The excitement of the previous day in the city of Vane had not been forgotten by many of its citizens. The battles that raged about the Guild's mansion had attracted quite a horde of curious individuals. Fortunately, only a small percentage of this cluster had been injured in the fight.
Of course, the damage to the mansion itself was considerable and the fact that the Premier's family had almost perished called the immediate attention of surrounding settlements of Lunar. Regardless of the events that had already taken place there, the city of Meribia had already received word of the attack and was sending help due to arrive that afternoon.
A small assembly of warriors and mages of Vane had already arrived at the mansion to act as guards in case a second attack was planned. A small party had been sent into the Cave of Trial to make sure the grotto was empty.
The common townsfolk of Vane certainly seemed a bit more edgy than usual...
"Coming through!"
The sudden appearance of a black-haired woman with a fairy fluttering over her shoulder sent a number of them running.
It only took Shade about a half-hour to reach Vane from where she had encountered Mistra. She immediately hit the ground at the base of the steps to Vane and transformed into a human form. The dragon and the fairy dashed into the city to inform Lemina and the others of the new information.
Unfortunately, the guards that were assembled around the mansion stopped Shade and Mistra. The female clad in the dark outfit appeared to be just a loud troublemaker to the captain of the guards.
"We must see the Junior Premier!" Shade exclaimed as the handful of knights blocked the mansion's ancient doorway.
"Scram! The Junior Premier must not be disturbed... she's recovering from her wounds from yesterday's battle," the armored man responded.
"I've had it with these delays!" a high-pitched voice yelled.
Mistra, who had not been noticed by the captain, flew right in front of face and chanted a few strange words as she motioned with her tiny hands. A cloud of purple mist began to manifest around the knight and his fellow guards.
"Mistra, what are you doing?" Shade calmly quested.
The redheaded pixie didn't respond as she finished her incantations.
"What the... ooh..." the guard captain mumbled and then abruptly swooned backward. He and his companions promptly crashed onto the grass. The noise of their armored suits impacting against the ground and each other was tremendous... as was the snoring that followed the crash. The mist quickly evaporated.
Shade glanced down at the scattered bodies and understood what had happened. Putting her hands on her hips, she shook her head and sighed.
"All asleep after one spell... some guards for a magical city... Lemina needs better protection than this..." she muttered.
When she raised her head the black dragon noticed that the doorway was open and Mistra was gone. Her eyebrows raised as she quickly looked around for the fairy.
"Damn! I have to find her fast. We don't need her putting all the guards down when time is of the essence."
She darted into the mansion past the sleeping knights.
Meanwhile, in the northwest corner of Vane...
"Argh! I just can't take this waiting around! After all the trouble we've been through in these past few days, I can't believe there's nothing we can do to find Jan or clear up all these calamities!" Ryko exclaimed, punching the air in the midst of her practicing.
Talm was the only one who paid her any notice as he stretched. Kara, still clad in her Bunny Karate attire, was simply enjoying herself as she flipped and bounced around doing her normal practice exercises...
...And enjoying the attention of a handful of young males who had gathered to watch her...
"Sometimes it is better to exhibit patience rather than passion, Ryko. I know that we all want to find out the fate of your friend as well as discover the source of all the evils we've run into," Talm replied, "but delays are sometimes both helpful and necessary in certain circumstances. Until we receive some sort of word from another source there's nothing we can do but wait and prepare."
Ryko, her brow knitted and her mouth in a small frown, didn't respond to the ninja's remark. She continued her kata for a few moments more... then suddenly looked to Jan's sword that lay beside her in the clearing. The martial artist refused to let the sword out of her sight until she learned the fate of her friend. She was resolved either to return the sword to Jan when they met again... or give it to her father Randall if Jan could no longer accept the blade...
She looked down at her feet and closed her eyes, trying to remember the past before all these events were set into motion...
"No... I'm sorry, Talm," she spoke, "I can't just sit here... I'm going to talk with Lemina and Ronfar."
