Jing reappeared in darkness. All around her it was pitch black, and she could see nothing at all. She was standing on solid ground, but she could not see it, or herself. Jing blinked confused, looking around in panic. “Hello!? Keria? Anyone?!”

There was no response, and she could not see anything for a while, then a slight golden light appeared before her. “What is your reason to live?” Spoke a male voice that seemed to come from everywhere around her and nowhere at the same time.

Jing jumped in surprise at the sudden light, backing up nervously “W…Who’s there?”

“Answer me. What do you strive for? What do you live for?” The voice repeated. It was a commanding yet gentle voice, fatherly perhaps was the best way to describe it.

Jing bit her lip a little as she heard that. What did she live for… After a second she looked up towards the light. “Kinu.”

“What if you were given a task… to help the forces of good against those who seek to tear the world asunder?”

“Why are you asking me that? Where am I? Who are you?” Jing asked confused.

“I am Palari, though you probably do not know me, I am one of the gods who created this world.” Came the reply. “Kinu has chosen you as her guide, and you have proven yourself committed to those of good. So I ask you again, are you willing to take on the task of fighting against evil?”

Jing was silent as she heard this. Was this some kind of joke? “Um… I think you have the wrong girl here in this seemingly infinite darkness…” She muttered, looking around again.

The darkness faded away as she looked around, surrounded in a highly illuminated place above cloud-like floor, with huge towers whose tips were lost in the blue sky above her. Each tower was of glittering precious stones of different colors. “Do you think yourself unworthy?” Came the amused reply.

Jing looked around in awe at everything around her, ears twitching at the voice. “Hmmm… Lets see. For the last five years I’ve stolen to survive, before that back home I acted like an ass to a lot of people. Oh. Did I mention I don’t believe in the gods?”

Palari chuckled, “I do not believe many now think much of us. I ask you now, do you still not believe in gods?”

Jing sighed a little, “Considering the god that my people worship is quite possibly just a crazy dragon at the top of some mountain without any kind of real life and enjoys the lie he takes my people through… And the fact that all this could be an illusion… Yep pretty much.” Jing said before crossing her arms. “Especially since you, who say you are a god, continues to hide behind his voice.”

The voice chuckled again. “I’m afraid if I showed you my true form you would go mad.” He said, “Mortals cannot take in the immensity of a god.” He explained. Nevertheless, the light seemed to take form, revealing a huge platinum dragon. This dragon was the biggest Jing had seen to date, perfect in it’s beauty and majesty.

Jing looked up at the dragon in awe, backing up a little “W…Wow….”

“Now tell me Hesjing… would you like to help Kinu and her kind?”

Jing bit her lip a little “I always want to help Kinu… But back to my question before. Why me?”

“Why you?” The dragon smiled faintly, “Perhaps because of what you have lived through… because you know first-hand what those of evil intent have done already. Would you want the dragons of evil to take over the world as they took over your people?”

Jing looked at the ground as she heard that. No… She didn’t want anyone to be ruled over like her people… “I still don’t get it though. There are a few others before me who were banished… And if my people learned the truth there are those much stronger then a midget like me who can only use her powers when holding the medallion…”

“Fate would have it that you alone freed Leria.” He said, “Only you of your people know, and you have gone through many things in the past weeks that mark you as different.” He explained. “Power is not the most important ingredient in fighting evil.”

“But being able to do more then come back after dieing would be useful. That’s not even on my side anymore… Since Kinu came… I’ve regained the fear of dieing… Because for her its permanent and there is nothing I can do to protect her…”

“The fear of death is something all mortals must live with.” He said, “What if I gave you more powers, to use and help Kinu and her kind?”

“More powers? I don’t understand… How could you do that?” Jing asked confused.

“Do you forget I am a god? I can do whatever I wish.”

Jing seemed wary still, she didn’t believe in gods… and even though all of this was so weird it still left some uncertinty. “If it means helping Kinu… Then yes.”

“I still feel doubts in you, those must disappear before you are truly worthy of becoming my champion. But for now, I will help you with this… Vakativursulta.”

Jing bit her lip a little as she heard him. How could she not have doubts? Besides this god stuff… She really didn’t understand why she was picked.

He chuckled. “Now… when you used the ring with three people, it backfired. It took you back to where you wished to be, but it did not work so for your two friends. Keria died, and the old man has been lost.”

Jing paled as she heard that. “W…What?! No! Why…Why did Keria die?!”

