The castle had a theme of checkerboard pattern, although looks grimy I admit it looked pretty cool.it was quiet—way too quiet.

"What are we looking for?" I asked Arulia.

"Her spell-book, that thing must be worth a fortune on the black market, I don't think I see a spell-room anywhere on the bottom floor so she must be at the top of these stairs—along with the book.

"Is this really the only way?" Asked Yume.

"Don't tell me your scared, Yume?" I teased.

"I'm not scared, I just don't have a good feeling about this.

We went up the stairs, Arulia insisted to be the first one up after it was her idea she exclaimed.

"After some climbing of stairs we made it to the top, and the sorceress turned her back, her hair was in curls and curls dark and black, her eyes looked sunken in and her skin was like ash.

"I"ll grab the book" I said.

I stole the book, from it's holding spot.

"So you managed to bring them here, well done Arulia, here's as promised, twenty-five coins" SHe said as she ran passed Ayumi and Yume, before turning her back to see our faces.

"Wait—what just happened, was she lying all this time?" I asked.

"It seems so, " Said Ayumi.

"Just great..." I said.

"Why did you bring us here!?, I demand to know, as princess of Alderon" She said as she removed her cloak hood.

"I was watching you the moment you jumped into that portal, I have my eyes everywhere" She said.

"I knew that you were the princess, but that is not only the reason I brought you here" Said the sorcerer.

"And I am keeping Arulia's sister captive, she has to do these tasks for me and with enough gold coins I'll let her go" She said.

"I brought you here for one simple reason, I am your mother" She said as she came into the light and shed off the darkness of the castle somehow, revealing a beautiful white dress embellished with emeralds and rubys and sapphires.

"Mother...—is it really you"

"Stop, Ayumi—it could be a trap"

"NO, it's okay I can feel the love, you don't need to worry" Said Ayumi.

"I've been hiding in this dark tower because it is the safest place for me right now, all of Alderon thinks I murdered your father, but it wasn't me—I could never do such a thing, not for money, fame, or status" She said.

As she came into the light I could see the uncanny resemblance between the princess and her mother.

"I am ALyra, it is nice to meet you all, I assume these are your friends, Ayumi?" She asked.

"Yes, they're my friends, and we're on a quest to find Yume's brother from the rogue who has no name" Said Ayumi.

"Isn't he standing right beside you,?" Asked her mother.

"NO, somehow he has the same appearance as the rogue with no name but he comes form a land very distant form ours with strange customs as well" Said Ayumi.

"And something called a camera which takes a snapshot of how you look, and is very bright too" Yume scolded me.

"Why would you keep her sister captive?" Ayumi asked.

"I need to gain her trust, when she has given me all the gold coins I desire, I will give them the money back to them so they can have a future as sisters, and not struggle so much.

"I never knew I had such a kind and thoughtful mother" Said Ayumi.

"Does it surprise you, Ayumi?" She asked.

"Yeah, a little to be honest" She said.

"I was the one who named you, but it was I who was selfish in my ways, afraid of a whole race being destroyed—so I had to make a hard choice for my people" She said.

"I hope you have understood" Said Alyra.

"Then why did you send the Solari people to come get me—they said they were going to bring me back to you" Said Ayumi.

"That's right, that's what I heard from one of the top leaders too!" I said.

"That is odd, I never made an order like that, and that only means someone has tried to kidnap you—there must be an unease of tension and unrest within the Solari people" She said.

"We must hurry" Said Alyra.

"This can wait until tomorrow" Said Ayumi.

"It's best not to do anything hasty" I said.

"Tomorrow morning when Arulia comes to see you for her new task promise you you'll free her sister and reunite them both?" Said Ayumi.

"TO tell you the truth I trapped her in an old genie lamp, she's comfortable there and I make sure she always has food, water and a nice place to go to sleep" She said.

"OH that's a relief, so you are good after all" Said Ayumi.

"All these years I held so much anger toward you, only to find out you're someone who just wanted to protect the one thing she loved the most in the world—me" Said Ayumi.

"We best be getting to sleep" I said.

"I have several spare futons downstairs" The tower is spotless, but I choose whose worthy to see the true nature of this tower and the true nature of me—So when Arulia sees me she'll see a hideous sorceress, but when I choose to reveal who I am she'll see me for who I really am" Said Alyra.

We all set our futons down and turned off the candles, and fell fast asleep.

***

I woke up to the smell of fresh home-cooking, but it was nothing like a traditional Japanese breakfast.

There was fruit stew among other yummy looking food.

Everyone else slowly woke up.

Everything in this tower was covered and carved in white marble, it was truly incredible.

WE all ate breakfast and Ayumi caught up on the things that had been happening to her and what her mother had missed out on.

"I am truly sorry that I couldn't have been there for you, my dear Ayumi—it pained me to see you everyday in my mirror, growing up without me and then when you lost your father the pain must've been so unbearable and I am truly sorry to cause you such sorrow" Said Alyra.

"Not everything is your fault, I guess the way I see it is there was lessons I had to learn by myself, and you and father both taught me valuable lessons" She said.

"Arulias on her way" She said as she checked her handheld mirror.

***

"But how are you still alive... I don't understand" Said Arulia"

"Because that person you brought me to is my mother" Said Ayumi.

"Huh? really?" She asked.

