Same disclaimer.

***

Ulara was not at all what I had expected. I'd been thinking we were headed for a place similar to Meru's hometown. Boy, was I wrong; intricate buildings and not a tree in sight. Water flowed in huge canals down below, presumably magical in origin.

A female Wingly met us by the teleporter. "Rose, welcome back!" She then caught sight of Rose's companion. "Zieg? Is that you?"

Zieg smiled. "Caron, it's been a long time. Please take us to Charle."

Caron nodded. "O, of course, right away."

"You know this bunch, Zieg?" Methos asked.

"That's right." Zieg gestured expansively. "This was the home base for our Wingly allies during the Dragon Campaign. Nice place to visit, but I always preferred Vellweb."

After seeing Ulara, I was not surprised by my first sight of Charle Frahma. She looked about thirty, except when you gazed into her eyes. Those eyes spoke of millennia of knowledge. Just like Rose, except she hasn't gone through millennia of death and misery. This is not someone to take lightly.

Charle beamed when she saw Zieg. "Zieggy, you're alive!"

Zieggy?

He smiled. "It's good to see you again, Charle. I assume you know why we're here?"

She nodded. "I know all about it. But first, could you introduce me to your son?"

Zieg brought Dart forward. "This is Dart, Dragoon of the Red-Eye Dragon."

Charle smiled. "You look so much alike." She looked at me. "And this is the Divine Dragoon."

Rose introduced me. "Raymond Belmont, Immortal."

"Now that we've got that out of the way," I said, "how about explaining what exactly the Divine Moon Objects have to do with the God of Destruction. We already know about the Crystal Sphere and the Moon Child."

The Wingly sighed. "The Signets were created to seal the way to the Moon and keep the Virage Embryo from being born, and to limit the magic from the Crystal Sphere. I wanted Melbu to stop being a dictator, but he found out and created the Divine Moon Objects so he could break the seal."

"And now he wants to become a god," Mac muttered. "Wonderful."

While they conferred, I quietly slipped out. Let Zieg and Rose decide how to do this, I thought. This is their fight, Rose's especially. To clear my head, I decided to go for a walk. Ulara really was a nice place, though the lack of humans was somewhat disconcerting. (I'm no bigot; it's just that until very recently I had no idea other sentient races existed, and I was far from accustomed to it. Traveling with Meru and Kongol was one thing, being the only human in sight was quite another.)

Late that night, my wanderings took me to a bar. There, I found Dart, Zieg, Rose, Miranda, Haschel, and, inevitably, Methos. Of course he'd be here. The guy can't go anywhere without a beer.

Dart saw me and waved me over. "We're heading for Rouge in the morning."

"Rouge? Haschel's hometown?"

"That's right," Haschel said, nodding vigorously. "Let's drink up and leave for Rouge right away!"

I leaned close to Miranda. "Is he drunk?"

"'Fraid so." The Sacred Sister shrugged. "He's been drinking ever since he found out our destination." She glanced at the other Immortal, who didn't seem to have noticed my presence. "What's with him?"

I laughed. "If there's a bar within a hundred miles, rest assured Methos will find it. He drinks like a fish whenever he has the chance."

Miranda chuckled. "Rose told me about that party."

"She did?"

"We've…settled our differences." Miranda shrugged again. "You were right, she knows an awful lot."

"That tends to happen when you live for eleven millennia." I snagged a beer and went outside. Now I'm sure. I'm staying in Endiness. Not many of our kind know of its existence, and I can carry a sword openly without getting weird looks. I turned at the sound of footsteps. "Something wrong, Miranda?"

She looked unusually nervous. "Ray…I might not get another chance to say this…"

My eyes narrowed slightly. "You okay?"

Miranda hesitated, then got it out. "I love you."

I froze. Did she actually say that!? For one of the few times in my life, I was shocked speechless. "Miranda…I…"

She smiled, knowing what I was trying to say. "I know."

I kissed her. "Methos is never gonna let me live this down," I said after a moment. "He once asked me if I had a girlfriend, and I just shot him a nasty look and changed the subject."

