Chapter Eight: Ceruby City

A giant dome made of twisting vines covered every inch of the perimeter of Ceruby City. They were lined with wicked thorns and laid thick with hard ice. Aelwen examined the ice, which was giving off a soft mist. She moved a paw close to it, but pulled back immediately when she felt the blistering cold of the mist brush her scales.

Hundreds of dragons flew directly over the top of the dome. As one, in repeating patterns, they blew swaths of fire at the dome. The frost dissipated the fire immediately. Some dragons who had touched the surface were stuck to it, ice creeping up their struggling bodies. Suddenly, writhing vines shot up from their twisted formation, straight for the closest attacking beasts. Most were able to fly out of the way, but two unfortunate ones roared in alarm as the thorny tendrils wrapped around their legs, dragging them downward and slamming them on the surface of the dome. To Aelwen's astonishment, the two red dragons seemed to melt into the dome, the vines dragging them down into the city. As soon as their heads were covered by the vines, their roars ceased.

The dragons flew higher, continuing their attack with renewed caution. The giant yellow dragon was commanding them, barking orders and pelting the dome with explosive blasts the colors of sunset.

Aelwen backed far away from the side of the dome, eyeing the vibrating vines warily.

"Oh, darn! Looks like we aren't getting in! Better head back and leave this wonderful place!" Gerel said with a voice dripping in sarcasm.

Aelwen's ears lay flat against her head. "Actually, we can get in. We'll just let the vines grab us."

Gerel gave a large groan, kicking his good leg against her side. "Come on! Are you serious? Who knows what happens to them as soon as they're dragged in there! They're probably slaughtered as soon as they are seen!"

Aelwen put a claw to her chin. "They are dragging them in in small numbers... Which allows them to be killed one or two at a time, making them much easier to fend off. That's incredible." She gazed at the ice–covered plants. "I can't imagine how much energy it took to grow something like this. Cerubia must have hundreds of sorcerers working non-stop inside there."

"A hundred sorcerers who will kill us on sight once we get in!" Gerel said, tapping Aelwen's shoulder. "Please, just let me take you to-"

Aelwen glared at Gerel, looking him over. "You," she said.

"What?" Gerel responded, confused.

"You will make sure we're not hurt once we get inside. If they see a human with me, they might have second guesses. Not to mention, you can use magic to shield us from harm while I explain the situation. Besides, there's no indication they kill the dragons immediately once they are pulled inside. I'm sure we'll be fine if we act with tact and intelligence. My mother said to come here, she knew I would be safe."

"This is not acting with intelligence! Remember how I said Cerubia would kill me as soon as she saw me!? Well, guess what, I'm kinda serious about that!" Gerel rolled off Aelwen's back, crawling his way toward the forest. "I ain't risking my life like this! No way!"

Aelwen simply watched as he inched across the grass. About a minute passed before Gerel collapsed to the ground.

"...Damnit," was all he said.

Aelwen picked him up with her teeth, prancing toward the icy dome.

Gerel obviously doesn't trust my mother, and I suppose I can see why... but this will prove to him that my mother's wisdom is to be heeded. I am sure this plan will work.

Aelwen slowed down, her prance turning into a walk.

I'm... sure of it.

The dome loomed over her. The thorns looked particularly sharp.

Very... uhh... sure...

Aelwen gulped, her walk coming to a stop.

On second thought...

Thick vines whipped out from their formation, wrapping themselves around her and Gerel. They were swept off of their feet, sent rocketing toward the mass of ice and tangled plant matter. The dome opened up before them, and they were swept into the depths of the fortification, screaming all the way.

The two emerged on the other side, frost covering their shivering bodies. Both gasped as they took in the sight before them.

The city was bigger than expected. Gigantic balls of magical light hung from the dome's top, dimly illuminating hundreds of tall bronze buildings with thousands of people bustling throughout. Even more incredible were the series of mechanical creations built into the very bones of the city. Steam-powered engines rumbled, horseless carriages running on magic puttered through the streets, buildings were suspended in the air by being affixed to large hot air balloons, and some people were even flying using backpacks spewing fire (albeit rather unsteadily).

A couple of children sat on a bench while tinkering on a small automaton. A man jauntily sang to his girlfriend while dancing on a pair of mechanical legs. A centaur woman with a sharp face barked instructions to her outdoor magic class in the cog-shaped park at the center of the city. The students wielded stock school-issued wands, beautiful blue sparkles shooting from their tips. Not too far away, a dog barked at a mail-delivering pegasus wearing an automatic letter organizing backpack.

Aelwen's mouth opened, aghast. "I knew Ceruby City was supposed to be a technological marvel... but this is... wow..."

Hundreds of people lined the perimeter of the dome, operating large, complicated machines while gazing at magical holographic projections. One of these people stood right next to the trapped Aelwen and Gerel, a man with a long grey beard and a mechanical right arm. He gazed at the boy and the dragon in wonder, scratching his liver-spotted head.

