The big day arrived in a flash and Oziana, Glinda and Zelena took the lead of the convoy that would go with them to the dragon tunnels. Maleficent and Eric followed high above. It took them a few days to reach their destination and Glinda shortened their trip through magic drastically. They reached a sparse piece of land that was dehydrated and brown. Cracks split the dry earth and steam pulsed from small geysers. Nothing grew here and nothing lived here. A mountain was ahead with a stone door as the entrance. Locasta and Evanora were already present, still in the middle of removing the magical seals on the doors.
"Where are we?" Regina asked, dismounting next to Zelena.
"I don't know."
"This part of Oz is hidden with magic." Glinda answered. "Hidden from maps and anyone who might venture out this way, although I don't see why anyone would come here."
"It shouldn't exist." Zelena replied. She turned away from the witch to help the rest of the convoy get everything set up. A number of carts and wagons had been brought. Each one was filled with food, water, medicine and clothes. They didn't know what state the dragons would be in exactly, so she hoped they were properly prepared. Mal landed next to her and shifted back into human form. Eric did the same nearby.
"What do we do first, Mom?" Cynara asked.
"Let's wait for the doors to open. We'll go in and get the dragons up. You all just wait here and stay out of trouble. We'll need your help later." Cynara nodded and ran back to relay the news to the other children. After that was more waiting. It was nearly an hour before the last seal was removed and the doors cracked open. Eric and Lily strained to pull them open.
"I hope you know that I had no choice." Glinda said, looking at Mal. "Half of Oz was in flames. This was the only way to stop them without killing them."
"You might as well have killed them." Mal replied solemnly.
"I was trying-"
"I know what you were trying to do. And I know my own kind and what we can do, so I don't blame you. Just try to remember not all of us are so destructive. Those dragons who caused you to lock them up are most likely dead and the rest have paid for their actions."
"Before we withdraw blame," Regina said. "Why don't we ask the dragons how everything really went down." She gave a pointed look at Glinda. "Something you failed to explicitly state in favor of saying it's something you had to do." Mal silently agreed and returned to watching them struggle to open the doors. She wanted to hurry so the sun was still shining when the dragons came back into the world. She wanted them to bask in the warmth of the sun, newly hydrated and with a full belly. She wanted to see all their colors and patterns, learn their names and see if their culture differed from her own. They were dragons but they were of a different world. The need to know was overwhelming.
Only when Ruby and Mal joined in were they able to open the doors, revealing Teressa just on the other side. "I need help to get some of them out." She stepped outside and moved to the left of the entrance, opening the way for the dragons to come out. Mal half expected them to come rushing out, but they didn't. They trudged, dragging their tails and wings in the dirt, their heads hanging low. Barely a dozen young dragons came out, each one so covered in dirt and mud it broke her heart.
Mal left Eric in charge of taking care of the dragons. "The rest of you follow me." She took the lead into the dark tunnels. The ground was rocky and cracked under her boots. The temperature grew the deeper they went until even Mal found it to be unbearable. It was a struggle to breathe and she wasn't sure she wanted to, for the air was stale and thick with the scent of death. It took several long minutes to reach the end of the tunnel and it opened up into a vast cavern.
"Holy shit." Oziana whispered.
A large pool of water filled the center of the room and on one side long rows of hibernating dragons could be spotted. These were larger, older dragons who could stay in hibernation longer. On the other side were cocoon-like cases where Mal could see people laying inside. At the far end of the room was a wall made of diamond and upon closer inspection, she found that it too was like a diamond cocoon, filled with eggs.
"They tried to protect the eggs." Zelena whispered.
"And the children." Regina added, walking along the wall. Among the eggs were the curled up forms of baby dragons as well.
"Is this healthy?" Oziana asked.
"Yes." Mal answered. "I've only heard of dragons doing this in stories, but in a sense, the eggs and the children are frozen in time, perfectly preserved. As long as the dragons who cast this spell are alive or the wall isn't broken, then the spell will hold. Forever if need be. Must've been their last resort. They couldn't let the eggs hatch without knowing when they were going to get out. The newborns would simply die of hunger if their mothers could provide no milk." She went over to the cocoons and found that only a few of them were dragons. The rest were humans. One in particular stood out. The woman inside was wearing a set of golden armor that was broken, dented and bloodied.
"That is Queen Sona." All of them turned to face Teressa as she came into the room. "She was heavily injured the day we were sent here. She was dying and her servants put her in the cocoon to try and save her."
"Servants?" Mal gestured to the other cocoons. "You mean these humans? She brought them with her?"
Teressa nodded. "They were her most loyal followers, her favorite people, as well as healers."
"We should probably wake them before her. They'll know how to take care of her."
"The others awake are this way, tending to the water dragons." Mal followed her to another room where more cocoons were located, but these had people watching over them. There were mostly humans, each one dirty and decrepit but firmly focused on maintaining the dragons slumbering in the water filled cocoons. One of them, an older man in a tattered cloak, limped towards her.
"Why are they in human form?" Mal asked.
"Too big." Teressa answered.
"We don't have a water space big enough to fit them then."
"Don't worry about that yet. Will you help us open the pods?" The man croaked.
"Of course. Instruct me."
The man gave a curt nod and led her to a pod. It was clear, almost see through compared to the yellowish of the others and filled with enough water to submerge the woman inside but not enough where she couldn't breathe. The man tapped at it and ran his hand down the top of it and stopped at the woman's feet. Steam began to fill the cocoon. "Heat the water gently and keep prodding it. They'll feel it and they should wake up." Mal moved to the next cocoon and copied the motions.
Zelena walked up to the wall of diamond and examined it. Regina came to her side while the others began awakening the dragons. "This is incredible. The diamond is synthetic but it's as strong as the real thing."
"Making this must've taken a lot of energy if they couldn't fight off Glinda and the other witches."
"I think they made this when they were forced down here and realized they couldn't break out. Still, we're missing something. All of these dragons can't overpower Glinda? I know she's the second most powerful witch in Oz, but this is crazy."
"Well," Regina said, walking with her around the wall. "They could if they were at full strength. What if they were already weakened? Glinda said there were dragons making trouble. What if the dragons were fighting other dragons?"
"I suppose that makes sense." Zelena stopped short when she spotted the hole in the wall. The other side of the diamond wall had eroded, leaving many eggs exposed. A single dragon was on the other side, curled up with a clutch of eggs and several dragonlings nestled tight against her belly. The she-dragon was large and horribly thin. Egg shells littered the floor and crunched beneath their feet as they made their way over to the dragon. "We're here to help." Zelena said.
