Analyn felt a soft kick within her distended womb as the baby moved, and smiled as she placed her hand on her stomach. She knew, by other women's observations, that she was larger than most, though she didn't eat half as much as they normally did, however, this bothered her not. As she smiled, thinking about how much love this baby was going to receive, how doted on he or she would be by not only his or her mother and father, but Aureliane, the child's aunt, and her eventual husband Cezaris Hantaese.

A force whose presence was unfelt within the room, shoved her off her feet, knocking the wind from her, as she cried out within her mind. She felt Dahliath's reassurance, and heard the dragoness call her mate to find Ton'loran. Within moments, he was there, slipping in, rushing to her even faster as a column of light began to whirl about the room, taking on the appearance of.... a man. The man was strange indeed, with a long, flowing robe of black, covered in silver stars, though they only appeared where the sunlight reflected off them. Otherwise, everything else was black. His long, gray-streaked hair grazed his mid-back in a long braid, and his weather-beaten face looked as though it were made of leather that had seen too much sunlight and wear.

His eyes were the most haunting, completely black, with no distinguishable line separating his iris from pupil. Those eyes held Analyn's as he emerged from the light, the haze fading about him. She pulled back, not understanding the fear she'd thought she'd rid herself of when she'd become a dragon rider. Peering at her husband's face for support, she saw the same fear mirrored in his eyes, and knew he saw or had seen something she couldn't or simply hadn't.

"Don't be afraid, I'm not here to harm you," the man bespoke, his voice gravelly, as though he were talking through pebbles he held within his mouth. He showed them teeth, most of which were present, as though realizing that a smile is disarming, though his appeared none so, and only required. Analyn felt Dahliath's touch on her mind, ever-present, trying to comfort her, though it was clear that the golden dragoness was disturbed as well. The man moved closer, and Ton'loran stepped in front of his wife, providing a barrier. "Peace, I have no intention of harming the Eyrlass, Ton'loran." Again, Ton'loran was alarmed. "How do you know who we are??" he asked suspiciously, Analyn backing farther into the corner, not knowing why she was doing this, and yet still moving just the same.

"Ahh, the children recognize me, even now," the man stated, ignoring the question the large Eyrlan posed to him. "What do you mean??" Analyn asked, eyes wide with terror. "They are as they always are: suspicious of my nature, but they haven't the knowledge now that they gain when they're older, and they learn to trust me. Beautiful children, they are, wonderful people as they grow." Analyn shook her head. "What are you talking about?? Get out of here now!!" Her eyes took on the look of the clouded leopard, and the man shook his head. "Changing form is not the wisest idea, you could endanger the lives of your offspring, and that would not be good in the least."

Ton'loran was angry, despite his fear. "Who the heck are you, why are you here, and what do you want with our..." he trailed off as he realized what the man had said. Children, not child. Now the man nodded, knowing his words finally made some sense. "Yes, children, for there are two within her. Two to change my world, two to keep it from total destruction, two to fight, and two to complete the riddle:

Two to unite the people,
Two to keep the peace.
Brother and sister are they, and yet they increase.
Apart they are strong, together, one power,
Kept together, trained, for that very hour.
When the world shall scream and the darkness prevail,
From the world long forgotten, from the place the two hail.
Together apart, they are joined from the start,
And together they must stay, not matter come what may.

You see, your children are the answer to that riddle, they are the only way our world will not die. This world, this Lao Daemia, it has existed for six thousand years or more, and the darkness had forgotten it, and thus not attacked it. These worlds with dragons, Pern, Danach, Alskyr, and Lao Daemia, they've been left alone, although all but this one are being carefully watched. This one, this had been forgotten, erased from memory, because it is a peaceful world, no thread, or Ants, or whatever else attacks the other worlds.

