planned out this battle really is."

"Mesquil and his hunters will go to the maze of caves and enter from a hidden rock formation at this location." Sofia was pointing to the computer generated map that had appeared out of thin area above the table. "They will free the queen and her group and bring them to the surface...here near this great lake. There they will clean and feed the beasts and allow them time to heal from being buried inside the caves."

It was Roberto's turn to raise his eyebrows. "Queen you said? Queen of...you just said beasts? Really, wife, I think you must have hit your head or something when you fell a few hours ago. You are talking like it is everyday that you plan a rescue mission onto an unknown planet."

"Roberto, your wife – Aunt Sofia – is telling you what we were told. My group includes Aunt Sofia, Roberto, my parents and a few others. We are to go to the main building area. We are to hide our weapons in this area...here." Steven pointed to another location on the map. We will enter the main building here...in full royal clothing under the impression that we are visiting from another area. We are to allow them to feed and entertain us while Mesquil works to free the beasts from their caves. We are to spend several nights as the guests in the...castle?"

Sofia nodded her head "Yes, it's a castle. The time we spend there will allow Mesquil and his group to locate and heal the beasts. After...3 days?"

She glanced toward Steven who nodded his head and took up the story. "At the end of the third day, we are to appear sick so we're left alone inside the castle. We then make our way to our hidden weapons and rescue the new queen."

"What did you just say?" Roberto was not convinced. "Steven you just said we are to rescue a queen. But Mesquil should have already rescued the queen. Really the both of you need to have your heads reexamined by the computer again. Riddles around and around we go."

"Husband you must trust what Steven and I say. We know this is what happens and how it must occur within the next 3 days. That time is needed to help heal the beast that Mesquil must rescue. Without the beast we cannot kill the evil witch and free the planet from its enslavement."

"Wow – now we are killing witches and freeing planets! All in a day's work it seems!" Roberto's tone edged with condescension. Maybe I should go pour the wine now and celebrate the battle being won!"

"Funny you say wine, husband. That is important. We will enjoy the wine with the witch on the 3rd day – it is what helps us kill the witch and free all those that have suffered at her hand for many years." Just as Sofia finished speaking, her body sagged. Roberto used his super speed and caught her just as she fell toward the floor.

"Enough of this crazy talk! Sofia you cannot even stand on your own two feet let alone ride into battle."

"You are right, husband. Steven, we must allow ourselves time to rest and prepare for the coming days. I know that we are desperate to get to the surface but we must be at full strength. There is only one way we can all be ready – we must teach Steven now how to accept his true form."

Ely blurted out "NO! We are NOT teaching my son how to do that yet. He is too young. You know it takes several of us to do that. Sofia you are not ready either; you are just not strong enough."

"What exactly are the two of you talking about, Ely? Tell me what is it that Sofia is wanting to do with Steven."

"Roberto, in order to ensure that Steven can transform at will into his wisp form, his closest relatives must take him into a trance and go with him into his wisp form. It will take Sofia, me and Wisteria to bring Steven to this state. It is not easy under the best conditions and it often takes many months of preparation time."

"Ely you are correct – and yes, husband there is not enough time to prepare for this training, but I know deep within my heart and that of our unborn son that we will find the strength to do this."

"Sofia, you are asking me to risk you and our son and several others to do this training all for a planet and its unknown creatures. You ask too much from me this time." Roberto did not wish to fight with them and his only thought was that of the safety of his wife and their yet unborn son.

Sofia walked over to Roberto and touched his face. Sofia looked into his eyes. As always Roberto also touched his wife face at the same time. It was their way.

"I could not bear to lose you, wife," he whispered.

"I feel the same husband." Sofia whispered back. "We will be fine – I promise you."

"If I agree and I'm not saying I do...but if I did...when exactly do you plan on doing this training for Steven?"

"IN TWO HOURS" again in dual voice.

"Wow – I really wish the two of you would stop doing that – it is just creepy!" muttered Roberto.

* * * * *
Chapter 33:

Azual, the oldest queen dragon, could feel something deep within her bones. Her daughter was coming of age. Soon she would have to enter the egg casting and be reborn. _If she does not do this soon, her life is in danger._

All of their species would die if the new queen did not come of age soon. Azual needed to be set free from these caves soon. She thought that her message to the strange ship had been heard, but too much time had passed. Perhaps her ability to breach the time fragments had been lessened by the time she spent underground without her beloved sun light. The dragons had always kept their strength through their mate but she was without a mate in her human form; sure that the king's son had died many years ago.

Dragons can usually outlive their human companions by many years, but she was never actually married to her mate; the witch arrived at the time of their wedding. Her mate was not aware of her ability to transform. So much time was lost. Azual had been in communication with the other dragons and they had all used their last remaining strength to summon the strangers on the ship.

_They are coming soon._ Azual and the others had to start preparing the new queen's egg casting. They only had 3 days – a feat that had never been performed before. Usually the old queen had much time to ready the egg casting. But now with the witch and all the lost time, Azual knew that she must complete her final task as the great queen dragon.

Each remaining dragon offered to Azual gifts: feathers, bones from their bodies and blood of their veins to cast the egg. Each one placed their offerings around and around the casting until it was nearly done.

Azual must be the last one to offer her own body parts, binding the old queen to the new queen in dragon form.

Azual used her own talon and sliced a long strike down her leg, allowing the blood to begin flowing. Blue foam came from her veins as she used her tongue to finish the final shape of the egg. With her last remaining strength, she allowed a single tear to flow from her eye and scooped it up and placed it on the top of the egg. As the tear flowed down the surface of the egg it turned into sparkly diamonds. A small hole opened up in the middle of the egg and Azual laid her head down and wrapped her wings and talons around the egg for safe keeping.

Azual called to her daughter: _I give you, my daughter, three days time to come to me. Hurry! You must come or all will be lost!_

* * * * *
Chapter 34:

"Algamight, are you alright? You were thrashing about in your sleep again last night, worse than the other nights." Tusk grew more worried for the dragon each day. "You have not slept well for several nights; each time it appears as if you are fighting something within yourself."

Algamight closed her eyes and shuddered. "I do not know what is wrong with me. I don't feel right. I keep dreaming of someplace that I need to be. It is very important and I must go there soon or something bad will happen. Tusk, you must find a way to get me out of here soon...to the lake. Remember...the strange area...where the bones were at?"

Tusk shook his head. "We can never go there. The witch has been more crazier then normal. Even the other animals can sense the danger. She is pacing about the castle, talking to herself. I think she mixed too many of her potions together or something. She is frantic about visitors showing up here. I cannot get you or myself away from the castle right now. The witch is watching me all the time as if it will be my fault that something happens."

"We must Tusk; you do not understand." Just as the words left her mouth Algamight screamed out in such pain and then just like that the white hair lady was lying naked at the ground at Tusk's feet.

"Oh no! You can not do this now; the witch will be coming in here soon looking for you. Only just this morning she was working on another potion to try an experiment on you. Algamight, can you hear me? You must wake up!" Tusk was bent over the white haired woman when someone touched his shoulder. As he turned, he realized it was the witch.

"Tusk what are you playing with down there? You know how I feel about you touching the other animals. Speaking of animals, where is that great big dragon of ours? I thought you brought her down here last night. What is this...a woman? Where did she come from?" The witch leered at him. "Tusk you are being naughty? How did you get her in here?"

The white hair woman moaned in great pain. The witch went to place her hand on the woman and, without thinking, Tusk pushed the witch away. "Do not touch her witch!"

A flash of light appeared and Tusk was thrown against the wall. Fire appeared on all sides of him and he was trapped with his back against the wall opposite from the white haired woman.

"No! Leave her alone!" Tusk screamed at the witch.

The witch turned toward Tusk and sneered. "Just what do you think you are going to do about it? You can not break free from the fire that I have encased you in. Perhaps I need to bring it a little closer to your skin to remind you of my strength."

The fire inched its way closer and closer to Tusk. He could feel the heat of it. "Stop...please...I beg you!" he gasped. "Kill me! I do not care...just do not touch the woman!"

"How sweet of you, Tusk, to offer your life, for such a little thing as this woman. She must be important to you is she not?"

"Yes...No! She is..."

The white haired woman screamed out in pain once again and changed back into the great dragon. This time her size was much bigger and her silver tattoos appeared all over her wings, chest and neck, bright and shinning for all to see.

The witch turned her head away from Tusk just as the dragon appeared. She called out in a sing-song voice, "I call upon the fire spirits! Capture the dragon/woman! Do not let her free!" The fire left the wall away from Tusk and moved toward the dragon. As the fire enveloped the dragon, her eyes flew open and she pulled from the chain in the wall.

"Tusk! You and the dragon have been keeping secrets from me. Such magic she has. Just how long has she been able to transform between the two shapes?"

Tusk choked on his words as he felt his doom approaching.

"You will answer me Tusk or I will send the fire back to you. This time it will not be as far away from your skin as it was the last time!"

"Leave Tusk alone; it is I you will address! I, Algamight, will not allow you to harm Tusk, or anyone else, any longer." Algamight pulled with all her strength on the chain wrapped around her leg. The metal cracked and gave way, breaking the stone wall that it was nailed to.

"You are strong I give you that," the witch cackled, "but not strong enough to fight the fire that encases you."

"Fire, bend to my will. Bind deeper to the dragon. Fill her with your heat!"

"Stop hurting her!" Tusk screamed at the witch.

The witch turned her head for just an instant as Tusk screamed. "Enough both of you." The witch called upon such power that both Tusk and Algamight were encased in fire; each pinned against the wall with no hope of getting free.

"That will hold you both for now, until I can decided how best to drain the magic from the dragon. Now I know she is the one to give me the final magic I need to take total control of this planet."

The witch began pacing. "They are coming now! You both stay put. I must get everything ready for our quests...what fun we will have! I know they will want rest and entertainment. And then, just when they least expect it, I will give them our potion, Tusk." She reached for a jar and a handful of herbs. "The one that made your great dragon scream in pain for hours! They will writhe in agony! Then we will attack them and we will have our victory!"

As the witch left the room Algamight used her strength and called out to the man in her dreams. _Please you must come soon we are in great trouble – we need you – please hurry!_

* * * * *
Chapter 35:

"Steven, are you ready?" Ely entered his son's room with Wisteria. "You did not rest at all in the past hour. I know you tried but you must have been having dreams because you cried out from your room many times."

"I'm ready father. I could not rest...you are correct. Time is slipping by and I'm needed. I dreamed of the woman again. She is in trouble. I must get to the planet soon."

"Alright Steven, we are ready also. It is not often in a parent's life that they get to see their children come of age. You are doing so sooner than most. It is hard on us to see you rushing into this task so soon."

"I know, dad. I am sorry that I must put you and Aunt Sofia through this now but many others depend on me and it must be done quickly."

"Computer – locate Mistress Sofia."

"She is in route with Master Roberto."

"Steven, get changed. Sofia and Roberto will be here in a few minutes. Computer – can you bring the lights and temperature to the correct settings for our right of passage ritual?"

"Working...Mistress Sofia is at door...allowing entry."

Sofia and Roberto walked in, arms entwined. "Ely, are you all ready?"

"Yes sister, I think we are."

Sofia turned toward her husband. "Roberto, we have allowed you here because you are part of our family and Steven wished for you to witness his right of passage. But you must promise me that no matter how much time passes, or what you see, you cannot interfere with the process. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Wife, I understand."

"Computer – begin"

A silver light appeared in the chamber that formed a circle around Steven, Ely, his wife and Sofia. The light had many patterns around it and shapes that Roberto had never seen before; they looked familiar but different. The cave markings from his elder back on old Earth looked very similar. He made a mental note to discuss this with Sofia at a later date.

Sofia gestured. "Steven, please take your place in the center of the circle of light."

When Steven entered the circle the room grew darker and much colder. Roberto could see his breath and even with his special eye sight it became difficult to see.

Sofia, Ely and Wisteria began to chant in a light tone, almost too soft for Roberto to hear. They were repeating something over and over, each time shifting positions within the circle but always around Steven.

Roberto watched closely as each of them became lighter and lighter, changing into their true wisps forms. Steven was not changing at all; he remained his solid self.

Roberto saw that Sofia, Ely and Wisteria took each others hands and touched the light above Steven and as they did, Steven began to fade like he had before, in the dock, but faster and more transparent.

Suddenly all of them were gone – vanished! Roberto panicked. He stood up only to find that the computer had put up a force field around him.

"Sorry, Master Roberto, but you promised not to interrupt Sofia. I am complying with the mistress' wishes. You will not be released until they are finished."

"Damn computer...let...me...free!" Roberto fought against the invisible barrier to no avail. He was trapped while his beloved wife had vanished into thin air in front of him. Roberto let out a wail unequal to anything he had ever felt before. Still the computer held him tight.

