As the darkness of night circled the royal chamber, the overhead moon came through the glass design overhead illuminating the fine furniture and tapestries that decorated it. Resting on a pedestal in the center surrounded by glowing runes and covered in silk coverings, stood an ivory egg giving off a silvery shine as the moon's light touched it. Sauria's lands and natural resources had been severely diminished, and though this room was untouched, it was probably the only thing still unharmed while the saurians that returned were keeping watchful eyes out just beyond the walls. Then from the shadows, a dark gray scaled saurian slid from the nearby window as it slid open silently. His dark leather garments suggested he was a skilled assassin and he placed a claw on the charm necklace he wore at his throat.
"Lord of Life, please grant me the will to surpass the barriers to help my race.", he whispered as he used his other claw to tap his forehead and above his topaz colored snake eyes.
"Speak and I shall listen.", a voice echoed in his mind.
"Advise me.", the saurian whispered again knowing that the one he served was here, "I seek to obtain the offspring of one that has left us. My fellow saurians may not agree, but my fellow outsiders and I believe that this will turn our tide."
"Your heart yields to what you think is right.", Varc answered, "Dragaunus follows Zeral's blind determination for control leaving us to die. Though the chamber be outside our home, I see your enemies that seek your demise. And they close in at this moment. Hurry!"
The saurian then placed his claws at his side and using fine dancer like movement, made his way to the egg as magical traps sprung around him, but his footing was swift and he had the egg just as the doors opened to reveal heavy saurian guards and one that would be classified as a general stand in the door as he lifted the egg off the pedestal and slipped it into his belt that lined the top of his torn leather pants.
"Drop that egg!", the general commanded.
The saurian smiled and took something from his belt.
"Glory to Varc.", he answered.
He threw his hand down releasing a thick cloud of dark smoke that quickly filled the room. Quick as he could, the saurian slipped back out the way he came and was dashing across the hallowed halls of the ruined castle as he made a call on his communicator.
"Object obtained."
"What the next meal?", the other end asked.
"Egg of the Prince.", the saurian answered.
"Did they see you Harzep?", the other end asked.
Harzep rolled his eyes smiling.
"Does a follower of the Lord of Life go anywhere without his patron's wisdom?"
He got to the open gates where a transport was sitting with two other saurians. One was female with dark green scales and wearing bits of armor while the other who was male wore similar, but was blue and looking expressionless. The female started up the engines as the looks of saurian guards on hover bikes were seen approaching and Harzep hopped on.
"I'll see you back at the base.", he said as he hung up.
The female looked at him sarcastically.
"The Twilight Sisters don't agree with you showing off.", she said as she hit the gas, "But we only agreed to help cause it pays our living right Darcel?"
Darcel said nothing and his expression remained the same. The female didn't look phased as she tapped in a code and the ride lit up signaling a warp.
"Just try not to crack this thing Gerazi.", Hazep said as he hung on.
In an instant, the ride turned as the approaching guards prepared to open fire. Unfortunately for them, the retreating band's one had warped leaving scorched earth where it was last seen.
Wildwing applied more sunscreen to this beak as he lay on his towel on the beach. Morning practice had finished and the ducks were taking it easy. Canard was talking with Mallory and Duke at the smoothie stand, Grin was meditating, Tanya was doing inventory and Nosedive was out surfing with Morpha shifted to be his surfboard.
"Enjoying your sunbathing?"
Wildwing looked up to see Thrash and Mookie come out in their beach wear and ready to soak up the fun.
"Slow day at the clinic?", he guessed.
Mookie blushed.
"Yeah. So we thought we'd come down and spend the day at the beach and see how Dive's doing on his surfing.", she said.
"Hey dudes! Heads up!"
They turned to see Nosedive surf off a huge wave and sail through the air as Morpha then shifted into a parachute and landed him near the group before shifting back into it's dog form beside him.
"Now that was awesome.", Thrash said giving a thumbs up, "Mook and I should join you some time."
"Well grab a board.", Nosedive answered before turning to Wildwing, "Hey big bro, why spend your time sunbathing when you could be dong limbo, building a totally awesome sand castle or hit the waves?"
Wildwing looked nervous.
"Little bro you know I'd love to try but-"
"So that's a yes?!", Nosedive asked not waiting for him to finish, "Perfect! Last one in is a rotten egg!"
And before Wildwing even knew it, he was being pulled along as Nosedive led him to the surfboard rental stand with Thrash and Mookie bringing up the rear and Morpha dashing alongside him. The other ducks noticed this and Canard couldn't help but laugh.
"Just didn't want his big brother left out of the fun.", he said sipping his smoothie.
