Oh geeze, this didn't take as long as I thought it would! The last chapter
is fixed now! *dances* so hopefully this one WON'T get screwed up! Anyway, a BIG thank you to all who have been reviewing. I admire you all
for making it through that last chapter without going cross-eyed!

Anyway, here's the next one! I have to tell ya Phoe-Chan. That time you
talked to me on MSN before REALLY helped. I was in a really depressed stage, and kinda felt really ignored by all my online friends *hugs Leah tightly* Thank you! It's good to know that there was someone there for
me! Chu rock girl!

Until the next chapter!

~ Keysha

***

The Kryzdal Guardian.
Chapter Eight : The Transformation

***

"Wha-what's HAPPENING to me?"

Daxter clutched at his chest, heaving deeply as the pain shot down his spine. He felt Kryzdal place her soft, cooling hand to his forehead. He glanced up as she smiled warmly to him.

"Be still Daxter, it will all be over soon. This should have happened a long time ago."

Daxter wasn't sure what she was talking about, but all of a sudden - he wanted to be an ottsel again. At least he knew it was pain-free to be a furball. The pain scorched his back. His skin prickled and his bones creaked.

And then, in one brief second, there was a burst of terrible pain. His back felt like it had torn apart, and he collapsed on the ground in a cry of agony. Beside him, Kryzdal attended to his wounded back, but smiled as she worked - as if it were a wonderful event.

"Daxter, it's over!" She insisted. "And there was barley any blood!"

"B-blood?" Daxter croaked groggily. The idea of the sticky, red goop made him feel even more faint. As Kryzdal helped the small boy to his feet, he felt as if he had someone gripping hold of his back - almost as if someone had stuck tubes into his shoulder blades.

"What did you do to me Kryzdal?" He gasped. "I've always wanted to be me again, but I didn't want to be experimented on!"

Kryzdal let out a light laugh, her snow-white hair brushing gently on Daxter's cheek as he lent on her for support. "Daxter, I DID return you to your former state - and then nature took its course." She smiled. "Daxter, you're mother, the woman you never really knew, she is one of us. She is part of the same race that Xema and I belong to!"

Daxter gazed up at her, his eyes wide in shock. "You mean?" He gasped.

Kryzdal smiled and nodded. "You're one of us Daxter. Well, PARTLY. Your father was wing-less, but we knew that - sooner or later - you would grow wings too. Like your mother. Like us."

"Wings?" Was all the boy could whisper. He removed Kryzdal's supporting arm from his waist, and with his returning strength, walked over to the shimmering water so as to peer at his reflection. It was a welcoming sight, to see his old face again. Red hair, skinny frame - they were all there - along with a new addition.

"Wings?" Daxter spread his new-feathered features for the first time. Like all the others in Draco's kingdom, they were snow-white - growing from just below his shoulder blades. With great curiosity, Daxter reached out and touched the tips of the feathers. Yes, they were real.

Kryzdal lightly stepped up to the boy, and delicately placed a hand on his shoulder. "Well, what do you say?" She whispered.

Daxter looked up at the queen and smiled. Now that he thought about it, she really was HIS queen as well, seeing as he was one of her people. He bowed his head slightly in respect, then glanced up at her again, determination in his eyes.

"Let's go rescue Xema!" He suggested. Kryzdal smiled.

"Then I suppose we'd better teach you how to fly."

***

"You know, I can't help but feel we're doing something wrong?"

Jak nodded as he gazed out into the distance. This was hopeless. Tracking Xema - with no idea of WHERE they were supposed to be going, was a complete waste of time.

"Maybe, we should try and catch up with Kryzdal and Daxter?" Keira suggested, joining Jak's gaze. "Didn't Kryzdal say they were going back to the city?"

Jak simply nodded again, lost in thought.

"Might as well head back there again and check up with them. Here's hoping they've found more than we have."

***

"Kryzdal? I'm not so sure of this!"

Kryzdal stood at the edge of the cliff, holding Daxter's shaking hand in hers, gently pulling him towards the edge.

"What's not to be sure of? You were BORN to do this Daxter!"

"W-was I? I don't distinctly remember spending my whole life flapping about with a great dirty pair of wings sprouting out my back!"

"You need to calm down before you can fly Daxter! For goodness sake! You're so TENSE!"

"Tense? TENSE? OF COURSE I'M TENSE! You're trying to drag me off the edge of a cliff!"

Kryzdal smiled, almost evilly.

"Actually Daxter, I'm pushing you off."

"W-what's that?"

Daxter felt his feet leave solid ground, and all of a sudden, he was falling.

***

"What on earth is going on? First I hear that strange things have been going on near our sacred springs, and now THIS!"

Draco thrust the parchment right into Jak's face. So close, that the boy couldn't make out what was written on it, the writing was all jumbled.

Keira delicately took the parchment away from Jak's face, reading over it and paling slightly.

