Copy Right © Lauren Dyer

8/12/99

#1 Ch. 3

Tanna's Tale

Warning!/Disclaimer: This story is a short view at one point in this character's life and not meant to be taken seriously. The characters Tannaktashia, Crystalshia, Chestalia, Rika -sister to Tanna in this story-, the Elemental, Trista, Skye, and Midnite belong to me. Any other mention of any other character or person not mentioned here does not belong to me by means of Copy Right. It's all legal and if it isn't then tell me! (I am still bonning up on the legal technicalities.)

Also: The two planets Draigon and Draicon are also called Draigos and Draigon. Draigos/Draigon and Draigon/Draicon.

Elemental's Castle

Where were they taking me? All we passed was door after door, hall after hall. The same monotonous pattern over and over, or so it seemed. This was beginning to make me wish I hadn't come here at all. All through the "tour" of the hallways were Dragon Fairies at each door, watching as we passed by. The Captain continued to escort me to where I knew not. The castle was filled with Dragon Fairies, each one had different coloring and features. Each one dazzled in their own way, so many colors. They were scattered about each hallway, some at the open doors, some laying on the cool floor, others flitting close to the ceiling. At last, the Captain came to a stop at a two huge double doors with a symbol in the middle of them that resembled the symbol on my rune, only scripted fancier. In front stood an emerald hued Dragon Fairy. Violet spikes ran down her back, yellow and blue butterfly wings sprouted from her back, the blue outlined the yellow in a thick ring that formed the shape of the wings which fluttered back and forth, holding her up from the tiled floor. I knew she was female because the male Dragon Fairies had smaller, more elongated wings, more fairy shaped wings than the females. The females had butterfly like wings. She levitated in front of the double doors.

"The Master cannot be disturbed now. It is very busy." spoke the Dragon fairy. It? It? I couldn't even comprehend it.

"I've not come to speak with the Master, she has." replied the Captain pointing to me. I let go of his hand, taking in my surroundings.

"Oh...in that case return to your post Captain. As for you," she reached for my hand "come with me." The Dragon Fairy looked slightly vexed at the Captain as he returned to his post up front.

"What's going on? Where are you taking me?" I questioned becoming somewhat frightened.

"You're going to see the Master. You're lucky, not many get to see it."

You get to see it everyday!" She scoffed at my comment.

"Right, kid. I only hear it up hear," she tapped her head twice. "I do what it says, or else zzzztt!" She made the sound of something being fried, I didn't quite understand.

"Who is 'The Master' anyway?" I asked plaintively.

"Wait! Don't leave me" I pleaded. She didn't even tell me her name!

"Don't worry, you'll see me again soon. If you need me just ask for Trista. Besides you're not alone." she answered me with a smile. With that, she silently closed the metal door. I had no corners to hide in since the room was circular. What could Trista mean by, "You're not alone." There was nothing here but a living fire sculpture, and two balcony doors off to the right of the room. Fear began to take over -alone here in this mysterious, off-white room- so much so that it took over. I backed up to a wall, slid down it to my knees, held my face in my hands and cried. No Elders here to help me, I was alone again. The tears streaked my face and hardened into diamond tears, breaking as they hit the floor. (For some reason I didn't weep real diamonds, only fragile diamonds.) Alone, no one to turn to, no one to hold me and tell me things would be all right.

"Who said that? Where are you..?" My head jerked up to see who had spoken. The fire! It was moving, changing, taking shape...into a dragon! It wasn't a living sculpture, it was the Elemental! That's what Trista meant when she said I wasn't alone. It was all fire, every single inch of its body consisted of fire. It was coming towards me! Instinctively I panicked, scooting back, but I was already up against the wall...I was stuck. I wanted to shriek, but was so full of fear I couldn't even open my mouth.

"Do not be afraid little one. I will not hurt you." the Elemental responded telepathically.

"Who...are you? What are you?" I questioned, attempting to hide my fear. No reply, perhaps it couldn't communicate verbally, only psychically or by telepathic thought. I tried to speak to it with my mind but could only get a short range soft thought.

Who are you?" The thought came across barely more than a whisper. I wondered if it even heard me.

"I am the Elemental Fire, protectorate of this Village, Heraca, and this area and Leader of the five.* But who are you, child?" (Heraca, in Dragoshian, meant blessed when translated into Human English. Other wise it is the name of that village.) If it protected this area then it didn't do a good job. This time I strained to convey my thoughts to it.