"Please I beg you release me so that I can help them."

"No need, Master Roberto – watch."

Suddenly – as if by magic – all of them reappeared in the circle of light. The invisible wall around Roberto faded and he rushed over to the four of them just as the light disappeared from around circle. Roberto was able to catch Sofia and Ely and Wisteria caught Steven as he collapsed onto the floor.

"Sofia can you hear me? Wake up! Please do not let anything happened to her I beg you!" Sofia's eyes fluttered once, twice and her hand went to Roberto's face.

"I am here my husband. Steven...is he Ok?"

"Steven you must wake now; you are done. Can you hear us?" Ely held his son in his arms – his boy who it seemed was born just a few days ago. Somehow the child had changed during the time in the circle; his son's body and face had aged. He was a man now, strong – older.

"Father! Mother!"

"Yes, Steven, we are here."

"We did it! I can feel it. I am strong enough now to rescue the queen."

* * * * *
Chapter 36:

"Mistress, the hunter Mesquil has appeared at the door. Do you wish to allow entry?"

Sofia eyed her husband. "Roberto, what did you do while we were gone in the circle?"

"I'm sorry, wife. I did not know what was happening and the computer had encased me in some confinement so I called for Mesquil."

"Very well. Computer – allow entry before he breaks down the door."

Mesquil burst through the door. "Roberto – Sofia are you alright? I came at Roberto's call."

"We are fine Mesquil." Sofia patted her husbands face. "Roberto did not understand the process and became upset when he saw us vanish."

Mesquil stared at the boy. "Well...Steven...look at you! You are..."

"A man now" Steven interrupted. "Yes Hunter, I am ready to rescue my queen."

"Your queen now!" Roberto chuckled. "Well 5 minutes vanishing in a circle of light and all of a sudden you are ready to rescue queens on unknown planets."

Mesquil smiled. "Roberto I think I would like to try this circle of light myself sometime!"

"I think not hunter." Roberto shook his head. "It is not something you would enjoy. It is for others who enjoy vanishing into thin air."

Mesquil turned to Sofia. "The others are waiting in the shuttle bay. I'm not sure how we are all going to fit into the one ship but as you instructed, Sofia, we are all ready to go. The equipment has been brought to the room as well."

Sofia turned to Ely. "Are you ready to depart for the planet now? Or do you all need to take a few minutes to refresh your bodies before we depart?"

Wisteria spoke up. "Steven? Are you ready or do you need some more..."

Steven cut her off. "NO! I'm ready...the sooner the better. My queen...she is in trouble as we sit here. I must reach the surface soon."

"Ok, well Sofia, can you stand yet?" Roberto held his wife while she pushed her self up from the floor. She seemed different as well. As Roberto looked her over he sensed something odd...a voice...no, not a voice...a presence. Not that either...something. Then he noticed the newly enlarged belly of his wife.

"WHAT is going on now?" Roberto placed his hand on the larger swollen belly of his wife. "Sofia what just happened? Five minutes ago your belly was hardly swelled with our child and now – look at you!"

Sofia reached her hand down and touched her belly all the while with a smile upon her face. "My time in the circle with Steven has advanced our child, Roberto." She cocked her head. "Not what I was expecting, either, but still...it has happened."

"Ely, look at your sister!" Roberto's hand was still on her belly. "She is in no shape to be going to a strange planet...perhaps into battle...with her belly swelled near to exploding."

Ely's hesitated as he stared at Sofia. "I have never seen this quick of advancement in child development. Perhaps Roberto is correct this time...you should stay with the ship, Sofia."

"NO! The both of you! Stop treating me like I'm sick. The child is fine, I'm fine, we are all fine! It's as if no one has seen a woman with a child in her belly before."

"Easy wife...we are just saying that your stage of development has changed that is all. Can you at least take a few minutes and allow Ely and the computer to scan you to make sure you both are able to travel?"

Ely took control. "Computer – set up medical scan for Sofia and child we will be there shortly."

"Complying!"

They all walked to the clinic where Sofia laid down on the exam table.

"Working...scanning Sofia...scanning child."

Roberto drummed his fingers. "I hate this thing – your computer – it talks to you like you are part of it. It makes me uneasy knowing that it somehow shares your thoughts."

"Roberto, it is just something different then you are used to." Sofia rolled her eyes. "Please do not worry for me. I'm sure we are fine. I can tell."

"Well let's just wait and see what the computer says."

"Scans complete."

"Ok, good. Computer – return scans."

"Sofia is in excellent shape; healthy a little rest and food are advised, but otherwise in good shape for delivery of child."

"And the unborn child?" Ely asked.

"He is growing faster than normal...however, all scans indicate normal development. He is showing some unusual patterns in his teeth structure, similar to Master Roberto's scans."

Roberto's fingers stopped drumming. "What do you mean similar to my scans? When did that computer scan me?"

"I'm sure while we were in our frozen sleep for 50 years. Each of us was monitored by the computer to ensure our health and safety." Sophia tried to placate her husband.

"What does it mean ready 'for delivery of child'? You should have many months left. Computer – can you calculate Sofia's expecting delivery schedule based on most recent scans of unborn child?"

"Working..."

Roberto's fingers restarted. "Have I said how much I hate the computer?"

"Yes husband you have many times and give it a few more minutes."

"Completed...Sofia will deliver her child based upon most recent scans within the next few days."

Roberto exploded. "WHAT!!! Ok, that's it. You are not leaving this ship. You are about to deliver OUR child and I have told you the stories of how our species is born. I have seen how you bring your species into this world. Sofia, you cannot leave this ship this close to the delivery."

"Calm down husband. Wow! Hunter, can you take Roberto out of the room for a few minutes? I need to discuss something with Ely and Steven."

Roberto shook his head. "It's doesn't matter, wife. You know I can still hear you even in the other room so talk now."

Sofia got up from the medical table and walked over to stand next to Roberto. She could not get as close to him as she liked because her belly pushed between them. "Husband, please clam down. I wanted to discuss with Ely and Steven something I'm sure Steven is about to ask me anyways."

"Yes Aunt Sofia, you should tell him...I agree."

"Both of you stop talking like you share every single thought – I'm already freaking out and having you both do that – well come on!"

"Roberto, Sofia and I were told that the child in her belly is the key to saving the planet. He must be born on the planet."

"WHAT! You are both joking! When did you know this?"

"Steven and I were told the baby was important when we both fainted in the docking area."

"Yes – but... what are you saying. You need to go to the planet now in order to deliver the child and fight in a battle and save the two queens and free the other wild beasts?"

Roberto could not stand any longer. He just sat down on the chair and stared at everyone looking at him. "Am I the only one who finds this whole idea just a little bit crazy? Sofia, the child you carry in your belly is half my species and half yours. No one – not even that stupid computer of yours can predict what will happen during your delivery."

"You are correct, Roberto, the computer has told me the same thing." Sofia replied.

"Then why would you risk killing the child and yourself to save this queen and this planet?"

"Actually, Roberto – correct me if I'm wrong Steven – but the queen beast has told us that she can bring the child into the world without risk to me or the child." Sofia turned to Steven. "Do you have the same feeling?"

"Yes Aunt Sofia – I believe the same as you – that the birth of the child will happen on the planet and his birth will save the planet."

"I do not know what you wish for me to say, wife. I have all the instincts of a fighter – but when it comes to you and our yet unborn child, my first thought is always for your safety. In the past I would not think twice about jumping head first into a battle such as the one we are sure to encounter on the planet. You and Steven are asking all of us to take it upon faith that we would be doing the right thing by allowing all of us to go down to the planet and walk into a situation where some of us may not return."

Roberto turned toward Ely. "Ely can you not talk some sense into your sister? She carries the child that for your species is set to be the king of your planet when he is born."

Ely shifted his feet. "Roberto, I understand the feelings that you must be having for the safety of Sofia and the child. You must also understand that I feel the same trepidation about sending my only son down to this planet. Steven has already been linked up in mind with the beast on the surface. Both Steven and Sofia have already experienced near collapses after their connections as well."

He faced Sofia. "Sofia and Steven, I will ask you both again. For the safety of the unborn child and the rest of the crew: do you truly believe that no harm will come to us if we following you both to the planet surface?"

"YES" – once again in their dual voices.

Ely took a deep breath. "Roberto...I see no other choice then we must do the best we can to protect everyone that comes with us. Hunter Mesquil, have you sent all of the weapons and shields down to the shuttle yet?"

"Yes Ely, all is ready for our departure."

"Hold on. I seem to recall that we are supposed to depart for two separate locations on the planet, yet we only have one shuttle. How, exactly, do you plan on accomplishing that task?"

"EASY" – again in the dual voices.

Then just Sophia's voice: "Computer – have you done as I asked and started the separation process for the second ship?"

"YES – COMPLETED - second ship in working order and ready for instructions."

Roberto hesitated. "What second ship?"

"Roberto, do you not remember when the second ship arrived at your home world? When we brought the old ship that carried Ely and his family up out of the ground. When we reached the orbit of your planet the two ships combined to make our current ship?"

"No...yes...I think I do remember."

"We asked the computer and the ships to once again separate so that we can use the other ship as a shuttle to help bring us down to the surface of the planet. Hunter, take your group and go to the shuttle craft in the docking bay. Stand by for our countdown for departure. Roberto, Steven and the rest of my group, follow me. I will take you to the other section of the separated ship."

* * * * *
Chapter 37:

"Algamight...can you hear me? Are you alright? The witch has left us for while now. You must wake up." Tusk watched as the great dragon changed between her woman and dragon form. Hours seemed to pass and each time the screams of pain seemed to grow as each shifting cycle occurred.

"Algamight, you must try and hang on. It is growing dark again outside. Your strength will not return until the sun rises once again in the morning." She seemed to be staring at nothing.

"I saw two flashes of light in the sky just a few minutes ago. I think that this planet is going to explode with all the power that the witch is using to hold us both here. I can hear outside that the witch has ordered her troops to go and research what the lights were in the sky. She seems to be occupied with locating the cause of the lights. She has left the castle now." The white haired woman turned her head slightly toward him.

"Algamight...are you listening to me?"

"Yes...I can hear you." Her voice was weak.

"You are awake – that is good. You have stopped shifting between forms for a while now. How do you feel?"

"Not good...it is like...my insides...being torn apart. My body...does not know...which shape to hold. I cannot continue shifting between forms...much longer. I believe...I must choose a form...or...die.

"Algamight! Look. The fire that has been keeping us pinned to the wall appears to be growing weaker as the sun sets. Can you get free yet?"

"No...each time I try...the fire burns closer...to my skin...I risk further injury if I...keep fighting."

"Algamight, when you are in dragon form, your scales seem to be able to tolerate the heat much better. Can you try shifting one more time and see if your dragon form can break free of the fire?"

"I will try." She shuddered. "Tusk...I'm not sure what will happen...once I shift into the dragon form again...I may not be able to turn back to the woman again. Promise me...if I shift and cannot return back...you will take me away from this castle...back to the hidden place we found...around the lake." Her eyes seemed to focus on him. "Do you promise?

"Yes, Algamight – I'm not sure that these old legs can save us – but I will promise you I will use my last breath saving you."

"What is that noise? Tusk, can you see outside the window?"

"Partly, it is dark but there is a lot of movement in the shadows at the gate entrance."

Light appeared. They both heard the Witch call upon the planet and it gave forth it's magic and lit all the torches along the main path from the castle and the front gate. Her voice came from below. "Send the troops down to the gate. There are guests arriving; we want to make sure they are welcome!"

Tusk nodded to Algamight. "I believe that the visitors that the witch has been preparing for have arrived. She will be focused on them now. We must try and break free – can you shift yet?"

Algamight breathed in and concentrated – but the pain that ripped through her body when she tried to shift into the dragon was too much for her to bear and she passed out once again on the floor. Tusk could only look at her and hope that she had not died in the attempt.

* * * * *
Chapter 38:

"Welcome to the castle of the witch Kvony and her clan. You all may enter. What brings you to our realm this night?" The witch could act the gracious host when she needed to.

"We are from a distant land on the other side of this planet." Roberto gave a slight bow. "We have traveled for a long while to reach your great castle."

"I see there are many in your party."

"Yes we are many – but we need only rest for a few days. We wish to continue on with our venture."

"You are most welcome here for a few days. I see that your woman is heavy with child. I'm sure after your long journey that you wish to rest; tomorrow I will offer a feast to you and your guests in the great hall. But for now, allow my servants to bring you to the bed chambers for the night. Take your rest and we can discuss your venture more tomorrow."

"Yes, that would be most appreciated."

The witch turned to her servants. "Bring them to the top floor sleep chambers – I'm sure they will be most comfortable there for the remainder of the night."

