Festival of the Full Moon

Ad'cero quickly rolled Im'os over. Im'os, you blundering fool! How could you have been so careless... where is Iniara? Damn the currents. Blast...

She had given up hope for a while and decided to sit back down and wait in silence. She wasn't exactly sure where she and Im'os ended up but estimated from the setting sun and the water's edge that they had drifted southwest of their original course. She knew Eldora was directly south of Crykst but the land wasn't hilly, let alone rocky. She sighed. This was not the way she wanted to fulfill her elder years, especially with an old imp, unconscious at her feet.

What a lousy vacation, she snuffed. Off to her right she saw a glittering piece of stone. Huh? She lifted her tired, old body and walked closer. There lay Iniara's blue power gem. Now, what do we have here? She bent down and picked it up. I guess she didn't float too long away from here, I wonder if she is alive, she pondered.

Ugh... Get the twenty elephants off my chest! Im'os growled as he woke up.

Ad'cero sighed, Im'os, there are no elephants within a few hundred miles, and I am sure the last place they would want to sit is on your chest!

No need to be rude, old woman! he snapped bitterly.

I can be as rude as I want! You owe me that much after pulling me from my home and taking me on this forsaken quest for a stupid egg! Now where has it gotten us? Hmm?

Im'os didn't catch her last comment and instead interrupted, Where are we?

How would I know? Do I look like I am your personal map?

Now that's a silly question, you don't look anything like a map, he sarcastically replied as he rubbed his sore head.

Humph!

Now seriously, Ad'cero, where are we? Do you have any idea, any clue... at all?

I think we drifted west of the Eldora Mountains, to be exact. We are probably just a bit north of Emblem. Im'os audibly gulped. What's for that scared look, Im'os?

Oh, oh nothing.

You are hiding something from me, aren't you! she demanded.

If I was? he growled back in his raspy imp voice.

I would kill you, even if I had to do it with my fingernails!

Now that wouldn't answer your question either! Ha!

Ooh, you silly imp, I should 'a stepped on you when I had the chance in the forest before your thugs captured me!

I would have liked to see you try, oldie! Before you were born, I was killing people in Demintrix! Hehehe, you think I am scared of a little old Hearthian?

That's Hearthan, and yes, you should be, you devil!

Go on a catch me, you fool! Im'os leaped on his short, thin legs and bounded off down the shoreline. Ad'cero followed in a heat.

Come back' ere you, you... mongrel!

The two sped inland and met with a forest of tall bushes. Im'os stopped suddenly and ushered Ad'cero, who was just steps behind him to stay quiet.

What, let me kill you properly, imp! Ad'cero hushed.

Then you'll get yourself killed by Daemenite wizards!

What?

Shh!

A few hidden voices lurked behind the wall of bushes and could hardly be heard. One voice began to speak, Hmm, yes we need to keep an eye out for weird activity. My suspicion intensifies with the approaching Moon festival.

You concern yourself with petty thoughts, a second voice piped, Prophecies are not to be taken as truth.

A prophecy is a warning, I tell you. And if it is one thing our ancestors taught us it was, well it was always follow a prophecy!

Iniara died in that attack by the devil, she was not stolen, and I can assure you that.

Iniara? Ad'cero whispered. Im'os slunk back behind Ad'cero.

With what proof can you present to delay my misery? the first voice questioned.

She hasn't returned yet, that's what! Most children in that battle died anyway.

You make it seem like it was a meaningless event in our history, Bruhu.

Enough, enough you two, a third, feminine, voice chimed. Either way, this festival is a happy time; let's try to make it that way, shall we?

The two other voices grunted in reply and a shuffle of leaves signaled their departure.

Now what do you think that was all about, Im'os? Im'os? Ad'cero looked around but could not find the little imp.

Ow! You little, erg! Merold exclaimed from the other room.

What was that? Derik responded.

Nara, your little delinquent of a dragon just bit me! she walked into the kitchen holding Eidea'col in front of her body. The little wyrm writhed in the old woman's grip. Iniara grabbed Eidea'col and began to scold her.