Ryko grabbed her best friend's blade and trotted off toward the mansion.
Talm looked after her and was surprised to find Kara standing right next to him. She had an expression of worry on her face and appeared ready to follow the other girl. The young man clad in the blue ninja outfit raised his gloved palm to stop her.
"No. We'd better allow her to let off some steam in her own way..."
He looked over his shoulder at the boys watching Kara towel the sweat off of her forehead.
"...And you might as well not keep your little pals drooling..."
Mistra soared past the doorway leading to the main chamber of the mansion. She barely glanced inside to see a few magicians placing the Red Dragon Crest up in the same place where the Black Dragon Crest had once sat. They didn't intend on leaving this one unguarded and easy to steal... a constant squad of guards would be present in the room.
The fairy muttered as she resumed her flight.
"Where's the damn Premier... maybe I shouldn't have been so eager to fly in here before the dragon girl..."
She impatiently turned down one hallway and found herself face-to-face with a group of five monsters: one fairly large bird-like creature, a strange lizard and three identical winged serpents. She literally crashed into the raven and bounced onto the floor.
Boomer, Thundra and the drakes had been simply 'patrolling' the mansion since the group had dispersed from Lemina's bedroom. They had been describing their respective arrivals on Lunar and the friends they had made so far to each other when the collision occurred.
The five animals already knew about the fairy race... the mystical sprites existed on Earth and Alisia had established friendly relations with many of them as they shared her love for the surroundings of nature. A few had even assisted her on her journey of vengeance.
None of them knew that fairies also existed on Lunar... they certainly hadn't seen any on their voyages so far. There certainly were fewer sprites on the moon than on Earth... either that or they simply were far more hidden than their somewhat widespread 'cousins' back home.
At this moment, however, they could do nothing but stare Mistra collided with Thundra. All of them were surprised by her appearance.
Mistra, on the other hand, was barely stunned by the impact. She leapt back onto her feet and raised back into the air to face the creatures.
"And I thought the drakes were lazy! These humans can't even be troubled to clean the monsters out of their own homes... and this is the house of the humans with the most magical power on Lunar!" she uttered as she unsheathed her dagger.
Thundra righted herself and backed up as she saw the tiny blade. This was certainly a strange turn of events.
The drakes and the winged lizard didn't move yet. They were still slightly stunned.
"YAH!" Mistra yelled as she dove at Boomer with her knife in front of her.
The lizard screeched in pain as the fairy rapidly sunk her blade into his flesh. It was surprising that the dagger could penetrate his scaly hide... and hurt so much!
Thundra's small eyes opened wide as she watched the little flying female stab and kick her friend rapidly. She had never seen an 'evil' fairy before and hardly expected any individual of that race to be hostile to creatures of nature like herself and her reptilian companions... but then again this wasn't Earth.
Reeling in pain from the sudden attack Boomer hopped backwards and listened to the warnings that the drakes started to growl. Like Thundra, they didn't think any member of the fairy race would deliberately act evil to animals like them.
He agreed for the most part but the suffering he was currently feeling was definitely not a mistake.
The lizard growled and faced the fairy with an angry glare. He felt his stomach grumble... it was almost noon and he hadn't had any sort of breakfast yet. He didn't know why his hunger suddenly had come to be foremost in his mind.
This flying creature was going to learn a lesson... she might not completely fit though... she looked too large in comparison to him...
"Had enough?" Mistra quested, a slight smirk upon her face.
Boomerang Lizard's scaly mouth shaped itself into the likeness of a grin. He twitched his back and let one of the large boomerangs fly right at her as she hovered above him.
Mistra immediately darted down under the spinning weapon... somewhat toward the quintet of animals.
"You think that could hit me? I'm too fast for you, lizard lips!" she gloated. "You're going to get a spell in the mouth for that one!"
The sprite began to sheathe her knife and make motions for another bit of magic. She then quickly remembered that the weapon that the reptile had just tossed was a boomerang. Mistra wasn't going to fall for getting hit by the boomerang when it came back to its sender.