"It's from Karma." She whispered to Jak. Draco nodded angrily, his whole face a light shade of red.

"She's threatening me to give up the throne. Xema's her hostage, and, if I'm not mistaken, several kids promised me that nothing would happen to her!"

"Actually, sir." Keira meekly responded. "It was Daxter that promised. Kryzdal backed him up."

Draco rubbed his temples roughly. "Yes. That boy. I always KNEW he'd get Xema into trouble."

"Then why did you let her go?" Jak asked, knowing fully what Draco's response would be. The king smiled slightly.

"Because even if I said 'no', do you THINK that would have stopped her?"

The two smiled.

"You're highness?" A call came from one of the guards at the doorway. "She's here."

Draco nodded. "Yes, send her in."

Jak and Keira turned around, both gasping in unison. A small, fragile woman entered the room. Gracefully walking over to the king's throne. Her sparkling blue eyes never left Draco's gaze as she made her way towards him, her flaming hair swishing lightly as she walked.

"Jak? Does she - "

" - Remind me of Daxter?" Jak nodded. It was uncanny. If it weren't for the fact that she was female, and had far more grace than Daxter could ever hope to have, she COULD have passed off for an older version of his dear friend.

Well, she would have needed some buckteeth to give off the full illusion (AN: *lol*)

"Jewlii?" Draco addressed the woman. She ran over to his side and knelt before him, grasping his hand and placing it against her cheek.

"Master Draco! I heard the news and came as quick as I could!" A tear slowly trickled down the side of her face. "Has - has anything happened?"

Draco shook his head.

"So far, we know nothing Jewlii. What I wanted to know is: What has been happening in our sacred springs? There has been a disturbance up there. If I'm not correct, it is your duty to maintain the security up there."

She smiled, her eyes full of tears.

"I asked them to abandon their posts and go in search of Xema. I'm sorry I disobeyed you Master Draco - I should have asked you first."

Draco shook his head. "You did the right thing Jewlii." He placed a hand on her shoulder, and helped her up, turning the slim figure around so that she could face Jak and Keira. Jak's mouth was still gaping open, and it wasn't until Draco gave a rather stern look, did he snap it shut.

"Jewlii? I'd like you to meet Jak and Keira. They're very close friends of the family."

Now, it was Jewlii's turn to gape at the two. 'W-wingless children?" Her voice was filled with sorrow, and Jak couldn't help but feel that it was HIM that was making her feel depressed. She kept glancing at him, as if he painfully reminded her of someone.

"Jewlii here is the godmother to my two daughters." Draco tried to keep his voice stern. "She, uh, has been acting in Kryzdal's place, since she left us."

"Xema's pet?" Keira asked.

"No, their mother."

"Oh."

The deathly silence in the room, was gleefully interrupted, to everyone's joy, by the rustling sound as several guards poured into the room.

"You're Highness!" One of the guards practically yelled. "We've found it! We've found Karma's hide-out!"

Draco nodded, looking towards Jewlii and the two Sandover kids.

"Come with me." He insisted.

The three were very happy to oblige.

***

"Daxter? If you scream one more time, and I know it's not very regal of me, but I'm afraid I'm going to have to slap you across the jaw!"

Daxter promptly shut his mouth. It wasn't so bad. He was actually starting to get very used to soaring through the air. It was just, for some reason, it felt good to keep screaming. It made him feel aware that he was indeed still alive.

Kryzdal? My wings are tired." There was a pause. "I never thought I'd hear myself say THAT!"

Kryzdal gave him yet another of her warm, friendly smiles.

"I'm not surprised. You're not used to flying, are you?"

"Uh gee, asides the fact that I've never flown on my own in my entire LIFE, nope, I'm not very used to it!"

"Well, technically, you're not flying by yourself!"

Daxter glanced down his arm, blushing slightly. He was gripping hold of Kryzdal's hand. So tightly, in fact, that her hand was starting to turn purple. And yet, she wasn't complaining.

"Kryzdal, I can't help but think you're treating me like I was your own son."

Kryzdal's regal exterior broke slightly, as her face flushed. She had always wanted a son.

"I'm making ends meet. Considering your mother was always looking after my children while I was not around."

Daxter glanced at her, a hopeful look on his face.

"Kryzdal? Is - is my mother still alive?"

She smiled.

"Very much so Daxter. In fact, I have a feeling it won't be long until you meet her. She is most likely making her way to karma's hideout. I'm sure the two of you will be re-united very soon.

Daxter's moment of relief only lasted a few seconds, before his face grew very determined, and the look in his eyes very serious.

"But FIRST we've gotta rescue Xema!" He felt a burst of new energy course through his body, and his wings no longer hurt from exhaustion.

Kryzdal smiled, as she rubbed her sore hand. Ahead of her, Daxter was soaring higher than she ever imagined the boy would dare.

And he was doing it by himself.