The Urn

Chapter 3: First Metamorphosis

Ariana appeared in a flash of light, and Dreamer looked at him, signaling with her eyes. Simon nodded; she did look larger than she did in the vision pool. Aurous was looking at her with fascination, and curiousity.

"I made it . . . good." Ariana looked around, and her gaze stopped at a pair of chairs to one side, with a table. She frowned as she looked back at him. "I used it to get here, Simon."

Simon nodded; that would explain why she looked larger somewhat. He walked past her to the chairs and motioned to one. "I expected you might just need it, actually. Dreamer here told me that she forgot to shut off the ward-shields."

The dragoness nodded, moving her head silently. She was standing behind the chair Ariana was moving to sit in. "It was not something I could simply turn off, lady Ariana."

"Just Ariana." She moved to the chair and sat down, looking uncomfortable. Then she looked the book he had mentioned on the table. "I've never seen a book of metal before." Then she looked down at the chair, wriggling slightly.

Simon politely ignored it, as he ignored the fact she was considerably taller than him. "It was made to last." To last an eternity, he thought to himself. "Perhaps I should explain why I think this book is, and what I know about it."

"Please do." Ariana looked at him expectantly.

Aurous was apparently trying to decide something about Ariana, and Simon watched him seem to approach then back off. He frowned and motioned for the young dragon to stop. "This book details the methods of using magic that is fueled by the power you have." He picked his words carefully, not knowing how to express what he knew. "It's as ancient as life itself, and has no clear boundaries between 'good' and 'evil'. In fact, it is beyond those." He stopped, thinking out loud. "It is almost exactly what dragons tap into when they use magic, if my lore is correct."

Ariana looked at herself and asked quietly, "Is it feeding off of me? Is that why I change everytime I use it so?"

"Feeding? No, that isn't what it does. It is perhaps changing you to focus the power easier. Does it become easier with each use?" He looked at her quietly, and continued without an answer. "Exactly what you are changing towards, I don't know. I do know that it will not stop, even after the change is 'complete'. The only thing I can offer is a measure of control on how the changes affect your body."

She looked slightly shocked. "So if I stop using it, I still may keep changing? This is a bit scary . . . I don't want to change." She looked at herself, and seemed ready to break apart.

Simon looked down at the book. "Quite simply, you cannot stop using the power. The changes are apparently based upon how often you call on it and how much you use. The more often you use it, the lesser the changes, and the more power you channel, the more drastic the changes."

She looked up, smiling slightly. "So if I use it more, but at lesser strength I won't change much. The more I use in strength and intensity, the more I continue to change."

"That sounds correct." He seemed at a loss on what to say, then settled for, "You do look much different from when I remember you."

She smiled and spoke with a small point of disgust. "I noticed that. Things look smaller to me, in fact everything does." she looked at herself and placed a hand on her chest. " Everything except this power inside me."

Simon shrugged, picking the metal book up off the table and handing it to her. "I could understand why. As I said, I don't have any idea what you are becoming, but there are ideas . . . " He stopped, remembering that most of the ideas he had read weren't exactly pleasurable to hear. "In any case this book should help you in some measure." He looked away at her questioning glance. "It's all I can offer, at the moment."

"Anything is better than nothing." She took the book and softened somewhat. "I am sorry for hurting you Simon. I did not mean to, I hope you know this."

"I know it." he said quietly. "I also hope you realize that I have no experience behind the problems you're having with the power. I haven't had anything that compares to it." Then he looked into her eyes. "I also can't read that book."

She turned cold almost immediately. "What makes you think I can read it then?" She then shook her head, and seemed to change as soon as she looked back at him. "The Urn was made safe from Shadow, anyway. You do know that?"

"I realized that, when he let it slip," he said. "I met him here, trying to convince me not to bother helping you. I still don't get it . . . what is he after?"

Ariana was reading the book, and looked up with a thought. "All I know for certain is that he will not stop until you are no more. His plans seem to center around you and I, but to what purpose?" She turned the page and took in a breath. The heading of the page was 'Attunement.'

She read on, oblivious to Simon's reply. "Control can be recieved when you have attuned the power to you. To do this, it is suggested you draw as much power as you can hold and then release it into yourself. However, this may not work if the power is extremely volatile or dangerous. If the power is not harmful then the use of this method is certainly best."

Simon was just finishing, and she looked up. "Well if he can't open it or use it, why is it so important? I think I'll try this." She picked up the book in both hands and concentrated, feeling the power awaken inside her and begin to push outwards. Something was keeping it from doing anything, perhaps her will alone.

