The Temple Stands Before Us

"Are we--"

"Yes," Skittles cut off the Taeda. "We're in the city were the temple is located, if you look in the distance you can see the temple."

Taeda hollered for joy, and a very annoyed Fulmen shoved her off the horse. Not paying attention to the absence of Taeda, Skittles continued on his horse with Fulmen. 

"HEY! Wait up! HEY!" Taeda screamed and flew after them.

***

A very excited young priest-in-training ran into Cola's chamber. "Sir! Sir! The man you've been waiting for has come!"

Cola looked up from a think book, "Oh thank the heavens. Bring him in for me?"

"Erm... right," the young disciple left the room. 

Skittles walked in, with Taeda and Fulmen in tow, as soon as the disciple had left. With a smile he said, "I'm finally here!"

The god of Fate walked in through a separate door still in human form. He was carrying a large basket with an egg wrapped in blankets. "Is that bloody stupid idiot here yet?" Loda'Bukira then looked up. "Oh."

Skittles, in too much of a good mood, smiled, "No wonder En'dai doesn't want me to speak in my accent."

The priest Cola dropped his glasses, "Okay, so you read the book Mister Skittles?"

"Um..." Skittles had totally forgotten about the Big Book of Bishel Dragons. Oh, and how he regretted that.

"You mean you didn't read the book?" Cola asked in a shrill unpleasant voice. He didn't bother waiting for Skittles to respond.  "Look, I'm going to give you a ten minute crash course, so follow closely."

"All right," said Skittles as Taeda and Fulmen made there way to the female Bishen egg.

"Okay, so let's start with the eggs. Green eggs with yellow spots are male and dark blue eggs with light blue spots are female. Simple concept, moving right along. Now there are three main colors, blue, green and red. Blue is the color that deals with water and wind. This little girl's father, Striking Echo, is a blue. Then we have green, those are dragons that have to do with nature and earth. Lastly we have Red, which I think is your favorite color. Red dragons are normally quick tempered and powers that deal with fire and other hot things. This little girl's mother, Faiamitsukai, was one.  Did you get all that?"

"Yes," Skittles nodded. "I read about the basic colors in the book."

Cola rolled his eyes. "Okay, well then I'm just going to name some of the current known mutations, unless you don't know the types of dragons. You do don't you?"

"I do. Aboreal, Terran, and Marine are the three main types. Also there are several hybrids."

"Yes, well Faiamitsukai was an Aboreal and Striking Echo was a Marine. Now, the various know hybrids are Moonstone, Black, White, Sunshine, Mountain Haze, Ice Shards and Divine. I could be forgetting some, but that's all I can think of. OH! You know what clan you're adopting from don't you."

"The Machesri, since they have the most know mutations. At least the most known mutations at the refuge. I read that at the part of the book that was added when it was rebound."

"Ah." said Cola. He had certainly underestimated this man.  He may have been late, but he had read some of the book, or he was very good at skimming.

"Now that we've had the twenty minute briefing session, may I be off?"

"Not quite yet, Loda'Bukira wants to speak with you and she's resting."

"What does he want anyway," whispered Skittles since the god seemed preoccupied with the egg and angecurs. 

The priest shrugged before brushing his fingers though his hair. "I don't know, maybe why you were so late. Then again he could ask you about girls."

"Really?"

"Really."

Skittles somehow seemed disappointed. He had come so far, and somehow he expected to get more then just the egg. Like a little explanation of why he was being given the egg.

Loda'Bukira looked up, "Come here Skittles."

Skittles came over with his hands in his pockets. He really wasn't expecting anything exciting to happen anyway.

"You take good care of this egg, the mother threatened to kill you four times over if you don't."

"I guess she's one of those types to say "I brought you into the world and I can take you out!" and other such nonsense."

"I wouldn't brush it off as nonsense. She is pretty dangerous," Loda'Bukira grinned as he handed the egg to Skittles.

As soon as Skittles touched the little blue egg he felt the faint feelings of excitement mixed with anxiety. He examined the egg, not knowing exactly what to do with it.

Cola interrupted the moment with a clearing of his throat. "We should get Skittles out of here as soon as possible. It's extremely dangerous with all the bounty hunters crawling around." 

"Did you just say bounty hunters?" Skittles eyes widened.

"Yes," said Cola, who wore a worried expression. "No one told you?"

Skittles bit his tongue, and headed for the door. "Fulmen, Taeda, let's go. I don't think we want to be a bunch of ladies fur coats, because that'll happen if we stay any longer."

When the door shut behind them the priest turned to the god, "Why didn't you inform them of the bounty hunters?"

"Well, the little girl wanted some fun and excitement. I'd call that fun and exciting."

***

Skittles mounted the pure black horse, as did Taeda and Fulmen. The egg sat securely in Skittles lap, tied down carefully but snugly. In the midst of giving the command to go Skittles was stopped, by a man wearing nothing but blue.

"Where do you think you're going Mister Remix?"

"Away from you."

"With the goods you stole?"

"It's an egg and it was given to me by priest Cola. You can go in and ask him."

The bounty hunter gave a chuckle, "Like I would believe that."

That cocky little bastard.

"Now, Mister Remix, It's time for you--"

"Can it. I don't want to hear anymore of your sappy bounty hunter crap. I've killed hundreds of bloody-minded dolts like you, and don't think I would make an exception for someone like you. You didn't even tell me your name!" Skittles growled.

The bounty hunter stood stunned for a moment and a half. Gathering himself he pulled out a menacing crossbow. "I won't be that easy to kill!"

Skittles gave a bone chilling laugh, that sounded like a combination between a howl and evil mad man sort of laugh. He looked down at the little man before him, "Yes. You will be easy to kill."

"I-I-I swear I'll kill you right now!"

Skittles close his eyes, "Powers that belong to the highest..."

The bounty hunter went wide eyed and cursed, he made a run for it during the casting.

"...strike down those who are against me."

The bounty hunter had managed to get pretty far away by the end of the spell. Unfortunately for him this was a long distance spell, and Skittles had never missed a shot with it. As the man made his last step towards a refuge a red lightning blot shot form the heavens. The victim was brunt to a little crisp.

Skittles looked at his work with a smug satisfaction. "One less moron to worry about."

"I think the whole city saw that." Taeda said looking at the pile of charcoal formally known as a bounty hunter.

"I don't think anyone will bother us while we're in town," countered Fulmen.

"I'm said to leave, but I think it's better to head out before they get any ideas." As he said that he looked down at the egg.

Now... what had he gotten himself into?