Roberto, Sofia, Ely, Steven and Wisteria and a few of the other hunters that Mesquil had sent with them climbed the winding stairs farther and farther into the castle. The servants that the witch sent to escort them did not utter a single word. You could not see their faces; they were garbed in dark capes.

In a low voice, Roberto spoke. "Sofia – are you alright? The trip in the ship was not easy for you, I know. I could tell that you and Steven used a lot of energy navigating the ship down to the surface."

Just then Sofia missed a step on the stairs and Roberto had to catch her before she fell.

"Hold up...wait...please."

"Do you wish for me to carry you the rest of the way?"

"No I do not husband, it is dark in this place. Your eyes are better suited to the darkness then mine that is all. If you could take my hand lead the way, I think I will be fine."

Roberto called to the servants, who had gone ahead a ways. "Servants...please...do not walk so fast; we cannot see the stairs well and we are tired from our journey."

No acknowledgement came from the hooded servants – just a slower pace when they started climbing the stairs once again. Up and up they climbed. Sofia was exhausted when they finally reached a section of doors. The servants opened a few doors as if they were to enter the rooms.

Roberto whispered. "Stay together as much as possible we do not want to be far away – in case we get word from the hunter that we are needed at the other location."

The servants left them. Roberto and Sofia took one of the rooms and Ely, Steven and Wisteria took the other. The rooms were connected with a joining door that Ely discovered and they could easily see each other.

The rooms the witch had given them were large. Old furniture was placed on various walls. The bed in the room with Roberto and Sofia was huge. It had four wooden posts each carved out of massive trees. Roberto scooped Sofia up and carried her to the bed and laid her down.

"Sofia, you must rest now. You are growing whiter and whiter." Roberto called to the other room. "Ely come here. Can you check over Sofia – she does not look well at all."

Sofia shook her head as she climbed onto the bed. "Leave me be, the two of you. I'm alright – just tired. I'm doing much better now that I can lay down."

"Forgive me wife if I do not take your word for it this time. Ely bring our equipment here. I asked that a medical transceiver be placed in our equipment. Ely you know how all this stuff works – can you use it to check Sofia out?"

"Yes my friend. You go in with my family and let me check my sister out. We will not be long I promise."

* * * * *
Chapter 39:

"Mesquil, we have landed at the location that Sofia and Steven programmed into the computer."

"Very well – gear up. Bring all the weapons with you that you can carry. Bring the communication device that Sofia sent with us as well. I do not wish to be out of range with them when we depart the ship."

"Computer – scan area for life forms."

"WORKING – confirmed. Life forms are beneath the surface a few miles to the east of our location."

"Do you detect any other life forms on the surface?"

"Yes. A mass of troops appears to be heading to our location from the west."

"Very well – let's get off this ship and get it hidden before the visitors arrive."

"Mesquil, everyone is ready."

"Good. Everyone stay close together and well hidden among the trees. We will use the cover of darkness to try and stay hidden long enough to reach the area that the computer said the life forms were located. Move out."

Mesquil and his group used their super speed and abilities to bend the darkness to keep them under cover. Even fully loaded in battle gear you could not hear or see them unless you knew they were there.

The ship had shifted into its transparent state and the shadows of the night cast many reflections on its haul so that no one would suspect that a large ship was laying on the ground near the edge of the great lake.

"Mesquil – we have a report from the scouts that they have found the section of rock and trees that appears to be the entrance to the maze of caves the computer had located."

"Tell them to hold up there. Let's try and reach Roberto and Sofia before we enter. According to Sofia and Steven, our entrance down in the caves and their meeting at the castle must be timed so that we can accomplish both tasks at almost the same time. I myself do not enjoy all this waiting about. But I trust in Roberto, and he trusts his wife, so we will wait until we have the word to enter."

After some time, Mesquil spoke up. "Send a group of scouts behind us and keep a watch for those approaching troops. We can stay well hidden at night, but it looks the days and nights are shorter on this planet. The sun is already rising over the ridge above us. Everyone take cover under the rocks and trees and stay hidden."

"Sofia and Steven will contact us when the timing it right to enter the caves. Have the charges set and in place, ready to detonate and blow the entrance to the cave when I give the word. We may be able to stay hidden now, but once we blow up those rocks, the noise will give our location away to those troops looking for us. Set up a perimeter around the cave entrance and set traps – we need to make sure that we can get down in the cave and free the beasts before those troops reach us."

"Very well, Mesquil, we will be ready."

* * * * *
Chapter 40:

"Sofia, can you hear me my wife? You must wake up." Roberto touched his wife's face. She was so still during the night. Ely and Roberto kept a close eye on her as she slept. She did not move much during the night but as the sun began to rise she seemed to be more and more restless.

"Sofia – listen to me you have slept for many hours. Already, the sun is past high noon on this planet. We must contact Mesquil soon."

Ely glanced up at his son. "Steven you must sit down. You have not slept all night long. This pacing about the room is not going to help matters any at all."

"Sorry father. But there is something wrong. I can feel it in my bones. I'm very close to her now."

"Close to whom, son?"

"The woman in my dreams father...she is here, somewhere in the castle, I know it. She is in trouble! I can sense her fear and pain. It comes and goes as if she is awake and then asleep again. When she wakes she is in such pain that it is almost unbearable for her now. I can feel her frustration. She wishes to be set free. I do not know what that means but she is here father. I must try and find her."

"Steven you cannot leave this room without us, and Sofia is not yet awake. You must wait until we can leave this room together. Your aunt is not doing very well at all. I have not told Roberto yet...she is in labor with her child now. Sometime during the night hours she begins her process. Roberto will sense it soon enough – I do not know if Sofia will be able to leave this room, once she goes into her full birthing ritual."

"Ely?"

"Roberto?"

"You do know that I can hear you."

"Oh...yes...sorry."

"When were you going to tell me about Sofia?"

"I know, Roberto< I am truly sorry. Sofia made me promise not to say anything to you for the night. She needed her rest and she says that it is very important that you rested as well."

"Did you give her something to make her sleep last night? I cannot seem to get to get her awake."

"No, Roberto, I did not give her anything. It is our way during the birthing process: She will sleep for a period of time, then wake, rested. She will have some time after she is awake that she will be at full strength for a few hours."

"After that we must find a place to help her bring the child into this time fragment. Do you remember what we did to bring Steven into this world?"

"Yes, I remember."

"We must do the same for Sofia and your son. She will know when the time is right. Until then, we will wait."

"Mesquil has contacted us. He is in place at the cave entrance. Everything has been made ready. Mesquil reports that they have been followed by other troops but as of yet not been found out. He expects his location to be found once they blow the cave entrance with the explosives. He has sent some of the other hunters to guard their backs while they wait for us to give him the word to enter the caves."

"Very well, Ely." Roberto gazed at Steven. "All is set then."

Roberto walked back into the other room and sat down on the bed beside his beloved wife. He placed one hand on her cheek and the other on the swollen belly where his son lay waiting to be born. "Sofia...do not leave me in this place without you. I could not bear to live in this world without you and our son. Please do not leave us waiting much longer."

Roberto must have fallen asleep because it suddenly dawned on him that the sun was lower than when he had entered Sofia's room. He felt a hand on his cheek. "Husband so you are finally awake I see."

"Wife...I might say the same about you. It is good to hear your voice my Sofia – you have been asleep for some time. How is our son doing?"

Sofia placed her hand along with Roberto's on her swollen stomach. "See for yourself. What do you feel?"

"What was that? Our son is moving about like he is already free from your womb!"

"Yes he is. He is tired of being kept inside my belly. He will be with us soon." Just then, Sofia's stomach growled.

"Wife, it also sounds like you need to take some nourishment. Wait...do you hear that noise?"

"What is it, Roberto? You know that your hearing is better than the rest of us."

"Someone is coming up the stairs." Roberto raised his voice slightly. "Ely, Steven, Wisteria come into the room please. We are about to get company."

No sooner had the others come into the room when a lone servant arrived: a tiny, frail looking creature. You could not tell if the creature was female or male. Its voice was so tiny and it was covered in a dirty cape that appeared to have never been washed.

"The witch wishes you to join her in the great hall for our evening meal. Please follow me now. She does not like to be kept waiting."

"Sofia, can you stand on your own yet?" Roberto asked.

"Yes...I'm much better now. Do not worry for me and our son."

The servant frowned to itself. "Follow me please, now."

Down the winding stairs they descended. Around and around they went. Finally they reached the bottom of the stairs and the servant walked across the great room and opened up large massive carved doors. Each door was deeply engraved with creatures that none of them had ever seen. Inside the room were rows and rows of tables and chairs.

A large animal hide rug lay in the middle of the floor. Roberto had never seen such a large hide before. All the while he and the hunter lived in the jungles on his home planet never did he see such a creature so large as the that one.

Only one table was set with food and drink. The witch sat at the head of the table and stood when they entered the room.

"Welcome guests! Welcome. Come sit, eat, drink. Tell me what brings you to our castle this day."

Roberto and Steven sat at the outer edges of the table and let Ely, Wisteria and Sofia sit in the middle. They sat across from the witch.

Steven's fingers started drumming the table. Ely reached over to his son and whispered to him. "Calm down son – we do not wish to give anything away to this witch too soon."

"I am trying father. The woman in my dreams...she is also awake now. She is in much pain father. Her pain is now my pain and I can feel as if a fire is burning across my skin...even as we sit here."

Ely touched his son's hand. "Easy son, remember why we are here. We must take our time and ensure that Mesquil is ready. Eat and drink something – you will feel much better."

"I am the Witch Kvony. I rule here. Why have you come to my castle this past night? Did you see the flashes of light in the night sky? Is that why you are here?"

Roberto spoke in a loud demanding voice. "YES. We saw the lights and came from our land to try and locate what the lights could be. We got lost during the night and were glad to have found your castle when we did."

"Many travelers have come to this place lost. I am not surprised that you found your way here."

Just then the walls of the castle shook and glasses and bowls fell away from the table and walls. For a few minutes the room shook and grew ever hotter. Then, just as suddenly as it started, it stopped.

"What was that?" Ely spoke first.

"Do not concern yourselves with the ground shaking. It happens all the time here at my castle. It is not important."

Under the table where Ely held his son's hand, he felt Steven grip his fingers so tight that he thought that his hand might be broken.

Ely leaned over to Sofia and Roberto. "I do not think we can wait much longer. Steven is more connected to the woman in his dreams now. She is here. Somehow when the shaking started it affected both of them. We are running out of time my friend."

"Very well, Ely. Roberto, it is time. Ely, open up the communication with the hunter – send him a message to wait 5 minutes then blow the cave entrance and proceed to the locate the creatures."

* * * * *
Chapter 41:

Roberto smiled. "Witch Kvony – let us pour our wine together and drink in celebration of your castle then."

"Yes let us drink – pour our guests their wine." The witch waited patiently as the servants poured wine. Then she raised her glass. "To your arrival and safe journey home then!"

Everyone tipped their glasses and drink the wine...everyone except the witch, of course. She knew that her poison was laced inside the wine bottles. In a few minutes, her guests would be laying on the floor in such pain and she would have them chained and in the dungeon soon enough.

Sofia, Ely, Wisteria and Steven all drink the wine. Ely could tell something was in the wine but it did not worry him. Sofia, too, tasted the strange substance within the wine.

Sofia nudged her husband and whispered "Now, Roberto. We must appear to be all stricken ill with the wine – we do not have much time."

All of them appeared to fall ill. Guards entered the room and surrounded the guests. The Witch stood at her table, laughing out loud. "Finally – it is good that all my hard work has paid off!"

The Witch reached over and pulled the hair of Steven up so that his head was above the table. Ely held his son's hand tight under the table. He knew it would not take much to provoke his already angry son.

"Look at you now – not so proud are you? Guards! Remove these creatures. Take them below to the dungeon."

Just as the first guard laid his hands on him, Roberto swung around and tossed him against the wall. Ely let go of Steven, who grabbed the witch's wrist, jumped up on the table and threw himself over top and landed fully upon the witch on the floor. Ely, Wisteria and Sofia used their hidden swords and finished off the remaining guards.

The witch started chanting in whispers and soon the ground began to shake again.

"Let me go...you cannot stop me. I call upon this planet...you should not be able to move! I saw you drink the wine! I know myself it has been tested.

Steven held the witch with all his might. The ground shook and shook and still Steven kept the witch pinned on the ground. The others came around to the middle of the floor where Steven and the witch lay.

Steven snarled. "Where is the woman, witch? You will tell me or so help me you will not see another sun rising!"

"I do not know what you are talking about." The witch raged. "Let me go!" The walls of the room were breaking and wooden beams and rocks were falling all around them.

