Chapter: First mission - Part II

"We don't do this." Katrina said, arms crossed.

"I'm just saying that we could split up and search more ground." Jett said, while he and his cousin waited for Luz comes back from the ladies' room in Cafeteria Cafe de Noir. "I'll go check canals and you two will try Luz's idea out."

"Jett, there is no way I'm leaving you alone on this city." Katrina was a bit frustrated, yet not this discussion. Been here for a few hours, and they still haven't found the dragon egg.

Jett smirk, "I'm touched by your concern but I can look after myself."

"I'm not worried about you, I'm worried about Paris."

"I'll be good, and stay out of trouble. Don't worry."

"You expect me to believe that?"

"Swear on Gran Gran's grave." Jett promised, immediately moving to the stone wall closer to the Coffee Shop.

"Grandma's still alive." Katrina pointed out.

"Then Ghoul Scout's Honor." Giving a two-fingered salute to both girls with his left hand, Jett then placed said hand on the stone wall, hopping over it.

"He was a Scout?" Luz who get back just in time to heard the last line, asked.

"No." Katrina said with a sigh, rubbing her forehead.

"So, what did I miss?" Luz asked and drinking iced tea out of a glass.

"We're going to see the Eiffel Tower. Try your idea of using an seeing stone."

"And Jett?" She pointed to wall where Jett disappeared just about a few seconds ago.

"Officially going to check canals." Katrina said, and took a sip of tea, "Not officially looking for trouble."

After a couple of minutes both girls discovered on top of the Eiffel Tower. An observation platform on top of the tower provides a unique panoramic view of Paris and its environs.

Slowly Luz held the seeing stone up to her eye and everything became a duller black and white.

"Let's see..." She said spinning around the whole city looking for anything out of the ordinary, but saw only beautiful panorama of the city with no color.

Katrina came over, "Found something?"

"Nope." Luz said without dropping her gaze from the city, "Though, frankly, I expected the dragon magic will be pretty hard to miss. Aisha said a dragon egg radiates strong magic."

"It is still very early stage of this proces. Besides, the Veil might absorb most of magic from dragon egg."

Before Katrina could even finish her sentence, Luz starts jumping up and down like she picked up a scent or found something she'd always been looking for.

"I see something! It's on that's roof and... it's moving?"

The bluish glow stands out against the grey. And even more surprisingly, the source of magic was moving by itself. Fast. Which meant it's magic of living thing.

"It isn't Jett, right?" Luz know how Jett's magic look, so this rhetorical question.

"No," Katrina confirmed.

"And it wasn't a baby dragon..." Luz paused, turning back to look at her friend, "Or it was?"

Katrina stopped looking through seeing stone, staring at Luz and stating matter-of-factly, "It just can't hatch here."

Luz tilted her head, confused. "Then what it was?"

"Maybe it was gargoyle. Some of gargoyles clans sending a illegal spotters to search the human world, hoping they'll find the last surviving descendents of the dead clans that lived here." Katrina glanced down at city, her expression turned to pensive, "How do you feel about a little stroll on the roofs?"


Archie kept pacing around the roof, repeating w, "Split up. What a brilliant idea." very sarcastically.

The feline familiar's tail moves in angry way. Luz and her friends split up after they visited a cafe. Then Douxie decided that he and Archie have do the same thing.

The teen wizard argued that Luz know him, so he will follow the boy while Archie will be following the girls. Archie don't like this. Honestly he don't like the whole idea of come to Paris. They shouldn't be here. Magic in air or not, they shoud stay home and take precautions. But Douxie was stubborn and come to Paris. And Archie as his familiar can't let him go all alone.

'Keep him out of trouble.' That's the last thing Morgan said as they were saying goodbye to each other. The familiar had promised to do it. That's easier said than done.

Douxie always went straight for the trouble and what left from magic in human world. Even more since teen wizard and his familiar moved from Wales, where they lived and hidden for many years.

"Wizards, they're all the same under the skin. Give them something to do that can be done. And they would always look for-"

Someone's steps and two female voices from the fire escape interrupted feline familiar monologue with himself.

