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appears with a medi-kit.

"I got your message, Candle, even from where I was at. The teleporter probably worked BECAUSE of where I've just come from, otherwise, I might have had trouble with the magic fields here."

Candle backs away and lets the very capable Drura work her medical techno-magic on Luna.

Quickly, Luna stirs, coughing gently.

As the girl sits up, Infectious Lass throws a bag to Candle, blows her a kiss and disappears in the shimmer and whine of another teleporter beam.

Candle turns to Luna with a smile.

By The Stoopid Cat:
<Steps out of the tesseracts into a corridor near Candle and MysticLuna. Runs forward on silent cat feet, carefully staying behind the cherubs and whatever-corn until he is close enough to strike. A short leap and three paw swipes render the cherubs and 'corn unconscious.>

**Meow**

Not much time Ladies... The three stooges will only be out for a few minutes...

<A door to the tesseracts opens...>

Time to leave...


**Meow**

By MysticLuna:
(Luna gives off a small grin to Candle, she stands and dusts herself off. She looks towards Stoopid Cat, she sees the tesseracts doorway)

I hope this place does not adjust to power of the tesseracts, if so, it would be best that we use this chance we have and leave.

(Luna enters the tesseract, but before her head exits the castle, she looks to Kent and sends him a message directly to his mind)

I do not know if your investigation is complete, but I advise you to follow.

Kent finishes off the Minotaur, for the moment at least, "I'm right behind ya! Let's go."

Candle looks at the three little guys on the floor (ignoring Barley and the minotaur purposefully).

Then, she takes Kents' arm and pushes he and Luna through the door standing open before them.

Stoopid Cat says, "Meow!" and jumps through the doorway after them.

Candle turns away from the door as it slams shut and disappears.

"I'm not ready to leave just yet, and I'm certainly not going anywhere without the babies."

Bending down, she gathers the three unconsious doll sized creatures into her arms, grabs the bag Drura left and slips into the light.

Shifting from light to shadow, Candle finishes her search for safety with an alcove hidden by 2 sets of stairs and a fireplace, devoid of sleeping or warning spells.

"This must be a 'missed' or 'hidden' room, at least, I hope so," she whispers to herself.

She lays the 3 little ones down on a windowseat with lots of deep and colorful cushions, the seating placed under an arched 'break' in the cloud wall.
The kids roll over and give contented sighs before going from unconciousness into sleep.

Candle checks them gently of any bumps or bruises, but finds none.

"Trust a cat to judge the power of his paws purrfectly," she sighs gratefully.

Sitting on a pillow against a wall that one of the stairs goes up, she surveys the area. Lightning weaves a barrier across the 'window' and softly illuminates the tiny area.

On the opposite side of the alcove, under the other stairs, is a small watercloset (bathroom) which Candle makes use of, finishing with a splash of cold water on her face from a pitcher and basin resting on a cupboard in the room.

Slipping back to the windowseat area, she pulls a blanket from a draw in the seat's base and covers the sleeping children.
"They should be okay here, for awhile."

Then, she sends an empathic message to MysticLuna & a number of other friends.

+empathic message to MysticLuna in her void+

<span style="font-size: 16px;"> {Strong feelings of acceptance and gladness (mixed with awe at Avalon) are followed by a sense of freedom. Identification whispers across MysticLuna's mind, as Candlelight embraces her thoughts.
What follows is an urgency and need for openings.
A reassurance and thoughts of trust wash over Luna as Shadowplay in Candlelight sends feelings of friendship and 'later' as her presense fades.} </span>

And saying a couple of prayers before hand, with another sigh, she melts into the shadows to continue exploring the castle.

Candle hurries, weaving in and out of lights and shadows, racing up a hall to a room she remembers glancing the night before.

(MysticLuna is about to go out of body with Pagan Lass. I think I need to make this quick!)

Looking up, she sees a sign about a brilliantly lit arc <span style="font-size: 18px;"> *DRAGONS BE HERE* </span>

Running through the arch, Candle whirls, while reaching into the bag Drura left her. She pulls out two many layered windchimes of glass and a couple of large hooks.

She climbs some vines growing on either side of the arch, attaches the hooks, sets the chimes and releases them from their bindings.

The breezes that blow throught the castle set the chimes to moving and beautiful notes float through the air.

(That should calm the spells here and disrupt any farseeing, at least for a little while.)

A number of very large presenses loom behind her.
As Candle turns, the armour that she always wears but which is seldom seen, begins to simmer and she draws her sword.

+urgent empathic message sent+

+urgent empathic message to MysticLuna and Pagan Lass+

<span style="font-size: 16px;"> In Luna's void ~ {Great feelings of need and patience flair along MysticLuna's and Pagen Lass' nerves. The urgency to help incoming beings fleeing from the Cloud Castle over-whelm the two women.}</span>

MysticLuna and Pagan Lass look up, into the empty sky.