Sofia spoke. "Steven we do not have much time."

"I know the woman is here." Steven was clearly frustrated. "I can sense her."

Sofia walked around to face the witch. She sat down and took the witches face in her hands. Roberto reached over to stop her just as Ely went to stop Roberto.

"Wait! Roberto, do not touch Sofia. She will try and read though the witch's mind to locate the woman. Do not interfere with her now."

Just then, more troops entered the room and Roberto, Ely and Wisteria turned to face them.

As Sofia touched the witch, the ground stopped shaking. The troops stopped their approach as if they did not know what to do.

"Stop touching me, woman! You will die, I tell you!" The witch was becoming frantic. "I will kill all of you...kill them! I command you as your witch, strike them down!"

But the troops stood unmoving.

Steven's voice took on a dangerous tone. "Listen to me, witch. We have come to free the planet and the beast that you have enslaved here. You are holding a woman here within the castle; where is she?

The witch would not break easily. "I do not know what you are talking about. There is no one here."

Steven squeezed her neck just a little tighter. "You are wrong. I can sense her. She is here."

Sofia's voice was calm. "Steven, do not allow your anger to rule your thoughts. Reach out now using your bond with the woman to find her. Call upon her now; she will hear you."

"Let me go! I rule here! Kill them! What are you waiting for?" the witch screamed.

Sofia reached under the witch's neck. She pressed hard at the bottom and the witch went very still.

Sofia spoke softly to the witch. "I can take all your pain away. It would be easy to save your mind if you so wish it. You do not need to keep pulling the power of the planet. It will no longer help you."

"I will never stop! I will use everything I have to kill you!" The witch started whispering a chant again, louder this time. Again the walls started to shake and Steven almost lost his grip on the witch.

Sofia nodded decisively. "Very well, witch, you have made your choice. I will let the planet have you. Steven you must release her."

"NO! Aunt Sofia, she knows where the woman is!"

"Steven, release her – let the planet have her. We will find your woman, I promise you."

Steven looked at Sofia and back to the witch and he did as she asked. He released his grip and helped Sofia off the floor. They both stepped away from her.

"You fools!" The witch howled in triumph. The earth began to shake once more. The walls buckled and pillars started crashing as the ceiling gave way. "You do not know my power! I will..." The stone tiles separated as the floor pitched down beneath the witch. Rubble slid in toward her as the crack widened. The room shook as the witch fell to her knees, howling "What is this?" A hint of panic edged her voice. "How dare you!" Another crack opened and she lost her footing. As she fell, she grabbed at a chair that was caught on the edge of the growing chasm. A table careened over the edge of the hole, crashed and broke in two. The jagged edges of the table gouged into her arms but her grip remained fastened on the chair. The ground shook once more and the chair broke from the strain. The witch screamed as her body fell down into the pit.

Roberto had to use his super speed to grab Sofia and Steven before their bodies dropped into the pit as well.

Suddenly, it got very quiet. No more rumbles emanated from the ground. The room became noticeably cooler. After a few moments, the silence was broken. The troops at the main door laid down their weapons and cheered – "We are free at last!"

* * * * *
Chapter 42:

Ely spoke first. "Steven, Sofia, are you alright?"

Sofia answered, peering at Steven. "Yes I think so."

Roberto asked "What just happened? Sofia, what did you do to the witch?"

"I did nothing to her. She had made her choice to keep hurting the planet by stealing its power source. She had within her an evilness that I could not reach – she would not allow me to save her. I let the planet have her back for all the harm she has done. Steven, can you hear me?" The rest turned to see where Sofia was staring and saw that Steven was kneeling down on the floor with his hand touching the wooden planks. "Steven what is it?"

"I can see her...she is here far below the floor."

"Excuse us please." One of the soldiers by the door spoke up. "The witch...she kept things far below the castle in the dungeon. It is rumored that she has a beast down there...chained to a wall. We can take you there if you wish."

As Steven stood up and started to walk to the door, Ely noticed Sofia falling backward toward the floor. "Roberto grab Sofia now!"

"Sofia!" Roberto caught her head inches from the floor. "What is wrong? Can you walk?"

"I'm not sure I can husband; my strength is all but gone now. I used everything I had to try and reach the goodness left in the witch."

"I will not leave my wife now. The rest of you...take the young master down to the place you say the beast is located."

* * * * *
Chapter 43:

"Roberto can you hear me?" Mesquil spoke into the com device. "Come in! Can you hear me? I don't think this thing is working. I hate this damn technology! Roberto! Answer me old friend!"

Sofia touched Roberto's hand. "You must answer him before he storms in here."

Roberto shook his head. "My duties are to care for you, wife, not worry about that hunter; he is fine. I can hear his voice; he lives."

"No, Roberto, we must talk with him. It is very important."

Roberto sat down on the floor and pulled his wife up into his lap. "Very well wife if you insist." He pulled out the com device.

"Mesquil, I hear you. How goes your battle?"

"We have won...well, I guess we won. The troops stormed toward us and just as we were about to battle, they suddenly stopped and stood still for a few minutes. The ground started shaking and my troops thought that they were using some kind of weapon on them."

"I was deep within the cave maze at the time. You will never guess what we found down there. Wild things bigger than anything I have ever seen in my life old friend. Words cannot be found to describe them."

"When we came to the surface with the great beasts ready to fight, the troops that had approached us had all laid down their weapons and were cheering. At first we thought they were playing at some game; but we noticed that the ground had stopped shaking and the air was cooling."

"We did not have any injuries here. All the beasts have been rescued. We are taking them to the lake now near the ship; we can use the medical supplies there to help them with anything they need."

"There is another surprise, my old friend, but I will let you see for yourself; you would not believe me now if I told you anyways."

Roberto sighed in relief. "Very well, we are in search of the woman in Steven's dream. He has stated she is here." He paused. "Sofia is not doing well my friend. As soon as we can locate the woman below, we will take the second ship and meet you at the lake. Take care, old friend. Mind the beasts – do not take any hides until I arrive!"

Roberto dropped the com device as he noticed her eyes closed. "Sofia can you hear me? Wake up my love!"

Sofia kept her eyes closed. "I'm here, husband; just resting my eyes. Did Steven go below yet?"

Yes, he left with his parents and some of the troops. They are searching now for the woman."

A smile slid across Sofia's face. "What do you find so funny wife? You cannot even walk and yet you smile at something?"

"It is Steven...he is in for a big surprise. His strength as a man will be tested and he will have to choose soon." Her voice became distant. "It would have been fun to watch his face."

"Again you talk in riddles wife – always like you have seen things before. I will never get used to these habits of yours."

* * * * *
Chapter 44:

"Algamight, are you alright?" Tusk's voice sounded far away. "The walls fell on my leg...I can not move. Can you hear me? Do you live?"

Far off in her mind Algamight heard a voice calling to her. _I am here. I will find you. Stay with me. I will be there soon._

Algamight felt the pain again as she transformed into the great emerald dragon once more. The rocks that had fallen all around her blew apart and landed across the room. She pulled her leg chain until it released from the wall and walked over to Tusk. She could smell blood beneath the rocks. She knew he laid there buried within the rocks.

She used her talons and pulled rocks and wooden pillars out one at a time being careful not to shift the pile; each layer getting closer and closer to Tusk. At one point, she thought she heard someone coming but then the noise stopped. All she could focus on was Tusk – she had to find him.

Another layer gone and, finally, she could just make out his body. As she pulled the last bit of rubble away from his face, Tusk was very still. _Is he still alive?_

Just as she was about to touch him with her great talon a voice bellowed from behind her. "STOP, BEAST! I will kill you! Leave the woman alone. She is mine!"

Algamight turned full on to the men who had just entered the small chamber. She stomped her great feet and bellowed with all her might. Her flames and breath sent them flying off in the air.

Steven was the first to get back up and advance toward the great beast. He had no fear of the creature. He knew that he must save the woman that must be buried in the rocks. He pulled his sword out and was working his way over all the rubble. As he got closer, he heard a moan, and a part of him knew it did not sound like a woman but a man. But that did not matter – he was sure that he was in the right place – perhaps the woman was injured and trapped below the rocks. The great beast stood its ground as Steven approached it.

Then, as if from far away, but all around, a great sound came to them – first soft like the wind in the trees, then growing louder and louder like thunder from a great storm. The beast began to glow, the white lines in its body pulsed as if water was running through them. The beast's color had changed it was getting greener and greener. The eyes were growing larger and larger and appeared to sparkle like some great mirror was in them.

Suddenly, the beast bellowed out long and loud – a great sound that made everyone put their hands over their ears. Steven dropped his sword as he was forced to put his hand to his own ears. Louder and louder the sound grew and, just as sudden, it stopped.

Steven had bent over in pain from the noise and when he straightened, he saw, lying upon the rocks, a naked woman with white hair. As he started for her, his head swiveled back and forth. "Where is the beast? Look alive, men! It must still be in here somewhere."

"Help me! Someone help me! I'm stuck below the rocks! Is there anyone out there? Algamight can you hear me?"

Steven walked over the rocks, took off his cape and placed it over the woman. He had assumed that she was the one calling out to him. As he reached down, hand came up from the rocks and grabbed him. "Help me, please!"

Steven called to the soldiers. "There is another stuck in the rocks. Help me move them. He is still alive."

As the men pulled him free from the rocks, Tusk saw Algamight laying on the floor next to Steven, who held her head in his lap, whispering. "Wake, please, woman. I have not come all this way to fail in my mission to save you. Please, can you hear me? You must wake up." Steven placed his hand along the dirty face of the white haired woman and she stirred ever so slightly.

Tusk saw Algamight and he crawled across the floor to where they were sitting. "Does she live?"

Steven glanced at Tusk. "Yes, but just barely. She has not woken up since the beast bellowed and left. I believe she is injured."

"I cannot walk, stranger...I think my leg is broken. Can you get us out of here before the witch returns?"

Steven took the hand of the old man. "You do not need to worry about the witch any longer; she has gone to the great beyond now. The planet claimed her."

Tusk started to shake as tears of joy filled his eyes. "I have waited for this for many long years, stranger. We have endured great suffering at the hands of this witch."

One of the men spoke up. "Master Steven, it is growing dark outside. We will not be able to see our way out of this dark place if we do not leave soon."

"Very well. Someone help the old man; I will carry the woman with me."

Just as they were about to leave a tiny noise was heard up in the window. A small sound yet it was there – chirp, chirp, chirp.

"WAIT!" Tusk said. "Help me to the window." One of the men helped Tusk reach up to the little nest and there was the little red bird. Her feathers were torn and bloody, but she was still alive.

"Well little one, you are a strong little bird to have lived all this time. I guess we both need a little help getting out of this place we have lived in for so long." Tusk placed the bird in his pocket and the rest of the men helped him up the stairs back toward the surface of the castle.

Steven held the woman in his arms. She had only stirred slightly when he picked her up to move her. As he carried her up the stairs, he brushed the hair away from her face. It was the same woman in his dreams. She was older than before when they stood by the lake but still the same eyes and curve of her nose. Her hair was much longer now and, while he tried not to think about it, he had seen her naked body. She had the same markings down her arms and legs he remembered.

He pulled her head a little closer to his shoulder and whispered to the woman. You are safe now. I, Steven, have found you as you asked. We are together now. Nothing will keep us apart again; I promise this to you."

* * * * *
Chapter 45:

Ely, Wisteria and Steven took the two strangers and went back to the great room. Roberto glanced their way, holding Sofia in his arms just as Steven held the strange woman.

"Well Steven, I see you found the woman we came for." But Roberto had other concerns; Sofia had not woken up since the others had left. "Ely, I think it best if we head back to the ship now and meet up with the others at the lake. We need to get both these women up to the ship. They are in need of medical attention and I think that's the best place for them."

Tusk did not understand all the stranger's words but he did understand some of them. "We cannot leave this place, now. We have lived here our whole lives. Now that the witch is gone we can rebuild our world back to all its original glory."

"Old man, you are injured. By the looks of that leg, I'm guessing it is broken in more than one place. Without our medical care on the ship, it will be unlikely you will get to walk again on your own."

Just as the words had left his mouth Roberto heard a strange noise far off in the distance – a humming noise.

"Do you hear that? Ely? Steven?"

"What? Roberto, we do not hear anything at all."

"There is something coming from that direction."

Tusk turned to look in the direction Roberto pointed. "Coming from the lake...you hear something coming from the lake."

"If the lake is in that direction then, yes, from the lake. Our transport ship is just over the ridge hidden below in the trees. We can use that to get to the lake. Our other troops are there along with the other beasts that we rescued from the caves near the lake."

"What other beasts?" Tusk asked hesitantly.

