The Destiny surged across the landscape of the eastern Katarina Zone. It slowed and came to a stop several hundred yards away from the city of Meribia.
"Okay, north toward Zulan or east to Vane?" Ronfar quested as he stood near the steering column of the DragonShip.
"Isn't it obvious?! If they grabbed two crests then they'd surely go for three!"
Ronfar glanced at the winged, pink cat that was flapping at his side.
"Vane it is then."
Mauri stood at the bow of the Destiny, Boomer atop her shoulder.
"What do the crests have to do with the Dark Scimitar... why are they so interested in acquiring them if the blade is so much more dangerous?" she spoke aloud.
All of them were quiet as the steamship drove off toward the east. Less than an hour later, the Destiny slowed once again as Taben's Peak loomed in front of it.
"Hmm...strange," Ruby began, "It's so quiet here... I'd expect to find DragonKids running all over the place, particularly if Nall is out."
"Shall we take a look around and make sure everything is fine?" Mauri quested.
"Stopping wouldn't be a good idea... unless the thief stopped here rather than continued on to Vane," Ronfar responded.
That sparked enough interest for the seven of them to at least disembark and walk to the base of the artificial spire.
"Hey! The elevator's up," Ronfar blurted out. "Don't tell me we have to climb those wooden mazes again."
"Something is wrong..." Mauri started. "Ruby, will you and the lizard fly up there and take a look around? If everything is okay then we can proceed... I don't want to leave the children unattended and vulnerable in a time like this."
The flying feline sighed loudly and glared at Boomer.
"Oh, all right. C'mon... uh..."
Boomer was busy 'conversing' with his fellow reptiles. The blue serpents were nodding back at his hisses. The boomerang-winged lizard looked back at Ruby and smirked.
"What?" she replied, slightly puffed up, "Let's go!"
Ruby began to fly up through the tree branches that made up the 'floors' of the wooden labyrinth protecting the DragonKids' hideout. Boomer promptly followed her... but so did the trio of water drakes.
They reached the top of the structure in a few quick minutes to find the top platform completely empty... except for a single Pyromaniac groggily standing guard at the doorway into the metal lair.
The five animals hovered at one side of the platform near the elevator, their heads poking above the metallic floor as they watched the creature yawn.
"There IS a problem! We gotta get Ronfar and Mauri up here!" Ruby whispered excitedly.
Boomer nodded at her and then glanced at his other companions... but one of them was missing. He hurriedly looked around and saw the single serpent on the side of the landing closest to the Pyro.
"Oh great. He's going to alert the whole place!" Ruby muttered as she watched the drake inhale and open its mouth.
The Pyromaniac was almost asleep from his boring guard duty when a stream of water splashed into his face with enough force to knock him over. In steaming pain, he rose and looked around for the attacker.
Boomer leapt at him, wings first, before he knew it.
"Oh well... better put him down quickly!" Ruby exclaimed and soared at the guard with her claws out.
The other two drakes moved to the elevator controls and examined them. One long lever was the most notable object there so they wrapped their tails about it and pulled it down. The elevator creaked and began to lower through the branches down to the forest floor far below.
Blade and claw fatally pierced the evil minion before the lift reached the waiting Ronfar and Mauri.
At the bottom floor, the duo from Raculi heard the squeaking elevator as it came down.
"Guess we're going up," Ronfar spoke as he and his love boarded the mechanical marvel.
A pair of Tricksters was busily tearing up the large entrance chamber of Taben's Peak when they heard the noisy elevator outside start moving again.
"Sounds like company... find the priest and I'll hold them," one ordered to his companion. The magician then ran to the doorway to find the corpse of one of his allies covered with a cat and several reptiles.
"What are you things?!" he blurted out as energy blasted forth from his palms. One water drake went flying to a corner of the platform as the other quartet of creatures scattered and then leapt on him.
Mauri rushed over to heal the wounded serpent, as Ronfar stood aghast at the pair of bodies left on the shining floor.
"I hope the whole place isn't crawling with these nasties... and that your battles haven't alerted them," Ronfar spoke.
"Don't blame me," Ruby responded with a sneer. "It was THEIR idea to jump him." She glared at the four strange reptiles.
Boomer glanced back at her, smiled and scrambled into the doorway, followed soon by the others.