Candlelight refocuses on the giant forms in front of her and kneels down behind her Shield of Truth just as flames flow in, hitting the shield and are deflected to dance all around her.

She shouts, "WOULD YOU BE FREE, OH GREAT ONES, FREE OF THIS CASTLE AND FREE OF ZARDI????!!"

There's a COUGH, as from something huge swallowed too quickly, and she peeks over the top of the shield.

Seven very different pairs of eyes glitter at her from seven very different faces that all have one thing in common.
They belong to dragons.

"HOW?" they murmer as one.

Candle smiles.
"The Sword of the Spirit can free your minds of Kardi's 'family' spells and a number of ladies I know, will guide you to a place of refuge.
But, you must decide NOW!"

Seven jeweled heads turn to look at each other, then back at Candle.

"YESSSSSS!"

"Please, trust me."
"I must thrust the Sword through your minds, then you must jump through the doorway that will be opened for you."

There's a brief pause as the chimes tinkle in the air.

"PROCEED."

Candle jumps on the nearest dragon's foreleg and climbs up to her great head of crystal and amethyst, as

Raising her sword, she plunges it into the dragons brain, where the spine joins the skull at the back of the head.

Amethyst <span style="font-size: 18px;">screams and laughs </span>at the same time and leaps to fly through the opening as Candle jumps to the next dragon in line.

Almost before the tale can be written, the last of the ancient beings is freed and flies through the doorway.

Then, with a bow & smile Mysa Nal3 and the gate disappear <span style="font-size: 80px;">*</span>.

Candle sighs, and crouches against the side of the arch, as she waits for the next denizens of the dragon lair to decide to approach her.

<span style="font-size: 16px;">~Please see page 2 for this further developments concerning the other denizens of the dragon lair ~</span>

A doorway opens .

And almost instantly a giant crystal and amethyst dragon flies through the opening.

As she glides past Luna and Pagan, her tongue flicks out and her head bows to the two women, but she continues on her flight, searching the planet for a new lair.

The others stream through: sky blue & turquoise; jade green & gold; sunset orange & lavender; dun & blackberry; fire red & smoke; moonlight & night.

Each flicks out their tongues and bow their heads, as they flow past Luna and Pagan.
They fly their separate ways, each looking for the one place that they belong in this new home of wild magic.

appears briefly in the and waves at the women below, then the doorway and Mysa vanish <span style="font-size: 80px;">*</span>.

<span style="font-size: 16px;">The reaction below is not so favorable ~</span>

*Pagan Lass stares in Awe at the Giant Shapes as they emerge from the gateway.

"So that's where..."

"Luna we must go back to the Castle!
If he had the last of the Dragons imprisoned there may be other... darker... things there also..."

"If Candle Frees them..."

*Ghost Girl thinks, "Dragons are not kittens to rescue from a tree..."

"I hope Candle realizes the implications of what has transpired here."

*By MysticLuna:
(Luna sits back and listens to the women talk, she waits for Candle to leave.)

This is not place for these beasts. They will die here, they haven't the skill to create in the void.

Pagan Lass, if the creatures of the dark that have long been thought lost are freed due to Candle's mission, then many shall die. There are creatures long forgotten that can only be defeated by means of magic, and I do not know if even you or I can handle all of them.

Considering what has happened at your last encounter at Castle, I shall remain here for now. As for the beasts, I am no babysitter. If they need nourishment, let them seek they're savior. And if she does not answer let nature take it's course and they can perish from starvation.

I came here to stop Zardi and I intend to do so.

--------------------

Pagan Lass whispers, "Candle... Where are you?

<Pagan Lass's voice is quietly urgent as she glides thru the castle corridors.>

Zardi, the Eternal Mansays, "Oh! She's flitting hither and you freeing those she feels I have cruelly oppressed... [Self satisfied Grin] And all the while she's aiding me in drawing the real prizes into my web!"

<A web of finely spun silk drops over Pagan Lass.>

"The Wierd Sister will be here soon, I hope."

"And STU..."

<A tesseract door opens and Stoopid Cat leaps at Zardi, changing in mid leap from an oversized house cat to the Tiger God Avitar. A swipe of one massive paw hurls Zardi against a wall.>

"You of all people should know that a witch's familiar is never far away, Zardi..."

<S.C. leaps to the bound form of Pagan Lass and razor sharp claws attempt to cut away the binding webs, to no avail...>

Pagan Lass stares at a spot behind S.C. as Zardi picks himself up. A stench of brimstone begins to permeate the air.

"Time for you to leave, Faithful One, I am lost to you for a while. Go to Abin. He..."

<A flaming tentacle bursts thru the floor and wraps around Stoopid Cat's neck.>

Zardi, the Eternal Man wonders, "Why Bast chose to house the Tiger Magic in such a foolish being..."