Hardly was Archie turn into a pigeon and hid among true pigeons when two girl went up to the roof. Archie has identified one teen as Luz, but he didn't know who the redhead girl was.

"Ummm, Katrina. Shouldn't you hidden your true look?" Luz asked, looking at her friend's pointy ears.

"Right now, I need to focus, and keep illusion spell is distracting." Quiet blue electricity began generating around Katrina's fingers.

"Is this that trick Harlow told me during last visit?" Luz seem a little excited.

"Yes."

A magical wave exploded outward like a silent sonic boom and covered the entire roof. A glowing purplish blue outline surrounded Katrina from head to toe; the same happened with Luz, though hers was white.

Archie realized the same thing happened to him at the precise moment a gentle, magical aura wrapped around the familiar and lifted him up. The moment of bewilderment made his limbs go slack and straighten, before soft hand holding him.

He found himself on Luz's hands, with magic aura still around him. Then Archie was suddenly struck by what he was sniffing. His magical senses clearly sensed magic smell from Luz.

Wait! No... something doesn't make sense.

It took Archie a few moments to understand what's wrong.

Luz smelled normal. Typical human smell but with a delicious hint of magic. However, this come from necklace around her neck. Her friend, "Katrina", on the other hand - definitely was magic person. Her magic was strong, smelled like the witch but with an admixture of different magic kind. Archie can't recognize this other magic smell.

Who is that girl? Why Luz is with her? Why Luz have a magic necklace? Did Luz actually became a member of the Order? Why they welcomed human into their secret order? What-

"It's pigeon." Luz's voices jolted Archie awake from a flood of thought, "It's a pigeon from this realm, or is this a looking-normal-but-breathes-fire-type animal? Like the squirrel you show me last week."

"I'm not sure." Katrina take a good hard look at animal in Luz's hand. Her eyes slighty glowing, Archie had the feeling that she was trying to look into his soul. Silent thanks have been sent to Merlin, for cast a spell over Archie's magic core so that it will be looking like just a harmless tiny magic spark to other magic users.

"This could be something between."

Luz tilted her head. "Between? Like hatchling of pigeon and shangyang?"

Katrina shook her head, "If some object saturated with magic gets eaten by animals from your realm, this animal could gain some abilities. Like they can talk."

"Do you speak?" Luz asked turning head to the familiar. She waited a few seconds, then said, "Can you understand what we're saying right now? One coo for no, two coo for yes."

Archie still in his pigeon form pretended foolish and began grooming his feathers.

"I don't think this pigeon helps us find the crypt where dragon egg is buried." Katrina said trying to sound neutral while blocking out the disappointment about their only lead turned out to be completely worthless.

At the same time Archie needed all of his willpower to not change back.

They are looking a dragon egg!

The last thing he expect to hear.

But now this mystery waves of magic made sense, some dragon egg must have been forgotten after the war. And now the hatchling probably lost control of magic after so long time in egg.

"So...we take this pigeon with us?"

"No, tiny bit of magic is harmless. Pigeon probably won't have a any magic in a few hours."

"I wish you can talk" Luz slowly lowered Archie back down on his limbs and Katrina released her magical hold on him. "We could use a little help."

She patted Archie on the head before both girls leave the roof.

The truth, however, was Archie could help.

Archie was born the son of a famous dragon and since childhood he had the desire to see the world. When he had to choose his form, he chose that of a cat so that he could be a familiar and thus fulfill his own dream, yet he didn't forgoten about his dragon state. He has always been close to all dragons and Dragons Riders. That's also why he know exactly where was hidden a Dragon Riders' crypt in city.

The Order of Keepers looking this place. The last egg. The last earth dragon. The last of his family. Yet the feline familiar don't know if he should interfere any of this or not.

Archie thought long and hard upon that question.

In a flash, he morphed into his other form.


Jett's watching the streets and people, while keep walking. He've never get a very good look at Human Realm before.

Okay maybe he was sneaking out every sunday nigh to paint graffiti in an abandoned human shopping mall. But it doesn't really count.

And the fact that his ma, the Owl Lady, has the portal to human world, it doesn't mean Jett came to visit this realm as much as she.