"I'm not sure. Our companions were sent into the caves to rescue them just as we were sent to this castle to rescue that woman." Roberto gestured to the woman in Steven's arms.

"We were called here from our journey by someone on this planet or perhaps the planet itself called us. Nothing surprises me anymore." Roberto sighed. "I have learned to accept many strange things these past few years."

Roberto turned to Ely. "Let's get moving. It is getting darker and I want to make it to the lake before night is upon us."

Roberto had not noticed that the sun was shining brightly above their heads. He vaguely wondered that he should be in great pain from the heat of the sun but, until now, he had not even thought about it. For some reason this planet had allowed the sun to shine on him without causing him injury. Yet another mystery – Sofia would understand he was sure.

They made it to the transport ship and Ely and Wisteria piloted the ship toward the great lake. As they came into view they saw a rainbow of colors all around the lake. More colors then Roberto had ever seen in his life.

The hunter was correct the beast that he had rescued were larger than anything he had ever seen before. As the ship got closer, the beasts made a path for the ship to land. Off to one side, apart from the others, stood a beast much larger than the others. She was golden like the color of the sun that was just above the ridge of the mountains above the lake. In between her legs stood a large egg – glowing like there was a light coming from inside it.

Roberto held Sofia in his arms as they left the ship. Steven held his strange woman as well. Ely and all the others approached the hunter, Mesquil, and his group.

"Greetings all! I see you have survived the beasts!"

"Ah yes we have survived. Have you ever seen such a thing as these before?"

"Never, old friend; you are right, I am surprised."

Some of the others brought a stretcher out of the ship and there upon it laid Tusk. He was bandaged up but still injured. They brought him up and placed him near the edge of the lake along with Sofia and the woman that Steven held in his arms.

Again the humming started – soft at first but still it was growing louder. As they stood, the great golden beast begin to glow and her wings spread out to each side wrapping the little party in them. Each wing was covered in the same strange markings that were on the woman that Steven had found and Roberto could swear that they were the same as the ones in the elders cave back on his home planet.

As the sun set, the humming grew more intense and as the last of the light faded, everyone turned to find that the great golden dragon no longer stood before them. A white hair woman stood in its place.

"Azual is that you? It cannot be!" Tusk was trying to crawl out of the stretcher. "Azual, you cannot be alive...the witch...she took you a long time ago – how can this be? I thought you long dead. My love, it is you! After all this time, you live?"

"Yes, Tusk, it is I, your beloved. I, too, have suffered at the hands of the witch. Much time has passed since we promised ourselves to each other."

"Azual, you look as you did when we hunted along this lake. I am aged and have many broken bones. I am no longer the prince that would have had your hand in marriage."

"Tusk, you will always be to me the man I wish to marry. It will come to pass now. You have seen my secret now; I can no longer hide this from you."

"What secret? You control the great golden dragon? I knew you had a secret that was to be told to me after our wedding. I am not surprised that you can control the beast. It is said that all our women can control them."

"No, Tusk, we do not control the beasts...we _are_ the beasts." With the words leaving her mouth Azual transformed into the great gold dragon once again. She pulled her neck back and bellowed for all the planet to hear.

Then, in a blink of an eye, she was the woman, again, standing before him. Tusk could not believe what he had just seen.

Steven, who was holding the strange woman put her down and took a few steps back away from her.

"What is wrong Steven?" Ely asked.

"She is like that one...I saw her in the castle. She was a great beast like the other. She is not what I thought she would be."

Azual opened her arms as she walked toward Steven. She bent down and touched her daughters face. "It is good to finally meet you daughter. I have waited a long time to touch your face." She looked up at Steven. "It took a great effort on all our parts to bring your ship out of his given course and return it back here."

"It was you then – not the child who called us." Roberto had laid Sofia down near the white haired woman Steven seemed afraid of. "You called us here. My wife said that she was brought here for a purpose. It was to rescue the planet and save the queens. Are you saying that you and this other woman are the two queens?"

"Yes, Roberto, I am saying that."

Roberto gave a start. "Just how do you know our names?"

"I know all of you. We have known of you for many time fragments. We hail from your wife's home planet. It is our life as it is hers. We are the same as she and the others."

Just as she finished, Sofia stirred. The other woman lying next to her awoke as well.

"Sofia, are you alright? Can you hear me? Wake up my love."

Azual approached Sofia and Roberto put out his hand to stop her. "Do not worry for her. She and I are the same. I would never harm her." She bent and touched both women. "Wake, Sofia, Algamight, it is time. You both must breech the egg now. There is little time left."

Sofia and Algamight woke, their faces showing much surprise. "What...where are we? Roberto?"

Roberto grabbed Sofia's hand. "We are here, beloved; all is well."

Sofia placed her hand on her belly just as a great wave of pain hit her and she called out.

"Sofia, what is wrong?"

Azual called out. "Bring the egg forth! There is not much time." The other dragon creatures pushed the egg toward Sofia and Algamight. "You both must enter the egg."

Roberto's voice cracked. "What are you asking? Send my wife and unborn child into that egg casing? She needs medical attention. You do not understand! I am not of her species – we are different. The child she carries will kill her during birth if we do not help. Please let me take her back to our ship! We have the ability to save them both there."

"It is the only way to save the child. If you do not allow this, we will lose all three of them; it must be so or all is lost."

Sofia stood of her own accord and walked over to Roberto. "You must trust me. This is what I told you: our son must be born on this planet and he will help save the other queen. It is what must happen." Sofia kissed Roberto and bent down to help Algamight up. We enter the egg together; it is what must happen."

The other dragons surrounded Roberto and the others as Sofia and Algamight walked toward the egg. Roberto dropped to his knees. "Please do not harm her – she is my life! I will die without her."

As Sofia and Algamight entered the egg it slowly closed in around them. The dragons began to hum once again. Azual faced Steven and Roberto. "Now we must wait. They will stay inside the egg for the rest of the night. They will return back to us tomorrow after the sun has set once again. Rest now – I will have food brought in for you."

Azual returned back to dragon form and flew to the other side of the lake. She was gone but a few minutes and she flew back and landed next to Tusk. She returned back to her human form. "Tusk, it is time for us now. I can heal you – if you will allow it. You must have faith that I can save you otherwise the magic will not work. Do you understand?

Tusk smiled. "Yes I understand. I thought you lost long ago. It is already magic that I can see your face now. Do as you see fit; I will try anything if you think it will work."

Roberto, Steven and the others watched as the Queen Azual changed back into dragon form and picked Tusk up in her talons. She pulled him closer to her chest and started to spiral up and up into the air above the lake. Up and up Azual carried them both into the darkness until even Roberto could no longer see them with his eyes.

* * * * *
Chapter 46:

Tusk woke up in a grassy hill far above the lake. He remembered the place. He had been there a long time ago, before the witch had arrived. He was with someone...a woman...yes... _his_ woman. He remembered her now. They had just bonded in body and were resting when the news of the witch had arrived. Tusk was called back to the castle to help his father make ready for the war. He never got to say goodbye to his bride as when he woke, she had been gone.

"Are you awake yet, Tusk? You have slept for a long time – I was afraid that my magic had not worked on you."

Tusk stood. His leg did not hurt as it had before. The long gash down its side was still there but the pain was not.

"Yes, I am awake. Where are you hiding yourself?" As Tusk looked around he felt the wind above his head and he looked up to see the great golden dragon hovering above him.

"Are you still afraid of me Tusk? Shall I show you that I am still the woman that was to be your wife?"

"I am not afraid of you. Please come down here next to me." Azual landed and transformed back into the woman of his memory. This time she stood in front of him naked.

"Do I still please you, Tusk? Even if you know that I can change into the dragon beast?"

"You are the woman I remember. I knew you held a secret but it did not frighten me then and it does not frighten me now."

Tusk felt like his old self again. He reached up and touched his hair to find that the bones were braided back into it and it had grown long and black. His arms were tan and full of muscles like when he was a young man.

"Azual what did you do to me? I am like I was before the witch came. Almost...the gash upon my leg is still there from my father's sword but otherwise I feel strong and young once again."

"I can bend time, Tusk. The witch...she was holding the planet in an endless loop. Her evil crafting caused great harm to you and this planet. Once I was free and all the dragons could absorb the light of the red star above our planet we could heal it and all those around us."

They gazed at each other for a few long moments before Azual spoke softly. "I have another gift for you. Look above you on the ridge at the tree – what do you see there?"

Tusk turned and looked up at the tree. In its branches were many little birds. A bright red one flew down and landed on Tusk's arm. "Chirp, Chirp" I believe she is a friend of yours Tusk. She is happy to be returned back to her family. She is grateful that you cared for her even if the witch punished her many times for your kindness." The little bird flew back up above the tree, circled it twice and flew off; the entire flock rose and followed it out of sight.

"You did this with your magic?" Tusk sighed.

"Yes. The planet is healing even as we speak." Azual turned toward the lake. "The day is almost over, my love. We must return back to the lake. Our daughter will be emerging from her egg soon and Steven must make his choice now."

"What do you mean...our daughter? That cannot be. I saw her hatch as a dragon on the grounds – I was there."

"It was me Tusk. I am the queen, remember? Each day, I pushed the egg to be near you when you slept. I wanted you to watch over her."

"We were together as man and woman only one time before the witch came and that was a very long time ago. How is it that you just laid that egg only weeks ago?"

"Time moves differently when I'm in dragon form, Tusk. It is our gift from our home planet. I held time long enough for your friends to find each other and free themselves from Roberto's home planet. It took great effort to bring them here at exactly the right time of Sofia's birthing of her son." Azual had a far-away look in her eye. "Roberto and Sofia have another great adventure. They must journey on; the birth of their son on this planet is but a first leg in their adventure together."

She shook herself. "Come on, Tusk. The sun is setting; the time draws near." Azual changed back into the great golden dragon and Tusk climbed up her talon and rode proudly upon her back toward the lake.

"I have always loved you, Azual. I will take you as my wife. When the time is right for you, just say the word."

"Soon my love – we will have two weddings. Just wait and see!"

* * * * *
Chapter 47:

"Roberto, wake up. I see the great golden dragon approaching. She is carrying someone on her back." Ely gently shook Roberto's arm. "The sun is almost down. You have slept most of the day. We will see if my sister and your son are safe."

Azual glided down toward the lake just as the sun settled down past the mountains. Tusk climbed down and walked up to Roberto and the others. "It is I, my friends. Azual has healed me I am as I was before the witch came here. I'm the prince of this planet. My strength has returned as has my woman. What say we go see what has happened with the women inside the egg."

They all walked toward the edge of the lake where the great egg stood. It was surrounded by many dragons of all colors sizes and shapes. "They have stood guard all day over that egg while you slept Robert." Ely noted. "No one was allowed near it and all the while they have been keeping their dragon song going."

Azual changed back into woman form and walked toward the other dragons. They allowed her passage and left an opening so that all the others could follow. After examining the egg at different angles, she motioned to them. "It is almost time. Roberto, Steven – please take a seat in front of the egg. The rest of you gather around; we will see what happens next."

As everyone took their places the dragons stopped their song. The ground rumbled just a little and Tusk shook. "What is happening? The ground is shaking...are we sure that the witch is gone?"

Azual gave him a sad look. "Yes, Tusk, the witch is gone. She did not cause the ground to shake; this time it was the egg."

After a few moments, Azual stood and walked toward the egg. "It is time my children." Then she spoke to the other dragons. "Break the egg, please."

The dragons took their talons and each took a hard strike at the egg. Roberto stood to interfere but was pushed back down by some unseen force. "Please...let me go...do not harm her."

"Do not worry, Roberto; the egg is very tough. Without the sharp talons of my sisters, they will not be able to emerge."

A crack appeared starting at the top of the egg and running all along the whole length of the egg. The dragons started their humming again and the crack grew larger and larger. A bright light appeared in front of the egg, nearly blinding to all those who were near it.

Shadows formed in the light. The dragons stopped their song and the light disappeared. There, standing in front of them, were the women. Roberto ran up to Sofia. "My love, you are safe! I have been so worried for you." Roberto could not believe his eyes. In the arms of his woman lay a tiny child. He had dark hair and his eyes were as green as the water at their feet.

"He is here, my husband – tired, hungry and crying for his father. What do you think of him? Is he not everything you have hoped for?" Just then the child smiled and there along the top row were the two sharp teeth that matched his fathers very own. "He is your son my husband of that I have no doubt."

"Does this child bring to us his name...the way that Steven did at his birth?" Roberto asked.

Azual walked up to Roberto and Sofia. "I think I can answer that for you, Master Roberto. He does come to us with his name. He is to be called Vincent."

"Master Steven – you have someone here that wishes to see you. Please come forth."

Ely and Wisteria were standing next to Steven. They both gave him encouraging looks and Steven walked up toward the egg.