<A second flaming tentacle ships around SC's legs.>

Secure him, Chilthu. Bind him in the castle's dungeons.

The Stoopid Cat can feel Pagan's will pushing him to change and flee, to take the better part of valor and return to fight another day, but...

"No! I Will Fight!"

<Diamond hard claws rake at the grasping tentacles... steel muscles struggle to loosen their grip... Teeth find a purchase and bitter ichor fills his mouth... but more tentacles wrap him and soon he cannot draw a breath... Then the image of her face fills his mind and somehow he finds himself in the tesseracts, torn and bloody, weak as a newborn kitten, but alive and free...>

<span style="font-size: 15px;">Find Abin! Warn Him!</span>

(Brimstone.)

"That takes this to a whole different level," says Candle as she turns back to the main greatroom.

She flickers through the light, drawing her Sword of the Spirit, lowering the visor on her helm and raising her Shield of Truth.

(He's got Pagan!)

+tightly focused empathic message to Pagan+

{reasurance and hope}

Dropping the tip of her Sword, Candle runs around Pagan while staying melded with the light.
Nothing demonic can withstand the Sword of the Spirit.
The silken strands of black magic brake with angry moans of pain.

Candle throws one of the balls of illness, given to her by Infectious Lass, into Zardi's gaping mouth (fallen open in stupified rage).

The ball bursts on his tongue, showering him in a ghastly light of pestilence.
He falls to the floor in a fit of fevered chills and delusion.

"Hurry!"

Grabbing each other's hands, Candle and Pagan run into the light and disappear.

Shortly, they reappear for a few moments in the alcove behind the fireplace, between the two stairs, Candle's sanctuary.

Pagan grabs the sleeping cherubs and Candle hoists the baby Uniwhale.

Pagan whispers the same spell that got her into the castle and the women disappear.

Pagan and Candle appear in front of Ghost Girl, who backs in startlement.

Candle turns to GG and says, "I sense your disapproval, but I have three points to say in my defense."

"1. I AM working in conjunction with the Legion and Mysa Nal III, the Magestrix of her universe.

2. I AM an appointed avatar of the Holy Spirit and must be about my Lord's business.

3. The dragons are more than mystical and legendary creatures. They are spiritual beings as well, and as such, must be free to do the Will of their Creator, however we may see it."

The cherubs waken as this speech is delivered and Pagan lets them go.
They gather to Candle as she smiles.

"Luna opened this planet in the void to be a refuge from Kardi for the magical, after all."

Candle sends a silent empathic message and a door opens.
and many multitudes of others.

She turns to them, "The time is now. The magic users are jealous of their power and in their misguided arrogance, seek to stop me from freeing those that must be freed."

With a shout and a trumpet sounding, the angels flow through the cloud walls.

The drugged and bespelled Cherubim (and Seraphim, formally unseen by Candle) that remained in the castle when Candle left the castle before, lift their arms to be scooped up, the intrusions in their systems burned from their bodies.

And deep below, in chains of darkest night, the ArchAngels Michael and Gabriel stir as the fighting draws closer and closer to their cell.

The door bursts open and a Mighty Wind Blows through the room. The darkness that binds the angels screams in agony and dispair, melting away.
Macaw steps through the doorway, followed by Candlelight.

The angels laugh.

"It's time to go, dear ones," says Candle.

Up they soar, to the great hall.

Zardi, who has recovered from Drura's illness, stands with outstretched arms held between the two largest of the angels.
Candle lifts the Sword of the Spirit from it's scabbard and points the tip against his throat.

"You may have your toys, Zardi, and your schemes and your endless avarice. At least, until the ending of you."

Michael and Gabriel step forward and glow with splendor.

"But, if you dare to touch with your foolishness another minister of the Most High Court, you will know an ending sooner than you can think possible and a bitterness that shall linger in the clouds for eternity."

The words said, Candle's Sword draws a single drop of blood.

"Your blood be upon you and your fate be sealed."
"Release him."

Zardi sinks to the floor.

"Still scheming, no doubt," she sighs.

And with that, she puts her Sword away and joins the multitudes of angels, who depart.
........

From the doorway,<span style="font-size: 16px;">{Come GREAT ONES! You are not welcomed in this empty Refuge for 1. The Life that your presense brings shall bless a different 'void'.}</span>

Slowly, the Ancients stir and take flight.
They gather before the doorway.

"THIS TIME?"

closes.

<span style="font-size: 16px;">Elsewhere ~</span>

Kent and Candle are talking in a corner of Cobie's office while watching the silliness around them.

Kent Shakespeare says, ". . . I've also been consulting with the Mystic Affairs Division of the Bureau of External Affairs (tm). My top people believe that releasing the dragons from the cloud castle was an excellent move by Candle. It seems these are first-generation dragons - the real deal - not the corruptions and deviations that came later."

