Not much later Syiera halted them again.
      "What now?" Eric asked.
      "Sh, listen." Syiera hushed him.
      Some dust flew in the rising winds that stung their cheeks. A brush of air scattered their tassled hair into a wreckage. The smell of ashes tingled their noses as they waited.
      "Dragon..." Prism whispered.
      Above them a large green dragon whisked by, about the same size as the earlier one and barely darker in color. It must have spotted them a few minutes earlier because at that time it descended rapidly into an open patch of forest.
      "Lo'!" Prism called as it faced them. If it wasn't alerted about them by the dragon before, chances were it would treat them mildly or ignore them altogether.
      Her long face skeptically studied them, "Lo to you, little outsider. I am Feronia of the Wood. I have been warned there are dragonslayers venturing here..."
      "We're not dragonslayers!" Prism responded firmly.
      "Of course not. I suppose it's every day a half elf adventuring with drows and some obvious outcasts happens along Aidan's gem, how foolish I must be." She sarcastically answered.
      "No, you can ask Sela, who lives in the mountains. We live in peace with dragons." Prism replied.
      "And I suppose it's just coincidence that her gem is missing as well? And that she's conveniently out of the way?" Feronia spat.
      "Oh my, that doesn't sound good at all..." Prism glanced at the others, "I don't think she wants to be reasoned with."
      With a nod Syiera drew her sword. Beside her Eric wrenched out Alan. From behind a second dragon swooped down suddenly.
      "This isn't going to be a good day..." Blake huffed.
      "I know, I still feel weak." Emeryl huddled closer to him fearfully. Leiko backed into the middle of them.
      "I meant for them..." Blake corrected Emeryl.
      Emeryl stared at him with questions in his eyes. Without explanation Blake edged to Prism, whispering in his ear.
      "Without the gem do you think you can stall them for a minute?" he asked solemnly.
      "Hmm, yes, I think so. Why?" Prism whispered back. Again he failed to explain as he snatched the gem from Prism. A wicked smile crossed Blake's thin lips as the gem glittered in his hands.
      Prism saw that he wouldn't have time to get an explanation as their exchange made the dragons much more wary.
      "Eral, zo ke sol!" Prism shouted. A rainbow of colors shot out of his fingers and lit the area with painful brilliance. Everyone but Prism was assaulted by the light and blinded, even Blake, who started his own spell regardless.
      His raven locks flew as he chanted the all too familiar spell and aimed it in the direction of either dragon, he couldn't tell which was where anymore over the panicked screams and frantic calls. A loud explosion hurt their ears causing him to duck. He could feel a small weight bounce off his shoulder and heard the kitten cry as it rolled away. In their current hazy state they all waited to see again.
      As he rubbed his teary eyes Blake managed to peek out. Prism's spell had faded away but it's effect stayed for a painfully long minute. Flames scattered the area of his target, burning some shrubs to ashes. The dragon he hit wasn't the one he meant the spell for, but he was covered severely with large burn marks.
      "Nice." Prism complimented his handiwork. Prism probably saw the entire spell while everyone was blind.
      "That wasn't suppose to happen." Blake's confession surprised him.
      "I don't do those type of spells. It was suppose to summon a golem." He retorted. The rest of the group continued to rub their eyes in fits of stinging sensations.
      "Maybe using a different type of gem summoned a different type of magic?" Prism slicked back his hair, searching for an explanation.
      A rush a flames from behind caught them off guard. Blake's cape flew over his head as he dove to the ground. Holding his arms over his face Prism backed into the rest of the group.
      "Eric." Syiera whispered, nodding her head in the direction of the firing beast.
      "Got it." Eric jumped into station next to her. The stream of fire ended, unearthing Blake's body with his cape still over his head. All the grass around him sizzled from the fire.
      "Blake!" Emeryl plunged next to him. He slid the cloak off of Blake's head who began coughing erratically.
      "Lady?" Ariana looked to Syiera for advice.
      "Take care of things." Syiera barely gave her a hint of attention, "Ready? Go!"
      The two warriors dashed off towards the forboding dragon. Syiera shifted to the left while Eric took the opposite.
      Meanwhile Ariana joined Emeryl by Blake's side.
      "Is he ok?" she asked.
      "I'm fine!" Blake snarled before Emeryl had the chance, "She caught me from behind but I'm fine!"
      Eric charged and swung at the rear leg of the dragon, while Syiera did the same to the other flank. Their swords screeched against the thick scales.
      The other dragon, beaten and scarred by Blake's attack, whiplashed Prism and Leiko with its tail before he turned and launched into the air.
