Disclaimers: I do not own The Lord of the Rings, The Chronicles of Narnia, "The Shannara Chronicles" and The Shannara Series, "Star Wars", Disney Fairies, and The Snow Queen. They belong to J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, Terry Brooks, MTV, Spike, George Lucas, Bioware, Disney, Hans Christian Andersen, and Hallmark Channel. All other canon material belongs to their respective owners. All original material belongs to me, the authoress of this fanfiction story.
Inspiration for Fanfic: DC and Marvel Movies where the Heroes are fighting something. It'll make sense later on in the story. :)
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Welcome to the conclusion to my fanfiction mini-trilogy, The Green Ring, part of my Origin Series and my Long Series. :) This isn't the end of my Origin Series and we're nowhere near done with my Long Series. We've still got a way to go, however long that is. :)
With this part of my fanfic mini-trilogy, the focus this time falls to Andalas, the same mer-hobbit and my OMC that just entered the shores of Crystal City in my previous fanfic, The Land of Elves and Fairies. So, we'll see more of what's happening in the Land of Merfolk and Sirens this time around. :)
Enjoy! :)
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Previously On 'The Origin Series'
The Beginning of Time Trilogy
A World Torn Apart
BOOM!
"Now, waste no time. Go! GO!" Janus spoke before her daughter could protest.
Janet looked on at her family and the rest of the order. There were so many lives at stake, all because of her. No! That wasn't it! It was because of Maximus. The rose… the one he plucked… could it be that's what started this whole mess?
Her mind returned to the present. She looked up again, watching a meteor shower draw closer to the earth. She knew it was time to go. She watched Aslan lead her family and the other members of the order through another golden hued light. She ran inside the ship, closing the door behind her. She managed to sit down on one of the bench, right as the strange alien driver piloted the ship into orbit.
The last she saw of the First World was the ground shattering into a million tiny pieces, before blowing up into oblivion.
-x-
Before the First Age Anthology
Janet and the Druids Trilogy
Moondust
"Who are you?" Janet asked him, curious.
He [the gentle-hobbit] smiled down at her. She loved that. "I'm Tobias."
~o~
Origin Tales: Parker Dooley Series
The Dark Dragonoid
"But if we work together, leave this place with the Emperor knowing, I can grant you a new friend. Me! Now, how does that sound, Mr. Dooley?" Qua'ra said, pleased.
"No. Not Parker Dooley. Not anymore." Parker walked towards his bed, looking at it, enraged. "I have a new name now."
"Oh really? What?" Qua'ra asked, impressed.
"Maranguan." Parker said with ease. "My new name is Maranguan."
~o~
The Rogue Warriors Trilogy
The Ice Queen
The castle reverted to its original state, allowing Janet to see that she and her daughter were back in the Druid's Keep, in the Four Lands.
Janet couldn't believe it. Jacob won, but something didn't add up. "Where's the icicle?" Janet asked, searching the study for the object the Ice Queen had kept on her. She looked up, right as Anabeth pulled out an icicle from a table, along with a note.
"Here's the icicle you wanted. Use it to save Parker Dooley's life. Thank you for helping me out. Jacob," Anabeth read, smiling.
~o~
The Maranguan Chronicles [Trilogy]
Maranguan's Apprentice
The queen wasn't finished yet with the scarred red dragonoid. "Maranguan, see me tomorrow. We'll discuss your new training. It'll be a grey test to see if you can truly embrace the light and the darkness."
Maranguan nodded.
"You'll spend the night in one of our temporary homes; at least, until arrangements are made for you to stay in one of the grander homes." The queen smirked. "You're our leader now, training under my watch. I am Matriarch and Queen of this village." She added, "We need you here."
"After my betrayal, and Vitiate's, it seems I have no choice," Maranguan said, calming down. The yellow moved into one eye, making him have one yellow eye and one red eye.
"Ah. See? You're changing already," The queen said, nodding to a soldier to lead the scarred red dragonoid to his temporary home. Maranguan looked back at the queen one last time, before finding his way into the house, where he already felt at home.
.
"You see, you're missing the point. Avoidance isn't going to get you anywhere," the Matriarch said, curious. "You are Parker Dooley and you're Maranguan."
"How can I accept myself as Parker Dooley. I don't know live up to that name anymore," Maranguan said, calmly.
"We have to find our place in the world. Yours is learning to both embrace the light and the dark," the Matriarch said, watching him eat the rest of his orange. "One day, you will understand."
There was a pause, one that gave Maranguan some thought. Maybe there was hope. Maybe he could live up to both names, but how? He'd be trapped with two lives in his head… then again, he was already there.
"Maybe I will accept my old name, my true name," Maranguan said, feeling himself become Parker Dooley. "I am Parker and I'm also Maranguan. I want to go back to being Parker Dooley and take on an apprentice."
The Matriarch smiled. "Come with me when you are ready. We need to discuss your training at the gazebo." She walked out of the house, leaving Maranguan – now Parker Dooley – alone.
.
"I would ask you the same question," Aslan approached the half-scarred red dragonoid. "I know we haven't met as often as we would like. I am sorry for not being there when you turned dark. That was my fault. It won't happen again."
"How can I face him? Vitiate? I'm not that strong," Parker said, curtly.
"In time, you will find strength you need to move on, to get out of this place and leave Zafna," Aslan said, calmly. "Your strength lies within you. The fact that you touched both light and dark, as well as your mysterious good-and-evil half, depends greatly on your success." He sighed. "Maranguan is not all that he seems. He may be good, he may be bad. What you do now is up to you.
"Craft your empire. Let it be not of light, nor of darkness, but something in-between," the Great Lion said with confidence.
"I don't know how," the half-scarred red dragonoid said, confused.
"You're already doing it," Aslan said. "Think back on what Maranguan said. The light and the darkness coexist. In time, you will find others like you who are governed by their intuition." He added, "If you truly wish to become that, there is an icicle that Janet and her daughter Anabeth are searching for now. It will help you with this task. It will be scary, it will be dangerous, but I know you can do it."
"I'll try," Parker said, uncertain about this.