Honestly Eda took her son to the Human Realm only few times. The first mother-son trip in human world was a one-day visit to place called "The Mystery Shack", and they had to help out the Owl Lady's old buddy in his hour of need. During a second visit to human world, the whole family must have come to New York to found King after the little demon stuck in other world because he accidentally found a crack in the Veil. And Jett's very favorite visit was the time his parents decided to surprise him for birthday by showing him a rain in the Human Realm.

Then technically today is his first true 'I can go wherever I want' trip to Human Realm. Yet, he didn't suggested separate Team of Light to he could see some sights without Katrina's complain about him get distracted with other matters. But because they were followed.

Jett noticed that just a couple minutes ago, the boy with blue highlights watched them. Follower didn't look dangerous, but Jett's mom once said: "If you see that someone is following you, longer than 15 minutes that means you have a crazy fan or psycho killer on your tail."

So, Jett separated from Katrina and Luz to see what the mystery person will do. And he decided to followed him just as Jett'd hoped.

With quick wit, the teen witch turned from the original path and began a walk down an alley, after a few steps he jumped on the fire escape.

Jett didn't have to wait long to follower .

The boy with blue highlights appeared; he looked a little disoriented when looking around trying to figure where Jett went.

"Where ar-?"

Jett let his voice suddenly cut in. "I don't like being followed."

The other teen turned head up confusedly, just in time to see Jett jumping off fire escape.

"Look, whatever you're thinking," The boy with blue highlights began, raising a hand like he had some sort of magical ability to force Jett back, "I don't want trouble."

"Chillax, I just need to know why are you following me." Jett soothed and slowly approached the other teen. Completely unaware that Douxie is wizard and an ally of the Order.

"I'm a fan of that movie. And you are Hugo Agrest... I wanted to ask for an autograph." Douxie explained with his best "professional liar" voice, pointing at poster next to the entrance of the cinema. Admittedly actor in the poster looks a bit like Jett's human disguise, but Jett know it was just believable lie.

"You must be very shy, since trying to build up the courage for more than an hour." Jett replied, with a voice that said he didn't buy that for one second.

Douxie gave him a nervous grin. He opened his mouth to respond before pausing.

"What's wrong with your eyes?"

'And what is wrong with my eyes?' Jett has been meaning to ask him, but a sudden pain interrupt the teen to do it.

"Oh crud!" He mumbled - when he realized that have an glitch attack.

Jett was accustomed to his "glitch". It's just's been a while since he've had a hard attack. He gritted his teeth with pain, feeling like his magic gets locked while the magic sack itches and stings like a leech inside his chest.

"Are you okay?" Douxie was confused, maybe not understand what's happening. But he could sense, all of a sudden, a rather strong magic from a teen in front of him. And it was... Douxie think the best word to describe it would be "contaminated".

"Absolutely fine." Jett waved his hand in a placating gesture. Feeling like the illusion spell that hide his witchy features slowly fades away. He was sure his eyes have the natural silver-gold color right now.

"You don't look good. Should I call the ambulance?" Douxie questioned with a tilt of his head, though his voice was hesitant as if he wasn't sure if he should suggest such a thing.

Jett looked at Douxie. The look on his face said he was worried, confused and... surprisingly intrigued. Jett don't have any Kraken ink, so he must escape before his magic get fully blocked. And his magic disguise vanished.

"Oh my gosh it's Merlin! "Jett yelled out on the top of his lungs pointing right behind Douxie.

"What?!" He fell for it and Jett used the moment to run away and found place to wait out the glitch.

Douxie realized he fell for that old trick when Jett was miles away.

"Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!" Douxie expresses his overwhelming frustration by banging his head repeatedly against the Shadow Staff.


As Luz left the store, she turned and walked down the sidewalk, two grocery bags in hand. It took awhile, but eventually, she convinced Katrina to take a break and eat. Her witch friend don't feel comfortable in the human version of store so waiting for her in the park.

As she continued walking, she noted an old man walking in the opposite direction that she was, hands behind his back. He was rather short and his red flower button-up seemed silly, but the look in his eyes made Luz feel as though he was someone who had been through a lot and came out much wiser and stronger than before.

Luz tried to pay the man no mind for the sake of politeness, but as soon as the man glanced up at him, the teen couldn't help looking back.

