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Chapter Eight
Fruits, Flying and Fighting

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I woke up in the morning, refreshed and excited about learning how to use DragonFury. I got out of bed and put my cape on. It felt strange, but I also felt the thrill of being in a new place, and the hope to have adventures that would make me famous. I walked over to the chest and pulled out DragonFury, LifeShield, the two Amulets, the Bracelet, the five Dragon Tooth Daggers, and grabbed two empty flasks. After placing the smaller items in my pouch, I walked out of my room, and down the long stairway, and entered the family room. Orion, Elsa, Justin, Salim, the girl that gave me the vigor liquid, and the two women who walked into the room last night with Salim when we were waking, were sitting there talking. I walked over and sat in one of the chairs. The girl with the black hair looked at me with wide eyes, then started giggling. I just smiled at her, and started to laugh myself.

"Julanar, Vickie, Erica, this is Prince Erik," Salim introduced me to the three women.

"Nice to meet you, Erik. If you ever need any healing, I will be honored to cure you. I am Julanar, the wife of Salim. These are my daughters, Vickie," she pointed to the girl with the black hair, "and Erica," she now pointed to the girl who gave me the potion last night. I nodded at each of them, and mouthed 'thanks' to Erica.

"Erik, we have had attacks like this happen before here in Silmaria," Salim said. "During the Rites of Rulership, there were attacks on people using the poison from a plant called the Black Lotus. Orion found one of the plants and brought it to us, and we managed to make an cure, more like a pill that kept them from dying, from the plant. Orion saved two people from death by giving them pills with the plant in them, though they were left in a comatose condition.

"Amanda is in a coma similar to the kind that they were in. We need to find a plant that will revive the Princess."

"The King informed us that you are going to Ios," Vickie said. "If possible, we would like you to ask Erana if she knows anything about a fruit called the Yce Ivy Pear."

"We believe that this fruit will be able to bring the Princess out of the coma," Erica said. "Amanda was sweating heavily last night. Only the Yce Ivy Pear can stop these symptoms on a comatose person. And it will also bring her out of the coma as well."

"Erik, tell Erana to contact us if she knows where to find it," Julanar told me.

"How vill you get to Ios safely vithout being attacked?" the Queen asked me.

"Watch," I said, and I stood up. I walked slowly over to the open area of the Family Room. I reached up to my neck and took hold of the horse trinket on my necklace. The chain disappeared, and the horse trinket rest in my hand. I slowly opened my hand and turned it upright. The gold charm floated in mid-air, and started leaving out pulses of blue light. It lowered to the ground, and a second later, an black stallion was standing in the room in front of me. Her white mane and tail flowing, even though there was no wind. Her black wings flapped, then settled themselves back at her side.

I looked over to where the others were sitting. Even Orion was wide eyed in amazement. They seemed even more stunned when Morning Glory got onto her front knees to bow to them.

"Beautiful!" I saw Vickie and Queen Elsa mouth to themselves.

"Wow! How did you do that Erik! It looks just like Pegasus!" Orion said, stumbling for words.

"She, not IT, SHE!" Morning Glory said in a voice that would put a baby to sleep.

"She talks!" Justin said.

"Everyone, I would like you to meet Morning Glory, my Familiar." I introduced her to everyone. Morning Glory tossed her head while neighing.

"Your Familiar! Wow!" Erica exclaimed in amazement.

"Gloria, this in King Orion, Queen Elsa, Prince Justin, and Salim, Julanar, Vickie, and Erica Nafs." I told her, while pointing them out to her. She bowed again.

"Hello everyone," Gloria said. She stretched her wings out again.

I saw Erica stand up and cautiously walk over to us. She stopped about ten feet away from us.

"Come closer child, I don't bite. Unless you want me to," Gloria said. Erica came closer, but I guess she was unsure of what to do, because she just stood there. I walked over to Erica, and motioned for her to walk closer to Morning Glory.

"I've never ridden a horse that talked before," Erica said. Gloria kneeled when Erica said that, and said. "Get on." I was wondering what she was going to do, but then they disappeared. Salim jumped out of his seat.

"Where'd they go!" He yelled at me, thinking that his daughter was just kidnapped.