"I know you will," he said, calmly. He blew on the dragonoid, forcing Parker back into the folds of his mind. When the dragonoid awoke, he felt better, if not more so. Both he and Maranguan's thoughts were in line now.
Nothing else mattered but this moment, and it made the red dragonoid relieved to find himself again.
~o~
The Freedom Fighters
Return of the Dragonoid
Aslan waited until the three families – Melena's, Parker's, and Janet's – were gathered around a larger table in the war room, before beginning the meeting. "Welcome." He smiled at them, knowing what they were doing was a suicide mission. "Where you're going is dangerous. I don't ask much of you. This mission is not to defeat Vitiate. I know that is your intention, but someone else will defeat him. He is still too powerful for any of you to face, including you, Parker." He looked at the red dragonoid, hoping he would seek reason. So far, Parker's expression was hardened.
"I'm sorry, but I cannot let him win," Parker said, admitting frankly.
"You're still recovering from being the dark lord," Corin told him, shocked. "If you go there now, you'll be vulnerable to Vitiate's attacks! Whether or not he lets us go will be another question."
"I'll ensure he will let you all go," Aslan said. "The Emperor is strong, but not strong enough to combat my powers and that of the Emperor-Beyond-the-Sea. My Father wouldn't allow it. That I can assure you."
.
Whack!
Parker grunted. The force of the stab to his heart sent shockwaves up his spine. He hardly noticed Vitiate stopping, enraged by what he saw. A chilling sensation coursed through Parker's veins. His physical scars healed, but not all of the scars had vanished from his head, body, and tail. He turned around, not by his own will, as he looked at Anabeth, who was smiling at him.
"You're nearly whole again," Anabeth said with a warm-hearted smile. "The icicle seeped inside you. It's gone now!"
"Anabeth, I don't know what to say—" Parker was cut off by Vitiate, who was clearly vexed.
"Enough of this!" Vitiate screamed, blasting another bolt of Force Lightning in the air, targeting his next victim.
Parker spun around, stunned to see his family back away from the blast. All except Eliza! Eliza was standing right in the middle of the target zone, where Vitiate was blasting his Force Lightning at her! "NOOOOOO!" Parker screamed, charging towards Eliza and moving in front of her. He kept his back to Vitiate as the blast of the Force Lightning struck him.
A bright light engulfed the area. Parker felt a strong wave reach his heart, lightening it and making him whole again, now bathed in the power of the Light Side. By the time the blast ended, the room returned to its dimly lit glow, Parker no longer had any physical scars. His irises returned to their usual yellow color. No more swirling red mist in his eyes, too!
They did it. They all did it, including Vitiate! Even if the Sith Emperor didn't sense it… or maybe he did. Either way, Parker Dooley was whole again, no longer bound to the Dark Side, even though he could feel a small amount of darkness linger inside his heart. That little speck was bearable, and he would live with that darkness for the rest of his life, including the part of himself that was Maranguan.
Maranguan would never leave his side. He would always be there, in his twisted, evil-grey manner, guiding him or just being cheeky.
"What?" Vitiate asked, stunned and angry now. "How dare you come in here and betray my trust! Get out! Never return! The lot of you. Really!" He seethed, hoping he at least accomplished something today.
"We did it," Parker chuckled, happily. The expressions on his family were grave. He turned to Eliza. She wasn't moving. She wasn't breathing. Her eyes were closed. There was no pulse. No! She was dead.
.
"Who are you? Are you dead?" Parker asked, stunned.
The hobbit smiled. "I am. And now, you can see the dead, after witnessing your lover killed off. You may not have understood death in the past, but now, you do or are wrapping your head around it. You've seen death more than once, but never quite like this. It's almost ominous."
Parker snarled. Who was this hobbit and why was he mocking him?
"Easy! I'm a friend." The hobbit man said, extending his hand to him. "Tobias, father of Anabeth and husband to Janet. I come with a warning. Not particularly a bad one, but one you'll need to understand in weeks to come, maybe even Ages."
"Why? What do you know?" Parker asked, not liking this hobbit man one bit.
"Don't play coy with me, Parker Dooley," Tobias said, intimidating him. "I recognize your kind. Determined, never thinking about yourself, fighting the good fight! Did you know Eliza has been looking for you this whole time? Anyway, that's beside the point: I come with a warning, and that warning is that in each Age you enter, one of your generation, the masculine type, will look like me and you in hobbit-human form, depending on which form they take."
-x-
The First Age Anthology
The Moral Compass Series
Bereavement
"Please!" Qua'ra cried out in the holorecording. "You have to stop this! You don't know what you're doing! Parker will return. You'll see!"
"Parker?" Melisandre chuckled. "His hundredth year hasn't come up yet. The Land of Talking Animals has fallen into nomadic ways, believing their new king will come and save them. I'm afraid your time as the Empress of the Shadow Empire is coming to an end." Melisandre signed a paper, showing it to Qua'ra. "There. I signed it. Now," she took the paper from Qua'ra, "the Shadow Empire will see to its last days the moment your friend and once Emperor, Parker Dooley, shows up. The moment he does, the Shadow Empire will fall. Oh, you'd better prepare for the worst, Qua'ra or should I say Scar-ra? Your tribe of scarred lions and lionesses will be disbanded, your army will be no more, and I will have full control of this planet."
Melisandre sniffed the air. "I may give this world a new name before I go. I shall call it, and the second the Shadow Empire's destroyed, this world will be mine to call, Teremode. It will no longer be Zafna, but Teremode." She smiled, menacingly. "You had better be prepared for the Shapeshifter's Migration. I doubt your army will survive what's coming. Buh bye now!" She walked onto her ship, departing as the holorecording ended with Qua'ra collapsed on her knees in agony.
.
"A good friend wouldn't scare people! That's not how friendships work!" Parker cried, intensely.
Qua'ra laughed. "Wouldn't scare people? Parker, you frightened me when you were Maranguan. Don't forget! That's how our friendship started!" She asked, reasonably, "Parker, if you come out, we can discuss this. Please don't leave me alone again. You'll start a chain reaction that could very well end this Shadow Empire. Is that what you want? To lose the only empire we ever built? What about my family?"
