It's a short chapter because it's a mini story. :) To one of my previous reviews thinking I was making the empress "Oppressive" I'm not and that was seriously an exaggeration. Sorry but it was. She's not a tyrant nor discomforting in this story. To be honest this is the last time you'll read about her in here because she's not a main in this story nor is the plot taking place anywhere close in Fantasia. So I'm not worried and you shouldn't be either. Please relax and enjoy the story. Thanks.

Happy Reading.

Everything was so familiar to Atreyu all too fast. It felt as if it were only yesterday since he took this trail to the Ivory Tower instead of months ago. His stomach began to twist nervously thinking about what had happened to his horse Artax on the last journey, how he had almost drowned and killed multiple times all to teach an earthling a lesson of how strong he truly could be. It wasn't a quest that tested Atreyu, which was what he had hoped for. Nevertheless he appreciated the earth boy Bastian for giving the empress the new name and setting things right in Fantasia again. It's just for once Atreyu didn't want to only be known as only a warrior but also as a hero.

Artax gives a faint whine as they approached the bright Ivory Tower. Atreyu pats his horse on his slim white neck. "Hold Artax okay. Everything is going to be fine and we'll be back home again before you even know it."

Atreyu wished he didn't make that promise because he had no idea yet. He didn't like to make promises before knowing what the outcome might be. They reached the mountain peaks crossing a small village of mythical creatures and talking beasts. Some of them looked up and recognized Atreyu as the warrior previously.

They reach the tower and like last time Atreyu mounts off Artax because he couldn't bring him to the top of the tower. "I'll be back in a hurry." He leaves Atrax's side and follows one of the centaurs into the bright white light. It was a closed room that only fit him and the centaur and without warning they went up like an elevator.

Atreyu would look down occasionally to see what was pushing them up but he always saw nothing, only the white around him and soon the very top of the Ivory Tower. Atreyu walks out of the oval shaped door and out on the platform. He could literally touch the sky now. That is how big the Ivory Tower was. Not to mention how dark it was up there when at the bottom it was still daylight.

The last time he was up there it had been crowded by so many Fantasians awaiting his arrival. This time it was no one but Atreyu and the centaur up there. Atreyu turns to him confusion running all over him. "Why am I here? It's obvious that nothing bad is happening in Fantasia. It's empty up here."

"No Atreyu."

The voice is very familiar. Not a lot of beings can say they've heard it twice in a lifetime once they met the empress. Because that was the one and only time to see her is once or never. This was obviously the first time that the centaur probably saw her, his eyes filled with amazement.

Atreyu turns around to face platform that the Empress walked bare footed on. "Hello again my friend." She said curling her rose lips into a smile. She still looked the same as ever with her brown hair pulled back and wore her white long gown. For someone who looked like a child the empress was well beyond her years of knowledge. As a matter of speaking she really was.

"Empress," Atreyu said and he and the centaur bowed before her. Atreyu looks back up. "Empress if this is another quest I don't know if-,"

"Atreyu," The empress shakes her head lightly. "I assure you this will be another quest, but only for you. This will be you're your own journey."

Atreyu felt slightly relieved. "What must I do?"

"You must travel beyond The Southern Oracle, there you will cross a sea to another land and a Princess your age will meet you there and you'll know what to do." The Empress explains.

"I don't understand this quest at all." Atreyu shook his head confused.

"You wont now but you will soon."The Empress said. "Also you can ride your horse before you get to the swamps of sadness. There Falcor will meet you and carry you over it until you get to the first gate before reaching the Southern Oracle."

"How will I know what to do, and who is this princess?" Atreyu asked. "And how will she know too?"

The Empress refused to tell him so she only smiles. "Good luck Atreyu."

She nods to Atreyu and the centaur walking back to her quarters. "Good luck." The centaur said turning to Atreyu. Atreyu nods with almost a bewildered look across his face and made haste to the oval door to go back down.

Once he got back to ground level he caught his horse Artax and told him everything. "Once we meet up with Falcor I want you to go back home. You promise me? I don't want you to die out there again."

The horse nods and promises. Atreyu quickly mounts his horse sling his leg over as Artax began to run the same direction they went before on the first quest.

Atreyu finally began to feel a lot stronger then before and felt satisfied that this was finally his own quest, he looked forward to his own self discovery and worth. He looked forward to coming back as Atreyu the Hero and not just The Warrior.