“Please, you don’t you don’t need to kneel to me. Let’s just look past what has happened here and look to the future,” I said as I helped Aidan back to his feet to stand beside me again, as we looked to my people. As everyone got to their feet, one of Warwick’s men, covered in dirt and blood running down his face, stepped out from the crowd and looked at me from head to foot, then he let his sword fall away from his hand to the ground at my feet.
“My queen Alissa, like Linus said, you are Warwick’s daughter; you are of royal blood and by law, we must follow you and your ways, just as we followed your father’s,” he said as he looked at Aidan, who took a protective step in front of me and stared at him. “Please, Alissa, not all of us wanted to do as Warwick told us to. We were afraid to go up against him,” the blood-covered man said as he tried to look around Aidan. “I can’t speak for all the others but I will follow you, always,” he added as he knelt down to me again.
“It’s okay. Like I said, we all need to look to the days that lie ahead of us, and we need to rebuild this great land to how it used to be,” I said as I stood beside Aidan with my hand on his arm. I helped the blood-covered man to his feet and placed my hand on his shoulder.
“Alissa, we must go and get Zoe, Max and Doyle so they can see that there is peace at last,” said Linus as he looked to me and then to Talon.
“Let us go and get them,” agreed Talon, looking down at me with Scorch by his side. “Thorn, I want you to go and tell them they don’t have to be scared anymore. Akizma is now going to be a world of peace. Bring them to me—please, hurry,” I said, looking at Thorn as he got onto Talon’s back and smiled down at me.
“We will be back soon, Alissa,” said Thorn. As I looked at the two dragons side-by-side, they took to the sky together as brothers again, flying together just like Scorch’s memories. The rain clouds floated away as I watched Talon and Scorch fly toward our mountains.
“Alissa. Alissa.”
I heard a soft voice that I had not heard for some time call my name as I watched my friends fly out of sight.
“Alissa… Alissa, my daughter…” I heard the soft voice again.
“Mother, this cannot be… Warwick killed you,” I said as I turned to the sound of her soft voice. “Mother, is that really you?” I asked as I looked at her. She looked like an angel with a white glow around her.
“Yes, Warwick killed me, but I have been watching you on your quest all along, right by your side,” she said.
“Linus, Aidan, come see! It’s Serena!” I said as I looked around to them. “Aidan, what’s going on?” I asked, as he did not move.
No one was moving.
“What’s happened to them?” I asked as I looked from Aidan’s still eyes. “It’s like they are frozen! We have to help them—this is Warwick’s doing, I know it,” I added as I looked back to Serena.
“No, this is not Warwick; this is my last gift to you, Alissa, and it is just for you, my daughter,” she said as she placed her hand to my face.
“If you have been by my side, why didn’t you come to me, to help me, before now? I needed you to help me through all of this,” I said as I looked around at the battleground and at all the dead bodies that lay down in the mud. I then looked at the rock that encased Warwick inside of it. The rock that used to be my gargoyles. I looked back to my mother with tears falling down my face. The tears were half from anger and half from the sadness of death all around us.
“Alissa, I wanted to, but I could only do this once and I could see that you were being well-cared for by good friends,” she said as she looked to Linus, then to Aidan and finally to John. “And you have the dragon by your side,” she added as she looked to the sky. “The skies will soon be filled with them again, just like they once were,” she said with a smile on her face.
“Mother, they all expect so much of me. I’m scared of letting them all down. I don’t know what I am doing,” I said as we walked up to Linus then to Aidan and John.
“Oh Alissa, with all you have done and gone through, I have no fear for this world. It is now in good hands. All you have to do is rule your kingdom,” she said. “Trust your friends and follow your heart, my beautiful girl, and just know I will always love you,” she said as she started to fade away right in front of my eyes.
“Mother… don’t leave me…” I begged her with tears running down my face again as I stood just looking at where Serena once stood.
“Alissa what’s wrong?” asked Linus, now moving again.
I could not speak. I just looked at him through my tear-filled eyes.
“Alissa, tell me. What is it?” he asked again as he took my hand in his. “It’s my mother,” I said as I looked into his eyes. “It was Serena,” I added as he sat me down so I didn’t fall down.
“Linus, is she alright? What’s happened to her?” asked Aidan as he sat next to me.
“She came to you, didn’t she?”
“Who?” asked Aidan as he placed his arm around me and looked up at Linus.
“Her mother, Queen Serena,” said Linus, looking from Aidan to me.
“So that did just happen… I thought my mind was playing tricks on me,” I said as I looked all around to my friends as they all now looked down at me. “But how did you know she would come to me, Linus?” I asked as I looked at him.
“I thought this might happen, because while Serena’s spirit moved on, she could never be at peace until she knew that you were safe and that Akizma is as it once was again, how it was before the days of Warwick and the pain he caused it,” he explained as he knelt down next to me. “It was a great gift, her coming to see you this last time, and it would have taken a lot of her strength to do it,” he added as he placed his hand on my cheek. “She can now rest in peace forever,” said Linus as him and Aidan got up and each of them held out one of their hands to help me to my feet. They pulled me to my feet still with tears in my eyes.
Aidan pulled me close to him.
