Boxed Set: Egg and the Hameggattic Sisterhood: [The 12 book 1st adventure + the series prequel]
Page 72
“Storm? Not the Princess’s friend. You don’t mean that Storm.”
“I do. He’s the only one that can recharge the suit.”
“You realize that he’s really old.”
“Yeah. So?”
“I mean he’s really old. He and the Princess were friends when she was still the Princess. That was like a thousand years ago. Dragons live a very long time; but that’s really old. I’m not sure what he can do for us.”
Even though Egg already knew that about the dragon, it never dawned on her what it really meant. “We have to try. He lives in Talon’s Perch. At least that’s where he was when I saw him. Can you go see him? Can you fly?”
Again, there was the briefest hesitation. “Don’t you worry your silly little earth head about me. I’ll find him.” After a second or two, she asked, “Then what?”
“I need him to meet me here . . . at the Crystal Mountain.”
“How’s he going to find it?”
“Fiddlesticks . . . I didn’t think of that.” Egg was devastated.
“What’s a fiddlestick?”
“What?”
“What’s a fiddlestick?”
“I don’t know.”
“Then why did you say it?”
“I didn’t say that.”
“You just did.”
“Well . . . well . . . just forget it, would you.” What a stupid question, she thought.
“Sorry . . . . oops.”
Egg heard a hissing sound. “Did you just burp fire?”
“Ummm . . . yeah.” The dragon started to giggle and Egg joined her. It felt good to laugh.
“Thanks, I needed that.”
“Glad to help. So . . . what do you want me to do?”
Egg thought about that for a moment. “When you find him, call me on the communicator crystal. We’ll figure something out.”
“Okay. I’m on my way.”
“Be careful. Don’t hurt your leg any more than it is.”
“Not to worry,” she lied.
*****
With that out of the way, Egg now had to get help. She wouldn’t be able to move the coffin by herself. But she had the answer. Her dreams told her what she needed to do . . . even though she hated the idea.
She held out her hand with the ring she had made from camp. As it turned out, it was lucky she had brought it. In it, Dazzle had placed a crystal that could transport her back to earth instantaneously. All she had to do was think of a place . . . and press the stone.
And she did.
And she was back on earth.
*****
“Hi, Mrs. Z.”
“Egg. I thought you were in the mountains with your grandmother. Did you guys get back early?”
“Ummm . . . kind of. But we’re going back right away.”
“Oh,” said Mrs. Zambroski a little confused. “That’s a cute outfit (referring to the flying suit). What’s it for?”
“That’s a long story. I promise I’ll tell you in an hour if you still want to know”. Of course in an hour, Mrs. Z wouldn’t remember even seeing Flying Girl. “Mrs. Z, I need to borrow Zeke for a few minutes. Is that okay?”
Zelda raised her eyebrows at the young girl. “Really? For what, if I may ask?”
“Ummm . . . it’s a little project I have to do for Grammy. But I need his help.”
“Well, I don’t see why not. He’s out back by the pool moping around. Lucky for you, his brother went with their dad but Zeke decided not to go.”
“Thanks.” Egg started to leave when she saw a milk carton on the counter. “Ummm . . . could I have a glass of milk?”
“Sure,” and Mrs. Z poured her a large glass.
Egg thanked her then proceeded to drink it all down in one giant gulp. Wiping away her white mustache, she burped, giggled, excused herself then ran out the back door. It seemed like forever since she had a glass of milk . . . and it tasted delicious.
Mrs. Z smiled at the girl as she ran out of the kitchen. “I wish she had a friend just like herself for Zack,” she said to no one in particular.
Egg found Zeke just where he was supposed to be.
“Hi,” she yelled as she approached.
“Hey,” he replied with a big smile. If he noticed the flying suit, he didn’t even think to question why she was wearing it.
Egg blushed at his enthusiasm. “Ummm . . . I need a favor.”
“Sure. What?”
