Episode Five-Secrets

Episode 5

The Wild Dragonfly: Athame'

Rynth and Athame' walk swiftly through the wastelands of the world toward draco mountain. Athame' holds the compass leading them to draco mountain, growing tired as she walks.

Rynth: So this compass finds the mountain...how do we know when we are close?

Athame’: Just like any compass we get there…just have to follow it. (saying with a deep breath)

Rynth: Are you alright Lady Starfire?

Athame’: Yes. I just need to rest (saying as she takes a walk over to a large tree bark and sits down) Being pregnant does have a lot of advantages but at the same time disadvantages… they are outweighed by a great deal.

Rynth: I am not sure I understand.

Athame’: When my mother was pregnant with my brother she would tell me how blissful and a blessing it was to be so happy that you see in color. Everything raw and natural how it is for everyone else without our people’s aura sight. But she would also say how the pains she felt hurt as well. Like when she would stand for too long, cast spells or even walk. She said it was nature’s way of balancing the good and bad with child expectancy. Would put us at disadvantages with advantages I guess. I miss her. You know when I was young I always pictured going through my first pregnancy with my mom guiding me every step of the way, but instead I’m hiding it because it’s illegal. I..I don’t think I’m ever going to be able to go back home.

Rynth: Would it be possible to make a new home for you both elsewhere perhaps?

Athame’: I hope so. Otherwise it will just us; against the world. Come on. (Saying as she stands with Rynth’s help)

As the two venture through the land they eventually come upon a hover like speeder. It has some wreckage of a crash but Athame’ is determined to fix it to get off her feet the rest of the way.

Rynth: Lady Starfire, are you sure you are able to fix this?

Athame’: I took an automotive course at the academy once to impress my dad…it was an elective. First project was fixing a speeder…this is an older model but same tactics should work. Just need to route power to the engine and bypass the core… this may take some time. You might want to make camp. I’ll put a barrier spell up in a minute, should make us invisible to area.

Hours pass and the two find themselves sitting around a fire eating.

Rynth: Lady Starfire, I was curious what will we do if we find the mountain and the child’s family rejects it?

Athame’: It isn’t their acceptance I seek, I just need their help.

Rynth: Apologies, I am unsure of what you mean.

Athame’: When Brandis was here he ..told me that it was rare of human females to survive giving birth of a drake. That the ones who did only did so by mere force of will and strength.

Rynth: Do you not think you are capable of such will and strength?

Athame’: I did once. Now, I don’t know. Without Brandis I just don’t know…

Rynth: I am sure he would not have left you if he did not think so my lady. He seemed quite compassionate of others.

Athame’: He didn’t know.

Rynth: …?

Athame’: I never got to tell him he was going to be a father…

Rynth: Apologies my lady. I was unaware.

Athame’: No one was…or is. So much was going on but the real reason…I think I was just too afraid, and I still am. (she says with tears in her eyes) At the very worse, I lose this baby, the only piece of him I have left and the utmost worse…I don’t survive and it grows up without a family to love it.

Rynth: I understand.

Athame’: We have to make it to Draco, it’s the only way.

Rynth: Yes Lady Starfire.

Athame’: I must rest now…( rolling over to sleep) You should too at some point.

Rynth: I shall but instead keep watch… you rest my lady.

As she falls to sleep Athame’ has another dream of her time with Brandis. This time the two are lying in bed after making love in their room on the Death Bat, many months prior. Brandis lays sleeping with his back toward Athame’.

Athame’: Bran…Brandis are you awake?

Brandis: I was’t b’I am no. Everything ok?

Athame’: I was just..wondering if what you said was true? About the birthing process of a drake child?

Brandis: Ya. Ver’ true. Measures taken bya midwife o’ someone wit’ prop knowledge o’ drake births can help preven’ it but D’ey were neva told to meh.

Athame’: Why not?

Brandis: Not sure but dinket has somethin’ t’do wit m’lack o’ focus m’motha said. Told meh when I am bout t’have kids she;d teach me.

Athame’ But it is possible to survive it right?

Brandis: Yes. Wit’ dat an stron’ will… wait why do ya keep askin’ bout dis?

Athame’: No reason. I was just curious is all…

Brandis: I see… dis is ya secon’ time askin’ bout drake births wit human females… ya mus’ be more den curious.

Athame’: No, just that.

Brandis: Are ya pregnant, Athame’ or tellin’ meh ya wanna have babies wit me? (saying with a small smile)

Athame’: What?! No!...no I was just curious. I mean if we are going to be together…I mean I’d love to some day…I was just curious is all (saying with a nervous smile and chuckle)

Brandis: Oh…alright.

Athame’: I mean there’s a set of rules here I come from to legally become pregnant. I um… duty bound to follow them…

Athame’ is woken by a loud commotion of fighting. She awakes to Rynth fighting a large monster. Athame’ attempts to help her but minor contractions send her powers in as uncontrollable surge. Rynth comes to her aid after distracting and blinding the beast.

Rynth: Lady Starfire, are you hurt?!

Athame’: No! Just a small.. AHHH!!!! Just go! Hold it off!