“Alissa, it’s going to be okay. Your mother was a great queen, and I know she will still be watching over you and all of us but now at peace, knowing that great days lie ahead of us and of this land,” said Aidan. “I want you to know, as long as you need my sword, my life is yours, Alissa. I owe you so much,” he said as he hugged me and held me tightly to him. “You will make a great queen and leader of the people of Akizma,” he added as he let go of me and looked at Linus and smiled.
“Thank you, my friends,” I said as I looked at Linus, Aidan and John. “I don’t think all this could have happened without you all by my side,” I added as I brushed my tears away. “But never think it is only your sword I need. I need you by my side. You are my friends—no, more than that; we are family now and forever,” I said as I looked toward the mountains, thinking of Talon and the others, wanting them beside me.
Talon landed at the entrance of what once we called our home and hiding place, our cave.
“Talon it’s too quiet around here,” said Thorn as he climbed off Talon’s back and looked into the cave as Scorch landed beside his brother.
“Zoe… Max… Doyle… it’s over. We are all safe now, come to me,” Thorn called out into the cave.
“You!” Doyle cried out with his eyes fixed on Scorch, as he ran out of the cave towards him with a sword held high above his head. “You killed everyone! You killed their parents! All our people!” Doyle yelled out with rage in his voice. He held the sword, pointing it up at Scorch. Scorch stepped back away from Doyle and looked from this young man full of rage and hate to his brother.
“Doyle, stop!” Talon yelled out as he stepped in front of his brother. “He is not that dragon anymore. Warwick’s power over him has been destroyed,” said Talon as he looked down at Doyle. “Alissa has given him his free will back, just as she did for Aidan,” he added. “Please believe me. Just look at him,” said Talon as he looked from Doyle back to his brother. “My brother has his fire back, running through his body again, just like all dragons have. Please stop; don’t hurt him,” Talon cried out as he looked to Doyle, then to Zoe, and Max as they stood at the entrance of the cave looking on.
“Brother, stand aside. I deserve this,” Scorch said. He lay down in front of Doyle. “Do it, Doyle,” Scorch said as he looked at the sword and then closed his eyes.
Doyle stood in front of Scorch’s head with his sword shaking in his hands as he held it above the dragon’s head.
“I can do it. I’m going to do it!” Doyle said. “I will run this sword down into your head,” he said with confusion in his voice, as he looked down at Scorch.
“Doyle, wait. Please don’t…” Zoe said in a soft voice with tears running down her face as she and Max ran to his side. “Look at him. Talon is right. He is not the same dragon,” she said. “Alissa has freed him—you told us that she could free him and we know she did, Aidan,” Zoe added as she looked away from Doyle, to Talon, then to Scorch.
“Doyle, Max, Zoe… I am so sorry for what I have done to all of you. I could not stop myself. All I could do was watch all the damage I was doing to you,” said Scorch, now with his eyes full of tears. “Warwick’s hold over me… it was like everything that I destroyed, it felt like I could feel all of his hate and his coldness running through my body, controlling me. I could see what I was doing. I just couldn’t stop myself,” he added with tears falling in his eyes. “Now that I am free, all I feel is the hurt and the heartbreak you are going through. I feel your pain as if it is mine. I am so sorry… please forgive me,” he said, now with the tears still falling from his eyes as he looked at Doyle, Max and Zoe in front of him. “I know I don’t deserve it, but please forgive me for what I have done,” he said again with more tears falling from his eyes as he closed them again and rested his head back down on the ground in front of them again.
Zoe stepped away from Doyle’s side and stood next to Scorch, wiping his tears from his face. Max did the same at the other side of Scorch’s face. Doyle now stood alone, his eyes fixed on the three. Doyle looked at the sword still shaking in his hand. He looked back to Scorch and dropped the sword to the ground.
Everyone looked as the sword fell and hit the ground with a crash. “If the children can forgive and trust you, then so can I,” he said as he fell to his knees. Thorn gave him his hand to help him to his feet again.
“Thank you, Doyle. You, like Alissa, have given him back to me,” said Talon as he looked at Scorch and smiled.
“Come, Alissa is waiting for us,” said Thorn as he got on to Talon’s back and looked down at the mountain pass.
“Doyle, if it is alright with you, I’d like it if the children would come and ride on my back,” Scorch said as he stretched out his wings and looked at them.
“Well, what do you two think?” Doyle asked Zoe and Max. “Can we, Talon? You don’t mind, do you?” said Zoe as she looked at him, then back to Scorch.
“Not at all,” Talon said as he smiled at his brother.
“Doyle, you come with us,” said Thorn. “See you down there,” he added as he looked to Zoe helping Max up on to Scorch’s back. They all then took to the sky.
“From the looks of yours and Scorch’s bodies, it was some battle you two have been through,” said Doyle. Doyle looked at their wounds; they were still bleeding.
“We are going to be okay. I’m just glad this battle is over and I have my brother back,” said Talon.
“Soon the news of Warwick and this battle will spread throughout the rest of this land and all the people who were hiding will come back and start to live their lives again without fear,” said Thorn.
“The skies will once again be full of great dragons. Alissa will bring all these things to Akizma, just like it should have always been,” Talon said with a smile on his face.