"It's who he is.", Duke answered, "Not knowing when to slow down."
"He's young.", Canard stated, "Enjoying life while he can."
/
Zeral's expression darkened to the point where basically everyone there was scared to even breath as the report from earlier came through.
"You...lost...the one thing I needed to KEEP DRAGAUNUS IN LINE?!", he roared with his eyes flaring with dark energy.
The guard who reported it tried not to shake, but unfortunately for him, Zeral didn't allow him the honor to explain cause with wave of his claws, the guard erupt in flames and die a very painful and the rest of the guards tried very hard not to be scared even further as Zeral turned their way as his victim's remians dissolved into dust.
"Now listen very carefully.", he sneered, "I want what was stolen returned to me by the end of this day and I suggest you all get a move on before I really lose my temper and do more than burn alive the ones who fail."
The guards fled the room quite fast as Zeral contacted the Raptor and Dragaunus showed up on the screen.
"What orders from the Empire my liege?", he asked giving a bow of respect.
Zeral's expression didn't let up.
"We've got a problem. Any portal occurrences on Earth lately?"
Dragaunus looked curious.
"None so far. What brings this up?"
Before he could answer, Zeral's panel beeped and he pressed another button to reveal a guard calling in from the deck.
"Highness, we found the base of the rebels and the egg.", he reported proudly, "Permission to infiltrate?"
Zeral smiled. Finally some good news for once.
"Permission granted. Retrieve the egg and kill all who stand in the way, but if that egg returns to me harmed, you will know the meaning of punishment."
Dragaunus' expression didn't let up as the guard hung up.
"What egg?", he asked.
Zeral's smile didn't fade.
"Just something near and dear to me and I wish back in my possession asap."
And he hung up leaving Dragaunus even more confused than before.
/
Wildwing and Nosedive had just gotten back to shore after hitting the waves and Wildwing was more than feeling the rush.
"I can't believe you actually got through the whole wave tunnel the way you did.", Mookie said as she applied sunscreen to her beak.
Wildwing shrugged as his tropical swim trunks were a dry with a few wet spots, but all in all he was fine.
"Guess I learn on the job.", he joked.
"That or you took surf lessons in the pool with none of us knowing about it.", Nosedive chuckled.
Wildwing was about to object, but then the coms went off signaling trouble.
"We got a breach in the mountains.", Wildwing stated as the other ducks realized the same thing, "Let's roll!"
The ducks headed to the Migrator while shifting to their battle gear. Morpah went to return the boards using a couple of tendrils and as the ducks got into the Migrator, Morpha caught up to them by shifting into a horse and then slipping in just as the door closed.
"What came out of Dimensional Limbo this time?", Duke asked as Wildwing hit the gas.
"That's what we're going to find out.", Canard answered.
Wildwing turned to Nosedive.
"Hey Dive, think you can give us some extra speed?"
Nosedive smiled as Create materialized in his hands.
"How fast?", he asked.
Mallory gripped her chair knowing too well that Nosedive would probably go overboard and Grin clearly knew it too.
"A couple extra rocket thrusters?", Tanya guessed, "Not very-"
"On it!", Nosedive called out.
And after a couple moments of scribbling and a lot of objecting from the others, the Migrator picked up speed and was leaving a strong gust as it flew through Anaheim and in less than a minute, the car parked itself right at the outskirts of the mountains. The extra thrusters vanished and inside, Nosedive, Thrash and Mookie clearly enjoyed it, but the others were less than thrilled.
"Was that fast or what?", Nosedive asked dusting his hands.
Mallory looked his way angrily.
"If I didn't have a "no kill" policy I'd use Sword to make duck-kabobs out of you.", she said firmly.
/
Near the top of the mountain, Harzep, Gerazi, and Darcel had just gotten over barely getting through the portal though Darcel didn't look too phased.
"Were we followed?", Harzep asked.
Gerazi didn't look so worried.
"Nah I think we're safe."
Darcel looked over the edge and frowned.
"Company.", he said gravely.
The other two looked over the edge and saw the ducks heading up the ridge and got down.
"Now what do we do?", Harzep asked.
Gerazi took a pink powder out of her satchel on her belt and noticed Darcel gripping a sharp blade on his belt and a foreboding look in his eyes.
"Easy Darcel, I think I know a better way than to deal with these."
She tossed the powder over herself and her companions which gave them the form of ordinary human hikers and the powder dust cloud had vanished just as the ducks came up to them. As Harzep noticed Wildwing's mask, he was beyond shocked.
"Drake's mask?!", he thought.
The ducks looked confused as Canard came over.
