Episode 8: The Search for Paul
Once upon a time in the land of Atheria, there was a Princess Nea and a Princess Lulu and they went on the most amazing adventures.
They just met with the inventor and learned that the water in Sparland was getting polluted and they need to find both Aquarian Crystals in order to fix it. Luckily their new friend O’Lah with the purple crystal was in the ogre town of Ubbin, now they just needed to find Paul and his blue crystal!
So Princess Nea, Princess Lulu & O’Lah, left Ubbin and headed towards Prince Paul’s hometown of Cedar Landing. However, on the way they were surprised to see something flying the air above them. Was it Ryla the hawk?
No, it was a dragon. But the dragon wasn’t flying right, in fact it was zig-zagging and flailing, only to zig-zag it’s way right down to the ground with a huge thud.
Nea, Lulu and O’Lah looked at each other a bit confused. Now the princesses and even O’Lah were actually not afraid of dragons. And although they had told the ogres that their castle was under attack by a dragon earlier, the Shadow Man had never told the princesses which dragon, let alone that he was friends with a very specific dragon, named Scorch, and that he was going to be pretending to attack the ogre village of Gozdur in order to help the princesses get their castle back.
“We should check this out!” Nea said. “I think that dragon is injured.”
“I hope he’s okay.” Lulu replied.
And as the party ran through the field where the dragon fell, O’Lah was the first one to speak. “That’s an ogre spear on his side. They must have found him, they must be near.”
Nea jumped into action and pulled the spear out of the dragon’s side, while Lulu pressed against the wound. As they did so, the large beast cringed but then turned it’s huge head to the side and gave their faces a lick with its big tongue. He then gently shoved the two young ladies aside and started licking the wound until it had stopped bleeding.
“Don’t look now, but I think the ogres are coming.” O’Lah warned.
And with that the dragon got up on his hind legs stepped in front of the group. Letting out a huge roar that shook the earth.
A few ogres started running toward the dragon. But when they saw him, they stopped, and their eyes widened. Scorch, now fully mobile, went charging towards them through the field, lifting his head and taking a long deep breath.
Sensing the dragon’s impending attack, the ogre horde attempted to harm the dragon by throwing spears and shooting arrows but now that Scorch was in an open field, they had no protection against fiery breath and quickly turned and ran back into the surrounding woods.
Nea, Lulu & O’Lah, who all three were ready for a battle, if it came to that, were astonished. None of them had ever experienced a dragon this close before. So when Scorch walked back, they weren’t exactly sure what to do.
The large beast circled them twice then lowered his head.
“I’ve heard about this dragon,” Said O’Lah, looking under his left wing. “This is Scorch the Protector.”
And hearing his name, the dragon lifted his nose in acknowledgment.
“Scorch the Protector,” Repeated Princess Nea.
“He sure is smooth,” Princess Lulu said, petting his smooth scaly skin.
“Scorch the Protector,” O’Lah addressed the dragon, “I am O’Lah of Ubbin and this is Princess Nea & Princess Lulu of Sparland.” (Now the way O’Lah introduced herself was quite odd. Ogre’s don’t often introduce themselves in terms of their cities or villages of origin, yet O’Lah did.) “Would you, kind dragon, take us to Cedar Landing? We are on an important quest and need to find Prince Paul quickly.”
Princess Nea & Lulu looked at each other. As they had never ridden a dragon before. But they both smiled, excited for the chance.
Scorch lowered his wing and, with a little trepidation, the girls mounted his back. He flapped his wings and, with that, the party was launched into the air, towards Cedar Landing.
When arrived, they agreed that it would be best for O’Lah and Scorch to keep watch while Nea and Lulu headed into the castle to find Prince Paul.
When they got into the castle, Paul was nowhere to be found. However, Paul’s head adviser shared that he was in the barracks practicing his sword-fighting techniques. So the young ladies headed over.
Upon entering the barracks they found Paul wielding a large black blade and sword-practicing with another helmeted soldier using a large spear. They could tell Paul, even though he was helmeted but didn’t recognize the other one.
But that’s when the saw someone else, around the perimeter of the ring.
“Tuck!” they both said in unison.
Upon seeing the young ladies, he nodded, took a deep breath, and then addressed the two combatants in the ring.
“That is enough for today.”
The two armored fighters ceased and Paul off his helmet.
“Princess of Allaymia. It is time, you must head back to the sea and prepare the way.” And with that she nodded, looked at the two princesses and disappeared out the back exit.
“What’s going on, Tuck?” Paul asked.
And Princess Nea and Lulu walked up explaining what they had learned from the inventor about the water in Sparland.
“It is true,” confirmed Tuck. “This is just the beginning of Atheria’s sickness. You must go and you must us the Aquarian Crystal you have to heal the earth. I presume you girls have found the other keeper?”
They both nodded in agreement. “She’s waiting with Scorch, by the castle.”
“Well done my ladies.” Tuck said. “Then go, and hurry. We have not a moment to lose. There is much unrest in Atheria until we can restore the balance.”
And the three of them, Paul, Lulu & Nea hurried back to the dragon, where O’Lah was waiting for them patiently. Scribbling out a few more notes in her notebook.
“Prince Paul of Cedar Landing, O’Lah of Ubbin,” Nea introduced them. The two just looked awkwardly at each other and then at the two sisters while Scorch lowered his wing once again for the group.
And before they knew it, the four adventurers were headed back to Sparland to figure out how to use the Aquarian Crystals to heal the world.
Only they didn’t get very far until the wind started to pick up – throwing them around the sky like a pinball in a pinball machine. From side to side of the sky to the other, they flew. Until finally, Scorch had to make an emergency landing and it was so chaotic it actually threw all four of our characters into a nearby river.
Splash.
They were pretty resilient though, these four, and immediately got out of the water, only to find Scorch had injured his wing in the process.
“Can you walk, Scorch” Asked Nea. Realizing they were almost back to Sparland by now. “Once we get back to Sparland, we can properly dress your wing and your wound left by the ogre spear.”
Scorch stretched his neck and began thumping towards Sparland, following the princesses as they led the way.
And the team got back to Sparland just in time for dinner and sent word for the inventor, so they could plan their next adventure to make use of the Aquarian Crystals and heal the land of Atheria.
The end.