Doyle looked over to Zoe, Max and Scorch as he flew up with the wind pushing him higher up in to the sky. The children laughed and waved at Talon as Scorch flew past him.
“Come, brother, you can fly faster than this, can’t you?” said Scorch as he heard the children laugh louder. Scorch was loving every moment with Zoe and Max on his back. He was playing in the wind with them.
“Doyle, look down there! It’s Alissa, Linus, Aidan and John!” Zoe called out as Scorch flew past Talon again. “Alissa!” Zoe called out as Scorch landed in front of me. “You did it! We are safe, just as you said we would be,” she added as she ran straight into my arms with Max close behind her.
“We missed you, Alissa said,” Max said as he held on to me.
“I missed you too, but I see you have made a new friend,” I said as I looked toward Scorch. The blood-covered soldier, who had told me that he would follow me, took a step toward me, looking at everyone around him.
“Alissa, it is time to take you and your people to your new home,” he said as he looked from me to the castle.
“Before we go, tell me… what is your name?” I asked as I gave Max to Aidan to hold, and Zoe stood by my side, just looking at me.
“I am Steven. Why do you want to know my name?” he asked as he looked at the ground.
“Well, you are the first of Warwick’s men that pledged to follow me this day, and that means a lot,” I said as I looked at him. “Linus, can you heal Talon and Scorch’s wounds?” I asked as I looked from the two dragons back to him.
“Yes; all the things you will need, you will find at your castle,” said Steven, before Linus could say anything to me. “Let me go ahead to let the people know what has happened here today and to tell them of their new queen,” he added as he looked at one of the horses walking toward us. He rode off toward the castle before I could say anything to him.
“My castle… that sounds so strange, to call it mine…” I said as I looked at it in the distance.
“It might sound strange to you but that castle is and was always meant to be your home,” said Linus.
“I think you mean our home, Linus,” I said as I looked from him to Aidan holding Max, then to the rest of my friends. It felt like we had walked miles just looking at the castle in the distance until it stood right in front of us.
“Welcome home, Alissa,” said Thorn, standing beside me as we all looked at our new home. As we started to walk through the gates, we noticed lots of people stood all around us, leading up the streets to the castle. As we walked past them, they all knelt down at my feet. As I walked past them, all the bad visions came back to me. The vision of Serena, my mother; her death filled my mind. My heart started to beat fast and hard again. All through my body, I felt cold.
“Alissa, what’s wrong?” asked Linus as him, Thorn, Aidan and John stood next to me. “This is it… this is where Serena died. I feel so cold,” I said as I looked at them. “I know, Alissa, this is where she died but come with me and know that she will always be with you,” said Linus as he held my hand and led me into the castle with Thorn, Aidan and John by my side. I soon felt warm again, having my new friends—no, my family—all around me. It made me feel warm and safe.
“This way, Alissa. The throne room is at the end of this corridor,” said Linus as I looked up at the castle doors while we walked through them. As we walked into the throne room Steven was stood next to Warwick’s throne. Made of black stone, it was in the shape of a dragon with its wings outstretched and its mouth breathing fire out into the air. It looked just as evil as Warwick, I thought to myself.
“I know what you are thinking, Alissa, but I think as queen, you can change it,” said Thorn. He and Aidan looked from the throne back to me, with a smile on their lips.
“Linus, can you and Thorn heal both Talon and Scorch’s wounds? I will help our people with theirs,” I asked as I looked around at my people who were now all stood looking at the throne. As I looked at them, their blood fell from their wounds to the floor.
“As you wish,” said Linus as he and Thorn left my side.
“We will help you,” said Aidan, with John standing next to him.
“Thank you, Linus, for helping me through all of this. I don’t know what would have happened without you by my side,” I said as he started to walk away. “I want to thank you all,” I added as Linus reached the throne room door. Linus just looked back at me and smiled; Thorn closed the door behind them.
“Aidan, can you find something we can use as bandages, please?” I asked as I knelt down to one of my people; a young boy with blood pouring from a deep cut on his leg.
“You, Steven; you know the castle better than me. We need bandages,” Aidan said, looking up at him from by my side. I couldn’t help but see that Aidan looked at Steven with a strange look on his face. If Steven noticed the look that Aidan was giving him, he did not let it show. Steven just nodded at Aidan’s words and ran out of the room. As I looked around the room I saw what was left of the mirror that Warwick had smashed up in a fit of rage.
“Aidan, keep applying pressure on his leg. I will be back in a minute,” I said as I walked to the mirror. As I looked down at the broken glass I felt cold again as the vision came back to me of Warwick breaking the mirror.
“Alissa, you should really address the people of Akizma,” said Steven as he ran back into the room with some cloaks. “Here, we can rip these up for bandages,” he said as he looked down at the young boy.
“I will, but right now I need to tend to my people’s wounds,” I said as I took the cloaks off him.
“Alissa, speaking to the people can wait. You need to rest after you have helped our people,” said Aidan as he tore the cloaks up, then he looked up at Steven with that strange look on his face again.
“Why don’t you tell the people that the queen will speak to them when she has rested,” he added as he handed me the bandages.
“Is this your wish, Alissa, my queen?” asked Steven as he looked from Aidan to me.