Parker stood up, staring at his friend in agony. "What would you choose? The Shadow Empire will fall either way! It was this way before I came to the First Age! Think about that!" He added, sharply, "We used to be friends, Qua'ra. Are we still like that now?"
Qua'ra nodded. Parker didn't like the silence, but it happened anyway.
"You're treading down a dark path, but I suppose these temples started crumbling before you came," Qua'ra said, knowing she had to let him go. "We're still friends, Parker! Even if you cannot see that yet. I still have a good heart! I didn't abandon you! You left to fight Vitiate, but you didn't return here until now. That was your choice, but it's also my fault that I didn't go with you. So now, we both have to pay the price for our mistakes.
"Go! Learn the truth. Find Alindor. You'll see I'm right," Qua'ra said, watching as a gold-rimmed portal appear behind Parker.
"Thank you. I won't forget this kindness," Parker said, turning to the portal and getting ready to walk through it.
"When you see Aslan," Qua'ra said, getting the light red dragonoid's attention, "tell him I'm sorry it ended this way. I blame Jine for starting this chain reaction, really. It's not your fault."
Parker faced her, knowing she spoke the truth. Even he had to admit that maybe the rumors were untrue about her, that there was still good in her.
"So Jine's responsible for this?" Parker said. Qua'ra nodded. Parker added, "I'll see to it she'll pay for what she's done."
"Just not out of revenge, right?" Qua'ra asked, curiously.
"It won't be out of vengeance, but she will pay for what she did to me and now to you," Parker said, giving her a small grin. "I'll see you soon, and then I'll help you flee this planet before something happens to it."
"Good luck, Parker Dooley. May we meet again," Qua'ra said, watching Parker escape the temple via portal.
~o~
The Land of Talking Animals
"Oh, believe me, it was." Alindor shrugged. "Don't worry, it wasn't too bad. I told him how kind you are and how we've raised four beautiful kittens together. My son is now the King of the Land of Talking Animals." He said, looking up at Parker. "He holds the title now, not me. Our family's back to normal."
"Well, not everyone," Jine said, smiling at Parker. "Hello Parker. It's been too long."
Parker stared at her, as if she came out of one of his dreams. His expression turned sour at the memory of being scratched and beaten up by Jine resurfaced. He couldn't stop thinking about the memories, so much so that he growled aggressively, pouncing on Jine and pinning her against a wall. He seemed to do that a lot with people, creatures, and animals. Must have been his signature move.
"Why did you come back? Huh? I thought you were dead!" Parker snarled, his yellow cat-like eyes fiery in angst and aggression.
"Please don't hurt me!" Jine whimpered, not enjoying being pinned to a wall. She screamed, wanting to be free. "What did I do wrong?"
"You'll pay for your crimes," Parker growled, his cat-like eyes nearly turning blood red with rage. "You'll pay for what you did to me. Remember the scars you gave me?" He growled louder, his cat scratch scars revealed on his arms, his legs, his neck, and his face. It made Jine wince. She didn't know what Parker had been through. How much torture had this light red dragonoid seen?
"Parker, set her down! She won't hurt you!" Melisandre called, walking up to Parker from behind.
Parker huffed and puffed. He looked at Jine, seeing the terrified expression on her face. No, no! The pain and memories were flooding back. He acted like a coward before Jine when she beat him up. Now, he was seeing himself in Jine's terrified expression. He set Jine down, his eye color changing back to their friendly shade of yellow.
"I'm sorry," Parker said, softly. He breathed, intense anger in his eyes. "I'm not like you, Jine. I don't scratch someone out of anger, like you did to me." His scars faded on his body and his head, allowing Jine to see the light red dragonoid as he was now: scratch-less. He added, "When I was angry, I was evil. I was Maranguan and Maranguan is someone you don't want to know. He came as a result of all the pain and suffering I had been through." He exhaled. "He's in me. If he gets out, which I fear could happen very soon, at any time, then everyone would know it. They would see the monster I had become and will be again. He created the Shadow Empire and now it's me who sees it fall." He fell silent, leaving the conversation hanging.
"Well done, Parker Dooley. You know how to torture someone well," Melisandre said, getting Parker's attention. "I am Melisandre, the High Queen of the Land of Talking Animals. I trust Aslan sent you here."
~o~
The Shadow People
"It's all right," Parker calmed her down. "I made it back safely."
"You're lucky. Aslan would kill me, if he saw the damage done here," Melisandre huffed, trying to get comfortable, but failing to do so. She looked up at Parker, telling him, her heart pounding inside her chest, "Parker, I'm sorry for troubling you. I'm sorry I killed your Shadow Empire. It was my final plan, the last thing I wanted to do was fulfill what Aslan sent me here to do." She breathed in and out, knowing she was about to die. "I'm sorry you took part in making that empire, but I knew it was about to fall."
"Don't worry," Parker said with a sorrowful sigh. "There was fear that the Shadow Empire would fall. Qua'ra predicted it, long before you set out to fulfill your task." He gulped. "I'll tell Qua'ra about you, how you tried to save your kingdom."
Melisandre chuckled weakly. "Tried? I fought for this kingdom. Then, all of a sudden, these Shadow People come in and destroy everything I hold dear. Watch out for them. They could still be lurking inside this castle. Get Jine's family out of here, help them find refuge in this realm! I want those Shadow People gone from this place before it's too late!" She looked at Parker, speaking while drawing her last breath, "Promise me… you'll defeat them." She sighed, closing her eyes.
"I promise, but Melisandre…" Parker was too late. Melisandre collapsed in his arms. She was gone, another leopard passed away, no thanks to the Shadow People. Parker had no more words to say, as he set Melisandre's dead body on the stone floor. He turned and looked, watching as a male snow leopard crept out from another rock and wooden plank pile.
It was Davin and he was cackling, cackling as if he too was dying. Davin stared at Parker in amusement, loving this game, this new turn of events. Parker could already tell the male snow leopard was going senile.
"She told you, didn't she? She told you about those Shadow People?" Davin laughed insanely. "They came, they did… those Shadow People! You ought to check on Jine's family! I hear they won't survive long against those wretched creatures!"
