Counter Earth Chronicles - Dual Realities

Chapter 59: At The Mercy Of A Universe No One Can Understand 

December 10th, YOE 35

11:30 AM Free Counter Earth (Courtyard, Castle Wundagore)

“Greetings everyone! I have your order directly from the cafeteria!" The goofy dragon announced as he stepped on to the platform leading into the metallic black oval spacecraft. 

Receiving no response he called out again. “Dr. Pina? Alex?"

The cafeteria cook entered the spaceship looking for his patrons going room to room. He found the chief scientist and his helper in that familiar orange oval room. The same room with the oval window looking outside, a padded table in the center and a sloping viewscreen on the wall.

As he entered he immediately noticed that something was off. Sir Ram's successor the dall sheep was lying chin first on the floor of the room! Next to him his blond haired freckled helper and on the other side of the padded table was head of the knights in World One!

“Alex!! Dr. Pina!! Commander!!" Sorren said running over. They were all unresponsive.

(What happened here?) The red dragon thought standing. 

He placed their orders on the padded table as he scanned the room. The recessed monitor had a blinking red light on it. Next to that a display showing what looked to be a female tanuki also passed out somewhere on the ship.

The red blinking light was so hypnotic. The red dragon could not ignore it. It was like the light was saying push me… push me… PUSH ME!!!

Sorren pressed the flashing light for reasons he knew not why. He was soon sorry he did!

*WHOOOOSHHH!*

The oval spacecraft launched from the courtyard into the heavens with such force and such speed, the goofy dragon's face and body met the floor. He glanced out the oval window to see clouds rush by as the ship ascended through the atmosphere of the planet.

(What happened?!) Sorren thought to himself. He started to turn pale when the totality of the situation hit him. Was that red light a recall button to possibly return this spacecraft to the mothership?!

Earlier…

December 10th, YOE 35

6:12 AM Free Counter Earth (Room B, Castle Wundagore)

“I am sorry knight, that is all I can remember." The woman with brown hair, slanted eyes, pointed ears and long fingernails replied.

“Try again." Commander Ursa ordered her prisoner.

“You've been interrogating me for the last four days. I am sorry knight but I have reached my limit." The woman Alex identified as Lady Vermin shook her head. “It is like I am being prevented from remembering."

“Alright." The female brown bear replied standing up from the chair. “Then it is time for this."

The former beastial watched as the knight touched a keypad on the side of the table. A helmet appeared above her. Above that a view screen.

“Remember this?" Commander Ursa asked reaching for the helmet.

The woman shook her head.

“It is an invention from our former chief scientist, a mind probe." The bear knight knight said placing the helmet on the woman's head. “This machine here will read your thoughts, feelings and memories and display them on the view screen here for me to see."

“Very well." The woman said, giving her consent.

Commander Ursa pressed a series of buttons on the keypad next to her table. A 'whirring' noise was heard throughout the room. As the machine warmed up. The woman passed out as every synapse and neuron was read.

The view screen showed a simple rat scurrying around the city in the time after the High Evolutionary came to power…. It was carrying a slice of pizza…. It was captured, brought to a lab…. A large needle was jabbed at its stomach…. It was placed in a large glass cylinder where it grew from a simple rodent to a humanoid rat.

The next scene showed that it had gained sentience! It was released and bowed down toward its creator.

There was no doubt left, the fierce ursine warrior concluded this was her friend! This was Lady Vermin!

The bear made herself comfortable as she watched the highlights reel from the former beastial. Just what did happen after she was taken by the KLIS? It would take some time to get to that point in her history. But she was anxious to know. 

8:30 AM Free Counter Earth (Master Koala's Lab, World Three Museum)

“I see them!" Panda Lee shouted.

“Confirmation confirmed." Milo added. “They are crossing the event horizon now."

“Arthur, Minka, Primrose welcome back!" Cody said as the away team emerged from the window of the reality observation machine after more than a week on the alternate Counter Earth.

“I didn't think we would ever make it out of there." The rabbit girl said dropping to her knees exhausted.

