Final part of the three chapter special. I hope you enjoy it, I hope you will leave plenty of reviews, and also, I gave you three chapters, I want you to wait a while for this story to be updated. Deal with it. -_-

Disclaimer! I own NOTHING!

Dragon Princess

Chapter 11

Anzu didn't sleep much through the night, her mind sifting through everything she'd learned. She dwelled on Atem and the things Rubeliara told her about him to avoid thinking of the coming battle and the death she likely faced as one who never truly fought a battle that depended on her life.

So Atem was a god, a fire god. Wait . . . Derek said something about the dragon god . . . but he didn't give any information, it was just a little side comment he made. Looks like there was another reason to go see him again.

Anzu realized, that despite her noble cause, she really didn't feel like facing the three queens and mortal combat when her pet guard showed up to escort her to the Royal Cavern. This time, Anzu's passage through the tunnels was accompanied by much pomp and circumstance. Someone ordered the resident dragons to line up on either side of the passageways as she paraded past in ceremonial solemnity. Guards fell into step before and behind her, and Anzu found the sight somewhat pitiful, like animals playing at being human. Though she supposed that the dragons considered humans animals rather then the other way around, for some reason, the queens enjoyed these bizarre displays of power and consequence . . . they were like her stepmother.

At that realization, the hate bloomed anew. As she walked down the tunnel she felt the other dragons' curiosity. It was annoying because she could hear what they were saying about her. It was mainly her size and color.

She passed Rubeliara; the dragon flashed a pitied look, letting Anzu know that she could hear the same thoughts.

They arrived at the Royal Cavern. The first-tier dragons stood attention with their four feet planted on the ground and their wings bejeweled, folded neatly with their heads lifted and watching. They ranged on either side of the queens still lounging on their hoards. Anzu didn't realize there were so many of the privileged dragons, and she hoped Rubeliara came through with her promised assistance before they ripped her apart. The three queens hissed as she approached, their anticipation of the day's events obvious as they licked their drooling chops with gray tongues dripping acidic saliva. Anzu readied herself, focusing on reinforcing her iron wall that she hadn't used in a while.

The right queen spoke. "Welcome back, stranger. It is time to initiate you into the Kin. Are you ready?"

Anzu nodded, glanced out of the corner of her eye at the guards surrounding her, and took a deep breath.

Suddenly a force rammed into her mind. Anzu grabbed her iron shield and flung it in front of them. The skyfire started out small at first but as she gained power, the sparks turned into full blown skyfire.

The guards were toasted before they could move and the first-tier dragons were pressed against the wall in horror. Anzu focused on three single bolts of skyfire and aimed for each of the queens.

When it hit them, Anzu had no idea just how strong she had made the skyfire. They screamed in agony as the skyfire burned through their scales and into their flesh, melting down to the bone.

Behind her, Anzu heard the sounds of chaotic battle as a small army of young and strong dragons charged the guards and the first-tier dragons, distracting them from battle in the center of the room. Suddenly, everyone fought for their lives, and those dragons not directly controlled by the queens joined in the fray, attacking guards standing next to them with feral abandon.

Anzu remained focused on the queens. They struggled against her skyfire as she sent wave after wave now, since her three bolts weren't enough. The stench of scored flesh polluted the air and their screams rent the chaotic din, bursting out over the battling dragons, until as a one, they died on a final cry of agony, melted into three pools of blood and gore that gripped over the golden hoards.

The battle didn't proceed as Rubeliara had promised, however. Many of the dragons controlled by the queens did stop fighting when the queens died; free of their compulsions, they fled through the tunnels, eager to escape the aftermath. But others, the guards included, continued to fight, and several came after her. Backing away, shaking with exhaustion from the vast expenditure of magic.

Rubeliara shouted in her head, and she looked up to where the dragon stood indicating a side tunnel. She followed the red dragon blindly, racing through the tunnel as fast as she could move on shaky legs. They passed several caverns, all occupied by struggling dragons, bursting flames, stone walls rising out of nothing to crush guards, and starving dragons ripping into the dead. Anzu shuddered and turned away, struggling to keep up with Rubeliara.