“It is, if you don’t mind,” I said as I wrapped the boy’s leg. “I think Aidan is right. I need to rest after I have seen to our wounded,” I said.
“Then I will do as you say, my queen,” said Steven as he left the room.
“You don’t like him, do you, Aidan?” I said as I looked into Aidan’s eyes.
“It’s not that; it’s more that I don’t trust him,” said Aidan as he looked at me.
“Why don’t you trust him?” I asked.
“When I was under your father’s power, all I did was watch the people around me,” he said as he helped the boy to his feet and we walked to the next wounded man, an older man holding his bloody head. “Steven is right about one thing; they were soldiers that followed Warwick through fear, but there were men that followed your father because they loved to kill,” Aidan said as he looked to where Steven had left the room, making sure he had not come back in again. “Steven is one of those men, and the other was Rydan,” he said with anger and pain in his voice. “They use to gloat about each kill they made. You cannot trust him, Alissa,” he added as he placed his hand on my shoulder.
The door opened and Steven walked toward me. “I have told the people that you will speak to them when you are rested,” he said, looking down at me. “I have brought the healers to help with your people, so now let me show you all to your chambers,” he added. As he held out his hand to help me up, Aidan’s words filled my head.
How could he be that man that Aidan said he was? He was the first of Warwick’s men to follow me after the battle, I thought to myself.
“Steven, I don’t want to be where Warwick slept. Any chamber but his,” I said as we walked out of the throne room with Aidan close to me. “I don’t want any one in that chamber,” I added as I looked back at Aidan.
“I will personally make sure that will not happen,” said John as he walked past Steven. “I know every room in this castle,” he added, looking up at Steven. “Stop! I think you will like this room,” said John. “It was your mother’s. Your mother did not sleep in the same room as Warwick,” he said as he opened the door. As we walked into the room I felt warmer as I looked around the room.
I saw all of Serena’s things; her hairbrush sat on her bedside table. “Thank you, John, I love this room,” I said as I turned to him.
“We will leave you to rest now, Alissa. Goodnight, my queen,” he said with a smile on his lips as he closed the door.
I sat on the bed just taking everything in that had happened to me and my people. I lay back and rested my head on what used to be my mother’s pillow. I looked out the window at the moon rising in the night sky. The moon light filled my room. Just as I closed my eyes, the door creaked as it opened. I sat up to see Steven walk in.
“You believed me, didn’t you, my queen? I needed you to believe me,” he said, looking at me with cold dark eyes. “Now you are so alone; no Aidan around… he didn’t believe me… I know that he didn’t. No matter, because here you are, alone,” he said as he came closer to my bed. I looked down at his hands; he had an axe in his hand.
“Stop, please. I know you don’t want to do this,” I said as I looked to the tree outside my window.
“How do you know what I want to do?” he said, sounding more and more evil. “You don’t know me—and believe me, I do want to do this!” he said with an evil laugh in his voice. “Your father was my king! A great king, and to think you can replace him? Never,” Steven said as he looked at me with hate in his eyes.
How could I not have seen the evil in his eyes—the same evil that was in Warwick’s eyes. I should have listened to Aidan. I tried to make the branches on the tree move, but I felt weak.
“What’s wrong, my queen? Can’t use your powers? You must be too weak from your battle today!” Steven said with an evil laugh again in his voice. “Look at you, no powers, no Aidan, or any of your friends to save you! You are pathetic. How could you think I would ever follow you!” he said as he raised his axe above me.
I couldn’t move. I just kept looking up at him and his axe. Then, as I looked, a sword pushed through his chest. He fell to his knees with blood pouring out of his chest, and his eyes fixed on me. Behind him I saw Aidan standing in the doorway; he had thrown his sword straight through Steven’s back.
“You are wrong, Steven. I will always be around. She is never alone,” he said as he pulled his sword out of Steven’s back and then kicked him to the ground. As I looked down at Steven, his eyes were still fixed on me as he took his last breath in, spat out blood and closed his eyes.
“Alissa, are you alright? He didn’t hurt you, did he?” asked Aidan as he sat next to me.
“I’m sorry, I’m so sorry, I should have believed you, my friend,” I said as he took both of my shaking hands in his.
“It’s okay. After what we have all been through, no one wants to see the bad in people. We just want peace,” Aidan said as I placed my head on his shoulder.
Linus ran into my room. “What happened here?” he said as he looked at me and Aidan, and then to Steven’s bloody body on the floor.
“Steven tried to kill me. If it wasn’t for Aidan… I would be dead right now,” I said, looking from Aidan to Linus. “My power didn’t work. I think Steven was right, I must have been weakened from the battle,” I said as Linus sat on the other side of my bed.
“Aidan, for tonight I want you to stand guard over Alissa so she can sleep,” said Linus.
Aidan picked up his sword and placed his chair facing my door and sat with his back to me. “You are safe now, Alissa,” he said as two men dragged Steven’s body out of the room.
“Drink this, Alissa,” said Linus as he poured one of his potions into a goblet. “It will help you sleep,” he added as he kissed my forehead. “Now close your eyes,” he said in a soft voice as he looked from me to Aidan.
The next thing I heard was Linus closing the door behind him.
