Agatha did not know what to say or even think...

  That was indeed too much information at once for the reality she ever lived, but also to whom she just become? In just a few hours, from just trying to speak with the Wizard of Wind, she became first a flying Knight and then the future Queen of the whole Sky Mountains. What?

  She was staring at Menethas with huge, open eyes and an open mouth. She then slowly moved to Roud’s face. Roud made a distorted face while pulling his nose, as if he was ashamed he had not told her. He then looked at Agatha in her face and just nodded.

  “Roud!” shouted Agatha, “Why did you hide me all of this?” she asked,

  “Eheeeemmmm...you know, Agatha, would you have believed me? Like, hello! So you are a princess now, future queen of the Skylands! Come with me on an adventure!” shouted Roud in a funny way,

  “Of course not, Agatha! First, we had Bracchius checking on you, and second, you are a hunter after all, we do not have to be so serious about it, don’t you think?” asked Roud while trying to make himself forgivable.

  “Roud! You brought me to the most dangerous tombs in the sky mountains? To face phantoms that almost even killed you? The great Wizard of Light?” asked Agatha, annoyed.

  “I know...IIIII know, but this happened only because I still did not have a memory of Menethas, come on! And after all, you are a very skilled hunter, you wanna be one of those princesses who just wait for a charming prince to try to defeat a dragon for their hand? Naaaa...I do not think so; that is why Bracchius has bonded with you”, replied Roud.

  “That is not the right answer, Roud. Why have you hidden from me that Bracchius is the so-called King’s Jewel and that I am the next chosen Queen to be anyway?” asked Agatha,

  “I told you! You would not have believed me!” replied Roud,

  “You could have tried, Roud! How am I supposed to live now knowing this? Maybe...you know, maybe I don’t want to be a princess and a queen, have you thought about that?” asked Agatha,

  “Well, that is not the topic. Why are you changing the topic?” replied Roud,

  “Because that is important, Roud! For me, as a human being! I was a hunter, going on adventures for good food to serve in my future restaurant, till some minutes ago, and now I have to change all my attitude, feelings, and vision of the world, just because you are telling me this creature has chosen me as a future Queen?” cried Agatha,

  “I know Agatha, I do understand...but you will be queen, because the King will approve Bracchius’ choice”, said Roud,

  “Who cares? Why would I do what the king wants? I do not want to change my life like this in a few seconds! I just want to stay with grandpa in his workshop, feed my Brenath and cook good meals for my clients on my flying restaurant...” Agatha started to cry.

  The Wizard of Wind kneeled before Agatha and grabbed her face with both hands, wiping her tears.

  “That is why, brave Agatha, you are the best candidate for a Queen”.

  Agatha stopped crying while still sobbing a bit.

  “Now, the queen matter will be very distant in this future, but I feel you love flying creatures, don’t you? Why don’t we choose the flying creature you will be able to tame?”

  He opened the box in front of Agatha, inside divided into very precise squares, each containing a different stone.

  “You see, Agatha? These stones or gems have been awakened in their souls. Each one of them responds to a flying creature. Now, why don’t you try to hold this one?” asked Menethas.

  He put a grey gem into Agatha’s hand. The gem shook a bit.

  “Mmmh, this is the Giant Grey Owl stone...I guess it's not this one”, said Menethas while grabbing the grey stone and putting it back in the box.

  “What about this one?”

  He grabbed a golden one and put it in Agatha’s hand. Agatha stopped sobbing completely and was very interested in the stones. Nothing happened.

  “Mmmh, try to push it up, come on!” said Menethas,

  Agatha made it jump into her hand; it turned a bit brighter, then pale again.

  “Nah, you are not a Gryphon master...” said Menethas, “Let’s try this one, maybe? It has been quite a long time since we saw an Azure Phoenix Knight...”

  He took off the golden gem and put an aquamarine stone in her hand...

  “Come on, girl...ups, your highness, I must say now! Ahah, shake it, do something!” ordered Menethas,

  Agatha shook the stone with both hands, but it kept pale this time.

  “Mmmmh, I was so sure about it...was a good guess, which one...which one...don’t tell me...” wondered Menethas,

  He took off the aquamarine stone from Agatha’s hand and put a white stone in her hand... This time, Agatha immediately tried to shake it. The stone became very bright.

  “Ohohoh...I knew it! White is your color...your soul is white as a Pega...”

  “Tunk, tunk tunk!” a strong sound coming from the same drawer he took the box from...

  Menethas opened his mouth...

  “It can’t be...” he said. He then walked rapidly to the drawer and took off another box. This one was as big as the other one. He opened it. Inside it, fewer gems, but each one is much bigger than the others. His hands started to shake a bit.

  “Here, Agatha...is the box containing the awakened legendary gems of the Flying Knights. As you can see, they all have a white color mixed with another color. From the right to the center, we have the stones of: the Cloud Dragon, the Sky Dragon, the Lightning Dragon, and the Wind Dragon...from the center to the left, we have the stones of the legendary giant birds: The Golden Bird, the bird of Paradise, the Albino Peacock, the Golden Pheasant, and the Scarlet and Hyacinth Macaw.”