Minka and Arthur did the same. 

“How did you make it back?" The she panda asked. “You were being detained."

“We let them go." A glimmering goo puddle said jumping through the observation window.

“Oh no!" Milo gasped.

“Oh yes, so much yes." Yoana replied, studying the panda, wolverine and cat. “I guess some introductions are in order. I am Yoana of the free people. Your friends helped my friends depose our outdated out of touch leadership. For that I thank you."

“By letting them go?" Cody asked.

“We were of no more use to them." Arthur replied.

“So you brought them back?" Panda Lee asked.

“Yes. I also was selected to help you with your extraterrestrial problem." The goo puddle with eyes responded.

“In return for?" Milo asked.

“My friends and my selfish self interests." Yoana replied cryptically.

“We are nothing more but 'power ups' to them." Minka warned.

“And you three would do nicely. Especially you chubby- I could help you take off some of those pounds." The sentient puddle replied looking at the wolverine boy.

Milo trembled at the notion.

“Scared? I think our combined form would look exquisite!"

*beep* *beep*

“Oh no!" Cody shouted.

“What is it?" Yoana asked.

“Another incursion." Milo said looking at his cube. “They have increased here within the last few days."

“Getting to the museum was rather treacherous." Panada Lee added.

“So that beep beep is some sort of early warning system?" The free person asked looking at the teens.

“That is the best we can do against the extraterrestrials." Arthur announced.

“Sad. Very sad." Yoana said looking at the rabbit, cat, monkey, hedgehog, panda and wolverine. 

“Alright chubby and big butt you are with me. Let's go investigate." She said pointing to Milo and Panda Lee.

“She seems rather confident doesn't she?" Cody asked Primrose, Minka and Arthur.

“The free people were created and enslaved by the extraterrestrials of their reality until they rebelled and gained their freedom." Arthur announced.

“Um, why us?" The wolverine boy asked the female goo creature.

“Amongst your group you two are known as the alien hunters right? Well let's hunt some aliens."

9:20 AM Free Counter Earth (KLIS spacecraft, Castle Wundagore Courtyard)

For the last few days I had been watching Sir Ram's replacement as he dissected the moderate sized metallic black oval spacecraft, attempting to reverse engineer it; to learn its secrets to stop the KLIS incursions.

Dr. Pina was so engrossed in his work, that he neglected caring for INTERCEPT after she had escaped from the aliens at great risk to herself to bring him this incredible gift. He had relegated her care to castle staff.

I guess it made sense given the incredible pressure he had been placed under by Commander Ursa and the High Evolutionary.

“I think I have made a breakthrough Mr. Winter." He said turning to me. We were in that small orange oval room with the padded table and recessed viewscreen.

I looked at the beastial scientist.

“This is some type of staging room. Ship operations can be controlled from here. For instance this tile here controls the ship's gravity."

“WHAA!!!" I shouted as I was plastered on the ceiling of the room.

“It is extremely localized of course." He said touching the tile again.

“Thanks for the warning." I said sarcastically to my beastial superior.

*WHOMFP* 

On my decent from the ceiling I bounced off the padded table and onto the floor next to him.

“OW!"

“Ow, indeed little human." 

(Was that his apology?!)

“This tile over here controls propulsion, thrust." He said pointing to some icons on the sloping view screen. “These over here are communications, life support and…this tile controls the yellow beam."

*FWOSH*

I was instantly transported outside of the craft.

“Dr. Pina! It is a teleporter!" I said to the dall sheep scientist. “I wonder what the range is and how far?"

“What is that?!" The dall sheep asked turning his gaze back to the viewscreen.

“Remote cameras…." I replied looking at the image that appeared next to his paw. “You beamed INTERCEPT into the ship. It looks like she is now on one of the lower decks."

“No Mr. Winter, that." He said pointing to another image on the monitor.

“It is another KLIS harvesting underway in World Three." I replied.

“I will notify the knight core…" He said turning to his communicator. “Those poor beastials…."