"Where are the babies?" she thought to the other dragon.

"They are safe and well-guarded. None will harm them ever again." The other dragon passed the dining hall and raced through the kitchens, Anzu on her heals, studiously ignoring the abattoir where humans, dragons, and animals alike met their end to feed a sick society.

Rubeliara stopped in another room filled with cages. Contained within were several types of herbivores, small carnivores, and in one cage at the back, a group of ten terrified humans that screamed at the sight of the huge dragons racing into the cavern.

"Here are the cattle, free them quickly. I will need your help moving them outside to the surface. We will let them go there and hope they have enough sense to escape on their own."

Anzu moved to the cage, using her claw to smash the lock. The humans kept screaming and huddled in the corner of the cage. The dirty and ragged men formed a wall around the three females, one of whom Anzu noticed in horror was barely more than a child. The men screamed at the dragons, cursing them, and Anzu didn't even attempt to communicate with them, fearing she didn't have the time to convince them she meant them no harm.

Instead she scooped up three in one claw and two in the other and moved away awkwardly on her hind legs. The humans struggled, bit, and kicked, and Anzu felt proud of them for fighting to what they believed to be the bitter end. Their attacks didn't hurt her.

Rubeliara grabbed the remaining five humans, including the young girl who passed out from fright, and turned toward another tunnel. They proceeded down it, meeting few dragons on their way. Arriving at an intersection, they took the left-hand passage, which soon found them at the entrance to one of the many caves that dotted the cliff face.

Rubeliara didn't bother to speak as she jumped out, spreading her wings. The humans would no doubt be horse tomorrow.

Anzu glanced around to see dragon spilling out of caves and joining in on the battle with the guards and first-tiers who enjoyed their privileged life and didn't want it to end.

As Anzu jumped from the cave and spread her wings she breathed a grateful sigh of relief of her freedom. The humans she clutched weighed more than she anticipated, and she found her flight to the top of the cliffs extremely difficult. Fortunately, the men and women had enough sense to remain still, uncertain of their future but unwilling to plummet to the shore below. Even they realized soothing catastrophic was happening to the Dragon Cliffs. They didn't wait around to find out what when Anzu finally crested the top of the cliff and collapsed, exhausted, next to Rubeliara, who already deposited her charges. Anzu's humans raced off without a backward glance, each fearing what new game the evil dragons planned to play with them.

Rubeliara turned to her and started to say something when a dragon struck her, knocking her off the cliff. The red dragon plummeted to the shore below, barely spreading her wings in time to slow her fall. She landed heavily, and the impact stunned her.

Anzu jumped off the cliff and landed softly beside her. "Rubeliara! Are you alright?" she got no answer and she felt another dragon land a little ways off, but Anzu knew that it was no ally. Looking up, she saw that it was the female guard.

"I knew you were trouble the moment you entered our territory. But you have done me a favor. The queens our dead and the city is in chaos. This is the perfect time for the guards, led by me, of course, to take control."

Anzu couldn't believe what she was hearing! "Why? Why would you want to live like this? Why not fly to distant lands and make your own lair?"

"Fool! Why be the mater of myself when I can become the master of many? With the power of the dragon army I will be akin to a god. I will not waste time demanding petty tributes and playing twisted games with the creatures of this world. My army will destroy everything in its path and I will make with world the domain of dragons only, where the only other creatures will be our cattle."

Anger coursed through her. "Rubeliara." She said, sending it to the red dragon who was just now getting up.

"Yes?"

"Get all the dragons on our side out of here; make sure those who are with the queens head for me." She growled. Rubeliara watched at the storm dragon's aura change to blue fire.

"Why?"

"Don't ask any questions; just get out of this place!" Anzu had noticed that the cliffs were surrounded in high ridges, almost like a bowl. "Make sure no ally sets one foot in this bowl shaped area."

"What are you planning to do?"

Anzu turned to her. "You'll see, now go!" Rubeliara nodded and turned away, sending messages to the ally dragons to get out of the dipped area.

