by Adams, A. D.
Chapter 54 - The Light
(No greater Sacrifice than to give yourself for Your Love.)
353 set of seasons since the coming of the Averons
Setilan decided to visit Terra and Fienna. She thought they might want to go for a swim or something. Things at home were so complicated and confusing since the ground shock. Everyone was busy and had no time to swim with her. She helped as much as she could, but being the princess, they did not let her go into the worst area of the city.
She was tired of just doing little unimportant tasks, so she went to find her friends. As she surfaced in the little lake, she did not see them on the shore. So, she swam in and changed her rear flippers into legs and walked onto shore. As she approached the cave, a great flash of light came from the cave opening. It was so bright that it blinded her for a short time. When the spots in her eyes cleared, she slowly walked to the cave entrance. She called in, but there was no answer. She moved with great caution to where she could see into the cave opening. There was Fienna lying on her side with Terra enfolded in her wings. She was not moving neither was Terra. She approached the two cautiously. Fienna said in an almost inaudibly low voice.
“We need food. Help!” Setilan ran to the small lake and dove in. She swam to a large group of swimmers that swam in the lake. She easily trapped a few in a small pool on the edge of the lake. She put several rocks in the pool’s entrance and climbed out of the water. She grabbed three of them and rushed back to Fienna. She gently put one of the swimmers in Fienna’s great mouth. She had never been this close to Fienna’s head. It was larger than she was, and her mouth could easily take her whole body in. Fienna was barely able to chew the swimmer, but finally she did swallow it. Setilan gave her the next swimmer, and she chewed this one faster and the third even faster. Setilan ran to the pool again and caught three more. She took them back to Fienna. After four trips, Fienna was much stronger. She finally started to move.
Setilan stood back while Fienna painfully got to her feet, all the time holding Terra against her breast with her massive wings. She slowly opened her wings, and she was holding Terra with her taloned hands.
Gently, she placed Terra on the ledge next to her. Setilan went to him.
She moved his long hair from his eyes. His body was so large and powerful. In that moment, she realized how attractive he was. She knew he saw no other female than Fienna as one to love, but it would be easy to fall in love with him. Yes, very easy. Fienna moved the flat tip of her tail toward them and laid it on Terra’s chest. Her tail started to glow an odd orange color just like Terra did when he healed. After only a few moments, Terra’s eyes opened. He was finally able to sit up.
Setilan helped him. Fienna moved toward them both and enfolded his powerful body into her wings. Setilan at that moment saw something that had not registered before.
“What’s wrong?” Terra asked in a weak voice.
“Your amulet is part of your chest and look at Fienna’s chest.”
Terra looked at his chest and then Fienna’s. He seemed surprised at what he saw. He was obviously still extremely weak and could hardly move. Setilan realized that they both needed more food than she could alone carry. She told them she would return shortly with more food.
She swam through the passage and straight to Seana’s home. She quickly told Seana what had happened. Seana was about to leave to help in one of the center’s setups for the nymphs harmed during the earth shaking, but she immediately changed her plans. She went to her baby, and the young nymph that was going to take care of her while Seana was away.
“I may be back later than planned. Will you stay with TerraFienna until I return?”
“Yes, of course,” the young female said.
With that, the two quickly swam to the main kitchen in the castle of Setilan’s Father. They took one of the large baskets of swimmers and sea cakes over the objection of the cook. Each held a handle on either side of the basket. Then Setilan led Seana to the entrance of the underwater cave that eventually opened into the lake and the home of Terra and Fienna. Seana stopped.
“Where are you taking me? This isn’t the way to the cove,” she said in a confused tone.
“This is how we get to where they live. Follow me. Hurry!” Setilan replied pulling on her side of the basket. Seana reluctantly followed through the dark and narrow passages. Saying to herself that only the young and foolish would have tried to go through caves like this.
Finally, a dim light started to show at the end of the narrow passage.
Seana could feel the fresh water. The land water was known as sweet water. It had no salt in it, and it tasted and smelled sweet to the sea nymphs. As they left the narrow caves and emerged into the bottom of the lake, the water was flooded with multicolored light streaming down from the surface. The lake was beautiful. At its bottom were tall cone shaped crystals rising from the floor. The light struck them; causing incredible colors to flood the surrounding water. Groups of swimmers swam through the colored lights as if in a dream. Setilan had to pull on the basket to get Seana to move. They swam to the surface, changed their fins into legs, and walked onto a sandy beach. A long sandy path lead to a huge cave opening. The two had to struggle to get the basket up the path. In the water, it weighed little, but on land, it was heavier than either could handle alone. As they struggled to the cave entrance, Seana looked around. This was some kind of deep crevice in the coastal cliffs completely cut off from everything. It was so beautiful that it took what breath she had away. As they entered the cave, Seana could not believe that the cave, if anything, was even more incredible than the rest of this crevice. She saw Terra sitting almost lifeless against the great dragon who was as pale as she had ever seen her. The two of them, now dragging the heavy basket, managed to get it up to the pair. Setilan reached in and pulled out a swimmer, and Fienna’s great head came down to take it into her mouth. Seana backed up a bit. She was still a little afraid of the dragon.