My eyes felt heavy as I looked at Aidan, sat up so straight with his sword in his hand, looking at the door. Then I closed my eyes and fell asleep with the images of what just happened to me running through my head.
When I woke up, Thorn, John, and all of my friends were sat by my bedside.
“Alissa, you are awake at last!” said Doyle with Zoe and Max by his side, holding his hands. “‘At last?’ What do you mean? How long have I been asleep?” I asked as I sat up.
“Using so much of your power must have taken a lot of your strength out of you, because you have been asleep for two days straight! I guess whatever Linus gave you may have helped too,” said Aidan.
“Aidan has kept watch over you along with Linus since you did not wake up the morning after the battle,” said Zoe.
“We have been bringing them their food,” Max added as he looked up at Linus and Aidan. “As for Talon and Scorch, they have brought the rest of their dragonkind back to the skies, knowing that you wished to see the sky full of dragons like they once were. They came back yesterday; they thought you would have woken up by the time they got back,” said Thorn as he looked to my window.
“Help me up. I need to see this!” I said as I tried to sit up and looked to my window. “The last thing I remember is Steven trying to kill me and, Aidan, you saving me,” I said as I placed my feet on the cold floor. “Then, Linus, you gave me one of your potions,” I said with Linus holding me by my one arm and Aidan by the other.
Thorn was standing at the window, looking up into the sky. As we got to the window, I looked up to the sky. It was just as they said. The sky was full of dragons.
“I can’t believe how many there are,” I said as I looked at them then to Linus. I saw Talon flying high up in the sunshine with Scorch by his side.
“Alissa!” I heard his voice inside my head as he folded his wings close to his side. Talon fell through the sky, then he opened his wings again and started to flap them softly to fly in front of my window. “I felt it! I felt you wake up!” he said, looking at me. “Are you okay?” he asked with his eyes fixed on me. “You had me so worried,” he added before I could say anything.
“I’m fine, Talon! I see you and Scorch have been hard at work spreading the word of what happened here to all your dragon friends,” I said as I looked to the sky again. “Not just dragons; we flew to the great canyon where we came across more and more of your new people hiding from Warwick. They had no idea of what has been going on in Akizma but when they saw dragons in the sky again, they knew that somehow the days of Warwick and fear had come to an end,” said Talon. “They followed us back here. They want to see you, Alissa,” Talon added, now looking down at the crowd of people filling the courtyard below him.
“The kingdom is coming back together. Come see for yourself,” he added. I walked out onto the balcony. As I looked down, there were hundreds of people looking up at me. I looked to the sky as the dragons all started to land in front of the castle behind the people led by Talon and Scorch. They all looked up at me. I felt Linus holding my hand and Aidan stood beside me, sword still in his hand, as we all looked over our people.
“You can do this. We are with you, Alissa,” said Thorn, with Doyle and the children beside him.
I looked from Linus down to all my people, and all the dragons.
“My name is Alissa, daughter of Queen Serena and—I am sorry to say—King Warwick,” I said. “As I know, you all have suffered at the hands of my father, but I have too,” I said as I looked out over at all the people and dragons, my heart beating fast again. “He killed my mother. Your queen. He killed your family and friends. He corrupted the pure hearts of dragons, filled their spirit with his hate and anger,” I added as I looked at Scorch. “He took the free will away from a man and used him to kill,” I said as I looked to Aidan. “I know how much Warwick tore this kingdom apart,” I added as I looked away from Aidan. “But let me tell you, I am not Warwick and I will never be like him. I am Alissa, Serena’s daughter,” I said with tears filling my eyes. I felt Linus place his hand on my shoulder. He just looked at me with a smile on his lips and tears in his eyes.
I looked back to my people and dragons. “I can’t give you all that Warwick took away from you, but I promise you the kingdom of Akizma will be full of peace and happiness once again, just the way my mother dreamt it could be,” I said looking out at everyone with my tears now falling down my cheeks.
“Great days lie ahead for all of us!” Linus called out.
“All hail the queen!” Aidan yelled out for all to hear as he raised my hand up in his and raised his other hand, still holding his sword, up to the sky. As I looked around, all the people and dragons cheered as they bowed to me. Then I turned to go back inside, led by Linus and Thorn, followed by Aidan Zoe, Max, John and Doyle.
As we walked back inside, all I could hear was the celebration of my people and the dragons. “Alissa, I want you to rest now. Tomorrow is going to be a long day. Tomorrow, you will be crowned queen of Akizma,” said Linus. “I am so proud of you, Alissa,” he added as I sat on my bed.
“We all are,” said Doyle as he led Zoe and Max away.
“Wait, don’t go! Don’t you think I have rested too long already?” I said, looking at Linus. “Today I think Zoe Max and I need to find some of the secret rooms that John told us about,” I said as Zoe and Max looked from Doyle, smiling at me.
“Can we can we please, Linus?” asked Zoe, still with a big smile as she looked from me to Linus.
“Pleaseeee!” added little Max.
“Okay, okay, if you think you are up to it,” said John as he looked from me to Linus. “And if Linus says you are okay,” he added as he looked at Linus.
“This is your home now. Its only right that you should look around,” said Linus as he looked at Max, as he ran over to me and tried to pull me off my bed by my hand.