"The wall broke and the eggs started hatching." The dragon said softly. "To your left. The rocks mark their cocoons. I did what I could." Zelena and Regina both looked to their left and each lit a fireball. There were dozens of small rocks all evenly spaced apart in neat rows. Zelena bent down to the first one and dug under the rock. To her surprise, she unearthed a sphere made of what looked like a similar material to the cocoons that the humans had used. This one was thinner, barely tangible, but it was enough to hold the little dragonling curled up inside, keeping him hydrated and warm. "I'll call Ruby and Lily so they can help dig them up." Zelena looked at the she-dragon nearby, who seemed barely conscious. "Regina, you should keep searching for others. I'll take care of her. If the others are as bad off as her, they'll need medical attention immediately."
Regina nodded and moved off. The tunnels extended into multiple caves and chambers. Some were empty, others held hibernating dragons that needed to be woken up and others were sealed off and marked as ones that held the bodies of dragons that had passed away. While the others were moving the dragons out, she ventured further in, making sure that no one had been left behind. She awakened dozens of dragons, who in turn, followed her commands in waking others. She wasn't sure how long she was underground, although it must've been hours.
Mal and Ruby eventually made their way to her. Mal summoned a spell to send throughout the tunnels that would detect any life nearby.
"Is that all of them?" Ruby asked, giving her head a shake. "It's so hot down here. I think my fur is going to melt off." All of them were using a spell to protect themselves from the heat, but even so, they were drenched in sweat.
"It looks like a couple more chambers. You can head out." Regina said, wiping her forehead.
"I'll do another sweep and come back to see if you need any help." Ruby took off, disappearing into the darkness in a flash.
Regina turned around and carefully made her way forward after Mal. The tunnel widened into another room that was now empty, but at one point had probably been used. It nearly turned her stomach to see the nonexistent accommodations that the dragons had lived in until now. There was a water source, a small spring and a few blackened torches on the wall that she lit with a fireball. They provided some light and it illuminated the holes in the ground that the dragons used for hibernating areas, as well as scratches in the stone, numbers and words in various languages carved into the walls. She expected that the dragons hibernated or slept until it was time for them to feed again, but Teressa confirmed that that wasn't the case. Perhaps they were counting the days or keeping records of who was awake and who was asleep.
"What's that?" Mal asked, coming to her side.
"Names, I think." Regina pointed up at the last list. "Mombi and Teressa's names are here. The diamond wall was broken and some of the eggs had hatched so maybe these are the names of those hatched while being down here or were at least children when they went in."
"If that's true I'm surprised they managed to survive. Children can't hibernate until they're at least a year old and even then, they can't do it for long." Mal commented.
"Well, they're free now. They'll never see a cave or a tunnel again." She said, putting a hand on her friend's shoulder. "We'll help them get settled above ground where they belong. And if they don't want to stay in Oz, which I wouldn't even blame them for, we could maybe-"
"You'd bring them to Storybrooke?" Mal asked, looking at her in surprise.
"I would. Or even find a portal to the Enchanted Forest. They would do well there. I want to help as much as you do. It...makes me think of what I did to you." She sighed. Trapping Mal had never been her intention during the curse. She just needed the blonde out of the way because she knew if it wasn't the savior who would break it, it would be her and as much as she loved Mal, she wasn't willing to give up her curse for her. Not then. She had been too far gone then. "I know I've apologized a dozen times before, but after seeing this... After doing this to you and trying to take you from Zelena, from happiness-"
"Stop that." Mal scolded gently, turning to face her. "We've made our peace with that."
"But I-" Regina felt tears spring to her eyes at the thought of Mal, alone in the darkness. For twenty-eight years, unable to reach the sky.
"Regina. This is not about us. I forgave you a long time ago. I hold no anger about the past, no regret, no desire for anything to be different. Otherwise, I may not be here and there is no place I'd rather be in life. You can not let your past keep dragging you down, dear. Otherwise, there is no hope for the future. If it makes you feel any better I was barely conscious while I was underground." She patted Regina on the head like a kitten and nodded to another passageway. "Take that one. Make sure no one else is hibernating."
Regina nodded and wiped her eyes before she ventured a little deeper into the caves, sending out a spell to detect any life further in. The spell penetrated the rock and lit up a dragon's form on the other side of the wall. She walked down the tunnel until she found that the dragon had sealed itself behind a diamond wall. Breaking it took some effort but she managed to get inside. Regina ran over to the unconscious dragon and crouched next to its head, giving it a little shake. When there was no movement, she lit a torch and stuck it in the ground nearby. "Come on, wake up." She conjured a waterskin and poured water on the dragon's head. A groan rumbled from the beast and she smiled, happy that it was still responsive. "Come on, time to get up."
One very large eye opened and its copper gaze focused on her. "A-are you...an angel?"
Regina smirked. "No, and you're not dead yet. On your feet."
"I am dreaming?"
"No. You're free, but you need to hurry if you want to feel the sun before the day is over. If it's not already. I have no idea how long I've been down here. Come on." She stood up and waited as the dragon picked up its head and slowly got to its feet, its wings and tail dragging in the dust. She put a hand on the side of their scaly cheek and led them out of the dark of the tunnels and into the sunlight that welcomed them with warm rays.
Outside, a large camp had been constructed. Most of the adult dragons had taken human form and were feasting on the food that had been brought. A few had chosen to stay as dragons and all of the children were still dragons. Eric and Lily had gotten them cleaned up and dressed in new clothes. Regina looked around and let out a sigh when she spotted Elizabeth bringing food to a large dragon with magenta colored scales, who gently took it from her. Cynara ran by her carrying a waterskin to a group of dragons and then raced off to get more. Zelena and Oziana were healing any injuries or wounds in a medical tent. Adrienne and Erec helped where it was needed. All of the eggs had been left in the first chamber underground where it was heated and Mal was currently unsealing the dragonlings that had been dug up and returning them to their parents. So far, everything was going smoothly. The dragon next to her let out a small trill and drew Regina's attention.
"Sorry about that. Let's go." She followed after the dragon as it moved to the far edge of the camp and she watched it closely, noticing a limp and a misshapen wing. The dragon all but collapsed and Regina swiftly set to work discerning its injuries.
"Mommy." Elizabeth came over and gave her a quick hug. "Want me to go get her something to eat and drink?"