She turned around to face the whirling device and got ready to dodge its return trip.
Mistra suddenly felt a slimy snake-like projection wrapped around her waist. Her arms and transparent wings were pinned behind her back by the reddish-colored 'rope'.
"Yuck! What the hell is this thing?! LET ME GO!" she exclaimed as she glanced over her shoulder.
She found Boomer hovering behind her... with his mouth wide open and his long tongue tied around her body... and pulling her toward him.
A bead of sweat formed on Thundra's brow as she watched the scene develop. She quickly communicated with the drakes to find anyone that could help as she grabbed Boomer's tail with her talons. The serpentine trio dashed in different directions as the fairy struggled and screamed in the lizard's clutches.
"What do you mean you're the Black Dragon? How could a fine woman like you really be a big furry dragon?"
Shade was losing her patience as she argued with Ronfar. She obviously knew who he was by sight (they had met in her own lair after all) but he just wouldn't accept that she was actually that same dragon. Transforming into her true form might've been the only to prove it to the hardheaded priest and she certainly didn't want to do that in the middle of the mansion. Ruby apparently had never described the human appearances of the other dragons.
"Please believe me Ronfar! I gotta find that fairy before she gets into more trouble... she knows a possible domicile of the wizard that attacked both Vane and Meribia."
Ronfar's eyes narrowed to slits.
"What do you know about that wizard?"
A scream erupted from elsewhere in the building. Shade's head turned in the direction of the sound... but Ronfar was still staring straight at her.
A steamed Ryko entered the vestibule behind them. Still muttering and cradling Jan's sword, she barely noticed the argument until a second yell woke her up. She promptly noticed Ronfar and his partner...
"Shade! Were you able to follow the mage?" the martial artist exclaimed.
Both Ronfar and Shade glanced in her direction.
"Unfortunately, no, but I ran into a fairy who has given us a possible lead to follow... but Ronfar here doesn't seem to believe me," Shade replied.
"Ronfar, she really IS a dragon! We even rode her to reach here from Meribia. Let her in," Ryko ordered.
Another scream was heard... but this one was cut off abruptly. Actually, it seemed more like it was muffled than completely stopped.
"Okay, okay..just stop all the noise then," the bandanna-wearing gambler consented.
Shade nodded and ran in the direction of the screech. Ryko and Ronfar were right behind her...
...And ended up on top of her as all three of them tripped over one of the water drakes as it darted down the hall toward the corner they had just rounded.
They literally rolled down the corridor and slid to a halt in a jumble of limbs.
"Oof!"
"Hey! Hm, actually this isn't such a bad feeling..."
"Watch where you're grabbing!"
Shade had barely gotten back up when she saw what all the commotion was about...
She certainly found Mistra... headfirst up to her waist inside a flying lizard's mouth! Only her frantically kicking legs and tips of her wings were still visible outside of the creature's maw. Her muffled cries erupted from the open jaws as her form thrashed about in desperation.
It appeared that the yells had already attracted more attention. Thundra was tugging the reptile's tail as it apparently tried to swallow the fairy. Ruby, still in feline form, was currently perched on the lizard's back and was pounding on his skull.
"Spit her out, Boomer!" the dragon-cat shrieked as she bat his scaly head.
Shade immediately grabbed the fairy around her tiny flailing ankles and began to pull.
"All you ever think about is eating... and Ruby that is," Ronfar jested as he grabbed Boomer's head and tried to force him to release Mistra.
"I'll deal with you for that remark later, Ronfar!"
Boomer figured the winged girl had enough terror and uncoiled his tongue from her waist inside his mouth. The sudden release sent Thundra and Boomer in one direction while Shade and a saliva-covered Mistra in the other.
The fairy shook herself off and was ready to attack in less than a second. Shade was fortunately faster and grabbed the pixie's rapidly beating wings to immobilize her.
"YOU DARE TRY TO EAT ME?! YOU'RE GETTING MY KNIFE IN A VERY VULNERABLE PLACE!"