She was aware that Simon had spoken, but heard nothing. The power blocked everything, making it hard to tell what was happening. Then she heard herself speak. "Simon . . . what is happening? Tell me Simon . . ." Then she felt herself fall, and heard him stand.

"Ari? That is you, isn't it?"

She felt herself smile, stand and talk. "Simon . . . of course its me. Who else would I be?" The voice paused. Ariana could not help herself from speaking the words she heard herself speaking. "Ariana is somewhere here within all this power." She laughed then, and gathered some of the power into a ball of energy.

"What do you mean?" He seemed puzzled; he couldn't understand in any case . . . a fool who only spoke of knowledge without having it.

"It is simple." She smiled darkly and continued. "As she uses this new power, she grows weaker and I grow stronger. The changes help me also, you see. There will come a time when she will cease to be and only I shall remain. I had her once and liked what she gave me. I don't want to lose her again. She has no idea what she could be . . . this will help her." Then the ball took form in her hand, ready to strike.

There was a flash of black and the little black dragoness, Derrintha, was between them, somehow much larger and threatening. "No, these two are not yours to have."

"Who are you to stop me?" Ariana heard the sneer in her voice and felt like screaming. This wasn't her! She tried to stop herself from harming them. She was frozen inside her won body as she watched. "I will have her to use, and him to remind her of her weakness." The ball of energy flew at the black dragoness, colliding with her.

At that time, a tendril of white magic came from the book and wrapped itself around her, blocking out her connections to the power. "Who are you who command the power of the Ultimate."

She shook her head, feeling in control of herself again. "My name is Ariana." What was happening now?

"Ariana . . . your use of this book shows that you have the power and the will necessary to develop the skill to use the power and control both it and yourself. Mind, body, and heart. Will you accept?" The book was speaking, yet how could this be?

"I do. Let me learn how to control this so it does not control me."

"Then read this book and learn. Two more things must take place before you can have control over the power and yourself. Two more things, and both are written herein." Then the light faded, and she found herself laying on the ground. Simon and Derrintha were kneeling over her, looking concerned.

Simon knelt next to Ariana on the floor, looking at Derra. "Are you ok?"

"Fine." The dragoness smiled weakly. "A little singed, but fine. It will take more than that to deal with THIS elemental."

Ariana stirred and he returned his attention to her. "You're fine, Ari."

"What happened? I remember nothing but darkness . . . and a voice." She struggled to rise, and frowned. "Help me to a chair will you?"

He lifted her by the shoulders and nodded to Derra, who took her legs. "I hate to say this, but you're too much to lift alone." They deposited her gently in the chair, Derra standing behind it. The dragoness seemed to vanish, replaced by a similar one three feet long. The little dragoness perched on Ariana's shoulder, wrapping her tail loosely around her upper arm.

Simon watched Derra, and spoke again. "How are you feeling?"

"Tired." She said, and frowned. She knew something had happened that was unplanned. "Tell me, what happened."

"I watched as you drew that power into you, and for a moment it seemed as if you were much larger." He didn't say that she still was larger. "Then your eyes glowed red, and you tried to cast a spell on me. Derra intercepted the spell, and I don't know what happened. You fell to the floor, out."

She looked fearful, thinking that her eyes were changed for good. "My eyes . . . are they still red? Give me a mirror to look at, please! I want to see my eyes!" She took a hand mirror he offered her and looked into her blue eyes the color of the winter sky outside. she ran a hand through her long hair and let out a sigh, putting the mirror down. "Well, this book will help me. I know it."

"You read it?" Simon leaned forward. "What did you read?"

"The book spoke and asked me my name. The voice said I could use the book; would I accept. I did. It told me two more rituals would have to take place." She looked at it.

"Then you'd best study it, right?"

"Right." She began reading, and sat there turning pages for a long time. After an indefinite amount of time, she fell asleep, snoring lightly.

He shook his head and stood. "Help me, Derra . . . let's get her to a guest room."

"Are you sure about this? She's dangerous." The little dragoness leapt off and glided to the table.

"So am I, but only to those who are my enemies." Simon picked up Ariana be the shoulders, struggling to lift her. "C'mon Derra, let's get her to the bed so she can rest. She needs it."