"Yes, please." Elizabeth took off again and she smiled a little before turning back to the task at hand. "You know, this could be easier if you changed into a human." The dragon shook her head. "Fine then. Be difficult." She moved in front of the dragon and placed a hand on her nose. Regina took a deep breath and summoned her magic. Perhaps it was a good time to try Zelena's suggestion. From what she knew, light magic was a defensive magic. Dark magic was offensive. If she could summon both, she could use light magic to heal and dark magic to make the healing factor more powerful. "I don't want to worry you but I'm about to try something I've never done before. Don't die."
"Have at it." The dragon trilled softly.
Regina smirked. "Trust me already?"
"Don't have a reason not to."
She took another deep breath. "Alright then." She silently constructed a spell to heal, clean and rejuvenate the dragon before her, and unleashed her magic. A storm of white light and dark magic erupted from her palm, washing over the dragon like a tidal wave. It sapped Regina's strength instantly and halfway through she realized her mistake. Her spell did more than she wanted. Once the spell left her lips, she felt her magic surge to the surface. It healed the dragon's injuries, from broken bones to the smallest cut to missing scales, chipped horns and cracked claws. It washed away the effects of such a long hibernation and flooded her with energy, curing atrophied muscles, removing the pangs of hunger and reigniting the fire in her belly. When the spell had ended, it left Regina gasping and aching from the loss of magical energy. When she opened her eyes she couldn't believe this was the same dragon. The dirt was gone, leaving behind the most beautiful dragon she'd ever seen. Her scales were copper, a gorgeous deep shade that sparkled brilliantly in the sun like no other. They were iridescent and flowed with more colors whenever the sunlight hit her at a different angle. Even her claws were dark copper and her spinal crest was shot through with veins of blue and gold. She bore two massive curved horns and two sets of frills that ran along the back of her neck and two more centered closer to her tailbone, all of which were also copper with darker markings in contrast. She spread her wings wide to frame herself like a crown and the light lit them like a beacon, diffracting through the thin, lacy membrane and bursting into a rainbow of colors. Regina stood up as the dragon raised her head and unleashed a stream of fire into the sky.
"What'd you do, Regina?" Zelena asked, appearing next to her sister. Regina wiped her nose and her fingers came away with blood. "Here." Zelena handed her a small vial and she drank it, letting out a sigh when the ache disappeared.
"I just tried to heal her wing and her leg and light magic said fuck it, we're going the whole nine yards."
Zelena grinned. "Impressive. It's like she's back to-" A gust of wind that threatened to knock them down as the copper dragon took off running. It took her a few flaps of her wings to lift her off the ground. "She can fly." All eyes turned skyward as the she-dragon circled them. Her wings started out shaky before she settled into the rhythm again and her flight pattern became smooth and measured, as if she remembered once again what it meant to fly. "What spell did you use?" Zelena asked.
"A new one I just came up with. I used light magic to heal her and dark magic to power it. As you can see the whole mixing magic is going well."
"You did well." Zelena said sincerely. "Keep practicing." A screech and a thud that shook the earth drew their attention again as the copper dragon landed far less gracefully than she flew. She attempted to land in one go and her momentum threw her head over her heels. She didn't seem to care though and popped right back to her feet. Zelena laughed as she spun in a circle, furiously stomping her feet.
"Is that happy?" Regina asked.
"Yes." Zelena chuckled, watching the large dragon frolic around. "Hmm, she's pretty big. Probably around Mal's age."
"If she was no hibernating, she might be bigger." Regina reminded her.
"You're right."
The copper female was rushed by a group of dragons and the roar she unleashed made Zelena and Regina cover their ears. It halted the other dragons in their tracks and they swiftly backed away. She returned to Regina and Zelena and lowered her head to thank them.
"No problem." Regina said. "You can repay me with a name."
"Ashara." came the soft answer. There was a little accent in her speech, though from where Regina couldn't quite name. It was as if she were fluent in english but english wasn't her first language. It sounded nice.
"I'm Regina."
"It is a pleasure to meet you, Regina."
Ashara turned her head as Elizabeth returned with a cart of cooked meat and vegetables. Two waterskins hung from her shoulders and she carried a set of clothes under one arm.
"Mal suggested you take human form. It'll be easier to fill a human's belly than a dragon's."
"A sound suggestion. Thank you." Ashara looked at Regina and asked for a curtain, which Regina obliged. She waved her hand, conjuring a large blue curtain around the dragon as she shifted and changed clothes. Zelena teleported back across the camp.
"Are you okay, Mommy?" Elizabeth asked.
"Yes, dear. And you?"
"Tired." She admitted. "But I'm excited. Most of the dragons are friendly."
"Most?" Regina arched an eyebrow, already imagining destroying one of them for hurting her child.
"Relax, Mommy. They're just hungry. I don't mind."
Regina put a hand on her head and absently smoothed down Beth's hair. "You're doing a good job."
"Thank you." Beth beamed at her and she couldn't resist grinning back. The pair would wait until Ashara stepped out of the curtain in the white shirt and brown pants provided. Regina's eyebrows rose when she saw the she-dragon for the first time because she was...exquisite. Ashara gave her a bright smile that completely took over her face, nearly squishing her eyes shut and causing her eyebrows to do a little dance. Her spell had removed all traces of her imprisonment. Her skin should've been pale and her figure gaunt, but she hardly looked malnourished. She seemed to glow. Her eyes were purple and stood out starkly against fair skin. Long, silken curls fell past her shoulders and was the color of caramel, not mussed or dry in the least.
Beth gasped. "You're so pretty."
"Thank you." Ashara smiled at her and then looked at Regina. "What did you do to me?"
"I meant to heal your wounds but I guess I healed everything."
"Well...I didn't die." Ashara grinned and threw her arms around Regina's neck. Regina could feel her purring hard. When she was released, Ashara pressed her forehead to hers. With that done, she turned to the food to begin eating so Regina and Beth left her to do it in peace.
"That's some sort of greeting they do." Beth explained to her as they walked. "The forehead thing."
"How do you know that?"
"Guinivere told me." Beth pointed at a small dragonling with pretty pink scales. She was helping Adrienne and Cynara drag a giant piece of meat over to the magenta dragon. "That's her mom, Sanah. They're the nicest ones I've met so far. Everyone else just wants to eat, but I don't blame them."
"If anything happens, you tell me."
"I know-" Elizabeth abruptly stopped talking and Regina looked down at her before following her gaze. A large gray male had moved into the path of the girls and roughly snapped the meat up they were carrying. Adrienne cried out in pain and Guinivere landed on top of Cynara in a heap. Elizabeth ran towards them and Regina followed. A moment later, Mal had appeared next to her children and was looking at Adrienne, who'd had a couple teeth pulled out in the exchange.
