Where Dawn and Dusk Meet

-somewhere in the shadows-

"They're awake!" Ember growled.

"Easy, Ember. They still have to awaken the Guardian." Eddie tried to reassure him.

"You think they'll just give up?" Ember asked sarcastically.

"No, but with the Guardian out of the way for now, the Enchantress is vulnerable." Blue appeared.

"What do we do now?" Eddie watched Blue.

"It's time I introduce you to someone." Blue made a forward motion with his hand. A woman emerged from the shadows. "Ember, Eddie, this is Rain, the General of Dark."

"But how?" Ember and Eddie looked at each other then back at Rain.

"It was easy. All I had to do was plant a few thoughts and a new General, who is not strong enough, becomes a puppet." Blue laughed. "She will work nicely to stop the Enchantress once and for all."

"Then I can have my Kingdom of Silence?" Ember asked.

"Yes, then you can have your Kingdom of Silence... and I can have my revenge." Blue replied with an evil grin.

-on the Island of Fire and Cold-

"What do we need to do, Justin?" Celtic asked. They had moved to the cottage as night fell.

"We have to travel to where Dawn and Dusk meet." Justin started to explain. "We need five ingredients. Once we have them, they will need to be mixed in the purest water and given to him in a way only his true love can do."

"So basically, once we get the ingredients and mix them together in water purified by all ten elements, Celtic has to 'drink' it and then kiss him?" Ellie asked.

"Yeah, basically." Justin laughed. "Celt?" He noticed she wasn't really paying attention anymore.

"But... what if I'm not his 'true love'? What if I can't wake him? What if his 'true love' is someone else? What if..."

"Stop!" Ellie shouted. "Would you listen to yourself? That's the Dark talking and none of it is true."

"Ellie's right. Those 'what ifs' are not going to happen. You and Bane are the truest form of love. Not just in terms of romantic love... the two of you together bring out the best in everyone. People search for the happiness the two of you have found and when they see you together, they get a little piece of it."

"Justin's right." Ellie added. "I can't say people haven't questioned it. There have been doubts that you and Bane would last; people have said some pretty awful things but none of that matters."

"What 'doubts'?" Celtic asked. She thought back over the months of her and Bane's relationship.

"That Bane was only with you because you are the Enchantress. That he was only with you because he had no other choice. That he was only with you because he didn't want to be alone." Ellie replied. "The same was said of why you are with him. You don't want to be alone, it's convenient since he is your Guardian..."

"Oh..." Celtic thought for a moment.

"None of that matters. People are just jealous of what you and Bane have, I know I was." Justin admitted. "I wanted you because I thought it would make me happy, and in time you would learn to be happy with me. When I thought Bane was in the way, I tried to kill him. I watched you protect him time and time again. I watched him do the same for you." He took a breath and looked at Celtic. "I was wrong. You would have never been happy with me. You would have resented me and would have been miserable."

"Justin..." Celtic started but Justin held up a hand.

"Let me finish." Justin thought for a moment before continuing. "When I attacked you two in the woods... that's when everything fell into place. You protected each other for the future of the kingdom... but also for your future together."

"Celtic, you and Bane are the glue that keeps us all together. Some are here because of you, some are here because of Bane, and some are here because of both of you." Ellie took Celtic's hands and placed them over Bane's heart. "Your friendship; your partnership and teamwork are the reason everyone... well, almost everyone... are still here. Celt, his heart beats for you and only you."

"..." Celtic took a shaky breath."What are the five ingredients?"

"A star from the wings of a Light Rift Dragon, the powder of a Dark Rift Dragon's horn, a scale the color of day from a Dawn Dragon, a scale the color of night from Dusk Dragon, and the empty shell of a freshly hatched Blue Moon Dragon." Justin listed what was needed.

"Those are all dragons of legend." Ellie was surprised and a little discouraged.

"They exist though. Robo has managed to breed Light Rifts and Dark Rifts. Pickle's dragon, Azura, is a Blue Moon Dragon. We need to find these dragons where Dawn and Dusk meet." Celtic knew it was going to be difficult but it had to be done. "The empty shell of a freshly hatched Blue Moon Dragon..." She trailed off, lost in thought.

"What is it?" Ellie asked.

"Legend says that the rarest Blue Moon Dragons, the ones that are truly tied to the Seasons and the Moon, only hatch under the light of a Blue Moon." Celtic explained.

"Can we just get a regular Blue Moon Dragon egg?" Ellie asked.

"Unfortunately, no." Justin answered. "This spell is just too powerful for that. Plus, Bane, himself, is tied to the Seasons. His affinity for weather and the seasons plays a role in all of this."

"We have to hurry." Celtic glanced at her calendar. "There is a Blue Moon in three days. We have to go to the furthest reaches of the kingdom... to the island where Dawn and Dusk meet."

"Where is that exactly?" Ellie asked.

"Let your instincts guide you." Justin answered. "I will watch over you and help when I can, but you are on your own now."

"..." Ellie froze.

"What's wr...?" Celtic knew the answer before she finished the question. "Blue has the General of Dark..."

"What do you mean by 'has'?" Justin asked.

"She has awaken and he is going to use her." Ellie said. "We have to get to her before it's too late."

"Leave her to me. You need to get the ingredients before it's too late." Justin replied.

"Let's go, Ellie." Celtic said. With Justin's help, Celtic, Ellie, and an unconscious Bane headed to where Dawn and Dusk meet.