  Some silence in the room. Roud was also staring at the scene with anxiety.

  “Your Highness...please, bring your hand on top of this box...” said Menethas,

  Agatha slowly placed her hand on top of the box.

  “Stamp!”

  A stone just jumped into her hand...which one?

  Agatha slowly opened her hand in front of her. Roud and Menethas got closer to see...

  “Oooooh! Agatha! You are going to tame the Golden Bird and become the new Legendary Flying Knight of the Golden Bird!” said Menethas happily, and Roud was stunned.

  Agatha was feeling anxious and excited at the same time.

  “What is a Golden Bird, Menethas?” asked Agatha,

  “A Golden Bird, dear Agatha, is one of the rarest giant birds in the Sky Mountains. In the history of men, only three knights before you have been chosen by the Golden bird. And only one of them was a Royal like you now. This is simply outstanding!” shouted Menethas

  “Well, I am happy to see you this happy. I have no idea how good means. But at least I do not have to tame a Dragon, I would not be happy at all to talk to them. Nevertheless, to tame them...” said Agatha, “so, where is this legendary Bird you speak of? How does it look?” asked Agatha,

  “Oh, you know the bird on the stemma of the lands of Humerian?” asked Menethas,

  “Yes, sure, it’s my favorite bird, the Vulnebath! I've always wanted to get a tattoo of that bird...it’s so beautiful,” replied Agatha.

  “Ok, you see, Vulnebaths are the Golden bird’s children...” said Menethas,

  “What?” asked Agatha,

  “Yes...despite the Golden Bird being a giant bird, his children are small and the fastest birds in the Sky Mountains. They are a couple, male and female. When one of the two dies, one of their children becomes Giant...as for the bees, you know? They have a mother queen. But Vulnebath birds also have a father king. So you basically will need to tame the King of the Vulnebaths, sounds good?” asked Menethas,

  Agatha put her hands on her head: “I guess it's not that simple, Menethas...” she replied worried,

  “Don’t you worry, your Highness, you have me now next to you, not just Roud! Ahahahah!” laughed Menethas,

  “You are not funny, Menethas!” said Roud seriously, to then start to laugh.

  “So what do we do now?” asked Agatha,

  “Well, we need to help you recover, Agatha, but we still can make soft travels to speak with whom we need to. Tomorrow we will go to see a couple of people we need to see”, replied Menethas

  “Who are they?” asked Agatha,

  “Well, we need to find a couple of guys we need to help us get the Golden Bird for you, but before that, we also need to go talk to the King. Since you have all the keys we need for the artifact of the clouds”, said Menethas,

  “You mean the magical sword that the mercenaries were looking for at the temple next to Himerian lands?” asked Agatha,

  “Ahah, oh no! There is no sword there, dear. The sword is an ancient relic from the sky lands, almost like the artifact of the clouds, but the famous sword mentioned in texts and sculptures is known by the royal family to be on earth, in the hands of the King of Tolmeca. Arcebilux!”

  Agatha was getting too many informations now, all of a sudden, all her curiosity about ancient history was too much.

  “Why does the King of Tolmeca have Arcebilux?” asked Agatha,

  “It was a gift, Agatha, from us to them during the thousand-year war”, replied Menethas,

  “So, let’s make a bit of order. What do we need to get with our keys?” asked Agatha,

  “We need to take the pieces of the Crown of the Clouds, rebuild it together so we can open the surrounding impenetrable clouds and so be free again to the world and become again, defenders and rulers of the world”, replied Menethas.

  “Ok, so why can’t you just go and pick the pieces?” asked Agatha,

  “We can, but not without your keys, but mostly...some of them are in very dangerous places, so we need some support. We need a flying knight at least by our side, and I know who...” said Menethas,

  “Who? Are there other flying Knights? I have never heard of them or seen them...people would go crazy to know some men are actually flying on magical creatures!” said Agatha,

  “We do not have many around, Agatha, after the thousand-year war they have split, between the Sky Steppe of the elves and the Earth Kingdoms. Some of them died, leaving their knowledge to tame their type of beast in dust, but some others were able to teach their descendants about it, so we still have flying knights around. The only one left here on purpose to defend the Sky Mountains from a possible attack from dark forces is actually the most dangerous and cunning one. The black Knight, also known as Kenji the Black Giant Crow Knight. You will understand when you meet him.”

  “Sounds good and scary at the same time, I am getting used to this feeling...” said Agatha, almost more to herself than the others...

  “Oh, Roud...we also need to go to your village, we need your mentor to catch the Golden Bird...”, said Menethas to Roud...

  “Oooooh, wait...you must be kidding...how do you know that guy?” asked Roud,

  “I knew him before you knew him, Roud. Since I have asked him to train you since you were a little boy.”

  “Ahah, did not know my younger brother would care so much for my training! You have changed...”

  “Nah Roud, we are in very dangerous times...But I promise I will try to get you trained by someone I know, at least for the next two generations; you’ll be on your own! Ahahahah!” laughed Menethas...