The male snow leopard attempted to crawl towards Parker. As he did, Davin collapsed on the stone floor, right beside a red rug. Davin pawed at the rug in a playful manner, not minding who was here with him. Just that his head was pounding and the thought of dying reached his ears.
Parker made his way towards the male snow leopard. As he did, the ceiling collapsed. The light red dragonoid managed to find cover, coughing and sputtering as he pushed wooden planks and rocks off to the side. Dusty and dirty, Parker approached the spot where Davin was. Davin was inches away from his mate. There was no sound from the male snow leopard, no breathing.
Davin was dead and Parker did nothing to prevent this.
.
"Jine? Tracker?" Parker cried in horror. This was bad. This was really, really bad! Wasn't there anything he could do to help them?
"Parker…" Jine lifted her head up a little, only to collapse a moment later, "…save me. I'm sorry…" she drew another breath, sighing in aggravation. Parker knelt beside her, terrified for her health, "…please forgive me… for scratching you up… that day… please… promise me you won't let that happen… to my children… promise me…"
"I promise. I'll get them out of the castle. They'll be safe." Parker said, kindly. He looked at her, telling her sincerely, "I am sorry for threatening you earlier. And… I forgive you, Jine, for what you did to me."
Jine smiled. He loved her smile. It made the world grow lighter. "Thank you and… I forgive you, too. May you live… a long and happy… life." She sighed, her last breath drawn. Her eyes closed. She was gone. Jine was dead, too.
"Parker!" Tracker got Parker's attention. He was on the verge of death. "Take care of my children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. See they're out of this castle safe and sound."
"I will. Thank you, Tracker, for everything. You and your wife brought so much life into my life, even though I turned into Maranguan because to it," Parker said, wondering if he said the wrong thing. He looked up as Tracker laughed. The brown Burmese cat collapsed next to his wife. Well, at least they would find peace together.
"I forgive you, Parker. Don't worry about it. Take care of my son, Alindor. He needs you… now more than ever." Tracker drew his last breath, closed his eyes, and was gone.
Alindor only had Ulmayá, his children, and his grandchildren. The golden house cat turned to Parker, asking him, "Parker, what should we do now? Half the kingdom is dead, due to those Shadow People! We'll never survive!"
"We'll get you home safe and sound," Parker said, staring at Alindor.
.
"Who are you?" Parker asked, trembling and turning away from the Shadow Man. A gentle hand was placed on his shoulder. It was calm, soothing, and curing him. Curing him? These Shadow People could cure people, animals, and creatures? "I thought you were harmful. I thought you were going to hurt me."
"Hurt you? We only kill when we feel threatened. You and your new friends are no threat to us unless you give us a reason to threaten you," the Shadow Man said, firmly.
"We only kill to survive, but Aslan swore we would help shed some light on the situation." The Shadow Woman explained. "We see your heart is pure, but Maranguan is no foe to us. You will come out of this fine, as will Alindor and his peoples, animals, and creatures that roam this land." She answered, finally giving Parker a reason to live. "We aren't Shadow People. We are the Guardians of the Unknown Regions, sworn to protect those who wish us ill and who will help us with our own tasks. We are not from the light or the darkness, but rather in-between both realms. We won't hurt you. We'll come from the Shadow Realm to help you out."
.
"Which explains why you married a human woman," Ulmayá said, smiling fondly at him.
"Yes," Parker smiled back, pleased to hear this, "Yes, that explains a lot. Well, at least I have Halflings in my family tree." He snickered at the memory. The spell he put on Frodo Baggins would wear off soon. He didn't have that much time.
It was settled. He needed to go back to the Chesapeake Manor when all of this was over and done with.
"I love Halflings—Hobbits and humans in general," Parker smiled fondly at the memories and his likes. It gave him something to root for. "They're kind, once you get to know them."
"Of course," Alindor and Ulmayá said in unison.
"Well, good luck," Alindor said, shaking the light red dragonoid's hand again.
"And to you," Parker said, releasing the golden house cat's paw. He looked at the ruined castle ahead, asking the two cats, "So, that's where you're staying next? In Creadon?"
"I think I'll give it a new name," Alindor said with a smirk. He turned to Ulmayá, admitting to her, "We'll give her a new name, this kingdom we're staying at."
"I think the name Creadon's fine for the moment," Ulmayá said, curtly.
"Yes, I suppose it is," Alindor said, his smirk growing wider. He nodded and waved in Parker's direction, telling him, "Don't be a stranger! You're always welcome to stay in the Land of Talking Animals!"
"And with a new king to rule the land, too, no doubt!" Parker said with a light-hearted smile.
"Yes, there's that to consider. Farewell now," Alindor laughed, following his wife, their children, and grandchildren towards the ruined fortress where Creadon stood. It was time to mend the wrongs and hurts, doing what was best for his country.
Alindor would see that Creadon wouldn't fail again. Of this he was sure would happen, for however long it would last.
~o~
Downfall of the Shadow Empire
"What are you doing?" the golden-brown Great Lion of Narnia called Aslan interrupted him. Parker looked at the Great Lion with concern.
"I have to find the Hero of Tython and thank him for stopping Vitiate. I have to have closure, after what Vitiate did to me," Parker said, a tear streaming down his smooth, scaly, light red face.
"Ask him yourself," Aslan said, moving out of the way for a Jedi Knight wearing brown and white robes pulled down his hood, revealing short dark brown hair, pale skin, and rugged features.
"I am the Hero of Tython," the Jedi Knight said in introduction. "I hear you've been looking for me, Parker Dooley. I'm impressed. I thought I was the only one willing to stop Vitiate, bring him down, and give him the right path. I defeated him, but I didn't want to. It's not a Jedi's place to seek revenge, as I well know."
Parker smiled. This was the closure he'd been looking for.
"If there's anything I can do to assist you, I'll do it," the Jedi Knight said, curiously.
