When Jake finally snapped out of his delirium, he found himself curled up inside a section of reef. Faint light filtered through the dozens of tiny holes in the bright blue ceiling, and small plants waved and bobbed around in the stream. From below the overhang, he saw more coral in a multitude of corals. Small fish swam between it, nibbling from the sides.

Besides a low rumbling in the distance, it was quiet, and a warm feeling from his stomach told him he must have eaten something recently. Instinctively he stretched his wings. One of them sent out a short wave of pain before it complied, and like a wave, the memories flooded back. He shot up in a panic.

Tergin!

The last thing he had seen of the other was his unmoving shape, and after that, everything was hazy! Something about his back? Bending his long neck, he saw the thick scabbed wounds around the edges of his wing base.

Jake swallowed. That must have been close, and he might have lost his wing!

Folding them back, he decided he would need to let it heal more before trying any kind of flying. With a quick swish of his tail, he swam from below the overhang and into the bright reef.

The surface wasn't that far up, and parts of the reef stuck up into the air, waves crashing into them. Every time they did, white colors of bubbles surged down, accompanied by a deep rumbling. Small fish darted between them.

All around Jake was a labyrinth of smaller and larger passageways through the colorful reef. Although he felt peaceful, there still was a desire to swim further down. It wasn't as strong as before, and he pushed it away, swimming up towards the surface.

His head burst out to the roaring of the waves and a strong wind howling around—foam of the water flung in his eyes, striking the protective lids.

There wasn't any indication of land, no matter where he looked. But he reasoned that if he was in the reef, he had to be between the island. He needed to find his way back to warn the others. He dove back under and looked around, hoping for an indication where to go. The dark sea loomed to the left, beckoning him, but he knew that wasn't where he had to go. Still, it needed all his willpower to turn his back to it and swim the other way. The best idea he could think of was to swim in the opposite direction. If he had instinctively gone this way, going the other way should bring him back to the island. Or so he hoped.

I will avenge you! Dark anger filled his mind as he remembered Tergin's unmoving shape and the laughing Troll. He swam forward as fast as he could, the prospect of killing the Troll and saving the others pushing him on.

-

High pitched screaming, and the sounds of drowning Goblins echoed across the lake.

Melissa looked at the gathered group of Kobolds standing behind the partially finished wooden wall. Many were wounded and downtrodden. Since coming to this world, all they had done was survive, fight, and see the few friends and loved ones they had die.

The Antracii stood between them, quiet and calm and seemingly ready for anything. Even the sounds outside didn't seem to faze them.

Bolyr stood beside her in front of the open gate, staring at the lake's massacre.

Hundreds of Goblins were swimming towards them, while Kobolds capable of underwater breathing constantly dragged their struggling forms down. Dozens of bodies floated unmoving, leaving a trail back to the opposite shore. It wasn't enough. No matter how fast the Kobolds drowned the Goblins, there were too many of them.

Soon the first Goblins crawled up the side of the island a hundred meters away from Bolyr and Melissa. As soon as they stood, they roared and waved across the lake.

A group of Orcs stood at the other side, but they didn't move yet. A gigantic, green form hovered behind them, gnawing on something.

"They are waiting for the Goblins to attack us. We will need everyone here when they do, and they know it. That is when the Orcs will swim across... them and that Troll monstrosity." Bolyr hissed before turning to the gathered Kobolds. There were hundreds, but many were injured, and only a few had anything better than a pointy stick.

Stepping forward, Bolyr scanned the warriors before starting to speak. His voice grew stronger and louder with every word.

"They will be here soon! Stand fast, and don't fear, for dragon blood flows in our veins! This is the last time they come here because now we will kill them all! Let us show them why it took two races working in unison to defeat us last time!"

A halfhearted roar came from the group, mostly from the Antracii. Bolyr frowned, seeming uncertain, and Mellisa jumped forward.

She spoke softly, her eyes on those who used to be human. "Earth is gone. Nothing remains of our home to go back to, no place to hide. In this world, we need to make our new home... look around you!" Mellisa waved at the surrounding trees, the sparkling water beyond the other three gates. Deep inside her abdomen, something moved, and a shiver ran through her. She barely noticed as she continued.

"This place could be a paradise with sparkling beaches and towering buildings! A haven for us to rebuild and show this world what we are made of! But not if we let these Goblins take it from us! Don't think of them as humans; they are not. Not anymore. They will kill us or push us away if they can't hunt us into oblivion! You have to fight, fight with everything you have!"