Every room we came to seemed it had its own secrets. Some of them had hidden rooms in them and other had secret tunnels leading through the castle, and some even took us outside of the castle.
“This is how I moved around the castle without Warwick knowing,” said John.
It took all day to learn all of the secrets of our new home, but for the first time the castle was full of laughter, I thought as John led us back to the throne room.
That night I walked up to my chamber thinking of all we had gone through and, at last, it was over—no more fear at the hands of my father.
“Alissa, Linus has sent me to keep watch over you again,” said Aidan as he stood in front of my room.
“Aidan, you need to rest. From what Zoe has told me, you have not slept in the two days that I have been asleep,” I said as I looked into his eyes. “I need you to rest, Aidan,” I added as I placed my hands on his shoulders and looked into his eyes again.
“As you wish, Alissa, but just know that if you need me, I have taken the chambers next to yours,” he said as I went into my room.
“Thank you. Now get some sleep,” I added as I looked at his room.
“Goodnight, Alissa,” he said with a smile on his lips as I closed my door.
The moonlight filled my room again. I couldn’t stop thinking about what happened to Warwick as I walked out on to my balcony. I heard someone snoring loudly. Too loud to be a person, I thought. I looked down to where the snoring was coming from. It was Talon, sleeping on the ground below my room.
“Talon,” I thought to him so no one could hear me but him. “Talon! Up here!” I thought to him again. Talon shook his head as he let out a yawn and licked his lips as he looked up at me.
“Alissa? What’s wrong?” he thought to me.
“Nothing, I’m okay. But I need you to take me back to the battleground. I need to see the rock that has Warwick trapped inside of it,” I thought to him.
“Alissa, why? It’s so late… can’t this wait?” Talon thought up to me.
“Please, Talon; everything that happened to him feels like a dream. I cannot trust my dreams anymore. I need to see, just once more,” I thought down to him with a tear rolling down my face.
“Okay, wait there,” thought Talon as he flapped his wings.
“Jump on to my back,” he added as he flew by my balcony. As I climbed up on to the wall, I looked at the camp of the people who were waiting to see me crowned tomorrow. Then as Talon flew under me, I jumped on to his back and we took flight.
“Alissa, we are here,” said Talon in a matter of minutes as I looked down to see the giant rock that used to be my four gargoyles.
“Talon, do you mind if I do this alone?” I asked him as we landed. I climbed off of his back and started to walk to the rock.
“As you wish, Alissa, but first tell me; why are we really doing this?” asked Talon as he looked at the rock, and then down at me.
“Oh, Talon, I need to know that Warwick can never hurt this land or any living creature again,” I said as I turned back and looked into his eyes. “I thought I could kill Warwick but when it came to it, I couldn’t do it. There has been too much death in this land,” I said to him as he came closer to me. “Instead, something took over me; I was in sort of a trance and this happened,” I added as I looked at the rock. “I could see what I was doing but I did not understand why it was happening… until now,” I said as I kept my eyes on the rock. As I walked closer to the rock, I felt myself shaking all over.
“Alissa, are you alright?” asked Talon with his eyes fixed on me. “I’m okay, Talon. I need to do this,” I said as I looked back at him, then back to the rock. As I got closer, the air all around me got colder again. I rested my head onto the rock. As I did, I heard something I never thought I would hear from a rock.
I heard, and felt, a faint heartbeat.
“Alissa, what is happening?” asked Talon as I pulled away.
I looked at Talon. I could see him talking to me but I could not hear him. I placed my head back on to the rock and closed my eyes. I could see Warwick in the middle of the rock, still in a deep sleep.
“Alissa! Alissa, you will pay for this!” Warwick’s cold and evil voice filled my head, with pain running through my head.
“Nooooo!” I cried out as I fell to the ground.
“Alissa, what do you think you’re doing!” I heard Aidan yell out to me as I opened my eyes.
Aidan pulled me away from the rock.
“How am I meant to protect you, as Linus told me to, when I don’t know where you are?” he added as I took my hands from my head and looked at him. “Not that Linus has to tell me to protect you… I would die for you,” he added as he looked at me.
“I’m sorry… wait, how did you know I was here?” I asked.
“I didn’t, but when I looked in your room and found it empty, I saw Scorch below your room. He saw you two leaving and where you were heading. He brought me,” he said. “I’m sorry I shouted at you but when you were not in your room, it scared me,” he said as he looked at the tears running down my face. “I don’t know why you are here, but I can see it is important to you; but all you had to do was tell me you wanted to come here. I would have brought you here myself,” he said as he looked from the rock to me, and held me close to him.
“No, I’m sorry I didn’t think how leaving the castle in the dead of night would make any of you feel,” I said as I held on to him. “I’m sorry,” I said again. “I’m ready to go home, but first, here, feel this,” I said as I placed his hand onto the rock.
“What is that?” he asked as he pulled his hand away from the rock.
“That is Warwick, inside, trapped forever,” I said. “That’s why I had to come here. I had to know this was not a dream,” I said as we walked back to Talon and Scorch. “Aidan, Linus does not know I’m not in the castle, does he?” I asked as we climbed up on to Talon’s and Scorch’s backs.
