"Yes it is. I love you very much. Tej and Savannah say hello. They also wanted to say they love you. I'm sorry you were locked away and tortured. All the dragon souls watched in agony."
"Aw tell my babies I'm sorry Momma couldn't protect everyone and they didn't grow up to be teenage dragons! You sound nervous. What's wrong?"
"We were betrayed by Helen. Jealous of her sister gaining the throne, she aided Azazel in tracking down our lands. She opened a gateway for the demon armies. I believe she is still with him."
Sora and Brie both listened in awe. After meeting the elves, they were certain someone was assisting Azazel.
"Helen!? She was the goddess of fertility and beauty. She gave us our human forms. Why?!"
"I am not sure. The first attack on your party was targeted at the settlement to trick you into thinking those were powerful titans. They are not. Those were fodder titans. Azazel has King Ankha wrapped around his finger. Tens of thousands of titans are hidden and trained every day."
The three gasped.
*****
"Hey Bishop, what's going on with them? Are they speaking telepathically again?" Julius asked as he nervously grabbed Rissa's hand.
Everyone could feel the heavy pressure surrounding them. The planet felt alive.
"Yes. With whom, I do not know. Let us search for Leila's gear for her dragon form and allow them to talk. We are safe here."
Sora noticed Bishop give him a nod as the rest of the group went off searching the planet.
*****
"What do you mean fodder titans? They were so incredibly powerful. 400 low ranked titans caused that much destruction?" Brie asked, no longer charmingly.
"Do not fret young Queen. When the dragons fought the demons, we were caught off guard. Athena explained everything."
"What do we do if the mighty dragons were erased by demons only? They have titans and werewolves now. Can you please explain their structure?" Brie pleaded. She was nervous. So were Sora and Leila.
"The ranking system is unique to Exteria. Once SSS, the level gap loses measurement. The titans' power comes from their original creator, Eris. All titans have roots in Ankha and Joanne. Their 20 children had children and the entire family tree links back to those two."
"That didn't cause any genetic complications? Sora asked.
"No. All power in any being lies dormant until that potential is trained or awakened. Dragons, titans, elves, Chimera and Uthra lived across several planets, including Earth. Earth is where humans lived. We all searched for ways to strengthen ourselves. Titans' power grew immensely on Earth. They exterminated it to power up in 3400."
"That's horrible… how did they destroy my original planet?"
"Young King, they trampled humanity to death. Many of the titans lived there until Earth's atmosphere finally deteriorated from heavy pollution. They relocated to Exteria around 2500 years ago, hidden by Eris' god magic."
"Wasn't she banished to the underworld? How did she escape Athena's prison?" Leila asked.
"Helen of course. Helen pretended to be fine with Athena's coronation. She plotted behind the scenes and let Eris escape the night Selene created the vampires. Both of them snuck to Exteria. You have two goddesses working against you."
"Wait 2500 years ago—so the creation of vampires set all of this in motion?"
"Yes my love. Selene created vampires with immense power. Demons felt threatened by a new immortal race that used their food supply. They failed to see vampires' nobility and blinded themselves with rage. Eris and Helen sparked this by orchestrating the dragons' extinction. Leila escaped, but Helen tracked her down and Azazel captured her and locked her away. It's a shame Rook was in the wrong place at the wrong time."
"So the Chimera hid on Exteria, with the elves. Why didn't they act and support us?! I missed hearing your voice, please continue love."
"They had no way of getting to our planet. Helen temporarily sealed teleportation magic, but not completely. We couldn't flee. I'm thankful I gave you the opportunity to teleport out. I'm glad you listened to my plan."
"Sorry for asking, but exactly was the plan?" Brie asked curiously.
"Leila acted and pretended to die. She transformed into her human form underneath me. She collapsed, I covered her with my wing and when they attacked, she was gone. I just didn't expect Azazel to find her so quickly. This makes me believe there is a god or goddess in Paradise assisting Eris and Helen."
"Yes it was quite brilliant. But from Paradise, tracking a dragoness on Exteria would be simple for a god or goddess. All life forms give off energy, and because I was the original dragon Queen, I had a very large energy. Azazel knew exactly where I was. It was with Rook. He offered to help hide me with the elves. We weren't fast enough."
'Rook was so honorable. No wonder he wanted to pass on and see his wife and kid," Sora thought as a silver tear ran down his cheek. He noticed Brie had a few tears and wiped them off her face for her.
"I love you. This is a lot of information. Look, Bishop, Rissa, Julius and Luna are returning, helping each other carry dragon gear!"
"Leila, your friends have a gift for you. Please go see them. Afterwards, we will start planning what to do next."
"Ok. I love you, don't go anywhere!"
"I'm always with you. I love you too."
*****
"You really didn't have too! Thank you so much! I can't believe it's still here. I guess they figured no one would ever need it?"
"Our pleasure Leila! Who are you three talking to anyway?!" Rissa asked gleefully.
"My husband. Sora linked with me after Loxus asked. I was going to visit his gravesite, well, at least his bones but this is so much better."
"Leila your armor and helmet were in a beautiful lush garden sitting in the middle of this barren wasteland." Julius explained.
"Didn't you say you faked your death and changed into human form? Did you intentionally unequip your armor? Maybe Loxus died protecting your armor and his bones disintegrated and created the garden?" Sora asked.
"Yes. You are quite a perceptive young King."
"Lox just told me that's what happened. Anyway Leila, give it a go! Let's see how beautiful you look in it!"
Leila explained to them how to set it and made them go through step by step in the event they needed to do this again. One of her beautiful gifts allowed her to transform, always equipped in her dragon form, unless she took it off beforehand.
"Thank you all. Do you think you could do me one more favor? Please find my human equipment. It should be hidden at my children's bone site which is about 5 miles directly south." Leila said, pointing in the direction she wanted them to go.
She transformed and equipped a beautiful set of SSS pristine black armor. Her chest plate covered her and her mask shielded her head and facial structure.
She flew around joyfully, landed and turned into her human form.
"Ok Lox. What else and what's next?"