“You barely know this girl, why do you care what happens to her?”

Jing bit her lip hard, hands going into fists “I…I don’t know completely… But she came back to that place to try and help me! She…She didn’t deserve to die!”

“True she came to help you, but you needed help because of her.”

“She still came! She could have stayed safely in the cave! She was free! And even when she was caught and being hurt she didn’t tell where the cave was! She is a good person!” Jing argued.

“Not all good people have good fates.” The dragon said, chuckling faintly. “But worry not, she was saved by another, Merial, the goddess of healing and restoration. You will see her again, though her name may not be the same.” He said. Finally a silver triangle bore into being in front of her, and moved to engrave itself into the medallion Jing held. “Go now, my child. I have great faith in you. And don’t forget… Vakativursulta.”

Jing sighed in relief then looked down at the medallion, nodding a little. “Ok… I won’t.”

Darkness fell upon Jing again, and when she opened her eyes next, she was back in the cave of Rastul, in the main area where Leria sat at a chair, just as she had been when Jing left days before.

Jing blinked in surprise as she realized she was back in the cave and looked around confused. Had she imagined it all? She asked herself, looking down at themedallion.

The medallion had changed. In the circle there was now a golden triangle, and the dragon curled about it, one claw holding the apex.

Jing blinked in shock as she saw the change. She would have to ask Rastul about that… She then headed out of the main room and back to Kinu’s, wondering how long she had been gone.

Kinu was in the cold room, Rastul murmuring over the frightened dragon.

Jing blinked in surprise as she walked in “Kinu?”

Kinu looked up, and struggled to rise to go to her, but collapsed back down with a small whimper. Rastul chanted a few seconds longer, his staff glowing in his hand.

Jing was scared as she saw this, running over beside the little dragon. What was going on?!

Finally Rastul stepped away with a disgusted sigh. “So much for that.” He muttered, as he looked to Jing. “Where were you this time?” He asked.

Jing bit her lip a little. “I…I’m not completely sure myself. Whats wrong with Kinu?!”

“Nothing.” He said, watching her. “And what of Keria?”

Jing sighed a little “She will come back soon enough…” She explained before looking at the medallion. “Rastul…? Can you tell me what this means?”

Ratul peered at the medallion, and his hourglass eyes widened in shock. “How… how did that happen!?” He demanded.

Jing jumped slightly as she heard how shocked he was. “What does it mean…?”

“That is the symbol of the old god, Palari.” He murmured, moving forward as if to grab the medallion, but shrank back almost fearfully. “How did that come to be part of the medallion?” He asked.

Jing watched his reaction, obviously confused. “Well… He said he would give me more power… And after that the medallion changed…” She explained.

“He?” Rastul’s eyes widened again. “Speak clearly, what happened?!”

Jing sighed quietly before starting to explain everything that had happened between going to get Keria back to appearing again in the cave.

He scowled as she spoke. “But why you?” He demanded, “This is ridiculous… and this… Vakativursulta… what does it mean!?”

Jing backed up a little as she heard how angry he was. “I…I don’t know…” She said, looking down at the medallion again.

He sighed in exasperation, lifting his hands and letting them fall. “Whatever, so we are no closer to helping Leria now than before you left.” He said, walking out of the room.

Jing watched him leave before sighing quietly and moving to sit down beside Kinu, still looking at the medallion. “V…Vakativursulta…” She muttered quietly, wondering what it did mean.

Kinu looked up at her, tilting her head slightly. ‘What do you mean?’ She asked.

Jing turned in surprise as she heard Kinu and chuckled a little “Oh… Sorry i thought you were asleep. Its nothing Kinu…”

Kinu moved closer to Jing. ‘Don’t you mean vakati vur sulta?’

Jing blinked in surprise as she heard Kinu, bringing one hand lightly on her head. “‘Vakati vur sulta’ … Beginning and End… What did he mean by that?”

Kinu shrugged, ‘Dunno… it almost seems like a dragon name.”

Jing nodded “It seems like it… But I don’t understand why he told me to remember it…”

‘Well if Palari said he’d help us… that has to be something important.’ Kinu said. ‘It’s not MY real name though.’

Jing was silent for a minute “Your real name? That’s right I was told dragons have two names by… Leria…” She finally stood, looking back at Kinu. “We need to talk to Leria!”

Kinu blinked, and she nodded, hopping to her feet and jumping off the bed.