Alana (Prologue to Book 3)

Ghaleon paced nervously on the border of the city.
"Where is Nall? His child could be born any day now and
he's late!" Ghaleon complained. Chaia shook her head.
"Look, there he is... He has Lemina and Jean with him."
Chaia said. Nall landed, turning himself into a human after
Jean and Lemina got off. "Hi guys!" Chaia said, hugging
Lemina and Jean. "You're late Nall! Your child is about to
be born and you're late!" Ghaleon yelled. "Sorry! They
wanted to come so I flew them." Nall retorted. Mauri, Leo,
and Ronfar walked up. "Hey!" Ronfar called. They went to
the room where Rhiana was resting. "Nall, hi..." Rhiana
softly said. After some visiting most everyone went to bed.
About midnight they heard a loud knocking on their door.
"Get that Chaia..." Ghaleon muttered. Chaia got up and
opened the door. "Chaia, it's time." Jean said. "Ghaleon get
it, Rhiana's having her baby!" Chaia yelled, before turning
and following Jean down the hall. Ghaleon followed after
them. The others were already there. "Why did she have to
have it in the middle of the night?" Ronfar asked sleepily.
"Like she could help it?" Jean said, raising an eyebrow. "Is
there anything we can do to help?" Ghaleon asked. "Yeah,
stay out of the way." Chaia said. "In fact, all of you men
leave the room, this is a woman's job." Lemina said, pushing
Nall, Ronfar, Leo, and Ghaleon out of the room. "Men are
babies when it comes to pain." Mauri said. Ghaleon
nervously paced outside of the room. "What have you got to
be nervous about?" Nall asked. "This will be my niece or
nephew you know." Ghaleon said, glaring. Nall glanced
nervously around. "How long can it take." Nall mumbled,
chewing his lip. Finally after hours Chaia peeked out.
Ghaleon and Nall stared and she smiled. "Come in." she said.
Leo and Ronfar had fallen asleep. Rhiana held a sleeping
child. "It does really look a lot like you." Chaia said. Nall
picked up the child. "By the way, it's a girl." Jean said,
"Let's call her... Alana." Nall said. Rhiana smiled weakly.
Chaia smiled.

The End... For Now.




