Chapter 29: Zentarou's Tears

By now the Bretheren Arcanum were quite comfortable in Natar's home realm, riding on his back as the glided over the Stardust Paths. The other passing dragons were unnoticed, as were many of the diamonds that marked each world. Instead, they whispered quietly to each other, or spoke through the telepathic pendants, and periodically they dozed. And so their time stretched on, days seemed to blend into a muddled stretch.

How long, Dregan asked mentally at length one glide, has it been now, Zentarou?

How long? They heard his mental chuckle. Let me think... I believe around a month.

We found Eternia when I was around a month gone, commented Orko. Trolly-molly, maybe it'll be good luck.

Just as long as w don't encounter any jungles, from Vivi, to which the other three vehemently agreed.

Natar stopped suddenly in a hovering float, lifting his head, ears twitching as if listening.

"Something wro - " began Dregan, but the Twilight Dragon shushed him.

: Be quiet, and sit still.: As his knowledge of this plane outweighed theirs, they obeyed quickly. Soon enough they found the source of his Natar's concern: a pair of Twilight Dragons battling each other viciously.

: You are fortunate neither is of my family, or I would have to assist: the dragon informed them. : As is, their fight is a simple distraction, one that makes it very hard to focus on your energies, Zentarou. I was getting close I think, but now everything is muddled. I cannot be sure of the way to go.:

"What are they fighting about?" whispered Vivi as soft as he could.

: Any number of things. A female, territory, a treasure on any random world, one even over a matter of honor. We Twilight Dragons take our honor very seriously.: He snorted, annoyed. : I cannot focus. Might as well land on the nearest world, warp, and go at it again.:

"Okay." Zentarou sounded dismayed, but understanding, as was his way. Natar snorted at the battling pair once more, then took a pair of random turns and entered a diamond.

On this world, the sky was a lovely, rich blue. White puffy clouds floated lazily about them on a, early fall breeze. As they were decently high up, they could see for miles. To the left and back, they could see a forest on the horizon, and direct left held a mildly hilly region that sported a mix of brown and green, more green, like a once-desolate area now vibrant again. Dregan, twisting to look behind, saw another forest, on the southern horizon, albeit smaller than the first. Beneath them stretched a grassy plain, devoid of trees but seeming very inviting. Towns could be seen here and there, and a wide road cut a straight route north, the direction determinable by the position of the sun on their right.

"Look at that!" Orko gasped, pointing.

Ahead of them could be seen a decent-sized walled city, almost perfectly square save for a bulge on the southeast corner, like a second square added on without the top line. Most of the features were indistinguishable from their height, but three structures stood out; a large coliseum, a white, pristine building - a temple, perhaps - and a castle.

"It's beautiful," complimented Vivi. Dregan nodded in agreement, then blinked in surprise at the soft sound that reached his keen ears: a soft gasp, or sob.

"Zentarou?" he queried, for both he and Vivi had caught the faint shudder in the cat's shoulders. Orko twisted, and saw tears running openly down his face. A feeling of hope began to rise in them all, especially as Zentarou turned to point at the southwest woods.

"The Great Elven Woods." Then to the brown and green hills. "The Human Territory." Then he, in a faintly choked voice, dubbed the second woods, "Southern Caine." Lastly, he reached his hand out to the city, as if he desired to hold it close to his head. "Kylado, the capital of Northern Caine, my birthplace.

"We found Talsdia!" Later, Zentarou claimed that he was surprised no one heard their triumphant shouts.

: The fates were flying with us that time: Natar told them. : I swear to you, I did not know that this was your world, Zentarou. I could sense nothing but the battling Twilight Dragons.:

"Trolly-molly, maybe a month away is lucky," joked Orko laughingly. The others joined in his laughter, even Natar in his rumbly dragon fashion, but a sudden trumpet call stole their mirth. Zentarou listened intently to the pattern of calls and pauses.

"Danger... North... Army! Kylado is under attack from the north side!"

"Again?" from Vivi. "First Eternia, then here?"

"A coincidence we'll have to investigate later," responded Dregan. "Zentarou, lets see what's going on, and give the enemy a nasty surprise." Zentarou nodded, giving the command to the battle-ready Natarstreyk.

"Natar, fly over the city to the north side fast." Natar obeyed, and they raced to the scene of the fighting, startling some of the defenders who were unsure if they were friend or foe.

Below on the north field two armies were in full confrontation. One side was obviously Zentarou's people, and elves with them, and they were holding their own, even gaining a bit of ground. The opposing force was a black army of familiar-looking demons.

"Them again," growled the cat. "Well, they'll not get my home." He looked at the other mages. "Get ready, brothers of magic. Natar, defend Kylado!"