Boxed Set: Egg and the Hameggattic Sisterhood: [The 12 book 1st adventure + the series prequel]

by Robert Iannone

  “WHAT? How can I do that?”

  “I will help . . . but it will be up to you in much the same way that you discovered and evoked the magic in the jewelry.”

  “I don’t understand?”

  “In truth, nor do I. But you are the One and you will find a way. Now rest. We will talk of this tomorrow.”

  “Goodnight Dazzle. And thank you.”

  “Why do you thank me?”

  “For everything you’ve given me . . . the suit, the jewelry, the quest and you. But . . . after we win and I’m no longer Flying Girl; can we still be friends?”

  “For as long as the sun shines and the stars twinkle. Goodnight, my sister. Sweet dreams.”

  *****

  Egg slept, but not well . . . tossing and turning all night. She woke up early, brushed her teeth and called her grandmother.

  “Hmmm . . . hello,” answered a very sleepy voice.

  “Grammy, I’m sorry to wake you up so early, but I just have to talk to you.”

  “Is something wrong, dear one?”

  “Well . . . not exactly wrong. But Dazzle told me the rest of the story and I just have to tell you. Should I call back a little later?”

  Her grandmother could sense the swirling emotions in her granddaughter’s voice. “Absolutely not; I want to hear everything and there’s no better time than right now.”

  So for the next twenty minutes Egg retold the story.

  “Oh my,” was all the older woman could think to say. To win the battle and lose the flying suit seemed very unfair. But she was so very proud of how her granddaughter had responded to this unpleasant turn of events.

  “Dazzle is right about one thing . . . you are very special. I think you reacted like a very grown-up young lady.”

  “She lost so much, Grammy. Giving up the flying suit seems like such a little thing compared to that. But . . . it still is disappointing. Am I being selfish?”

  “Nonsense, little one. It will be the most difficult sacrifice a young girl could possibly make. And I’m so very proud of the way you are handling it.”

  “Thank you.” Praise from her grandmother always made her feel better. “But Grammy . . . how am I supposed to get allies and make up a plan? I have no idea how to do that.”

  “It certainly seems like a tall task to ask anyone . . . especially one so young. So, I think it’s about time that I talked to Dazzle.”

  “Really?”

  “If she’s going to involve my granddaughter in such outlandish schemes, then she better be able to convince me. So, get your suit and jewelry and I’ll pick you up in an hour.”

  “Should I invite Syl?”

  “Yes. She certainly has the right to be involved.”

  *****

  “Dazzle.” Egg was dressed in her suit and jewelry and standing in her grandmother’s living room. Sylvia and the older Eloise were sitting on the couch.

  “Egg, I am here.”

  “Dazzle, my grandmother wants to talk to you.”

  “I have been expecting this summons. I would very much like to meet the one who came before.” And the fog formed and swirled and out stepped the warrior princess.

  “OH MY” gasped Eloise the elder.

  “What’s happening?” asked Sylvia.

  “She’s here.”

  “Greetings, my sister.”

  “Dazzle . . .” but the older woman didn’t say anything else. Her eyes were filled with tears and for the moment, she had lost her voice.

  “I have longed to meet you. For a time I had thought you were the One. Alas, it was not to be.”

  The older woman took a deep breath, regained her composure and said, “I am so very pleased to meet you. Egg has shared your story with me. And though I sympathize with your plight, I need to be sure that my granddaughter can help you without endangering herself. She is only nine and I cannot let her do something foolish . . . no matter how noble it is. I hope you understand.”

  “Yes. But there is no proof I can offer other than my word as your ancestor and the crowned Princess of Aerianna. Will that suffice?”

  “Yes.”

  “Thank you. Know that Egg is superior to Mobius in every way. It will not ensure her victory, but it will prove impossible for him to physically harm her.”

  “And what of Sylvia?” she asked pointing to the girl on the couch.