"Steven, I would like to introduce to you to my daughter. This is Algamight. She is the next queen dragon in our realm. What say you to my daughter, Steven? Do you still choose her knowing she can transform into the great emerald beast that you have seen?"

What Steven saw, he could not put into words. There stood the most perfect woman he had ever seen. Her eyes were as green as the skin of the dragon he had seen. Her hair was long and touched all the way down below her waist. Along her arms and legs were the same white markings he had seen when he had rescued her from the castle.

Algamight took a step toward Steven and he walked toward her. "You _are_ the girl in my dreams. I saw you at the lake. It was _you_ that called me here. "

Azual interrupted his thoughts. "Master Steven you must make your choice now: will you care for my daughter as your wife?"

Time seemed to stop. Steven knew this woman who stood in front of him like they had been together for all of time. He did not care that she could transform into the great dragon beast. She was his woman: the one he had come to love.

"Yes I have made my choice. If Algamight will have me, then I will take her as my wife at the time of her choosing."

The air resounded with a great humming. All of the dragons took to the air and circled around and around the lake. The lake began to swirl around and around, faster and faster. Everyone was watching the lake and did not see that Algamight had grabbed Steven and transformed into the green dragon. When they realized that Steven was gone, they also realized that Azual and Tusk were gone as well.

While everyone looked to the sky, light started to appear above the lake. Roberto suddenly realized that the sun was rising. "Hurry, Sofia. We must take the child inside the ship. The light will burn his skin. He cannot be outside during daylight."

"Do not worry Roberto – just watch. The sun will no longer harm you or Vincent. The dragons and this planet have seen to your needs. Your body will no longer suffer from the light." Just as Sofia finished talking, the light from the sun reached down to the beach and touched Roberto on the face. He closed his eyes expecting to feel the great pain he had always felt before. He covered the child in Sofia's arms. "It is ok husband. See – the light does not hurt you any longer. See – our son: he is happy to greet the sun rise on his birthday!"

* * * * *
Chapter 48:

Roberto was looking at his wife and child. He paid no attention to the dragons as they were circling the lake. Faster and faster, the dragons soared round. The lake was spinning along with them.

Ely and Wisteria noticed the water turning. "Everyone get back! Something is happening. Stay back away from the water edge."

The water turned a foamy green color. A light shone from the center of the lake, faint at first but, the faster the dragons spun, the brighter the light became. The ground started to shake once again. "Let's get back to the ship. The force field can protect us from whatever is happening inside the lake."

Everyone on the beach turned toward their two ships. But the ships were not there. Roberto asked in a trembling voice. "Mesquil...Ely? Where are the ships? What has happened to them?"

Looking about, Mesquil answered. "We are trapped down here. We cannot reach the main ship without the other shuttles."

The water around the lake pulled inward faster and faster into a large funnel. Roberto called out. "Let's go to the top of the ridge, away from the lake." He picked up Sofia and Vincent and ran up the ledge. Everyone followed him.

From the top of the ledge, they watched the lake when, suddenly, the dragons stopped spinning around: each held their position in the sky. The golden dragon, Azual, was clearly visible beside the bright green of Algamight. Tusk and Steven were with them.

The lake seemed to open up and a large silver ship emerged from inside. It floated slowly higher and higher up into the sky. The other two smaller ships came from the sides and each flew closer and closer to the new ship. As the ships grew closer together you could see a film forming around them, as if the ships were bonding together.

Sofia remembered seeing something like this when they were small children on their home planet, Armis. The ships that did this only carried the royal families in them. The bonded ships could somehow communicate with the royal family. "This cannot be. Ely, do you see what is happening?"

Ely remembered as well. "Yes, Sofia, I see it. I do not believe my own eyes! This is not supposed to happen. Only Armis can do this with our ships. I do not understand what is happening."

* * * * *
Chapter 49:

Roberto sensed there was something not quit right. "Sofia? Ely? What is wrong? You both have that worried look on your faces. I have been through enough worry over the past few days."

Sofia explained. "Roberto we do not know what is happening. Our home planet is said to have the ability to create and bond our flying crafts together. It is how our species travels among the stars. It is written that when the planet requires us to move to another place it creates the transport ship out of its own entity so that we may travel. It is only done under the most dire of circumstances."

"So what you are saying, Sofia, is that this planet is like your home planet, Armis. It is creating a new transport ship?"

"I'm not sure. Ely and I were but small children when we left our home planet. We were at war and our parents had sent many of the children away from our home land so that we could be safe from our attackers."

The ships merged into a larger ship and rose higher and higher up into the sky. The surface of the lake settled back down and, one by one, the dragons dropped down out of the sky and landed all around the lake.

As Algamight and Azual brought Tusk and Steven up to the rock edge with the others, Sofia asked: "Azual, do you know what just happened?"

"Yes, Sofia, we have been protecting that ship since we have existed on this planet. We arrived on that ship a very long time ago. We are from Armis. The ship from the lake carries many of your family within it. They have been held in the lake, frozen in their time fragments until such a time as we could bring them out and back onto their journey."

"We were told that you would come with your child in your belly. His birth would bring forth the energy needed to summon and release the old ship from the lake. If possible, they can now return back to Armis."

Sofia felt confused. "But that is _my_ journey. We set forth a long time ago to find my home planet. That second ship up in orbit was sent by my family in search of me. They only just found us 50 years ago on Roberto's home planet."

"I know, Sofia. We sent the other ship out for you a long time ago. It was thought that your ship was lost to us. Our planet is like a sister to your Armis. She knew some time ago that you were still alive so she sent the other ship to bring you here."

Azual continued. "Sofia it is hard for me to explain this to you, but this planet...it is now your home." She paused. "Armis was your parent's home, not yours. You are of this place. You and Ely were brought here as small children during the time of the Great War on your planet. Your parents would often visit back and forth as this was a safe haven during the time of the great battle. When you were old enough it was decided by your parents and all the elders to send you and many of the other children away from here. It was a hard decision to make because each of your parents had to give up their children."

Azual pointed to Vincent. "Now that you are holding your son in your arms, do you understand what your parents must have felt sending you away on such a long journey into space? It was the only way they could protect you."

"Not long after they sent you away, the witch arrived on this planet. We barely had enough time to put all the rest of the Armis people into their deep sleep and send the ship to the bottom of the lake. We bent time around the lake and have held them there hoping for your return home. We have been at battle with this witch for a very long time. She never knew about our people, or the ship that lay at the bottom of the lake. Each dragon gave of their acorn a piece of themselves to keep the ship hidden. We used our magic to ensure that the witch never located the ship or the people who were frozen in time on that ship. For many long years we have battled to win our war with this witch. With the last of my strength I sent a part of the planet and your ship back to you."

"Do you understand Sofia? Ely? This is your home! Can you hear the planet calling to you? Do you feel her now that she is free from the witch?"

Ely and Sofia walked over to the edge of the rocks. "I do feel something, sister." Sofia nodded. "As do I, brother. I'm not sure what it is but there is a connection here."

Abruptly, Sofia had a hopeful thought. "Azual...the people...our people...in that ship... Were our parents among them?"

* * * * *
Chapter 50:

"You will have your answer soon enough. Look up; what do you see now?" Azual drew their attention to the sky.

Above them a new ship was coming through the clouds. It was much larger than the one that they had left Roberto's home planet on. It was as if all the ships had combined together. It slowly landed on the other side of the great lake.

"Climb up on our backs. We will take all of you to the ships – I think it will be faster to fly and I'm sure you are all in a hurry to reunite with your families."

Roberto held Sofia and Vincent in his arms. They all climbed upon the back of Algamight. Azual took many of the others with her.

Roberto hesitated. "Sofia - are you sure about all of this? It seems to be a lot to take in. Everything is different than what you both were expecting."

"I know Roberto. I do not know what to expect. For the first time in my life I do not see into the future. I do not know what is going to happen."

Roberto raised an eyebrow. "Welcome to my world. Most of us do not always know what to expect; we have to take things as they come along."

"I'm not sure I like this feeling, husband."

"You will get used to it trust me. I like that you are become more normal; all that predictive stuff was driving me insane."

Algamight and Azual dropped off their riders and transformed into their human forms. They all stood at the door of the ship, which sat still and silent.

Roberto cleared his throat. "Mesquil, I think we should take a party into the ship when the doors are released – just to make sure we don't have any more surprises."

Azual shook her head. "That will not be necessary. The ship is waking the crew up now. Remember how you felt after only sleeping 50 years in the Kyro tubes? Well this group has been sleeping much longer than that."

She paused as the silence continued. "It will take some time for them to emerge. I will have tents and sleeping materials brought to you here. Food and other supplies are already en route. You will stay here for the next few nights and let the ship wake its crew." She smiled at Sofia. "Soon you will meet your families."

Azual transformed and, picking up Tusk, flew back toward the castle.

Vincent started to cry quietly in Sofia's arms. "Our son is tired and hungry, husband. I think Azual is right: we all need to rest."

"Sofia we have been staying at this lake now for two nights." Roberto gazed towards the rising sun. "It is becoming like home to me."

Sofia gave a start. "What do you mean a second night? I was only inside the egg with Algamight for a few minutes."

Roberto chuckled. "No Sofia you were not. An entire day passed out here. We waited an entire cycle of the sun for you to emerge from that egg; it was hell for me. It has now been 3 days time since we left our ship and came down to this planet."

Sofia giggled as she gazed down at Vincent. "What do you find so funny again wife?"

"It is as I predicated husband that 3 days time would pass and our son would be in our arms."

Azual flew back with many of the other dragons and they helped build some tents and other structures along the edge of the lake in front of the ship.

Roberto took Sofia and Vincent into their tent for the night. "Husband, do you like this planet? Could you make a life here now that our son has been born?"

"I'm not sure, Sofia. Our primary reason for leaving my home world was to locate your planet and investigate the reason why you were having fearful dreams of that place. If we start thinking of this place as our home – what will become of your planet? You strongly felt that you needed to return in order to save the planet from something."

"Yes, I do remember having those feelings. But feelings are not thoughts. Now I wonder were those feelings for my home planet Armis or this sister planet. We did arrive in time to rescue the dragons and free the planet from the witch. Perhaps that was what I was required to do. Azual told us that they foresaw our arrival and the birth of our son. Those events helped the dragons and the planet regain their freedom. This was a battle that needed all of us, including my brother and his son."

Vincent was starting to get fussy again. "Husband, I think that we will have to decide another time whether to make this our home. Our son is hungry once again and I'm tired after all the past few days' events."

Roberto put his hand on her shoulder. "Let me have a look at my son. You have been holding him and I have not yet got to hold him."

But Sofia shook her head. "He is hungry husband. I'm not sure he wishes for his father's company now."

Roberto sighed. "Then feed him wife."

As Sofia took Vincent to her breast Roberto noticed something along the side of Vincent's back leg. "Sofia have you noticed this mark since our son was born?"

"What mark? He was perfect when I came out of the egg – except for his father's teeth, that is." She grinned at him.

"Look along his leg: there are white marks."

"I'm looking. Roberto, remember your eyes are better than mine. I see only his little leg nothing more."

They remained quiet while she nursed. After an extended pause, Roberto whispered "Perhaps it is a trick of the light within the tent."

"He looks perfect to me and, now that he has his belly full, he is sleeping once again." She adjusted her blouse and shifted the baby's weight.

"Our ship has landed just across the lake and we now know that some of our original families from Armis are also in the new section of the ship. Let us wait until we have time to rest and talk with those elders that emerge from the ship in the next few days. Perhaps we can stay here and send others to travel back to Armis as it was in the past. If my family has indeed survived after all these years, we may just have a chance to gain the freedom of our home planet now as well."

Roberto yawned. "Sofia, I too am tired. We have not had much time together. I must say that being frozen in those tubes again does not appeal to me. Look at this place. We have fresh air, water and endless lands to be used for hunting grounds. I'm sure we could raise our son here in peace and safety."

Roberto picked up his wife and son and carried them to their makeshift sleeping area. Sofia laid Vincent nearby on his own bed. Roberto lay next to Sofia. He touched her face and kissed her lips. "It is good to be able to lie next to you again, wife."

Sofia smiled up at him. "Yes I find that I also am enjoying being able to lay next to my husband once again as well."

"Rest wife – you have had a long day bringing our son into this world. His birth was not what you were expecting; am I correct?"

"Yes husband. You have seen our birth process when Steven was born. That is what I expected to happen when our son was born. Algamight and I were inside the egg and she knew what do to in order to help the birth. The magic from inside the egg held us within our wisp realm while we brought Vincent into this time fragment. I'm still not sure why his birth had to happen that way, but it was much easier on all those involved. Ely was very concerned for me and the baby while we were on the ship. As my brother, he would have the primary task of helping me with the child under normal conditions. I think he was relieved - to say the least - that Algamight had to assume that task."