"What the hell is wrong with you?" Maleficent growled, glaring at the male.
"I am hungry." He replied.
"These are children and there is plenty of food to go around, you fool. You pulled out my daughter's teeth." Flames appeared in Mal's hand, but she didn't have to do anything before Sanah slammed into the gray male, knocking him aside. She grabbed the meat and tossed it to the children before turning her back to the male. He roared and launched himself at her. She swung her tail and smacked him in the face, stunning him enough to reposition herself. Her tail was twice as long as normal and much thicker. She looked down at them and winked. When the male threw himself at her again, he was hit with the full force of her tail and was knocked clean off his feet. He landed hard on his side and shifted down into a human to clutch at his ribs, glaring at the dragoness, who waved her tail at him, daring him to try it again.
"Apologize, Likan." Sanah said.
"Sorry." He said, looking winded and defeated.
"Remember your manners, Likan, or I will teach you them again. Run along." Sanah turned to the children, relaxing and ignoring the male as he scurried away in defeat. "Are you alright?"
"Yes, Mama." Guinivere reared onto her hind legs as Sanah lowered her head to nuzzle her child. "You haven't met the others. This is Adrienne, Cynara and Elizabeth. Guys, this is my mama."
"This is ours. Her name is Maleficent." Cynara said, proudly puffing out her chest.
"And mine. This is Regina." Elizabeth added. "She's a queen."
"Mine too." Cynara added.
"Mine too!" Guinivere exclaimed, bouncing up and down.
Mal and Sanah both purred at the girls bouncing around. "Won't you change into a human?" Mal eventually asked. Sanah simply shook her head. She was one of the largest of the dragons and feeding her would take a lot of food. She simply took the meat, which would be barely a snack for someone like her, and settled down to watch over Guinivere, who'd taken it upon herself to assist the girls with helping the other dragons.
"I'll call Robin and tell him to do some hunting tonight." Regina said. "She'll eat well soon."
"Thank you. Now, help me with this." Regina followed Mal to where she had been opening up the dragonling cocoons. "I think Sanah or whoever was awake at the time tried to put them into a cocoon, like the diamond wall, after they hatched."
"So you're opening them up and waking them. What about the eggs underground?"
"The parents are anxious to go back underground and get them right now. However," Mal paused and looked around. "Zelena spoke with some of them and it has been determined that over three hundred dragons have died. We're still accounting for everyone, but many of these eggs may not have parents." Regina took a look around as well, her heart breaking for the orphaned dragonlings. "There are a lot of female dragons though, looking for their children. Some males too."
"We'll need to figure out how many there are and how many were lost."
"I agree. For now, we have a lot of work to do."
Regina would spend the rest of the evening and part of the night helping Mal open the cocoons, pass out food and clothing and erect tents and beds for the dragons. None of them had much interest in sleeping, which was perfectly understandable, but they all welcomed a soft bed to relax on. This would be their reality for the next week. Ruby and Lily ran the tunnels again to ensure that no one was left behind. They reunited dragonlings and eggs with their parents, tended to wounds and assessed the conditions of the dragons. Regina was smart enough to stay away from the healing jobs and focused on other tasks. It was a long week and by the end of it, she was exhausted. Mal had it the worst. Within the first few days the blonde was forced to break up a number of arguments and fights, sometimes with brute force. Decades of darkness and starvation had done nothing to ease the hatred of some. Sanah and Ashara had to help her at one point. That had been a tough day.
Early one morning, it was Zelena who rose first and her wife followed not long later. Mal found Zelena at a picnic table just outside their tent, writing in a notebook, glancing up at the dragons every few minutes or so. The dragons were all in dragon form again and enjoying the sunlight. Looking around, she saw many dragons with beautiful colors and patterns she'd never seen before. One dragon was gold with black tiger-like stripes, another possessed a mixture of cyan, indigo and red scales, another had silver scales with gold accents, another was purple with silver markings, one was bright blue with a yellow tail. One of the largest was an orange female with black and gold designs and a huge spine running down her back. Some of the dragons were wyverns, others had fur instead of scales, some had feathery wings instead of leathery ones. The water dragons, most of whom possessed no wings, had fins, flippers and webbed feet and spines running down their backs, each with varying colors in shades of blue and green and silver and any mixture of the colors. Many had crazy patterns in their scales. They had no water to submerge themselves in so they soon changed back. They would have to do something about that later. She cast her gaze across the smaller dragons that seemed to be of a different breed. They were bright and colorful with intricate designs and extra long prehensile tails. The children were up and about but chose to stay close to their parents.
Mal came to sit next to Zelena. "What are you writing?"
"Just recording everything we've seen so far and what we know. Just their colors, sizes, numbers."
"What have you learned?"
Zelena turned a page in the book. "No one really knows for sure how many dragons went into the tunnels at the beginning, but at least a hundred died in the first hundred years. Their numbers fell steadily after that and it was mostly the younger dragons. That does not include the fights."
"Fights?"
"Mostly the males and some females fighting each other. Over what, who knows, probably petty squabbles and panic, but it injured a lot of them and caused the deaths of several. There were a few hundred eggs, but a couple dozen were lost and about a hundred or so hatched underground. Sanah seemed to be the one caring for them. There were always a couple dragons awake and the humans would watch over those who were in hibernation, alternating being awake and being asleep. The only reason they survived is because they're magically tied to Sona, I think. As long as she was alive, they would be alive too, but they still suffered from hunger and thirst."
"How is Sona?"
"Still being healed. Her wounds were extensive and her being cocooned froze her in time."
"Meaning her wounds didn't kill her but didn't heal either."
Zelena nodded. "Her servants wouldn't let me near her. Despite the fact that they need to replenish their magic." She rolled her eyes and Mal smirked.
"You didn't honestly expect them to trust us right off the bat, did you?"
"Of course not, but I expected them to understand that we're only here to help. They would still be down there if it wasn't for us."
"They know."
Zelena sighed and turned another page. "There seems to be a number of kings and queens. Sona is the most prominent, possibly just the richest. Sanah is quite beloved. Apparently she never takes human form. That's interesting. There's a king, King Tirius." She gestured over to a massive gray dragon with black spots along his back, culminating in a black tail. "I don't know much about him, but I haven't heard anything bad. I think that's it, but I don't know the identities of those who died. I've also been asking around about what happened with Glinda and I got different stories. Did you find out anything?"
