Coming out of a cloud was B’ludd, the nasty, mean-tempered dragon turned traitor. He was the only one who willingly joined with Mobius . . . against his own people.
“Oh my gosh.”
“What is he doing here?”
“I don’t know. He wasn’t in my dreams.”
“What should we do?”
“Let’s hope he hasn’t seen us. Fly lower and we’ll look for K’ssss.” The silly serpent was supposed to be waiting on a ledge that overlooked the water. Soo’ and the other serpents were to be in the water with a specially designed water-bubble that Tink’rrr had made for them.
After circling for a bit, Aeri’elle spotted their sister. “There she is.”
They landed and walked over to the serpent. But something was wrong; the silly sea sister had been frozen like a statue.
“This is K’aos’s doing,” said the dragon. It was obvious that K’ssss must have been touched by the Wraith’s sword.
“She must have tried to leap on him and knock him into the water.” It looked like K’ssss was frozen in mid-leap. She was standing on her tail and why she hadn’t fallen over was anybody’s guess. In fact, Egg was afraid to touch her . . . it might be just enough to make the frozen serpent fall down.
“I guess she’s going to get another medal . . . that makes four.”
“Welcome, my little friends. I have so wanted to meet you.” The girls jumped at the hideous voice. They turned around and weren’t at all surprised to see that it belonged to K’aos.
*****
Meanwhile, back at Sighing Whorl all the leaping lizards had done as much as they could. Either they had eaten so many Fl’eyes that they could eat no more; or they had been destroyed by the nasty pests.
“Okay,” yelled Sylvia. “Now it’s our turn.”
Each dragon took out their fly swatters and following Sylvia and Soar’elle, dove into the cloud of buzzing Fl’eyes swinging and swatting.
They really weren’t sure what a Fl’eye could do to you. But they soon found out. One of them landed on the head of a dragon, and then it crawled into her ear. And . . . it began to buzz.
The buzz was so loud, so awful . . . that it made the poor dragon scream in pain. She shook her head side to side trying to free herself from the pest. But that was impossible.
Then the dragon slowly plummeted to earth in a lazy spiral. She hit the ground and fainted. Score one for the Fl’eyes.
*****
“So . . . you must be the famous Egg of Earth.”
“And you must be Prince Z’kkk.”
“Ahhh . . . is that how you outwitted the others? Well, little one, that will not work with me. I know who I was. And I know who I am. I’ll let you in on a little secret; I like me just the way you see me.”
“Ugly?” said Egg sarcastically.
“Beauty is in the eye of the beholder; is it not?”
“Maybe beauty is . . . but ugly is ugly.”
“You show amazing courage for one so young.”
“And you show a serious case of dumb for someone who used to be so smart.”
“How do you know what I was like before I became what I am?”
“Dazzle . . . um, Rose . . . told me all about you. I really liked the story about the time you proposed to her. Maybe you recognize my outfit.”
For the first time, the Wraith looked at the girl’s clothes . . . and an evil smile split his ugly face. “Did you think those clothes would suddenly make me forsake my master (he was referring to Mobius) and lay down my sword?”
“Oh, silly . . . I would never expect you to do something that smart.”
While this conversation was going on, Aeri’elle could hardly keep from fainting. K’aos was so ugly, so menacing . . . that she was totally terrified. Yet, here was her sister talking to this creature as if they were equals. Worse . . . Egg was insulting him. It was the most incredible thing she had ever witnessed.
“I have enjoyed out little chit-chat; but, alas, it is time to take you to see my master. He is most anxious to talk to you.” He turned to Aeri’elle and dismissed her with, “You are of no consequence. Leave or I will turn you into a statue like your serpent friend.”
Egg turned to Aeri’elle and said, “You should go. But before you do, please give K’ssss a hug for me. Maybe she’ll be able to feel it even if she’s frozen.”
“But . . .”
“Please don’t argue. Just remember that when push comes to shove . . . we’re still the Hameggattic Sisters.”