"No," Parker shook his head. Although, he really needed the Jedi Knight's help. "Wait. There is someone who needs our help. Qua'ra. Qua'ra Holdo. She lives on the planet Zafna, and this planet is about to turn into a barren, broken landscape called Teremode unless we get her out of there. My coming to the planet Zafna changed everything. Now, I'm about to lose my empire for good, the one Qua'ra's ruling now. It's a neutral empire. It's called the Shadow Empire. Can you help me?"
"I'll do what I can, but I cannot promise that everyone makes it out alive," the Jedi Knight said, concerned. "Still, we have to help. All of them. If there are survivors, I'll see to it they are unharmed and taken to the med centers."
"Thank you," Parker said, shaking the Jedi Knight's hand. "Thank you for doing this. It gives me comfort and closure knowing you are here and Vitiate's not."
"Don't underestimate him. Even as powerful as he was, he was no match for me," the Jedi Knight said, bluntly. "I had help defeating Vitiate, and now I will help you out with the migration. After that, I must go back to the Jedi Council on Tython and see what needs to be done there."
"As you should," Aslan said, bluntly. He turned to a larger gold-rimmed portal, opening to up to reveal pearly-white temples on the planet Zafna. The centermost temple that had a crack in its stone walls. "But now, we cannot wait for much longer. The planet Zafna's about to change. Hurry back, both of you. Get Qua'ra and her family out of Zafna, before it becomes Teremode. I'll see to it the scarred lions and lionesses, along with anyone else, leaves the planet safely and reaches this realm, too."
"Come on, Parker Dooley. Let's go!" The Jedi Knight said, darting towards the portal and disappearing through it.
Parker huffed. He didn't like wasting time, but now it was imperative that he find Qua'ra and her family, get them off the planet Zafna, before its change. He ran forward, smacking into the portal, and landing on the other side.
He was back on Zafna, right as the ground shook and shifted. That was not good. Not good at all. Oh, where were Qua'ra and her family? He needed to find them. NOW!
.
Parker looked at his surroundings. The temples on Zafna… they were collapsing. He looked up at the pearly-white temple standing before him and the marketplace looming below it. This temple, too, was falling apart. Oh no! He recognized this temple. That only meant one thing: Qua'ra and her family were inside!
He rushed past a couple of people and scarred lions and lionesses on his way inside the temple. After dodging a couple of corridors, he made it inside the large war room with its grand holoterminals. There was Qua'ra, sitting with her family. They locked eyes, causing Qua'ra to stand up.
"Come on!" Parker cried, just as another pillar fell in front of him. He moved out of the way before that occurred. He looked up at Qua'ra, watching her and her siblings, along with their children and grandchildren, darted out of the war room with the light red dragonoid following closely behind them.
Onwards, they journeyed down the corridors. The temple was collapsing in on itself. Parker searched for a portal, anything to help them out. At last, he found one! There was a gold-rimmed portal, revealing the Portal Realm on the other side. Parker dived through the portal, landing safely back on the Portal Realm's grassy field.
He looked up as Qua'ra made it through the portal, along with her children. She looked around, noticing Melena followed her next, as did Tack, Kat'ka, and Kat'ka's children and grandchildren. Qua'ra's grandchildren joined them, one mother carrying an infant.
Everyone was here. Well, almost everyone.
Qua'ra turned her attention to the portal. Zeena was still darting down the corridors. She had to hurry and fast!
"Come on, Zeena! It's not that far now!" Qua'ra said, reaching out to grab her, just as Melena pulled her back.
The temple collapsed in on itself. Zeena let out a cry, transforming into a lioness right as the temple's roof fell in. The image went black, right as Zeena looked up at her sister, while laying under a fallen pillar. Another pillar fell, followed by the roof smashing on her. The portal vanished, leaving Qua'ra confused, then shocked.
Zeena. Her sister Zeena was… dead.
.
Kat'ka joined Qua'ra a moment later, taking in their surroundings. "I'm sorry. I know Zeena meant the world to us. She's not gone. Look!" She pointed out Zeena walking around and playing with the scarred lions and lionesses. Qua'ra couldn't believe it! Zeena was alive! Or was she? There was a head wound from Zeena's injuries, but that faded fast.
"Is—Is she alive?" Qua'ra asked, excited.
"No," Aslan said, curtly. "No, she's dead. She died in the temple." Qua'ra looked down at the grassy field. She hated to hear that. "Are you angry? It's all right to release your emotions. I know how hard it must be for you."
"Zeena's dead and now there's one less of my family alive," Qua'ra said, calmly. "The Shadow Empire's fallen. I'll be a disgrace to those who know me and those who don't know me, if they already figured that out." She folded her arms, admitting. "I don't know about Melena. She seems all right with keeping her name intact. But for me… I'd rather be called Scar-ra. I'm shedding my old name. Parker can remember me by it. I'll let him call me Qua'ra from now on, too, if that's what he decides. But for everyone else, I'm Scar-ra and I will change into my scarred lioness form, in memory of my husband Gore."
"As you should," Gore Holdo, who was now a scarred lion, replied in a kind voice. "Valo's choosing to call himself Valentino now. Just Valentino. He's shed his old name, too. I myself have a new name, too. It's Gore. Just Gore. No last name."
Scar-ra chuckled, tears streaming down her face. She couldn't let Zeena go. It was too soon! She had to mourn for her youngest sister! It was the only way to get over her pain quicker… or not. She could mourn in her own time. For now, it seemed everyone was focused on other conversations… this was just too hard on her right now.
.
Parker turned, jumping upon seeing Frodo Baggins approach him. Frodo still looked like he was in his tweens to his early thirties.
"Frodo, what a surprise!" Parker said, seeing the smug look on Frodo's face.
"You cast that spell on me, remember?" Frodo asked, seriously. He recovered, slyly, "Don't worry, Parker. Aslan's made sure that every Age I pass through, I become young and I forget for a moment what happened to me in the previous Ages. You don't need to cast a spell on me for that. It's already done."
"Look, I'm sorry I did that, but you spoke so much, told too much information, and you thought I would betray you! You're my descendant, remember?" Parker asked, curtly.
Frodo chuckled. "I do remember. I forgive you, in spite of what you did. I'm not a bad person. I'm a good person, who happens to be your descendant."