Analyn shook her head. "No, you're mistaken. My child can't be someone like that, my child cannot do that. Perhaps you are confusing me with my sister... she pulled our entire Weyr into Lao Daemia. I don't know how she did it, but she's the only one who is able to accomplish such a thing, and she'll not have children for a while now. Sir-"

"Your children that you carry, they are whom we seek. I am from the future, from an alternate homeworld, where my people were forced to move when our world had been nearly removed from the very solar system it reigned in. I've gone back a little ways, before the entirety of destruction, and have searched the archives of the greatest recording libraries throughout it, and found only that riddle as a clue. I've cast spells, I've-"

"You're evil." The words were out before Analyn could stop herself, and she clasp her hands together in front of her, her knuckles white. "Casting spells?? Having natural power is one thing, but when you require spells, I know you've gone far beyond your grasp, far beyond what was originally intended for whatever gift you might possess." She rose, blocking out the fear she realized now that were from her unborn children, and strode to face the man, her eyes blazing. "I don't know who you are, but I've heard it said that a mother is like a bear when it comes to protecting her children, though I've never understood it until now. You will leave. My children will have no part of you. How do you know anything, if your world was already destroyed??"

"There are alternate dimensions, my dear Eyrlass, with different outcomes. You don't seriously think that you're the only Analyn, do you?? You don't think it's impossible that somewhere, a different version of you and Ton'loran haven't already sent your children to an alternate planet of mine, keeping it from being destroyed, do you?? You see, there are several different dimensions about, and in one of them, that I have viewed, your first two children saved the world that is parallel to my own.

"You see, your children, they have a greater purpose...." he paused, as though thinking, "I am aware that you believe in a High Being, a Supreme Power, am I right??" She nodded, not taking her eyes off of him for a moment. "When I say cast spells, I simply mean that I used different methods to find them, to distinguish where and when they would be born. You see, for them to do this, they have to be trained, molded, their gifts strengthened-"

"What part did you miss when she said you're not taking our children?? She was exploited when she was younger, as was her sister, and I have no doubt in my mind that, if nothing else, she is thinking about that, thinking about not having a normal childhood. What you are proposing is impossible. You cannot take them, they are ours." He rose, towering over the man by a good five inches or so, at 6'2". "I will not allow you to do this." The man glared at the Eyrlan, cold spewing from his lips. "Then my planet has no chance of survival and the evil that destroyed it will continue to come after my people. You cannot be sure whether or not my visiting here will draw that evil here to you, and all of this planet."

Ton'loran lunged at him then, pinning him to the wall, raising him off his feet by his neck, the Eyrlan's face red with fury. "Put me down," the man wheezed, "and I will show you why they must come with me." Ton'loran shook his head, muttering under his breath, eyes bright with pure anger. Analyn, not sure if she were crazy, following her children's instincts, or both, murmured words in her native tongue, that the man could identify as a Spanish dialect of sorts, and waited as the man heaved a sigh, muttering something that could only be thought of as, "you think that was a good idea??" Walking over to the red-haired shape-shifter, he took both of her hands in his, pressing palm to palm, creating a bond between them.

Analyn felt as though her whole body were on fire, and the images she saw, of a world being decimated by a force outside it ate her from the inside out, knocking the wind out of her, as she came from the vision clutching her throat. Ton'loran raced to her side, gripping her to him, as he glared at the wizard. "Who are you?? Get the hell out of my sight!!" The man appeared to decrease in age, and both Eyr leaders looked on in horror. "You.... you feed... off of... pain!!" Analyn gasped out, eyes furious. The man shrugged, rolling his eyes as though bored, as he replied,

"My dear, your father decrease in age as well, though I must say, it's not from psychic ability as mine is." Analyn's eyes widened. "Tell me of him!! What do you know of him??"

"Let's just say that he's... he find himself younger after each escapade, and that he... well, he would be proud of how you and your sister have turned out. The rest is on a need to know basis: my need to let you know, which is unnecessary at the moment." Shaking off his robes, he held up a hand as the Eyrlan charged at him, sending the man sprawling.

"I will be back after they've been born. Don't bother trying to hide them, I will find them, and I will bring them back with me, even if I have to freeze time and space to do it. Nothing will keep them from me." The room began to glow, and, tossing the words back over his shoulder, as though an afterthought, he added flippantly, "Don't worry, I will find a way to send you pictures, and tidbits as to their growth, and in a year's time, you will have them back, grown up, so long as they haven't formed attachment on Irayleu'minmuy already." However, his words were so laced with sarcasm that both thought he couldn't have been more deceitful than right at that moment. The glow grew brighter, and both Eyrlan and Eyrlass had to shield their eyes. When they were able to look, the man had vanished, along with their last hope of keeping their children.

Keigharia