Morning had risen. Abe, Ali, and Littlefoot were at the entrance of the Great Valley. Littlefoot's grandparents and Ali's mother were saying their final goodbyes to their children. Abe read the map and walked away to give the families space. Grandpa Longneck looked at his only grandson.
"Oh, Littlefoot. This is way too fast for all of us."
"I know, but if the legends are true, Lucastrof will stop at nothing. There are only three more items that have yet to be found. We need to hurry and get the rest."
His grandma rubbed his cheek.
"Just be safe."
"If you see Lucastrof, run to safety," suggested Ali's mother.
"But there's nowhere to run when Lucastrof appears."
Ali stepped on Littlefoot's foot.
"I mean, we will."
"Make sure my daughter is safe."
Littlefoot nodded and stared into her mother's eyes. He gulped.
"And you help out Littlefoot," Grandma Longneck told Ali.
"I will."
Abe approached them.
"I know I'm a jerk for rushing, but we need to hurry. Lucastrof might beat us to our next location."
The guardians rubbed their young ones one final time. Abe nodded, remembering the affection his family showed him. He quickly forgot it to prevent the wounds from reopening. The trio left as the adults watched. They entered the Mysterious Beyond.
"Littlefoot, why did you have to worry my mother like that?" Ali asked when the parents could no longer see them.
"I didn't mean to. It sounded good in my mind."
Abe hopped off a small rocky ledge and got out the map. He read it.
"Let's see if you understand this riddle. It's been irritating me. Under the dark skies is a ghastly valley that holds the cure for all. Under awakened plants rest the Bark of Nature. It's too vague for me."
They continued to walk, not entirely sure where to go.
"A ghastly valley?" wondered Littlefoot. "Sounds dangerous and spooky."
"Well, what do you expect for the Valley of Mists?" questioned Ali. "It's from where I come from. It's the only place I know that is ghastly and has a cure for all."
"You mean the Night Flower?"
Ali nodded. Littlefoot remembered the quest to find the flower that cured his dying grandfather.
"Then I guess Ali will lead us there," Abe said.
Ali smiled and walked to the front.
"Alright. Everyone follow me."
"Don't get lost like last time," joked Littlefoot.
"You try to remember a hundred places," snapped Ali.
Abe just sneered under his breath.
"I can't find Littlefoot or Ali anywhere," reported Ducky as she sat down.
Cera thought hard.
"Maybe they disappear?" suggested Petrie. "They magic after all."
"But Mama told me that Littlefoot caught on fire and Ali spat water. I don't think they could disappear."
"You right Ducky. My mama told Petrie that too."
"How about you, Cera? What did your father say?"
Cera remembered her father cursing Abe not only for giving the longnecks powers but for riding him like how Ducky rode on Spike. She laughed in her mind. Oh, how she wished she could have seen it.
"The same thing," she half lied. "I bet they are with that weirdo again."
"You mean Abe?" wondered Petrie.
"Who else would I be talking about? That Abe is bad news."
"But we don't know that," said Ducky. "We don't know about this Lucastrof."
"True. My dad just keeps on saying he's bad, but he doesn't say why."
"Probably they don't know whole story," said Petrie.
"Then let's ask someone who does."
Spike. Petrie, Cera, and Ducky walked in search of someone who would tell them what really happened.
Abe, Ali, and Littlefoot took a break outside the waterfall that made two rainbows. Behind it was a cave that led into the Valley of Mists. Abe got out the berries he stored and gave some to his friends. Ali chewed her food before speaking.
"Told you I knew where I was going."
"I'm sorry," said Littlefoot.
Abe looked down at the river formed below. He hopped down. The splash drew the attention of the two longnecks. Abe looked around and smiled. He lifted his head towards the longnecks.
"Ali, are you ready for your lesson?"
"Lesson?"
"Just get down here," Abe said rudely.
Ali hopped down from rock to rock. Littlefoot laid himself on the cliff and watched with interest. Ali faced Abe as he bent down and picked up some water in his hand to take a sip.
"Water is the source of all life," started Abe. "Without it, life would not be sustainable. Now you know that you can spit a stream of water out and turn your body into water much like Littlefoot can surround himself with fire. We are going to perfect the speed of the water you shoot out. Think of it like an angry spit."
"But I don't spit when I'm angry."
Abe tapped his forehead and closed his eyes briefly in irritancy.
"Aim for those fallen stones."
In the shallow water were rocks that had fallen off of cliffs due to earthquakes. Ali spat water out towards the first rock. It didn't break. Ali looked at Abe.
"But water can't break rocks that easily."
"That's why you must try harder."
Ali concentrated her power and spat again on the rock. It broke. She smiled as Littlefoot cheered.
"Good," said Abe. "Now destroy the remaining stones in one shot. It's like the spit you just did, but you puff up your cheeks, summon water, and shoot out."
Ali did what Abe told it and blew out the water hastily from her mouth. A three foot diameter blast of water destroyed the rocks, but it failed to damage the wall. This was because of the range of the attack.
"You're still young, so the extent of the attack cannot be taught. It will become more powerful when you grow. For the next and final move I want to teach you, you need to turn your body into water."
"Okay."
She did that, but she fell apart. Littlefoot got up to his feet and jumped down.
"Where is she?" he asked Abe.
"I'm right behind you," came a voice.
A water image of Ali was formed behind Littlefoot. She looked at Abe.