"I did." Mal said, thinking of the conversation she'd had with Sanah the night before. "There was a dragon, a male named Windclaw or Windrider or something equally ridiculous who wanted the throne. He wanted a lot apparently and all of it was denied him."
"Such as?"
"A throne, for one. He wanted to be mated to one of the queens and they all rejected him. He wanted to expand the dragon territories into the rest of Oz and no one wanted to follow him except for a handful of loyalists. He went on a rampage, killing and burning humans and dragons alike, trying to take power by force. When Glinda said the dragons were endangering Oz, she meant him and his followers. Sona took a group of dragons to hunt down Wind with Tirius while Sanah and some other leaders took care of the rest. Nobody came out of that fight unscathed. Glinda swooped in while they were weak and punished everyone. They couldn't fight back with all of their leaders injured, dead and one half dead."
"But how did she get all of them into the tunnels?"
"I don't know. Sanah and Ashara said they passed out and woke up there."
Zelena sighed again. "There was a better way to do this. Glinda shouldn't have punished everyone, especially when they did help to take Wind down."
"I agree, but it's been done. They survived and they will thrive again."
Zelena looked at her wife. "You sound so sure of everything."
"Dragons are resilient, Mitt Hjarta. They have no choice but to continue on." Mal kissed her forehead. "But you had a choice to help them and you did."
"I could've tried to do this before now."
"Perhaps, but you're doing it now. That's all that matters."
Zelena looked at her again. "You are wonderful. You know that, right?"
Mal smiled. "I do."
Zelena smiled at her and looked back at her book. "I've spent the morning asking around and you were right. Any of the dragons born during their time underground were born near the feeding times Glinda had in place so they didn't starve...at first. The diamond wall started to fail and the eggs started hatching when one of their other leaders who helped create the wall died. You were right about the flying too. Those born underground don't really know how to fly. Those that do know how to, can't. They can scarcely get off the ground. We tried Regina's spell on a couple of others. I thought it would do the same thing it did with Ashara, but it must affect everyone in a slightly different way or Ashara's flying capabilities are above average and she was able to recover at a faster rate."
"As I said, they will have to take the time to regain their strength. They will be angry about it, but they have no choice. What is our next move?" Mal said, waving away her concerns. Zelena opened her mouth to reply, but stopped when a servant walked over to their table.
"Queen Sona would like your attendance for a meeting in her tent."
"Has she recovered?" Mal asked.
"Yes." The blonde man smiled and lifted his chin proudly. "She is a most resilient woman."
"Fit enough to walk?"
"Of course."
"Then have Queen Sona meet us here. I am quite comfortable and I have no intention of moving. Thank you." Mal turned back to Zelena, effectively ending the conversation and the man looked dismayed at having to relay the news to his queen.
"Inciting trouble already?" Regina asked as she stepped out of the tent in a new silver and gold dress pants combo with no shoes. She took a seat next to Mal and watched the man scurry back to Sona.
"That entirely depends on her. Contact Oziana. I'm sure she'll want to be present for this." She looked at Regina. "You look nice in silver."
"Thank you. Can't be walking around here in black."
"I agree." Mal herself had chosen to wear a simple green dress. Zelena dressed even more modestly in a green shirt and brown pants. But here there were no trees, no shade to protect against the blaring sun. They would need to remedy this soon.
It took a few minutes for the leaders of this little operation to gather. Oziana arrived shortly and took a seat next to Regina. Eric and Lily chose to stand behind Mal. Not long later Sanah made her way over and laid down to listen to the conversation. Tirius crouched next to her. Finally, Sona emerged from her tent, accompanied by all of her servants. Sona was a pretty brunette and looked out of place in the simple t-shirt and pants she'd been provided, nor did she look like a warrior. Sona moved a bit awkwardly, favoring a tender leg, but made it to the table on her own. One of her servants held out an arm to help her sit and she accepted it.
"Thank you for meeting with us, Queen Sona." Mal said with a smirk. "It is good to see that you are still alive and well on your way to recovery."
"Yes, it is." Sona said simply, looking quite perturbed at being summoned. She had to still be in pain and in need of rest, but none of that showed after she took her seat. "I wanted to have a meeting about going home." Her words drew the attention of the other dragons, who all made their way over to see what was going on. Even the children crowded around to listen.
"We know you want to go home." Mal replied. "We will help you get there and help you rebuild and repair. There is a place in Kiamo Ko, the city of the Vinkus, you can use. It was built specifically for you so that you can rest and grow strong. When one of you is strong enough, you can show me the way to your dragon mountains and we can assess how much work must be done. Once there, we can open a portal straight to the city so that the children and the eggs can be moved without worry. Are we in agreement of this plan?"
"You planned for us?" Sanah asked.
Mal nodded. "Of course. Everything has already been put in place. We're willing to do what we can to help you all."
"We're willing to hunt for you." Lily added. "Mom can give flying lessons for those who haven't learned to fly and all of those seated at the table are well versed in magic and can use it to benefit you."
"Why?" Sona asked. "Why are you going through all this trouble to help us? Why are witches seated among us when witches were the ones to do this to us?" She threw glares at Zelena and Oziana and a wary look at Regina.
"Why not?" Mal answered. "I am a dragon and I have known so few in my life. To think that there were more of my kind suffering and there was something I could do to help, why would I not? As for these witches, you should be thanking them. Without them, you would still be in that cocoon underground. I understand your reservations about witches but don't be foolish." Sona growled, blasting smoke from her nose. Mal ignored the angry display and addressed everyone with her next words. "The witches here today are the ones who are helping you. They can be trusted. You have my word. Are we in agreement?"
"We are." Mal arched an eyebrow at a small green female who sat next to Sanah. "How soon do you think we have to wait until we can fly again?"
"Eat and regain your strength. That's all you need to focus on right now. Although, I give it a few months. It'll be much longer before you are back to full health. That is, if you have sufficient food."
"Speaking of food," Sona cut in. "Will you provide it or will we be forced to hunt on the ground? Surely the Vinkus know that it will require a substantial amount of food to feed all of us."
"They know. But it will be easier if you remain in human form."
"That will be a problem." Sanah murmured.
Zelena smirked. She already knew the elder dragon rarely shifted into human form. The young dragons even speculated what she looked like and most didn't seem to have a clue. "Do you think you can fly far enough to take Mal to the mountains?" She inquired. "Without dragons, I am almost certain food will be plentiful there."
