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

by Robert Iannone

  “That is not so. Egg has the power of the bracelet and can erase your memory of this meeting. So be not concerned.”

  Storm hesitated before answering. “Unfortunately, Ro, that is not true. The bracelet does not erase memory . . . it only blocks us from retrieving it. When Mobius examines my mind, he will find what I cannot . . . the conversations we are about to have. His command of the Crystal Egg has gone far beyond what we thought was possible. I am sorry.”

  “Then we cannot worry about that which we cannot change. Tell me what I need to know to accomplish . . . my quest.”

  “As you wish,” and for the next hour Storm described the terrible situation on Aerianna. Mobius had made Q’umulus his stronghold and seldom ventured forth. The population was forced into virtual slavery doing whatever he commanded. The traitor B’ludd, along with K’aos and the Green Faerie, kept watched over Mobius’ domain – enforcing whatever unjust laws he enacted. The population was in complete fear for their own safety and very few would dare to oppose the usurper.

  “All of your loyal people are now gone. I am the last of the old guard. But there is a small resistance movement . . . though it is sadly ineffective.”

  “Has there been any word of my father or mother?” M’earth and Kat’Alynnia had disappeared after Mobius had come to power.

  “No, I am sorry.”

  Only Egg could see Dazzle as the warrior princess paced back and forth . . . obviously deep in thought. Everyone waited silently.

  “Is there anything else I should know?” Dazzle finally asked.

  “Only that your people dream that somehow you will return and fulfill the promise made so very long ago. The legend of the Sword has been passed down through the generations. They know that Dazzle is their last hope.”

  “What of my body?”

  “As we had hoped . . . Mobius has preserved your glass coffin. Once every few years he takes it out and each city on Aerianna must send a dozen citizens to come and view it. He then gives the same message that is to be taken back to all the people.”

  “And what is that message?”

  “Sadly, I have heard it so many times that I have memorized it. ‘I am Mobius, the supreme ruler of Aerianna. If anyone believes they have the ability to challenge me, step forward and try. But be warned — the last one that possessed the skills and cunning that could match my own was your princess. And look at her now.” Storm raised his head and said, “As you would expect, no one ever accepts his challenge.”

  “Where does he keep the coffin when it is not being paraded in front of my people?”

  “He has built a most peculiar thing . . . a mountain made of Serpents Crystal. Inside, at its very center, is your coffin.”

  “Where is this place?”

  “I cannot say.”

  “How is it guarded?”

  “Again, I cannot say.”

  Dazzle again became lost in her own thoughts. After a moment she asked “Does he have any weakness; something that would cause his downfall?”

  Now it was Storm’s turn to think. “Ro, there is only one thing that may bring about his end . . . his arrogance knows no bounds. Arrogant people are convinced of their invincibility . . . and ultimately it is their undoing.”

  “That is not much of a weakness.”

  “Perhaps not.”

  “Is there anything else I must know?”

  “Only this . . . it is not safe to enter any of the human cities. Mobius has used the Crystal Egg to turn ordinary citizens into spies. The people have taken to calling them Mo’beyes. Each is dressed in black and carries an energy weapon. They are meant to be seen – and feared – by one and all.”

  “And what of the cities of the serpents and dragons?”

  “For the most part, he cares little of the serpents underwater domain. And, Bl’udd rules the realm of dragons with an iron talon.”

  “Thank you my friend. But now we must go for there is so much to do. As you warned, I will not tell you our plans.”

  “Ro . . .,” Storm hesitated as if he was embarrassed.

  “Yes?”

  “If I were to embrace the One . . . would you feel it?”

  “I would.” Egg could see the tears in Dazzle’s eyes.

  “Then with your permission, earthling . . .,” Egg nodded. The giant dragon gently extended his wings and claws and put them around the small girl. He squeezed ever so gently . . . hesitated for a moment . . . then let go.

  “I love you . . . you do know that?” whispered the Princess.

  “Best friends, forever . . . Rosie.”