"Using that ability, you can swim through any kind of water with ease. However, knowing that you have water powers does not make you invincible. Never ever change into your water form during the winter…er…Cold Time or near fire water. The fire water excludes Littlefoot."
He looked at Abe with curiosity.
"Follow me," Abe said. "I'll teach you a couple of moves."
Abe climbed up the small cliff and walked into the desert. The two dinosaurs followed.
"It's best for you kids if you don't know," Grandpa Longneck told the kids.
They were seated around a pound as Grandpa Longneck relaxed in it.
"But we need to know," said Ducky. "We know Lucastrof is bad, but we don't know why."
Grandpa Longneck sighed.
"But you kids are still too young. I don't know if you'll understand."
"Don't worry," said Cera, remembering Abe. "We will."
"Very well. I guess it's not fair this legend is kept from you. Let's see. Lucastrof appeared many, many bright circles ago. The world was forming. Strange creatures were taking their first footsteps onto dry land. Our ancestors took birth when these creatures appeared on land. The longnecks, the threehorns, the spiketails, the fliers, the swimmers, and many more. All grew up in this world, doing what we do today. But, our kinds were not the only ones appearing. Very unique creatures showed up. They looked like us and blended in very nicely, but they were special. Small ones could move rocks the bigger ones couldn't. Some made a screech that pierced our ears. A few could blow out sky fire out of their mouths. These creatures were only few in numbers and lived in peace. That all changed when Lucastrof was born. Lucastrof noticed that his powers were more devious compared to others. It was probably because he was the first sharptooth to have these powers. With these new powers that were unusual to the others who had powers, he decided to make sure he was superior to all the dinosaurs. He wanted to make the ones who had magic be under his loyalty and torture the dinosaurs who had no magic. He recruited a few of the most powerful members until word got out. The others that weren't under his ruling knew what needed to be done. A great battle known as the War of the Dinosaurs continued until one cold time was over. Our ancestors managed to kill all of Lucastrof's army and seal him away in the Mystic Mountain. It is a mountain that lays hidden in the Mystical Lands far in the Mysterious Beyond. Of course, when my mother told me this, she said this was the first time Lucastrof attacked."
"Wait," said Cera. "The first time? Does that mean he got out?"
"I'm afraid so. I was still an egg when this all happened. Lucastrof broke out of the mountain and roamed the land. A big earthshake happened when it did. The elders knew that this earthshake was no ordinary one and meant Lucastrof was free. The hunt begun, but Lucastrof remained hidden for unknown reasons. When all suspected he died of old age or by a sharptooth, he appeared before my grandfather. See, my grandfather was the grandson of one of the dinosaurs that sealed him away. My grandfather protected his daughter and told her to flee with the egg. She obeyed, and that was the last time she saw my grandfather. Soon, word gotten out that Lucastrof was pushed into the fire water by a longneck who also fell in. They called the longneck that saved them all before Lucastrof rose to power the Longneck Hero. Everyone was now happy and content they heard the last of Lucastrof and believed the story was a myth to scare the young ones until Abe appeared with the shocking news."
Littlefoot and Abe were near some lava pits that were two miles away from the cave. Ali watched from a safe distance as Littlefoot and Abe began.
"Fire water destroys everything in its path and won't stop until it cools down, making it one of the destroyers of life," said Abe who stood near a lava river. "Your powers are similar to Ali's. Right now, you are able to surround yourself with fire. It's good, but you have to control it. It'll take some time. As Ali, you can spit fireballs out of your mouth. Try it on those rocks."
Littlefoot blew out small fireballs that hit the rock formations near us. Abe was surprised that Littlefoot was able to blow out two foot radius fireballs at rapid speed.
"Nice. Now as Ali can do with water, you can do with fire water. First, set yourself on fire."
"Are you sure?"
Abe nodded. Littlefoot surrounded himself with fire.
"Good. Jump into the fire pit. Your fire form won't get burned since you are protected by your fire form."
Littlefoot jumped into the deep lava pit. His form didn't merge with the lava like Ali's form did. He looked up at Abe as he kept afloat.
"You are not able to merge yourself with the fire water, but you can swim around it and hold your breath under the fire water for about ten minutes."
"Wait. How do I know when these ten minutes are up? Besides, what are minutes?"
"You'll know. When time is about to run up, your senses will kick in about eight minutes in. When you sense this, make your way up to the surface."
Littlefoot swam to shore in his fire form still. Ali was about to rinse him off, but Abe stopped her.
"If you cool down something really, really hot suddenly, it will form into a hard rock. Wait for a short time."
"But when do I know to do it?"
"Well, this is why I need Littlefoot to get rid of the fire himself."
Littlefoot tried, but he looked down when he couldn't. After three minutes, Abe told her to rinse off Littlefoot. The fire died, and Littlefoot turned to normal. Abe faced Ali.
"That long. Remember it every time when Littlefoot jumps out of fire water. Hopefully he learns how to control the fire around him one of these days."
"I don't mind," said Ali. "It's fun to get him wet."
"Well, let's go back," said Abe. "I've taught you the basics. Now, you must explore the rest of your powers on your own."
The trio walked back to the waterfall that fell from the cave as the sun hid behind the mountains. Abe lead the two longnecks. Littlefoot sighed and looked down. Ali nudged him.
"Don't worry, Littlefoot. You'll be able to control your powers and change back and forth on your own."
"I hope it's soon."