The female guard laughed. "What do you plan to do? Face all of us?"

"No," Anzu growled as blue mist started to appear everywhere, filling the caves, making everything invisible. "I plan to turn you into a statue." The mist, like it was alive, wrapped around the female dragon.

Rubeliara stared at what was once her prison, turn to a lake, almost. The mist that appeared mysteriously filled up the land until the caves could never be seen, looking like water had engulfed the place. Suddenly, just as quickly as it appeared, it disappeared, slowly though. Leaving behind sapphire.

Staring in shock, the dragons reach forward and touched at what used to be soft ground, which was now hard, pure sapphire. Suddenly, it clicked with Rubeliara how the storm dragon knew about her.

She told the others not to touch the blue mist at all and ran in, looking for Anzu.

"Anzu! Anzu!" she called out.

"Rubeliara . . ." It was barely a whisper but she followed it to the sapphire dragon. Her eyes were closed and her wings were spread out, as if she had flopped down out of exhaustion.

"Anzu . . . you could have told me."

"Would you have believed me?"

Rubeliara realized she was right and stepped a little closer. "I can stay, if you want."

"No," she said. A blue eye opened. "The chicks?"

"They will never know pain, thanks to you." She whispered.

A taint tint of gold glittered into the sapphire's aura. "Good, I'm happy. Leave, I'll be fine, I promise."

"But-"

"Go, my friend, go far from here an never look back." She closed her eyes. Rubeliara felt the guilt of leaving one of her kind, a Gem Dragon, behind.

"Thank you." She whispered, and took off.

Atem landed just outside of the Dragon Cliffs with his sister, Chaya. "Brother, do we really have to come here?" she groaned. The disgust in her voice wasn't even hidden. He turned to her snorted.

"I have to know if she was really part of the Circle."

"Fine, go ahead." She muttered. Watching him walk through the trees, she paid attention to her claws. It was better then watching the grass grow. A gasp from Atem made her look up. "What's wrong?" she asked, stepping beside him but stopped.

Dragon Cliff was abandoned, not only that, it was sapphire now. The cliffs, the ground, everything was sapphire. "Umm . . . could you pinch me so that I know this isn't a dream?" she asked.

"No, because I know I'm not dreaming." He snorted and walked onto the sapphire and down below. Chaya followed him and looked down at a lump. A shiver went up her spine.

"Atem . . ."

"What?" he snapped.

"This is a . . . dragon." She gulped. He turned and looked at the 'dragon'. To his horror, it was a dragon. "There's a few more too." She said, pointing to all the large lumps of dragons. Some were even standing up, trying to fly away.

Chaya looked around, leaving Atem thinking.

"This has to be a Gem Dragon." He thought.

"Anzu!" Chaya squealed. Atem turned to see his sister nudging a blue, female dragon. "Anzu, wake up." She begged.

Atem walked over and noticed that she was drained of her energy. He gave her some energy so that she could get up and walk. Anzu looked up and tried to get on her feet but they gave way and she was back on the ground, struggling to get up.

"Anzu," he said, "Get up."

Finally she got up without lifting her head to face him. She was bleeding, there were claw makes on her shoulders, all signs that she had fought.

"What happened?" he asked.

Anzu merely gave him the memory of all that happened, as well as Chaya. She was the first to speak. "Wow! I had no idea you were a Gem Dragon, Anzu! Not everyday you get to meet a Sapphire Dragon." She said.

Anzu growled, annoyed. Why wasn't she laying down? Why couldn't she go to sleep yet? Atem stopped Chaya. "Stop asking questions, Chaya. She can answer them when she's rested."

Chaya looked let down. "Okay." She pouted and walked toward the forest, leaving Anzu to lean against Atem as they headed home.

Next chapter Anzu explains everything.

So, I hope everyone enjoyed the three chapters. (Cause my fingers didn't)

Please leave pleanty of reviews, thank yous!

Also, I should point out a few things, Gem Dragons cannot change other gem dragons. (Their breath weapon doesn't work on other gem dragons)

Germantownmaiden~