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Desert Dragon

Page 2

by Michael Rogers


  Luna: "Man, you stink."

  Nathan: *He frowned in response.* "You aren't smelling like daisies yourself."

  Luna: "Pssht." *She blindly looked away with a frown.*

  Trevour: *He closed his eyes and focused, causing a brown glyph to zigzag and spiral underneath him.* (I need to charge my Neurons and focus my Astragons-)

  Nathan: *He instantly stared at the forming glyph under Trevour and watched the last line connect, causing itself to glow.* (Rostical!)

  Luna: "Wat's that sound?"

  Nathan: "It's the Rostical's glyph."

  Luna: "..."

  Trevour: (My biggest worries is the massive Purity Zone. If they find out almost immediately about our escape and send out a captain ranking warrior... We'll be... Oh, gee. What a temperamental situation that would be.)

  Luna: "What's happening? Why did it suddenly get warm in here?"

  Nathan: "Warm? It's still cold."

  Luna: "Maybe your stench is repelling the heat?"

  Nathan: "Man, you're moody-"

  Trevour: "SWIRLING SANDPIT" *He shouted with an echoing voice and pushed forward, causing sand to violently spiral around his hand.*

  Luna: "Wat's happenin'? What's that grainy sound-?"

  Trevour: *He pushed his entire arm into the wall, causing sunlight to shine on his face.* "Excellent. With a sturdy push, I was able to do it."

  Nathan: (Despite this, his Rostical-) *He walked towards the tunnel Trevour made with gritted teeth.* (I still hate it.)

  Luna: *She walked past Trevour and felt a draft.* "I swear, that wind is warm, aye?"

  Trevour: *He stared at Nathan and Luna's back, watching them walk through the tunnel.* (I hope nobody picked up on my Neuron signature.)

  Luna: "And why did your voice echo-?" *She noticed her voice echo in the tunnel, causing her to become silent in a satisfied-like manner.*

  Nathan: (I can't believe we're escaping Sorrowprax.. But, when did I get captured?)

  Trevour: (I hope we can make as much distance as possible before our departure has been noticed.) *He thought in a worried-like manner and hobbled after Nathan and Luna, causing a wall of sand to close up behind him.*

  --

  Millard: "We will have a little walk ahead of us before reaching the actual city."

  Lezard: "Why?"

  Millard: "Just the limitation of that little bugger-" *He looked down to the stone, watching the glyphic markings on it fade away into the glyph.*

  Twortz: *She watched the glyph glow a constant brightness, causing her to smile.* "It's ready?" *She glanced at Millard, as if she was unsure.*

  Millard: "Yes!"

  Rachael: "Hehe, you're getting the hang of this, Twortz."

  Twortz: (You have no idea.) "..."

  Millard: "Shall we have a countdown?"

  Twortz: "No."

  Lezard: "Yes!-"

  Karol: "Wait!" *His yell caused the party to turn around.*

  Rachael: "Karol?"

  Karol: "W-Wayt for me!" *He squealed and suddenly tripped on his own foot, causing him to land face-first into the ground.*

  Twortz: (Please don't tell me the child is going to join us-)

  Karol: "I-I'm coming to jhoin yooh!"

  Rachael: (Awesome!-)

  Lezard: "Yay!"

  Twortz: "Looks like you'll have someone your own age to talk to."

  Millard: "Oooo." *He spoke in suspense, glancing at Lezard.*

  Lezard: "You're just jealous of our friendship." *He looked away, pretending not to care.*

  Twortz: "In some states, that little friendship could be illegal."

  Lezard: "Lezard sighed and continued to ignore Twortz."

  Twortz: "Are you serious?" *She spoke with a stern voice, glaring at Lezard.*

  Rachael: *She ran up to Karol and bent down, helping him back onto his feet.* "You okay?"

  Karol: "Yep!"

  Rachael: "Let's go." *She spoke with a smile and started to jog back to the glyph.*

  Millard: "Quickly, little ones! It's about to transfer us-"

  --

  Rachael: *She stepped forward, blinking in disorientation.* "Are we-?" *She suddenly heard the lively sounds of a peaceful busy city.* (Sounds.. All around me-)

  Lezard: "Welcome to-" *He faced the perplexed party and spread his arms with a widening smile.* "Silver Wind Island."

  Trevour: *He looked down and stared at a dark brown stone ground with a contrasting colour.* "Is this a path or a road?"

  Lezard: "Or perhaps a path acting as a road? Bwarharh."

