Author's Note: Back again. Probably won't post this until tommorrow which will be the 4th. Anyways, first a response to my reviewers. Only one for this chapter.

PJ Blindclown: Thanks for the review to start off with... And about Anna's personality... I made it according to whiny popular bitches (can I say that on here?). I still don't think they would live in the forge with having three children... one who's 14 and another two who are 11 according to my story.

Now, on with the comments for the chapter. I must say that I really liked this chap. I incorporated dialogue, thought and visual imagery and twisted it all into my own unique writing style. I hope you all enjoy reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it.

Disclaimer: I am not Emily Rodda. I do not profit from this story. This story is in no way associated with Scholastic publishing. I do not own any of the characters or Deltora, I merely own the plot of this story.

Catherine Attard.

Chapter Four - Answers

Lief's body tensed. He shivered and felt as if he was being blasted by a cold gust of wind, however, the windows in the Library were all tightly shut. Lief made sure of that. People who support the Shadow Lord may still lurk within Del.

He did not why he was reacting this way... Reacting as if he was shocked... He was expecting this and he was expecting the worse...

"How do you know this?" Lief questioned. Marilen blinked several times. She had not expected such a question so soon. She had expected confusion. Fright. Shock. Marilen quickly recovered and returned her eyes from staring at Lief to the table she was seated at. She stared at the table for a few moments, losing herself within the patterns etched within it's surface then quickly remembered the question Lief had asked her and responded.

"Dreams. Last year..." this was obviously something that Marilen did not like to talk of, "I had dreams for several weeks of a man... Of the Shadowlord. He is not, however, in the form that you have described him in the Deltora Annals. He was not a gust of crimson smoke but a man. A man who was dying. A man who was losing everything he had created." For a moment Lief sensed that Marilen felt sorry for the Shadow Lord.

"And I am in grave danger for this reason?" Lief asked as he raised an eyebrow.

"That is just the begginning. He used the last of his magic to do something... to summon... creatures of enormous strenght, power... Creatures of pride. He used the last of his magic to be a part of these creatures... To control them. The dream ends there... I do not see the creatures... I am him. I am the Shadow Lord but that is when his train of thought and when the dream ends."

"How do you know that this dream is real?" Lief questioned.

"The Book. Dreams: An Understanding of Life. That is how I know... At first I just searched for the meaning, then weeks later I read the book as a whole and read the chapter on prophetic dreams... It says that those carrying opals are more prone to them. While I was having the dreams I was carrying opals. Toran Opals filled with magic and... the day I lost them, the dreams came to an end. I know, I am completely sure that these dreams were predicting the future or the present," Marilen finished.

"I still do not see how I and Deltora with me are in danger?" Lief continued questioning Marilen, however, Lief knew why he and Deltora were in risk of non-existance and he knew exactly what Marilen was going to say.

"I believe that these creatures, the one's in my mind... are... The Dragons of Deltora.

The Dragons of Deltora, possessed by the Shadow Lords, to do his will. The time had come for the end of the line of Dragons. Suddenly, everything made sense. What Barda was saying; Lief! Dragon! Death! Fidelis!

The mysterious deaths that Barda and Jasmine had told him of; Fidelis had been killing the people of Del one by one. No-one would suspect him, no-one would suspect one of the dragons that saved Deltora.

Barda saw Fidelis killing off someone, a minion of the Shadow Lord had to make sure I did not know. Barda had to die... but he had been reached in time. Lief had to find Jasmine, Barda too if he was awake... and his children. His children. How could he tell them that he had to leave them...

Plans within Plans...

The Shadow Lord had once more had the upper hand on them...

"Marilen, I must go. Do not worry for me. I shall be fine. Delorta shall be fine," Lief lied, "Anna, I want you to come with me, okay?"

"Okay, Dad," she agreed.

As Lief left the Library, the belt hung at his waist more heavily than before… The Belt had ruined his life. He wished to be rid of it. Throw it into the lakes of Del and watch as it sunk into the blackened depths of water.

Lief walked along the corridors that led to the Infirmary. The walls of the Palace had not been painted. They were still, what they had originally been made of, stone. He chuckled at the fact that the Ralads could not think of another substance that would be more flattering.

However, now as not the time for flattery or decoration, or for chuckling. As Lief reached the Infirmary he saw Barda stretching on the bed Jasmine had put him on. Typical Barda. He wished to chuckle again but kept his mouth closed. At a second look, Lief saw that with each stretch Barda groaned in agony. His body was still suffering from the poison.

"Barda, we have to talk," Lief said.

"I agree. There is something you need to know."

"I already know about the dragons," Lief replied.

"Oh."

"We have to talk of them… about everything," Lief sighed, "We must hold a meeting."

"Nothing to be sad about old friend. Another adventure, I must say I have missed them."

"What about the kids?" Lief asked.

"They are to stay in Broome for a while. Lindal wishes for them to learn of their roots," Barda replied.

"She is right to do so."

Jasmine entered the room, she no longer wore the royal gown she had worn before but a baggy khaki pair of pants and a worn out shirt, her hair was not set in a bun as it was before but free to flow around the little of her back. At her sides were two identical boys, Jarred and Endon, at the age of eleven. They both had pale faces with pure, red lips. They're blue lapis-lazuli eyes matched they're jet black curls.

"Now, there is only Sharn and Doom so we can start the meeting," Barda said.

"Er… My Grandmother and Grandfather went to Tora only minutes ago," Endon whispered.

"Then we shall start without them and send them a message later on," Lief declared.

As Lief told those present at the meeting of the possession of the Dragons of Deltora. They gasped and stared in awe as Lief finished his story.

"So this means that we must slay the beasts… I doubt it's possibility," Jasmine murmured.

"I do not. There is something, something powerful enough to destroy the Shadow Lord and the Beasts with the power of the King of Deltora and his belt," Barda said, "I first heard of it as I spent my days as a beggar on the streets of Deltora. They are… The Swords of Deltora."

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