  “As long as she wears the ring made by Egg, she should be safe.” Dazzle looked at the other girl as if seeing her for the first time. “Tell her she too is very brave and I am pleased she has decided to help her friend in her quest. And tell her that I will find a way for her to see and talk to me. It is the least I can do.”

  Egg told her friend who smiled brightly. “Thank you, Dazzle,” she said to the empty place where the warrior princess was standing.

  “Dazzle, I have three more questions, if I may?”

  “Speak.”

  “How will my granddaughter create a plan to defeat Mobius? That doesn’t seem possible for one so young.”

  “The same force that helped her discover the magic of the jewelry will help her in this new task.”

  “Well . . . if you say so” responded an unconvinced grandmother. My next question is how did the flying suit get into my family in the first place?”

  “My friends who brought it here stayed to ensure that the suit passed to the family with the greatest promise of producing . . . Flying Girl. When it seemed that the family was not up to the task, the suit was reacquired and given to someone else. Three hundred years ago, it was given to your family.”

  “Are these guardians of the suit still here?”

  “No. At about the same time the suit was given to your family, a serpent and ally named N’ssss came to earth and requested that my friends return to help continue the fight against Mobius. He stayed . . . but he was very old and did not have long to live. He died a hundred years ago.”

  “My last question is how do my granddaughter and her Feminion get to Aerianna?”

  “There is a space portal under a lake in the land you call Scotland.”

  The older Eloise thought about that for a moment then started to laugh.

  “Grammy, why are you laughing?”

  “Because Dazzle’s friend is alive and well in our history.”

  “What does that mean?”

  “Have you ever heard of the Loch Ness monster?”

  “Sure. That’s . . .” but she didn’t finish. Instead, she started to laugh too.

  “Why are you guys laughing?” asked a curious Sylvia.

  “Because we just found out who the Loch Ness monster really was” and Egg explained what she meant.

  “It is time,” said Dazzle.

  “For what?”

  “For you and your Feminion to visit my world.”

  Egg’s eyes opened wide and her heart started to beat faster. It was one thing to talk about going to another world; but it was something entirely different to actually do it.

  “What’s wrong?” asked her friend.

  “Dazzle wants us to go to Aerianna . . . now.”

  “Oh.”

  “Grammy?”

  Before answering, the older Eloise asked, “Dazzle, this would be just for a quick visit? She’s not ready to take on Mobius.”

  “Correct. She . . . and her Feminion . . . should see the world they are to save.”

  “Then, my love, if you want to do this, I think you should go.”

  “Syl?”

  “Where you go, I go.”

  “Dazzle . . . “she wanted to say something really memorable. But the best she could come up with was a line from one of her favorite movies. “. . . To Infinity and beyond.”

  Sylvia giggled. “You are such a goof.”

  *****

  They flew to Loch Ness and straight down into the deep, cold waters. At the very bottom, hidden under an overhang of rocks, was the entrance to a cave. They flew in and the complete darkness eventually gave way to a spiral of light that made Egg
and Sylvia dizzy.

  . . . and a moment later, they were out of the swirl and high in space above Aerianna.

  “After a thousand years, I have finally returned to my home,” cried Dazzle triumphantly. “Mobius, beware . . . for I have brought my sister and together we will end your reign of terror forever.”

  Book 8

  Sassi, K’ssss and Soo

  Book 8

  Egg and the Hameggattic Sisterhood

  © Copyright, 2016 by Robert Iannone,

  All Rights Reserved.

  Table of Contents

  Chapter 1 – Strangers in a Strange Land

  Chapter 2 – A Very Mysterious Tree

  Chapter 3 – Creepy Critters

  Chapter 4 – Boy, Oh Boy

  Chapter 5 – When Weird Gets Weirder

  Chapter 6 – Dream Weaver

  Chapter 7 – She Sells Sea Shells

  Chapter 8 – Etch a Sketch

  Chapter 9 – An EGG with Wings

  Chapter 10 – Oh MY GOSH!

