Part 26
“I should’ve known.” Fire chuckled, and considered the herd of young unicorns who were joyously running past. “Come on, let’s go fly with Falaran and his friends! No flying higher than a unicorn’s head, and if you get stuck by a horn you’re a loser!”
The Governors with Karz in elf-guise and all of The Forty-Four were soon playing a very fast and wide-ranging game of tag with the young unicorns, and their Flying needed to be skillful indeed to match the supernatural running abilities of their new equine friends.
They were having so much fun that the adults all joined them a few minutes later, and they all played for almost three hours.
They paused for a meal as the sun set, and when they were all finished eating Alilia invited everyone to come flying in the forests of her people. Over thirty thousand unicorns who were in the area accepted her invitation, so she had to limit their flight to one of the most sparsely-populated areas of her nation, well away from the congestion of Heartwood and the other cities. The forest she chose was just as beautiful as Heartwood, and the trunks and branches of the gigantic trees there were just as amusing as an obstacle course. A few of the younger unicorn colts needed their parents’ help with their Flight spells, but they were soon gaily galloping on invisible ground high up in the branches with all the rest, as unicorns do when in flight.
Alilia’s precautions to prevent congestion were partially thwarted, for as soon as word spread that there were unicorns flying with their Princess’s family in their northern forests, a great many of the forest elves of The People of Life joined them.
When there were so many flying madly about that it was looking increasingly dangerous, Alilia cast an automated self-replicating spell that gave every flyer there the deep and soft Shielding that they’d used the last time they flew together, but remained dormant until it detected an imminent collision.
“Hah!” Alilia laughed as she confirmed that the complex spell was working as intended. “I’ve learned a few things from our children, that’s certain. I’ll call that Alilia’s Safety Shielding.”
“You’re it!” Fire crowed as she flew past and gave Alilia a sharp slap on her rump, and the chase was on again.
Later on, on a whim, Kragorram and Povon followed Karz’ example and assumed humanoid Simulacrums for the first time. Kragorram appeared as an elf as tall as Mark, with long and flowing crimson-red hair and a goatee. Povon appeared as an elf two meters tall with silver hair and blue eyes, with facial features that looked a lot like Alilia’s.
Mark, Talia, and Alilia, amused by the transformation in their dragon friends’ appearances, reciprocated by assuming Simulacrums of dragons for the first time. They each took the color of their hair; Mark was black, Alilia was silvery-white, and Talia was light blond. They kept their normal sizes though, so as to not further congest the airspace.
a single flyer enjoying the air there that failed to sleep the satisfying sleep
delegated all of their activities and duties in Serminak, and concentrated exclusively on training The Forty-Four. Three days later
the opening of the time-bubbles, there were no large-scale exercises held. The many advances and breakthroughs discovered by researchers in the time-bubbles were examined by all the others, and the effort to integrate all of the new
opened a meeting of The Assembly of The Just Alliance was held. It had been officially announced
already half full. With his wives, co-husbands, and children, and their beloved dragons and unicorns and their children, they numbered one hundred
Alilia quietly noted, “As
this is all about, don’t we?” Mark mused.
ready, my love?” Talia asked him with a look of quiet
nodded with a warm smile.
am. I lead where you
I.” Alilia added as she caressed
them in his lap and
of their extended family arrived, including Caria and all their kin from Hiliani. Those hadn’t been seated so close to the center,
Kragorram all came by to do the same. None of them except Tithian had ever met any of Mark’s family
by, sometimes by themselves, sometimes in groups, sometimes with a few of their staff. All gave
back the aquatic section, and everyone quietly took their places in
quietly commented. “It’s almost
probably just had their last chance to speak to us as mortals.” Alilia nodded.
sly little smile. “Their last chance to speak to us as mortals, that
you