At first, the dragon didn’t know what Egg was trying to say. Then she looked up at K’aos and understood.
“Okay . . . if you insist. Please be careful.”
She then walked over to K’ssss who was still standing tall and frozen and put her wings around her for a hug. But instead of hugging . . . she pushed and shoved. And the silly serpent fell with a thunderous splat sound.
And K’ssss, ever the hero, fell on K’aos. The Wraith threw his arms up to protect himself . . . but it was too late. His sword went flying and the very heavy serpent knocked him over the ledge and into the water below.
*****
Soar’elle lay injured. He had been attacked by a dozen or more Fl’eyes. Sylvia had fought valiantly and almost destroyed all of them. But two had landed on the dragons head. And they crawled inside his ears . . . one in the left, one in the right.
The pain was so bad that the dragon fell to the ground and only barely managed to break his fall with one last mighty flap of his wings. But he had hit very hard and Sylvia heard a horrible cracking sound.
She climbed off Soar’elle’s back, fly swatter in hand. After making sure that there were no more Fl’eyes, she made her way to the dragon’s head and lightly stroked it. “Soar’elle, Soar’elle . . .,” she called softly. But he didn’t answer.
While she tried to talk to the fallen dragon, two Shades landed next to them. One said, “Is he okay?”
“I don’t know. I don’t think so.”
“Sylvia . . . all the Fl’eyes have been destroyed.”
“What? Oh. That’s great.” But the girl was more concerned with Aeri’elle’s dad then the mechanical pests.
“Sylvia . . . there’s nothing you can do for him now. We must get the Princess to the Myst Tree.”
“What?” Sylvia was so shaken by the injured Soar’elle that she couldn’t think straight.
“We must go.”
“Yeah . . . okay. How many Shades made it?”
“Just us two.”
“What? Oh my gosh.”
“We all knew the risks. Come . . . we must finish our task.”
And so Sylvia and the two Shades began to drag the glass coffin into Sighing Whorl and to their rendezvous with the Myst Tree.
*****
As K’aos tumbled over the side of the ledge, he screamed “Dragon, to me.” And out of nowhere came one very mean looking creature . . .
Egg couldn’t let the dragon save its master. If only she could use her bracelet . . . and then she remembered; she could!
“Dragon,” she screamed, “OBEY ONLY ME,” and the battery that K’ssss’s dad had given her activated her serpent’s bracelet and the creepy critter stopped in mid-flight.
“Dragon,” called K’aos just before he hit the water . . . but it was no use. Egg was in control.
“Come here.” The creepy winged beast ignored his former master, landed next to Egg, sat down on a rock and waited.
Meanwhile, K’aos landed in the water and started to thrash around. The creature of the air had no idea how to swim in water. Soo’ and the other serpents that had been waiting for this moment (they never did know what was going on above on the ledge) took the water-bubble and pushed K’aos inside. Afraid that he might drown, the Wraith clambered inside willingly.
Once inside the water-bubble there was no way out for K’aos unless someone let him out. There was just enough air for him to breathe . . . but the rest was just what the name said . . . a bubble of wa
ter.
Egg climbed on the dragon’s back and commanded the creature to take her down to sea. Aeri’elle followed close behind.
“Good work, guys.”
“Thanks,” answered Soo’ on behalf of all the serpents. “Who the heck are you riding on? Then realizing she might be offending a friend, she quickly added “Uh . . . no offense, mister.”
“He belongs to K’aos. Well, he used to; now he’s mine.”
“Where’s K’ssss? Did she get lost?”
“No,” said Aeri’elle. “She earned two more medals.”
“We should start calling her the Warrior Water Worm. So, where is she?”
“She’s still up there. K’aos froze her.”
“Oh, geez; that poor kid.”
“Don’t worry. She’ll be alright after we beat Mobius. Anyway, please take our friend down to Nau’tika and lock him up.”
“Aren’t you two coming?”
“Aeri’elle will go with you. I have to take care of B’ludd.”
“Bl’udd? How?”