“Are probably experiencing what my mistress and I went through during our abductions."

“You two were abducted. What was it like?"

“Horrifying." I replied.

10:36 AM Free Counter Earth (Room B, Castle Wundagore)

Commander Ursa trembled as she watched the images pulled from the former beastial the day of the harvesting. Lady Vermin was within Castle Wundagore…. She had just spoken with Lea and was on her way to meet with Lord Tiger… as she turned a corner she came face to face with a horizontal yellow beam… she watched as it moved toward her slowly any beastial within its pathway instantly disappeared….

“RUN!!!" She heard someone from the castle saff shout as the beam moved down the hallways, malicious, determined, methodical… the female rat tried to figure out how to fight the beam… dart in an office? Hide in a closet? It didn't help as she watched more beastials disappear in front of her; all she could do was turn tail and flee. 

She joined the other inhabitants of the castle trying to evade the yellow wall of light… she turned another corner running down a nicely carpeted hallway. At its end she found more support staff including Sir Ram's assistant.

“We need to leave the castle!" She shouted.

“How? We are boxed in!" The lioness shouted.

The rat warrior looked at the hallway to her immediate left… there was the beam! She looked down the corridor to her right. There was another beam and the direction she had just come from there was the beam.

“Like rats in a maze!" Lady Vermin shouted as the beams converged on their position.

“Aiieee!" Lea screamed as they were touched by the light.

*WHOOSH*

The beastials were levitated through the walls, roof outside and into the triangular shaped ship hovering above castle Wundagore.

Commander Ursa trembled as Lady Vermin's group experienced the horror she and Alex had when they encountered the KLIS.

Upon their arrival the rat warrior's group was advanced upon by grey aliens their small noses, small mouths, child-like bodies were eerie but it was those large black eyes that seemed to stare through you… immobilizing… paralyzing….

The lioness, the rat and the rest of her group were separated… taken to other parts of the shift where their armpits and foot paws were marked and bar coded.

They were then housed in this dark chamber under white spotlight like holding cells… made passive… docile and inactive until the aliens came for them.

Commander Ursa watched in horror as her friend's memories came in even more flashes… she was taken to an orange oval room… strapped to a table… pinned to a wall… thrusted above on the ceiling… mechanical tentacles placed in every orifice of her person… bodily fluids extracted… samples taken… every cell in her body mapped.

Then came the experiments! Having your insides and outsides reversed… fur stripped off… organs removed for examination…. The female rat watched as her heart and lungs were casually carried away to be studied.

“HEY I NEED THOSE!!" 

And then one day the ultimate experiment… the big slap in the face… the final insult…

“What?" Lady Vermin asked watching four greys stand around her table as she looked up at them.

The four said nothing, their slit like mouths moving from neutral to  small smiles. 

(A NEW EXPERIMENT? THIS WAS BAD!)

Lady Vermin remained in that room strapped to that table for days as the unthinkable was done to her… the separation of animal and human traits from her person until all that was left was a non-binary shell. The aliens had achieved their goal; satiated their fascination with beastials!

As the ultimate screw you to their captive, they restored her human traits but kept the beastial traits for further study returning her to the planet's surface in her current state.

Commander Ursa dropped to her knees, tears falling down her face. They should have just killed her. It would have been far less cruel.

“What did you see?" Lady Vermin asked as the helmet was removed and the mind probe was shut down.

“Everything." The bear replied.

11:06 AM Free Counter Earth (Courtyard, Castle Wundagore)

“Dr. Pina, status report!" My bear said joining us aboard the craft.

“I am starting to familiarize myself with the KLIS' technology commander."

“How familiar?" My warrior bear asked.

“Why?" The sheep countered.

“World Three…"

“Yes they are being visited right now mistress." I replied as Dr. Pina pulled up the image on the monitor.

“Can we assist them?" My she beast asked.

“I am not at that level of familiarity commander." The dall sheep replied apologetically. 

“What if it was determined that they are headed here next?" She asked. Her voice a warning.