"Oh damn! Roast 'em Ruby!" Ronfar yelled as a horde of Pyromaniacs and Tricksters rushed down the stairs behind him. He hopped over the blue tails that extended from the sides of the doorway and ran to the side of the chamber.
The monsters that followed him ended up tripping over the water drakes' tails and flying over the railing onto the floor below. Sprawling in a pile of flailing limbs, the invaders of Taben's Peak barely noticed the pile of ashes under them or the image of a reddish serpent flying over their heads... but they did hear the yell of Ruby before it flew.
"Dragon Fire!!!"
Even the fire-based Pyromaniacs screeched in horror as waves of flame surged across the chamber and incinerated them into cinders.
Panting, Ronfar leaned against one of the walls as Mauri came to his side.
"Can't believe... that they kept falling for that. Just have Nall's room... to investigate," he puffed.
A quiet minute of travel left the seven of them at the doorway to the White Dragon's chamber... with their mouths wide open.
The room was literally torn apart, but the surprising sight was the eight metallic monsters doing the wrecking. An orange robed priest was standing beside a bound and gagged pile of DragonKids. The priest turned and saw the heroes.
"Get them! Maybe they have the sword!" he ordered.
The eight Stix droids stopped what they were doing and rushed at Ronfar and his allies.
Boomer was the only one of them that had ever fought creatures made of metal before. He scampered about and flung his weapons around as the Stix flailed their many arms around.
Mauri and Ruby let loose with several of their fire spells as the drakes sprayed water. Most of the automations succumbed easily. Those that didn't end up sparking on the floor were hacked by Boomer's sharp 'wings' or smashed by Ronfar's mace.
The Cult Priest watched in astonishment at the ease in which his 'special' troops were demolished. He snapped out of it and raised his staff; however, a quick flame spurt from Ruby sent him to the floor. Ronfar grabbed him by the throat as Mauri released the whining children.
"And what were you and your toys up to here? Looking for the Dark Scimitar?" he quested.
Coughing, the priest smirked and replied, "No, fool. We already have the sacred sword... we were looking for its bane... the Sword of Althena."
"Heh, heh. Good thing Whitey already took it with him," Ruby snickered.
"What?! You mean this was just a waste of t... time..." the priest answered and passed out.
Mauri stood on the outer platform, glancing out over the forest. Ronfar and several DragonKids soon appeared in the doorway.
"They have the sword already... and they wanted Althena's... we're in danger," she heard Ruby speak.
The beast-girl turned and nodded toward her love.
"We must hurry then... I guess Vane should be our next stop."
The lead DragonKid spoke, "We'll take care of the priest and what's left of his troops." Several of the other children giggled as this was said.
Ronfar smiled and nodded. The seven heroes piled back into the elevator and lowered back to the forest floor.
"Next stop, Vane!" Ronfar announced.
The roof of the Mystic Ruins was a bustle of activity.
Cradling the Dark Scimitar, Haranne stood next to the huge yet still inactive dark shape lying on the roof. Ornah and the Blade Wizards appeared behind her as jets could be heard coming from the southeast. A handful of miscellaneous troops rushed out onto the top of the ruins.
"We have visitors," the harpy announced.
A large humanoid shape with pointy 'wing-shafts' landed at the center of the dusty floor. It appeared to be made of a strange black and orange metal.
The whine of its internal engines died down as a smaller figure hopped off its back and approached Haranne. It was a female humanoid with neon green hair and an odd suit of armor over its dark midnight black skin.
The woman kneeled in front of the harpy.
"Hail, great DarkStar. Your brother sends his greetings and assistance," she spoke.
Ornah moved to the harpy's side.
"Brother! You mean you know-"
Haranne interrupted.
"Yes. The master is not yet fully awake to respond, but we welcome your assistance..."
"Kuyo. My partner here is KOMUSHA. We have a little trump card to offer as well," she answered.
As she spoke, the chest area of the metallic titan opened and revealed the still sleeping Gwyn.
"Excellent," Ornah replied. The Blade Wizards and the other minions were still amazed by the appearance of the new allies.
Kuyo walked toward Haranne, cradling her own sword.
"And I have a wonderful idea to slow up your world's protectors," she said as she draped an arm on both Haranne's and Ornah's shoulders.
KOMUSHA stood motionless with Gwyn sleeping peacefully as the trio of malevolent beings spoke amongst themselves.