  “I promise you that the next time we meet you will be able to see me as I was.”

  “I’ll count the days. One last thing before you go . . . this earthling seems very young. Are you sure she is the person that you waited a thousand years for?” Then he added, “Please, no offense . . . um . . . Egg.”

  Egg smiled “That’s what I keep telling her.”

  “She is the one. There is no doubt.”

  “Then I wish you all a safe and successful Quest.”

  Egg took Sylvia’s hand, walked to a window, turned and waved goodbye to Storm then flew away.

  “What now, Dazzle?”

  “To my home.”

  “What? Isn’t that where Mobius is?”

  “No . . . not Q’umulus. When you are a princess and your father is the King, you are allowed to be indulged.”

  “What does that mean?”

  “It means that when I came of age, my parents gave me a lovely little castle that had once belonged to my good friend the Duke of Bo’ring. It is far from any city and I would go there with my closest friends to get away from the unending demands that my world made on their beloved princess. Perhaps Mobius knows not of its existence.”

  “What will we do there?”

  “If it is safe, it will be like your attic.”

  “My attic?” asked a confused Egg.

  “What’s she saying?” Sylvia felt very left out. So Egg told her.

  “Oh, silly she means the attic at my house.” It was the clubhouse for the Hameggattic Sisterhood.

  “Oh . . . I knew that,” she fibbed with a smile. Then after a moment, she remembered something. “Dazzle, why did Storm call you Rose?”

  Sylvia added her own question. “And what was that about a sword?”

  “When the time is right, I will tell you,” answered the Princess mysteriously.

  “What did she say?” asked Sylvia.

  “She said we should mind our own business.”

  “Really?”

  “More or less.”

  They continued in silence, flying over the mountains and past lakes and forests. On the edge of a river, in the middle of nowhere was a small castle . . . and their destination

  “Welcome to my home. It is called Se’rene.

  Chapter 2 – A Very Mysterious Tree

  It wasn’t exactly what they had expected . . . but considering that this was Aerianna, it made a lot of sense.

  The great wooden doors opened onto a huge room. There was a fireplace on one wall that was so tall a grown-up could easily stand inside it. Next to it, but off to one side, were giant furry sofas that looked incredibly comfortable. These were obviously for human guests.

  Opposite the fireplace was a very large pool. According to Dazzle, it was fed from a stream that flowed from the river outside. It was designed for sea serpents.

  On the wall opposite the sofas was the same type of perches the girls had seen in Storm’s room. So this would be where the dragons would sit.

  The girls made a quick tour then sat down on one of the sofas. They were wrong . . . it wasn’t incredibly comfortable. It was super incredibly comfortable.

  “Oh my gosh, I could fall asleep right here.”

  “You and me both.”

  “Are you in need of rest?”

  “Not me. Syl . . . Dazzle wants to know if you’re tired.”

  “No, I’m fine, thank you. Ummm . .
. Dazzle, how much longer are we going to stay here?”

  “Not long. But why do you ask?”

  Egg passed along the question. “To be honest, this is all very . . . ummm . . . overwhelming. Being in the presence of dragons is a little unnerving, to say the least. Helping you sounded very romantic. But, now that we’re here – now that it’s incredibly real – it’s a lot less romantic and a lot more terrifying. I could use some time to kind of think about everything.”

  “That goes for me, too.”

  “I understand. There is one more thing we will do before we return to earth. We must visit the Myst Tree at Sighing Whorl.”

  “Really? That would be pretty cool.”

  “What would?” asked Sylvia.

  “We’re going to visit that tree thing.”

  “The Myst Tree?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Oh, that would be like amazing.” Then she added only half kiddingly, “He doesn’t bite, does he?”

  “He does not bite,” the Princess answered with a smile. Egg relayed the message.

  “Dazzle, can we really use this castle as our clubhouse?”

  “There is no sign that Mobius knows of its existence. As long as that is true, we will be safe here,”

  “Then I think we should make another pledge like we did in the attic to make it official.”