      "Lavonn!" the other bellowed angrily. She swung her tail to one side, attacking Syiera at the knees. On the other side she spewed several liters worth of fire at Eric who blocked easily with his sword. It became more and more obvious to him that as long as he had the sword he'd be immune to fire.
      Swinging her new mace with the single chain Leiko attacked from the front, aiming for the dragon's chest. Bentora hardly moved to stop her, sore from the last fight. Blake appeared by Prism's side with both healers, remarkably with only minor singes.
      "She can't have her gem with her or else we'd be roasted on the ground." Prism informed him.
      "None of the other dragons carried it around either. It's meant for a sword, and dragons don't use swords." He nodded.
      "What are you going to do?" Emeryl poked at Prism for a solution.
      "Let's try to fight her off, not kill her. Blake, can you pull out another spell?" Prism asked.
      "Of course I can! I have fireballs brewing in my bloodstream!" he tore the air with talisman in hand.
      "Syiera! Eric! Leiko!" Prism called them all back. As they fled from their spots-Syiera crawling back after being tripped several times-Prism threw out his dirty old rag. With his book opened naturally to the right page he recited the required chant. The rag stretched and coalesced into the air until it made a transparent shield in front of the group. Again the dragon spouted fire but it just tickled over the top of the shield.
      Confidence in his step Blake moved forward, flipping the talisman in front of him. He concentrated roughly on the flow of it, the way it levitated in front of him, how it gleamed over the orange gem. His always resourceful spell came instinctively to him. Flames gathered in front of the gem, then shot out at the dragon in a fiery red mass.
      Roaring at them she twirled her singed face and whipped her tail around. It clinked against the shield and then she rose into the sky and flew away. The invisible shield contracted back into a rag, floating into Prism's outstretched hands.
      "That was suppose to be black." Blake hissed.
      "What does it matter? It worked!" Emeryl cheered.
      "Is anyone hurt?" Ariana asked.
      Blake felt something nipping at his kneels. Without a word he picked up the white kitten.
      "I don't think so. Blake took the brunt of it and he looks pretty good for being burnt to a crisp. The cat, too." Syiera folded her arms.
      "You guys would be ripped to shreds without me." Blake grunted. He held his shoulder as he felt the searing pain he'd acquired before he was able to defend himself.
      "Burns are so difficult..." Emeryl looked at him pitifully, "Hey, I know! We can use the gem to heal you too! Come on Ariana!"
      They got Blake to sit down on the grassy knoll with less reluctance than normal. He handed the gem to Emeryl, who held it out and concentrated. Blake tingled slightly, feeling only a little bit better.
      "What's wrong Emeryl? He's still burnt." Prism knelt down. The priest was sweating almost as profusely as Blake was.
      "I don't know... It's not helping at all. Ariana, you try it." He handed the gem over. She nodded glumly, trying the same. Again Blake healed a bit but not much.
      "It's not helping at all." She agreed.
      "But he's healing!" Leiko retorted.
      "That's what we normally can do. Why isn't it working?" Emeryl stared at Prism blankly with large eyes.
      "As always I guess it's up to me to figure this out..." Prism sighed.
      "It's because it's the opposite of what type of spells you're trying to use." Blake snapped, "It's obvious..." He trailed off, grumbling to himself.
      "Is he right?" Eric asked Prism.
      "Sounds good." He approved.
      "What? You don't trust me?" Blake leapt to his feet, immediately regretting the action as he felt what was left of his burns.
      "But you're so... stingy." Eric shook his head.
      "Stingy?" Blake demanded.
      "Ha! You're a bitter old man!" Bentora sniggered.
      "Bitter? Old? I'll show you bitter and old!" he tackled her heedless of his physical pain.
      "Blake! Don't!" Emeryl tried to pry him away without grabbing any of his burns.
      Prism placed his hands on Emeryl's shoulders firmly, "Don't bother. They'll just start up again."
      Blake yelped as he was shoved to his back. Jumping to his feet he tried to pull his tattered clothes away from his burnt skin.
      "Quit that! We have to go to Ephesus!" Prism scolded them.
      "Wait!" Emeryl trotted next to a bush. He bent down and picked up a shiny silver, "Look, someone dropped their money. What should I do with it?"
      "Keep it." Prism shrugged.
      "Just like a priest to be greedy." Blake huffed.
      "Oh, shut up. You're the one who hid the jewel in your glove, and who knows what else. You can buy your own drinks. And buy new clothes while you're at it too, you smell." Prism retorted.
      "All the clothes here reek of plainness and hideousness, I'd rather wear rags." Blake snorted.
      "Then wear rags." Prism answered, "Let's go."