That night, Jason turned in late. He glanced uncomfortably at Genhyl, who was sitting nearby and working on something on a palm pad.
*Oh, stop being paranoid, Jason,* Char chided, swatting him with a feathered wing from her spot next to him. *It's not like he's going to pounce on you as soon as you shut your eyes.*
Jason sighed and closed his eyes. Char was right, of course. I have an idea that you might have been partially responsible for what happened this morning.
*It was just a suggestion,* she said, with a hint of a smile. *Besides, I don't see what your problem is.*
Char, did it ever occur to you that maybe that's not the way a relationship is supposed to work?
*Why, because he's an alien?*
No, because he is male, Char. The general format is one male, one female.
*Not for the Erito...*
That's because the Erito are hermaphroditic, Char.
*Hey, don't start taking that tone you get when you think you know more than I do, because you know nothing about this.*
Neither do you.
*I know that he loves you and would do anything to protect you, just like I would. And, I also know that today wasn't the first time you kissed another male.*
Jason felt annoyed. I didn't tell you that... or anyone, for that matter.
*That does not mean it never happened.*
Jason growled at her mentally. Darn meddling dragon bondmate. Listen, we have a mission to get through. I don't need to be worrying about starting a relationship with a male of another species at the moment.
*That excuse is only going to hold up until we get rid of these Amulets.*
Jason ceased conversing with Charaustra. Eventually, they drifted off to sleep. And that was when it happened.
Jason found himself standing in a clearing... at least, that was the way he thought of it. There were little green lines of color coming up from the white, soft ground that could represent grass, and there were vague blobs of green and brown all around the clear circle of ground that might be watercolor blurs of trees. On the ground, there were occasional puffs of light pink or yellow... flowers?
*What is this place?* he heard Char ask from beside him. At least she looked normal.
I'm not sure... aren't we asleep?
You are... and you are not, a voice boomed at them. I am Dalan. Welcome, Sacred Guardians. You have done well.
Suddenly, a variety of shapes began to take form in the fuzzy white light of the clearing. There was a column of clouds that flashed occasionally with energy, a large and powerful tree with deep green bark and purple fronds, a womanly figure, completely dark except for tiny pinpoints of light, the largest of which took the place of eyes, and an orb of brilliant blue. Reddish sunlight filtered into the clearing from above, and Dalan spoke again.
We have called you here to deliver the Sacred Amulets to safety, and, to offer you a reward for your faithful service to us, Dalan proclaimed, but Jason couldn't locate the source of the great God of Life.
I foresaw your success long before you journeyed to our world, Jason of All Worlds and Charaustra of the Crashing Flame, the orb interjected in a slow, male voice.
And it was I who commanded my worldly emissary to you, the starry woman added in an echoing feminine tone.
B'rigl, God of the Future, and Tula'tag, Goddess of the Night, Jason guessed, and Char nodded. Glancing over, Jason realised that the Amulets were there, in the bag on Charaustra's back. Somehow, he was not surprised.
You have the thanks of the gods and of our people, the storm cloud said in a crackling female voice. F'lyna, Goddess of Rain and Storms.
What do you wish for your reward? a more nasal male voice from above demanded, obviously K'dan, the God of the Sun.
*We didn't do this for a reward,* Char replied. *We did this because L'mdana was in trouble and our help was requested.*
It would seem wrong to ask for payment, Jason agreed.
If you will not choose... we shall choose for you, Dalan said somewhat ominously... but then again, anything boomed loudly from nowhere tended to sound ominous. You arrived in this plane by way of an item, an amulet from another world. This item will be returned to you now, and with it, you will receive the power to master it.
Your help will be needed on other worlds, B'rigl intoned, and you will be up to the challenge... with those you will meet along your way.
*Thank you,* Char answered for them both. Suddenly, the weight on her back was lifted as the Sacred Amulets were gone, replaced by the weight of a single small amulet.
You will now be returned, Dalan pronounced.
Know that you will always have the gratitude and protection of the gods, for as far as our powers extend, the tree told them. Jason did a doubletake, then realised that it must be Gytala, the Goddess of the Forests.
The clearing began to fade into white, then faded away into black.
When Jason woke up early the next morning, he immediately looked over to Char. She was awake already. In front of her was the bag, now empty except for a single object: a dark obsidian token from another place and time; the artifact that had brought Jason to this universe.
We did it... he realised. We did it.
*I have to admit, for a while there I was afraid we wouldn't live through it,* Char said.
But we did... and now we can go home, Jason thought with evident relief.
*Home... and beyond,* Char corrected, nodding to the talisman.
We'll cross that bridge when we come to it, Jason told her. People seem to have a way of getting in touch with us when we're needed.
He glanced over to where Genhyl still slept. The L'mdanan was breathing easily, flopped on his stomach, his darker green hair covering his eyes.
*He looks very pretty like that,* Char commented.
Char! Jason blasted and glared at her. Char just projected a ripple of amusement and laughter. Teasing him, apparently, didn't get old.
Jason lay back down and crossed his arms behind his head. He glanced over at Genhyl again and, for a second, had the fleeting thought that maybe he could brush his hair off his face. Then, Jason reconsidered doing anything that might abruptly wake up the L'mdanan, thinking that perhaps with his cat-like reflexes, Genhyl might strike out and give him a good scratch.
Why did I think about doing that? Jason wondered. Char, are you toying with my thoughts?
*Jason, I can't do that... and even if I could, I wouldn't play with your emotions like that,* Char admonished gently. You like him. Will you just let yourself like him?
Jason sighed. I think I'm going to need a lot of time with this...
Background from Absolute Background Textures Archive. Storyline and characters created by and copyright © Rachel "Indyana" Gratis, 2001-2004. Dragon from The Temple of Dea.