The man immediately stopped, giving her a nice smile. "Hello young lady."

"Uh..." Luz stopped as well, greeting a bit awkwardly, "Hi."

The man took a deep breath through his nose. "Mm. That's quite the variety of tea you have there."

"Huh?" Luz blinked. Then she remembered Katrina asked her to buy tea, "Yeah, my friend asked me to buy some."

Luz held the bag out to the man. She didn't know why... but there was just something about the man that she liked and trusted.

The man peeked inside the bag, using one hand to take out a single box of tea, revealing magnificent Q tattooed on his forearm.

He examined it, turning it in his hand like he expected to find something special. "This is an excellent choice for tea."

"I don't know about these things." Luz just said.

"Trust me, I used to drink this tea with ma friend. There's nothing better than ripe fruit tea flavor on your tounge when you sit with good friend and dragon protect you."

"Dragon?!" That was probably a little louder than it needed to be.

"Not literally." The old man chuckled, returning the tea to the back. "In Parc des Buttes-Chaumont is a very old dragon statue, may not be as famous as some of the things here but I recommend it to everyone who needs a place to respite from the bustling city atmosphere."

"I'll keep that in mind."

"I'm glad hearing this. Have nice day, young lady." The man nodded, then gave Luz one last smile before walking away.

Luz waited some few seconds before heading for the park.

Katrina wait by the fountain. Jett, surprisingly, was here too. And he don't look well.

"Wow Jett," Luz said as she sat by them. "You look..."

"Handsome." Jett said a mischievous look on in his eyes although his face was tired, "I know."

"Exhausted." Luz finished.

"I had a glitch incydent, strong one. So, my blood sugar's low."

"Well, then it's a good thing I bought this." Luz pulled out a white box with mont blanc dessert.

"I love you, Sunbeam." Jett beamed, helping himself to one of the sweets and not making any comment about the bakery bird-like logo on the box.

Soon he and Luz peered into the individual boxes to look for a treat. Katrina was the only one who remained rigidly in place, hands resting at her knees even as she looked at the her own box of sweets.

"Katrina?" Luz called, earning her attention. "Everything okay?"

"Ah—" Katrina let out a neutral hum. "I'm just thinking about the dragon egg. We searched one third of the Paris area, but we still don't know where it is."

"Actually, I've got a lead."


Douxie sat on the edge of the Canal Saint-Martin and watched the water swirl below his feet. It was clear and blue, unlike a big jumble of thought in his head.

He felt someone coming up next to him. Turning his head, he saw the old man who morphed into cat with glasses before Archie sits with Douxie.

"Luz's new friends are definitely not a humans." Douxie assured confidently his feline friend.

"I know," Archie didn't see the point for try and convince Douxie that they're not. Truth was just better option. "By the way, they are looking for a dragon egg."

"That explains a lot." Douxie glanced up, thinking about everything that'd happened today. Needing to process what that meant. "So, Luz Noceda is the Keeper."

"I don't understand why does that make you so happy." Archie watched as the teen wizard seem to fidget in place with big smile glued to his face, "It's like what I said before. Luz and her not-human friends does not change anything in our mission."

"Yet."

"There's no "yet"." Archie persisted.

Douxie looked like he wanted to argue, but closed his eyes and let out a breath, apparently thinking better of it. "Fine, then we agree to disagree." He smirked at familiar.

Archie rolled his eyes. "Anyway. We have satisfied your curiosity. Can we back to home, now?"

Douxie nodded, and Archie watched as his master turned and drew a burning black diamond in the air with the tip of Shadow Staff. This, they both had seen far too many times during their long life. As the diamond closed, the whole space inside it filled with a creepy dark, swirling ether.

Archie watched Douxie disappear, melting into the whorls of shadows, and he stepped closer.

"Take good care of my sibling, young Keepers." He said, looking at sky. And then began to step through portal, convinced that his and Douxie and the Keepers' paths will not cross again.

Little he know that the fate (or the Titan, depending on who you asked), had other plans.


Author Note: Hope you enjoyed it! :)

Constructive criticism is welcome, and I appreciate all the reviews I've received from you all.