"These are practically demigods in their own right. Out of Zardi's castle, he can no longer draw on their energies, and he may waste a good deal of energy himself in trying to recapture them. And if they opt to ally with us... well, that's unlikely, but still..."

"In other words, if you're willing to lead him on a wild dragon hunt, all the better. Kudos to her for realizing what we all were so quick to second-guess.

"Goodness, Kent, I'm really impressed by your operatives and your information!"

Candle says, "The full story on these Dragons is this:
The third thing the Creator created was the Dragons, right after Heaven and the Angels.
Like the Angels, many many Dragons were made but unlike the Angels, most of the Dragons formed marriages, clans (or tribes) and alliances."

"Except for the first 7 created.
They remained the Instruments of God."

"When Lucifer, the Day Star, rebelled, one third of the Angels joined him and ALL of the Dragon clans.
Only the 7 remained faithful."

"After the Fall, all of the corrupted were cast out, but the 7 were rewarded."

"Among other things, the number 7 became the 'perfect' number, the number of Completion and in all of the universes created and all that will EVER be created, the 7 shall be represented ~ not them, but OF them."

"The 7 were safe until many millions of years ago, they were sent on missions, only to disappear, one at a time."

"When I stumbled on the castle," Candle continues, "I realized when I woke up and saw the cherubim, that others of the Celestial Host might be in the Castle, too, so I began to look."

"And you know the consequences."

Kent says, ". . . At the same time one is induced - or should I say seduced - to stay, one's magic is syphoned off.

I suspect one must be a willing contributor in order for him to use your power. It would fit his MO of luring rather than conquering."

"Yes, I think that you're right," she says.

"After I freed the 7, Zardi's power diminished within a very short time."
"Enough, that it allowed me to sense the presense of the rest of the Cherabim and the Seraphim and finally, the two ArchAngels that Kardi had hidden so well."

"I couldn't risk him successfully adding anymore mystical beings to his arsenal before I could find Michael and Gabriel, so I had to act immediately."

Kent Shakespeare replies, "Sure."

"This Zardi fellow is an Elder, one of the original immortals of this universe. He collects magickal people, creatures and artifacts in his floating cloud castle."

"Magickal people/beings who spend time there - say an hour or so - tend not to want to leave. My theory is that he is able to use their magickal energies himself."

"He apparently has a fairly representative set of beings from all worlds' mythologies and traditions."

"He has thus far avoided hostilities, although there's been some button-pushing."

"I think he could blow us all away if he chose. I think he's just as interested in the challenge of luring his targets as he is in the actual acquisition."

Candle replies, "I think he collects, I know he does, but not always gently."
"Why, the first thing he did was drug me and he went after Stoopid Cat with Cilthu (I don't even want to say the name correctly), an ancient and disgusting evil!"

"You mentioned earlier that you'd like to find out if the Dragon's might help Legion World against him."

"Their Leader, ShadowHEART, is on her honeymoon after finally finding a mate among the 7 in Mysa Nal 3's universe. Hopefully, this union will result in baby dragons, but in the mean time, FyresDAWN will be in charge of the tribe. I'll go and ask her for help and see what happens."

"I'll let you know, as soon as I find out."

With a smile and hug for Kent and a wave to the rest of the people in the office, Candle leaves.

<span style="font-size: 18px;">~ Meanwhile, in the void ~ </span>
By Zardi, the Eternal Man:


<Steps out of the doorway into the trackless void.>

An intersting way to travel. I shall have to thank Candle for that trick, and a few other things, someday.

<Removes his hat and begins pulling out various magical artifacts.>

Dragons are very territorial. And old Brightbody Blackheart probably believes that he was the first dragon to see this place. So in his mind it belongs to him.

No matter where Candle took them, he'll find his way back here. And when he does, he and his tribe will be mine, again!

A opens over the much traversed (lately) 'void'.

Two very huge heads peek out and their pearlescent eyes look over the scene below.

The largest of the two, crystal and amethyst gem coated and glowing softly in it's own light, speaks first.
<span style="font-size: 18px;">"Zardi has been here recently. I can feel his aura. (I can smell him, too.)"
"He thinks very highly of himself, '. . .witness the destruction of the universe.'"
"SNORT!"
(Of course, the universes around here seem to self destruct with an alarmingly frequency!)

He can't even get my sex straight! Laughs out loud! Or my name.!"

"What IS my name, my darling GlorySTORM. . .?"</span>

The second Dragon, it's body very long and glowing with many varied red, orange, yellow and gold strips and whirls (rather like the planet Jupiter of the Sol System) wraps around the gem crusted body of the female beside him.

<span style="font-size: 18px;">"Regina ShadowHEART, my beloved Queen." </span>

<span style="font-size: 18px;">"UMMMMMMMMMM! Your voice is so sweet to my ears! I never thought to find a mate of my own! SIGH" </span>
They fly together out of the doorway.