Doing as Athame’ commands Rynth battles the large bug like creature that resembles a fire beetle. Athame’ makes her way as fast as she can to the speeder and starts it up. Driving close to Rynth so she is able to jump in during her battle. The monster chases, causing small tremors as it moves. Rynth stands in reverse of the speeders direction as Athame’ drives and manipulates the shadows around t the creature to swallow its feet to stop its pursuit. She and Athame’ continues to speed off in direction of draco mountain using the compass. The speeder, however, soon dies completely but not before they make it to the mountains area.

Rynth: Are you sure it is here?

Athame’: The compass says to stop here…and in good time, but I don’t understand.

The area is an open field and nothing stands in front of them. As the two investigate Rynth picks up a scent.

Rynth: I smell…plants…so many different kinds but I can’t distinguish them…also…a faint sound of wings flapping in the distance. Not sure if it’s insect or not.

Athame’: I wonder.

Saying as she walks forward with her arm and hand extended forward opposite hand in Rynth, and vanishes into a seemingly unseen field only to find herself unharmed; the two find themselves in a large dark jungle.

Rynth: Interesting. Is this the mountain?

Athame’: No, this is the jungle that surrounds it…some are alive so be careful. It is interesting though…the invisible barrier is similar to what Atlantis use to use to cloak itself. It’s as if the area is defending itself by hiding in plain sight. Look…that’s the mountain (she says as she points past the fog and trees as it clear with a gust of wind pointing at the large mountain formation of Draco)

Rynth: Then we shall continue.

Athame’: No wait. There’s particular paths that are safe to take and other’s not so much that we have avoid…Brandis showed me once… let me try to find it.

Athame’ begins to chant to cast a spell but nothing happens. Trying a couple of times with the same result.

Rynth: Something wrong my lady?

Athame’: Another surge…

Rynth: I do not understand.

Athame’: This pregnancy it kind of weighs on my powers. Sometimes they work fine other times not at all or too much. Didn’t use to happen but it’s happening more frequently now.

Rynth: Is that what happen back there the creature?

Athame’: Something like that. Come on, walk through here a few times with Brandis…hopefully I can remember.

The two slowly proceed through the jungle with only Athame’s memory and moving cautiously.

Rynth: My lady, you said these power surges occur because of the child…

Athame’: Yes, or something related to it.

Rynth: What do you mean by that?

Athame’: Like when I feel a small contraction or the baby kicks or just ‘cause maybe I’m coming closer to the end my term…I don’t know.

Rynth: Is there any way of knowing?

Athame’: I am almost at full term by human pregnancy standards. But Brandis said with Drakes it can be random. That there is no exact time frame of birth after the third trimester; SO this baby cane come anytime, that’s part of the reason why I had to leave.

Suddenly a large set of trees begin to fall one after the other towards Rynth and Athame.’ Aware of the danger they attempt to flee for safety but Atham’e falls and catches herself from landing on her stomach. Attempting to rescue her, Rynth runs as fast as she can to help but is snagged by a living plant; unable to move through or control her shadow technique, due to her unable to focus from the plants grasp. The commotion soon has a tree fall toward Athame’ but to her and Rynth’s own amazement, she catches the tree and tosses it aside like a rag. Rynth frees herself from the plants grasp using her speared whip.

Rynth: My lady, you lifted that tree as it was light as a feather, how?

Athame’: I…I don’t know. (In shock)

Rynth: Is it an untapped power of some kind?

Athame’: My people get strong in magic and mysticism as we grow older and wiser but not stronger physically.

Rynth: I understand.

Athame’: I feel different. Ever since I stepped through the veil of these woods I’ve felt…different.

As she looks around Athame’ doesn’t see as if she does with her aura sight but instead more sharp and keen as her eyes glow an emerald green.

Rynth: My lady…are you alright?

Athame’: I’m fine (she says with a tear and smile) I can see the path…many actually. (Which sees to her like a monotone glow in the dark) Up there (saying as she looks up and point) come on!

Athame’ jumps up easily into the trees and begins to leap and swing through the jungle as Brandis once did, Rynth follows easily.

Rynth: My lady! (saying as she keeps up) Are you sure you are alright?!

Athame’: Yes! I mean…I feel fine. Great even! Definitely stronger! I..I remember I use to watch Bran do this! He never once mentioned how fun it is! I mean it’s not flying but it’s pretty close! Come on, a little further up!

As they close in to the base of the mountain, and out of the woods they take a moment of how huge the mountain is up close.

Athame’: Feels like I haven’t been here in forever… bigger than I remember.

Athame’ daydreams upon the spot of where she first met Brandis, when he saved her from a shadow dragon.

Athame’: Come. Brandis’ family’s lair should be close to the top. Be on alert, the mountain has many beast in and outside of it.

The two are suddenly stopped by a familiar face to Athame’ but unknown to Rynth who stands in front of her ready to defend.

Athame’: I’m surprised you even showed your face after our last encounter.

Kinn: Well when you didn’t take the trees falling in the forest warning to leave, human, I felt I had to intervene with you climbing this mountain. So tell me, why have you come, my brother’s human?