“I need you to come with me.”
“Where?”
“I can’t tell you.”
“Why?”
“I just can’t. You have to trust me.”
“It’s not some girl thing is it? You know like ice skating.”
“No. In fact, I need you to be incredibly brave . . . and do everything I tell you to do.”
“Why?”
“Zeke, I don’t have time for this. Just say yes . . . please.”
He kind of liked the fact that she needed him. “Alright. I’ll tell my mom we’re leaving.”
“I already did. Just take my hand.”
His first reaction was to pull away . . . as if her arm was a poisonous two-headed snake.
“Oh, you big goof. Just take it will you.”
He smiled at her then took it.
“You can kiss that smile goodbye,” and she touched her ring and in an instant they were on Aerianna standing in front of the Crystal Mountain.
“YIKESSSSSSSS,” the boy screamed.
“Something wrong?” Egg asked innocently.
“What the heck happened? Where are we? What is that thing? What’s going on? How did you do that?”
“Zeke, listen to me. You’re not going to believe a word I say, but it’s the truth. We’re on a planet called Aerianna. Inside this mountain is a coffin with the body of Princess Dazzle. You and I are going to go in there, get the coffin and bring it out. There will probably be a monster or two guarding it, but we can handle them. Once we’re back outside, a dragon is going to fly us out of here.”
Zeke looked at the girl as if she was from another planet . . . which, of course, was exactly where they were. “You’re totally loony tunes.”
“Then how do you explain this?” she replied pointing at the Mountain.
Zeke looked up then back at Egg. “Did you hypnotize me?”
“No, dopey.”
“Come on, you’re beginning to freak me out.”
“Zeke . . .,” but before she could finish, her communicator crystal came to life.
“Egg.”
“Hi, Bl’azzz. Did you find him?”
“He’s right here. He wants to talk to you.”
“Put him on.”
“Egg of Earth, the Princess is in trouble?”
“No, Storm. Well, not exactly. She used almost all the power in the flying suit to save me. The last thing she told me was to get you to recharge the suit. Can you do that?”
“For the Princess, I would do anything. Where are you?”
“I’m standing right next to the Crystal Mountain.”
“You have found it?”
“With the help of my sisters.”
“How will I find you? The whereabouts of the Mountain is unknown to us.”
“Ummm . . . let me think a second.”
“Who are you talking to?” asked Zeke.
“The first voice was Bl’azzz; she’s a F’yre Dragon and one of my sisters. The second voice was Storm; he’s a dragon too. And he’s the Princess’ best friend.”
Zeke still couldn’t believe any of this . . . but something told him just to trust his friend. “Why can’t he find us?”
“No one knows where this place is. I found it by luck.” It was an easier answer than to tell him about the seven lands.
“Does the dragon,” he rolled his eyes at the word, “have electronic gadgets and stuff?”
“Why?”
“He could follow the signal from that walkie-talkie thing you have. Anybody on earth could do that.”
“That is possible. But you must leave it on at all times.”
“Wonderful. Okay, I’m going to stick it on a branch that marks the entrance to the Mountain. Zeke and I are going to go in and get the coffin. We’ll see you when you get here.”
“Egg.”
“Yes, Bl’azzz?’
“Who’s with you?”
“Ummm . . . a friend from earth.”
“I thought I heard you call him Z’kkk.”
“No, it’s Zeke. It’s almost the same thing.”
“Is he handsome?”
“OH,” Egg huffed in embarrassment while Zeke laughed. “NO . . . he most certainly is not.”
“Yeah, right. Anyway, good luck.”
Chapter 2 – Fl’eyes and Other Pests
“I like her,” said Zeke who was beginning to get into the spirit of things.
“She’s terrific . . . but she has a bad case of gas.”
“What? Dude, that’s disgusting.”
“It’s not what you think. She burps and because she’s a F’yre Dragon, it bursts into flames. Funny, but dangerous.”
