~10-11-00~
No notes this time around! An apology is reserved for the end.
A Rift Between Worlds: Chapter 5
The rush of air and the beat of wings was the only real warning before three large creatures flew over the path that Tas, Goku, Gohan, and the kids were currently on. Flying majestically, they dropped lower as they were sighted.
"Wha-what are they?" Goten asked sort of nervously.
"Why, they're dragons of course!" Tas said absolutely delighted. "Oh yoo hoo! We're down here!"
Somewhat tentative looks were exchanged all around -- though Goku was just as entranced as the little kender -- and finally the three wyrms landed gracefully in a nearby clearing, each shifting slightly for comfort.
"Tasslehoff Burrfoot, we were sent to look for you," one, who apparently was the leader, rumbled. He was a bright silver and the moonlight glinted from his scales making them glow.
"Oh!" Tas said. "Really?"
The one on the right, who turned out to be female, spoke. "We have a request from Par-Salian."
"Who's that?" Goten asked.
"You don't know who Par-Salian is?!" The leader asked. "Surely you jest!"
Tas covered his mouth and grinned. "He was joking!"
"No I wasn't!" Goten's voice was muffled, but still distinguishable.
"He's serious, Malinth," The bronze said to the silver. "Dead serious."
Narrowing his eyes and lowering his voice, Malinth spoke. "Where are you four from? It can't be around here. Lavender hair is *not* commonplace."
"Why are you speaking so quietly?" Tas asked loudly. Gohan shot him a look and answered the question.
"For reasons I'm not sure of, I don't think that we should allow the elves that are still following us to overhear."
The little kender's eyes opened wide. "How do you-" Gohan held a finger to his lips. "How do you know?" He asked softly.
"I can sense several kis. They are the same as before."
"You are right Young One." The gold said. "Please, get onto our backs and we will complete our task."
Gohan and Goku took Malinth, Trunks and Goten took the bronze, whose name was Jundius, and Tas seated himself upon the gold, who was Poresha. After the customary instructions and warnings, they were off.
Goten closed his eyes and held on to Trunks in a death grip. His friend thought this was amusing and said so.
"Goten, you know how to fly! I can't believe you're afraid of heights!"
"I'm not but if we fall, it's going to be a *long* way! In this world, we can't fly!"
Trunks' expression changed abruptly and he gulped. "Why did you have to tell me that?"
Goku looked over at them and grinned. "Don't worry! I'm sure that we're safe!"
Gohan, on the other hand, was living it up. He clutched his dragon's top scales, a bright smile lighting his features. "This is just like flying on Icarus!"
Rivers, trees, towns, and vast forest passed below them quickly in the fading light of the day. They gained a little altitude and then they saw something in the distance.
"Is that the tower?" Goku shouted above the rush of wind.
"Yes," Malinth spoke. Gohan and his father could feel the vibrations the action created. "It is."
They were tall things, the towers, though not as tall as the Tower of the Sun in Qualinost. The two separate buildings were joined in the front and the back by two small towers. Three solid walls surrounded the structure, each joined at the corners by three small towers. There was a gate in the front, a unique looking gate. But no one was in sight as far as the saiyans and Tas could tell.
"We must let you off here," Poresha told them as they landed gently onto the dusty ground. "You are just outside of the current location of Wayreth Forest. Little kender," she said, "please tell your friends the legend. Fare-thee-well."
The three dragons took to the sky then, just as majestically as they had landed before.
"That was fun," Gohan said simply, totally satisfied. "The most fun I've had in a while."
Goku nodded. "It was." Then he noticed the other two. "Boys? It's okay. We're on solid ground."
"Tousan," Goten said in a small voice. "Could you please tell my stomach that. It doesn't want to settle down."
"Mine either," Trunks said miserably.
"Tas," Gohan said after giving each boy a sympathetic pat on the back, "what did she mean 'tell your friends the legend'."