Miranda laughed softly. "Has a low sense of humor, does he?"

"You have a gift for understatement." I winced. "Richie's going to be at least as bad, and Amanda worse yet. There are disadvantages to immortality." I felt a pang as the implications of my last comment hit.

Miranda must have seen my expression. "Don't worry about that. Charle said she's going to give the spell of eternity to all the Dragoons and those closest to them. She says that what we have done should never be forgotten, and this is the best way to do it."

I smiled. "Figures. I guess that would mean Guaraha, probably both of the Princesses of Tiberoa, likely the rest of the Sacred Sisters. Am I missing anyone?"

"You forgot about Lavitz's mother."

"Her, too." I yawned. "I think we'd better get some rest, or no one will get out alive."

***

We sailed for Rouge by way of Fletz. As usual, I enjoyed the voyage, especially since this one wasn't interrupted by ghost ships, which is a real treat, I assure you. I should say I mostly enjoyed the voyage; I was unfortunately correct in predicting Methos's reaction. Meru was even worse; Dart later told me she'd been spying on us. I almost blasted her for that one.

Miranda stepped up to the rail. "How long till Rouge?"

"About an hour." I slipped one arm around her. "Haschel's getting steadily more excited."

"No surprise there."

The people of Rouge were just as excited to see Haschel as he was to see them, since he's been away for twenty years. A couple looked sad when informed of Claire's death, but it was hardly unexpected. What the didn't expect was to hear that our leader was Haschel's grandson.

"Much as I hate to interrupt this," I said, "we have urgent business. We're looking for any structure that couldn't have been built by humans."

"A city of the ancient Winglies," Rose added.

The mayor looked blank. "What's a Wingly?"

Zieg nodded to Meru. "She is a Wingly. Is there anything in the area that might fit?"

The head of the local fishermen brightened. "What about that stick out in the ocean?"

The martial arts instructor agreed. "Yeah! No way humans could have built that."

We climbed to a large platform for a better view. Rising from the sea was a large, pinkish tower. Water cascaded down its sides; even from such a great distance I could feel the power emanating from it. I bet that's our destination. The master was right, no way humans built that.

"Do you recognize it, Dad?" Dart asked.

"I do indeed," Zieg replied. "That is the Magical City Aglis, where the ancient Winglies researched magic. One of the remaining Signet Spheres is there."

"How do we get there?" Lavitz wanted to know.

His question was soon answered. Without warning, the ground began shaking, and the sea split in two, leaving a clear path to Aglis. "That answer your question, Lavitz?" I looked mistrustfully at the path. If that thing collapses at the wrong moment, we'll be sleeping with the fishes. "Your call, Dart."

"Let's go."

We got inside without a hitch, and then discovered that whoever brought us there had no intention of allowing us to leave: the sea fell down with a crash.

Kongol checked the door. "The sea closed. We can't go back."

"Someone's playing hardball," Rose muttered. "The question is, who?"

Meru flew around, a look of amazement on her face. "This is the bottom of the sea!"

"I was in the sky when we fought," Zieg mused. "They must not have much power left."

"Why don't we save that for later," Miranda said. "Let's go meet whoever's in charge here."

A few minutes later, we met a strange magical creature. "It's rough, ruff. Ruff doesn't want to be here, but it's a message so that it's rough, ruff. 'Welcome to the heroes fated to be here. And welcome to Rose, who has carried the fate of the world. These seven thousand years have been neither as long as eternity nor as short as the twinkling of a star…'" Ruff spun once. "I forgot the rest."

Miranda, predictably, was not pleased. "What are you talking about!? Answer me, or I'll mess you up!"

Ruff was unruffled. "'Mess you up'? Ruff hasn't seen it and doesn't know, ruff. Show it to Ruff, ruff. It sounds like some rough stuff, ruff."

"I don't think it will say anything useful," Albert said.

The magical creature turned to leave. "Ruff only knows what Ruff hears. All is for the sake of the Psychedelic Bomb and Moot, ruff. Ruff is going, ruff. It's rough, ruff."

"I guess we follow," Haschel said.