“Egg . . .” Zeke had been smiling but he now turned serious.
“Yeah.”
“What the heck is going on? What is this place?”
“Zeke, I was being honest when I told you about the coffin and the other stuff. It’s a really complicated story. A long time ago a bad guy named Mobius made himself king. And he’s got something called a Crystal Egg, which gives him humongous power. Dazzle . . . she was the real king’s daughter . . . couldn’t beat this guy by herself. So she put her spirit into the suit I’m wearing and went to Earth. Long story short . . . I’m kind like her great, great, great granddaughter. So I’m here to help her . . . and everybody on this planet.”
“Far out. So you’re like super girl or something.”
“No . . . Flying Girl.”
“Awesome. So what is it exactly that we have to do?”
She liked the way he said ‘we’. “Dazzle’s body is frozen inside the coffin. We have to take it to the Myst Tree and he’ll put her spirit back in her body. Then we go fight Mobius.”
“Wait, wait, wait. You lost me. What mystery?”
“No, it’s Myst Tree . . . two words. He’s a very powerful tree. He said that . . .”
“Oh, give me a break,” interrupted the boy.
“What now?”
“This tree talks?”
“Yeah.”
“So we have talking trees and dragons and invisible princesses and a magic egg. What else?”
“Sea serpents.”
“Well, duh . . . I should have guessed.”
“Listen . . . if we go in there,” she pointed to the mountain, “and we find one or two giant yellow snowmen who want to squish us . . . would you believe me then?”
Zeke laughed, “and an evil frosty the snowman. I love it.” When Egg just stared at him, obviously not amused, he turned serious. “Okay, it’s a deal. If there are giant, yellow snowmen in there, I’ll believe everything you said.”
“Great.”
“By the way . . . how do you know what’s in there?”
“It was in my dreams. That’s also how I knew that I had to get you to help me.”
“Because of a dream?”
“Yeah.”
“You dream about me?” He gave her a hopeful look.
Egg turned scarlet . . . from her neck to the tip of her ears. She finally forced herself to mumble, “It’s not what you think.”
“Oh. Okay.”
“Really? You believe me?”
“Why shouldn’t I.”
“Thanks. Anyway,” she held out her hand. “Let’s just do this.”
He grabbed it and they started to crouch down and duck-walk into the little tunnel. “So . . . how do we stop these monster snowmen?”
“With snowballs, silly.”
“Stupid me . . . what was I thinking?”
“You’re not stupid . . . you’re just a boy.”
*****
The little entrance didn’t get any bigger. So they were forced to stoop down to walk or drop to all fours to crawl the whole distance . . . and it was quite a distance. To make matters worse, it was uphill the whole way.
But they did have a bit of luck. It should have been very dark in that crawlway . . . but it wasn’t. The walls glowed an eerie green — bright enough to see — and for that, they were thankful.
“You okay?” Egg asked her companion.
“Me, yeah. Why? You afraid?”
“Not until we meet the snowmen.”
“Egg . . .”
“What?”
“You’re pretty amazing.”
“For a girl, you mean?”
“No, that’s not what I meant.” he said somewhat insulted.
“Sorry.”
“Well . . . maybe I did,” he confessed with a shrug.
“You’re pretty amazing too . . . for a boy.”
“I haven’t done anything yet.”
“You will.” Then for some reason she couldn’t explain, she added, “I should tell you that when you get back to Earth, you’ll forget everything that happened here.”
“Not likely; especially if I get to see your dragon friends.”
“Sorry . . . that’s the way it works. One hour after I leave you, you’ll forget everything.”
“Well that sucks.”
“Pretty much. Sorry.”
“Can I ask you something?”
“Sure.”
“If I do good . . . would you go to the Halloween dance with me?”
Egg blushed, but it was lost in the green glow. “Maybe.”
“Awesome. Then maybe you can get a friend to go with Zack.”
