"Your bonded companion will conceive. The baby will be born in six months. It will be a powerful hybrid of Human and Dragonkin."
The Voice sounded in Raymond's ear. "Through your act of coitus you have gained a partial Dragon form. You can shift your hands, feet and eyes into that of a Dragon, temporarily gaining those abilities"
"Your power grows."
"Hey!" Raymond thought. "What happened to my rewards from the other times I've had sex?"
"Chances of rewards are reduced with repeated sex with the same individuals." The Voice sounded amused.
"Oh well." Ray thought as he chuckled inwardly and kissed his lover's lips softly.
"How will you know when you're pregnant?" Ray asked Alecia as she climbed off him.
She smiled and shrugged as she put a hand on her belly. "I won't until I start showing in about a month." She giggled. "I guess we'll have to keep trying until then."
Ray smiled. "I'm ok with that."
Over the next hour the party woke, washed, and ate.
Samantha opened the dome once more and they all exited with the tower crystal in tow.
Raymond conjured a tall, shaded stone platform, a safe distance away for them to watch from.
He threw the crystal in the air, away from the platform, and Alecia shot it with a fire imbued arrow.
The party watched, shading their eyes from the sun, as the arrow struck the crystal dead center. They expected the crystal to shatter and that would be the end of it.
Instead when the arrow impacted the crystal, it seemed to get sucked in. The crystal hung in the air for longer than it should have, unmoving.
There was a sound like a warped gong being struck, then the crystal exploded with a brilliant flash of light and a shock wave that almost swept the party clear off the platform.
They all looked at each other slack-jawed, in awe of the incredible blast. Una swallowed hard. "I guess smashing it with a hammer would have been a bad idea."
Raymon gave a low whistle. "Yea, good call Sammie."
Sammie shook her head. "Any of you ever heard of the magical city of Goldsboro?" When no one answered she continued. "That's why."
Everyone shuddered in unison.
Just then, the barrier began to flicker, catching everyone's attention as it winked out of existence. The sand flooded the city like a tidal wave, crushing everything, burying it all forever.
Just as the party turned to leave the ground shook violently. They turned back toward the city to see a massive swirling vortex in the sand.
No one spoke as the sand swirled like it was flowing down a drain. Suddenly, it stopped, forced out in all directions, leaving a flat stretch where the Temple of the Red Dragon stood alone.
Lilith walked the castle garden with King Richard. She watched him quietly as they walked.
His posture was stiff and his gaze far off, something on his mind troubled him deeply.
"Copper for your thoughts, my King?" She said sweetly.
He looked at her sharply as if startled from a dream, then his face softened as he turned back to his path.
"That's exactly where my thoughts are, copper, silver, gold." He began. "What it's costing to have all of us here like this for so long."
He continued. "I've had tributes brought to help keep Britannia's coffers full, and I hope Laspania does the same, but I wonder if it's enough."
"How long will the Hero be gone?"
"What if he doesn't find what he's looking for?"
"Will we be able to stand if we're attacked while he's away?"
"Was it a good idea to leave our own kingdoms undefended?"
"I wrestle with these questions constantly, and the lack of contingency plans bothers me to no end. I have a bad feeling about all this."
Lilith nodded. "Heavy is the head that wears the crown." she said softly
"Indeed." the King replied gravely. "But, it is always a great comfort having you to talk to. Are you sure you won't reconsider being my queen?"
Lilith smiled and hugged his arm as they walked. "I love you my King, but you need a young wife that can bear you an heir."
"No, I need a woman that loves me for my heart, not my crown."
Lilith smirked. "Do you not care about the succession and your kingly duties?"
"Succession be damned." The king scoffed. "I never wanted to be king in the first place, you know that. What do I care what happens after I die anyway?"
Lilith laughed, knowing that's not how he really felt. She stopped walking and pulled the taller man close.
She put her arms around his neck and floated until she could reach his lips. She paused, gazing into the eyes that still made her heart race after so many years.
"I'll make you a deal. Find you a brood mare to marry and give you a child, or, choose a worthy successor. Do that, and then, I will marry you."
King Richard wrapped his arms around Lilith's waist. He looked in her eyes with the affection of a life ling lover, a smile playing on his lips.
"My dear if that is what you want, it will be done. You could have asked for the moon on a silver platter and I would have moved heaven and earth to give it to you."
Lilith couldn't stop herself from smiling like a school girl. This man always knew just what to say.
"Good." She whispered before kissing him deeply as cherry blossoms rode the wind around them.
Raymond and party recovered from their shock and set their sights on the next leg of their journey.
He pulled the Red Dragon's scale from his magic bag and ran a hand over its surface.
It was still warm.
A rune flashed and began to pulse on its surface as it floated out of Raymond's hands.
Raymond looked to Samantha, then to Alecia, each shook their heads and shrugged in turn.
The scale spun slowly in a circle before its pointed end pointed north-west of their position. It then spun length-wise and began moving in the direction.
Raymond looked at the other and shrugged as he began to follow it. The ladies quickly fell into formation behind him.