“No, Alissa. This stays between the four of us, as long as you don’t do this again,” he added, then smiled at me. “Now let’s go home… we all have a long day ahead of us,” he added as we took to the night sky.
As we flew next to my room, I jumped down on to the balcony. “Goodnight, Alissa,” said Talon as he flew away.
Then Scorch flew up to the balcony and Aidan jumped down. “Goodnight, Aidan, Alissa,” Scorch said as he followed his brother.
“Now I trust you are done with your little night flight?” said Aidan with a smile on his face as he placed his hand on mine as we watched Talon and Scorch fly away in the star-covered night sky.
“Thank you for coming after us. I thought I could go there just with Talon but I needed someone else to feel what I felt when I touched that rock. Now I know that I did not dream this,” I said as we walked back inside. “I am glad it was you there with me,” I added as I looked into his eyes.
“You’re welcome, Alissa. You know I will always be by your side; but Alissa, you know we need to tell Linus about this, don’t you?” he said as he opened my door.
“I know but let’s get tomorrow out the way with. I am already nervous about being crowned as queen as it is,” I said as I looked at him.
“Okay, but we both agree he needs to be told,” he added as looked straight at me. I just nodded at him. “Then I will leave you to get some sleep. Good night, Alissa,” he said.
“Good night,” I said as he closed the door, still with some pain in my head. I took some more of Linus’s potion. It did not feel long before the light of day filled the room again. I opened my eyes to the sound of dragons flying around outside and the sound of people walking around outside my room, getting ready for my ceremony to make me their queen.
As I sat up, I saw at the end of the bed there lay a beautiful sky blue dress.
“It was your mother’s,” said Linus, who stood in the doorway, looking from the dress to me. “I know you will look as beautiful as she did in it,” he added.
“Do you think so?” I asked.
“I know so,” said Aidan as he stepped from behind Linus and looked at me.
“Aidan, have you been standing guard out here all night?” asked Linus.
“Most of it. I have had some rest for today,” said Aidan as he looked at me with a smile and a wink. I just smiled back at them both then looked back to the dress.
“We will leave you to get dressed now, Alissa,” said Linus as he smiled at me and closed the door.
Not long after I got dressed Aidan knocked at the door. “Alissa, are you ready?” he asked.
“It’s okay, Aidan, you can come in now,” I said as I looked at myself in the mirror.
“Wow, Alissa, you look beautiful,” said Aidan as he looked at me.
“It’s the dress that is beautiful,” I said as I looked at the dress, then to Aidan.
“No, you are beautiful, Alissa,” he said as he looked away from me.
“Thank you,” I said, looking at him.
“The people have been waiting a long time for this day,” he added as he looked out over the land from my window. “Come, I am to take you down to the courtyard. All of the people and the dragons of Akizma have come to see their new queen be crowned,” he said as he took me by the arm.
“Are you ready? You’re shaking, Alissa,” he added as we left my room.
“I’m a little nervous. I don’t want to let any of you down,” I said as I looked back to my room.
“Alissa, you could never let me or any of us down,” he said as he walked me away down the corridor. As we came to the courtyard, all I could see was row upon row of people and dragons filling the courtyard, all looking at me.
“You can do this, Alissa,” Aidan whispered into my ear and kissed my cheek as we started to walk down the steps down into the crowd. As we walked up to the people they moved aside, making a path leading to a new throne. As we got closer, I saw that it was now in the shape of two dragons standing back to back with their wings stretched out with the seat in the middle of them.
As I sat down onto my new throne I looked to my right to see Aidan taking his place next to Linus and to the left of me were the rest of my dearest friends, all smiling at me.
“People and dragons of Akizma, you have come to see the new age of this land to begin,” Linus called out for all to hear.
“Here it is. With Warwick defeated, we are here to crown Queen Serena’s daughter and our dearest friend, Alissa, the new queen of Akizma, and celebrate the peace she has brought with her,” said Linus as he placed a crown of gold upon my head. “The new queen of Akizma; all hail the queen!” Linus called out again for all to hear as he knelt down in front of me.
As I looked at all my people and they all knelt down and cheered at me. Talon and the rest of the dragons lowered their heads to me, then rose to their back legs and stretched out their wings and their fire went high into the sky above the castle. My heart started to beat faster, but this time with happiness as I looked at my people and couldn’t help but think of what lay ahead of them, and the kingdom.
“Alissa, come join the people in your celebration,” said Aidan as he and Thorn pulled me to my feet. As Aidan and Thorn pulled me into the crowd dancing around me, I thought about my old life; the life I had in a different world and what would my other mum and dad think of me now and how much I had been through here.
I saw two people were not dancing like the rest of the people, but they just stood looking at me.
“Who are they?” I asked Aidan and pointed to the people who just stood watching us. I could not see their faces clearly.
“I do not know, how about you, Thorn?” he asked, looking from the strangers, then back to us.
“I do not know them,” said Thorn, looking at me.
“Wait here, I want to meet them,” I said as I let go of Aidan’s and Thorn’s hands.
“Alissa, I will come with you,” said Aidan.
“It’s okay, I won’t be long,” I said looking at him. As I walked away from him, I looked at the people not dancing. This is strange; their faces… I can’t see what they look like, I thought to myself as I walked toward them. As I got closer, their faces became clearer.