Several rooms and magic creatures later, we encountered their master, a Wingly named Savan. He was tall, bald, and very old. He looks like a walking corpse. I studied him carefully. "What do you want with us?"

He sighed. "I survived the Dragon Campaign, searching for a way to restore a Wingly world. I even made myself ageless and immortal. But I found that the world of the Winglies was no longer desired. I was an immortal with no purpose." He gestured to Rose. "But watching Rose gave me a new purpose: to stop the birth of the God of Destruction. To that end, I began the construction of Moot, the new Signet, and the Psychedelic Bomb, a weapon to stop anyone who wishes the final race to be born."

"That still doesn't explain what you want with us," Shana said.

"The Psychedelic Bomb requires the power of courage," Savan replied. "My courage wasn't enough; I need to borrow yours."

"Sounds good to me," Mac said.

"Then please come to the Chamber of Challenges," Savan said. "There your courage will be tested."

The Dragoons among us were directed to warp discs matching our elements, or lack, in my case. All Savan would say was that each of us would face a unique test. I wasn't worried; after facing Immortals, Virages, Dragons, and all sorts of other foes, a test of courage sounded like a piece of cake.

I was wrong.

An image of Connor MacLeod appeared before me. "So, Duncan's student is off to save the world, eh?" His voice was mocking. "There can be only one, remember?"

I drew my sword. "I've never believed that. If you want me, come and get me."

The ersatz MacLeod did just that. I raised my sword to parry, then lowered it. "You won't stop me." His blade passed through my neck without effect.

Another of Savan's creatures appeared. "Courage to face death."

When all the tests were finished, we gathered a few rooms on to receive an even more powerful version of the bomb: the Psychedelic Bomb X.

"Now we go to the Chamber of the Signet and wait," Savan said. "Our enemy should appear."

I stepped in and looked around. "Where's this Moot?"

"Down there." Savan nodded to a red light. "With Moot and the Last Kraken, the guardian, the world is safe."

"Oh really?" Melbu's voice, mocking.

Zieg had his sword out. "Melbu Frahma! I killed you once, I can do it again!"

"Not with the power I have obtained!" Melbu retorted. The Last Kraken twitched; it was swiftly apparent that Frahma was controlling it. "Go, Last Kraken! Destroy Moot along with this city!"

"I don't think so," I growled, morphing. "Divine Dragon Cannon!"

Dart and Zieg transformed together, father and son. "Flameshot!

"Final Burst!"

The Kraken retaliated with a giant thunderbolt. Haschel was barely affected, Meru ignored it, and Richie was killed, again.

"Blinding Light!" Shana and Miranda produced an unexpected team-up attack.

Rose, tiring of the battle, finished up by summoning her Dragon.

I landed, gasping. "So much for that…what!?" The room was shaking like mad.

"The magic energies of the Last Kraken and the Dragoons have overloaded Moot!" Savan shouted. "I'm teleporting you out of here!"

We got out, but Savan didn't. "Savan! What are you doing!?" Dart yelled.

"I must see this through to the end!" was the reply. "Wings to travel the sky will be given. Protect the Sphere in Zenebatos!" There was a loud crash, and all was silent.

"We have no time for grieving," Rose said. "We have to get to the Law City."

We made our way back to the city entrance, heading for a teleporter connected to the Law City Zenebatos. "The warp plates in the Forest just went from floor to floor," I commented, " and this one will take us halfway around the world."

"Next stop, Zenebatos," Dart said.

***

Zenebatos was just as run-down as Aglis, but at least this time we weren't in danger of drowning---just falling. One aspect was similar, at least on the surface: magic creatures patrolled the city. "Just like Aglis. Did the Winglies really have this much power?"

"More," Zieg replied. "Much more. This is just a shadow of the Law City of old."

"Thankfully," Rose put in. "This place was mainly for judging 'other species', primarily humans and Gigantos." Kongol winced at this.

We hit a snag almost at once. "Non-Winglies are prohibited from the Chamber of the Signet," a drone said.

"I'm a Wingly!" Meru protested. The drone simply repeated its message.

"It's no good," Albert said. "We'll have to change the law."

