Chapter 3 The Hidden Grotto

Alister had lost track of how long he had been walking along the seemingly endless mountain path. His unique constitution aloud him to go without food for several months, as long as he was able to quench his thirst every few days. His dark gaze, never wavered from the path ahead. His paws never pausing, as he pushed on.

For what felt like the millionth time. His gaze slowly sweeped over the towering cliffs on either side of him, yet he could find no signs of life. This was strange to him, his father had always told him the Drake mountains were swimming with life. From the Mountain goat, big enough that a adolescent would feed his pack of five for a month. To Snow Mice, no bigger then an acorn.

"Were to go from here." Alister whispers lightly to himself, his paws coming to a sudden stop as he tops an incline. His eyes widening as an rainbow of trees span out before him. Blinking rapidly, he looks once again, thinking his mind was playing tricks on him. With hesitant steps, he slowly approaches the edge of the wood. Even from his vantage point upon the hill, he couldn't see the tops of the trees.

Looking right evergreens, oaks, and silver leaved Eldar trees shot towards the sky, before him, lining the path he walked. Perfectly ordered lines of cherry blossom trees forming a path to the center of this mysterious grotto. As he followed the path, his eyes passed over pineapples, apples, pears, and star fruit. Every last leaf upon the trees giving off a faint silver light, hinting at the divinity Nurturing this..... this wonder. Having lost himself in his surroundings, it took a few moments to notice the trail widening before him. Apple blosoum trees breaking off from the main trail to circle the clearing before him. A crystal clear spring taking up the center, easily spanning five hundread yards. An yet their was still a few hundread yards between the waters edge, and the line of pink leaved beauties lining the clearing.

From the center of the spring, a saphire scaled Drakes head slowly rose. Water running off of her as eyes of pure silver rest upon Alisters diminutive figure.

"Welcome little one, to my grotto. You may call me Adelith, though this is not the first time we have met is it, Ali?" Adeliths mental voice, though thick with power, was as gentle as an evening breeze. As Alister raised his eyes to meet her gaze, it felt as if a door was smashed open within his mind. Memories of the passed spilling out, from times so long ago it shouldn't have been possable for them to be his. His legs buckle as a silver mist envelopes his canine figure, and as it fades, a young male, Appearing no more then 25 was revealed.

Blonde hair hanging down to the base of his neck, lightly tanned, silver gauntlets upon his arms. Images of all the draconic races embossed upon them. A black fur cloak hung from his shoulders covering the clothing and armor beneath. A long sleeved, black shirt, bone buttons stained black. Tucked into black leather pants without a hint of shine to them. A silver and gold chain belt threaded through belt loops, sinched tight around his waist. Seven gems, near 2 inches in diameter, were set into separate links. From the right: Ruby, Saphire, Emerald, Black Diamond, Emerald, Saphire and Ruby once more.

As Alister slowly stood up from where he knelt. The pomel of a broad sword could be seem peaking over his right shoulder. When drawn it would reveal a blade 1.6 yards in length, double edged and with a barely noticeable curve, leading to a peerless sharp tip. All one peice as if it had been molded instead of forged.

"Aww, so it happened again did it old friend? Thank you for waking me. This cursed transference is getting very old." Alister says with a shake of his head before pausing. Raising his right hand palm up, his eye spark with power as he summons a contained malestrom of gold lightning, silver flame and black ice, only to banish it a moment later. "Though I admit, the new powers I gain each time are nice. I could do without the new memories..." he adds softly, a flicker of rage burning within his color shifting eyes. Endless shades of blue and green could be seen within his gaze all depending on the magic he used and dominate emotion. Though at any given time, a sunburst of gold speckled with silver and purple could be seen, seamlessly melding with the ever shifting hue of his irises.

"I still can't decide if I see the transference as a curse, or a blessing myself." Adelith whispers into his mind, laughter clear in her voice. As she spoke, the Ancient drake slowly lowered her head to the bank of the spring. resting it lightly before Alister. Her silver eyes closing as she hums in contentment. "You have lived countless lives, yet at the same time one immensely long life. Every transfer leading to new understandings of what, or should I say who you are?"

Chuckling softly Alister reaches out and lightly pats, one of the six, three foot long spikes protruding from her lower jaw. His eyes closing as he rests his forehead against her smooth scales, his legs barely supporting him as he struggles to reign in the torrent of returning memories.

The clash of swords, and screams of dieing men and horses, to the smell of burning flesh and spilt blood. This was the part he hated most about himself. Every time he went through, what Adelith and a select group of other near immortal beings had come to call 'Tranference' was an event were he was ripped from his current place in time and dropped into a new borns body, merging with the new soul, and taking over entirely. it took anywhere from 15-50 years for his 'soul memory' to reawaken.

Soul Memory: Hibernating powers, locked away until he meets one of twelve beings with a key.

Adelith: the Drake, Key of Memory.

Siver: Adelith's father a far older full blooded dragon Key of Fire.

Waydr'ed: the silver pheonix, Key of Regeneration.

Ryker: Elder Dryad, Key of Earth.

Altria, Divine Elemental, Key of Light.

Gon'ra, Bear>Shifter Key of Water

Eldra, ice dragon Key of Wind

Albeta, Ancestral seaserpent, Key of Space

Raider, Immortal Human Pirate, Key of Eternity

Sareph, Heavenly-demon winged panther hybrid, Key of Balance

Vale Umbra, Shadow Wolf, Key of Darkness

Talia, Elemental, Key of Ether

With a long sigh, he shakes his head and steps back looking up at Adelith. "I've got a long journey ahead of me yet again. Maybe this time I'll figure out a way to avoid the transferance." he says softly and smiles up at her.

With a low chuckle that vibrated through the ground, she cracks one eye open to look down at him. The great orb reflecting his figure as easily as a polished mirror.

"You have what it takes Ali, just don't forget to call for me should you need anything."

"I know I can always count on you my friend." He whispers softly before lays down in the rich green grass. "I'll begin in the morning, and give my memories more time to settle."

With what sounded light a deep purr, Adelith watched him for a few moments more before letting her eye close once more.