Mellisa raised her voice, shouting now long since having lost control. She didn't notice the indistinct dark purple haze that flowed from her to cover the entire area and all the Kobolds. Nor the fact that all of them had stopped looking afraid, just staring at her. "Are we afraid of some setback?" A mighty roar responded, shocking her awake, and she reared back.

Kobolds, earthlings, and Antracii alike stared at her. Their eyes shined and glittered while they visibly shook with energy as they continued to roar.

Melissa stepped back, dismayed at having lost control of herself, and shocked at the reaction it had gotten. A hand gripped her shoulder, and she almost started. Bolyr stared at her, the same look of zeal in his eyes as in the roaring Kobolds had.

"By the hound, you have the blood of the warlord dragons flowing in you!"

Staring at the yellow armed Kobold, Mellisa wanted to ask what he was talking about when running footsteps came from behind her.

"Here they come, get ready!" A Kobold came running through the gate, shouting. A moment later, a thick mass of Goblins followed him, screaming, raging, and waving their spears and clubs around.

Melissa stepped back, uncertain, but Bolyr held her shoulder. "No! You can do this. Believe in yourself! Now tell them to fight!"

Melissa tried to find the power she had before, but it seemed gone, and feeling helpless, she stepped forward and roared. "Charge!" She felt silly, and nobody would listen.

A many-voiced roar drowned out the Goblin voices as the Kobolds stormed forward. She gaped as the mass of Kobolds swarmed around her. Whatever she had before might be gone now, but the effect must have remained.

Bolyr sped at the front, the first to clash with the startled Goblins. She had no idea what they had expected to find here, but it wasn't the furious mass of scale and teeth that surged towards them.

The Kobolds collided with the Goblins like a hammer hitting a puddle of mud, smashing through while some parts flung away. Melissa wanted to help, but as she watched a kobold use her teeth and claws to decapitate a Goblin, blood spurting everywhere, she felt her stomach heave.

"Stay here. We can't let you risk yourself." Gria moved next to her, Lyra next to her. The young, powerfully build Kobold stared after her father, a look of obvious desire in her eyes.

"Lyra, stay put. You are to guard Melissa. If we survive this, we will need her power in the future."

Melissa wanted to ask what she meant, but the heaving in her stomach was getting worse, and she felt a weakness spread through her. Gria noticed and quickly supported her. A look of surprise and curiosity in her eyes, she smiled at Melissa.

"Don't worry, young warrior. What you just did cost a lot of energy and weakened you. You earth people are a mystery! No Kobold of your kind was born amongst our race for hundreds of years!" She had to raise her voice; the battle sounds making normal conversation hard.

"What happened?" Mellisa finally managed to croak out, almost gagging.

Gria held her eyes on the battle that raged mere meters away from them and grinned. "You awakened! And to one of the most coveted power sets there is. The first time you use it can leave you weak, which is what you are feeling now."

Melissa just nodded, unsure what to say. A bout of shouting and screaming followed, and she turned her attention to the battle. Even with her lack of knowledge in warfare, she could see the Kobolds overwhelming the Goblins.

"We are winning?" Mellisa shouted above the battle, wondering why things looked so simple.

"You would think that, wouldn't you? Stupid lizard." A grumbling voice came from behind them.

Gria turned so fast that Melissa, who had been supporting her, staggered and dropped to her knees. Behind them stood a group of large Orcs and a fat green monstrosity. One of the Orcs only had eyes for the battle, but he seemed to see something different. Mellisa followed his gaze to see another group of Orcs appear through the wooden gate.

"You lot, go help them, and don't die! Danny, back them up!"

Five of the Orcs ran forward, the Troll easily keeping up.

"Bolyr, incoming!" Disbelieve filled Melissa's scream. It had looked to be going so well! Couldn't anything go their way?

Gria and Lyra jumped forward, intercepting the three Orcs that had wanted to jump her. The Kobolds moved in coordinated unison, stabbing with their spears at knees and throats. Within moments the Orc's backed off. From a safe distance, they glared at the Kobolds.

Huddling on the ground behind the other two, Melissa cursed her current weakness. She wasn't one for fighting, but lying here unable to help, caused her blood to boil.

Screams rang from the battlefield, and she saw the Orcs rage. The Kobolds forward motion stalled, and the Goblins pushed forward again.

We are going to lose?! Melissa scrambled up. Standing between Gria and Lyra, she growled at the three Orcs.

"We can take them!" Lyra growled, and before the others could stop her, she rushed towards one of the Orcs. Gria cursed and followed her.

Barely on her feet, Melissa struggled after them, determined to hold one down even if she had to sit on it.