Cabbage and Olly were on their way back to the old man’s place having been familiarising themselves with the area when something caught Cabbage’s eye.

“Olly, over yonder, see it?”

“What?”

“There, between those two pillars by the tarn.”

“A closer look, do you think, big guy?”

“Yes, I think.”

The twin pillars of Connis is an ancient ritual site, legend has it. Two tall pillars of rock by the side of a mountain lake, in the middle of a lush green velvety grass carpet and array of showy wild flowers. Nothing particularly exceptional about this other than the fact that it was an all year round display, an oasis of colour in an otherwise bleak location. It had been like this since time began, as far as anyone knew though no one seemed to know what its purpose was other than some obscure ritual site.

Cabbage and Olly landed just short of the site to survey the scene, not one they would have expected. All the wild flowers were wilted away, where the grass had been there was only parched earth, and the tarn had a greenish tinge to it. The whole area exuded ‘corruption, death.’ 

“Best report this Lumus, he’ll want to know, I’m sure.” Said the owl.

“Come on.” Agreed his friend.

After a quick look around the site they both flew off and back to the old man’s place in the mountain side. They found him tired and thought to save their news till the morning but then had second thoughts when he asked them how they'd got on and he looked genuinely keen to know. Once they had described the scene they found there was a noticeable change in the old man’s posture. He no longer stooped, which he tended to do as the days drew on but now he stood upright and he appeared as sharp as he had  ever been. One could almost see his mind ticking over, examining this fresh information in great detail. It was the loudest silence they had ever experienced. Not a word was spoken until he broke the silence himself.

“You know what this means, don’t you?”

“That which you feared has started?”

“Correct, Olly. It means they have been near and are possibly watching us and may have been watching for goodness knows how long. If it has been for a while then our time for action is shorter than I had anticipated. If they’ve only been watching for a short time then we have a better chance of completing our preparations. Whatever the case, we cannot drag our feet but must take action immediately. Olly, will you go and warn Leo? You’ll find him in the inn, by the window, if I know him. He’ll tell the others. Cabbage, will you take me to the pillars and Tarn? I want to have a look for myself. Do you mind?”

“Climb aboard.”

The revellers in The Loop Hole were just beginning to get into their stride when the owl set down on the window edge and sure enough, sitting immediately beneath the window Leo was leaning on his elbows intent on watching what was going on. He detected a slight change in the atmosphere of the room, a tangible excitement and it worried him. And, if that wasn’t enough he was getting an irritating noise in his ear, which sounded like, ‘psst!’ It wouldn’t go away and as he shook his head he caught sight of an agitated owl in the corner of his eye. Upon seeing Olly he knew it was an emergency and after the briefest of exchanges he rose from his seat and made his way to the door and out.

“Right, go tell the old man that I’m rounding up the boys and we’ll meet him in the usual place.”

Without another word, the owl was off back to the cave and she was feeling it too, that tingle when something is about to happen.

The old man walked around the pillars and the tarn, one hand hanging by his side the other twisting his beard this way and that in deep concentration, taking in every detail he could although he already felt he knew enough, had seen enough and was convinced there would be action very soon.

“Come on, Cabbage, let’s get back. There is much to do.”

Cabbage was also feeling the ‘tingle’ and had been since his first visit to the pillars. He sensed he didn’t need to mention this to the old man as he was convinced he knew already and also felt it too.

Back at his cave the old man was checking the progress of his preparations. He’d been busy over the past few weeks mixing potions, tempering steel, Cabbage had been happy to help supplying the fire for the latter and while they were together they formed a special bond, one which encouraged the dragon to be more relaxed and so better able to remember stuff. He could trust the old man, who didn’t press him with questions but let it all happen naturally. And it worked because Cabbage was remembering more and more as time went on. He remembered more about his youth and what he got up to, quite a bit of mischief in fact. There was one other thing, that every time he got to it he stuttered, then stopped, as if there was a major mental block, something of great pain. When he resumed his remembering session he’d skip right over this troublesome issue. The old man knew that this was the crucial key to unlocking the dragon’s memory but he wasn’t going to force the subject. It would come in time, or not. It was entirely up to Cabbage.

After the weeks of preparations had passed, it was time to equip the Rangers. The old man was just about to leave for the town when Olly came swooping down, so fast she almost smashed into him.

“Whoa there, Olly, that could have been nasty.”

“They’ve struck!” She said, with the little breath she had left.

“You mean…?”

“The town clerk and his family have been murdered.”

“Bad, very bad. And I’m to blame.”

“Whatever do you mean, you're to blame?” Protested the owl.

“I should have acted sooner to protect the community. I was so wrapped up in preparing to take them on, not thinking that the last thing they’d plan to do would be a full frontal attack. Not yet. Gather the Rangers, Olly. We’ve already lost valuable time.

“Cabbage?”

“Hm?”

“Have you thought anymore about shape changing, only it would come in very handy about now?”

“To be perfectly honest, no, I haven’t. Didn’t see the need really and anyway, what shape had you in mind?”

“How about a ‘Peeps’?”

“A Peeps, one of those little things.?”

The old man noticed a touch of disdain in the dragon’s voice.

“It’s ‘those little things’, as you put it we are about to protect. There are some good Peeps down there, not to be confused with the riff raff who also dwell there. My lads are good lads and very willing but I fear the ones we’re up against will push them possibly beyond the limit. We need someone who can mingle but at the right time respond to the danger in a specific way, do you get my meaning?”