<span style="font-size: 18px;"> "He'll have left traps for me. He IS smart enough to know that I would claim this area for my home, even though it is safer in the Magistrix's Realm."

"He just won't know WHY I had to come back. Silly immortal."</span>

ShadowHEART looks at GlorySTORM with intense love, awe and possession as he leads them far from the area of Luna's and Kardi's conferance.

<span style="font-size: 18px;"> "I will protect you, my beautiful Lady!"
"His traps won't be for me or my kind."
"He can't know that there are still a few tribes of Dragons native to Mysa's universe."

"We shall go to your lair and honeymoon (such a wonderful human term) until our kits are born."
"Then, we will take them to both Courts, ours and the humans, and impress them all!"</span>

The two disappear over the horizen towards ShadowHEART's lair as their doorway closes.

Far below, a small beep . . . beep . . . beep begins to sound.

<A flame erupts in the center of a mystic circle and a Fire Sprite, Char DeLume, yawns and stretches.>

Lousy, stinking, lizards returned much faster than the master thought they would... hardly enough time for a decent nap.

<It approaches a particular spot in the circle and kneels down to examine a single rune.>

He'll be notified when I break the circle... Unless I... Yes...

<It follows a thread around a quarter of the circle.>

The sending rune is... there!

<A bolt of flame obliterates a rune before it can perform it's intended function. The circle is broken and Char DeLume is free in the void.>

Now for the dragons...

Two dragons can be seen far out to sea, splashing, diving, doing rolls and flips, first showing their heads, then their tails.
They're just generally frolicking and showing off for each other.

After awhile, the two huge heads rest on the surface, gently moving with the waves and ripples.

As they turn on their backs and begin to swim side-by-side, ShadowHEART says,<span style="font-size: 18px;">"My dearest love, have you seen anything big enough to eat, yet? Hmmmmm?" </span>

<span style="font-size: 18px;">"Why darling, are you terribly hungry? Or is it our babies' hunger you feel?"</span>asks GloryHEART playfully.

ShadowHEART rolls over with a snort,<span style="font-size: 18px;"> "I'm famished, you sweet, silly toad! And the little tadpoles are, too!"</span>

GlorySTORM ducks a splash, getting just as wet as if he hadn't, and blows Shady a kiss.
<span style="font-size: 18px;">"I've checked, beautiful newt, and found some small plants and plankton, even a few tiny fish and crusteacans, but nothing big enough to eat, yet."
"At least, not by US."
"But, we can't expect even OUR magic to be able to create an entire ecosystem in just a few days!"</span>

<span style="font-size: 18px;">"Well, that doesn't keep me from being HUNGRY!" </span>she says with disgust.

GlorySTORM rolls off of his back, too, and looks lovingly into her glowing eyes.
<span style="font-size: 18px;">"I know a place in Mysa's Realm with HUGE snow crabs, soft shell clams six feet wide and eels by the millions, all in a warmish ocean fanned by coolish breezes."

"So, how about it?"

"We can spend a few days (or even months) there, then, come back here for some privacy, yes?, and to check up on how our ocean 'stocking' is progressing."
"There might even be some TREES with ripe, delicious fruit, by then, too!"</span>

ShadowHEART gives him a kiss and slips from the water. As they mount higher, water droplets fall behind them, creating a shower and the first rainbow in this once empty world.
A appears and the dragons fly through it, as far behind them, a small beacon of light races toward the opening.

But, the opening closes quickly behind the dragons, trapping Char DeLume in the once lifeless void.

Arrrrrrrgggghhhh! Gosh*)*&?X?>!
Now, NOT the dragons . . .

Char Delume is twiddling it's thumbs, sort of

By Zardi the Eternal Man:

Not exactly... it just looks that way...

It's actually Twitting. Fairie Twittering. On the eathernet. He has over 100 followers, none of whom are Zardi.

And a couple of them herd Dragonflies...

A small, about 3 feet long, leafy sea dragon slips into the 'void' of Luna's refuge, unannounced and without fanfare.

He drifts through the sky, his fronds creating a mystical aura of invisibility around him.

Below, he sees a small beacon of fire the seems to flicker in a code of somekind, but he shows no interest in the sprite.

Slowly he continues over the horizen and continues searching for the Lair of ShadowHEART.

He, who is named Fairen, King of his tribe, the Most Westerlies, finally spys her home, now surrounded by acres and acres of plant life, with even some very young orchards beginning to rise about the many grasses and flowering bulbs.

Bright birds and insects can be seen (& heard) flying about the woodlands and fields, many singing out the boundries of their new territories and calling for mates.

Fairen marvels at the potency of ShadowHEART's and GlorySTORM's magical auras and their abilities to start up life even in the most impossible of places.

But, that's why he's here.

He was asked by the couple, as were many other beings in the Magistix's universe, to help with this transformation.

