Swept

Smral walked and ignored everything around him for a long while. He was too deep in thought.

'Could I own a realm? Could I be it's master or have a symbiotic relationship with it?'

How intriguing. The possibility excited something primal in him. He knew as soon as he sensed Rachel that she would be the key to his next evolution. To be honest he was thinking she would help him as one of his enthralled and when she took one of his soul crystals he had fully given up one that idea.

For a second. Then he gave up again.

But he had been a demon dragon of fate and ailment before he was ever a demon thrall. And he felt fate stitngs being tugged. He sensed the significance of an alliance and he always trusted his instincts.

Those twinges within him that struck a cord in his soul well and resonated a specific way through his being. And because he was ancient he had no Qual with acting instantaneously on such a notion.

Once he understood and believed he wholeheartedly became Rachel's subordinate and member of her cohort. He had no choice.

He paused. Not because he was told to or because his path was blocked. He stopped because his instincts screamed at him to do so.

As he thought on this a beautiful and terrifying being was suddenly before him smiling a smile of pure insanity.

It was a being like him and Rebecca in that it had no specific gender and could be as it desired. It was tall, over eight feet, had a beautiful pristine face that was like sparkling sunshine, eyes of diamond that twinkled and danced in their own radiance. This being's long white shining that fell in long thick waves to its waist. Other than its small ears and thick moist lips it did not truly allow one to see the shape and contours of its body.

'Ambruce'

'You are very interesting demon dragon. I know when you have thoughts but I can not hear them.'

The beautiful being smiled and tilted its head. 'Can we be friends?'

'Should I speak? How can I distract it if I don't speak?'

'Hmm… another thought that I can not hear. Are you thinking of me or that other interesting being? She is quite beautiful. Quite intriguing. Maybe if you are my friend she will be too.'

'Why is its smile so damn brilliant?'

A part of Rachel was eavesdropping and a part of her was searching for something.

"How is he?"

"You can't tell?" Rachel ignored her internal feelings. She was confused and understood at the same time.

Rebecca shook her head "No. The tethers you created are still there but everything is hazy. I can tell someone is talking to him but that is all I can really sense clearly. This illusion is like nothing I have ever seen."

Rachel nodded. "Yes he is fine. The realm is speaking to him. He is not sure if he should respond or not. I am not interfering because I can tell that the realm is sufficiently distracted for now.

She thought for a moment. As far as the illusion goes it is four illusions placed inside one another. All four have different triggers of release. The true issue is that all four are in the middle, not exactly the center, of a storm of magic that blocks the illusions from outsiders and makes escape difficult while feeding the illusions at the same time."

"Are you saying that this illusion can go on indefinitely? "

Cramnal always sounded devoid of emotion but they all could hear emotion in his voice that others may not be able to perceive.

Rachel nodded. "Yes. The magic storm feeds the illusions and itself in an unending loop. The only benefit is he has broke through two of the illusions and this has allowed some of his innate abilities to initiate and give him some protection. Smral is crazy poweful."

Struns eyes widened. 'Rachel considers someone "crazy powerful"?'

'You can talk to me. I promise not to do you any harm.'

Smral and Ambruce had somehow begun walking together, the scene around them in constant Flux. Ambruce spoke about everything and nothing at all but still it intrigued Smral. He had no inclination to speak as of yet but he had a sense that he would be able to soon.

'So I can't speak now but something will happen to allow me the ability again, without adverse side effects?' He smiled inwardly.

'I have been for a long time…I guess to my kind it has actually been a short time. Your kind lives long years as well.'

Smral frowned. He wanted to ask a question. Was this a trap? One minute he feels he will be able to speak soon and now that the moment is here so suddenly and so soon after the thought all he can wonder is if it is a trap.

'Now I am overly paranoid and it is confusing instincts.'

'Speak. I am here with you. I will protect you. Do not eat anything here for now though.' The whisper flowed through his soul well in a soft echo.

He nodded imperceptible. If Rachel said it was okay then it was not a trap.

'What exactly is it that you think you want? Are you merely bored or do you actually want friends.'

Ambruce was taken aback both by the questions and because Smral spoke. It smiled broadly.

'You finally spoke to me.' Its smile turned to confusion. 'Isn't that the same thing? If I have a friend I will no longer be bored.'

Smral smiled broadly. 'No. A friend is someone you care for and respect. To have someone or something to alleviate boredom is just to have a tool. Maybe you will respect it, maybe not but most see tools as expendable due to the seeming ease to obtain one. Do you understand? '

Ambruce was silent. It looked off into the distance as if deep in thought.

'I would like a friend' its voice was distant and wistful. 'Could we be friends?'

Smral. Waited. He sensed there was more but Ambruce didn't speak. 'I Don't know. I still do not want to be imprisoned here with you. I want to roam and see different things. Forgive me.'

Ambruce smiled sadly. 'So do I.' 'Does being friends with the other one help you to do that?'

Smral became excited. 'Yes it does!' He looked at Ambruce in slight confusion. 'I am nor sure it will work for you though, but I am not sure.'

Rachel, Rebecca, Cramnal, and Struns stood before a huge tree that stretched so high into the sky that they could not see its crown. The trunk was as wide as a building and the branches as thick as a male body builder's thighs. The leaves were both bright and subdued at the same time and in a myriad of colors.

The bark shined like it was covered in a thin layer of amber and was smooth and soft to the touch. It seemed welcoming. Its branches seeming to droop closer to the ground as they stood there like it was asking them to approach and partake.

She knew she needed to act quickly, before the realm became aware of their actions, but she was frozen to the spot.