That comment seemed to ignite a fire under his ass as he started touching every button on the view screen he could find trying to find out what they did.

*FLASH*

Now…

December 10th, YOE 35

11:42 AM Free Counter Earth (KLIS spacecraft, Upper atmosphere Counter Earth)

“Commander? Alex? Dr. Pina?" the goofy dragon asked trying to awake his unaware companions as the craft shot through the upper stratosphere apparently to points unknown. 

That was when the red dragon saw it. A triangular ship orbiting Counter Earth about the same size as the one that attacked Castle Wundagore months ago and the spacecraft he, Ursa, Dr. Pina, Alex and INTERCEPT were on was headed right towards it!

“Oh bother…." He exclaimed.

To Be Continued….

[MEANWHILE] 

December 10th, YOE 35

11:30 AM Chaundoon (Mysterious Maze, Uncharted Wilderness)

The red and blue prototypes circled over the spot where a week ago a forest once stood. It was now barren ground. Satisfied that the area was secure, they landed. It was a signal for the hover vehicles that followed.

A black utility vehicle landed in front of the two prototypes followed by an RV. The occupants of the blue prototype- a bear and her blond haired human were the first to exit. A caracal and she dragon from the dragon defenders exited the red coupe. A rhino and badger exited from the black utility vehicle. The occupants walked up to the arch that led to the underground maze where Dawn Stern, Corbin Mongoose and the former chieftain of Kenja Pride had been discovered. As they arrived, a rumbling was heard from inside.

I cast a glance at those in attendance. Lady Ursa, Lady Barq, Commander Rhinox, Sanda and Ripple. The senior leadership of the knight core was well represented. This was heavy, very heavy.

Those present looked at the arch as the beige creature with long black hair, jagged limbs and three eyes emerged.

“Who speaks for the rest of you?" It asked.

(Wow, right to the point. Well at least it didn't try to petrify us!)

“I do." A red dragon said exiting the RV. He was preceded by Mathias and Mattimeo who after making sure it was safe, let him and a white dragoness move toward the creature. Our delegation had arrived and negotiations with this being who could literally turn flesh and fur to stone had begun.

Earlier….

December 10th, YOE 35

6:12 AM Chaundoon (Our Home, World Seven)

I have had trouble sleeping the last few nights since the loss of my little brother, my sister's doppelganger and her lover. I see Corbin and Dawn everywhere. Their home across the street from ours, at work, in the Wild's restaurant, the community garden, Friendship park- their former hangouts. 

It is like I am expecting them to come knocking on our door to come over for a visit. But that is not the case. Everyone was pondering what to do with their statues. Some were thinking about some type of memorial, perhaps placing it and them inside the park.

My lovers have tried their best to comfort me. My she beast was also distraught as well because she was equally close to Dawn and Corbin. 

This morning I awoke early and was not able to return to sleep. I was lying on my perfect person, my head resting on her shoulder, my arms splayed across her chest. On the opposite side of my bear was my devious person mirroring my actions. Lady Ursa's paws resting on our rumps.

“Not able to sleep pet?" She asked twitching uncomfortably. I guess her petrified tail was bothering her.

“Yeah. I am still thinking about Dawn, Corbin and Club's remains and what to do with them."

“Well if they were true corpses shouldn't they be buried little cutie?" The red eyed lioness asked.

“But that is the problem Shakara, they aren't corpses." My perfect person said to my devious person.

“I have been thinking about it for the last few hours. I guess in the short term why not just have them moved to their house until we can think about a proper way to celebrate their lives?" I suggested.

“Good idea little Alex." A voice from behind me said sliding into our bed. 

“Boris when did you?" My mistress asked greeting her breeding partner.

“Freckled boy and pretty lady bear have been rather down lately. Boris decided to help cheer up."

“Thanks big bear." I replied as the he beast spooned me from behind as our threesome turned into a foursome. There was so much love in our home.