"Probably just outside to let Erica ride her. I'd better get outside with them. See you later." I started my way out of the room when Justin called me.

"Erik!" He was running to me. "Here, you're going to need this." He handed me a piece of paper. "It's a map of Marete. How else would you get to Ios without knowing where it is." He shook my hand and said bye. I left and exited the Hall of Kings. The Guards outside the gate both had baffled looks on their faces. I saw Erica and Gloria. Once Gloria saw me, she headed full speed towards me. I just stood still, and started laughing when I saw the panicked look on Erica's face. Gloria stopped ten feet in front of me. Erica looked up, saw me laughing, and hid her face behind Gloria's mane. I helped Erica off of Gloria's back, and started to walk her back into the Hall of Kings.

"Would you mind if I went with you to Ios, I have to talk to Erana." I could tell she was a bit embarrassed to be asking to go, because she was biting her lip. Gloria nodded, and Erica ran into the Hall of Kings to tell her dad she was going. I looked back at Gloria.

"Did she tell you where we're going?" I asked, all she did was nod.

"I think she likes you," she said. I blushed, then went over and hopped on her back. Not long after, Erica came running out. I reached down, and helped her up to sit behind me.

"Hang on kids," Gloria told us, then started to run towards the gazebo to Erasmus's house. Gloria opened her wings, and I felt the thrill of feeling weightless. I could tell Erica was scared, because she put her arms around me and squeezed. I yelled to Gloria to go north, and she turned to head north. I heard Erica laughing behind me. It wasn't long until we reached a small village. Erica told me that it was Ios, and I yelled to Gloria to land. We landed smoothly in the water. Erica released her arms from around me as Gloria trotted up beside the nearest building. Erica and I jumped off of Gloria. I thanked her, and she started to shrink. I felt the gold chain form around my neck again. Gloria changed from a stealthy black color to a shiny gold one. Her little metal form slowly flew to my neck and connected to my chain. Erica looked at me in shock. I just grinned and said "She does it all the time. It's how she gets around without everyone slowing her down."

"Come on," Erica said, and led me into the building we were standing beside.

We entered, and I stared in amazement at what was in front of me. The room looked like paradise. There was thick green grass beneath my feet. A small stream ran through the room. Vines grew on the walls so thick, you couldn't see the walls anymore. The ceiling looked like the canopy of leaves in a forest. A small grass bridge crossed the stream into the main part of the room. I heard a rustle of leaves, and watched as the vines opened up to reveal a doorway into another room. Erana came floating out, and the vines closed up again. Erana waved her hands, and four wooden chairs appeared in the center of the room.

"Welcome to our house, Erica, Erik! What is it you two seek?" Erana said as she waved her hands again, producing a circular wooden table in the middle of all the chairs. "Come over and sit, please. Make yourselves at home," we both went over to the recently apparated table and chairs, and sat down. "Bruce is in the practice arena, setting it up for your lesson, Erik. It is just behind those vines." She looked at the wall of vines on my left, and I saw some leaves rustle, then calm as she looked away. "Erica, why have you come? It is too dangerous for a young girl like you to be this far away from home!"

"It's alright," I said. "She came with me. And from where we were, no monster would have been able to attack us." Erica gave a little girlish giggle. "We rode here on my familiar, Morning Glory. Would you like to meet her?"

"Perhaps later, you should go with Bruce. He is waiting for you. I need to speak with Erica about the recent happenings around here." I nodded and excused myself from the table, and walked over to the vines that Erana had indicated to me earlier. As I approached, the vines started to part. I walked past them, and heard them close behind me. This room, again, looked like a paradise. A small bubbling pond in the corner of the room sprouted a stream, which extended the length of the room, and passed under the vines into the room from which I had just come from. Bruce was cleaning two practice swords with the water from the pond. I coughed to inform Bruce of my arrival.

"Do you like what Erana did with the place?" he asked. I nodded to show that I did. "I was just cleaning the swords we are to use in practice. They have a blunt blade, and will only hurt for a bit if you are hit. The only disadvantage of using these is that they are considerably lighter than real swords used in combat."

I then decided to explain abilities of DragonFury to Bruce. He was thoroughly impressed by what I told him. I even told him the part with me fainting at the Guild in Shapeir. I told him of the voice, and the familiarity of it. After further discussion about my sword, we decided that I would try to do the same thing again with DragonFury.

