“And if they want to write letters . . . to their families . . . now would be a good time.”
“Good thinking, Sassi.”
So they made their arrangements, said their goodbyes and then the two dragons picked up their friends . . . and they all flew to Talon’s Perch.
*****
“What do you want?”
The girls all gasped at the large menacing face and gruff voice . . . everyone except Egg.
“Oh, great . . . it’s you again” she said in disgust. It was the very same dragon that she and Sylvia had bumped into on their first visit to Aerianna. But . . . that seemed like a very long time ago. Egg wasn’t the same scared little girl that she was back then. “Remember me?”
“No. I’ll ask once more, what do you want?”
“I want you to stop being so mean and then I want you to tell us where Storm is.” The other girls were wide-eyed at Egg’s foolishness . . . or was it bravery?”
“And why would the Prince want to see the likes of you?”
“I’m Egg of Earth and these are the Hameggattic Sisters,” she replied defiantly.
The other girls expected the dragon to laugh or to do something worse. But to their shock, he said, “Wait here.”
He came back in less than a minute. “This way.” So they followed him into the building and to the same apartment that Egg and Sylvia had visited the last time. But as they entered, they saw the famous, old dragon lying on a bed.
“STORM,” yelled Egg as she ran to his bedside. “What’s wrong? Are you okay?”
Obviously he wasn’t. “I am afraid that I suffer from the one thing for which there is no cure . . . old age.”
Egg wanted to say something encouraging . . . but she couldn’t think of anything except, “Tomorrow my sisters and I are going to fight Mobius.”
The old dragon stared at the little girl . . . with both shock and awe. “You would do this without the Princess?”
“I have to. It was in my dreams.”
“Ahhh. Well, perhaps you won’t have to go it alone. I have good news for you; the suit has been recharged. We found a way to speed up the process.”
“Oh my gosh, that’s wonderful.”
“I will send for it in a moment. But first, I do not believe I know all of your sisters. Would you do an old man a kindness and introduce them. I would like to meet the heroines of Aerianna.”
“Oh, sure. I’m sorry. Well, you already met Sylvia. This is Bl’azzz, Sassi, K’ssss and Soo’ (They all bowed to the Prince). And this is . . .”
But the dragon cut her off. “This beautiful child must be Aeri’elle.”
Everyone turned to stare at the blushing dragon, then back to Storm. “How did you know that?”
“I will tell you . . . in a moment. First, I will send for your suit. Then, perhaps, you could summon the Princess . . . so I may bid her farewell.” He rang a buzzer that lay beside his bed.
“What do you mean farewell? Where are you going?” Had Egg stopped to think, she would have known the answer. But at that moment the door opened and a dragon walked in carrying the flying suit.
“FATHER?” yelped Aeri’elle. “What are you doing here?”
The other six girls stared at the newcomer . . . and then at each other. Things certainly had a way of getting weird on this Quest.
“That’s your dad?” asked Egg.
But before anyone could explain, the old dragon started to cough. Aeri’elle’s dad ran over to the bed and gave Storm some water. Then he turned and asked, “Are you Egg of Earth?”
“Yes.”
“This is yours, I believe.” And he handed her the suit. “But, please, there is not much time . . . summon the Princess.”
Not understanding, but sensing the man’s urgency, Egg called, “Dazzle, Dazzle can you hear me?”
As if waking from a dream, the Princess slowly materialized out of thin air. “I am here. Egg . . . it is good to see and talk to you once again. Where are we? What has happened?”
“Dazzle . . . look,” and she pointed to the bed.
“Storm. Oh my dear friend . . . I promised the next time we met you would be able to see me as I once was. I have failed you.” Egg told the dragon what Dazzle said.
“I forgive you, Rose. But I am glad we have this one last opportunity to say goodbye.”
Dazzle floated over to the bed and sat down next to her lifelong friend . . . and she began to weep.
“Why are you crying? What’s going on?” asked Egg . . . still not understanding the obvious.