Oh, Eidea'col! You should know better than to bite the hand that feeds you! and tapped the wyrm's nose. Not very pleased with her treatment, Eidea'col snapped at Iniara's fingers and left tiny bite marks near the joints. OUCH! Iniara yelled, dropping Eidea'col- but surprisingly, the little wyrm went straight to flight and flew haphazardly to the top of a cabinet.

No! You little rascal, come back down here before you knock over one of my vases! Accompanied by what seemed like a laugh, Eidea'col used her heavily armored tail to whip around on top of the cabinet and hit some of the vases, which tumbled to the ground and broke in hundreds of pieces. GAH! Those were heirlooms! Merold began to pull a chair close to the cabinet and attempt to grab Eidea'col. Damn you! I am going to KILL YOU!

No! Mother, NO! Derik grabbed his mother and held her down, Is there no way you can dispel Eidea'col, Nara?

She thought quickly, the leader of the Clan said nothing about calming the wyrm once it hatched. I... I... can't think of anything! she exasperated. The she remembered that she was a magician after all. Everyone, back away! she pulled up her sleeves and readied her hands. She had not performed magic recently without the aid of her channeling object, the stone on top of her staff, which was most likely lost in the shipwreck.

Closing her eyes, she began to whisper a calming spell then clasped her hands together and extended her two index fingers and pointed them at Eidea'col. Nyan nehire shergun, Nyan nehire shergun... Nyan nehire shergun, she repeated. Eidea'col's eyes wearily drooped and her body became unsteady. Soon, she lost control of her entire body and flopped from the cabinet to the floor below. The force of her drop made a large cracking sound. Oh, Eidea'col! Iniara whispered and rushed to the wyrm's side and checked to see if she had broken anything. Hum, she inspected closer, the armor on her back must have protected her... nothing seems to be harmed, except the china already on the ground.

Let's tie her up, Nara! Merold responded to the now sleeping wyrm.

Isn't that a little... rash? Derik commented.

That... that... evil creature nearly ripped our limbs off and broke our heirlooms! Derik, tell your friend that she cannot keep this wretch in our house unless it is properly restrained!

Derik sighed; he didn't want to see Iniara go. Nara, I have to obey my mother's wishes. Can you think of something we can do to restrain Eidea'col before she wakes up? Then we can think of an appropriate way to handle Eidea'col.

Iniara frowned, she already loved Eidea'col and grown attached to her, even before her birth, but decided that it was best so that Eidea'col did not hurt anyone until they were prepared to handle her. She nodded, Okay, maybe we can cover her mouth and hold her wings shut.

The trio decided to wrap some cloth around her muzzle and do similar to her wings so she couldn't fly.

So, Iniara must be a lot more popular name than I thought, Ad'cero spoke singly. Im'os disappeared unexpectedly so she was alone for now. She sighed, she still held Iniara's power gem in her hand and tucked it away in her torn apron.

She continued through the branches after she was confident that the Daemenite wizards had left the area. The forest was quite quiet, which worried her. The forests in Demintrix were much different then the Arube Forest she was accustomed to. Oh well, she thought, I might be old but I can still navigate through any woodland.

Derik, you have to help me! Iniara pleaded. She followed Derik around the kitchen area as he picked up the broken glass and vase pieces. He in turn ignored her.

I can't believe I am sacrificing my time for a dragon, one that isn't even from Rhul, to boot! he continued to mutter under his breath.

Derik! she implored once more and halted in the middle of the floor. Please, talk to me.

Derik's eyes finally turned to the female, What I have gotten myself into from the day I found you. He just shook his head with a sigh, but I have made a promise.

He continued on, stopping once and a while to search the floor for forgotten pieces. Iniara stalled but continued, What promise?

Derik's back was to Iniara but he sighed and responded, I promised myself that I would protect you. He then continued to sweep the floor, content that he had found all the fragments, however his mind drifted far from just cleaning the kitchen's wooden floor.

Why would you make such a senseless promise? her mouth stalled open. Her eyes followed the perimeter of his body, he seemed tired and weak.

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