6:20 AM Chaundoon (Arthur, Minka & Midnight Black's Home, World Seven)

The white akita relaxed as he was sitting on a warm lap being cuddled. Strong arms embraced him and a warm chin rested on his head. This moment, this wonderful moment he wished could go on forever! So this was what it was like to be loved? Wonderful, simply wonderful!

“Enjoying yourself dear?"

Midnight Black looked up… he was sitting on Diamantopoulous lap! The wolf demon had a particularly devilish grin on his maw.

“ACK!!" 

“This is just the prelude doggie! We are going to have so much fun!!!"

*GASP*

“Something wrong baby?" Minka asked as the akita shot straight up in their bed.

“Another bad dream." The former assassin said to the monkey girl at his side as she rubbed his chest.

“If you want I could give you a few good ones." Mika replied grinning ear to ear.

“Good ones?" The white akita started to say.

*POOMF*

He found himself pinned back down on the bed looking up at a very nude Minka Mallow. He also noticed that his undergarments were gone as well.

“How did you?"

“A girl has to have her secrets." The she monkey said massaging his scrotum waiting for something to come peaking out of his sheath. It didn't take long.

Midnight Black watched as the monkey girl grabbed his emerging very red phallus, moved it to her cub tunnel and impaled herself on it. The teen wasn't the most beautiful in the city and hell she was much younger than him. But she did adore him and in a weird way the akita reciprocated. 

“Whine for me puppy." The monkey girl ordered her akita as their intimate act began and observers on the other side of the bedroom watched.

“Well that went from general audience to restricted rather quickly." Flo said to her bedmate. 

“Sata, Sorrell! Is this how you greet all your visitors? Serious mysterious!" Arthur mumbled in his sleep.

Realizing that the leader of their group was oblivious to the sexual activities on the other side of the room, Flo decided to do the same despite the sounds coming from the akita's maw. Besides, they had to be somewhere in a few hours.

*Whine*

“That's my akita!" Minka tee-heed.

The she orangutan soon found herself in the land of dreams.

“Enjoying your sabbatical slave?" A dark wolf asked picking her up, placing her in his arms and nuzzling her.

“Master?"

“Surprise to see me?" Diamantopoulous asked.

“Um, like yeah." Flo responded as the wolf demon cuddled her.

“Enjoying your time away? That is good everyone needs a break every now and again." He said staring her in the face. “Don't worry, we will be together soon enough."

“Master?" She asked as a paw finger moved toward her nose.

*BOOP*

8:30 AM Chaundoon (Class Room Building, World Seven)

“Are you sure you are up to this?" Panda Lee asked the Ghost Hunters.

“You guys have been through a lot." Milo added. 

“And you two have also missed a lot!" Ms. Rose said to the hedgehog boy and monkey girl. “Consider your presentation today a make up!"

“Yes miss Rose." Arthur replied to the female black bear.

“Right. Flo you ready?" Minka asked.

“Like for sure!"

“We will be in the crowd cheering you on." Panda Lee replied.

“Definitely not critiquing you." Midnight Black added.

“Now that sounds like the Midnight Black I know." Milo added. “Let's get some good seats."

Confidently Minka, Arthur and Flo made their way to the front of the classroom to start their presentation. The she orangutan operated the visual aids on the easel and the hedgehog and monkey presented.

“Good morning and welcome to our paranormal report. I am Arthur Speedwell. Over there is Minka Mallow and behind us is Flo Fuller."

“This morning we are going to talk about our little corner in the sciences division and if all of you behave we might recount some of the cases we have investigated!" Minka said smiling. 

And so…

“One of our most memorable cases was helping a family that was experiencing weird things at a farm house they had just bought." The leader of the Ghost Hunters recounted.

“What type of things?" Ganzel asked.

“Like a class 'A' haunting!" Flo announced to the little dragon flipping over another visual.

“Mysterious voices, shadows, strange writings, and spectral spirits." Minka said getting excited.

“What did you find?" Kip's mother asked her students.

“The previous owner had made an unholy deal with a dark entity losing his soul in the process and cursing the property." Arthur added.

