She moved into the large chamber carefully, legs slightly bent in a ready stance and arms spread low. A steady gaze around the lair said her instincts had been correct, the dragon was not here. She stepped forward, keeping aware of traps, and slowly scanned the chamber as she searched for the item she sought. Though intent on her mission, she could not avoid acknowledging the beauty of her surroundings.
The hemispherical cavern was an attractive place. Massive stones formed walls that were a dark purple color, nearly black. Crystals bigger than baby dragons protruded from the ground, catching the chamber's meager light and diffracting it in a prismatic spray. The effect lent a surreal quality to the lair, a tapestry of dreams.
The intruder strode through the crystalline fields with the steps of one who refused to sleep. She spied her target embedded in a crystal beside the dragon's sleeping stone. The gem was easily the largest diamond she had ever seen. Light gleamed off its dark, nearly opaque surface. She knew without a doubt a piece of it would be worth a fortune; the whole thing priceless. But it didn't matter. All that concerned her was the form she could barely make out inside of it.
She pulled her cloak tighter around herself and glanced a final time around the chamber. Momentarily satisfied, she warily placed a hand on the crystal and leaned forward to peer inside. Suspended within the darkness of the diamond was the Black Dragon's Crest. She smiled, feeling something that she didn't feel when she had taken the white one's crest. Excitement.
She steadied herself, waiting until her breath came slowly enough to fog the surface of the crystal. The crest was deep within the solid diamond, a precaution that would stop many, in fact most , of the people on Lunar from taking it. However, she was not most people. Bowing her head, she pressed her palms together, gathering the power to do what she wished. Confident and expectant, she lifted her right hand and reached for the crystal. Her fingers made contact with the surface. It felt like water, and parted to allow her hand to slide through. She would have smiled, but she needed to maintain her concentration, lest she find her arm as part of the diamond.
Her hand continued deeper inside--her arm was now in up to her elbow--as she reached towards the crest. The diamond's core resisted her, fighting to keep its prize. But it could not defeat her, and as the crystal came up near her shoulder her fingers came in contact with a cool, metal surface. She grasped it lightly and pulled it to her, maintaining her concentration through the tingle that ran up her arm from the crest's power. And then, she held it in her hands, free of the diamond. She let out a breath she had not noticed she held. Elated, she smiled darkly. Two down, two to go. And if her compatriot had...
Her momentary feeling of accomplishment was broken as she felt invisible energies begin to shift around her. It could only mean one thing, the dragon was returning. She walked calmly to the cavern's entrance, shielding the crest so he wouldn't be able to track it--or her. She stepped into the passage and slipped into the shadows, using the winds to conceal her scent. She waited patiently until the dragon rushed by her in a frenzy. He appeared worried about his crest, but he was too late. She moved from her hiding place and walked calmly down the corridor as the sound of an angry roar came from behind.
Ruby was bored. So she might be a full dragon now. Big deal. She had been a dragon for a while in fact, but what was there to do ? At least with Hiro there had been no shortage of adventures, no lack of excitement. She suppressed the pang of sadness at the thought of her old friend. Well, she had Nall now, such as he was. As if she would ever admit that having him around was a good thing. Yawning, she stood and stretched, looking around her magma-filled chamber. Perhaps a swim in the magma pool would make her feel better. A soak in molten rock did wonders for a red dragon's body.
She gathered her legs beneath her to make as big a splash as possible when she dove in. Ruby smirked, bending her knees as she readied to spring.
A scuffle sounded behind her, as of loose gravel being scraped over rock.
"Who's there?" she demanded as she coiled her neck over her back.
"Geez, pinky, see why you never get any company?"
Ruby recognized Nall's white form and relaxed. She really needed that dip in the magma; jumping at Nall like that. She was glad to see him, though she certainly would not say so, especially after he called her "pinky".
The red dragon shuffled around and planted herself on her rump. "What do you want here?"
He offered her a toothy grin. "I'm here to collect for your heating bill."
Ruby smirked, as well as her draconic form could allow. "You couldn't collect stamps."
The white dragon shook his head in mock disapproval. His normally crystal blue eyes reflected an unnatural magenta in the reddish light of her cave. A part of his upper lip twitched as he spoke. "Much as I love your cheerful presence, I'm actually here on business."
Ruby tried to remember the last time Nall had visited her "on business", but drew up a blank. Since when did he ever have "business" anyway? He hardly ever took anything seriously.
"So," she asked matter-of-factly, "what can't you handle by yourself?"
The white glanced around the chamber as if examining it, something Ruby found odd since Nall never bothered to appreciate any of her occasional redecorations. He turned his gaze back towards her.
"Someone has stolen my crest," he said evenly.
Ruby heaved herself off her haunches and took an angry stride towards him. Flames flickered around the edges of her mouth. "What! Who?"
He waved her off with his claws. "I don't know, some human." He shrugged his wings.
The red dragon snarled lowly, tossing her head in arrogant disbelief. "You let a human steal your crest? Some leader of the Dragon Tribe."
Despite her humor at his expense, she knew this was serious business. The white dragon did as well. In fact, he didn't even respond to her taunt as he usually would have. He seemed to be looking for something, again.