-x-
The Second Age Anthology
The Chesapeake Manor Duology
The Haunted Manor
"Wait! We can do this the proper way! Let's make a deal!" Delphi cried, stopping the merman from his kill. Sera snapped her fingers, facing Delphi with a sinister, creepy look. Delphi didn't like this.
"So, what do you suggest we do? We let him live?" Sera asked, harshly. "Parker's a liability. He's in our way. Don't you think Aslan wouldn't have sent him here for no reason. We don't need him! We don't need Parker Dooley around anymore. So, why let him live?"
"Because you might regret killing him." Delphi said, serious. "Parker needs to stay alive. He did not come here for a death sentence. He deserves to live."
"His time is up. Don't you know that?" Sera said, cringing. She turned to the merman, telling him, "Kill him. Kill the dragonoid or I'll do it myself."
"NO!" a golden-brown Lion, the Great Lion of Narnia, Aslan intervened. The Lion made his way towards the light red dragonoid, blocking the merfolk from attempting to kill Parker. "Parker Dooley stays alive!"
"But Aslan, Parker Dooley's time is up, isn't it? Why do you need him now?" Sera asked, curiously.
"Because I care about this dragonoid. He stays alive. If we kill him before his time is up, and even then, I will keep regenerating him until the proper moment. But that is not now," Aslan said, sharply. "If you kill him, you might very well begin a chain reaction. And we are not killing him now."
Sera was confused. What did he mean?
"So, what do you suggest?" Sera asked, confused.
"A life for a life," Aslan said, curtly.
.
"Delphi, wait! STOP!" Sera cried, as Delphi neared the baby crib.
Right as Delphi touched the crib, it and the baby vanished, leaving the room bare. Delphi looked at Sera, surprised she was walking and wearing a grey dress. Sera growled at him, pulling out a knife from behind her back.
"You took our son away from us! You'll pay!" Sera screamed, furious.
"I—I didn't do anything! I just touched the crib! It's not my fault!" Delphi winced, ducking out the way before Sera slashed at him.
"I will kill you, Delphi. You will pay for your crimes," Sera said, fuming.
"Crimes?" Delphi asked, shocked. "What crimes did I do?"
"Owning this manor was your biggest mistake, Delphi. Now, you will suffer for your crimes," Sera said, tossing the knife up in the air, before slashing Delphi across the throat.
Delphi did his best to breathe, but he couldn't. He drew his last breath, collapsing on the floor in a bloody mess. His eyes remained opened, frightened. He was dead.
.
"What did I do?" Dalpha cried, zipping out of Mara's room as best he could.
The baby crib vanished, as soon as he touched it. Mara fumed, slashing his arm with her sharp fingernails. Dalpha struggled to keep his arm from bleeding, but ended up collapsing in the hallway after losing so much blood. He was lightheaded, unable to control his breathing. The colors swam across his vision.
What was he to do? Sweat poured down his face and chest, making it difficult for him to breathe. What did Mara put on her fingernails? Nail polish?
"Mara, please," Dalpha said, as Mara zoomed towards him. "I didn't know that would happen. I didn't mean to lose our child, our son." He winced, not knowing what was going on.
"I know. Shush!" Mara pressed her index finger to Dalpha's lips. "This will all be over soon enough."
"What are you—talking about?" Dalpha asked, screaming as Mara sunk her teeth deep into his throat. He screamed so loud the house was disturbed, as were the servants. They didn't know what to do, but one thing was clear: Dalpha had been killed.
.
"No! A deal's a deal. You shall not harm these two," Aslan said, referring to Parker and Frodo, who stared in shock and confusion. They didn't understand. Why weren't they dead?
Sera pointed to Parker and Frodo, telling Aslan, "These two shouldn't be here. They shouldn't be kept alive! Especially Parker Dooley! When I come back, they will pay for their sufferings they endured at this manor. They're the ones that started this path. They must pay for their crimes."
"Yes, but you will only be an apparition to them," Aslan told Sera, giving her her sentence. "You and Mara will haunt this manor. I am giving you the chance to live in an in-between world, between the living and the dead. There is a price that must be paid. Your weapons will seal your fates. Sera, for you shall become the Scissors Lady." He looked at Sera as she screeched. She dropped her knife, right as her fingernails sprouted scissor blades. Aslan turned to Mara, telling her, "And you Mara shall become the Hidden Lady or the Lady of Shadows." He watched Mara's fingernails extend, growing sharper the longer she screamed. Was this to be their fate?
Sera shrieked. She stared at Parker and Frodo with bloodlust in her eyes. How was she to live in an apparition world, a spirit world? She snarled, heading towards Parker and Frodo with her new weapons intact. She prepared for the final blow, leaped into the air, and almost had the, if Aslan didn't block her path, roaring at her.
"Go Parker, Frodo! I'll see you soon!" Aslan cried, roaring at the front doors, causing them to open.
.
"What are the boys' names?" Parker asked, confused.
"Delphi and Dalpha told me, before their wives killed them, that Delphi's son is Andalis, while Dalpha's son is Andalas," Aslan said, helping Frodo and Parker remember the boys' names.
Frodo rolled his eyes. This was going to be a lot harder than he thought.
"Right. That won't get confusing," Frodo said, wondering why Delphi and Dalpha would choose baby names that sounded so similar. Maybe it was to honor their names. Frodo couldn't tell. Maybe that was all right.
"It's to honor Delphi and Dalpha. They wanted to give these names to their sons, to remember them by," Aslan said, curtly.
Frodo rolled his eyes. He nodded in understanding. "I suppose that makes sense.
~o~
The Green Ring Trilogy
The Land of Hobbits and Dwarves
But which one should she pick?
Come on through! A second whisper, a masculine voice, blew in her ear, before disappearing into one of the portals.
The… the Land of Hobbits and Dwarves portal called out to her. The longer Melissa turned her gaze to this golden, dark brown rimmed portal, the more alive it'd become. In time, in a manner of moments, the portal's invisible hands reached out to her, grabbing her arms and legs, forcing her body to go through a brilliant flash of golden-white light. She could not stop this light from coming, nor the sudden darkness that followed.