"Oh it's a really great story!" He settled down to speak. "Well, the Tower has a *huge* forest around it," He stretched out his arms to emphasize, "it never seems to stay where someone puts it on a map. That's just downright mean. It's shouldn't trick people like that. Anyway," He continued when he saw a Tanis-like look come into Gohan's eyes. "It moves because the mages make it do that. 'If you're not invited,' Caramon told me once, 'you can't find it at all.' So far, it's true."
"That's it then," Gohan sighed. "A dead end."
"Not so," Tas spoke up. "Par-Salian invited us."
"But that's just it Tas. We have no idea who that is!"
"He's the Master of the Tower."
"Oh."
"And Head of the Wizard's Conclave and Head of the Order of the White Robes and he gave Raistlin his Test and--"
"We get it, thank you."
"I guess we should get going then," Goku said as he started forward somewhat reluctantly. For some reason, a forest that 'moved' freaked him out a little.
"Let's go."
***
The bright sun shone down on three huddled figures near the Tower of the Sun. They wore leather armor, green tunics that helped to conceal themselves among the thick foliage of the forest, and sharp swords at their sides.
"I couldn't hear a thing," One elf reported back to his leader. "It was important though. I could tell."
"Should we speak to His Highness about this?" Another questioned.
Jalin thought it over. "Well, it really *does* look suspicious doesn't it? But if we bother him about trivial matters, it wouldn't be at all good."
"What were you going to tell my father about?" Asked a new voice. The three spun.
"Prince Porthios!"
"It's about five strange characters outside Qualinesti. One was a kender, and the other four *looked* human," Jalin told him.
"And one even had lavender hair," the female said.
"I think I know who you speak of. They were at the Inn of the Last Home when I went to see about some business." He frowned. "What exactly was wrong?"
"Three dragons landed beside them and a whispered conversation took place. It looked secretive to me. A little *too* secretive." Jalin said with a slight sneer.
"My Prince!" The woman said suddenly. "Do you think that the humans are planning something?"
"Nonsense," Porthios replied. "Why would they use the aid of a kender? But," He added to get rid of their fears, "I will have someone keep an eye on them."
"Thank you My Prince. I knew we could count on you!" Jalin and his companions bowed hastily before they departed.
"I will keep an eye out," Porthios said softly. "but not on those you have intended. There is something strange going on here. *Very* strange."
***
"We've been walking for *hours* and I'm bored!" Tasslehoff complained for the tenth time that hour. It was completely dark now but no one, save Tas, was willing to sleep in the forest. It had an aura of unrest about it.
Goten jumped as he felt something brush against his leg. 'Oh please,' he said to himself. 'Please tell me that we're almost there.' It was the last straw when the whispering began. He squealed like a stuck pig and firmly attached himself to his father. "Tousan!" He wailed.
"Oh Goten," Gohan sighed to his brother. "It's just the wind."
"Wind my ass!" Trunks whispered. He was afraid of drawing attention to himself. Whatever was out there could be hungry. He even thought he could make out words. Confusing words.
'Answers you seek and answers you will find,' It said. Trunks spun in the direction he thought it came from and got into a defensive position.
"Who's there?"
Everyone looked at him as if he had gone mad, except Goten. "Trunks? Is everything okay?" Gohan asked.
"No! Everything is most definitely *not* okay!" He blurted. "Don't you hear that? The whispering?"
Tas cocked his head to the side and listened intently. "I don't hear anything. Wait! Maybe I can get it to stop for you. Yoo hoo! Can you please be quiet? My friends are getting upset!"
Trunks started to hush him up with a few words but they died on his lips. In an instant, the darkness lightened. Not get brighter but it lessened as if the darkness itself relented a little. By the light of the lantern, they could see a figure seated on a nearby boulder.
Trunks jumped back from it and bumped into Gohan. "Who are you?"
The figure moved closer into the light and bowed gracefully. "I am Regene of Schallsea and I will be your guide."
Apology: I am *so* sorry I took so long! I got the idea for several fanfics and I had a minor case of writer's block. Anyway, I know how much it irritates people when the author of a fanfic takes forever to finish so I forced myself to sit down and write another chapter. I promise it will not take me this long again.