That was easier said than done. We had to dodge patrolling drones and monsters. We were caught once; fortunately, Kongol was too heavy to carry, and broke us out. We proceeded with more caution afterwards. When one got too close, I got fed up and sliced it in half.

"Man, I'm tired of this," Richie complained. "What does it take?"

What it took was a change in the law, followed by another headache. The local judge had convicted us of violating "Soa's will", whatever that was, and sentenced us to death. "Winged executioners, Selebus, Kubila, Vector, execute the sentence!"

"You expect these to stop Dragoons?" I snorted. "Don't make me laugh." Without waiting for a reply, I stepped forward and cut Vector's head off.

Zieg, Rose, Dart, and Shana had Selebus in a four-on-one. Despite her healing abilities, she didn't last long against such a concentrated assault.

That left Kubila, the strongest. The remaining Immortals were dealing with him; sensible, given that he had an instant-death spell. The fight lasted far longer than the others, ending two hours later with Mac's katana in Kubila's heart.

"Come on!" Dart yelled. "To the Chamber of the Signet!"

Unfortunately, we were too late. We saw the Moon Dagger lying on the ground, the Signet Sphere destroyed. Melbu's one step ahead again! This is very, very bad. I slammed a fist on the ground in frustration.

Albert stooped and picked up the Moon Dagger. "This at least will be returned to its rightful owner."

"Even when that owner is dead?"

Melbu Frahma drifted down from the sky. "Foolish humans, can't you accept your fate? You are doomed."

Zieg glared at him. "I didn't give in at Kadessa, Melbu. You lost then, you'll lose now."

The evil Wingly laughed. "I think not. All that remains is the signet of Mayfil, the Death City. Come, why don't you, and see your own deaths." He vanished.

We ran for the warp plate to Mayfil, in a last-ditch effort to stop the birth of a god.

***

I will not say much of Mayfil. The journey was too horrifying to describe; I'll probably be having nightmares on a regular basis for the next millennium. Zombies everywhere, ghosts, demons, and things I can't even begin to comprehend. Not surprisingly, many of the spirits recognized Rose as the Black Monster. They only backed off when her Dragoon Spirit started glowing.

"I cannot die now," she whispered.

This place… I staggered once, then fell to my knees. The pain…

"Ray! What's wrong!?" Miranda asked.

I shuddered. "This place…it's permeated with despair. I'm not the most powerful psychic you'll meet, but it's still very nearly overwhelming." I got unsteadily to my feet. "I'll be alright."

I soon forgot about my problems. A dark shape was taking form ahead, something more than a little ominous. I have a very bad feeling about this.

"This smells like devildom," Rose muttered.

"How right you are!" The dark mass assumed a shape vaguely reminiscent of the Grim Reaper. "My name is Zackwell. Melbu doesn't want you to get to the Sphere, so I'll make sure you don't." He laughed maniacally.

I transformed. "Shana! Miranda! This guy's your strong point!"

The Light Dragoons exchanged grins. "Blinding Light!"

"Firestorm!" Father and son.

I felt a shark's grin stretching my face. "Divine Dragon Cannon!"

With a long, drawn-out scream, Zackwell faded to nothing.

"Come on, guys!" I yelled. "There's still time!"

Miraculously, the Signet Sphere was still there when we arrived. Zieg smiled grimly. "It ends here."

Melbu appeared suddenly. "You're right. The world ends here." With that, he hurled the Moon Gem into the Signet, destroying it. "Now the way to the Moon is open! I will soon become a god!" He vanished again, laughing.

"Have we failed?" Rose asked, despairing for the first time since we'd met.

Dart shook his head. "It's not over yet! We'll stop it at the source!"

A flying creature arrived: Coolon, the wings of Savan. "Do you want to have wings?"
Dart nodded. "Yes. Take us to the Divine Tree!"

***

Author's note: Not much left now. I had to run the three Wingly cities together because I don't remember enough about them to put them in separate chapters.

I recently got a separate internet account up again, so when this story is finished I'll be able to register on my own. Finally!

Thanks for the reviews. D.S.