  Dazzle smiled. “When I was your age, my friends and I would prick our fingers. Touching one to the other created a solemn blood oath. At least, that is what we believed.”

  Egg repeated the conversation to Sylvia. “I think we should do that too.”

  So they used a small burr on the end of the ring that Egg had made for her friend and scratched a teensy tiny cut on their thumbs. They touched the drops of blood that appeared and recited the Hameggattic oath . . .

  “We are the Sisters of Mystery and will protect each other from danger and keep each other’s secrets for as long as the sun shines and stars twinkle.”

  They hugged then sucked their thumbs until the drops of blood disappeared.

  “Well, now it’s official,” said Egg with a big smile. She looked up at Sylvia who had put her hand over her mouth. Her eyes were so wide that Egg was afraid her girlfriend’s eyeballs might fall out.

  “What’s the matter?”

  “She’s beautiful.”

  “Who?”

  “Dazzle” she said pointing at the spectral figure of the Princess.

  “Feminion, can you see me?”

  Sylvia just nodded.

  “Oh my gosh,” cried Egg. “You can see her and hear her . . . that’s just so wonderful.” Then after a moment’s thought, she asked, “But how?”

  Dazzle considered the question for a few seconds then answered, “You have given your friend a drop of your blood. It is also my blood. That which flowed in me, and in you, now flows in her.”

  Sylvia was all smiles. “Oh, Dazzle, you’re just like I thought you’d be . . . only prettier . . . and shorter.”

  “Shorter?” asked Egg.

  “Well,” Sylvia said a little defensively, “I just expected that a warrior princess would be . . . you know, big.”

  That kind of made sense to Egg. For some reason that reminded the girl of a question she had been meaning to ask of her dream friend. “Dazzle, can I ask you something personal?”

  “Ask . . . though I may not answer.”

  “How old are you? I know that you’ve been stuck in the flying suit for a thousand years. But before that . . . how old were you . . . umm . . . when you lost to Mobius.”

  “I did not lose to Mobius . . . I chose not to continue the fight.” Dazzle seemed a bit irritated.

  “I’m sorry. I knew that he did that bad thing to your boyfriend and you didn’t want to have to hurt the guy you were supposed to marry.”

  “He was my love. He is my love.”

  “I bet he still loves you . . . deep inside,” added Sylvia trying to make her feel better. Dazzle’s fiancé had been transformed into K’aos, the ugly wraith, by Mobius.

  “Perhaps,” she answered with a wistful smile. “As to your question, I was a few months from my twenty-first birthday. Had all of this not happened, my father would have prepared a grand celebration in my honor. It is considered a special age, especially since I was to be married on the same day.”

  Sylvia said “You look older . . . no offense.”

  Dazzle laughed. “I take no offense.”

  Then a terrible thought came to Egg. Since her friend had not aged in a thousand years, she had to ask, “Dazzle, how old is Z’kkk now?”

  The smile on Dazzle’s face disappeared and was immediately replaced with a look of horror. Her eyes went very wide and she put her hands over her mouth. Ham and Egg didn’t say a word . . . in fact they looked like they were about to cry. The three of them stood there frozen as the seconds slowly ticked off.

  Finally, Dazzle said, “I must leave you for a time. Make yourselves comfortable and nap if you can.” And with that, she disappeared.

  The girls gaped at the empty place where Dazzle had been standing.

  “Egg, what have you done?”

  “I . . . I was just wondering . . . she seemed like she thought he might be waiting for her or at least that they would get back together; then . . . you know I just thought maybe she didn’t think about him getting older and her staying the same,” Egg rambled. “I didn’t mean to upset her.”

  Sylvia was irritated with her friend’s insensitivity, but it soon passed. “Well, it was a good question. She would have thought of it herself eventually.”

  “What should we do? Go home?”

  “No. She said to rest. So, let’s rest.”