He sinks into the waters off the coast of the Lair, reveling in the virgin kelp beds, luxuriating in the lushness of their growth and the silkiness of their leaves and stalks on his fronds. Even the water tastes freshly salted and full of a 'newness' and almost a 'wonder'.

His eggs were almost to term when he left his home world and the Dragon's aura finishes the growth of the babies in their eggs almost instantly.

In a small cloud of life, the baby leafy sea dragons spill from their egg coverings and begin to tentatively fan out amoung the miles of kelp and plankton, looking about and feeding hungrily.

His presense comforts and protects the young ones, giving them confidence to explore their new home, as he guards them and waits for the arrival of his Lady wife, his subjects and the many others sent by Mysa 3, as another of her plans is furthered by one more small step.

While Fairen rests and watches over his brood, another mystical being that came with him to the void, but split away after they reached the original horizen, digs into the lifeless soil of Luna's city and makes it's way to listening distance from Char.

<span style="font-size: 10px;"><It's Twitting, BitterFruit. I'll begin sending the messages as soon as . . . NOW. And yes, I think we're going to need the Mantis'.></span>

By Zardi the Eternal Man:
I believe it is time to send official emmissaries to this new Dragon Realm.

Sugarwing and Leathersnout

Sugarwing and Leathersnout arrive in Luna's void, with a few giant dragonflies on leashes.
There are many musical instruments floating about the 'emmissaries' announcing their arrival with much noise and pomp.
<There's nothing here! Why did Kardi send us here to this barren wasteland?> grouses Leathersnout.

Sugarwing retorts, <Our's is not to question why?, stupid.>

The dragonflies begin to pull on their leashes, then struggle wildly.

<What the . . .?>

Three impossibly huge Praying Mantis rise above the ruins.
The first reaches out and pinches off Leathersnout's head, pulls the remains toward it and begins to munch on the still wiggling body.

<span style="font-size: 10px;"><That's just the nerves and muscles going through final spasms! That's all it is! shudder></span>, says a small voice from under the soil next to the ruins as an ickor pours onto the ground from what's left of Leathersnout.

The little graemlin stationed by her commander on the new beachhead for Nal3verse, shudders again and digs a few feet deeper in the dead soil.

Sugarwing isn't as lucky as Leathersnout.
Her beautiful wings have been clipped off and set aside by the second Mantis.

As she screams and threatens and begs, her magic attacks having no effect on the Mantis, the insect consumes her, one leg, one arm, one leg, one arm, at a time, until nothing is left at all, but the echos of her passing.

The third Mantis has snatched the leashes of the giant dragonflies but a brief telepathic message stays it from any futher actions.
<span style="font-size: 10px;"><They're too big to stay here with baby dragons about, but I know of a system where these guys can grow as big as spaceships! They'll love it there.></span> says Commander Bitterfruit, with a 'smile' of affection for the bugs.

<span style="font-size: 10px;"><It's a good thing that Char DeLume has wandered off to check on the Lair. He'll have no idea of what's happened if we clean this up.></span> says a small voice from under the Commander's feet.

<span style="font-size: 10px;"><That will be your job, Irisbulb. I have to get these Mantis back home and deliver these artifacts to Kardi's castle.>

<Keep up the good work, monitor and report all of Char's twitters and keep an eye on everything here.>
<The Magistrix promised safety to the 7 and safety there will be.></span>

Bitterfruit opens flies out and into the great hall.

He drops a package on the floor in front of Kardi and swerves back through the gate <span style="font-size: 34px;">0</span>.

As the gate closes, a note flutters to the floor next to the package.

Zardi has his Security Chief Doom Bringer, pick up both and deposite them on a nearby table.

While the Chief checks the package for explosives or spells or . . ., Zardi picks up the note, which reads:
<span style="font-size: 16px;">Emmissaries accepted by invitation ONLY.</span>

The Chief opens the box and tips it's contents onto the surface of the table, a leatherlike snout and a pair of spun sugar wings come to rest there.

A few days later, Zardi is sitting in one of his many libraries, engrossed in conversation with Carrie-Ann and Barley.

A servant walks in with a large tray filled with late night snacks and a covered dish.
The servant places the tray on the desk in front of Kardi and leaves the room, completely unnoticed by the three.

During a pause, they find the food before them and dig in.
Kardi removes the cover and finds a large bowl of fresh fruit and clotted cream.
Anchored in the cream is a note addressed to him.

"Another note," he grumbles.

The note reads:
<span style="font-size: 16px;">Kardi ~
If you spent less time stealing, plotting and bullying, and MORE time studying and getting to know your 'family members', you'd know that SOME of your magical creatures can (and will), grow back from their namesakes. </span>

And with that, in walks ~

Sugarwing and Leathersnout



<Boy, boss, I think I'm goona pass on that emmissary gig, from now on!> says Leathersnout as he grabs a handfull of fruit and cream.