  Chapter 1 – Strangers in a Strange Land

  “Welcome to Aerianna. Welcome to my home.”

  “Oh my gosh,” was the best that Egg could manage.

  “Wow. It’s totally awesome. Look at the colors,” said Sylvia.

  “Tell your companion that the sky can be any color. One never knows until you wake up in the morning whether it will be yellowish-gold, like it is now, or blue, like earth. I confess that I secretly enjoyed a blood red hue; though I did find that mauve put me in good cheer.”

  Since Ham could not hear or see Dazzle, Egg told her friend what she had said. They continued to fly down through a wispy layer of clouds and flew close to a mountain standing blue and purple against the sunlit sky . . .

  “Which way?” asked Egg.

  “First and most importantly, we must find Storm.”

  “Oh, that would be so wonderful. But how do we do that?”

  “Do what?” asked Sylvia.

  “Dazzle wants us to find Storm . . . her dragon.”

  “He is not my dragon. He is my friend.”

  Sylvia didn’t hear Dazzle’s reply. But, she did have a very good question. “Isn’t he really old by now”?

  “Dragons can live a very long time. However, after a thousand years, I may be too late,” the Princess replied sorrowfully.

  “I’m sure he’s still . . . you know, waiting for you. But how do we find him?”

  “He lives . . . lived . . . in Talon’s Perch. We will first try there. Head towards the mountain range; the fourth peak to the north is where his city-castle is located.”

  So Egg did as she was asked and was soon circling high above the home of dragons. . . real, live, very big, incredibly scary, not make-believe dragons.

  It was a terrifying sight . . . and try as they might, Sylvia and Egg couldn’t help but feel petrified. Sitting atop a column of rock was a monstrous castle. The dragons that swarmed around it reminded both girls of bees buzzing around a hive. The sky overhead had turned ugly and grey . . . except for a small patch of sunlight that streamed down to illuminate the nightmare that was Talon’s Perch.

  The hair on their necks stood on end . . . and for the first time, they truly felt that they were on an alien planet.

  Egg squeezed Sylvia’s hand as hard as she could. Her friend didn’t complain . . . she just squeezed back.

  “Be not afraid of dragons.”

  “Dazzle says don’t be afraid of the dragons.”

  “What if Mobius has taken control of them with the Crystal Egg?”

  “Your Feminion is wise. But tell her that Mobius knows not that we have returned. Until he does, he would not think to have my people look for us and try to stop our quest.”

  That made the girls feel a teensy bit better. But it still seemed far too dangerous. “Dazzle, why do we need to find Storm?”

  “I must know what has happened since I last had news. It has been more than three hundred of your earth years since I spoke with any of my loyal people. We cannot . . . you cannot . . . create a plan without knowing all that there is to know.”

  Egg repeated the reply for her girlfriend then shrugged. “Okay, here we go.”

  They flew down and joined a line of dragons that were entering the castle. A few of them turned and looked curiously at the strange newcomers but did nothing to stop them. “Land on that tower,” said Dazzle pointing to one of the many spires sticking up in the air.

  They landed and looked over a balcony at the courtyard below. What they saw were hundreds of dragons of every shape, size and color imaginable . . . and the girls felt weak in the knees. Sylvia was on the verge of crying and Egg’s heart was pounding in her chest — she could hardly breathe. Neither girl had ever felt fear like this.

  And these . . . things . . . were the good guys! How on earth . . . umm . . . how on Aerianna could they ever face down the bad guys? Egg was so terrified that she just hugged her friend as tightly as she could.

  “WHAT DO YOU WANT?” thundered a voice behind them? The girls turned and screamed. Standing in front of them was one very big and very scary and very red dragon . . .

  The girls stared with their mouths hanging open and their eyes wide.

  “Who are you?”

  “Tell him that you are seeking Storm.”

  “Ummm . . . we would like to talk to Storm . . . ummm . . . if it’s okay?” Egg squeaked.

  “WHAT?”