“Seana, give Terra the cakes,” Setilan told her.
Seana reached into the basket and took out three of the small green cakes. She walked over to where Terra was lying. He looked at the cakes and then sniffed them; finally, he bit into one. He took the other two and quickly ate both of them. As the dragon and the man lay there eating the food the two brought, Seana stood back and watched them.
An image flashed in her mind of two dragons and of two humans. It was as if they both would soon have their mates. Then she saw Terra’s chest. The amulet was gone. In its place was an image in Terra’s skin.
When she looked at Fienna, the same image appeared but in reverse. As the two became stronger, they told Seana and Setilan what had happened. As for the change in the amulet, there was no explanation, and Terra seemed not to be concerned. They needed to rest so the two sea nymphs returned to their watery kingdom and told the king what had occurred.
Chapter 55 - The Visit
(Time for the Old to Visit the New.)
353 set of seasons since the coming of the Averons
After the two had rested and could move around a bit, they decided to lie on the sun-warmed rocks outside the entrance of their cave. Soon they were both asleep. As the sun rose to its peak, the heat woke Terra, and he decided to take a swim. Fienna awoke as soon as Terra started to move. They moved slowly down to the lake and waded in. The water was cool, and Terra rubbed and splashed water on Fienna’s scales. As the sun-rising wore on, the two became hungry. Terra mounted Fienna, and they went on a short hunting flight. They both enjoyed the wind blowing across their skin. It was cool and a welcome feeling. Terra and Fienna had been through enough and wanted nothing more than to be with each other and free to do as they wish. Fienna flew for a while just wanting to be away from everything. They soon came to Fienna’s favorite hunting area, where they came only when she wanted a quick meal. Her mother had taught her never to over hunt; for the beasts would soon learn it was a dangerous place and avoid it. However, if you only came every so often they would st
ay, not being intelligent enough to understand that you would soon be back. Fienna spotted a large runner trotting down a field toward a river. Terra bent forward and hugged Fienna’s great neck as they dove at high speed right at the runner. Right before she would have hit the runner and the ground, her great wings spread out from her body causing her to swoop up. On the upward swing, her talons sunk into the back of the runner killing it instantly. She carried it up into the sky as if it weighed nothing. It never saw its death approaching from the above.
Fienna and Terra flew home with her prize. When they landed, Terra went into the cave and brought out some of the seed rocks he so liked.
Fienna delicately tore off a piece of meat for Terra and heated the rock he burnt the meat on with a single blast of her fire. Within a short time, they both had full stomachs and began to become sleepy. They decided to sleep on the flat rock in front of the cave. It was such a warm sunset, and the cool breezes off the lake lulled them into a deep sleep quickly.
As the moon rose, clouds slowly moved across the sky and blocked its’ bright orange glow. The darkness enfolded the two as a dense fog began to creep over the edge of the crevice. It was an odd thing, moving as if it had a purpose. It slid down the crevice wall and through the forest. It glided across the lake as if moving across nothing. Slowly, the fog approached the sandy path stopping to seemingly examine the surface of sand. It then proceeded up the path and slowly surrounded the two sleeping figures. The leading edge of the fog broke into three ghostly figures. They floated across the flat rock cautiously examining the two. Terra was as always sleeping up against Fienna’s side in total harmony, peace, and love. The three figures moved to touch Terra, and at that moment, the clouds above broke allowing the orange light of the moon to cover the sleeping figures. The ghostly fingers reached for Terra and dissolved into nothing as the light bathed them. The figure quickly withdrew the hand, and the fingers reformed. The three moved back and melded into the fog. In the cave of the old woman, the same fog surrounded her and in the voice of the many, the details of the encounter was described as the old one watched it in an image within the flickering fire. She watched in silence as the voice almost panicked as the moonlight dissolved the ghostly fingers.
She finally said in a loud and irritated voice, “BE CALM, SHE IS
FINE!”
With that, the voice of the many became calm and more in control.
The old woman settled back into her chair.
“He grows in power by the sun-rising. Even the moon protects him now,” she said to the fog.
“Look at his chest; the amulet is part of him.”
As the old one looked, his chest had an image of the amulet with six of the stones lit; the others being images of the original amulet. The old books said that the one that is one with the amulet controls all the amulets on Tone. She looked at hers, but it was no different. She got up, and the fog separated as she walked to a large wooden case. She lifted the lid, and hundreds of amulets glowed with six-lighted stones.
“Is he the one?” the fog said in a greatly concerned voice.
“Yes he is.”
“What can we do?”
“Nothing. There’s nothing we can do now. Destiny is now beyond us and with him.”
Chapter 56 - The Wogan
(Love Conquers All.)
354 set of seasons since the coming of the Averons
Many full moon risings had passed since the sunset they had slept outside the cave, and they had again settled into their normal routine.
Fienna seemed to be nervous and needed something. She would pace back and forth within the cave and fly aimlessly around the crevice.
Terra kept asking what was wrong, but she could not tell him because she had no idea. At high sun, Dawra landed on the rock in front of their cave opening. Terra was sitting at the opening watching Fienna pace.