“Who the heck knows? Nothing is going the way my dreams said they should. So . . . I guess I’ll just wing it.”
“Be careful,” said her dragon sister.
Egg waved then told the creature to take her back up to the ledge. She wanted K’aos’ sword.
*****
She found the sword and picked it up. She had expected it to be very heavy . . . but it wasn’t. Then to the dragon, she said, “Okay . . . let’s ride.”
She flew very high and they circled about until she spotted the red dragon. As Egg watched, she had the impression that Bl’udd was just wasting time . . . he was flying lazy circles that seemed to have no purpose.
Then it came to her what he was doing . . . hiding.
He was big, mean, and nasty. But mostly, he was just a coward. He was pretending to be helping his two evil friends, but in reality, he was avoiding getting into a fight. He was afraid of the Sisterhood. Well, Egg had just the thing to help him out. She dove down on the unsuspecting dragon and came up just beside him.
“Hey, stupid,” she called.
Bl’uddd’s head swung around at the unexpected sound.
“What? You?”
“Yeah . . . it’s me.”
“Why I’ll . . .”
“Oh . . . just shut up,” and she whacked him on the butt with the sword.
Bl’udd froze . . . like a statue. Lucky for him his wings were outstretched because instead of falling like a rock, he glided down as soft as a feather.
And crashed into the water.
“Finally,” cried Egg. One part of her dream had come true . . . sort of. She had dreamt that a statue of a bird would fall into the ocean. It wasn’t a bird . . . it was a flying dragon.
Close enough.
Chapter 11 - Return of the Warrior Princess
“Welcome, Egg. It’s good to see you again.” The serpent had been helping Tink’rrr make the gadgets Egg had asked for.
“Hi, S’eeee-sik. It’s good to see you, too. Thank you for all your help.”
“Don’t be silly. The Shades and I thank you for your help.”
“You okay? Did you find Bl’udd?” interrupted Aeri’elle.
“Yes and yes. S’eeee-sik, could you send some of your Shady Ladies to go get him?”
“To get Bl’udd? That will be very dangerous.”
“Ummm, not really. He’s just up there, floating.”
“I don’t understand?”
“Let me guess; you used K’aos’ sword on him, didn’t you?”
Egg giggled at the memory. “I told him to shut up; then I slapped him on the butt and he froze like a statue.”
“You are too amazing,” said the dragon in awe of her earthly sister.
S’eeee-sik was even more impressed. “Amazing is not the word. First the Green F’aeri, then K’aos and now Bl’udd; even the Princess couldn’t do that.”
“She didn’t have the Hameggattic Sisters to help her like I do,” answered Egg modestly. She actually hated for anyone to think she was special. She was just . . . well, just Egg.
“So now what, super girl?”
“Now we get Mobius.”
*****
They dragged the glass coffin down the little path that led to the heart of Sighing Whorl. And after what seemed like forever, they came to the Myst Tree.
“Wow!” exclaimed both dragons. They had never seen the Tree; never expected to see the Tree; and never thought it looked like it did.
Sylvia had talked to it before and the awe was gone . . . well, mostly but not completely. “Tree . . .,” she called out.
“I am pleased to see you, Feminion.”
Sylvia was in no mood for pleasantries. “Here is Dazzle’s body . . . and Dazzle’s spirit is inside the suit. Well . . . you promised to put her back together again.”
“So I did.” The Tree paused, and then added “And so I will.”
*****
“Okay, make sure everyone has a black robe and a goo stick. And put your hoods up.”
So about a hundred Egg look-alikes put on their Mo’beye outfits and picked up their weapons . . . goo sticks.
While they got ready, Egg turned to her sister and asked, “Aeri’elle . . . you know what to do?”
“Yes,” she answered proudly.
“Ummm . . .,” Egg pulled the dragon aside so she could talk privately. “Once you have the Crystal Egg, you need to take it to the Myst Tree as fast as you can.”
“You already told me that.”
“Ummm . . .,” she didn’t know how to say what needed to be said.