  And they sat back on the comfy couch and talked about everything they had seen. Egg was in awe of Talon’s Peak and all of its flying inhabitants. For Sylvia, seeing the Princess was far more exciting than coming face to face with a dragon. Eventually they became drowsy and without realizing it, they fell asleep.

  *****

  The ghost like figure of the warrior princess materialized in front of the couch and said, “Wake up, my sisters.”

  The girls stirred, but continued to sleep.

  “Egg, it is I. Wake up.” Dazzle had entered Egg’s dream.

  “Oh my gosh,” yelped the startled girl in surprise which caused Sylvia to wake also.

  “I am sorry if I frightened you.”

  Egg yawned then replied, “No, you didn’t scare me . . . but you ruined a perfectly good dream.”

  “I had an amazing dream too. What was yours?” Then Sylvia realized that she was now being insensitive, so she asked, “By the way Dazzle, are you okay?”

  “I am now.” She paused, looking a little bit embarrassed, then said “Egg made me realize something that I should have known. My love is no more.”

  “Oh, Dazzle. I’m so sorry for upsetting you. I was being stupid.”

  “No. The question was not rude. My behavior was. I am sorry for leaving you alone. But, I needed to do something I have not done in a thousand years. I needed to cry.”

  Sylvia and Egg began to get a little misty for their friend. Dazzle noticed and said, “Be not sad; as I said, I am fine now. Tell me of your dreams.”

  The girls were happy to change the subject. Egg began first . . .

  “It was weird. I was flying on the back of a big white dragon – I think it was Storm – and far below was a lake and an island. In the center of the island was that crystal mountain that he was talking about.”

  “On Aerianna, we take dreams very seriously. Was there anything else?”

  Egg actually blushed then reluctantly said, “I was flying with a . . . boy.”

  Dazzle smiled and Sylvia laughed. “Well, it’s about time.”

  “For what?”

  “For you to think about boys.”

  “I DO NOT. Besides, you don’t . . . do you.”

  Now Sylvia blushed. “Maybe . . . sometimes . . . a couple of times.”

&nbs
p; “Well, I still think boys are awful,” said a very defiant Egg. “So, tell us about your dream.”

  “I dreamt of a dragon, too. But I wasn’t riding it. He or she was carrying . . . umm . . . a bright shiny ball or something.”

  “Explain.” requested Dazzle.

  “Well it looked like a giant . . .,” she stopped and stared at Dazzle. “It looked like a crystal egg!”

  “Oh my gosh.”

  “You must remember all the details. What else did you see?”

  Sylvia thought as hard as she could but all she could remember was, “I think there was a city . . . but it was mostly hidden by clouds.”

  “Q’umulus.” It wasn’t a question, just a statement of fact.

  “What do you think it means?”

  “I do not know . . . I do not know.”

  *****

  They were flying again, heading south looking for a tall barren mountain that surrounded the valley known as Sighing Whorl. It didn’t take long and Egg landed them where Dazzle requested.

  “So what are we going to do, exactly?”

  “You are going to talk to the Myst Tree.”

  “How do I get past the fog?” The valley was covered in a deep grey myst that flowed up and over rocks and crags making the sound of a human sighing in satisfaction. This fog protected the Tree from unwanted visitors.

  “I am not certain. But I am hoping that it will be curious about someone not of Aerianna.”

  “What about me?” asked Sylvia.

  “You may try also.”

  “If we do get to see the tree, what do I ask it?”

  “That’s simple,” answered the other girl.

  “Oh really, Miss Smarty Pants, what?”

  “First, I’m not Miss Smarty Pants. . . . I’m your Feminion and my job is to help you. And second, Dazzle wants to know how she can get out of your suit and back into her body.” Sylvia gave her friend a very satisfied smirk.

  “Your Feminion is very wise. When the Tree transferred me into the suit, it said it would reverse the process upon my return. I would hold it to that promise.”

  “Hah,” said Sylvia in triumph.

  “Lucky guess,” Egg kidded. But not to be outdone she then asked, “But what about your body? We don’t even know where it is or how to get it back.”