Thanks goes to Adeleidhis for helping me brainstorm ideas for this chapter. :)

*.*.*

Parker awoke the following morning. He sat up on the mattress and looked around the guest room. There were a few portraits of the history of the First World, as well as a couple of pictures showing the human girl Janet with a blue-eyed, brown-haired Halfling. They were wed and had a blonde-haired, fair-faced daughter. Who were they? Would he ever meet them?

He moved out of bed, darting to the nearest bathroom to do his business. The moment he was out, he entered the dining room to find Amanda and Elizabeth enjoying their breakfast. A buzzing sound protruded from his ears, followed by a fierce ringing noise. Two voices played in his mind: Melkor and another voice. Female and dragon-like. Would he ever meet the dragonoid?

"Parker, sit down!" Amanda gestured to an empty chair, as Manwë brought out a basket filled with more blueberry muffins. Parker gulped, taking his seat between the white dragonoid and the human girl. Amanda asked him first, as soon as he grabbed one of the larger muffins, "So, tell me, Parker: what's next? I know I'm going to meet up with my family after the quest is over."

"Will I go home?" Eliza asked, stunning the two dragonoids.

"Aren't you happy with me? With the team?" Parker asked her, stunned. "With all, that's left of us?"

"It's wonderful," Eliza said, shaking her head, "but I miss home. I wonder how my aunt and uncle are doing. My Uncle Benjamin won't believe where I've been! He loves this stuff! And maybe this Helen the Shapeshifter will be friendly." She admitted, plainly, "She's the purple dragonoid that was in my uncle's drawing room. They looked like they were having fun."

A silence fell in the room. Elizabeth didn't know what was going on. The looks on Parker, Amanda, and Manwë's faces spelled doom. Why didn't they understand? Helen the Shapeshifter might be a good dragonoid! So, why were they giving her strange looks?

"What?" Elizabeth asked, confused.

"Eliza," Amanda said, curtly, "I don't know if anyone told you this about Helen the Shapeshifter, or any shapeshifter. They're not like dragonoids. They may not even be dragonoids."

"What do you mean?" Parker asked, shocked. "I received a letter from Helen. Surely, this must be a mistake."

"It's no mistake!" Amanda said, stunned. "Shapeshifters cannot be trusted, especially if they're true shapeshifters. They take forms at will, but in time they choose a form they like and stick with it. In this case, this shapeshifter might want to be a dragonoid. I think we should keep our eyes peeled, in case she does enter the tower. Dragon's Keep, as it were."

"She seemed harmless," Parker said, misunderstanding. "She gave me that letter from my mother."

"Parker," Amanda said, serious, "I wouldn't trust her."

"How could you know that?" the red dragonoid blurted out. "What if she's good? I mean, she did bring us together for a reason."

"No." Amanda corrected him, "She brought you and Eliza here for a reason. Something tells me this wasn't coincidence or fate. It was a setup, and we're walking into a trap."

Parker looked at Eliza for guidance but only saw her dig into her food. Oh, how he wanted to set things right! He assumed Penelope and Draco were helping Helen out, but this was just a guess. He had no idea why Helen would bring him and Eliza together or why Eliza was sent to him. Maybe he wouldn't know, but it wouldn't hurt to ask.

.

The walk across the hill was relieving. Parker sighed, enjoying the fresh air. He wondered what could ever make this world more bliss. Quaint. It was almost as if… the memories were resurfacing! The whip! It lashed out at him, driving him insane! He wanted it to end! He wanted it all to end!

Then end it well, Parker Dooley, Melkor's voice rang out in his ears, startling the red dragonoid.

Come on, Parker. You know you want to, there was that female voice again, taking over his thoughts. No. It was there in Manwë's house, intruding Parker's thoughts!

"No. Get out of my head," Parker grimaced, doing his best to drown out the voices.

"Parker, come on!" Amanda called out, drawing Parker's attention back to reality.

The voices were gone, but the red dragonoid didn't know how long it would last. He ran across the hill, following the white dragonoid, Elizabeth, and Manwë to a grand stone tower, standing next to the forest. The tower had a brown roof with a stone chimney, with smoke climbing upwards into the morning sky.

"This is where I leave you," Manwë said to the trio, pointing to the open door. "It looks like someone's already inside, working out the portals. I suggest you hurry, before someone else comes, thinking the same idea."

"How can we ever repay you?" Eliza asked, curious.

"No bother, lass," Manwë said with a smile. "Just know that Eru Ilúvatar is watching over you and your dragonoid companions." He bowed before the trio, waved to them, and departed in the same direction he came from.

Elizabeth looked at the man one last time, before regrouping with Parker and Amanda. They were still at the ajar door, waiting to step inside. This was it! The moment they'd all been waiting for. Oh, Eliza couldn't take it anymore. "I'm going in there now!"

"Eliza! Wait, Eliza! Eliza!" Parker called out, chasing after her.

Eliza didn't look back. She had to get home! She had to do this or miss her chance! But who she discovered at the top step, leading into the main room, where a wooden wheel and a large pulley system were already turned, was a familiar female figure. Eliza couldn't believe it! What was she doing here?