"Ah... hello?" Aelwen said, grinning nervously. "I, uhh... I'm here to see the Great Witch Cerubia?"

Gerel grimaced, his hands ready to put up a shield or unleash a fireball.

"Welcome to Ceruby City, Princess! It's an honor to meet you! The Great Witch Cerubia has been waiting for quite a few days. I'll send you right up to her! Very sorry for the rude entrance though, we have to keep up the shield to make sure the city is safe," the old man grinned.

Aelwen blinked, eyes widened in astonishment.

"We've been dragging in a bunch of red dragons looking for you, ha HA! Looks like I'll be the one getting the promotion since I actually succeeded!" The man gave a thumbs-up with his copper hand, gears whirring.

Gerel's mouth was open wide enough to fit a small cat.

"W-what?" Aelwen scarcely said a word before the man pulled several large and complicated levers. Steam hissed in Aelwen's face, causing her to cough. The vines vibrated, small clinks and clanks coming from within them.

"Tell Cerubia it was Ol' Degroose who found ya!" He pressed a green button, and in response the vines shot upward, carrying Aelwen and Gerel to the top of the dome. They traveled along the roof, both screaming as air whipped past their faces at an alarming rate. A woman traveling by jetpack gave them a surprised glance as they whipped past her. Aelwen's horns brushed past the globular balls magic lighting the place.

They were headed toward a huge tower near the center of the city constructed primarily of smooth black stone. Large white gears peeked out from between rectangular gaps on the building's surface. A magical blue aura surrounded it, flashes of lightning occasionally branching from it to the top of the tower.

Aelwen and Gerel were taken through the aura, a wave of static rolling through their bodies before they were set down (rather forcefully) on the roof. Gerel grasped his leg and wheezed out a few particularly nasty words.

Aelwen lept to her feet, whipping her head around. The roof was empty. Then she felt a shuddering under her feet. The floor underneath them was lowering down into the building at an alarming rate.

With a booming ca-chunk! the platform clunked into place on the floor of a room. Aelwen looked in wonder around her. It was a huge laboratory, sciences of all kinds represented. Automatons with gears spilling out of them like guts were to the front, above them were big balloons tied to floating metal spheres sporting blinking lights. Three circular tables stuck together at the back of the room bore hundreds of chemicals and potions in glass bottles of varying sizes. Shelves above them contained gross bits of plants, animals, and magical life. To the left was a botanical garden lit up by balls of floating sunlight. All kinds of weird and wacky flora flourished in a sanctioned part of the floor filled with dirt. Many of the plants were painstakingly marked with their normal names, their magical names scrawled in fancy lettering underneath them. To the right lay a mini artificial gem mine, sparkling jewels of all colors protruding from clumps of minerals lined with veins of magical energy.

At a desk in the right hand corner was the back of a short, stout woman with a large sun hat. She gave a twittering sound with her tongue, her chubby hands wielding a screwdriver.

"I'll be right with you, dearie!" She said, giving a few twists to a screw embedded into a power amethyst, which gave energy to a blinking light ward, a holographic magical eye hovering over an intricately carved stick.

Aelwen took a step forward toward the woman's back. "Great Witch Cerubia...?" she ventured to ask. Gerel hurriedly tried to crawl for a hiding spot, but his leg prevented much progress.

The woman put the screwdriver down, and slowly turned to face them.

Aelwen involuntarily screamed.

It wasn't the face of a human who gazed at Aelwen. Instead, a giant crow's head sat upon the woman's shoulders.

Her crow eyelids blinked over shiny black orbs, a smile forming onto her ebony beak. Her face was caked with makeup in a haphazard manner, as if trying to cover up the crow face but instead only adding onto the terrifying image. An unkempt blonde wig was piled atop her feathered crown, a hat slapped on top.

"I.. ahh..." Aelwen winced, trying to regain her composure from the grotesque surprise.

"Princess Aelwen!" the woman cawed, picking up her petticoats and daintily maneuvering her thick body towards the dragon. She stopped just before Aelwen's nose, gazing in wonder at her. "I've been expecting you, dearie! I'm glad you got here safe and sound!"

"T-thank you, but, how did you know I was coming?" Aelwen's ears flicked backward nervously.

Cerubia curled a finger around a lock of wig hair. "Your mother and I have always planned to have the royal family flee to my tower in case the Capitol is ever severely attacked." Her eyes darkened. "I have heard the news about your mother, and nothing about you or your father. So I have stayed in my tower and activated the freeze-vines around the city, waiting for you or the King to come here."

None of the dragons spoke about my father? Did he escape? Could he still be alive!?

A surge of joyous hope filled Aelwen's heart. She let out a relieved sigh before looking down at Cerubia. However, a doubtful thought wormed into her head. Aelwen cocked her head slightly. Her voice was laced with hints of suspicion. "...How did you know I would be a dragon, let alone a red one?"