“What did you tell the family?" Trail asked.

“The only thing they could do in a situation like that. Cut and run." Minka replied the other young sand dragon.

“Like, they heeded our advice." Flo replied. “The property sat abandoned."

“Until it was sold again and the new owner started experiencing the same thing. He hired another paranormal team to investigate. He and they then disappeared…" The leader of the Ghost Hunters recalled.

“So we were called in to investigate and we disappeared!" Minka said as gasps were heard throughout the classroom.

“So what happened next?" Their spellbound teacher asked.

“Well…" The she monkey started to say when she noticed that Midnight Black was on the ground in a fetal position- arms covering his legs. 

“That is a story for another day." The hedgehog said stepping in.

“Presentation is like over, thanks for coming true believers!" Flo said breaking down the visual aids.

“AWW!!!" The crowd said disappointed.

“Next time we will talk about some of the cases we have investigated on Chaundoon- 

Ghost armies fighting on a hallowed site replaying a battle over and over… A valley where the suns don't shine and it is always twilight there!" Arthur announced as his partner went to check on the white akita.

“Baby are you ok?" Minka asked.

“Like wow…." Flo exclaimed. “I have never seen him like that." 

“Guys let's get him to medical." The chubby wolverine suggested.

9:20 AM Chaundoon (Infirmary, Central Tower)

“Well this is a treat." The horny lioness said greeting the Ghost Hunters and Alien Hunters. “Seeing the self righteous Mr. Black in this condition."

“SHAKARA!!" I chastized my lioness. “Professionalism!"

“So Arthur, Minka what happened?" The red eyed lioness asked.

“Well we were discussing our past cases and my akita just shut down."

“Nothing we do ever matters…. Our lives are meaningless…. It is just one disappointment after another until you are lying and your deathbeath about to take your last breath and you are like that's it?" The former assassin mumbled.

I conducted a quick assessment under the watchful eye of my amused lioness. “He is having a panic attack." I concluded.

“Midnight Black?" Panda Lee asked.

“Well the three of you were recounting some disturbing things during your presentation." Milo added.

“It can happen. I recommend the four of you go on hiatus for awhile; it is not a good idea to resume your investigations."

“Some time off would be a good idea for the Ghost Hunters." The she panda added. Maybe put in a shift in the observation tower or hang out with myself and Milo." 

“Or you could have Ms. Una hypnotize him."

Everyone looked at Shakara.

“Alex a word!" Penny Penguin poked around the corner.

“Yeah boss, what is it?" I followed the she penguin into office.

She had me sit down opposite her desk which she leaned over.

“How are you holding up?"

“I am still hurting boss, a lot."

“Having announced Dawn, Corbin and Club deceased didn't help." The she penguin surmised.

“It did not ma'am." I replied as the door opened behind me and a gray bare chested sand dragon wearing black bottom-wear walked inside. He wore a totem necklace. “Shaman Psi." 

He placed his paw on my shoulder as his lover the she penguin continued. 

“Psi suspects that Dawn, Corbin and Club are not dead."

“How? They have been turned to stone! There is a bit of finality in that." I protested.

Psi looked at Penny and Penny at Psi like the two were conveying some underlying hidden message.

“Finish up with your patient and then meet us at Dawn and Corbin's." He said to me. “We have something to show you."

10:36 AM Chaundoon (Dawn & Corbin's home, World Seven)

After Shakara and I released Midnight Black, I excused myself from the infirmary and

followed Penny and Psi outside of medical, down the stairs to the main street outside the tower to Dawn and Corbin's home.

We entered. Inside were statues of the trio.

“What you are about to see is to be kept between just the three of us." My supervisor said in the most stern tone.

“Sure."

I watched as Psi dropped to one knee allowing Penny to remove his totem necklace he immediately de-animated becoming a statue!

“The hell?!" I shouted as Penny walked over to the statue of Dawn and placed the necklace around her neck. 

The stone crumbled and revealed a flesh and blood human underneath.