It was Aeri’elle’s father who explained. “Prince Storm is very old and his time has come. Soon his spirit will join his ancestors and his voice will be added to the chorus of voices we hear when we dream.”
“You don’t mean he’s going to die?” blurted Egg in shock.
“Yes . . . that is what he means,” answered Storm.
“Well . . . well . . . that’s just not fair. We’re about to beat Mobius and then Dazzle will have the Crystal Egg and she can make you better. Right Dazzle? Tell him he shouldn’t die now. Tell him. Tell him tomorrow you’ll make him better. Tell him. Dazzle tell him . . . tell him now.” Exhausted by her childish outburst, Egg fell on the bed, threw her arms around the old dragon and started to cry uncontrollably.
The other girls stood there trying to stop their tears . . . but failed.
“Do not weep for me, little one. I have lived longer than most. And I have lived long enough to know that Mobius will soon be defeated . . . and then — all that was will be again.”
If that was intended to stop the girls from crying, it didn’t work.
“Rose, I would ask one thing of you before I leave.”
“Anything, my friend.” Sylvia told Storm what she said since Egg was in no condition to talk.
“Destroy the Crystal Egg. Such power is an obscenity. We of Aerianna do not need it. We only need a wise leader and time to rekindle the love between races that we fought so hard to acquire. The Egg is too dangerous. If it weren’t Mobius . . . it would have been someone else. Destroy it once and for all.”
“I had already come to that conclusion my dearest Storm. I will return it to the Myst Tree.” It had been the Tree that originally awarded the Crystal Egg to M’earth, Dazzle’s father.
“You were always so sensible. You will make a wonderful Queen.”
Egg had almost regained her composure and was now standing by the bed. As she stood looking at these two life-long friends, a wonderful idea popped into her head. She looked around and spotted a knife on the night table. She grabbed it then returned to Storm’s side and said, “I have a gift for you. But . . . I have to poke you with this first. Okay?”
The old dragon smiled at the sad little girl. “I would never turn down a gift from one so brave.”
So Egg pricked Storm and then herself. She touched her bleeding thumb to the spot of blood on the dragon’s wing . . . and then gently stroked his head while whispering something no one else could hear. Then out loud, she said, “There. That’s for helping me at the Crystal Mountain.”
Storm was about to ask what had just happen, but then his tired old eyes grew wide in surprise. He was seeing the ghostly shape of Dazzle.
“Rose? Is that truly you?”
“Storm . . . you can see me? I did not think that was possible?” She looked over to Egg then added, “Though, I should never underestimate my amazing Sister.”
So even though they could not hug each other, the dragon and the princess were able to spend a few minutes . . . looking lovingly at each other and reminiscing of times long gone. Everyone else would have left, but they were asked to stay . . . to witness Storm’s passing.
Towards the end of their conversation, Storm said, “Rose, do you remember our first party at Se’rene?”
Dazzle laughed at the memory. “How could I forget? You were so in love with that pretty dragon. What was her name?”
“Elle’Lenore.”
“Yes, that wa
s it. Whatever became of her?”
“A few years after you left us . . . I married her.”
“No! That is wonderful. And did you have a good life together?”
“We did. My wife gave birth to a daughter . . . and she, in turn, had a son. Princess, may I introduce you to my grandson, Soar’elle.” And he pointed to the dragon that had brought the suit. “And, I believe you already know my great granddaughter, Aeri’elle.”
The mouths of the seven sisters dropped opened and stayed that way.
“Princess . . . I am sorry I cannot see or hear you. But, I am at your service.”
Then the room exploded in a babble of conversation. It took many minutes and a thousand questions to finally understand what had just happened.
It turned out that Storm . . . fearing what Mobius might do to his family . . . had them swear never to admit they were descended from him. In fact, Soar’elle did not find out who his grandfather was until he became a young man. Aeri’elle’s disappointment in her father’s apparent lack of loyalty to the former king had been totally misplaced. Soar’elle had been helping his grandfather for years to defeat Mobius . . . though they had little to show for it.