"As was I, wife. You are also aware of how the women brought my species' children into this world. I carried a fear with me since you told me you were with child. I did not wish to take a chance and see you die during our child's birth."

"Everything has a purpose Roberto. Ours was to travel here and now we must wait and see what the next stage of our journey involves."

"Perhaps you are correct and we will stay here while others travel back to Armis. Only time will tell."

"Kiss me again husband and let us rest before Vincent wakes us up hungry again."

Roberto looked at his Sofia. "Your eyes are clear and strong today." Roberto kissed her forehead and snuggled next to his wife for the night.

* * * * *
Chapter 51:

Azual and Tusk flew back to their hidden grassy area to be alone. "Tusk, I am sorry that so many years ago I did not tell you of my ability to change into the dragon. It was our way to wait until after our marriage to tell of our abilities. This way the love would bond us together and there would be less risk of hating what our second body is like."

"Azual, I think we should change that rule from now on. I'm not sure we actually have a choice now. Many of our friends and family have seen you and Algamight change between both forms now. It will be assumed that if the woman is of this planet or from Armis that she will have some type of ability. Perhaps not all will transform into great dragons like you can but they will have special abilities none the less."

Azual looked at Tusk hopefully. "Tusk, do you still wish to take me as your wife? I know much time has passed. I'm sure that you have many questions and concerns about my dragon form."

Tusk smiled at her. "Azual your face was in my dreams all those years I was imprisoned by the witch. I thought you lost to me but still I loved you. The beauty of your dragon form only makes me love you all the more."

"But I would ask you, Azual, the same question. I'm older now and many years have passed us by. You have given me back my youthful body but...the years between us...did they change your feelings for me?"

Azual shook her head. "No, Tusk. I could see you often, if only as a dragon. I watched you grow old knowing that I might not be able to save you. I did not risk changing forms because I did not want the witch to learn of our abilities. My dragons helped keep the ship frozen below the lake. I could not risk the lives of all those I had sworn to protect."

Azual put her hands in his. "As each year passed us by, and we could not be together, my love for you grew." She closed her eyes and shuddered. "When I witnessed the witch use your father's sword upon your leg, I almost killed myself." She opened her eyes and looked directly into his. "If not for the egg that was growing within me by then I would have tried to kill the witch. I knew she would have killed me."

Tusk nodded at her legs. "I see that you carry a scar down your leg as well."

"Yes it was done to save another life. I could not help but think of you at the time my leg was cut. When I took you in the air within my dragon wings I choose to restore your body. I could not repair your scar from the witch – for that I'm very sorry."

Tusk nodded his head. "We both agree then that our union will proceed as planned despite the lost years that have passed."

Azual grinned. "Tusk, you should know that, according to the custom of my species, when I took you up in the air in my wings...that was our wedding. You are married to me now in the eyes of the dragons. If you wish to have another ceremony so that your kind will accept our union I will be happy to marry you again."

Tusk reached over and pulled Azual into his arms. "I do not think that another ceremony will be necessary wife. If we are married in the eyes of the dragons then the planet and all others will accept our union as such."

Tusk looked around the clearing. "Why did you bring me up to this spot tonight? We were here so many years ago on our last night together before the witch came."

"This spot holds great memories for me. As the dragon I could fly here often and when my heart was sad for you I came here. Sometimes I felt as if you could still sense me while I was here."

"It is funny that you say that Azual as there were many times while I slept that I dreamed of this place. Always you were as the woman that I carried here long ago."

Tusk laid Azual down on the top of the hill. "You are as I remember you. I pledge myself to you once again as I did in the past. I will protect you and this planet for as long as this body will allow."

"As long as we are mated together your body will last and protect all those that are important to us." She looked toward the lake. "I can see the tiny tents that are around the lake and the great ship. It is good to see others here again in such a pretty place."

But Tusk did not follow her gaze. "I only see my wife."

Azual's eyes returned to his face. "I only see my husband."

Tusk pulled Azual closer and kissed his wife. "I have much to discuss with you, wife."

Azual touched her hand to her husband's mouth. "We can talk later." Her lips brushed his neck and she whispered in his ear. "But now let us have our honeymoon that was postponed all those years ago."

* * * * *
Chapter 52:

Algamight flew high above the lake with Steven upon her shoulders. "Where are you taking me Algamight?"

"I know of a place hidden within the trees on the other side of the lake. I wish to take you there." As Algamight landed in the sandy beach Steven thought he recognized the spot.

Steven jumped off and walked slightly up the hill behind the hidden ledge of rocks. "Algamight, I know this place. I have seen it in my dreams. When our ship first woke us up I dreamed of meeting you here. You told me of the secrets that would help save your queen dragon and how my Aunt and her family would help destroy the witch. Is this place the same from my dreams?"

"Yes, Steven."

Steven turned around and watched Algamight change into the white haired woman from his dream. As she changed, Steven realized that he had always dreamed of her. "You were in my dreams even before I knew of this planet. While I was a child I saw your face in my dreams. I was frozen in my sleep and yet your face was always there."

"I'm not sure how that could be." Algamight shivered in her nakedness.

"You are cold." Steven removed his jacket and placed it around Algamight. "It is a lovely place here. This planet has everything that a man could want. I'm lucky to have been brought here."

"I think that my mother, the queen, had something to do with your love of this planet. She has gone to great lengths to bring us together. Even when you were a child my image was placed in your mind. I'm not sure that any feelings that we have for each other are truly our own. My mother used some of her own magic to implant those memories to us."

"Your mother is not here now." Steven took a step closer to Algamight. "She may have brought us together between time and space but she did not fly me up here just now. You did that, Algamight. What say you about that?"

Algamight sighed. "I have special feelings about this place as well. I remember seeing you in my dreams before I knew about the great dragon that is my other form. Our lives have been woven together for a very long time."

"It does not change how I feel about you, Algamight. From the first time I saw you in my dreams until, just the other day when I pulled you free from the castle floor, I think I have loved you. Even if your mother brought us together it does not matter to me. I can no longer imagine my life without you." Steven pulled Algamight into a tight embrace and kissed her with all the love he felt for her pent up all the years he was on the ship. Algamight kissed him back as she too also felt for Steven the love of many years.

Steven leaned back and looked into her eyes. "Does it really matter that your mother and this planet bought us together now?"

"No, Steven, it does not." Algamight shook her head firmly.

"Then let us make our own life together now. I will stay here with you as your mate if you will have me."

Algamight's eyes widened. "You will not continue on in your ship with your people?"

"No. Algamight, my entire life has been focused around you: in my sleep and now in my waking hours. I could never leave you or this planet. Your mother and Tusk are now king and queen of this place but they will need us to take over for them some day. Let us join together and be the next protectors of this planet. My family will travel on if they choose to do that once the great ship opens and they meet our ancestors."

"Steven, I'm so glad that you feel this way. I could never leave this planet. It is my home now. I have my mother and, if I understand what my mother was trying to tell me, Tusk is my father. I have everything that a woman could want...as long as you will be here with me."

Steven picked Algamight up and carried her to the rock ledge above the sandy beach near the lake. He stood facing her and held her hands tight. "I pledge myself to you and this planet. I will take you as my wife and we will be mated together. We will serve this world for as long as we are allowed."

A glimmer of guilt shadowed her eyes. "Steven, there is something that I must tell you. My mother...she can talk with me telepathically now. She has told me that...when I took you in flight...well...we have already been mated together in the eyes of my people."

Steven raised his eyebrows. "Then, if that is so... you are considered to me my wife now?"

"Yes, Steven, you and I are bonded as man and wife now."

He ran his hand down her body and caressed her thigh. "So If I do this to you...it is allowed as your husband."

She placed her hand on his chest and stroked it downward. "Yes...and if I do this to you...we are not breaking any rules."

She stopped and looked up to him. "Steven, I'm to be your wife for now and always. I can explain all these things to your family tomorrow," she paused as her hands continued to explore, "...but for tonight, let us celebrate finding each other here alone."

Just as Steven kissed Algamight, he felt something. A smile slid across his face. "What is making you smile so, husband? You have already seen me without my clothes?"

"It is my Aunt Sofia and your mom Queen Azual. I can sense from them that our families are happy that we are together. My father, Ely, he is happy for us. I do not think that we need to explain anything to them tomorrow.

"Then husband let us take a swim in the lake under the moonlight and enjoy our hidden cove while the sun is set. Tomorrow we must be ready to meet your family from the ship and I would like to be mated to you in body and soul before that happens."

Steven carried Algamight to the water's edge. He removed his jacket from her body. As the moonlight hit Algamight's body her white marked skin began to glow. Steven took a step back from her and looked at the beauty that was his wife. "It will take some getting used to seeing you this way as it will take me some time to get used to seeing you."

Algamight helped Steven remove his clothes and they walked out into the lake just as the moon reached its peak above the rock ledge.

* * * * *
Chapter 53:

Morning came and all the people from the tents a woken by a noise from the other side of the lake. Every few minutes another dragon was appearing by the water's edge. Each dragon now carried a rider. Sometime during the night many had paired up. Some of the dragons had riders from the planet with them while others carried some of the hunters from Roberto's planet on their backs.

The hunter Mesquil was just jumping down from a great brown dragon when Roberto emerged from his tent.

"Mesquil! It is good to break light with you finally. In all the centuries that we have known each other, never have we met the light together."

"Yes, old friend, I was trying to stay hidden in the trees with the brown dragon woman but she insisted that we fly back here to be with you and the others when the ship opens this morning."

"So, hunter, you spent the night with the brown dragon last night?"

"Yes, she is something different when she transforms from her dragon form. She is like us my old friend. She can match me stride for stride and she has a strength about her like none other that I have seen. She is well suited to have been with me last night."

"It is just that I never expected to see you with a woman. You have always been a loner within our tribe."

Mesquil smiled. "Well even us loners need to find company once in a while. How is your wife Sofia doing today? She was tired last night when we left you and that child of yours – he screams like he has a lung larger than yours."

"Yes, I know. I have heard him already...many times." Roberto shook his head. "He is always hungry. He seems to suckle all the time from Sofia. I find myself jealous that Vincent gets to spend so much time at Sofia's breast!"

Mesquil laughed and patted his old friend on the back. "It is good that _both_ have survived, my friend. You have your wife and now a son...a hungry one...but still, a son you can call your own. You are lucky indeed."

"What of you, Mesquil? Will you and that brown be together long? or did you only just wish to keep yourself warm for the night?"

"Only time will tell, old friend." Mesquil sighed. "I do find her company refreshing."

Sofia walked out of the tent with Vincent just as Tusk, Azual, Algamight and Steven arrived. Azual and Algamight changed back into their human forms. This time to everyone's surprise they appeared fully clothed.

Algamight stared down at herself. "Well, now, how did that just happen?"

"My daughter, it is your husband that brought your clothes to you when you changed. It seems that our men do not wish to share our naked bodies any longer with the others. So long as they will it, we will transform with clothes on our back."

Ely and Wisteria walked over with many others hunters from their original ship. Azual called everyone to the water's edge. "It is time to meet your ancestors." She transformed into her dragon form.

The dragons started their humming once again just as the sun was coming up over the highest peak above the lake. The water on the lake stirred and turned a frothy white color. The dragons humming grew louder and the ship began to glow. At first the light was faint, white lines forming across all the edges of the ship.

Steven turned to look at Algamight. "Wife, look at your skin! It glows just like the ship. The dragon song...it is calling to you like it calls to the ship."

"It is ok, Steven. It does not hurt. It feels electric...like my body is being touched by the light of the sun."

As the others looked, on the ship grew whiter and whiter until suddenly the dragons grew silent once again.

"Sofia and Ely, please, if you would climb upon my back now I will take you to meet your ancestors." Azual knelt down and propped her leg up so that it would be easier for them both to climb upon her shoulder.

"Wait, Sofia, I wish to accompany you. We do not know for sure that to expect from that ship I do not think it wise for you both to go alone. What if this is all a trap?"

"My Roberto, always trying so hard to protect me. But I think you should stay and hold our son. I can sense our families in that ship. Algamight shows on her skin that this is our family. Do not worry for Ely and me; we will be fine."

Sofia handed Vincent to Roberto. "I will not be long. After their long sleep Azual believes it best if the first people they see are their children and their protector."

"Very well...I trust you, wife; go meet your family. We will wait here for your return."

* * * * *
Chapter 54:

Sofia and Ely climbed on Azual's great back. Azual flew high above the lake and circled around a few times so that the others on the lake could just make out their forms in the air. Azual landed just outside the great ship as the doors and shutters across the windows were opening.