"Fine, but I'm not going to say 'I told you so' when the time comes." Derra became a larger dragoness and took the sleeping woman's legs carefully, carrying her down a passage. Carefully opening a door and maneuvering within, they laid her on the bed inside. Simon took the book under his arm, and frowned.

"Why are you taking the book?" Derrintha asked, frowning.

"I am going to need it. Where's the portal to Ilth's lair?" He waited for her to point out a door and left. The black dragoness, sitting on the floor for a moment more, simply shrugged and curled up in another part of the room Ariana was sleeping in, promising herself she wouldn't fail any of her friends again.

Outside, Simon simply vanished, a look of surprise crossing his face. Then there was a gust of wind, and Derra fell into sleep, forgetting about everything for the time being.

In another cavern, far away, Timat Dragoner sat there, looking at Maiya. "For the gods' sake, Mai, you'll never get what you want if you wait for me to intervene." She wasn't furious, but annoyed. Her daughter looked away, eyes meething that of a red dragon standing not too far away. Both were about half her size, at current two hundred feet.

"Mother, I don't want to ask . . . he was so cold after the first time." Maiya's voice was pleading. "And he hasn't spoken about it since."

"You simply were moving too fast for him, that's all. And I don't think he'd disapprove." She smiled at her daughter. "We have good taste in males, you and I."

Ilth looked away, embarrassed, and then turned back. "Can you stop talking about me as if I wasn't here?"

"Why sure." Timat turned to look at him. "By the way, where is that book?"

"What book?" Ilth seemed confused.

"The one Kereminde had earlier?" She snorted. "You know, the Wanderer?"

"Oh . . . why don't you ask him?"

"How?"

Ilth closed his eyes and smiled after a moment. "To his face, perhaps." After a moment, a man in a green robe appeared in front of him, holding a large metal book in his hands. "Ilth, could you just open a portal next time?" The man seemed annoyed.

"Sorry, Kereminde."

"Welcome back Kereminde." The mercury dragon raised her head, and smiled. "Can you help me with the problem I told you about earlier?"

"Well, I hope so." The man smiled. "It was your curiousity that got you into this mess, remember?"

"Just give me the book, please."

The Wanderer, Simon Kereminde, approached and laid the metal book down, in front of Timat. He looked up at her and smiled. "It has to be returned soon, so you don't have a lot of time."

"I thought you couldn't read it." She idly tapped the cover with one talon, eyeing the Wanderer thoughtfully. Was it his fault that she had lost control of herself and changed out of human form in the middle of a conversation with her friend? Possibly, but she doubted it. "Why, then, do you need it?"

"A friend needs it, and she might wake and find it missing at any moment, Ti." He seemed rushed, for some reason. "And reading it again might help you."

Well, he could just slow down for her. She looked at the book, then at Simon. "You're certain of this?"

"Not really." He gestured to it. "Try to read it again. You might find something helpful, you might not." He looked at Maiya, then at Ilth. "I'm not certain."

Timat laid one foreclaw on the metal book, knowing how her control over her magics hadn't been the same after she had looked in the book before. "I don't know." Then she shrugged. "But I'll find out." She opened the book and began to look at the pages. They were covered in runes and glyphs that she couldn't read. Except one . . . she found a blank page, and frowned. "Kereminde, what is this?"

"I don't know." He turned and looked. Then he shook his head again. "It's blank."

"No it's not." The dragon ran a foreclaw over the book, frowning. The page had a strange glyph on it, barely visible. "Kereminde, there's something here." She touched the page and gasped; her claw was on the page, not on her arm. She felt a tug and let out a short cry of astonishment. "Simon!" Then she was gone, spiraling down into the book; there was no other way to describe it. Then . . . nothingness.

Simon picked up the book and examined the page. On the page was a picture, of a beautiful woman changing into a dragon. She was caught halfway in the change, wings unfolding from her back and forearms changing into claws. A long tail came from her back as well, curling around her legs many times.

"I didn't expect that," he said at last. Then he closed the book. "You two had better let her husband know."

"Uh, right." Ilth looked uneasy. Maiya smacked him playfully, and he smiled. "And what if he kills me?"

"He wouldn't do that." Simon smiled at Ilth. "He might if there was a real problem, but not over this. I have to return . . . I think time passes faster here than there." He left that statement unexplained and stepped away to a wall. "Portal please, Ilth?"

"Certainly, Kereminde." A circle of blue light appeared in front of Simon, leading back to where Simon had come from. "Will we see you at the Council Meeting?"

"What meeting?" Simon paused on the way out.