“Mum! Dad!” I cried out loud as I looked at the two of them as they stood right in front of me.
“How can you be here…?” I asked as I ran into their arms with tears falling from all our eyes.
“We just are,” said Kelly said as she looked from Harry to me again.
“Maybe I can explain,” said Linus as he stood next to Aidan and Thorn as they all looked at Harry and Kelly holding me tightly in their arms.
“Harry and Kelly have been watching everything that you have been going through,” said Linus as we all looked at him.
“How? How is that possible?” I asked as he sat next to me.
“We have been having dreams about you in this world,” said Harry.
“Yes, and knowing dreams can be more than just a dream, we knew that we were really seeing into your world,” added Kelly as she looked from Linus to Harry, then back to me.
“This is great! All of us together, here in Akizma…” I said as I looked around at all my friends.
“No, Alissa. I’m sorry but that’s not how it’s going to be. It can’t happen,” said Linus in a soft and sad voice. He took my hand in his. “Harry and Kelly are your mother and father of your old world. They were not born of this world,” he said as he looked into my eyes. “But they raised you so well I thought they had the right to see what happens to you,” Linus added as he looked from Harry and Kelly then back to me.
“So how did they both start dreaming about Akizma?” I asked him.
“I went back to your old world. I went back to your home in the dead of night when your mum and dad were sleeping. I placed a spell on them a spell that would let them see into our world, then I came back to you, Alissa,” said Linus. “I have already spoken to your mum and dad and they know now that you are safe. The spell will end tonight at the end of this celebration. They will go back to their world. This is the last time they can see you, and they will no longer dream of this world,” said Linus.
I looked to my mum and dad with new tears in my eyes.
“I am sorry, Alissa, but this is how it has to be. I think we should leave you to say your goodbyes,” Linus added as he led Aidan and Thorn away.
Harry and Kelly both looked at me and each took my hands in theirs.
“Linus is right. We know we have to go back,” said my mum. “We just wanted to say how much we love you.” She held me in her arms again.
“We are so proud of you, Alissa. You know that, right?” added my dad as he held both of us in his arms. “You are queen of Akizma now, my little girl,” he added as he let go of us and looked at me in my gown as he held my hands with Kelly by his side.
“We are going to miss you so much, but know you will always be in our hearts. You know that, don’t you?” said Kelly with tears falling from her eyes.
“Now before we have to leave this amazing place, we want to meet your friends we have only dreamt about,” said Harry as he looked at Aidan, Thorn and the others.
I took them to my new friends and introduced them, one by one, to Aidan, Thorn, John, Doyle, Zoe and Max.
“It is a great honour to meet you,” said Thorn.
“The same goes for me,” added Aidan as he shook my father’s hand and bowed to my mother.
“No, it is the both of us who are honoured to meet all of you,” said Harry as he looked at them all.
“We know that Alissa is in good hands,” added Kelly.
“Now are you ready to meet my two dragon friends?” I asked as I walked them into the open ground just outside the castle grounds. “Talon, Scorch, come to me!” I thought to them up into the sky. “I want you to meet my mum and dad of my old world,” I added.
“Look up there! Do you see them?” I said as I pointed up to the sky.
“There! I see them,” said Kelly as Talon and Scorch flew toward us and landed beside us. Just as they did, the ground shook with their landing.
“Mr and Mrs Winter,” said Talon as he bowed his head.
“We are pleased to meet you both,” said Scorch as he, too, bowed his head.
“So, how about it?” I said, looking from my dragon friends to my mum and dad.
“How about what?” asked my mum.
“You know, fancy a ride? If it’s okay with you two,” I added as I look at Talon and Scorch.
“It’s fine with us,” said Talon as he and Scorch stood up.
“Mum, you come with me and Talon and Dad, you go with Scorch. Is that alright?” I asked but Dad was already getting onto Scorch’s back and then they took to the sky.
“Come on, Mum, they are getting away!” I said as she climbed up on to Talon’s back.
We flew around the sun as it started to set.
“This is an amazing place, Alissa, and with all these friends, I know you will be happy here,” said my mum as we landed and went back to the celebrations. All around me, people were dancing and having a great time but all I looked at was my mum and dad. Then, as the night crept on us, Kelly and Harry started to fade away in front of me.
“The spell is over.”
I kept my eyes on them. I could feel the tears start to fill in my eyes. The last thing I saw of them was their faces. They were smiling at me.
“I love you!” I called out to them as they left me in my new world. My new home. My Akizma.
I felt someone’s hand holding mine. As I looked to my side, it was Aidan.
I felt someone holding my other hand. As I looked, it was Thorn. I looked all around and all of my friends were standing beside me.
“Alissa, you are not alone. We are always by your side. We are family,” said Linus, with John, Doyle, Zoe and Max standing all around me.
“Alissa, our story, and Akizma’s story, has only just begun,” I heard Talon’s voice inside my head. I looked up to see him and Scorch flying away in the now star-covered sky.
As I looked around, I knew Linus was right in what he said. They are my family, and I had a feeling Talon was right too. Mine and Akizma’s story was just beginning.
THE END