Blood And Fire

Chapter 70-Pop's Speech

CHAPTER 70

     Back on Wysteria Island, hundreds of pixies are gathered about the Great Oak Tree at the summit of the hill.  Murmurs and chatter abound as the tiny winged beings speak amongst themselves while they wait for Pop to explain why he has summoned them all so urgently.

     Sparx's father looks very flustered as he waits for the pixie folk to settle down.  His mind is still trying to tackle what to say to convince everyone to come and help.  Matters are made worse for the pixie man by the fact that every second wasted is another moment that Sparx is alone in the city of Aldin with all that chaos and danger around her.

     "Please everyone!  This is an urgent matter!"  Pop pleads to the grumbling group.

     "I should hope so, Pop!" an irritated pixie man shouts back.  "What's this business that has dragged us all out of bed?"

     "Fizzlefuss, thank you for showing up," Pop replies, and then louder as he scans the other faces before him, "And thank you all, friends and neighbors.  I appreciate each and every one of you gathering here tonight.

     "As you all know, the world has been at war for quite some time now.  Vampires have enslaved the humans in the past and only by the will of our own deity, Pyronius, was the bond between dragon and man bestowed.

     "Well, my brothers and sisters, the time has come for us to play our part.  The humans in the city of Aldin are being destroyed as I speak.  The vampires have managed to re-animate the dead from generations past that contain the plague that had decimated their populations.

     "Right now, at this moment, my daughter is there healing the afflicted and sending this evil virus away, but, she cannot save an entire city by herself.  Hell, even the two of us are not enough.

     "That is why I am here before you now.  We must do what we can to help," Pop stares intently out over the crowd.

     "Why should we lift a finger to help the humans?"  A pixie woman shouts back angrily.  "They are greedy and power hungry, let them die!"

     Others gathered murmur and nod their agreements with her words.  A few others shout out, "Let them die!"

     Pop roars back, "We may not be at risk of destruction at the hands of the vampires at this hour, but once they rule the world and have destroyed the last dragon, who do you think they will come after next?"

     "Our creator is the same one who made dragon and man!  Do you really think that we will still remain in Pyronius' favor if we sit idly by and allow the humans to be destroyed?"

     Some of the pixie folk look down at the ground, or their feet, unable to maintain eye contact with Pop after his words.  One man chimes back, "But what can we do?  We are peaceful.  We do not war with anyone."

     Pop appraises the pixie man with a grave look and says, "We can go to Aldin and save those poor people.  We can cure their disease."

     Some nods of agreement begin and the crowd begins murmuring amongst themselves again.  A young pixie woman raises her voice.  "I will help you save the humans, Pop."

     Several others chime in their agreement as well.

     Pop smiles broadly as the majority of the gathered are now swayed by his words.  Knowing that they have precious little time left, Pop says, "Thank you all.  You are doing the right thing.  Now, please, time is of the essence.  You all know the image of the city of Aldin.  Please teleport there with me now."

     And with that the entire gathering sparkles out, leaving their shimmering flecks to settle on the earth of Wysteria Island as they travel instantaneously to the troubled city that is more than half the world away.