"As for your sister, I will be letting her go free and all the gold coins that you have paid me is yours to keep, see it as my way of saying sorry" Said Alyra.

"You looks so different, what happened to you?" Asked Arulia.

"This is my true form—the truth is I've been in hiding for fear of my life" Said Alyra, "But hide I will not anymore, not know that I have my daughter Ayumi, princess of Alderon with me on my side and her party of friends" She said.

"Have you thought about our offer?" I asked.

"Oh to join the party, I think I'll be joining you guys, It'll keep me outta trouble and that's a good thing" Said Arulia.

"Now here's your sister, she said as she rubbed an antique lamp, and out came her sister.

"Starla, I thought I'd never see you" You too, I thought you might've been lost forever, knowing how much trouble you normally get yourself in" Said Starla.

"I"m glad your safe," Said Arulia.

"I have to bring my sister back to Peach Cove" Said Arulia.

"Then we'll come with you!" I said as I pumped my fist in the air.

"I know your worried, mother but we still have time to sort things out" Ayumi reassured her mother.

"You're right, I'm just worried about you is all, that's all a mother does is ever worry about her child, whether they're safe, having fun or growing up" Said Alyra.

"TO Peach Cove it is!" I said with enthusiasm.

Yume had a look of relief as she let out a sigh, "Sounds like a great idea, don't you think—Ayumi?" She asked.

Yume was a little younger than almost all of us and you could tell if you payed attention to how she reacts to certain things.

"Where is Peach Cove?" I asked.

"It's to the South of here and one of the only ways to get there is either by boat or by dragon, and you only have three dragons for the three of you, so we best go by boat" Said Arulia, "Oh and I don't think that they would mind if you had your dragons come along, just make sure you put the dragon back in its egg for now" She said.

"What is Peach Cove like?" Asked Yume" , "You'll see when we get there" She said.

"Lets waste no time and get safe passage to Peach Cove" Said Arulia.

"I couldn't agree more" Said Alyra.

We walked toward the market, and then made our way to the docks and all the sounds that came with it, hawking birds, the sounds of the water, bells ringing, all accompanied our way as we stepped on the launch dock to talk to one of the sailors.

"Are you the captain of this ship?" I asked.

"I'm just a sailor, you should talk to someone else—can't you see I'm busy" He said.

And so we went and talked to more people on the ship to see if they knew where there captain is.

"He's right over ther—" A sailor pointed to the man who said he was a sailor.

"Guess he really didn't want to be bothered, huh" I said.

"You know how the captain feels about strangers on his boat—why'd you go and tell them that" Said one sailor to another.

"We seek passage South, to Peach Cove" Said Ayumi.

"No can do, those waters are far too treacherous nowadays, and even if I was acting like the captain I am, you'd have to pay me handsomely to even think—" He said.

"How's all these gold coins, enough to buy our way?", "I have some more if this isn't enough—" Said Arulia.

"That's enough, I can bring you there for that much, its a fair amount for our troubles" Said the captain.

"Why is it so dangerous?" Asked Arulia.

"The whole city and neighbor villages were ransacked by thieves" He said.

"That settles it, there's no turning back now, I have to find my family and save my mother" Said Arulia.

"I think you mean we find our family and save our mother" Said her sister, Starla.

"We'll leave right away, but let me garner a few supplies before we set off into such treacherous waters" Said the captain.

"What's that around your neck?" I asked the captain.

"It's a magical seashell, I use it for good luck and safe travel—but it does more than just that, it's an equipment, and it provides full coverage magical seashell armor, and I don't plan on losing it any time soon" Said the captain.

***

"Looks like we have everything that we need for this journey" He said.

"Wait—what's happening?" I asked.

"The ship is taking flight" Said the captain, "what? looks as if you've never seen a flying ship before" He said laughing.

"Yeah, something like that" I said.

"You have to forgive him, he isn't from around here" Ayumi said.

The ship took off with fanciful moves, soaring into the clouds and on way South to Peach Cove.

***

"Do you see that? Looks like we almost made it" Said the captain.

"What's wrong, Arulia?" Asked Starla.

"I'm really nervous—what if mother isn't there anymore and—"

"Don't talk nonsense" Said Starla.

The ocean sparkled beneath us, "This is as far as I'm going to take you, travel a little farther and you'll reach Peach Cove" Said the captain.

"Thank-you for all the trouble it took to get here" Said Arulia.

"I wish you well" Said the captain before taking off once again, we placed the dragons eggs in our backpacks we all brought with us.

After traveling up a steep hill, Arulia recognized the place as Peach Cove.

"We're finally home" She looked to Starla, then gave her a hug"

"You shouldn't celebrate already..." Said Ayumi.

The reality settled in when we reach over the green hill, only to see what remains of a village burnt to the ground.

Arulia and Starla were speechless—I know I would be too.

Arulia began to run down the hill, to the burning village—" Arulia" Starla called out as we chased after her.

"Wait, it's dangerous—" When we managed to catch up it was too late, everything had been burnt down, and what was left was in pieces, tatters everywhere.

Arulia even went into a building that was smoldering from the fire.

As we caught up with her, and tried to enter the building someone stepped out with a hand to cover Arulias mouth.

"Tell me why you've come to Peach Cove" Said the bald faced man, who had sharp eyes and was unnecessarily forceful.

"You'll answer to the Queen of Thieves, or else she gets thrown in the ocean" He said.