And poor Aeri’elle . . . learning for the first time that she was the great granddaughter of the famous Storm was just completely overwhelmed. She sat down next to the old dragon and did what Egg had done . . . cried. Her father sat next to her and tried his best to console his daughter.
While this was going on, Dazzle and the others walked to the far side of the room to give Storm and his descendants some privacy . . . and to talk.
Egg gave the Princess a quick update on everything that had happened since the suit’s power had failed. When she was up to speed, she told Egg . . .
“You must take me to the Myst Tree. Once I have been restored, we shall face Mobius and the others.”
“No, Dazzle.”
The Princess stared at her sister. No one in the world could talk to her that way . . . no one, except Egg. “Please explain.”
“You weren’t part of my dreams.”
That statement could not be argued or debated. “What, then, would you have me do?”
“I want Sylvia to take you back to the Myst Tree. Then when you’re back in your body again . . . come to Q’umulus.”
“Egg . . . why me?” asked Sylvia.
“Cause you’re my best friend and getting Dazzle fixed up is just as important as anything me and the others are going to do.”
“Should I fly them there?” asked Bl’azzz.
“No, I need you with me.”
“How about me?” asked Aeri’elle who had joined them.
“No. I have a very important job for you. It’s the most dangerous one.”
Without hesitating, the proud dragon said “Okay.”
“Could you ask your dad if he’d do it?”
And so it was agreed that Soar’elle would fly Sylvia, the flying suit and Dazzle’s body to Sighing Whorl. He would be joined by all of the non-F’yre dragons that were waiting back at the castle. Together, they would fight the Fl’eyes.
“There is one more thing you must carry,” said Storm in a voice that was quickly fading. “Aeri’elle, under my bed is something for the Princess.” His great granddaughter reached under, pulled out a sword, and handed it to Egg.
Dazzle came over and looked at it closely. “It is Dazzle, my sword. What a wonderful gift, old friend. Thank you.”
But Storm did not answer . . . his eyes had closed for the last time. And as everyone stared in grief-stricken silence, the dragon’s spirit rose from his body. It looked like a very young Storm, only it was a ghostly image like that of Dazzle.
It hovered above the bed, looked around and finally found what it was searching for. He drifted over to the Princess . . . and hugged her with gossamer wings. Dazzle threw her arms around his neck, held him tightly for a goodly while and finally kissed him farewell. Then the spirit of Storm slowly disappeared as he continued his journey to join his ancestors and to add his kind and wise voice to the universe.
Chapter 9 –Leaping Lizards
The seven sisters flew back to F’Aerianne’s castle accompanied by Aeri’elle’s father and, of course, Dazzle. Since the suit was charged, Egg put it on for what would probably be the last time. And for the next hour . . . she was Flying Girl once more.
“Oh, Dazzle . . . I almost forgot how wonderful it is to fly.”
“I am sorry, my sister, that this part of your life must come to an end.”
“It’s okay,” said a very mature nine-year-old girl. “I’m just so glad that I had the chance to be Flying Girl . . . and to help you. But, I’m so sorry about Storm.” She had to fight back tears at the mention of his name. “You must be very sad.”
“No, my sister. When I left Aerianna a thousand years ago, I never expected to see any of my family or friends again. To have been given this opportunity . . . as brief as it was . . . to talk with my dearest friend one last time is something for which I will always be grateful.”
“How did you two become friends?”
Dazzle laughed at the memory. “I was a terrible child . . . always getting into trouble. When I was perhaps your age, my father decided he had enough of me. He sent me to live with a number of Royal families. It was Queen F’Aerianne who introduced me to Storm. She hoped that we would become fast friends, and we did.”
“Boy, it’s hard to believe that you were bad. You seem like such a goody-two-shoes. No offense.”
“I am not familiar with that saying. But if you are suggesting that the Dazzle you know always does the right thing . . . you would be correct. However, the young Rose was a (she hesitated, trying to think of just the right word) . . . ummm . . . ah, yes . . . a spoiled brat.”