"What, are you paranoid now?" Ruby curled her lips derisively as she lashed her tail to one side. His nonchalant behavior was beginning to annoy her.
He turned calmly to her, cocking his head at a slight angle. "Can't be too careful. Now..." He trailed off, looking expectantly at her.
"Now what?" she snapped.
"I need to see your crest."
"Why?"
"To make sure you still have it."
Ruby hmphed, turning up her chin at him like she had once seen an arrogant human do. "I wouldn't let some human do that to me." Like she'd let her crest get stolen as easily as he had.
"So?" The white dragon leaned his head towards her. "Prove it."
Now he was making it a challenge. Well, if he wanted the fact rubbed in his face, who was she to decline? She walked to the edge of the lava pool coolly and dramatically. Wading into it slightly, the molten stone apparently doing nothing to her, she dug around under the surface. She figured this was a safe place, how many people could stand touching magma? Of course her guest, understandably, looked distinctly uncomfortable just being in the chamber. Finally her paw closed around a hard metallic object.
"I have it," she told him, wiping off the molten stone and holding it up so he could see. "Satisfied?"
The white dragon looked at the crest, then at her.
"Very."
Ruby felt the crest torn from her grasp. It flew towards him, becoming encased in ice along the way. The ice quickly melted away from the hot metal, but not before the crest cooled enough for him to catch it.
"Thank you," he stated, eying the enchanted object.
Ruby's sudden shock burned into anger. "Nall, what the hell are you doing!"
He smiled slightly at her, backing towards the exit. "I am not Nall," he said smoothly. "You may call me Laln if you wish."
"Have you flipped?"
The white dragon remained unperturbed. "There is a new Dragon Tribe coming into effect. I'd advise you to step aside so that none of you will be hurt. You will lose your jobs, of course, but we have no greater quarrel with you."
Ruby began to believe that perhaps this was not Nall... and if he was not, this was big trouble. She took a deep breath and arced her head. She readied to exhale a great gout of flame when a circle of ice formed around her muzzle, holding her jaws shut, and painfully sending all her fire racing back her throat. It sent her into a coughing fit and the ring broke as she desperately forced her mouth open for air.
Nall... or "Laln" grinned at her. "Just step aside. See you around, pinky."
Ruby snapped her body ready to spring and leaped to tackle the white dragon before he could leave. She slammed into a wall of ice that formed in her path.
The red dragon howled. "You think ice can stop me?!"
She exhaled flame against the barrier, its heat increasing from the strength of her fury. It started to melt, but slowly. She sensed Laln exerted his power to keep it there, that could be the only explanation for its stubbornness to melt. Ruby persisted, calling on her fire magic as well. However, when she finally managed to make a large enough hole in it some twenty minutes later, the white dragon was gone.
"Mission completed, Twyla."
The woman who had been addressed lifted her head as the white dragon stepped into the large chamber. She had been kneeling, deep in meditation, before a simple altar on which lay the Black and White Dragons' Crests. A fiery aura surrounded the white crest, as if locked in some inner turmoil. The black crest was still, for now.
The woman called Twyla stood, smiled slightly, and nodded. She pulled off the hood of her cloak as she turned to face the white dragon. "Thank you, Laln," she said. "You've been such a help."
"A duty and a pleasure." Laln grinned. He offered the red crest to her.
Twyla accepted it solemnly, a great sense of feeling reflected in her eyes. "Good. It seems you will have company soon. It is not good to be alone." She paused, and her sternness returned as she banished her reverie. "Did you have any trouble?"
Laln lolled his head to one side and gave her a smug filled look. "Nah, she was a pushover."
Twyla set the red crest with the other two, looking them over. "It's amazing that creatures like those have held sway over Lunar for so long. The fiasco with Zophar was a near disaster. If the Dragon Tribe had been united Ghaleon would not have had the chance to defeat them so easily."
"They apparently can't stand each other half the time," said Laln. "Ruby nearly bit my head off--figuratively of course--when I walked in on her."
"Paranoia," murmured Twyla. "No, we cannot have that. We must be strong. But, it should be easier to create more replacements now that I've had practice with you. We'll help this world. We will be strong."
Laln lounged behind her, resting on his belly. "Of course, Twyla. Soon we'll be the new Dragon Tribe, and help the world in ways the current one never did."
Twyla nodded and looked up at the large, white creature. She patted one of his legs lightly as her mood softened again. "The last crest will be the most difficult to acquire. We no longer have surprise on our side."
Smiling down at her, he offered: "It's for the good of Lunar, we'll succeed one way or another. Althena would want us too."
"Yes," she whispered, as she turned back towards the three crests. "It's all happening soon. But we will need a plan to acquire the final crest, I'd rather not get into a battle."
"I understand."
Laln settled himself into a more comfortable position as he wrapped his neck around his body to face her. There would be much to discuss, and Twyla would need all the assistance she could get. He did not want her to miss something in her earnest. From his understanding she had become more sentimental since his birth. He believed in her mission as deeply as she did, and wished fervently for them to succeed.