I reached back and took hold of the leather handle of DragonFury. As expected, I felt the surge of magic flowing throughout my body.

'Hello, Master!' the voice told me. I closed my eyes and tried to think of what to say to a sword. The first think I asked of her was for her not to call me 'Master' anymore, and for her to just call me Erik. In response I heard 'If you wish, Erik.' I opened my eyes, and saw Bruce standing in front of me, pondering about what I was doing. I closed my eyes again, and told her about using her for practice against Bruce, and that I didn't want her to harm him. DragonFury then sent the magical shiver through my body again, and I heard her say 'I will be as Honorable as you, Erik, and not harm him. I will guide you to help you practice. Open your eyes, Erik, and subject yourself to this practice attack.' I opened my eyes and saw Bruce holding the sword in front of him, resting the tip of the blade on the grass. My hand grasped DragonFury in an attacking grip. I didn't move my hand, DragonFury moved it for me. It was weird, but it felt like I had fought with a sword before.

"I'm ready," I told Bruce. "Get your shield ready," he told me. I took LifeShield off my back and placed it on my left arm. Bruce ran over to the corner of the 'room' and lifted up a rock. He then grabbed a rough, metal shield, and placed it on his left arm. He ran back over to me and got into his fighter's stance.

"First, I'll give you some basic thrusts and swings for you to block with DragonFury or LifeShield." I nodded. The feeling of having a sword in your hand was enough, but when you also have magic flowing up and down your body at the same time, it's an experience no one will forget.

Bruce swung lightly with his sword. I moved LifeShield to block it. The metal shook from the impact, and slowly stopped. I saw another swing coming at me. I reached out with DragonFury to stop it from reaching me.

'Move your feet, It'll be harder to be hit when you're attacked,' I heard DragonFury tell me.

The next attack from Bruce was a lunge at my midsection. I stepped back to dodge it. "Not bad," he told me. "Try to block this one," he said, then reached his sword behind his head, and swung down. I quickly sidestepped the slash, Bruce recovered from his missed attack, and swung at me again. DragonFury moved herself towards Bruce's sword. With a clash of metal, Bruce's sword went out of his hand, and landed 3 feet to his side. 'Not that hard! He's the one that's teaching me! If I do that again, he won't train me anymore!' I told DragonFury. 'Sorry Erik,' she told me. 'I will let you try to use me by yourself. It will be a lot easier for you to use me so you can have some personal experience.'

Bruce went over and picked up his sword. He looked a bit impressed. "Sorry about that. DragonFury did it." He looked at me in disbelief.

"So she was the one blocking me?"

"I blocked the one with LifeShield, and dodged the other, but she did that one."

"Okay. So this time, I want you to try to block them yourself." He then swung at me, and since he is left-handed, I easily blocked the blow with DragonFury. He then raised his sword behind his head again, and quickly swung down. I raised LifeShield above my head to block the swing. The next attack was a thrust, which I swung DragonFury at, and deflected the blade of the sword away from me. He randomly repeated the same attacks for about five minutes, with me successfully blocking each one.

"You have very good Defense, Erik. I tried, and I still couldn't get my blade to touch you at all. Now let's see how good you are at the other end of the attack. I want you to attack me, and I'll try to block them." He lifted his shield. I took a swing at him with a shaky hand. He moved his shield out, and away from his body, throwing DragonFury away from him. I recovered from the block and thrust DragonFury at Bruce. He swung his sword and deflected DragonFury the same way I did. I then thought of an idea. I raised DragonFury behind my head, and started to swing at Bruce's head, but stopped before his shield stopped me, and quickly swept DragonFury below his shield. Bruce looked amazed by this move, and was even more amazed when DragonFury hit his leg. He immediately checked his leg for a sign of an injury, but his pants weren't even ripped.

"She really does work! Tell me, was that you attacking, or DragonFury?"

"That was me," I said with a grin.

"That's a great move, I'm surprised I never thought of that myself!" he said. Just then the leaves started rustling at the entrance. Erana and Erica stepped in, each of them with a smile on their face. "You're a natural, Erik, but I think you'll need a bit more practice. " Bruce continued.