“I really didn’t think you were that devious, do you know that? You shocked me, Lumus.”

The old man caught the twinkle in the dragon’s eye and the faint movement towards a grin.

“I’ll take that as a yes then?”

“You may, though I’ll be a bit rusty to start with, you’ll have to be patient.”

“Not a problem, my friend. There is just one other thing.”

“Y-e-s?”

“Your name. As it is and whatever it was I am sure wouldn’t pass without unwelcomed scrutiny in the town. And, your present one really isn't  you, is it?”

“It has begun to grate a little, that is true.”

“You, my fine friend, are a Guardian and as such you should have a Guardian’s name, therefore I am taking it up myself to name you GAREN which means Guardian. Is that okay?”

“GAREN? Hm, has promise.

“Good, now, about the shape…?”

“Well now, I’m going to have to give that some serious thought, I mean, I haven’t done it, well, for a very long time. I seem to remember having a go way back in my very early youth.”

“And?”

I did manage another species, a panther actually but it was a long time ago.”

“You remember? That’s good, very good. Go on.”

“There was one other thing I managed to do which was fun as a youngster but of no particular use in later life.”

“And what was that, tell and let me be the judge as to how useful or not it is.”

“Well, it’s this…” With that Garen began to disappear.

The old man stood staring at nothing, a ‘nothing’ so completely well displayed. Garen returned to visual and to great applause from his friend.

“Forget what I said about emulating the Peeps, what you have there is wonderful, reminds me of another dragon I heard of way up in the north and how he put it to good use. You said something about another species. Care to show me that one, if it’s not too much trouble, that is.?”

In a matter of seconds standing before him was a massive Panther of the most unusual colour, a mixture of purple and red and another thing, when the light caught it in certain ways it was iridescent. It also had tremendous fang-like teeth that must have measured two feet long.

“Splendid, splendid,!” enthused the old man, who was almost dancing until he stopped to think. “Ah, I had better warn the lads, wouldn’t do to frighten off our own troops now, would it, hmm?” But it was clear to see the old man was overjoyed by this latest development. He was starting to walk away when he stopped, turned around and looked at his dragon friend and without thinking, said, "that colour, did you choose it?”

By this time Garen was back to his dragon form. He looked at the old man, thought for a moment then said, “I hadn’t thought about it, why, what’s wrong with it?”

“Oh no, nothing’s wrong with it, it’s just perfect, reminds me of something. Give me a second.” With that he left the main chamber and could be heard making noises as if he were rummaging around looking for something. Upon his return he held up, triumphantly, a long gnarled staff on top of which sat a fist sized cluster of three precious stones. One was a ruby red, one diamond white and the third was amethyst.

When Garen saw this he lost all colour, becoming as pale as bed linen.

“Garen, are you alright, you look like you’ve seen a ghost?”

The dragon just lay there staring at the staff held by the old man and when he eventually spoke he just uttered one word, AMETHYST!

“Yes, Amethyst. Does that mean something to you?”

“Amethyst, Amethyst, I am Amethyst. Now I remember. I am Amethyst and I flew with royals and…” There he faltered for a few moments.

“It’s okay, you’re remembering just fine.”

“No, it’s not fine…”

The old man sat down by his dragon friend’s side but didn’t say anything, just sat, all quiet. If his friend was going to say more he thought he’d just let him and he would be here listening. There followed a long period of silence but the old man could feel the turmoil going on inside his friend, turmoil that was a one individual struggle which had to be played out for now was the time.

After an hour of this silent tussle the dragon turned to his friend by his side.

“I am sorry, Lumus, I really am.”

“No apology needed, believe me.

”It’s all so, so painful but I feel I must talk about it.”

 “I’m here to listen.”

Through that night Garen related to the old man everything leading up to and including that fateful fight. How the dancing dragons wasn’t a vision but a memory, a memory of himself and his love. The one thing he wasn’t all that clear about was how he ended up in that cabbage patch. Everything else was pretty clear now in his mind. He remembers feeling like his whole life had ended right there in that fight, the last sight of his love as she flew frantically skyward, heading for the clouds, just as he had told her to. He remembered how those hunters were acting like mad men, coming at him all the time until he was forced to send them a fiery warning. A warning that would seem to have killed them for they stopped right after that. The next thing he remembers was flying, and flying until he awakened in that patch.

After a little while, the old man spoke again.

“You have done well, my friend. You have remembered much and what’s more you have remembered your name which we shall call you from now on.”

“No, no. Don’t call me Amethyst for Amethyst died back there. Garen was born here, where he is needed, where he can be useful and not like that other young dragon who spent most of his life being frivolous.”

“Are you sure about that, it’s a big step.”

”I am sure. I have had fun, I have loved and been loved and now I will serve.”

The old man took a long look at his dragon friend, an affectionate look and one which carried a lot of concern. He wasn’t entirely sure about him. He’d remembered a lot of trauma, a lot of emotional stuff and now he was presenting himself as one who had set himself to follow his destiny. It was all very neat and tidy. In time he would come to realise and understand that that’s how his dragon friend operates. He will not forget the past but will set himself to go forward, carrying the pain with him, almost as a cushion?

Dawn was breaking and they still hadn’t informed the Rangers of their ‘latest recruits.’