"I am Tannaktashia, from the village Tyros, of the family Shia...but they are no more. I answered with a sadness to my voice. Again, tears welled in my eyes. It hurt just thinking about them. "All that's left of them are ashes. I am the last remaining descendant of a long line of heritage and slight royalty." I managed to get out through my uncontrollable sobbing.

"How did this happen! I knew the family Shia well and they would not perish without a gallant fight! Show me, how did this happen?" It roared, psychically outraged. That was the first actual sound I heard come from it. Flashes of my memories came back to me, as much as I wanted to forget them. It was pulling the shattered images from my mind The Evo-Humans on poor helpless Unicorns striking down Rika. Me, holding my sister's body close to mine in tears. The Evo-Human female striking father down, killing him after he killed the one stupid male. Mother, trying to protect me while I ran to help her. Mother, dying before my eyes. Fire burning, bodies burning or charred, Evo-Humans with fire, all of them dead, Rika dead and me with no one.

"Stop! Please stop!" I cried out. The emotional pain was too great to bear, those memories brought excruciating pain and anger.

"I am truly sorry for what has happened I am sorry that I was not there to prevent it." I was right, it had failed in its duties. But what was worse, it was to blame for their deaths, I wanted to be mad at it but could not. I felt its pain, its guilt, felt it like it was my own, so I said nothing. "Is there no one left at all in your family?" it asked.

"Only me. Then there is Midnite, this animal that I found. That's how I found this place, Midnite led me here."

"Ah, yes. Midnite. I sent her off with a child to keep that child safe from any dangers. I can see that since she is with you, that village is gone as well. I have failed in my duty to protect this area. So much has happened that has taken my attention away from my duties." For a moment I felt guilt, shame, angst. But I pushed that away. Now what do I do? Where do I go, whom do I go to? I have no home, no family, no one to take care of me. Now I truly know how it feels to be alone. A feeling of calmness suddenly engulfed me, a sense of care and love. All those feelings emanated from the Elemental. It came to me, its hand held out to me. If I touched it I would be burned, surely I would.

"No. I will not hurt you. Come. All will be well again." It was right, as I inched my hand closer to its hand all I felt was cool air, no heat what so ever. I placed my hand in its hand. The symbol on my forehead began emanating a calm pulsating glow the moment of contact.

"What is this?" it asked, startled. It had seen the symbol on my forehead! "You...you are the one prophesied one! it exclaimed in amazement. That was the first and only time I ever saw such emotion from it, or that much expression either.

"What do you mean? I thought this was some sort of abnormal birth mark that glows a lot." (This mark could not be seen unless glowing. Otherwise it is green like the rest of my scales.)

"No. You have the mark of the full planet. A mark given by an Elemental. Or a certain child is born close to the Moon has such a symbol." By close to the Moon it meant close to the time the Moon is close to the Planet Dragoshia. It was right, I was the only one in my family that bore this mark upon my forehead.

"That mark symbolizes great things to come. You are destined for something great and wondrous. it explained.

"I will tell you these things in time. When the time is right you will know. Come. There is something I want to show you." What else could I do? I took its hand and followed. Strange. Its hand didn't feel like fire, it didn't even burn slightly. But I had this feeling, a feeling of unconditional love, that I was part of it. The Elemental was taking me towards the balcony doors which were right of the Fire Water pool. They doors opened as if pulled by invisible hands. It used its powers to open the french style double doors. Beyond and below the balcony which we now stood upon was an immense garden! It was filled with all kinds of different species of plants on this entire planet. There were even plants that couldn't grow in this climate or area. Some were even from the Moon! Also in the garden were all the Dragon Fairies I had seen in the hallways and doorways.

"Why are all these Dragon Fairies here?" I asked out of curiosity. They all gazed at me, looking upon my face with reverence, like that of a child. It looked down at me, smiling slightly.

"These are my children. I created some of them from my essence and the powers of life which I hold. Others were born of other Dragon Fairies. it replied serenely. How could such a being that exists completely of fire create such creatures as these gentle Dragon Fairies? Probably something I won't understand until I am older. Now that I am here, what now? A sigh of consternation escaped my lips. As if it had read my thoughts it answered.