The Circle of Snakes...

Riding on the backs of the Nytemares, the Goodie sisters and Ffion quickly arrived at the Goodie's cottage.  It was as if the Nytemares knew what danger the Realm was in and had decided to give their best to help the princess.  Barely aware of the speed, Goodiegood was thinking about what they needed to still have done when they arrived home.  "Lot's to bake and no time to pre-heat the stove," she mumbled to herself.  "I hope the missing ingredient will be waiting for us when we return to the garden or everything will be lost."    

As Goodiegood was thinking about the missing one, Goodie4u was thinking about the ritual they needed to do.  "Ffion has reached the age where she should be able to survive the ritual.  I just hope that the Crystal Egg will wait until everything is mixed and ready." 

The third sister, Goodie2shues, was busy keeping an eye on Princess Ffion.  The shock of her father's, the Shadows' King, disappearance was still evident.  Ffion did not do much more than watch the countryside as the Nytemares sped her to where the sisters were taking her to.  "I hope she can take what is soon to be dished out to her," thought Goodie2shues as the Nytemares stopped in front of the Goodie cottage.

Quickly Goodiegood and Goodie4u opened the small wooden door to their cottage and disappeared inside as Goodie2shues helped the princess from the Nytemare's back and ushered her to go inside while she talked to the Nytemares.  "Please wait for us as we won't be long," Goodie2shues told the Nytemares.  She knew they agreed when they all bobbed their heads and knelt on the ground.

Still a little confused, Ffion started into the cottage and almost jumped back outside when she noticed something moving above her head.  Hanging over the door frame was a circle of twigs twisted together making her think of a bunch of writhing snakes interwoven together.  "Did they just move?" Ffion thought to herself.  She  slowly entered into the cottage as ​Goodie4u, standing by a table, motioned the princess to sit in the chair by the table that was placed in the center of the room.  Goodiegood rushed around the kitchen picking up this and looking at that.

As a teapot floated in the air over the table,  it poured a hot spicy tea into a red flower cup for the princess.  Meanwhile Goodie4u put a sugar plum cookie on the edge of the cup's plate.  "Please princess, eat a little something and this cup of tea will help you too."

As Ffion sat, she noticed Goodiegood now standing in the kitchen, mumbling to herself as she held a small bouquet of moonflowers.  As she watched, the flowers suddenly glowed brightly with a blinding flash causing Ffion to jump up from her chair seeing bright spots before her eyes.  As she blinked several times to clear her vision, she saw Goodie2shues entering in the doorway where the wreath was hung.  Suddenly it looked like the Goodie sister appeared to turn into a green snake and was now sliding in and out of the circle of branches.  Startled, Ffion rubbed her eyes and when she looked back up, saw that Goodie2shues was back to normal and no longer a snake.     

As Goodie2shues approaches, Ffion shrinks back and squeaks "What did you just have me drink?  You were a snake!"  Goodie4u, realizing that Ffion being a Nyte Shade, must have seen the magic of her sister combining her energy with that of the Circle.  Goodie4u answered"  We only gave you a healing brew, so you don't need to worry about it, but Goodie2shues needed to strengthen the energy of the Circle of Snakes for the ritual."

"So why did I see her as a snake?" asked Ffion as she continued to move backward away from Goodie2shues until she bumped into the table.  ​Goodie4u, standing near the princess, told her "Please Princess, calm down.  We are trying to protect you. What Goodie2shues did was like a snake shedding it's skin.  She left a layer of herself behind to add to the magic of the Circle."

"Why would you do that?  Snakes are scary and evil," Ffion said incredulously.  Quickly Goodiegood, who had put the moonflowers down on the table, spoke up.  "No, they are not.  Snakes are a symbol of transformation and change.  That makes them seem scary because we don't like to change but they are not evil."  

Before Ffion could say anything, Goodiegood continued.  "​The Circle of Snakes is actually a circle full of love by those that have gone before us to create this foundation of protection.  We are simply adding to it so we can help you now.  That is why you are here."

"Ffion, you are a Nyte Shade," said Goodie4u interrupting Goodiegood.  With a brief look of irritation Goodiegood continued, "What you do not totally understand yet is what it means to be a true Nyte Shade.  You are now part of that history and ritual which seems to be needed again.  For a Nyte Shade once gave it's power to a dragon which made the Dragons the powerful creatures they are today.  Our magic is lesser than the Nyte Shade since we are part witch and part fae.  We can cast spells and help by way of ritual, much like the wizard, Devin, but we can only assist."

"Yes," piped in Goodie2shues, "Your ancestors giving that magic to the Dragons, mixing with the dragon blood in their veins, made the dragon's power so great that some can grant wishes, even open doorways around the world and some of the rare ones can even shift time.  That is why we need to help you create a bond with the Dragon.  You will be forever linked just as your ancestor was which is why you needed us to help you."

Ffion sat back down in the chair stunned.  She had never even thought to ask her father more about what it meant to be a Nyte Shade when he had told her.  Before she could start asking more questions from the Goodie sisters, Goodie2shues spoke.  "Time is of the essence and we must hurry before this recipe of disaster is completed and we are truly cooked! ​

"Ffion, you will need all of the magic your forebearer's had to help the Wish Dragon survive what is to come.  Will you trust us to show you what your part in this mix requires?" asked Goodie2shues as she looked into Ffion's eyes.  

Deciding she had little choice, Ffion slowly nods her head and replies.  "The others back at the castle must have trusted you to let you take me away.  Plus the Nytemares would not have taken us here if they didn't trust you too," she told the sisters.  "Yes, tell me what I must do."   Goodiegood approached Ffion and took one of her hands while the other sisters joined their hands to complete the circle.  Together the sisters looked at the candle in the middle of their circle as it suddenly flared to life while calling on the powers they needed to complete the ritual.  The room began to shimmer and Ffion took on a blue glow.   With that the Goodie sisters  knew that they had completed the ritual.  They had provided all the protection they could even though Ffion looked more haggard and distracted than she did when her father had disappeared.  The Goodies had opened a portal through Ffion and now they needed to finish the transformation by heading back to the crystal egg.  Goodiegood lead the others back to where the Nytemares were waiting.  As they left the cottage, Goodie2shues whispered to Goodie4u, "Do you think the portal is draining her?  We need to hurry if we are to help her as well as what is in the egg."  In the meantime, Goodiegood helped the princess to slide on the back of her Nytemare and soon the four were rushing to the Shadows' King's castle and the crystal in the garden.