Sanah blinked slowly and looked away as she thought. "I could perhaps. But I am reluctant to leave my Guinivere here alone." She looked down at the dragonling sitting between her paws.
"She would be well protected." Elizabeth said.
Cynara nodded fervently. "She is our friend so we'll protect her with our lives. We promise."
Sanah purred softly. "Thank you, children, but I must think on it."
"I can." The copper female that Regina had healed perked up. "I can fly thanks to Regina. I'll show you the way."
"We need not make any decisions today." Mal told her. "I'd prefer to get you all to the city as soon as possible, but I know you have a lot to decide and we still have a lot to do." She also wanted to get away from this area. She hated everything about it and wished to be rid of it.
"We are in agreement." Tirius said, already moving off. The other dragons soon agreed and walked away.
"Is it okay if I cast a spell?" Regina whispered to her.
"Sure. Why?"
Regina stood up. "Can you protect the tunnels for me?"
Mal stood up as well, curious to see what the former queen had in mind. Zelena and Oziana chose to follow as well. It took Mal and Zelena both to use a protection ward around the perimeter to protect the tunnels from caving in. She supposed that Regina had a plan.
"She's getting more confident." Zelena said.
"Hmm?"
"With light magic. She's getting more confident, trusting herself more."
Mal arched an eyebrow at the proud smirk on her mate's face. She would never admit it and it had taken a long time to get there, but she truly did care about Regina. Mal herself enjoyed seeing Regina prosper, learning to use her powers. She glanced down at the girls, who were all watching Regina closely to see what she would do. At the moment she was whispering to herself as she thought. She suddenly whipped around.
"Zelena, I need your assistance."
Maleficent crossed her arms and waited while the two plotted.
"Mommy, what's going on?" Erec asked, rubbing his eyes as he walked towards her. She smiled and picked him up.
"I don't really know." She smoothed down his hair and he laid his head on her shoulder, fighting the urge to go back to sleep. "Are you enjoying your trip to Oz?"
"Yes. I liked the Forest."
"You did? I'm glad." Mal purred, rubbing his back. "We can go back then eventually."
He yawned and wrapped an arm around her neck. "Okay. Can we bring Mercia?"
"Mercia?"
"My new friend."
"Of course. One day we'll bring everyone."
"Mal." Regina came to her side. "I need you to take us home and get your biggest crystal ball."
"Why?"
"It's a surprise."
Mal frowned slightly, but proceeded to pass Erec to Zelena and conjured a portal to take her and Regina back to Storybrooke. She led the way to her vault and Regina waited while she searched for the crystal ball.
"Looks like you need to reorganize." She heard the brunette comment as she picked her way through mounds of gold and jewels.
"My greatest treasures are no longer down here. There's been no need. What's the plan for this thing?"
"We're going to load it with a spell like I used on Ashara. It'll be like what you and Zelena did for your wedding." Regina answered. "Healing the dragons one by one would take a long time and a lot of magic. Not that we couldn't do it, but this would be more efficient."
"You nearly passed out from healing Ashara. How can you have the power for this?"
"We're each going to lend our strength to power it. All of us, the witches, Oziana and I can ask Emma too. That should be enough, right?"
Mal shrugged to herself. It was a sound strategy and one she hadn't considered. It could work. "Watch out." She called as she rolled the blue crystal ball out of its compartment and let it sail down the piles of coins to where Regina waited. Regina looked shocked at the sight of it. "What?"
"What do you mean? This thing is huge! What the hell do you need with a crystal ball this size?" Regina said, walking around it. "It's as big as a yoga ball."
"I thought it was pretty."
Regina rolled her eyes. "I shouldn't really be surprised, should I?"
"No."
Regina let out a sigh. "You're carrying this. Meet me outside." She teleported away to find Emma Swan. It was easy to do. She found the blonde at the police station, throwing darts at a dartboard. "Miss Swan, I require your assistance with a magical problem." She said, appearing next to her. The sheriff nearly jumped out of her skin.
"Regina, I didn't think you'd be back so soon. How is uh, Oz?" Emma asked, feebly attempting to play off her shock.
"I'm in a hurry and I need your magic."
"Um, okay-" They were instantly teleported to Mal's front yard where the dragon was waiting with the crystal ball. "What is that?"
"Crystal ball. Touch it and take the day off work."
Emma gave her a wary look, but she reached out to touch the crystal ball. Regina knew that it would sap her energy instantly and she moved Emma's hand before she drew out too much. She teleported the blonde home and tucked her in, giving instructions for her to drink plenty of fluids, before returning to Mal. They returned to the dragons and gathered the energy needed to fill the crystal ball. They gathered the dragons around it with the children and weakest closest to it. Then she laid her hand on it and cast the same spell she used on Ashara. The ball shattered and an explosion of magical energy engulfed them.
The earth suddenly started to quake. The children panicked and ran to their parents. Mal lowered her head, shielding her eyes from the white light that radiated from Regina. She could feel Regina's magic hard at work around her and the quaking grew worse. What the hell was she doing? For a long minute she heard nothing but frightened cries from the other dragons and the grinding of dirt and stone. When the quaking stopped, she was greeted with the sound of a single thunderclap and finally, the soft trickle of running water. She could smell water.
"Mommy." Erec tapped her arm and she opened her eyes and looked around. What was once a barren and rocky landscape had been entirely transformed. There were trees now, of every species: oak, birch, maple, ash, cedar, willow and others. They were large and small with branches full of leaves and some even bore fruit. She spotted berry bushes of every kind and grape vines and clumps of pineapple and a huge clutch of watermelons. The grass was lush and green and colorful flowers dotted the landscape. To their right she found that a large two-tier lake had been formed and filled with sparkling blue water that threatened to burst through its banks. To their left, through the trees, she spotted a meadow that slightly sloped downwards to a bed of red flowers. "Wow."
"I agree." Mal whispered. She turned around when she heard another spell being cast. A long table had been conjured with chairs and a red tablecloth. Zelena went to it and conjured another crystal ball. A word of magic cracked it and green magic spread across the table, eventually dispersing to reveal a table covered in food. A lot of meat dominated the table. Raw, roasted, grilled, fried, and seared. There were bowls of fruit and plates of vegetables and huge pans of cookies and cakes.
Regina collapsed to her knees and Mal was by her side in an instant with Oziana. Mommy!" Elizabeth dropped to her knees to examine her mother. A drop of blood fell from Regina's nose and she wiped it away. "Are you okay?"