Ruby literally sat atop Boomer to keep him down.
"I'm sure it was just another joke that this little guy likes to play," Ronfar responded as he stepped in front of the lizard.
"A joke?! You call that a joke?!" Mistra screeched.
"Mistra, please calm down and forgive him," Shade asked, "We really need to know everything you've seen so far... and this only causes us more delay."
Mistra sneered in response and folded her arms. The day kept getting better and better...
"I never saw any wizard like the one you described... all I saw were Flash Lords, orange-robed priests, those flying morons and blue-armored knights," Mistra reported as she hovered above Lemina's bed.
Ruby responded, "Well, that's certainly a lot of miscreants in one place... a place, mind you, that should never have been disturbed-"
"If you dragons really weren't such big scaly lumps that is," Mistra interrupted.
The miniature dragon glared at the pixie and then around at Shade, Ronfar, Mauri, Ryko and Randall. They were the only ones around at the time... Talm and Kara were still out training, and Miria and Borgan were resting (together) for the time being.
"As I was saying, we definitely should take a trip there and free the fairies at the very least," she continued.
Lemina coughed.
"Perhaps we can discover a clue to the whereabouts of the stolen crests as well... someone help me get up..."
The Junior Premier tried to sit up but groaned in pain again. Ronfar stopped her attempting the same feat twice.
"No way... you gotta get some more rest, Lemina. You're in no shape to run around Lunar looking for mages," the priest spoke.
Lemina glanced at him, her eyes opened wide.
"You're kidding, right?"
Ronfar shook his head.
"You really need to rest, Lemina. Perhaps we should split up into two groups for now: one to investigate the ruins and the other to stay here with you and guard Vane," Randall suggested.
"Alright... then what are the groups? I surmise that Azuren is still out somewhere, eh Shade?"
The black-haired woman nodded.
"We went looking in opposite directions when we lost track of the mage... he could be anywhere by now."
Mauri spoke up.
"Ronfar, you go look... you're the most experienced of all of us. I'll stay here and make sure Lemina heals well."
"I'll accompany you... I can't sit here any longer. I have to find Jan," Ryko muttered as Ronfar and Mauri exchanged kisses in the background.
Randall glanced at his daughter's best friend. She did have a point there... any information they could discover might help in his dilemma.
"I volunteer as well."
"Both of us dragons had best accompany you as well... who knows what we find there," Shade spoke.
"What about the others?" Lemina quested. Thundra flew over and perched on the bedpost near her.
"You'd best let your mother and Borgan rest as well," Ronfar answered.
Ryko whispered briefly with Randall and then addressed the group.
"Talm and Kara can stay with you for now, Lemina."
"I'll tell them," Mauri volunteered.
Mistra, currently settled in a mid-air crouch, impatiently chimed in.
"Well, I'm certainly going back home."
Boomer started to growl pleasantly.
"No... YOU want to come along too?! Absolutely not!" Ruby and Mistra exclaimed simultaneously.
Ronfar couldn't help but grin at this.
"Okay, the bird looks like it wants to stay by your side, Lemina... those serpents can come along then too."
Just as the assistance force from Meribia was arriving, Ronfar and his companions were boarding the Destiny. Only Mauri, Talm and Thundra were present as the group readied the giant steamship to leave.
Ronfar and Mauri spent a few quiet moments embracing and whispering to each other in low tones. They hated to be separate from each other for even a little time these days...
"Take care of yourself, my love," Mauri uttered.
"I wish the same to you... and keep a watch on Blondie... make sure you don't try to follow us until she's in good enough shape... if at all that is," Ronfar quietly responded.
They proceeded to give each other one last slow kiss.
"Can't that wait till you're married? Let's get a move on!" Ruby shouted from the deck of the DragonShip Destiny.
Ronfar groaned and sighed, prompting Mauri to giggle as they released each other. The priest smiled and climbed onto the deck.
"Farewell!" Mauri yelled as she and the others waved.
The giant craft shook as it activated and soon thundered off toward the east.