  *Groups of people walked up and down the large road-like path, causing Destiny to meow in an overwhelmed manner.*

  Luna: "I know, girl. Too many people, aye." *She grunted on her breath, brushing her fingers through Destiny's fur.*

  Rachael: *She looked up, noticing wooden and metallic bridges connecting one side of the upper level to the other.* "There's an upper level?"

  Twortz: "There's another down here?" *She looked to the far left and stared at a set of stairs which led down to another enormous level of the city.*

  Trevour: "It could be very easy to get lost in here, heh heh."

  Karol: "This is just as bersy as my citee."

  Rachael: "Busy."

  Karol: "Bursy."

  *Several ladies holding old fashioned umbrellas bumped into Luna, causing her to frown in annoyance.*

  Luna: "Watch it-" *She glared at the women, causing them to giggle in disgust.*

  Destiny: "Hrrrrkst." *She hissed at the women for support.*

  Nathan: "..." *He discreetly smirked at Luna, as if he respected the way she stuck up for herself.*

  --

  Rachael: "What is the.. Agoura Marbles?"

  Nathan: "The Agoura Marbles, it's one of the most famous sports across the two continents."

  Karol: *He nodded his head.* "Several dancers participated in the gaimes."

  Rachael: (Even Karol has heard of it-) "Could you tell me more about it please?"

  Nathan: "It's a race."

  Twortz: (How boring..)

  Luna: "I'm pretty keen."

  Rachael: "Those guys said there's a game tomorrow."

  Nathan: "It wouldn't hurt to ask while we're there."

  Lezard: "I'll cheer my besties on!" *He jumped up, pretending her was a cheerleader.*

  Trevour: "Heh heh, I'd do my best to support my friends too." *He walked up to the party with a smile, holding ten kebab-like sticks in between each of his fingers.*

  --

  *Rachael opened her eyes and found herself in the middle of a small flowery meadow, surrounded by a blurred environment.*

  Rachael: "Where am I?"

  ?????: "The third time thy've come to visit thou."

  Rachael: "Who-?" *She spun around and stared at a woman dressed in white garbs with blonde hair.*

  ?????: "It does not matter."

  Rachael: "Where am I?"

  ?????: "Thy see it.. Thou will one day be here again."

  Rachael: "Be here?"

  ?????: *She nodded her head and observed Rachael with widening eyes.* "Are thou complete? Or perhaps beyond the limitations?"

  Rachael: "Who are you?!" *She spoke in an annoyed-like manner.* "I'm not keen for games!"

  ?????: "Thy see." *She spoke in understanding, as if she knew of Rachael's sudden frustration.* "Thy'm known as Arcadia."

  Rachael: "Arcadia?"

  Arcadia: *She took several steps closer to Rachael, staring at her with different coloured eyes.* "It seems this isn't your time."

  Rachael: "What are you-?" *She noticed Arcadia's eyes, causing her to stop in mid-sentence.* "One of your eyes is red, and the other is hazel?"

  Arcadia: "That is due to my abilities."

  Rachael: *She touched her head.* (I'm so confused.)

  Arcadia: "Thy can feel thou confusion."

  Rachael: "How can you feel that?"

  Arcadia: "Thy am more curious as to how you warped out of the Astral process?"

  Rachael:
"I have no inkling idea what you're talking about."

  Arcadia: "Ooo, jinkies, Razzypoo, open your eyes!"

  Rachael: "Jinkies? Razzypoo?"

  *Rachael suddenly gasped into consciousness, finding herself on a single bed inside a small room.*

  Lezard: *He stood over Rachael's bedside with his arms spread across her.* "Y-You're awake!" *He spoke in shock, as if he wasn't expecting Rachael to be conscious.*

  Rachael: "Lezard? Arcadia?"

  Lezard: "Nope, it's me, Lezardy, bwarharh." *He smiled in relief and lowered his arms, causing a constant light to fade away from Rachael.*

  --

  Grey: *He clapped his hands, causing plates full of food to suddenly warp across the circular table.* "Now-"

  Rachael: "Wow!" *She stared at the plates in amazement, noticing they all sat on different coloured glyphs.*

  Nathan: "You never know of wealth until you experience it.." *He mumbled to himself in amazement.*

  Grey: "Yohoho! One of you theoretically would have completed the games, so the feast is a celebration!"

  Twortz: (Of course I would have.)