“Please don't!! Aiee!!!" She shrieked.

“DAWN!" I ran to hug her tightly.

“Alex?! My home? How?" The blond archaeologist asked looking around.

“We received a message that you were in trouble." Penny penguin said approaching.

“Search parties were dispatched. My mistress and I found you in uncharted wilderness." I said filing in the blanks. As professor Stern noticed the kneeling statue next to Penny. 

“Psi?" My sister's doppelganger said before… “Corbin, Club!" She said running up to inspect her son and lover. “The creature followed up with his threat! How is it that I am not stone?!"

“It was a trade off." Penny pointed to Shaman Psi. 

“How?"

“Psi is a living statue; his necklace totem gives him life." Penny Penguin said. “He theorized that you and your family were not dead, only imprisoned in stone."

“He was right." I replied.

“Alex, Dawn- Psi's secret is not to leave this room."

“Dawn, what happened?" I asked.

“We were exploring the ruins of another forgotten civilization."

“Like the lost city near World Five on Counter Earth?"

“Yes. We encountered a creature- Club thought it was some type of sentinel. It appeared to be a guardian of that fallen civilization it attacked.… we tried to explain that we meant it no harm; we were scientists, researchers and explorers trying to increase our knowledge. It didn't care."

“You and your party were turned to stone." Penny said taking professor Stern's hand.

“That sentinel or whatever it is, is extremely powerful; it nearly petrified Lady Ursa and myself when we tried to rescue you." I replied to the blond archeologist. 

“Is she okay?" Professor Stern asked.

“Most of her." I replied. “The creature petrified her tail."

“GOODNESS!" Dawn exclaimed.

“It was only her tail. If it had hit slightly lower we would have be having an entirely different conversation…." 

“Come, we need to inform the leadership of our discovery." Penny said ushering us out the door."

11:06 AM Chaundoon (King's Throne Room, Central Tower)

“Lady Ursa how are you feeling?" The dragoness asked as the ursine warrior as she entered.

“No pain, just discomfort." The she beast replied.

“What about the search for that creature?" King Dragon asked.

“The knights and dragon defenders have been combing the maze looking for it. We have discovered that the maze is quite extensive and the creature very elusive, but we will find it."

“Be sure that you do Lady Ursa, but be extremely careful." Duchess Jua advised.

“Your majesties you have others who seeks audience with you." The dragoness' herald said entering the room and bowing.

“Other OTHERS I presume and not the ones from our former planet?" Sorren joked.

“Yes sire."

“Allow them entry." King dragon ordered.

“By the ancestors!" Duchess Jua shouted.

King Dragon had to blink twice to make sure he was seeing what he was seeing. So did my mistress.

“Professor Stern?"

“The report of my team's demise has been greatly exaggerated." The blond archeologist said bowing at the royal couple.

“Alex, Penny, how is this even possible?" The white dragoness asked.

I deferred to my supervisor. 

“I found a way to reanimate the petrified." The she penguin announced as Dawn received a big bear hug from my mistress and then another one. “It is only temporary your majesties."

“The point is the petrification process can be undone Sorren. Err King Dragon." I said bowing.

“What about Lady Ursa's tail?" The goofy dragon asked.

“I believe so too."

“That is good to know." My fierce ursine warrior said lowering the blond archeologist. 

“Lady Ursa." Duchess Jua said, turning to my mistress.

“There is a change of plan." The red dragon said standing. “I am rescinding my standing order for the core; I no longer seek the destruction of the thing that petrified professor Stern and her team."

I looked at the ruler of World Seven as did Duchess Jua.

“I want to arrange a meeting with it."

Now…

December 10th, YOE 35

11:42 AM Chaundoon (Mysterious Maze, Uncharted Wilderness)

The beige creature with long black hair, jagged limbs and three eyes looked Sorren up and down. Everyone present had their paws on their weapons ready to make a move if the creature did the same.

“You are their leader?"

“I am." King Dragon replied uneasily.

“Walk with me." The creature ordered. 

To Be Continued….