"Derra said something about it earlier. I think we're required to attend if . . . " The dragon broke off.

Maiya slapped him again with a wing. "Come on, Ilth! It's not like we decided on it yesterday."

"But I don't know what to do."

"Idiot." The young dragoness snorted and turned to Simon. "Just tell us whether you're going to be there."

Simon paused, thinking. "I have other commitments." He shrugged. "Ones that cannot wait. I will hopefully see you after?" As both dragons nodded, he stepped through the portal with a wave of his hands.

Ariana awoke in a room that has a comforting feeling to it. Simon stood to one side, waiting patiently. "Good morning, or evening as the case may be."

She rubbed her eyes. "Did I fall asleep? How long was I out?" She looked around for the book, and got upset when she did not see it. "The book! I was reading and then . . . I must have dozed off. Forgive me Simon."

"Forgiven." He handed her the book. "I borrowed the book after you dozed off."

"I thought you said you could not read it?" She flipped through it to where she left off; a page with a very lifelike picture of a woman changing into a dragon, caught halfway in the change. She looked so familiar for some reason, Ariana thought. "Simon who is the woman in the picture? She is famillar but I can not place her. Do you know?"

"I can't read it, but I took it to someone, hoping . . . he could. He couldn't." He looked at the picture. "Her . . . she's someone I don't believe you met."

"Do you know why I can only read it? It seems strange to me. The woman who is she?" She was feeling a little impatient that he dodged the question.

"Timat Dragoner." Simon replied. "And she could read it, but for some reason she's vanished." He seemed to still be sidestepping something.

"Why is that? How did she vanish?" She looked at the picture again and traced it with her finger. The page was strangely warm, despite the fact it was metal.

Simon looked at her curiously. "If you must know, she tried what you referred to as the 'attunement' . . . there were odd side effects to it. In short, she lacked the power to pull it off."

She shrugged, and tapped the book. She read the page facing the picture carefully. 'The second phase of adaption to the power is harder

Ariana looked up thoughtfully. "Manifest an object; I need to bring an image to life." She shivered as sudden chills went through her. "This may take a while." She frowned, wondering if this was such good idea after all.

Simon nodded. "Take all the time you need. Rushing this could be dangerous." He looked at the page. "You are going to use her?"

She looked at the picture, not looking up she answered Simon. "Yes, it seems right somehow. Is this a problem?"

"Not really. I'm just wondering what the result will be."

"I guess I should get started on trying to focus again. Things are better done often and with less intensity. She stood slowly and closed her eyes. Still holding the book, she cleared her mind of everything and let the power flow. As it became stronger, she dropped the book from nerveless fingers. There was a whirling force in her mind's eye, which confused her.

"Ari, what are you trying to do now?" Simon said from somewhere in front of her. Why couldn't she see him? "Ari . . . what are you doing? You're glowing." Did he just say she was glowing?

"Simon this is something. I feel it going through me." She focused harder. "Simon I think it's working . . . I can feel it go in and out of me."

"Great." Simon said. He sounded a little frightened of something. "Uh, you think you could damp it down before you draw 'too much'? You're glowing like the sun"

Ariana focused on the power more, trying to bring it down. She breathed deply, closing her eyes. The power started to fade, and the world collapsed in about her as the last part of the magic faded.

She looked down to see the book apparently glowing, but the light was swiftly fading out. Simon was looking at her, but when she looked back, he looked away. "Simon? what is it?"

"Take a look." He brought up a handmirror. Her hair was fire-red in contrast to her eyes, which had turned a vibrant blue.

"My hair! It's . . . it's . . . on fire. And my eyes are the

Simon's face was impassive as he put down the mirror. "Just a little."

"Now what do we do?" She picked up the book and set it on the table next to the bed.

"I believe you should move on to the next . . . phase." he said. "Use the bed, Ari, that's what it's here for . . . don't push yourself."

She got up and laid on the bed. "Thank you Si . . ." She dropped off, into sleep. Dreams slowly came to her, nightmares showing her fears about this power. She pushed them away and fled deeper into her conciousness.

Simon walked up beside the bed and shook his head "So determined to master that power." he muttered. "She'll drive her body to it's limits in order to do it." He sighed and sat in a chair across the room.

"I hope, also, that these changes will stop when she learns control." he added, looking at her wrists and hands. The odd patches of flesh he noted earlier were larger, covering the wrists and some of the upper arm, flesh-colored scales. Her fingernails had lengthened more, becoming something like claws. She was a little taller, as well, it seemed.