Zophar Returns

Ghaleon looked around as he stood in the White Dragon
Cave. Quark stood before him. "Ghaleon, the time is near...
The time when your people will be in great danger, but at the
same time so will all of Lunar..." Quark said, "What do you
mean father?" Ghaleon asked. His surroundings started to
fade. "Wait! Father, Quark, please tell me what you meant!"
Ghaleon yelled. "Wait father..." Ghaleon whispered as he
opened his eyes. His eyes adjusted to the darkness easily.
"What did he mean." Ghaleon thought. The next night in his
dreams again Ghaleon was in the cave. "What did you mean
last night father?" Ghaleon asked. "If your city falls, Lunar
will be led into endless darkness and ultimately be
destroyed." Quark answered. Ghaleon nodded, then awoke.
He reached over and shook Chaia. "Chaia, wake up."
Ghaleon said. She rolled over staring at him through her
aquamarine eyes as she pushed her platinum hair out of her
face. "Come stand out with me on the balcony and I'll
explain." Ghaleon said. Chaia followed him out to the
balcony. "Last night and just now I spoke to Quark in a
dream." Ghaleon said. " No wonder you were so distracted
yesterday. You hardly heard a word I said. Any way, go on."
Chaia said. "The time when our people are threatened draws
near. In the morning we must begin to put the major
safeguards on the city." Ghaleon said. Chaia's eyes widened,
then she nodded in agreement.
Neo Vane sat grounded. "I, Jeremiah, ruler of Neo Vane ,
have called you all here today to discuss a very important
matter with you all. I have has a vision and spoke to a god!"
Jeremiah said, raising his arms. "Isn't goddess Althena the
only god?" one person the meeting hall asked. "This was the
god of Althena! He granted me with powers more impressive
than any!" Jeremiah said, and suddenly everyone in the
room was levitating. Everyone in the room gasped in shock.
He put them down and then continued. "He promised that
Neo Vane would again fly and that he would lead us to a
promised land!" he announced and a cheer roared through
the room. "Before Neo Vane may fly it must be fortified.
We'll need weapon systems for we will have to fight for the
promised land. We will also need a large dome made of
dragon diamonds. When Neo Vane is fortified he will raise us
to our rightful place in the sky!" he yelled rallying the
people.
Lucia shook violently in her sleep. She woke up with a
whimper. Hiro stood beside Lucia's bed. "What's wrong,
were you having a nightmare?" Hiro said. "It was... It was
Zophar..." she said shakily. "It's all right Lucia. He's dead...
We killed him together, remember?" Hiro said. "I know but
there's something wrong... When we killed him he said he
could never be defeated." Lucia said. "Do you feel anything
evil Lucia?" Hiro asked. "No... I guess you're right." Lucia
said.
Jeremiah stood before the people of Zaback. "My
friends. I have had a vision and would like to apologize for
not allowing you into Neo Vane. I would like to hire you to
work for me and your families may all come to Neo Vane!"
he said, and the people willingly agreed.
As weeks became months Jeremiah had Neo Vane fortified
and at the same time Ghaleon worked to protect the dragon
people's city. That night Jeremiah dreamt of Zophar.
"Master, Neo Vane's fortifications are complete." He said.
"Good, tomorrow I will capture the Star Dragon and it will
be used to power Neo Vane." Zophar said.
"Lemina, I'm going to Meribia tomorrow." Lemina's
mother said. "Okay! I was thinking of visiting Nall at Tabens
Peak." Lemina replied. By that afternoon Lemina had
reached Tabens Peak. Zophar captured the Star Dragon,
sealing it in the Dragon Diamond dome.
Lucia dropped her fork, covering her mouth as she
lurched forward. Ruby too looked in pain. "What is it?"
Grandpa Gwen asked. "I feel like my heart's been torn out of
me." Lucia said. "What is it?" Hiro asked, picking up Ruby.
"It's gone... It can't be but it's gone." Lucia said, her
expression turned from one of sickness and pain to one of
sadness. "What? I didn't take the last piece of bread!" Hiro
cried. "Not that... The Star Dragon is gone." Lucia said.
"That can't be!" Hiro yelled. "No, I feel it too... The
emptiness." Ruby said, standing. At the same moment the
other of Althena's dragons and the dragon children felt the
some emptiness. "You feel that? It's beginning." Ghaleon
said, narrowing his eyes. Chaia nodded. From where Lemina
stood she could see for miles around. Then it happened...
Vane was destroyed in a massive explosion. Nall ran out
beside Lemina to see a big mushroom cloud where Vane used
to be, then in the skies Nall spotted Neo Vane heading toward
Star Dragon Tower.
Ruby's ears shot up as Nall's voice called to her in her
mind. "Ruby, Neo Vane is flying! It's destroyed Vane and
Star Dragon Tower and it's about to destroy Ghaleon's
tower then my guess is it'll head to the Blue Spire, then
finally to you. It's bigger and moves so much quicker." Nall
spoke in Ruby's mind. "We have to go to Tabens Peak! Neo
flies again and it's headed this way to destroy us!" Ruby
shouted. "Go on, I have things to do." Gwen said. " You
can't do anything if you're dead Grandpa Gwen. Outside
now!" Ruby shouted. They went outside and using Lucia's
pendent transported Hiro, Ruby, Gwen, and herself to
Tabens Peak.
"I will destroy all those who betray my master!"
Jeremiah shouted as he destroyed the Blue Spire. "Now
Lucia will never escape. After I destroy Hiro's home."
