High up at the cliffs that loomed over the lagoon below, stood the elementalist soaking in the morning rays of the suns. She stood at the very edge waiting for the rest to arrive.

Lazheros approached her carefully as he clearly saw her standing at the very edge of the cliff. "Alysiane, I will win this challenge. You know this."

Without turning, she raised her arms up and let the wind moved around her body, "Then I shall do my best to make it very challenging for you." Then lowered them and turned slightly to face him, her eyes met his in the rays of the suns.

The bronze man walked right up to her, his arms wrapped around her gently as he kissed her passionately. Releasing her slowly from the kiss, he stared into her eyes one last time before the race. Before she assumed the form of the gold dragon she spoke of.

Alyson smiled, "Do you trust me?" As she let herself fall backwards over the cliff.

~ I do.~ Lazheros watched as her form changed from human to a gold dragon of the elder breed as he concluded earlier. Each dragon type evolved differently through the centuries. The gold dragons of this age were a mix of the Western and Eastern dragons of the Orient.

"Stunning!" Was the only word that escaped Willow's lips as he saw Alyson transform.

Madeous was both amazed and stunned at the magnificent dragon form his niece now took, the Elder breed. Celestra's dragon form was of the current evolution of both the western and eastern oriental variety. He watched in silence as he and Willow progressed up the trail to the top.

*******

"WWOOOOOOWW!!!" Serna gasped as she saw Alyson transform, "So that was Alyson who fought Venger when we were captured by him and taken into The Black City. I never saw her transform. WWWOOOOWWW!!!"

"Big whoop!" War Scribe threw her hands in the air, "You see one gold dragon, you've seen them all."

Irzen looked up from his meal, "She's very beautiful, Scribe."

"Yeah?" The Drowling replied dismissively, "So what?"

"So she's more beautiful than you," Irzen added as he took a drink of ale.

"Bite your tongue, your double-possessed Drow!" War Scribe snarled, "She's cute. I'll give you that. But more beautiful than me, NEVER!"

Armendes had researched the Elder breed of the gold dragons years ago. He believed them to non-existent here in the Realm. At least, that's what information told him he found of them. The Elder breed had left the Realm and/or traveled and dwelled in other worlds. Still, it was quite fascinating to see one alive? Perhaps, it was the spirit of those gauntlets she wore. Perhaps....he would asked Alyson sometime about them. He knew that Lazheros other plans with Alyson elsewhere.

*******

Quake smiled and turned to Madame Mabel, Seri, and Neven, "Alright folks, hold hands please. Here we go." The elemental used her Earth-meld ability to literally walk from the lighthouse on the island to stepping up out of the cliff top behind the Bronze Man. At least fifty feet behind him for Quake knew he was about polymorph into his true form any minute now.

"Serna, your ready? Let's go up top! The best seats in Asylum! Hold on, here we GO!" Caliaphy held the shield maiden's hand and the two blinked out of the lighthouse to the where Quake and company had just stepped up out of the earth.

Lazheros shifted into his natural bronze dragon gargantuan form. He stretched his wings out wide which briefly created shade for those who chose to come up on the top.

Alyson swooped upwards into a complete three hundred sixty degree arc before landing near Lazheros. Her dragon size was smaller than his but still huge to everyone standing there in awe.

Caliaphy was excited beyond happy, "OH! WOW! OH! WOW! ALYSON, THAT IS SO LIKE TOTALLY AWESOME!!!"

The elementalist was granted totally control for the race only. The spirit of Perthanexio could take over if he chose but the challenge was acceptable in this case.

"OKAY! Here are the rules for this kind of challenge, er race between you two. You may use only one element of your choosing. You may use any aerial tactics in a non combat maneuver only. Three laps around the entire perimeter of Asylum from here at the starting point to the finish in the lagoon below us. No cheating and no outside help. All is fair in this race."

Quake felt winded after saying all that, "And so let the challenge begin!"

The bronze dragon turned briefly to the gold, "Since you are smaller of us two, you may have a head start."

"As you wish," The gold replied as she tucked her wings inward instead of outward and dove off the cliff side and deployed them as an updraft from the wind sent her skyward at breath taking speeds.

The bronze dragon chuckled, "Clever! Very clever!" The legendary creature glided off the edge of the cliff and over the water of the bay for a bit before going skyward as the a massive wave gave him the lift he needed to ascend.