Then he looked again at her face; her hair looked almost alive. He took one last look before stepping outside. He closed the door quietly, mumbling to himself. "I hope, also, that I knew what was happening to her." he said to the empty air.

Ariana woke up and looked around. "The guest room," she said, looking around. A steaming cup of a dark brown liquid sat on a table nearby, with a small note reading 'Drink me' next to it. Ariana picked up the note and crumpled it. "No thank you, but I hope you understand my refusal." She stood and stretched, feeling invigorated. Then she saw the book, open to that odd picture she had found. She walked over to the book and looked at it again. The woman was turned away from the viewer, but her head was turned so you could see her face. One arm was outstretched towards the page, but it wasn't a human hand at the end of the arm; it was a dragon's clawed forefoot. In fact, two small wings sprouted from the woman's back, apparently half-formed. It is as if the woman was changing into a dragon and was caught by the artist in mid-change.

As Ariana studied it, she became aware that there was some presence in the picture, looking BACK at her. She shivered and turned away, looking for Simon. When she didn't see him, she made the decision to go ahead and try bringing the image to life. Pulling magic into her hands carefully, she laid them on the picture of the woman-dragon, focusing the power on the image in her mind.

Almost immediately there was a storm of energy that flowed out of her and into the picture. She felt something inside her stir and then the dark spot in her soul shrank away mysteriously, becoming less. There was a slight explosion of air, and she opened her eyes. The woman from the picture was standing across the table from her, a silver cloak pulled about her. As Ariana looked, she realized that it wasn't a cloak, it was two wings.

Both women spoke at the same time, "Who are you?"

Simon stepped into the room, looking around. "I thought I heard something . . ." He stopped. "Hello, Ti. Er, this is a surprise."

"How come I look like this, Kereminde? Why," the other woman asked, unfolding her wings and holding out her two arms, "am I like this? I was drawn into the book after . . ." She stopped and looked ar Ariana, frowning.

"It's fine, Timat. Ariana is a friend, not a foe." He stepped into the room, smiling now. "She has a similar problem."

"I have a simliar problem?" Ariana asked incredulously. "You mean I'm going to become THAT?" She almost ignored the hurt and angry look Timat shot her.

"No, Ari, you missed the point entirely." Simon shook his head. "You're gaining control of your magic, and Timat just lost control of it. The rest is just . . . details."

"Details. Simon, what do you mean?" Ariana looked confused. "She's becoming a dragon! Is that what's going to happen to me?"

Timat looked at Ariana, then shook her head. "No, I'm not becoming a dragon. I am one." She smiled, looking at herself. "But I choose to appear human for obvious reasons."

Simon nodded. "I told you the truth, Ariana. I don't know what you're becoming. The books I've read tell me nothing."

"Maybe you aren't reading the right books!" Ariana said fiercely, turning back to face him. "You aren't telling me something, and I'd like to know what!"

Timat shrugged. "Kereminde, tell me too . . . what does she have to do with me anyway?"

Simon sighed and placed a hand on his head. "It's this; the source for your powers are not that different. Both of you use energy from ancient sources. That is why you're here, Timat, and why, Ariana, she was able to use the book."

"Use it? Not read it?" Ariana asked, still seething.

"No, it spoke to me." Timat said, oblivious to the look Ariana shot her way. "Is told me to draw as much power into me as I could hold, then it shocked me and told me I didn't have enough."

Ariana then smiled. "Simon, could it be that only I have enough power to read that book?"

"It's possible." Simon said neutrally, then he sighed. "In any case, I hope this can be solved over breakfast?"

Timat and Ariana turned towards him, both looking interested. "What did you have in mind?" Timat asked.

"Come with me, if you will. I believe Derra and Aurous did the cooking today, and I'm sure we have things to discuss. Bring the book, will you Ari? You'll have to look it over and tell me what the third thing you have to do is." With a bow, he walked out and waited. Timat shook her head. "He's definitely not your usual person."

"No, he's not." Ariana said, picking up the book and shutting it. "Why did you look at the book, anyway?"

"I was curious and nosy." Timat said sheepishly. "And now I'm simply starved. Meet you at the table," she said, and rushed out the door.

Ariana sighed and looked at the book. "How much stranger are things going to get?" she asked the air in front of her. She waited, and sighed when it became evident she wasn't going to get an answer. Then she left the room and followed Timat up the passage.