Thunderdome soared through the sky. On his back, sat Denny, Hubris and Grek. They headed to their destination, to retrieve the Protesium Prime Song.
"Jaggarthans aren't meant to be flying through the sky!" Grek hollered over the winds. "We belong on the ground! I think I'm gonna be sick!" He belched, putting a hand over his mouth.
"Are you quite done whining?" Hubris did not look back. "You have been 'gonna be sick' for the last half hour."
"No, really!" Pleaded Grek. "I don't feel good, Hubris."
"Last time," Denny reminded him, "You asked fur a ride on Thunderdome."
"That was because we needed a quick way out!" Grek protested, still holding a hand over his mouth.
Hubris ignored him. Leaning over Denny's shoulder, he asked, "Are we almost there?"
"Nearly." Denny replied, taking his eyes away from the front. "We arr passing o'er Hydraphel now. Should be coming up on the oce-an any momen'."
"I'm getting cramps, Hubris." Complained Grek as the flew over the beach.
"That's great to hear." Hubris replied nonchalantly.
"My legs are sore."
"Uh-huh."
"I can't feel my toes."
"Look," Hubris whirled around. "If you don't want to ride a dragon, don't want to ride a horse, then you think of a way to travel across Ardonia in a day!" Grek shut up.
Thunderdome landed on a small island, so small that if one stood at its peak, one could see everything happening on the beaches with absolute clarity. Hubris and Denny jumped down. Grek rolled off the dragon and started making stars in the sand.
"Solid…ground…" He mumbled as he waved his arms and legs up and down. "Pure bliss…"
"This is the place Frederick's device pointed to." Denny said.
"Get up, you useless whine-hole." Hubris grabbed Grek by his tail's tip. A pang shot through his body and he shivered. "Get up and walk."
"Hey, I'm sensitive there!" Grek leapt up and whisked his tail out of Hubris's hand, only to find him grinning.
"I know." His smile broadened. Grek slumped down again. "Cheater." He mumbled.
"Come along, you crybaby." Hubris beckoned, "Or you can spend some more time with Thunderdome." Grek did not move.
"Grekarn," Hubris was losing his patience. "Do you want me to carry you?"
"If you have some green telekinesis Song, then sure." Grek replied with his face in the sand.
"That's it." Hubris yelled. He grabbed Grek's tailtip and lashed out, using it like a whip.
"Ow! That tingles!" Grek instantly leapt to his feet.
"Now, I'm gonna hold on to this." Hubris rubbed Grek's tail with his thumb. "Until you come along."
"Fine." Grek groaned. "Just don't ever touch me there again."
Denny stifled a giggle. Hubris winked at him. "Alright, you big boy, now come along."
"Stay on the edge of the trees, Thunderdome." Denny instructed. "An' keep an eye out for anythin' tha' moves. Watch our backs."
The group ventured into the center of the island. Very soon, since there was not much to explore, they came to a small hill.
"I can feel something inside." Hubris said, walking in front and placing a hand on the slope. "It's like…someone's calling."
"Or somethin'." Denny guessed. "It must be the Prime Song."
"Should we start digging?" Grek asked, "It's quite unusual for Thalleous to…"
"Tha' won' be necessary." Said Denny, jumping on one patch. "I can feel there's space beneath here. Give me a momen'." He started surveying the surrounding trees and bushes.
"Tha' tree kno' looked weird…" He murmured, and touched it. A portion of the grass fell away, revealing a flight of stairs leading underground.
"Umm…" Grek stepped back from the gaping black entrance. "I'll just stay here… You guys go ahead."
"What's the matter?" Hubris taunted, "Scared of the dark?"
"What? No!" Grek was outraged. "It's just, there may be creepy bugs in there!"
"Pfft, coward." Hubris walked down the steps. "Come on, Denny. Let's get this over with.
The long passageway was lined with redstone torches, which were not as bright as coal powered ones, but lasted much longer. Under the dim light, Hubris could just make out the patterns on the floor. Whoever built this place must have taken great care to decorate it.
Just when sunlight vanished, they turned a corner and found a small stool. On it rested one single blue cube. Its contents were crystal clear and in the center sparkled a white, pulsating core.
"So thi' is a Prime Song." Denny gasped. "Thi' is wha' caused the Great War?"
"I'll take it." Hubris quickly snatched the Prime Song from the stool and held it in both hands. Raising it before his eyes, he stared at it. There was never something so beautiful, so mesmerizing, so…
"Uh, Hubris?" Denny shook him awake. "Arr you okay?"
Hubris shook his head. "Yes, thanks, Denny." He placed the Song in his hands. "I think it's best if you take it. I…can't control it."
"Did you guys find it?" Grek called from the entrance. "I feel hungry! Can we get a bite to eat before we head back?"
"Never!" Denny stuffed the Song unceremoniously into his bag and stormed out. "If you throw up on Thunderdome I'll have you scrub him until every one-nov his scales shine!"
When they were back in the air en route towards Northwind pass, Hubris took a nap and Denny asked quietly, "Grek, why did you react tha' way when Hubris grabbed your tail?"
"Well…" the Jaggarthan's face became red like his markings. "You know how you human males have that pouch between your legs?"
"Yeah?" Denny suddenly came to a realization. "You don' mean…"
"I imagine it would be exactly something like that." Grek said. "Only my tail is hard and nothing will happen if you squeeze it. Still it tickles a lot and just sends the…"
"Shivers up your legs?" Denny suggested.
"Yeah, exactly."