  Karol: *He looked down at the tray of food, causing him to pout like a child.* "I-I dhon't like this-"

  Ordin: (Seafood? Not interested-) *He reached over and tapped on a nearby dish, causing it to float off the table and into the circle.*

  Trevour: *He watched the dish slide to the other side.* (Impressive. Having the ability to slide the dishes across the table breaks the con in having a circular based table-)

  --

  Ordin: *He noticed Nathan, Trevour and Rachael enter the facility.* "Your majesty."

  Grey: "Excellent-" *He stepped to the side, glancing at the entire party.* "Everyone is here-"

  Ordin: "Nathan-"

  Nathan: "Yes, sir?" *He spoke with growing nervousness.*

  Lezard: (Is he nervous? That's unlike Nathan.)

  Ordin: "Please explain everything you know about the yellow-eyed condition to Dawn."

  Dawn: "Yes. With the power of research, I'll be able to help immensely." *She pushed her glasses up with two fingers, readying herself for Nathan's information.*

  Nathan: "Well-"

  --

  Rachael: "Oh?" *She sounded interested.*

  Lezard: "Yes-sir-ee." *He giggled at Rachael.* "We finally had the honour of going through the database."

  Rachael: "And? Where are we?! Can we find a way home?!" *She spoke with growing excitement.*

  Luna: "Nah." *She sounded upset and brushed past Rachael and Lezard, making her way down the hallway.*

  Rachael: *She listened to Luna's footsteps echo down the hallway.* "What happened?"

  Twortz: "Ahem." *She coughed to clear her throat.* "There's nothing."

  Rachael: "Nothing? What do you mean nothing?"

  Twortz: "Precisely that.. There are no records of Dee Highs, no records of Earth, cars, fast food chains-"

  Rachael: "W-What about-?"

  Twortz: "The world's most popular brands-"

  Rachael: "Oh.." *She unintentionally lowered her shoulders, as if her idea was already used.*

  Twortz: "There's absolutely nothing, Rachael."

  Lezard: "That means.."

  Rachael: "We're stuck here?"

  Twortz: "I thought we..." *She looked down with lowering morale.*

  Rachael: "Twortz."

  Twortz: "I just wanted a shower.. A bath.. Listening to my favourite band.. Going back to work.. Seeing everyone's faces again."

  --

  Luna: "Waitin'.." *She tapped her foot with a growing frown.*

  Karol: "Because-.."

  Trevour: "Little meister?"

  Luna: *She rolled her eyes and started to walk away.* "Catchyas-"

  Karol: "Because we have no home!"

  Luna: "A-Aye?" *She sounded shocked, causing Destiny to widen her eyes for Luna.*

  Rachael: "Karol?"

  Nathan: "..."

  Karol: "None of us have homes.. I figured.. If we cweated a guild.. It could be our home."

  Luna: "Naww!"

  Rachael: (Hehe, wow-)

  Karol: "Waichael, Loona, you tooh can't get back to your home, Twevour, you've eskaped from the warriors, where is your home? Nafan, you might have a twibe, but, where is your home? Wezard-"

  Lezard: "Ooo! It's my heart warming turn!"

  Karol: "You're funny, stay wif us!"

  Lezard: "Naww, the feels." *He placed his hands on his chest, looking at Karol, as if he was about to cry.*

  Karol: "So.. I fink we should make our own home."

  Nathan: "..."

  Karol: "We'll create a guild, we'll form our own family! We'll help each other.. Stick by one anover."

  Rachael: (Something so deep.. This boy-)

  Karol: "You all make me happy.." *He looked down, staring at his boots.*

  Luna: *She smiled with watering eyes.* (This little shit.)

  Karol: "Until we find our homes-" *He looked up and glanced at each party member.* "We should form our own."

  Nathan: "Hmph." *He grunted in respect.* "The first manly thing I've heard you say."

  Karol: "N-Nafan?"

  Nathan: "This will solve our money problem if we wish to stay in a place such a Silver Wind Island." *He mumbled in a deep voice and smiled, symbolising he liked the idea.*

  Trevour: (Alan.. You're part of The Blazing Trio-) "I'd like to prove myself. I'd like to create a guild too."

  Rachael: "Hehe, count me in."

  Luna: *She wiped her eyes, hiding her emotional response to Karol's speech.* "Pssht, wateva. I'd have nothin' to do if I don't join, aye."

  Destiny: "Yeup!"

  Lezard: "You'll need a healer, I guess I can take that honourable role-"

  Karol: "Of course! Without you, we'd be in big twouble!"