<I have to agree, Master Zardi. Being eaten is no fun!> says Sugarwing as she sits down, looking even paler than usual, <That storage room was SO cold.>

Leathersnout drools juice and cream on the beautiful rug as Sugarwing starts to throw up.

Laughter echos from far away for a brief moment, then disappears.

*By Zardi, the Eternal Man:
Does that woman think I'm daft? None of my family members would dare to bastardize my name that way. These are but foul imatations of my loyal servants! Changelings sent to betray us after we've accepted them into our home!

Doom Bringer! Take these mockeries away from me...

<A demonic hand snatches up the pair and stuffs them into small iron cages.>

She shall not divert us from our plan. . .

Char DeLume is lounging on the beach in front of the Dragon Lair, eating some roasted pears and figs, busily 'twitting' between bites.
Suddenly and totally unexpectedly, a large host of flying creatures and faery folk fly over the horizen and land on the same beach.

<Gasp! Choke! Cough! . . .>

A gryffon, a very large male, approaches Char quickly and catches Char's eyes with his, holding his gaze.
<span style="font-size: 14px;"><WHAT DO YOU HERE, SO CLOSE TO THE LAIR OF OUR QUEEN, TINY FLAME?></span>

No one may tell a lie in the presense of a gryffon, so Char is in a very deep predicament.

He can't get his body to do anything that it would normally do in a situation like this because of the gryffon's magical nature.

So, he shrugs his shoulders and says, <I'm twitting some friends to join me here. I've escaped from Kardi the Eternal Man, 'Mystic Overlord of all Creation', whatever the heck that means!>

<span style="font-size: 16px;"><AND . . .?></span>

Not so filled with bravado now, Char DeLume falls to his knees and says, <And I want to catch a liza . . . dragon, or at least, one of the babies. I won't HURT it! I just want to use it to have enough power to find a safe place from Kardi. Really! Don't hurt me, PLEASE!>

<span style="font-size: 16px;"><HMMMMMMMM . . .></span>

By Zardi, the Eternal Man:
<Gazing into the scrying pool>

Hmmm... I did not receive a notification that Char had been activated...

I set those runes myself...

As things are about to go very, very badly for one Char DeLume, Fire Sprite,
a opens above the Lair.

Everyone, EXCEPT for the grypphon and Char, look up to see FyresDawn, a medium sized (for her kind) dragon of bright and swirling reds and smokey grays flecked with rubies and onyxs, fly through the opening.

She is followed by another, truly huge dragon, of deepest cobalt, midnight blue and navy, slashed and streaked with glittering diamonds.

They come to a soft landing, wings whirling, beside the two in the center of the ring of Faery beings.

All heads bow, EXCEPT for the grypphon's and the sprite's, who's eyes remain locked and the Sprite's actions controlled.

<span style="font-size: 18px;"><Stop that, EVERYONE! We are CALLED here! What is the ISSUE?></span>

The gryffon speaks as he has since the PEOPLE'S arrival on the beach in the void,
<span style="font-size: 16px;"><WE CAME TO COLONIZE AS ORDERED BY OUR LADY MYSA. WE FOUND him. HE IS HERE TO HARM OR STEAL THE 1ST FAMILY OF THE DRAGONS. WHAT DO YOU WISH US TO DO, MY LADY FyresDAWN?></span>

FyresDAWN glitters, heat poring from her firey sides as she turns lovingly toward the giant male beside her to confer.

Irisbulb pops up from the sand and grabs Char DeLume's hands, pulling them apart.

<span style="font-size: 10px;"><We don't want him to twitter his friends, yet. It might be better for his whole 'gang' to come here now so that we can take care of this all at once!, she explains to those around her.></span>

Char DeLume gulps and goes very still as all eyes turn to him.

The great male beside FyresDAWN speaks in a loud rumble,
<span style="font-size: 20px;"><My Lady, FyresDAWN, Regent for Regina ShadowHEART, has decided to call GlorySTORM and the remaining available clans members to join us and decide what to do about this grave matter.></span>

<span style="font-size: 18px;"><My Lord, GalaxyWHISPER, is correct. We shall wait here for the others to arrive.>

<Release the sprite's hands, Iris.>

<Give him to me and I will hold him safely until the appointed time, HONORED ONE.>
<No twitter signals will get past his prison, I swear it.>

<The rest of you may continue the colonization for our MOST royal family.></span>

While the Faery around them erupt into action, the gryffon brings the squirming fire sprite to FyresDAWN.
As Char is lifted higher, the red dragon's tongue slips out of her generous mouth and wraps around the sprite.
Then, she pulls him into her mouth to rest behind her teeth, where he can do no further damage or escape.

FyresDAWN strolls to a steam vent on the other side of the Lair, where she can rest and watch the sea and the sky.

After talking with the gryffon, GalaxyWHISPER, follows her footprints until he joins her in the moist heat of the vent. There they cuddle silently (except for his loving murmurs, her soft giggles and Char DeLume's grumbles and occasional squeaks of disgust.