"Yes, dear. Light magic just takes a lot out of me. I'll get better with it. Don't worry." Mal extended an arm and helped her back up. "If we're going to be here for a little while longer, might as well make it a little less like hell-" The words were barely out of her mouth before she heard a splash and a wave of water hit them all in the face. The water dragons didn't even wait for an invitation before diving in and submerging themselves, the children splashing around with their flippers and webbed feet. Some just ran to the mud to roll around in and others crowded around the upper tier to drink.
Mal pushed her wet hair out of her face and laughed at Erec's scowl at being soaked. "Come on, let's get cleaned up for breakfast." She carried Erec into their tent and used magic to clean them and dry them. She conjured some shorts and a green t-shirt for him and he ignored the need for shoes before racing back outside. When she stepped out again, the dragons were gathered at the table and devouring the spread. All except Sanah, who was watching Eric and Lily stack some deer in front of her. Even from this distance Mal could see the arrow holes from the bows of the Merry Men. They must've brought them through a portal. Sanah licked her lips and swiftly snapped one up. A quick fire blast cooked it to perfection and she devoured it, bones, fur and hooves, everything was acceptable to a hungry dragon. Mal joined her family at the table and sat next to Lily. Zelena was busy with Regina.
"Your technique is good. A bit flashy, but effective." Zelena said.
"It still drains me." Regina objected. "Dark magic never did anything like that before."
"You're learning, Regina. You should try to focus on using it steadily instead of casting such heavy spells. Build up your stamina for it. Also, you could try the elvish method of casting. Being very specific and precise with your spells. It may make it a little easier to control."
Regina nodded. "Thank you."
"Anytime, dearie." She looked to her other side at Adrienne. "Soon, it'll be their turn to start learning."
"When?" Cynara leaned around her sister to ask.
"How about when we get back to Kiamo Ko?"
"Yes!"
"Me too?" Elizabeth asked.
Regina nodded again. "You too."
Maleficent purred softly. Today, it was like the dragons were different people. They ate until they couldn't eat anymore. They quenched their thirst on the many wines, ales and beers provided and inhaled all of the desserts. When done, she couldn't help but be amused at the lot of them all laying out in the grass, bathing their distended bellies in the sun and shade, relishing in the sensation of a full stomach. Some were watching in amusement as the dragonlings pulled up the grass and explored their new surroundings. Many of them probably had never seen nor felt grass before. "This was nice of you, Regina." Mal said, rolling onto her side and stretching her wings out behind her. They could relax for today thanks to Regina's spell.
"Yeah, well, I wanted to be useful." Regina shrugged, sitting with her back against an oak tree.
"Who said you weren't useful?"
"No one did, but seeing as how I'm not a dragon, I wanted to do more than just waking up those in the tunnels."
Oziana, who sat next to her, scoffed. "You are plenty useful, Regina. Always."
"Thank you." Regina replied.
Mal turned her head, checking her surroundings. The children were off on the meadow, playing with the many toys Zelena and Regina had conjured for them. A game of soccer, or some version of it, seemed to be the main game and she couldn't help but purr watching Lily preside over the game that ultimately erupted into arguing. "Ruby. Would you be a dear?" She looked over at the werewolf who was in wolf form and surrounded by another crowd of children who were curiously examining the strange new creature. They were pulling on her tail, pawing at her ears and when she yawned, one of them stuck their head into her mouth. Ruby didn't mind the abuse and even pretended to do the same to the little ones, to their utmost delight.
Ruby stood up and accompanied by her convoy trotted over to see what the commotion was about. Zelena was next to Mal, using her head as shade as she wrote in her book. Sanah lay nearby, answering her questions and offering information on the dragons.
"So, does Sona make the decisions as a queen?" Zelena asked.
"Queen is just a title more than anything else. It is based on age, strength, wealth or status." Sanah replied. "Sona makes decisions for herself and her servants only. If someone decides to follow her example, then fine, but every dragon governs themselves. Queens and Kings are more problem solvers, peacemakers, ensuring that there is no dissent. They are the most respected of us and their words hold the most weight." Zelena made a note of that. "We used to be split into factions, following our favorite king or queen, but those days are long gone. Most of them are dead now."
"Are there any more?"
"There are a few who could be considered such but they haven't accepted the title. Technically, I didn't either, but I suppose it helps."
"Is there anyone else of significance that we need to speak with?"
"None that I can think of, but truthfully, you should speak with everyone."
"What about Ashara?" Regina inquired softly. Sanah impulsively turned to seek the object of her query. Mal followed it and found her to be talking about the copper dragon, who was currently trying to sneak away from the dragonlings.
Sanah sighed. "She's a special case."
"How so?"
"You'd have to talk to her to find out." Sanah let out a purr. "For you, I'm sure she'd be glad to share."
"What do you mean 'for her'?" Oziana asked.
Sanah and Mal exchanged looks that both Regina and Zelena caught, but didn't comment on. Regina arched an eyebrow and stood up, dusting off her pants as she walked over to do so.
Sanah yawned and rolled over onto her side, her belly distended from all of the deer she'd eaten. Zelena smiled at her and chose to let her relax while she slid closer to Mal's head and continued writing, making notes and plans for the next few days. Tomorrow, she was going to go back to the city and build an underground nursery for the eggs and then they would begin moving the dragons there in groups. Meanwhile, Mal and Lily would make the journey to the dragon city with Ashara and Tirius to see what needed to be done about it. Then a portal could be opened between the cities, making traveling between them much easier. It would be an eventful few weeks ahead of them and she couldn't wait to get started.
Both mothers cast their gazes over the dragons to find their children. Erec was playing in the mud. That was hardly surprising. He was with a pair of other dragonlings and all three were slipping and sliding. Zelena smiled and looked to find the others. Adrienne was near the apple trees. Half a dozen of the colorful feathered dragonlings were riding on her back. Cynara wasn't far away and was playing tag with a group of wyverns. Sanah suddenly stirred next to her and the elder dragon ran around behind Mal and crouched down. Zelena arched an eyebrow at the odd behavior. Then she noticed Elizabeth and Guinivere making their way over.
"Aunt Zelena, can you turn me into an animal?" Beth asked.
"Of course." Zelena smiled. "Do you want to become a dragon too?"
"Nope. A meerkat."
"What?"
Beth grinned. "They're one of my favorite animals and Guinivere has never seen one before."
"Okay." Zelena snapped her fingers and turned her into a meerkat. She made her a little bigger than normal so she wouldn't be too small to play with everyone else.