  Egg took a deep breath and forced herself to act alot braver than she felt. “I said we would like to speak to Storm.”

  “WHY?”

  “Tell him that you are a friend.”

  “We’re friends.”

  “Unlikely,” and he turned and disappeared inside a large room.

  “What do we do now?”

  “We will wait for Storm.”

  “Dazzle.”

  “Yes, Egg?”

  “These dragons scare us. I’m sorry . . . but we just can’t help it.”

  “Be not sorry. They are large and fearsome beings. And to meet them for the first time cannot be other than disturbing. But you will find them to be good and loyal friends.”

  “And if they’re fighting for Mobius?”

  “Then I will not lie. They can be the most deadly of enemies.”

  Before Egg could respond to that bit of good news, another dragon appeared.

  “I am Storm.”

  Egg smiled for the first time since landing at the castle. This was the face she recognized from her dreams. “Oh, Storm, I’m so happy to meet you. My name is Egg and this is my Feminion, Sylvia. But she can’t understand you.”

  Storm looked at Sylvia then back to Egg. Then his eyes grew large . . . and for a dragon that’s pretty big.

  He was staring at the flying suit and jewelry. “Dearest, dearest Rose,” he bowed his head very low. “You have returned.”

  “Oh, my friend . . . it is so very, very good to see you once more.” The Princess tried to maintain her Royal composure but she was smiling widely and crying at the same time.

  Egg repeated what Dazzle said. “Why did he call you Rose?” but the Princess did not answer.

  Storm raised his head and the girls were stunned to see that there were tears in them. “Oh I have missed you so. Please . . . we cannot talk here and there is much to say but very little time. Come with me.”

  They followed Storm into the castle and down a long hallway. They passed other dragons that looked at them with some curiosity but then went about their business.

  They reached a giant door and Storm opened it and led them into his apartment. The room was as big as Egg’s house, and there were three or four other rooms just as large. This room was mostly empty. There was only one couch but no other furniture you would find on earth. Instead, there were . . . things . . . that looked like tree branches. Storm jumped up on one and motioned for his guests to sit.

  “Can I get you food or drink before we begin?”

  Egg translated for Sylvia
. Being the only person who could talk to all three was beginning to get tedious and a little confusing.

  “No, thank you, Storm.”

  “Oh my friend . . .,” the Princess began, “I have dreamed of this day for a thousand years. I am so very happy – and relieved – that it has finally come to pass.”

  “Ro . . . I would give anything to see you once again.” He hesitated then asked, “How difficult has it been for you – alone, trapped within the suit?”

  “I am sure my suffering has been inconsequential compared to how my people have suffered. And you, my handsome dragon, how have you fared? You seem a touch more grey than I remember.”

  Storm smiled as Egg relayed the message. “When was the last time I told you how much I love you?” he said with a grin (though when he bared his two rows of razor sharp teeth both girls instinctively lurched backward).

  “You did send that birthday message about three hundred years ago. I must tell you, though, that N’ssss had a horrible voice when he attempted to sing that foolish little song you wrote,” she teased.

  The dragon feigned hurt. “Foolish? I spent days thinking up those lyrics.”

  Egg and Sylvia were enthralled by this conversation . . . even if they were being completely ignored. How many times would they get to see a reunion between two best friends – one a Princess and the other a Dragon?

  The two old friends continued to exchange personal reminiscences for the better part of an hour . . . alternating between laughter and tears. But they both knew that this brief moment in time had to come to an end. There was a greater need that beckoned.

  “Storm, dear friend, we must talk of the future and allow the past to wait a little longer for our attention. Tell me that which I need to know.” She didn’t have to explain what that meant.

  “First, I must warn you of the danger you are in by talking with me. Mobius has been entering my mind trying to gain knowledge of your whereabouts and plans. It was a frequent event a thousand years ago but had all but stopped until recently. So you must not reveal anything to me that might help him. I am sorry that I will not be able to hide your presence on Aerianna. The next time he invades my dreams, he will know.”