Azual spoke to Sofia and Ely. "Time for the ship inside is different than yours has been outside. They only know they were awakened by my call. They may not know how much time has passed. You both were children when then sent you away. They will not know you as the adults you are now. Just remember that when they first greet you."

Sofia and Ely stood next to Azual. She had not changed to her woman form as she told them that it was important to present the two of them to the ship as the protector of their planet in dragon form.

As the door slid open and a puff of smoke filled the doorway, Sofia took Ely's hand. "I'm sacred brother."

"I, too, am scared sister. We never dreamed this would ever happen. Let us show our strength now before we meet these ancestors."

Sofia and Ely held hands while Azual gave them a nudge with her great head. "Go now to the door. It is time."

Sofia and Ely walked up slowly toward the door. A man and woman appeared at the door. Their faces were slightly hidden behind the doors edge. Each wore a white hooded cape. Sofia remembered that cape from a long time ago. If it was the same as her memory, the sleeves would bear a strange symbol.

As Ely and Sofia looked on, the two strangers from the ship walked down the plank from the door entrance. Sofia saw the markings on the cape just as she remembered. "Brother do you see their markings? They are of the royal seal of our family – it is the same marking that I carry on my body. Do you not carry that same marking?"

"Yes, sister, I do."

The strangers approached them with the hoods pulled over their faces so that Sofia and Ely could not see their full appearance.

The man spoke. "Who calls us from our sleep and wakes the ship from the great lake."

Azual's voice sounded loud behind them. "I called the ship. I am Azual the blue dragon, protector of the Armis family."

"Come forth then great dragon and explain our waking."

Azual continued. "It has come to pass as it was foretold. The children have returned to our safe haven. It was time to bring the ship awake and let them greet their ancestors."

"You say that our children have returned and yet I see none with my own eyes. What trick is this?"

"It is no trick, my masters. Look at the faces of these two – what do you see?"

The two strangers walked up to Sofia and Ely. They pulled back their hoods so that they could have a better view of the two in front of them.

Azual spoke. "Look at them. They are your children from Armis. Much time has passed since you sent them away and were frozen in the ship, locked away at the bottom of the lake. Do you not know who these two are? Reach out to them with your magic." Azual walked up to the four adults and placed her wings around them. "Feel the magic from each other."

From across the lake Roberto could see the two strangers walking up to Sofia and Ely. "Be ready, Mesquil. They approach my wife and her brother. If anything happens to them, I need to be on that side of the lake right away. Do you understand?"

"Yes, old friend. We will take you if it becomes necessary."

"Sofia and Ely I wish to introduce you to your parents. This is Master Ares and Mistress Ann. Masters these are your children."

The dragons began to hum once again and the noise startled Vincent so that he screamed louder than ever.

"What is going on, Mesquil? Can you see anything from the other side of the lake?"

"No, Roberto, I cannot. The steam from the lake has distorted the view and I think that Azual has spread her wings around them."

Sofia could hear Vincent as he wailed and she became distracted. Mistress Ann asked, "What is it that bothers you so my daughter."

Sofia turned away from the two strangers and looked back across the lake. "My son he is afraid of the dragon son. He calls for me now."

"We hear him. Daughter, you say that child is yours? Was he born on this planet?"

"Yes he was just born here last night."

Master Ares spoke up. "Protector Azual, did you help bring the child into the world?"

"Yes masters he was born at the same time my own daughter was reborn from her egg."

"They shared the egg together?" Master Ares cocked his head.

"Yes master it was the only way to save both of them. The witch had used great magic on this planet and on all those around them. Mistress Sofia and her then unborn son were in grave danger. It was the only way I could think of to allow my daughter her rebirth and save your daughter and grandson.

Ares looked to his wife. "Ann, did you hear what Azual just said? That crying child across the lake is our grandson."

"Yes, husband, I did understand what she said." She turned to Azual. "Azual have you explained what the birth from the egg means to my daughter yet?"

"No...I thought it best if I bring your sleeping ship from the lake and allow you to explain what I did to your daughter and grandson."

Sofia turned to Azual. "What did you do to my son?"

Ares walked up to his daughter and hugged her. "It is ok, my daughter. Azual did not harm your son...my grandson. She, in fact, has given him a gift. I will show you myself." He turned toward Azual. "Can you carry us back to others? I wish to see my grandson now."

Azual bent her great talon leg and allowed the four travelers to climb upon her great back.

"Roberto, they appear to be coming back. They are bringing two others with them."

"I can see that, hunter. It is my wife I'm most worried about."

It took only a few sweeps of her wings for Azual to bring the group back to the tents. Sofia jumped down first and went directly over to Vincent. By now, he was making cooing sounds.

"Wife, are you alright?"

"Yes, husband, do not be worried."

"Vincent woke when the dragons started their song again."

Sofia smiled. "Yes, we heard him from across the lake. That is why we have returned."

Ares and Ann approached Roberto, Sofia and Vincent. As was his custom Roberto stood in front of his wife and child to make sure the strangers did not harm them. Sofia placed her hand on Roberto's chest. "Husband, it is safe. This is Ares, my father and my mother, Ann. They only wish to see our child. Mom, Dad this is Vincent, your grandson."

Sofia lifted Vincent up and handed him over to Ares. As she did this the dragons started their humming once again. Vincent started to cry and then he was humming in time with the dragons. Ares pulled the cloth away from the baby and looked at him.

"Ann, look at the child! Do you see it?" Sofia, Roberto and Ann all looked down at Vincent. His leg did indeed have a white mark, but not just one. All along both legs and his arms thin white lines were glowing. The dragons hummed louder and Vincent sang along with them. "It is true, Azual. Your magic has given the boy a gift."

"Yes, master, it is true."

"Sofia, Roberto, Azual has given to your son, Vincent, the gift of the dragon. No male child has ever been given the gift of the dragon before. Only females can turn their forms; that was our magic from our home world. When Azual placed you and her daughter into the egg she bonded the dragon magic to your son at his birth. When it is time, he will make his first turn and become a dragon. That is what the other dragons are singing about. They have never seen a male dragon that could change into human form before."

The dragons finished their song. Vincent stopped singing along with them. Ares took the child from her husband, wrapped him back up in his cloth and handed him to Roberto. "Your son is very strong indeed. You are lucky to have such a child."

"Mother, father, there is something that I should explain to you about Roberto. He is not of Armis nor is he of this planet. He comes from the world that our ship crash landed on."

Ares put his hand on her shoulder. "It is ok my child. I can see that he is not of Armis. But do you love him?"

"Yes, father, he is my life."

"He has given to you a son that is part Armis, part his species and now part dragon. His gifts will bond well with this child."

"You do not seem surprised to find that I have a husband and also now a child."

Ann smiled at her. "No daughter we are not surprised."

Ares nodded at Ely. "We also know that Ely has a son...I believe he is around here somewhere." His eyes wandered through the crowd. "Step forth, Steven. I wish to shake the hand of my other grandson."

Steven walked out from behind Algamight. "I am Steven."

"Yes you are. I see you have found our Algamight." Ann smiled at the dragon.

Algamight smiled back. "Yes we have finally found each other."

Ares shook his hand and smiled. "You are now bonded, I see."

Steven turned a little red then. He had forgotten to tell his parents about taking Algamight as his wife during the night. The events of this morning did not allow them to talk first. "I'm sorry mom and dad for not telling you. I just have not had time this morning."

"It is ok, Steven. We are your parents. We can tell that you have mated with Algamight. We are in agreement with your bonding. We just did not expect you to be mated so soon. After all it seems like only yesterday your Aunt Sofia was helping to bring you into this world."

"Ah, I see that this time fragment has been accelerated slightly." Ares looked towards the blue dragon. "Azual, is this your doing?"

Azual had knelt down and picked up Tusk. Just as she was starting to rise, she told them all. "Yes. It is my doing. I have changed the time fragment so that all of my children could be together. It is what I was created for. I am the protector of the Armis family and it was my judgment to alter the time fragment."

Ares put his hand to his head just then. Ely noticed. "What is it, father? Are you feeling alright?"

"Yes, well, I am a little tired and wish to take some food...but our ship is receiving a message."

Ann stepped up to her husband and they touched hands. No one spoke for a few seconds. "It is true, daughter. Our ship, now that she is awake, has been in contact with our home world. The message is that all is safe to return home. Our fighters have defeated the attackers. It seems Armis has been safe and ready for our return for many years now. We can return anytime we are ready."

"That is good news!" Ely beamed.

Ares turned towards Ely. "Yes much has happened on our home Armis while you were gone and while we slept beneath the lake. We have much to prepare for and we must wake the rest of the ship. Your section of the ship must be woken as well. It will take several weeks for all on the ship to be woken and checked to make sure they are all able to make their own decision."

"What decision is that father?" Ely asked.

"You all must choose whether to stay here or come home with us back to Armis. Each person must make their own choice. We will take all those who wish to return with us when the ship is ready."

Steven and Algamight exchanged glances.

"For now let us start the preparations to wake the others," Ares continued, "and let us plan a grand celebration for all those who have survived the great war on Armis and those here who have protected us and all our children from harm."

* * * * *
Chapter 55:

The weeks that followed were filled with much excitement. Many travelers were woken from their deep freeze. Each one was told where they were and each was given the choice to stay or return back to the home world.

Roberto and Sofia had Vincent to think about. He grew quickly. In a few short weeks, they could see changes in him. The dragons would sing out when another person was awakened and, each time, Vincent would sing with them.

Many dragons found their mates with those that were in the great ship. Some became reacquainted with their lost loved ones while others found their mates for the first time.

As for Roberto's family, the hunters from Earth, many found loved ones whom they could spend their lives with. Mesquil had been with his brown dragon for a very short time before he made his decision to stay on the planet. It seems that his dragon woman was already with child.

The day came for the ship to leave and there were many tears as everyone had to say goodbye to someone they cared for. Sofia was most affected as she had decided to stay while her parents were needed on Armis. Ely and Wisteria chose to go with them so Sofia was sad to see her parents and brother leaving.

Steven stayed with Algamight so that there would always be two queen dragons to protect the planet. They revealed over dinner one night that Algamight was with child.

Since so many people had decided to stay, Ares and Ann decided that a ship would be left at the bottom of the lake so that if someone were needed on Armis they could travel back and forth. Ares mentioned on-going research on a transport device that would allow them to instantly travel between Armis and the planet but that it was still in the development phase and would not be working for a while. Roberto did not like being frozen in the ship let alone torn apart and put back together again in another device, so he was glad to be staying put on the planet.

The day finally came. The ship left and everything was slowly returning back to the slow pace that Roberto loved. He and Sofia had a cabin built along side the lake, near the water's edge. Sofia decided upon this place when she was walking one day with Vincent who noticed a white rock in the sand along the shore and showed great interest in it.

Roberto checked in on Vincent, asleep in his own room. Along his walls were many things Roberto had brought from his home world, trinkets to remind him of where he once lived a long time ago: a great rug covered one entire wall; a creature he had hunted stood in the corner. Roberto assumed that someday Vincent would ask about that creature and Roberto decided to write down his stories so that he would have a record of them in the future.

Roberto closed the door to Vincent's room and walked to the master bedroom. There upon the bed lay Sofia. She was still wearing a pretty blue dress that she wore to see her parent's ship leave.

"Sofia, how are you doing? You were sad to see your parents leave today, I know. But you have seemed a little off these past few weeks. Do we need to get someone to help with Vincent now that he is moving about so much?"

"Husband, I am tired and yes a little sad about my parents leaving today. I already miss my brother and his wife." She sat up and smiled. "Vincent is not much work at all. For now I think that I can still manage to care for him."

Vincent nodded. "He is growing so quickly...I already miss the child I once held in my arms."

"It is good to hear you say that, my husband, because I have something to tell you tonight. I have waited to be sure and I wanted the timing to be right."

"What is wrong? Do you regret our decision to stay here on this planet with Vincent?"

"No, that is not it."

Sofia took Roberto's hand and placed it across her flat stomach. "Husband, you have given me another child. She will be born here, on this planet and I'm sure she will be glad to have a big brother to help protect her."

Roberto could not believe his ears. His wife, the love of his life, had another child growing inside her. "We are so blessed to have come so far in our travels and arrived at this great place."

"I know, husband. Our planet has been good to us as it has been to many others. Our daughter will have many children to play with as I have heard that many of the dragons and hunters are all having children as well."

She started changing into her night clothes. "It is time to rest now. We have a busy day tomorrow." She looked at him with a grin. "I wish to start building another room on the cabin for our daughter."

Roberto smiled back. "As you wish, wife."

They climbed into bed and extinguished the lights. For a time they just held each other in silence. As they drifted off to sleep they heard the song of the dragons off in the distance.