Beth ran around them and stopped to stand on her hind legs. "See?"
"Wow." Guinivere said. "Mommy, look-" She paused when she realized that her mother was no longer where she'd last seen her. "Mommy? Where did she go?" Sanah peeked out from behind Mal. Just enough to draw Guinivere's attention. "Mommy, what are you doing?"
"Playing a game." Sanah peeked around Mal to say.
"A game?"
"Indeed."
Zelena silently wondered if the poor thing knew what a game was. She couldn't imagine how much playing they could've done underground. Sanah didn't care about that though.
"There is much I must teach you, my love. For you to grow into the best dragon you can be."
"When do we start?" Guinivere asked, excitedly spinning in circles.
"As soon as you catch me." Sanah leaped away and Guinivere followed, racing after her.
"Come on, Elizabeth. Help me catch her."
Mal let out a chuckle as the little ones chased after the older dragon. She wanted nothing more than to relax and enjoy the day but they had much to do and she had to prepare for the journey ahead. First, she'd have to say farewell to her wife and children for the time being.
It was early morning a few days later, before the sun had had a chance to crest the horizon, the scouting party was assembled and ready for the flight to the dragon mountains. Lily growled slightly as Mal watched her go through her pre-flight exercise.
"I feel ridiculous." Her daughter complained, flapping her wings repeatedly.
"Whether or not you feel ridiculous is not a concern. You have to stretch your wings properly. If you practiced more and went on longer flights instead of having sex with Ruby, you wouldn't need to do this." Mal replied, crossing her arms.
"Oh because you spend all your time flying?" Lily said. "We all know that you spend most of your nights trying to get Zelena pregnant again."
"Well then where are my grandchildren?" Lily stopped flapping instantly. "Oh, are you warmed up now?" She smirked when Lily sprang up as Zelena and Ruby made their way over with the sleepy kids.
"Stay safe." Zelena said, rushing into her arms. She purred softly and kissed her mate's forehead.
"Always, my love."
Zelena glanced around and leaned in close. "I know Tirius and Ashara seem like good people but if they threaten you in any way... rip their heads off."
Mal chuckled and kissed Zelena's lips. "I love you."
"I love you too. Return quickly and safely." The witch conjured a sling bag for her and she slid it on. "There are potions in there so you won't need to use your magic unless in dire situations. Let's hope you won't need those. There are some that conjure food for you and a couple cameras. I want pictures and recordings of everything. Leave nothing out. There is a small notepad and some pencils in there too, just in case."
"Yes, ma'am." Mal bent down to kiss each of the children. "You all listen to your mother now. Be good and don't give her any trouble."
"We won't, Mommy."
"Hurry back."
Mal purred when she was almost assaulted with hugs and kisses. It tugged at her heart to leave her little ones and her mate for any extended length of time, but she would be back soon and it gave her a little bit of peace to know that Eric and Regina were here to help defend them if necessary. She gave her dragonlings another hug and stood up.
Tirius and Ashara approached with Sanah and a young man, or what appeared to be a young man. He was small and lean with tattoos that wrapped around his neck and ran down his arms. Strange symbols and runes peeked out of the neck of the shirt he wore and Mal wondered what they said. He walked with his head down and only lifted it when Sanah introduced him.
"This is Hialti." Sanah said. "He is a water dragon. You can go and look at the city, but he will need to look at the lake. The water dragons need water and the sooner they are reunited with the lake, the better they will be."
"Will they be alright until we get back?" Mal asked.
Hialti nodded. "There was little water in the caves. We could only drink. We can survive for a few more days."
"Days? The mountains are that close?"
"We had portals all across Oz to get home quickly. One is close by if Glinda hasn't destroyed it."
"I'll find out." Zelena offered, leaving them to get ready.
Mal looked at Hialti, who finally met her gaze and she was mildly shocked to see eyes so blue they seemed to glow beneath unruly dark hair. "Can you fly, Hialti?" He simply shook his head.
"He doesn't talk much." Sanah gave him a scratch on the head. "But he is kind and loyal. You can trust him."
Mal nodded and turned to Tirius. "And you're ready?"
In human form, Tirius was quite tall and broad shouldered. He was handsome as well. His hair and beard had turned gray and he bore the scars of past battles, but his smile was kind. "I am. Our flight is not long. Two days at most if we move quickly."
Mal simply nodded and turned around as Zelena returned. "What'd she say?"
"Most of the portals should be open. She only found a few and the majority of them lead to the Emerald City."
"Let us be off then." Mal gave Zelena one last kiss and shifted forms. Tirius had to get a running start in order to take off. He was a very large dragon but considering his age, he should've been much bigger. Lily followed, taking flight without needing to run. Ashara followed and Mal brought up the rear. Hialti rode on her back. She could barely feel him at all. She looked down when she heard cheering and purred when she spotted the mass of children racing along the ground, cheering and calling out to her. She answered them with a roar and put on a burst of speed. Tirius set a quick pace, one Mal had to force him to slow. She knew he was in a rush to return home, but pushing himself so hard would not do.
"The portal is not far. You will love the mountains!" Tirius called over his shoulder. "Plenty of food and water. Towers made of marble, lit with golden chandeliers."
"Sounds magical. Slow down." He didn't slow down and she had to put on a burst of speed to keep up. Oz stretched out far below them and before long, Tirius let out a loud roar and a portal opened up in the sky. She followed the others through it and instantly they were in a different part of the world. Below them was nothing but ocean with no land in sight. "Why can't we drop the water dragons here?" She asked.
"Saltwater burns." Hialti answered.
"Noted."
Tirius roared again and another portal opened up above the water. Tirius tucked his wings and dove through. Lily and Ashara followed. Mal did the same and she found herself flying over a forest. It was night now too.
"What the hell kinda portals are these?" Lily asked.
"When the other dragons attacked Oz, we broke the others. The others lead straight to the mountains. We didn't want them to attack the nursery. These portals were sort of a back way home." Ashara answered "And we never trusted Glinda so they do not lead straight there."
"You and Glinda had problems before?"
"We are a part of Oz, but we did not care about Oz. She saw herself as the leader of all but she feared our might."
"Why has she not shown her face?" Hialti asked.
"She's not stupid."
"She made an enemy of a mountain of dragons." He replied. "That does not sound intelligent."
"I agree, but killing her will do nothing but start another war and none of you are ready for a war. You act like it, I'll give you that."
"You will find our people are a little aggressive." Hialti chuckled.
"I've noticed. Anyways, on to the mountains."
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