“Oh my gosh . . . you?”
“I behaved very unladylike. I was a princess . . . at least by birth. Therefore, I assumed . . . and insisted . . . that everything had to be just as I wished it.”
“Really spoiled, huh?”
“Yes . . . very. But worse, at least in my parent’s eyes, I was always putting myself in harm’s way. There was no dare too dangerous for me; nor was there any silly childish challenge that I wouldn’t accept.”
“Wow. I would never have guessed.”
Changing the subject, Dazzle asked, “Sister, may I ask you a question?”
“Well, of course.”
“How were you able to give Storm the ability to see me? That should not have been possible.”
“Oh, I just used the bracelet and told him he could see anything his heart desired. I guess that was you.”
“But how did you know to do this? Was it revealed to you in a dream?”
“No. It just seemed fair that he should see you again. So . . . I just did what I did without really thinking about it.”
“Most amazing. Most amazing.”
“I’m so glad it worked; he was such a nice dragon” and Egg started to cry.
“Don’t be sad my sister. He may be gone . . . but his spirit still lives. When you and I dream, we will hear his voice and share his wisdom.”
“Oh, that would be so wonderful.”
“Now . . . please tell me your plans for Mobius and his minions. Perhaps I can offer you some advice.”
*****
When they got back to F’Aerianne’s castle Egg gave instructions to Sassi, K’ssss and Soo’.
“Aeri’elle’s dad is going to fly you two back to Nau’tika. You need to find the Shades and give them a blood oath . . . without the words. Then get the rest of the stuff from your dad (meaning K’ssss’ father) and wait for me to call you. Sassi . . . you need to get Dazzle’s body. Does everyone understand?”
*****
After the girls flew off, Egg went into the castle and called all the Shades together for a meeting to discuss her plans. At Dazzle’s suggestion, she had made some changes.
“Okay, everybody . . . listen up, please.” But there was so many conve
rsations going on that no one heard her.
“QUIET,” screamed Bl’azzz, who also burped and nearly roasted three Egg look-alikes. That got their attention.
“Glad you’re on our side,” kidded Sylvia as she waved away the smoke from her sister’s hot breath.
Egg continued . . . “there’s been a slight change in plans. We’re not going to fight Mobius and the others tomorrow; we’re going to do it today.” That revelation brought an excited murmur from the crowd and looks of surprise from Egg’s sisters.
“The first thing we need to do is give you all a blood oath. So everyone find a sewing needle and give yourself a teensy poke. Then one of us (she pointed at the four sisters) will share a drop of our blood with you. And before you ask why . . . just trust me.”
So they did as they were told and when they finished Egg explained, “The reason we did this is to help protect you from the power of the Crystal Egg. Each of you now has a drop of Dazz . . . I mean Princess Dazzle’s blood.” Another wave of excited murmuring swept the room. “And now that you’re all honorary members of the Hameggattic Sisterhood, I think you deserve to meet someone special.”
A swirl of white fog appeared and out stepped the Warrior Princess. There was an explosion of gasps from every one of the Shades of Night as they recognized Dazzle. And as one, they fell to their knees and bowed low.
“Rise, my sisters. It is I that should be paying you homage. You have dedicated your lives to defeating Mobius and restoring the throne to my family. I am humbled by your loyalty and swear that we will rid ourselves of that evil man.”
It took a second or two for the Shades to fully comprehend what was going on and what they were hearing. And when they did, they let out an ear-splitting yell of joy.
When the cheering finally died down, Dazzle continued. “I will not be leading you in the fight; Egg of Earth will.” The Shades moaned. “You may trust her with your lives . . . as I do. She has my full confidence and I expect all of you to do exactly as she commands . . . and without hesitation. She speaks for me.”
Boxed Set: Egg and the Hameggattic Sisterhood: [The 12 book 1st adventure + the series prequel] Page 79