Cerubia blinked. "Why, it was part of the plan, of course! If dragons ever attacked the Capitol, and chances of fighting back were almost nonexistent, as a last resort you would be turned into a dragon, come to my city, and then I would turn you back to your normal form!"

Aelwen's suspicion suddenly ebbed away. "You... you can turn me back!?" Her tail involuntarily gave a slight wag, pushing over Gerel as he silently tried to crawl away. He gave an oof noise, directing Cerubia's attention to him.

"Why, what do we have here?" Cerubia pulled a pair of oddly shaped spectacles out of a dress pocket, setting them onto the bridge of her beak. She quickly stepped over to Gerel while he in turn edged farther away from her in horror.

Cerubia stopped, examining him. Aelwen watched as the feathers on her neck ruffled, her body suddenly stiffening.

"My, my..." she said, leaning down and looking Gerel directly in the eyes. Her beak widened into an eerie smile. "Ha ha... it's been awhile since I've seen one of you."

Gerel trembled, his face betraying his animal-like desire to flee. A shadow seemed to pass over him. He covered his eyes, looking away from Cerubia.

Aelwen put a foot between Cerubia the Gerel, looking down at the witch. "This is... my friend," she said, "He helped me get here. Without him, I'd be dead." Aelwen pretended not to know he was a follower of Auria. "What is wrong, Cerubia? He is to be honored, not scrutinized like a common beast."

Gerel looked up at her with an expression she'd never seen before on him. Aelwen deciphered it as gratitude.

Cerubia got up from her crouched position. She gave Gerel a last look before gazing at Aelwen. "Oh, of course, my dearie!"

"We were talking about changing me back to human. You can do that, correct?" Aelwen said.

"Yes, yes, and yes! And once that task is done, I'll take you over to Ceruby City's war room. There we can begin planning our assault to take back the Capitol. Oh, my, I am just so happy that you've arrived!" Cerubia gave Aelwen a quick pat on the back before motioning her to follow her. "This way, now! I have a floor specialized in transformation. It's a ways down, but I think you'll enjoy looking at the other floors as we pass them."

"Is that why your head is... a... a crow's?" Aelwen wondered.

Cerubia froze. Her fingers wove between each other, hands grasping in a tight ball. "No."

"Oh... sorry. I didn't-"

"It's fine, dearie. Now follow me."

Aelwen paced behind Cerubia with padded footsteps after letting Gerel hesitantly get onto her back. "My friend needs medical attention. As do I. We are injured, he can't even walk."

"Yes, of course. Right after you're back to normal, I'll have it dealt with! No need to worry!"

Cerubia and Aelwen walked down flights of stairs, passing by level after level of busy biologists, engineers, and alchemists going about their impressive work.

"Cerubia, why is this city so technologically advanced, while much of the country is still using mostly magic?" Aelwen wondered.

"Excellent question! You see, this whole city is a testing ground, used to see if these inventions are safe to be used long-term! Really, this place is only ten years old. I invited scientists from all over the continent to join me in my quest to improve the lives of many," Cerubia said jauntily.

"Why is all this technology needed, though? Can't magic do almost all the same things it can do?" Aelwen questioned.

"Well, you see, while I enjoy magic as much as your mother, I seek ways of reducing the need to use our own energy to cast spells. Technology is the solution to this issue! Mixing both produces wonders beyond imagination!" Cerubia giggled like a schoolgirl. "You were probably wondering how it was possible to create a shield of such magnitude outside of the city, no?"

Aelwen nodded.

"It was almost fully mechanical. All of the vines were made of metal and filled with tubes of dry ice and water. While the vines were controlled by workers on the inside, they secreted both dry ice and water, creating a thick ice covering over the whole construction! Some enchantments made sure the ice was harder and more resistant to fire than usual. Thus, minimal amounts of magic had to be used! It was a brilliant idea, if I do say so myself," Cerubia's feathers puffed up in pride.

"Incredible..." Alwen heard Gerel whisper.

"That is pretty amazing," Aelwen said.

They continued downward, until they made it to a thick black door bolted tight with an enchanted lock. Cerubia stroked the lock gently.

"This is my most guarded room, holding research I would dare not show to much of the population of the city," Cerubia said darkly. "Your mother and I used to work here together whenever she made trips here. It was always so fun..." Her hand fell, hanging limply. "She will be missed."

A knot formed in Aelwen's throat. She looked down. "I loved her a lot."

"Will you fight for her? Will you take back the kingdom that now belongs to you?" Aelwen looked up in surprise to see Cerubia looking her in the eye.

"Of course." Aelwen's face darkened. "I will take it back in her name."

Another ominous smile appeared on the witch's beak. "Then let us begin your first step to victory."

With a swift whoosh, the door was unlocked and opened.

Aelwen and Gerel recoiled in horror at what they beheld.