Catching up?

Not to say that we've seen the last of these guys (maybe), but still.... Some of them like the mages of the White Hand? They had means at their disposal afforded by their powers, of course! Moreau? She's a dragon! She's got wings on her back, you know. That and her own magical powers... The only groups who might be at a disadvantage here are the Duke's and the rangers. Then again, they might pull a few rabbits out of hats as well, so don't count them out. All of them, for various reasons we needn't go into here and now, somehow feel that the departing dragons with riders are connected (somehow) with what they were after.

Well, that's true enough, but then again....

The games afoot and Inquirer's group has quiet a following!

Meanwhile, on dragonback....

Artizza 1

"Wow," I whisper, totally in awe at the spectacle of flight!

At first it had been rather . . . uncomfortable up here, with the windsheer! Despite taking it easy on us--not using top speed--the dragons were going at a good clip so it'd been uncomfortable for us. That is until one of our fellow riders cast some kind of shielding spell.

Believe they'd called it a "windshield" spell. Aptly named, because that wind had not only been fierce but biting! It's still there, but not as fierce.

Must say it's exhilerating, having the wind through the hair and the land speeding by below. How swift we are going.

"I wish we had a shuttlecraft," Inquirer mutters. "This is taking forever!"

....

Oh right. The Military folks had even swifter means of travel, didn't they! They travel amongst the very STARS! Wonder what that would be like!

....

Wonder what it had been like for Inquirer when she'd been a starship. That is, she'd been the "CPU" for the ship.

Yes, wonder what that had been like...

Wonder if she misses that? Somehow I . . . don't think so, really. Oh, maybe in a way, but not really enough to pine over the loss. It's a Matrix thing. She's a Golem now just like I'm an elf.....

Still, all said I'll just enjoy the ride at least for now. Yes, I know that the situation is dire and a possible sister or brother of mine may be in danger in the ruins of Atlantis. However, just for the moment allow me this one pleasure, please, and don't think ill of me. I know how bad things are but . . . something inside tells me that there is time yet so...

Well, I'll let Inquirer do the worrying for me. She's doing a fine enough job at that, though she hides it well. Nothing that shows on her face, but again my elfin senses feel it coming off of her.

Okay, the plan here is to make for as close to Collins, she says as she shares with us a mental map she has of this world. By the scaling of the map, we could reach that city in the Great Kingdom (or should I say this world's version of that city I'd heard of back on my homeworld, when I'd been human) well before nightfall. We could fly at night, but by the time we DO reach where Atlantis lays beneath the waves . . . the dragon's would sure have sore back muscles! Given a good nights rest at a decent in in Collins will let them recover from the trip so they'll be fresh for the finish (IF we decide to use an inn . . . this IS Allaria we're talking about here. Elves might not be exactly welcome).

Inquirer goes onto explain that the scaling of the map might be off, but this version of Terra (much different from the layout of Terra Prime, who's geography mirrors some place named Dirt or Earth) probably has a layout not unlike her map.

http://www. geocities.com /toh1999 /Images/ AMap3B.gif

That's the hope, anyway. The Rules and Agents had stated that the geography of this world was like her map. However, they'd been a bit silent on questions about city location and such. Something about they, the Celestrials, not being able to hand out TOO much information due to....

Sigh. Due to that damnable Adverstity we Champions always have to face whilst on Quest. So very much sometimes get tired of politics, sometimes, bakc when I'd been a human princess. One of the reasons why I'd loved going out on adventure, get away from it (if only for a bit). Don't have to worry about it now, being an elfin lass (too far away from ascending the throne though still a princess on Terra Prime) but . . . I just have to shake my head when I found out that politics exist even up in those lofty heights above the mortal realms. Inter-Office politics....

Well, if things hold on this world Collins is the only coastal duchy of the Great Kingdom. That and other questions will have to wait until we land for lunch. That'll be when we land somewhere in Aqualaria, hopefully landing well enough away from civilization to where nobody will be upset about two dragons being about.

That IS a worry, you know. Not everyday one sees a dragon overhead, let alone a mated pair. Let's not go into dragons with riders on their back!

Then again, usually when dragons are about people tend to run AWAY from them, than run towards them. I'm just worried about the types who'd run towards them. You know, dragonslayers or mages out to be a hero or some such....

....

Sort of like me, before I came to BECOME a friend of a dragon. Strange.

"Oooh, I love this," I hear Chiana say softly. "Feels so drad flying along, as a dragon...."

Well, as softly as one can when they're a dragoness with a 200 foot wingspan! As it is, it's more like a rumbling shout, almost, by human terms. Loud enough to be heard over the sound of the wind, anyway.

Sigin

I chuckle softly when I overhear my mate's words. That was one of many things she liked about becoming a dragon. It agrees with her. Her and me, really. She just looks so . . . GOOD right now, sunlight glittering off her scales like that!

Must say I also like flying! Like travelling around by TARDIS, onto other worlds and times. However, this is the kind of travel I'd been hatched for, you know!

As for our plans to rescue the remaining Key Component Carriers?

Heh, a plan for just HOW we're going to proceed into Allaria's borders and Collins?

We're doing what the Doctor always does, improvising. Making it up as we go along! What will we face once we pass over the mountains and into that rather xenophobic land? I remember how things had been back in my business dealings in my world's version of the Great Kingdom, Allaria. At times, what I'd seen there, I'd wondered what had been so Great about it! Lord, what I'd had to do just to start up a business while posing as a human mage! God in Heaven what kind of trouble I'd face if anyone back there had learned of the truth, me being a dragon!! The more human appearing races (elves, dwarves, and such) had cold receptions in human towns in Allaria as it was, so you can figure...

Ah, nevermind. Just old memories....

Sigh, do like Terra Prime.

Well, anyway, you know now what I'm worrying about. What kind of reception we'll get. No, I'm not saying we'll be foolish enough to swoop down into Collins in dragon form, demand a room for the night, and not expect panic and men at arms to greet us!

No, we'll do it smarter than that, trust me. Just the problem here is what we'll be facing in as far as what you'd expect from a pair of large dragons crossing the border and flying overland? Yes, panicking peasants and worried nobles, surely. How about, though, what the mages will do?

So far I'd detected no less than four attempts at scrying/spying upon my group while flying over Aqualaria. Had been able to successfully deflect them, keeping spying eyes away. Enough to hopefully hide the fact that we dragons are actually flying a straight shot to Collins, an easy and predictable path if I fail to keep the spying spells away. Don't need more people to know our plans than we can help, thanks. Now, what's going to be happening in Allaria, that xenophobic land? We might be flying into something like Fortress Allaria, the sky sweeping full of magical magical spells, spying upon us and directing armed forces upon our location we'll land before heading into Collins, posing as weary mundane travelers (who are of course alarmed at the news of dragons in the area)! If that's the case, we might not be able to pose as travellers. Might have to fight or flee for our lives! Then again, Allaria is rather phobic about magic, so we might not be in that kind of danger. Meaning that they might have their mages so regulated/controlled that such magical prowess might be impossible.

We'll have to quiz our demifox named Fred when we land for lunch!

Which . . . proves to be a bit more difficult at first than I should have figured. After all, I had seen what the blocks who'd been demifoxes had done! It's obvious that once they returned to their normal flesh and blood form.... That at least for a bit their entire world would only consist of each other....

Good grief! Never knew that demifoxes could kiss like that!

"Heh," coughs Chiana, even she taken aback. "Hey guys, get a room or something why don't you?"

The start and glare the two demifoxes give her at being interrupted is . . . classical.

1. They then blink, realizing that they had been in a rather public spot, as it were. That and there had been a decided change. . . .

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