By the time the light and the darkness ended, Melissa found herself laying on the grassy ground at dawn's first light. Melissa stared at the grass, realizing it was a dark green color, quite like grass she had seen out on the fields as she drove past them.
She was not home, but neither was she on the Renaissance Faire grounds. Oh, where had she landed?
.
"Are you lost, miss?" a fair masculine voice broke Melissa's train of thought. Melissa turned and faced the same man she glimpsed at by the pool. His hand rested against the tree, right above her, leaving her in a shocked state of mind. The hobbit man looked at her in candor, and yet there was something about him that interested her. However, the hobbit man stared suspiciously at her, as if she interrupted his quiet solitude. "I see you were snooping at me. Trying to catch a glimpse of me? Do I frighten you, miss…"
"Melissa… Fickle," Melissa said, stumbling over her words.
The hobbit man smirked, admitting freely, "Well, that is an unusual name." He extended a hand to her in introduction, "I'm Andalis, the son of a hobbit and a mermaid. Pleased to meet you."
.
"What do you two know about our parents?" Andalas asked Parker and Frodo, curious about what they knew, what they researched about their parents.
Parker smiled. He looked at Frodo, watching the gentle-hobbit as he spoke to the group again, "We do, actually," Frodo said, facing the light red dragonoid, admitting bluntly, "In fact, Parker knows the story better than I do."
Parker nodded. "Yes, I know it. Frodo and I met Delphi and Dalpha, your fathers Andalis, Andalas, at the Chesapeake Manor. Delphi was all right, kind even, but Dalpha seemed a little mad. They were good hobbits, by the way, but Dalpha always jumped first before Delphi ever could. Well, Sera and Mara came to the Chesapeake Manor during my rapid shapeshifting, which occurred the day after Frodo and I stayed there. It was on this day that a ball was held and Frodo and I passed out from eating jello the merfolk fed us.
"Sera could have killed me that day, but Aslan saved my life. The guests weren't so fortunate, but Frodo was kept safe, too. Delphi and Dalpha married your mothers, then they gave birth to you both an hour later. It was only after Aslan warned Delphi and Dalpha about what would happen next, that they went into your mothers' rooms. You two disappeared, Sera and Mara got angry, and killed their husbands. Whether it was out of shame or revenge, I do not know. It could have been because you two disappeared as well."
Parker sighed, adding one final detail, "Frodo and I spent the next nineteen years researching Sera and Mara's family tree. We found out they, too, were also born from royalty. I used to be an emperor of the Shadow Empire, before I gave up that title and position, before the Shadow Empire fell and the planet Zafna became the barren, broken landscape Teremode. That still doesn't mean there isn't royal blood in my family tree or Frodo's for that matter. Now, it's official. You two, Andalis and Andalas, are from royal blood. Your home lies out in the Land of Merfolk and Sirens, unless you plan on settling elsewhere."
"We have a choice?" Andalas asked, curious about this new endeavor.
"That means we can make that school dream come true!" Melissa told Andalis, smiling as he kissed her forehead again so affectionately.
"A school dream?" Andalas asked her, confused.
"It's a long story," Andalis admitted with a smile.
~o~
The Land of Elves and Fairies
One snow leopard shook her head, leaving the other cats in disarray. She turned to the three travelers, telling them, "Forstead died of natural causes. It is not your fault."
"Won't some people, some animals, blame us for what happened? He was just fine minutes ago! He collapsed! It's all our faults!" Andalis cried, teary eyed.
The snow leopard shook her head. "No. It is not your fault. Don't blame yourself." She added, staring at Forstead's body as it was hauled away by the talking animals, "This was his last walk through the courtyard. Be grateful he got to see you three when he could." She told Andalis, calmly, "You are our king now. What will you do with your time here with us?"
Andalis looked at the courtyard. There were so many talking animals staring at him, waiting to see what he would do next. He couldn't possibly take care of all of them! Then again, being king was what he wanted. He already had a few things in mind, including starting up that school and college idea that he and Melissa had in mind.
He turned now to the snow leopard, telling her, "We change the name of this kingdom from Forsythia to Aster. It's my kingdom now. My realm. And I will do whatever it takes to protect you all and invite outsiders to this land, where they can stay and live alongside us. I will make this happen."
"Then the law is changed. Welcome to your new home," the snow leopard said, bowing before him, as did the other talking animals.
Andalis could hardly put into words what was going on. All he knew now was that he got what he wanted. He was King of the Land of Talking Animals and that was all that mattered.
.
"You may say your vows. Then the crown will be bestowed upon Melissa and the wedding rings will be passed to you both," Aslan said, calmly.
Andalis turned to Melissa, telling her, "Melissa, ever since you saw me, watched me that day, not a day has gone by when I wondered what it would be like if we were wed. That's beside the point! Anyway, somehow, I've always known we would be wed. We were meant to be together. That's all there is to it. This is not just happening for no reason. It's the way things are. I just want us to be together before something else happens to us. That's all I need, to be your husband and your support. And if, in the end, we're parted, just know that we will be reunited again."
"Andalis," Melissa said, her heart pounding, "ever since we met, my life has changed in a lot of ways and so fast. I thought my life would be the same before I came to the First World Renaissance Faire. That is, until I met you. Now, and my feelings for you have not changed, I still want to be the rock in your life, someone you can count on when times are hardest. I will do my best to be your wife and lover, supporter and just being there for you. I love you, Andalis. I love you with all my heart."
"And I love you," Andalis stated with an affectionate smile.
Melissa and Andalis turned to Aslan, who nodded to the same faun to crown Melissa. Melissa bowed her head as the gold circlet was presented to her. The faun placed the circlet on her head, letting her know that she was officially the Queen of the Land of Talking Animals. Melissa smiled as the faun nodded and walked away.
Andalis smiled as well, grateful this part of the wedding ceremony-coronation ceremony for Melissa was almost over. He turned and watched as a ring-bearer passed to him and Melissa their wedding rings. Andalis gulped, placing the gold band on Melissa's right ring finger, while Melissa placed the second gold band on Andalis' right ring finger. The happy couple turned to Aslan as he spoke to them again.