Zophar's disembodied voice echoed. "Then we will go to the
Promised Land!" Jeremiah shouted. "No... They'll expect
that, we'll wait until they drop their guard." Zophar
instructed. "Yes master." Jeremiah obeyed.
"We have to get Jean. They're targeting all those who
betrayed Zophar and... Oh, no... Who really betrayed
Zophar?" Nall said. Everyone stared puzzled. "Ghaleon!"
Nall said. "He's dead though." Hiro said. "No, he's not." Nall
said. "But how." Lucia said. "No time, we have to get Jean
and hurry to Ghaleon's city!" Nall said. After getting Jean
Nall teleported them all to the city. Ghaleon, Chaia, Onyx,
Ronfar, Leo, and Mauri all stood waiting. Onyx was in her
full dragon form. "I can't believe it..." Hiro said as he stared
at Ghaleon. All they could do now is wait. "They're not
coming... We have to go after them!" Hiro said. "Don't be
stupid boy. They will come. This is their target..." Ghaleon
said. "I can't leave this city unguarded. I have a daughter to
defend!" Nall said. Finally Neo Vane could be seen on the
horizon. They began firing on the city, the barrier deflecting
the shots. "That's where the Star Dragon is." Lucia said.
"What!?" Ghaleon hissed angrily. "Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha... This
can be hard or easy. Hand over Ghaleon and the city or I'll
kill the Star Dragon." Zophar threatened. "No, he's bluffing!
If he kills it Neo Vane will fall." Lucia said. "Even so, with
this Star Dragon I can bombard this city day and night until
the barrier falls." Zophar's voice boomed. Suddenly a
projected version of the Star dragon appeared before them.
"What he says is true. You must kill me." it said. "No!
Without a Star Dragon the Blue Star will never be restored!"
Lucia yelled. The Star Dragon seemed to smirk. "What do
think the dragon children exist for?" it asked. "I just thought
that's how things are." Nall said. "No... If this situation ever
arose Althena made it so that when two dragon children have
a child their firstborn will be a Star Dragon." it said.
"Unbelievable." Chaia muttered. "You must kill me." it said.
"Will there always be dragon's blood on my hands?!"
Ghaleon yelled frustrated. "Ghaleon! This isn't like before,
we're all here with you." Chaia said. "Ghaleon, I ask one
thing. Do not dishonor me by letting be die at the hands of a
human. Honor Quark's blood by doing that." the Star
Dragon said. "I will." Ghaleon said. "I think you'll need
this." Hiro said, handing Ghaleon his sword. "I'll help you."
Chaia said. "The four dragons must break the dome." the
Star Dragon said. As Nall called the Blue Dragon they took
flight, and in a flash they destroyed the dome. Ghaleon and
Chaia teleported in. As Ghaleon gathered his power Chaia
focused a spell into his blade, giving him more power.
Ghaleon leapt to slay the Star Dragon and the second he
killed him a silent thought passed between them. "Your
father would be proud." was the thought. And as Ghaleon
dropped to the floor the Star Dragon disappeared into the
depths of time Zophar then materialized. "Master save me!"
Jeremiah screamed. "Silence foolish pawn." Zophar said as
he killed Jeremiah. "Ghaleon, so you've soaked your hands
in another dragon's blood." Zophar mocked. Something
snapped in Ghaleon and he rose into the air. Chaia fell still
as she too levitated into the air. Ghaleon raised a hand as he
elicited an inhuman sound somewhere between his own
scream and a dragons roar melded together. A huge beam of
light shot from his hand, blinding everyone. "What
happened? I can't see!" Hiro said. "Did Zophar kill Ghaleon
and Chaia?" Jean asked. As their sight came back they saw
Chaia sitting with Ghaleon cradled in her arms.
"Ghaleon?! Ghaleon where are you?!" Nall screamed as
he soared in the sky. Then he noticed them back in the city.
Nall landed, becoming human and ran over kneeling. "Is he
all
right?" Nall asked. The others looked concerned. "He's fine.
He just exhausted his powers." Chaia said smiling. Nall
grabbed Ghaleon by the collar and began to shake him
violently. "You stupid, idiotic, fool! Why did you do such a
crazy thing?!" Nall yelled. "What in Althena's name are do
you think you're doing? And why should you care anyway?"
Ghaleon asked weakly and opened his eyes. "Because you
scared me! I was afraid I'd lose my only brother!" Nall said.
"Humph." Ghaleon muttered, shutting his eyes again.
"I'd love to stay but I have to get back to Va... Well at
least what's left of Vane." Lemina said. "Remember Lemina.
If you ever need the dragon kids or my help rebuilding Vane
let us know... Speaking of, I have to get back there." Nall
said. "I heard Lunn's training ground was destroyed, so I
feel I should help." Jean said. "Same with Raculi Village."
Leo, Ronfar, and Mauri said. "I'd go home but I don't have
a home to go to." Gwen said. "You can stay here if you like.
Right Ghaleon?" Chaia said, smiling at Hiro, Gwen, and
Lucia. Ghaleon nodded slightly. "There are plenty of books
and artifacts you can document too Gwen." Chaia added. "I
think I'll go with Nall." Ruby said. "But the Blue Spire and
Star Dragon Tower have been destroyed." Lucia said sadly.
"Lucia, I have blueprints for the Blue Spire." Ghaleon said.
"That's great! All we have to do is go back and start building
it." Lucia said. "Who said anything about it being where it
was? I don't want my child so far away. Humph, humans."
Ghaleon said grinning.

The End... For Now.