"You guys didn't see anything out of the ordinary did you?", he asked offering his hand.
Gerazi could tell that Canard was an aura reader and what would ensue if any of them took it.
"No. Nothing.", she answered quickly, "We got a bit lost and-"
Wildwing reached up to his mask and Darcel's expression darkened further. Fortunately though, Charyus appeared out of nowhere with Dawnbright, Nightslash and Siege, Chameleon and Wraith alongside them and assaulting. With the ducks distracted, the three got away, but then Harzep slipped and the egg he was carrying showed itself slightly for Thrash and Mookie to get a quick peek before they hurried away. They got a good distance away just as the powder's magic faded and their disguises dispersed.
"Great, now we got Drake's descendents on our tails.", Darcel said not letting his expression up.
Harzep clutched the egg like a prized possession it was.
"Fear not your highness.", he said to it, "Your father won't lure you into Zarel's influence."
Darcel's expression softened, but not much. The sight of Drake DuCaine's mask had unnerved him and he was ready to let loose, but softened up as Gerazi put a hand on his arm.
/
Back at the Pond, the ducks were at Drake 1 and clearly taking in what had happened earlier.
"Okay, a portal opens up in the mountains, but we just find three hikers wandering about before Charyus and Dragaunus' goons show up and engage us.", Duke said looking thoughtful.
Canard's expression hardened.
"What's on your mind?", Thrash asked him.
"I felt something when I was near the hikers.", Canard answered, "I almost read their aura before Dragaunus' men showed up with Charyus and his bodyguards alongside them."
"Maybe the hikers knew something?", Mookie guessed.
Wildwing looked thoughtful.
"I don't know. They seemed a little spooked when my mask was seen."
"Our enemy knows something otherwise they wouldn't be there.", Grin said sagely.
"Yeah, but what?", Duke asked.
"Could it be something to do with that rock they had?", Mookie asked.
Canard and Wildwing both looked her way.
"What rock?", Canard asked.
"During the fight, Mook and I caught glimpse of some kind of dark gray rock about the size of a soccer ball the hikers had.", Thrash reported, "Didn't give it much thought except it was smoothed out around the edges."
Wildwing's expression tensed, but before anyone else could say anything, Phil came in with Klegghorn and over to them.
"Hey what are you guys doing here?", Klegghorn asked, "What came out this time?"
"We don't know.", Wildwing answered, "But something tells me that something horrible is about to unfold."
Mallory's expression hardened.
"Well then let's find these hikers and see if they can give us some answers."
"Whoa there soldier.", Canard told her, "I want to find out the answers too, but we can't go off unprepared unless we know what we're up against."
Phil went pale.
"Don't tell me I'm involved."
The others looked his way.
"Hey Phil, how good are you at negotiations?"
/
Zeral's expression flared as Dragaunus appeared on the screen.
"What happened?"
"The rebels got away.", Dragaunus reported, "But Charyus will be able to track them easily."
Zeral's expression lightened.
"I assure you my emperor, you have nothing to worry about.", Dragaunus stated.
Zeral smiled.
"I'm sure you won't let me down Dragaunus. Send the coordinates once you find them and I'll be ready to apprehend them."
The screen went blank, but Zeral's smile got bigger.
"Once I have the heir to the Annectia Seas under my sway and with the proper mental conditioning, he will slaughter Dragaunus and his men in their sleep."
A guard came from a nearby doorway.
"The men are being prepared to head out on your command my lord."
"Excellent.", Zeral stated, "Keep an eye on the radar until Dragaunus delivers the coordinates. Once given, activate the portal and retrieve that egg to me in one piece and unspoiled. Kill all who get in the way."
The guard gave a bow.
"Shall be done."
He left and Zeral looked out upon the vast spacial void of Dimensional Limbo and ran his claws across the arms of his throne.
"Enjoy your little chase rebels.", he purred, "Once I finish this grand weapon, all the universe will know the power of the Saurian Empire and every race will either submit to my rule, or be wiped out of existence."
The panel lit up and statistics came in as the portal mechanism powered up.
"But first a little test."
The screen then showed a minor planet long forgotten and barren as the portal mechanism opened a rift to it. The workers at the consoles worked and turned to Zeral.
"Prepared to fire sir.", one answered.
Zeral's eyes narrowed.
"Begin."
After a moment, a powerful beam fired at the planet and once it hit, the whole thing exploded leaving only dust and broken bits where it once was. Zeral pressed another button on his throne and another beam fired where the planet was. Another flash went off and the planet was reformed only it's landmasses were greener and the water was clear and blue. Zeral and his fellow saurians cackled at the result as the portal closed the rift.
To be continued...