"And with that, I pronounce you man and wife," Aslan said, facing Andalis again. "Andalis, you may now kiss your bride."
Andalis chuckled, approaching Melissa and kissing her on the lips. It was over. Andalis and Melissa were wed.
.
"Come on, Dalpha! Anything's better than observing the sea! What's it going to do for you?" Delphi complained.
"Shh! I'm busy," Dalpha said, staring at the water. He looked on as a flaming red-haired mermaid and her silver-haired sister poked their heads out of the water. "Whoa!" Dalpha said in awe, moving back as the two mermaids changed form, becoming young human women. The silver-haired woman was donned in a silver dress, while the flaming red-haired woman was donned in a pink dress. Dalpha was entranced by the flaming red-haired woman, asking her in interest, "Who are you?"
The flaming red-haired woman stroked his jawline, telling him, "My name is Mara and you are safe with us."
"We are the good merfolk. My father warned us that if something went wrong, we might very quickly to turn against you," the silver-haired woman proclaimed. "My name is Sera or Seraphina. We won't hurt you. We come to deliver a message." She passed to Delphi a casing with a deed and keys inside.
"What's this?" Delphi asked, confused.
"The deed to the Chesapeake Manor. The manor used to belong to Aslan, before he passed it to the Elves, followed by the Merfolk. The manor belongs to Aslan. Only he can see its fate," Sera said in interest.
"What happens if you turn wicked?" Dalpha asked, getting Sera's attention.
Sera snarled, showing off her razor-sharp teeth. "Never underestimate a mermaid." She turned to Delphi, admitting, "Just so you know, if Parker Dooley returns with Frodo Baggins, we will be aggressive. Parker's the one who messed up the way things were at the Chesapeake Manor. He was the one who knocked Frodo out in the First Age and the merfolk are very upset about the shift in balance," she said, "Well, as long as Parker Dooley is part of your family, the Chesapeake Manor will not be safe for either of you or our children. One day, a choice must be made: either one of your sons stays on land, or the other son goes to sea. They will have that choice."
She paused. "I cannot prevent these events from happening. I only know is that your sons will choose either the land or the sea. We cannot change our bloodlines. I hope to wed one of you one day. It is fated that we will. Don't worry about Parker. We'll take care of him. Frodo must stay alive. That is the only part that concerns us."
"And should anything happen to our family, we will take care of that, too," Mara said.
"What happens if you land in an in-between world?" Dalpha asked, curiously.
"Oh, there's more than one way around it. Aslan cannot keep merfolk trapped in a realm between the living and the dead. We're either alive or we're dead," Mara said with a shrug.
"Remember those words and pray that anyone else hears this message, for your safety as well as ours," Sera said, making her statements clear.
.
"You lied to me," Andalas said, fuming. "You said that Sera and Mara were evil. Parker said that, too!"
"Parker and I said that Sera and Mara killed your father and your uncle. We had no idea what they were after. They certainly behaved evil," Frodo admitted, truthfully.
Andalas slapped the water's surface, frustrated. He hated the fact that no one was what they seemed! Was this true? Did Sera and Mara go into a frenzy back at the Chesapeake Manor? Is that why they killed his father and his uncle? Now, he wanted more than anything to meet up with his mother and his aunt. Maybe he could meet his grandfather, too, who was the King of the Land of Merfolk and Sirens.
Yes! That's what he would do! He would learn the truth from his grandfather and get this over with! Surely, nothing could go wrong! He turned towards the water, ready to dive in, when he heard Frodo speak, causing him to look back at him.
"Andalas, wait!" Frodo cried, getting the lad's attention. "I know I can't stop you. This isn't my fault. I didn't see or witness what Sera and Mara did to your father and your uncle."
Andalas gulped. He hated doing this, but he knew his path and Frodo's path were split. "I'm sorry, Frodo. I have to go." He chuckled, "But hey, all waters connect to all worlds, don't they?"
Frodo shrugged, smiling at him. "Yeah, they do." He said one last word to his ancestor, "Be careful. We'll meet up again someday!"
"Find Andalis, Melissa, and Parker. Tell them I went to the Land of Merfolk and Sirens!" Andalas vowed to the gentle-hobbit who raised him.
Frodo nodded in confirmation.
"Stay safe. I'll tell them where you've gone," Frodo said, curtly. Andalas nodded. This was for the best. At least, they were getting somewhere.
"Good luck. I'm going to miss you," Andalas said, retreating further out to sea.
"I'll miss you, too. Farewell," Frodo said, calmly, waving to him.
Andalas nodded, diving into the water at last, leaving Frodo collapsing on his knees in shock. They did it. They went their separate ways. There was only one thing left: head back to the tree and find a way back to the Land of Elves and Fairies, before something else happened to them.
.
The flaming red-haired mermaid swam away from the net, so delighted to be out of there and happier to meet her savior. "Who are you?"
"I'm Andalas," Andalas said, kindly, "I'm the son of Mara and the prince of the Land of Merfolk and Sirens. At least, that's what I've heard and seen."
"You!" the flaming red-haired mermaid said, startled by him. "You're the famous Andalas everyone's talking about! News spread about your coming from the Land of Hobbits and Dwarves! I heartedly thought those rumors to be just rumors."
"Yes, that's the one," Andalas said with a light-hearted smile. "And may I trouble you for your name, lass?"
"It's Rosetta," Rosetta said with a warm smile. She gestured to the open ocean. "Would you like to swim? I'm sure we'll have much to talk about."
"Oh, that's fine. I was just leaving," Andalas said, swimming away from her.
.
Andalas swam out of the blue-rimmed portal, happy to be away from it. He looked back at Rosetta as she and the mermen soldiers, King Rupert's guards, made their way through the portal, too, before it vanished. Andalas swam around, hoping to find something interesting in these new waters. He turned his gaze up towards the surface, spotting a sparkling city that looked to be made from shimmering crystals, complete with rounded rooftops.
It was Crystal City. He was here.
*.*.*
Thanks for reading. :)