“What is it?”
“Well . . . once you have the Crystal Egg; you become the most powerful person on Aerianna.”
“I’m not following you.”
“Once you have the Egg . . . you can use its power anyway you want. No one could stop you.”
Aeri’elle was shocked by what her sister was implying. “I would never use its power. How could you even suggest that?”
“Sorry. Dazzle told me that I just had to mention it.”
“Don’t you . . . and the Princess . . . trust me?”
“It was her idea to give you this job.”
That made the proud dragon feel much better. “Egg, I promise I won’t use it.”
“I know. Anyway . . .,” she gave her sister a big hug, “be careful and good luck.”
“Thanks, you too.”
Egg then went and found K’ssss’s dad. “Did Sassi give you the locations of the places we need to go to?” Based on the information that her parents had learned from their spy trip to Q’umulus, the girls were able to identify little-used rooms that would help them in their plan.
“Yes. We’re all set.”
“Thank you for helping us.”
“May I ask you something?”
Egg already knew the question. “K’ssss saved us five or six times. If it wasn’t for her, we would never have gotten this far. She’s been incredible.”
“Thank you. It means a great deal to me that my daughter has achieved some level of success. And, as importantly, I’m thrilled that she has such amazing friends.”
“We think of her as our sister.”
“Even better.” Then he looked around, “I don’t see her. Will she not be joining you on Q’umulus?”
Not wanting to upset K’ssss’ dad, Egg told a little white lie. “Ummm . . . she has a special job to do.”
“I see. Well, then . . . if you and your friends are ready, I’ll get you up to the city.”
“Great. Okay, Aeri’elle . . . you go first. Remember; wait for me to give you the signal.” And with that, the dragon walked into the space portal and disappeared from sight. She would reappear on the floating city in a matter of a heartbeat.
“Okay, Sassi . . . it’s our turn.”
“I’m ready . . . I think.”
“You’re going to do great . . . trust me. Okay, Shades, time to go.”
; “Good luck, Egg” called Soo’.
“Yes, good luck,” added S’eeee-sik.
And so, Egg of Earth led Sassi and about one hundred Egg look-alikes into the portal and on to Q’umulus.
*****
They paced back and forth nervously . . . two dragons and a human. Whatever the Tree was doing . . . it was doing slowly.
“How much longer, do you think?”
“I don’t know . . . but I’m so nervous I could barf.”
“What is barf?”
“You don’t want to know.”
“Feminion.” The three girls jumped at the sound of Dazzle’s voice. They turned toward the Tree and there she was . . . the Warrior Princess.
The two dragons dropped their heads and bowed lowed. Sylvia didn’t bow . . . but her mouth did drop open. “Dazzle . . . is it really you?”
“Yes, my sister. Thanks to the Hameggattic Sisterhood, I have returned.”
*****
Aeri’elle stepped out of the portal and into the closet off the main room that was at the top of one of the city’s five towers. Sassi had told her that this was once an artist’s studio, but it was no longer used. Opening the door a crack to make sure that no one was around, she stepped out and walked to the south wall. She looked out a window and was stunned by the breathtaking view as the sun broke through the clouds and bathed the city in an orange glow . . .
Q’umulus was everything she had dreamed it would be. And just for a moment she was excited . . . not by the upcoming battle . . . but by the sheer beauty of the city. After a minute, she remembered why she was there. She narrowed her gaze and studied the tower on the far right. On the very top, in a room that faced west . . . was the home of the Crystal Egg.
After memorizing every detail that she could, she sat down and made herself comfortable. There was nothing else for her to do but wait until Egg called on the communications crystal. As she sat there, the dragon began to daydream about this incredible adventure . . . from her first meeting with Egg until her sad farewell to her grandfather. “How lucky I am to be a Hameggattic Sister,” she thought, “and how proud I am to be related to Storm.”
Boxed Set: Egg and the Hameggattic Sisterhood: [The 12 book 1st adventure + the series prequel] Page 81