  Lezard and Luna: "Naww."

  --

  Twortz: "They were not flowers, but light."

  Nancy: "That makes no sense."

  Twortz: "I think my unique way of learning Astragons and Neurons gave me the slight advantage-"

  Nancy: "Shut up! Stop talking like you've won! I can feel your Neurons! You're just about empty!"

  Twortz: "Hahackee. I know. I don't have the energy to attack you like I wanted to."

  Nancy: "So?" *She struggled to keep hold of the sceptre.*

  Twortz: "When you started raining your lightning on to me, I was never on the defensive." *She spread her arms with an exhausted smile.* "Small particles of light were spreading across this dirt field you have here-"

  Nancy: "Make it quick!"

  Twortz: "The light can manifest into what you've seen."

  Wendy: "Those flowers.. Is it possible they were light?"

  Cameron: "By the Astragon laws, it is possible-" (Although, very hard to fathom.)

  Twortz: "One thing I noticed, is that the light, they are really sensitive to my Neurons."

  Nancy: "You make no sense, how can your own ability be sensitive to your own Neurons?"

  Twortz: "Think of it as a detonation perhaps?"

  Nancy: *She lunged forward, readying to stab Twortz in the side of the head with the sceptre.* "Die!"

  Twortz: "Negative." *She gently placed her hand on Nancy's chest and concentrated.* "Didn't anyone tell you? Not to mess with the people who make your food?"

  Nancy: "Bwoho!" *She laughed and watched the sceptre about to touch the side of Twortz's head, before exploding into several pieces.*

  Wendy: "Gee-?!" *She jumped in fright, watching Nancy's arm spiral in the air.*

  Mindy: *She looked surprised.* "H-Huh?"

  Sofia: "Haheahe. Game over." *She smirked evil-like, staring at Nancy's severed body parts which had scattered around Twortz.*

  --

  Lezard: "That vigorous training with Rachael certainly helped one of our heroes out!"

  *Lezard sighed with a smile and faced the entrance to Silver Wind Island, causing an aura made path to appear.*

  Lezard: "Well, after all that.. It's been tw
o years since we created our delicious guild."

  *Lezard hobbled across the path and formed a fist in determination.*

  Lezard: "Everyone agreed we needed to practise before heading out into the real world. What that means, I'll never know. But I understood the logic behind it."

  *Lezard watched the Silver Triplets swirl around the island, revealing a door sized opening.*

  Lezard: "But, I look forward for what the future holds and what's in store for our guild."

  --

  Rachael: "Whoa-" *She hopped off the bench and ran up to Skyward.* "What happened?"

  Hayward: *She walked into the tavern, holding her blood covered arm.* "We were fighting an Astragon Projection."

  Rachael: "An Astragon Projection?"

  Lezard: *He bent down and spread his arms over Skyward, causing his wounds to slowly heal.* "Don't worry, I'll tell you later."

  Rachael: "Thanks."

  Keeper: "You two never had this trouble before? Did you let go of each other's hands?"

  Hayward: "No.. He knew Moonlight Reflection-"

  Skyward: "And he seemed to have no restrictions using it."

  Nathan: "What was the mission?"

  Hayward: "To eliminate the Astragon Projection that continues to haunt passing travellers near The Elemental Tower."

  Nathan: "Well-" *He stood up with an excited smile, causing the guild to slowly follow him.* "Everyone thinking what I'm thinking?"

  Lezard: "Muffins with cranberry sauce?"

  Luna: "Let's kick this Astragong Projector." *She smirked with a confident frown.*

  Trevour: "Astragon Projection, madam-"

  Luna: "Wateva."

  Destiny: "Yeup."

  Lezard: (Done.) *He stood up, causing Skyward to look shocked.*

  Skyward: (H-Healed?!)

  Rachael: "Alright!"

  Karol: "Don't worry, evewyone! The Rostical Guild has got this!" *He announced to everyone in the tavern, causing the different guilds to look at him.*

  Nathan: "Yeah!"

  Luna: "Aha, yea." *She grunted in agreement.*

  Destiny: "Yeup!"

  Rachael: *She smiled, forming a fist.* "The Elemental Tower, where's that?"

  Trevour: "This way." *He smiled and hobbled forward, causing his armour to rattle.*

  Keeper: *She watched the guild suddenly run out of the tavern, causing her to look confused.* (They better not die.. I actually like hearing some of their strange conversations.)

  Chapter 1: Astragon Projection

 

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