.

The two faery step through and the gate closes. <span style="font-size: 80px;">*</span>

with a thoughtful smile, disappears, too.

Mysa watches her go and smiles as she disappears on the wind.

The dragons are still at play in the waves.

<span style="font-size: 18px;">~ The further developments that happened in the Cloud Castle after Candlelight freed the Original 7 Dragons. She's been waiting patiently in the castle's dragon lair for the rest of the inhabitants living there to join her. ~</span>

(The chimes seem to be working, at least, no one seems to be bothered by what I'm doing, sigh.)

"Ahhh, here they come," Candle whispers, going very still inside and out.

First, a very small one, maybe 6 inches long, drifts over to her. When she doesn't move or threaten him in any way, he looks back at some fauna in the room and floats a little closer to Candlelight.
Soon, another one, slightly larger, joins him, silently watching her.
Then, another and another, until hundreds of silent, watching sea dragons are drifting about her.
Leafy sea dragons (and their cousins ~ Weedies and Seahorses and Pipfish), that is.
All varieties move before her awed eyes, until finally, a group of huge (at least 5 feet in length) move among the little ones, to come to rest in front of her.

"I always knew you were touched by magic," she says.

Suddenly, <span style="font-size: 18px;"> CRASH!!!</span>
And "I am ready to find the path to a new home for them, Shadowplay in Candlelight."

"Okay, Tellus, let everyone know what to do."

opens his mouth calmly under the telepathic control of Tellus, and the animals move in to sit quietly in his mouth.
He backs from the castle and he & the Legionnaires fly off following Dawnstar.

The cloud walls of the castle fill back in and the gaping hole disappears.

"I forgot Uni!" Candle gasps.

She runs to remove the windchimes from either side of arch and puts them back into her bag. The armour fades as Candle melts into the light.

Weeks later, Candlelight has had further run-ins with Zardi and his minions in his bid to control members of the Legion World population.

The Demonic nature and origins of many of his agents has continued to cause Candle's Spiritual Armour and weapons to flair into use and she has also become practiced in using Kent's arsenal of magic fighting ordinance.

As relief from the currant tension she has been kidding with Kent about becoming a staff member of the local Safety Office.

Mysa Nal3 has sent a couple of agents to help alert the Office to spy incursions into their headquarters, especially until she can summon Candlelight to the Void.

Candle gets up from the Reception Desk and says to the room in general, "Reception work is too difficult! Besides the coffee making, you have to be polite to demons and that's just NOT my calling."

As she wanders over to the mail cubbies, a small bevy of and wake up from their nap under the couch and begin studying the hovering creatures.

"Don't bat at the Lumen, dears," Candle says, then turns to Kent, "I have to go, I have a chance at an audience with the Regent, FyresDawn, in Luna's void."

As she gathers the kittens and heads for the door, she says, "Please tell Sharky that I'm sorry that I missed him again. I was hoping he could join me on my mission to the Dragons. But, I suppose Cobie would have had something for him to do, anyway."

"Bye!"
*********************

Kent Shakespeare:
Bon chance, ma cherie!

flies through the outer walls of the Office and flits from office to office until it finds Luna's.
She's napping on a daybed placed under her large window, so it leaves the note it's carrying on her desk chair seat, for her to find later.

The note reads:
<span style="font-size: 16px;">To MysticLuna ~

It has occured to us that the dragons bringing life to you ancestrial 'void' may be the reason for you current weakness.

We don't know that this is true, it's just a possibility.

We can't chance that the hypothesis is correct and that we would continue to injure you.

SO ~ a mirror void has been created and all developments in the dragon's lives that happened in your 'void' have been removed.

That is, the ones that involve our servants and the Dragons. It was beyond our power to remove Zardox's intrusions.
You will have to deal with those yourself.

Regretfully and with the hope that you will regain most, if not all, of your health,

Mysa Nal3
Magestrix</span>

Quietly buzzing over her, it drops some healing dust over her, just for good measure it thinks.
Finished, the flits out through the closed window and disappears into the city's afternoon haze.

Fairen has moved the babies to an area farthest from the dragon feeding areas but still within the waters and kelp beds influenced by the dragon's presense.

The little ones have grown substancially in the life rich beds and he has taught them many things, both philosophical and practical.

There have been no large preditors yet, but he suspects that there will be, especially given the dragons love of fresh great white livers.
Fairen hadn't seen any of the seals and whales needed to sustain whites, but he HAD seen a growing number of large fish, some very large.

The magical field the encloses the Mirror Void and places the pocket within the Naltorian Universe stirs.

And Fairen looks up, expectantly, having made telepathic contact with those of his kind that approach and the Legion telepath, !


He sighs and hopes that his lady will join him soon to share in the celebrations that will surely come.
He chuckles as the babies crowd around him,
full of questions about what is approaching their home.