Double Eclipse

"Wow! This is fun!" Star daringly made some 360-degree spins and upside down flying.

"Of all the Gods! Do you have to do that? You have to save up your energy to get to the City of Sruilong (Water Dragon)."

"Where is that?"

"By following the coastline, you will see it. It’s as gigantic as your city."

"Really? I hope they have good food!"

"How can you be hungry? You just ate!"

Sticking out her tongue, "I’m not going to let you ruin my appetite."

After one hour of flying, she was exhausted and began to slow down. "Now I’m really hungry! How can the birds do this is a mystery?!"

"Just hold on. We’re almost there. You shouldn’t be hungry! You ate all we had! The bigger mystery should be is how you can eat so much and still be hungry?!"

"We’re here!"

"What? What? Where?"

"Don't wobble so much. Just look at the horizon..."

They watched the rolling skyline. Slowly a magnificent castle surrounded by a vast variety of smaller buildings emerged. The beauty of such a sight mesmerized her. But, it also distracted her of enormous crow-like avis preparing for an attack! Swift instinctively sense the danger and bit Star to alert her.

"OUCH! Why did you do that? You know, I might get rabies from you!"

"Rabies!"

"Stop moving around! I told you that you might fall if you do that!"

"Oh just stop worrying about that and worry about that!"

Star turned her head around. "Oh my God! Why didn’t you warn me?!" Star panicked and tumbled downward.

"You know what?"

"What?!"

"This is not the time to answer that."

"Ohhhhh!" The monster descended after her with murderous claws. She tried to dodge them, but unsuccessfully got the wings caught in its clutches. She wrongly jerked away shattering a part of her wings.

"Ahhhhhh!", she cried in pain; consequently a familiar light exploded from her amulet, blinding the beast. It squawked an earsplitting cry. Using their opportunity, Swift helped Star concentrate on landing by hugging onto the Sun. In Star’s mind, a strange, clear sense of guidance over comes her. She began to descend.

Simple forms of blue flowers illuminated inside the dark chamber. It contained a light glow that covered the walls. The sound of sliding steps echoed throughout the hallways as the shadows of a lady in a long gown entered the room. In a soft whisper, "A stranger has come..."

"That can’t be!" Protested a man’s voice. "I specifically order that all transportation and entrances are to be sealed! No one can get in or out. And by the way the natives are reacting to the news, they won’t dare to go outside the kingdom."

"And yet you continue to trade?"

"Government guarded. Nothing gets in and out without my notice."

"Very well, but I must warn you... This stranger, she uses Puritora."

"A warrior? A soldier? A spy?"

"Don’t worry... The source is weak. I’m sure you are able to deal with it if there are any problems..."

"Of course, my Lady." He bowed. "I’m sure we’ll find her."

Star opened her eyes. "My God! I’m alive!" Her body was entangled between a nestle of thin branches and leaves.

"Not after I deal with you!" Growled Swift, as he hung upside down by his tail caught by entwining branches.

With extreme frustration and difficulty, she pulled herself out of the bushes as the fox followed. "Wait a second, where are we?"

"We should be in Sruilong." He took a glance around.

"Someone’s backyard I guess?"

"Well, at least there is not one around to see..." Star touched her back. "My wings? They’re not here?"

"Of course they’re not. The attack has weakened the Sun; therefore it must try to conserve energy. In the time being, I suggest that you do not use the Sun. It might harm you by creating a reaction effect such as draining all your energy at once."

"Wow... That serious huh..." Dusting herself, she noticed minor cuts on her arm and some rips on her clothing. Whoa! I must look like a wreck! "Star you must tie up your hair and cover it."

"Oh Swift is it that bad?" She whined.

"No! No! I don’t mean that!" Putting his paw against his forehead in frustration, "Your hair is just too distracting."

"Oh, could you be any meaner! All I need is some time to fix it up and..." "Ack! No! I mean the color! The color." "The color?" Star touched her hair. The white glistened brightly in the sunlight. "I guess it is a little distracting..."

"I didn’t mean to be rude. It’s just that the color will mark you as a foreigner. And that will put you into danger."

Star obeyed him and began bundling up her hair into a ponytail and tying it up with an extra piece of scarf from her backpack. Then she spread out the cloth to cover up her white hair exposing only her black bangs. Fox hopped toward the opened package and noticed something missing.

"Star, where’s the money?"

"What do you mean? It should be in there?"

"No, it’s gone!"

Still holding onto her ponytail, she bent down and rubbed her hand on the bottom. "It’s a hole! The purse must’ve dropped out! Oh no! That means we can’t buy some food!"

"Food! By all the Gods, how do you stay in shape?"

"Plenty of exercise helps, and of course the usual stress of falling into another world and all, can really take a lot out of you."

"Never mind..."

"Hey YOU! What are you doing here!" A man roughly yelled. He was standing partially out a door and swinging a stick. "Get out of my property!"

"Oh my! I’m not even finish covering up my hair!" Carelessly, Star gathered all her stuff and ran!

"Wait for me!" The fox scurried behind her.

Around the corner they went and finally they arrived on a busy street. There where fruit stands, jewelry, exotic pet animals in cages, bakeries, clothe sales, and many other unusual things. The variety of alien items fascinated Star. The crowds of people were like the Roman Era, dressed in long drags and leather shoes. Captivated by the new world, she playfully bounded to every station trying them all and tasting free samples. But secretly someone noticed her and watched her with amusement.

Tugging her dress, "This is no time for games."

"Oh Swift!" She picked him up and shook him like a baby.

"Don’t be so grumpy and serious! Isn’t this wonderful? Look at the crowd, the people, it’s so alive here!"

"Miss, actually it’s been a lot quieter that normally." Replied the shopkeeper beside her. He was hanging up his goods and spreading them out.

"Why is that?"

"Well, there has been news of the plague!"

"A plague?!" Star gave Swift a confused and angry look.

"Yes! The ports are closed now, so very few foreigners come any more."

"And what type of plague..." before she could finish, someone rushed by her and knocked her down with a violent shove. "Ah!"

"Are you fine, girl?"

On the ground, she massages her bottom with an irritated face. "If I get my hands on the person who did that, I’ll chop him into a thousand pieces! Grrr... Um... Thank you, sir, but I’m fine..." Growl... Star’s stomach called out. "I’m so hungry, Swift. I have to eat something!"

"By the way, who are you talking to Miss?"

"Star, don’t be so loud. No one must know I can talk!" whispered the fox.

"Oh sir." Standing back up, "No one... I mean myself. Yes! I talk to myself all the time." Now this guy must think I’m crazy! Oh, Swift do you owe me!

"Well, do you have money, there’s a great bakery around the corner. It’s own by my cousin!" He responded proudly.

"I’m sorry, but I don’t really have any money right now..."Growl... It called again.

"I noticed you must be hungry. Very well, I’m a kind man. I know where there are some Nola trees in the Jona district. They are for free to pick, that is if you can get them."