Before she could answer, the crawlway ended and they were about to enter a huge cavern filled with giant glowing crystals . . .
“Oh my gosh.”
“Wow. Kind of mind numbing.”
They stood there and just stared at the amazing sight.
“So where are the snowmen?”
“They’re around somewhere.”
“And where’s the coffin.”
Egg jumped up on a crystal boulder and looked around. “There” she said pointing. “Oh my gosh . . .” but she stopped when she started to mist up.
Forgetting that there was probably something unpleasant guarding the body, they hurried over and knelt in front of the coffin.
“Is that really her?’
“Yes.”
“She’s beautiful.”
“Yes, she is.”
“How did she die?”
“She didn’t. The Myst Tree took her spirit and put it in this suit. And pretty soon he’s going to put it back in there,” she said pointing at the perfectly preserved body.
“So why did the bad king save it? Why didn’t he bury it or something?”
“He wanted to show it to the people to prove he was better than she was.”
“Oh. Kind of gruesome . . . but it makes sense if you’re insane.”
“Well, he’s going to be really sorry he did it . . . when Dazzle comes back and kicks his sorry butt.”
“So what do you get to do . . . you know, after she comes back?”
“Ummm . . . I don’t know. Whatever she wants me to do.”
“You really think that a grown-up will want the help of a nine-year-old girl?”
Instead of getting mad at the question, she gave it some serious thought. “I hope she does.”
“Come on,” Zeke said changing the subject. “Let’s push this thing out of here before anything comes to stop us.”
But he was a bit too late . . .
They were gigantic . . . and mostly yellow . . . and ugly . . . and mean looking.
But they weren’t snowmen.
They weren’t made from frozen water or ice.
; They were made from crystals.
“Well, at least I got the color right”.
They seemed to appear out of nowhere. In truth, they had been standing there the whole time but had blended in with the cavern walls.
“I hate to sound like I’m complaining . . .”
“What?” said Egg impatiently.
“I don’t see any snowballs.”
“Oh, fiddlesticks,” Egg exclaimed as she quickly looked about.
“So, now what?”
“Can you push this thing by yourself?”
“Why? What are you going to do?”
“Zeke . . . can you push it?” she demanded.
“Push it where?”
“Back the way we came. The passageway is too small for those creatures, but big enough for the coffin. If we can make it there, we’ll be safe.”
“Hey, good idea. Just help me get it started.”
So they both started to push and the coffin began to move . . .
But so did the monsters. What was particularly scary about them, besides their size and color and ugliness and what they were made of, was the fact that they didn’t make a sound. They were like three-dimensional shadows.
“Okay, just keep going. I’ll be right behind you.”
“Be careful.”
“Absolutely. Do you think I want to miss the dance?”
Zeke smiled from ear to ear. “Sweet.”
“Now go. Hurry.” Then a thought occurred to her, “. . . and don’t break the glass.”
“Give me a little credit, will you . . . oops.” The coffin hit a small boulder and made the sound like a glass bell that had been rung, but thankfully, it didn’t break.
“Boys,” she said to herself in disgust. “What a klutz.”
She watched Zeke maneuver the coffin around some other crystal boulders, for the moment forgetting about the two big yellow fiends. But that changed when she heard the sound of a crystal boulder exploding against the cavern wall. One of the two brutes had thrown it at her but his aim was off. He and his ugly friend were about to try it again.
“HEY, YOU OKAY?” screamed Zeke.
“Just get out of here . . . and watch where you’re going.” But she liked the fact that he was concerned about her safety.
Two more crystal boulders sailed over her head and exploded on impact. Their aim was beginning to improve.
Now it was Egg’s turn.
Ignoring Dazzle’s advice, she used her ring to make herself as large as the monsters, and then she switched it to the other hand to make herself incredibly strong. She picked up a huge boulder and threw it with all her might. It hit the closest monster square in the stomach . . . who exploded into a million little crystal icicles.