Renn and Ruby lay cuddling up to Drake as they all waited for Gelda to come out from under her bridge.

They remained silent while they waited. After a while, Chad took out some sandwiches and gave each of his friends one, including Renn and Ruby. They ate slowly as they looked at their surroundings.

The small clearing the bridge was situated in was lush and green. There were flowers everywhere with a golden shine. Drake wondered if it was because of Gelda. He didn't want to ask. It was technically none of his business. Even the trees near the bridge glistened with gold, as if someone had sprinkled golden glitter on the foliage. It made the entire area sparkle, making it look magical. Considering where they were, it probably was magical.

Drake finished his sandwich, then wiped his hands back and forth, removing the crumbs before lying back down to look at the sky. Fluffy clouds floated past, blocking the twin sun's rays, casting shadows. Out of boredom, Drake looked in the clouds, finding shapes that resembled items from back home.

The clouds floated by, then disappeared completely, stopping his game. Drake sighed, not sure what to do next. He could hear soft snoring coming from his two friends. When he looked down at his two familiars, their eyes were closed. The breathing was slow and rhythmic, telling him they were sleeping as well. Drake could tell that it was going to be a long wait.

It had been a few hours before they heard a noise near the bridge, which woke everyone who was sleeping up.

Gelda pulled herself out from under the bridge, causing Drake to look up at her. He smiled. "I see you're ready, and I hope your egg is safe. I'm not sure how the storage effects are on something like your egg. What would you like for payment for us to receive the pendant?" he asked her. "There are some items I am forbidden to give you, but I will give whatever you ask if I'm not forbidden."

Gelda smiled. It was time to test the young heir. "Want staff," she said. There was no hesitation in her words.

Drake didn't hesitate to respond. "I must ask for the dimension's permission. It is an artifact that allows me to travel freely and protect those I can," he breathed. He made a deal. He needed to ask permission to hand it over to Gelda. Half of him hoped that the dimension would tell him no. He didn't want to give her the staff. His instincts told him that the consequences would mean death. He couldn't back out of the deal, though. He had no choice.

Closing his eyes, he spoke with the system. "Gelda, the golden troll, wishes for my Master staff to gain the artifact, the pendant of peace. Am I forbidden from handing it to her?" he asked the system.

{Giving the Master Staff will have consequences. It will take three days to take effect if Gelda, the golden troll, accepts the staff.}

Drake opened his eyes and turned to his friends. There was sadness in his eyes. "We will have three days to say goodbye to everyone in this dimension. I can give it, but it will cost us dearly."

Mike and Chad paled. They knew what it meant. They also knew that refusing after making the deal would make things even worse. Mike whispered. "We need to stop at Draco, and let them know we won't be able to come back."

Drake nodded, then pulled out his staff. With his face pale, he held it carefully out to Gelda, offering it to her, who stared at it in shock. She wasn't expecting him to actually give it to her, knowing that if he did, he would die.

She stared at the staff, then Drake, for several minutes before she smiled. "I decided… I don't want it." She pulled the pendant from the leather bag she had on her waist and showed the Master Pendant to him. Her eyes glowed. "Payment, you must see born," she said as she smiled. "You give my egg back. You see, egg hatch. When born, you get the pendant."

Drake slowly took back the staff and bowed. Relief washed through him, which he struggled to hide. "We will stay to watch your baby hatch," he agreed.

Chad and Mike both breathed a sigh of relief, hearing they hadn't had to give up the staff. They knew the consequences. Drake and his friends knew she wouldn't hand the pendant to them until after the baby hatched from the egg. They didn't care that they had to wait. At least they didn't have to die.

Drake wanted to know how long it would take for the baby to hatch, but was afraid to ask. He didn't want her to change her mind and decide she wanted to take the staff instead. He just wanted to finish the quest so he could get out of there.

After waiting an hour, Gelda pulled herself out from under the bridge. She had the golden egg cradled in one hand. Once she was fully out, she motioned for them to come forward.

Drake, Mike, and Chad quickly stood and moved toward Gelda, who had plopped herself onto the ground in a sitting position. Even in that position, she was much taller than the three boys. With them standing, they still had to look up at her.

She waited patiently for them to sit in front of her. It took them a short time to realize that she was waiting for them to sit in front of her. Finally complying, they sat down in front of the massive golden troll. Renn and Ruby came forward and sat beside Drake, waiting for whatever was going to happen.

Gelda carefully set the egg between her and the boys, laying it on a mound of soft fur from one of the beasts that had come across her bridge.

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