When he saw Dawra, he walked to her.
“How is everything?” Dawra asked as a greeting.
“Not so well. Fienna is acting odd, she paces all the time and flies around for no reason, and she can’t sleep and is not hungry. I can’t find anything wrong with her; she is as healthy as ever,” Terra said with great concern in his voice as well as on his face.
“It’s her time.”
“What do you mean, her time?”
“It’s her body telling her to mate. It happens to all young female dragons. It won’t pass until she mates.”
Fienna came out just then when she heard her mother’s voice.
Dawra explained to her that she was going through a natural process.
Her body was telling her it was time for her first mating, and she would only get worse until she coupled. Dawra had shown Fienna how the mating practices of the dragons worked. She would pick from the many dragons that would answer her mating call.
Fienna had no desire to mate with another dragon; she only loved one male, and that was Terra. She could not even conceive of coupling with any other male. They both knew it was impossible though. That sunset after Dawra had left, Fienna sat outside the cave opening looking at the stars rise over the horizon as the sun set. Into her mind, Terra’s thoughts came. You must mate Fienna; I can’t stand to see you like this. My essence belongs to you from the sun-rising we met; it is yours now, and it will be yours forever. Mating will not change that.
She could feel his enormous love flood her conscious mind, and as he touched her on her tail, she began to feel odd. It was as if all her scales were tingling. As her body became bathed in the full yellow orange light of the full moon, she stood and faced Terra.
“I feel so strange, Terra.”
Her whole body seemed to glow with the light of the moon. It was changing shape. Her neck was getting shorter, and her great wings were becoming smaller. Slowly at first but then faster, it looked as if her body was collapsing. Terra ran to her and placed his hands on her shrinking leg. Her wings were all but gone. They had retreated into her back. Her great sweeping neck had shortened. Terra tried to stop what was happening with all the power available to him, but nothing he did helped. His whole body was now a bright orange as his attempt to help failed. Fienna was now only twice as big as Terra. Her legs and arms were straightening out. Her tail was now virtually gone, and her wings had completely disappeared. Hair was coming out the top of her and was flowing almost to the ground. Her once great crest started to form round mounds of flesh. As she became the same size as Terra, she was a human, no longer a dragon. Terra held her naked body with his powerful arms, so she would not fall. She was a vision of beauty to him.
Her hair was almost to the ground and was a bluish green. Her skin was as soft as water with small marks that looked like the scales she once had. Her skin color stayed the same as when she was a dragon, blues and greens covering her beautiful body. She was frightened, but in Terra’s arms, the fright melted away into love and desire for her mate.
Terra!
Terra lifted Fienna and carried her into the cave. They seemed not to be able to think. They could only feel the desire for each other. Terra walked to the waterfall in the back of the cave. The natural light trapped in the crystals made the cave alive with the colors of the world. There he placed Fienna by the pool and lay with her. They kissed and fondled.
Soon they were embraced in the act of true love. That sunset two became one. They discovered each other’s bodies as only two who loved beyond the limits of life itself. The sunset passed in an instant, and as the moon began to set, the sun rose. Fienna’s now human body began to glow the yellow orange of the sunset moon. She began to grow in size while still in Terra’s arms. Small nubs appeared on her back as her body grew larger. Her wings slowly emerged from her back. Her neck grew longer, and her legs expanded and bent. Her arms moved forward, and her beautiful hair receded into her head. Soon she was again the graceful dragon of the sun-rising before. Terra found her beautiful whether dragon or a woman. She looked down at her mate.
She no longer had the desire to
mate. She had found her mate; the only one she had or would ever desire. Neither knew what had happened or if it would happen again. They told no one of the change or their joining. They both hoped the next full moon would allow them to merge their bodies once again.
Chapter 57 - The Draman
(Love Makes Two, One.)
354 set of seasons since the coming of the Averons
The sunset of the new moon was upon the two before they knew it.
They were as happy as ever. They had been sleeping outside of the cave because of the heat. Before the rays of the morning light struck them, Terra awoke feeling rather odd. He carefully got up trying not to wake Fienna and walked to the edge of the rock where the two were sleeping.
He sat there without clothes staring in the direction of the sunrise. As the first rays of light came over the crest of the crevice’s steep rock wall, he began to feel warm. Fienna awoke and saw her love outlined by the first light and felt his warmth. It felt much like the sunset she changed. As she watched, to her surprise his body began to shimmer.
His body was now outlined by the yellow sun of the morning. His silhouette seemed to become bigger. His legs larger, his neck elongated, and his head was growing. She watched in amazement as nubs began to appear on his back and slowly grew out to become wings.
A tail began to form at the base of his back. His arms moved forward as his back widened. Terra’s legs became longer and thicker. He was becoming a dragon!
As he grew larger, his body size surpassed Fienna. He was the largest dragon she had ever seen. As he tried to stand, he fell back down unable to balance his great body. Fienna jumped to his aid. As she approached, she saw he was completely white in color. No dragon she had ever seen was white. He was at least a third bigger than she was.
